Tech myths - refrigerated batteries

How many of you have heard this one?
"If you want your batteries to last longer you should store them in the refrigerator."

This is a myth.  This is NOT true, as a matter of fact storing your battering in the refrigerator may end up doing more harm since extreme heat or cold reduce their performance.  It is best to simply leave then in an area where they'll be:

1. at normal room temperature (68°F to 78°F or 20°C to 25°C) and
2. DRY!!

NB: It is perfectly normal for batteries to lose some of their charge while in storage (nickel-cadmium batteries lose the most), but placing them in the refrigerator will not stop this from happening.  You should also keep them from heat sources including having them sitting on a shelf in direct sunlight.  Heat kills batteries.

Here's what Energizer has to say on the issue.

Ten Internet Commandments

This may seem funny to some persons, but there are serious lessons in each of the commandments...(smile)

1. Thou shall not browse the Internet without first installing an antivirus program and ensuring that its definitions are up to date
2. Thou shall not purchase items that are advertised in pop-up ads or spam
3. Thou shall not be fooled into believing that thou art the millionth visitor to any website and have won thyself a million dollars
4. Thou shall not reply to any emails from Nigerians requesting your banking information
5. Thou shall not post thy email address, phone number or address on the internet, nor shall thou post anyone else's including thine sworn enemy
6. Thou shall not post thy children's pictures on the Internet
7. Thou shall not post private pictures of your ex, neighbor or even thine sworn enemy on the Internet
8. Thou shall not covet thy neighbor's credit card number or attempt to acquire it using deceptive means
9. Thou shall not enter thy credit card number without first seeing the tiny padlock icon on the address bar of your browser
10. Thou shall not use "password" as thy password, nor thy birthday, nor thy children's names or any other word or phrase that can be easily guessed

Dos and Don'ts of social media such as Facebook

There is nothing wrong with interacting with others via the Internet.  Social media is not evil.  Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google + among others should not be shunned, but embraced.
I know many persons may choose to disagree with these statements (and you can, if you so decide...no love lost), but your stand would not change the fact that once properly used, these social media can be of great benefits to us and our society.

Someone once said, "A tool in the hand of a fool becomes a weapon that brings about self-destruction"  and more and more these days we are seeing this become a reality as more and more persons destroy themselves by improperly using social media.

1. Embrace social media - sign-up, get an account and login
2. Use strong passwords
3. Be courteous
4. Respect others' opinions or point of view
5. Pay attention to how you present yourself - the pictures and comments you post should increase your worth, not cause you to lose your job or reputation
6. Pay attention to the privacy settings for the different websites - take time to read the different setting to ensure that you're not giving permission in cases where you would not want to give permission for the sharing of your personal information
7. Share your resources/expertise - social media is not about being selfish
8. Verify information before sharing or passing it along
9. Try and verify the identity of the persons requesting addition to your circle before adding them
10. Pay attention to the amount of time you spend using social media - you may realize you've been wasting a lot of time

1. Do not post your every movement - you'll be making it easy for kidnappers and thieves to hurt you
2. Do not put more information than what is absolutely necessary on your profile - ignoring this can lead to you being a victim of identity theft
3. Do not use inappropriate language - certain words are obscene even when used over the Internet
4. Do not use your employer's time to update your status or browse social media
5. Do not connect with everyone - quality is better than quantity.  Would you be increasing your worth by adding this person to your circle?
6. Do not upload anything that you would not want everyone to see
7. Do not take social media lightly - your actions can have very far-reaching consequences
8. Do not portray yourself as someone you're not after all thieves and other criminals do use social media too.