InfoStar.com - Current Top 10+ Web Sites announced by Peter Greene

This list is for providing you with easy access to these "useful" Web pages. Please visit my NEW "Tips and Favorite Applications" Page, WEBHITZ^® for access to our Web menus! Use of the products and services offered on any of these Web pages is at your own risk! E-Mail me and give me your feedback at pgreene@infostar.com. Due to the volume of email I get I cannot possibly reply to every message!

Next show is August 6th, 2018

QualityForum.org - National Quality Forum (NQF) committed to helping our nation achieve better and affordable care, and improving the overall health of Americans. National Quality Forum (NQF) is a not-for-profit, nonpartisan, membership-based organization that works to catalyze improvements in healthcare. Also visit: "HealthCare.gov".
ComingSoon.net - latest news and info on movies (including trailers, reviews and ratings), TV shows & events, games and more.
PunchBowl.com - a resource to use to create online invitations. Also visit: "SmileBox.com" and "Canva.com".
WebPageTest.org [useful to use if you think a Website is having problems] - use this resource to run a free website speed test from multiple locations around the globe using real browsers (IE and Chrome) and at real consumer connection speeds.
XE.com - online currency converter. Are you traveling to a country with a different currency - know what to expect for the value of your money!
Expat.com [An expatriate (often shortened to expat) is a person temporarily or permanently residing in a country other than their native country] - this useful Web resource is to help you have a better "expat" experience: learn about your host country, find accommodation and job opportunities, and get in touch with other expats [claims to have 2.2+ million members].
RD.com - the official Reader's Digest Website; useful articles on a wide variety of topics; supplements their printed material.
Thrillist.com - learn more about what your city or place that you want to visit has to offer for enterainment, food, restaurants, etc ....
SecurityScorecard.com - a Web resource that offers a free security test; SecurityScorecard enables users to view and monitor security ratings, easily add vendors or partner organizations, and report on the cyberhealth of their ecosystem. It also provides access to breach insight and other analytics, compliance, collaboration, digital asset management, and other tools that help enterprises better manage security and meet compliance objectives.
LifeWire.com - a resource to help you use, fix and handle technology [technology untangled]. For example: "Best Ways to Reset a Home Network Router".
End of top 10 for this month
Windows 10 - creating a recovery thumbdrive, Windows 10 recovery drive #2 or Windows 8 or 10 recovery drive Solution #3.
Windows 10 Missing Fonts Solution #1 or try this other Windows 10 Missing Fonts Solution #2.
DoNotCall.gov - National Do Not Call Registry - Wisconsin now uses this - but here is Wisconsin's DoNotCall Web resource: Wisconsin Do Not Call Registry. Also visit: How to report unwanted calls.
How to Stop Unwanted Calls on Your Cell Phone or Landline: Lifewire.com article, HowToGeek.com article, and PCMag.com article.
Another resource to check out for Cell Phone/PC/Online privacy and security apps (software) that includes secure & encrypted chat, messaging, calling; plus password managers, Web browsing in privacy, and more is: Tom's Guide article. I use "CM Security" on my Samsung Android powered phone to screen and block almost every annoying "telemarketer" incoming cell phone call. Please note ---> that this is not an endorsement by me; it works ok but is not without its own quirks. Use it at your own risk.
Troubleshooting Windows 10 printer problemsLast show's tip on how to fix common Windows 10 printer problems (it is not you - it is Microsoft that keeps having trouble!.

*****macrium.com - another backup software program; also has ghosting feature (duplicating "drives" - especially hard drives - check out their FREE version of their "Macrium Reflect" software.
****Classic Shell ---> This is a Windows 8 "free utility" to make it look more like Windows-7 or Windows XP. I have used it a few times on Windows 8 systems; and, it has worked well for me. Good luck!

Peter Greene's Selection of Most Popular Applications (Apps) - Software

Microsoft "Office" - remember Visicalc? WordStar? WordPerfect? Lotus 1-2-3? Multiplan? Also now: "Google Docs"
Adobe's "Photoshop" - they are also known for their "Creative Suite". Related - remember Corel Draw? Saw money and use "Google's Picasa".
"Google's Gmail". Also: Yahoo Mail, AOL, Outlook by Microsoft, Windows Live Mail (by Microsoft), Apple Mail.
"Google Maps" or just using your smartphone for a GPS [Global Positioning System (GPS) is a space-based satellite navigation system]. Remember MapQuest?
Google's "YouTube". Along with "Twitter", "Pinterest" and "Facebook" you are a social butterfly. Remember "MySpace"?.
"eBay" - connects buyer's and seller's from all over the world.
"Speedtest.net" by Ookla; just nice to know how face your Internet connection really is. I have been using this for years and really appreciate it!
"Skype" (for traveling) - it has changed hands (owners) a few times. So the rules / costs might change just like cell phone plans do!
"WhatsApp" (for traveling) - also handy for travelling outside the U.S.
Apple's "iTunes". If you own an Apple product then you pretty much have to use it. But don't forget this handy app --->"i-FunBox" [I like the classic version]
The "Staples": Operating Systems: Free"Ubuntu" and paid for version such as Apple's OSX (Yeosemite) and Microsoft Windows 8.1 (I still like 7 over 8). I think OSX runs better and if you hate doing backups you can't beat TimeMachine in OSX. Under the hood Apple's OSX really is a version of Unix; and Linux (Ubuntu, Redhat and others) is also a version of Unix.
The other Staples: Web browser - Mozilla's "FireFox". And the others: Microsoft's Internet Explorer, Chrome, Apple's Safari.

*** Below are last month's choices ****

envato.com - products and services that are used by companies and people to build the World Wide Web. Check out their "Market" which has products & services such as "ThemeForest" [40,958+ WordPress themes & Website templates for purchase]; the market has much much more.
NextDoor.com - private social network for your neighborhood; they claim 171,000+ neighborhoods across the country use their web resource.
behance.net - a showcase for, and, where to discover creative works. Many of Adobe's digital products uses & users are showcased here.
iFixIt.com - the "free repair guide for everything, written by everyone". Check out their "Repair Guides" - claims to have: 37,983 free manuals, 123,151 posted solutions to problems, and covers 10,689 devices.
Bitcoin.org - Bitcoin claims to be a new kind of digital payment network with a new kind of digital money. Bitcoin uses peer-to-peer technology to operate with no central authority or banks; managing transactions and the issuing of bitcoins is carried out collectively by the network. Bitcoin is open-source; its design is public, nobody owns or controls Bitcoin and everyone can take part. Through many of its unique properties, Bitcoin allows exciting uses that could not be covered by any previous payment system. Visit their Bitcoin's Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)"Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)" page to learn a lot more.
The-parallax.com - a popular security news resources that oincludes indepth special reports on related topics plus "how-to" articles and security topics. Checkout their "How To ..." about: "Why (and how) to stop cryptojacking". [Cryptojacking - a relatively new method of mining cryptocurrency that involves harvesting an external device’s processing and electrical power to perform transaction-validating cryptographic calculations.]
DarkReading.com - a cyber secuirty news resource that includes a community of members who are thought-leading security researchers, CIOs, CTOs and technology specialists, along with thousands of other security professionals. [CIO = Chief Information Officer CTO = Chief Technology Officer]
RiskIQ.com - a company that offers products & services that help try to solve, protect and deal with "Digital Threat Management" which includes: phishing [spear-phishing], malvertising, ransomware, rogue mobile apps, compromised sites, brand abuse, and fake social media accounts, cryptojacking and more.
FossBytes.com - [started in 2014 and based in India] a technology news resource reporting on current issues and topics (claim to have 3 million+ pageviews and 60,000 email subscribers). Checkout their "Viral News Webpage".
BlockGeeks.com - an online learning platform that helps anyone learn Blockchain in business, software, technology and creative skills to achieve personal and professional goals; they offer a 7-day free trial to their course library. [claims 250,000+ members, 78,800+ posts, 6,900+ Q&A's, 1,120+ slides & videos]. [Bitcoin - Blockchain was invented by Satoshi Nakamoto in 2008 for use in the cryptocurrency bitcoin, as its public transaction ledger.[1] The invention of the blockchain for bitcoin made it the first digital currency to solve the double spending problem without the need of a trusted authority or central server. The bitcoin design has been the inspiration for other applications. Visit "Bitcoin.org" for more information.]

As discussed on a previous show - I have listed resources to help you search for access to public information, and, information that may be purchased.

Note: I have no affiliation or am I making any endorsement for use of these resources; just pointing out examples to access this kind of information on the Internet and World Wide Web. I tried to group the resources together as best as possible.

Keep in mind that even though you may sign-up to be a member of a Web site - that some of your information, such as a "user name" for your membership may be accessible outside of that resource by search engines such as Google.com (this also includes images). So you may want to change your use of your "user name" across multiple sites; similar to changing your use of the same passwords to protect yourself. Or it is a question to ask yourself - how visible or invisible do I want to be online? If you associate your name (even a nickname or alias and someone knows it) with a face then you are visible.

A way to save money - sign-up for a trial account that may give you "a 7-day window to use the service" if you pay the annual fee; however, make sure you note the cancellation date or you may end-up paying for the entire year!

Google.com [make sure you check out their "Other Products Page"] , Google's Image search, YouTube.com (part of Google), and Google's Plus (similar to Facebook); note Google makes money by selling advertising - they make this statement as related to Google Plus - "'Google may use my account information to personalize +1s on content and ads on non-Google web sites.'"
Yahoo.com and Bing.com two other search engines to work with that are also popular.
Facebook has become popular not only for individuals but business and organizations to use as a social media marketing tool to gain popularity.
LinkedIn - typically considered for business professional but also used by others.
MySpace - was more popular before Facebook but still used by individuals. Another social connectivity resource like facebook.
Twitter - a social networking tool - find out what’s happening, right now, with the people and organizations you are interested in (if they tweet !!!).
Manta.com - business community where you can find out more detailed information on a business and its contacts.
Bizapedia.com - provides free online company search and people search tools.
CorporationWiki.com - information on 37+ million Companies and 35+ million executive.
Netprospex.com - helps Business-to-Business companies discover and connect with millions of targeted sales prospects. Find verified contact information, including email, phone, and social media.
LookUpAnyone.com and PublicRecords.com - comprehensive people search resources to use; costs/fees to access (I have no experience with them).
pipl.com - search engine that claims to be the "most comprehensive people search on the Web"; dive into the deep Web to bring you results you won't find in any other search engine then we use a powerful identity resolution engine to link those seemingly disparate results into a set of meaningful profiles so you can easily find the person you are looking for.
Radaris - another comprehensive people search resource to use.
Spoke.com - another comprehensive people search resource to use.
SocialDiligence.com - a social media search tool.
Ancestry.com - looking for close relatives, family tree, divorce, marriage, birth, death records?
Archives.com - claims to have an extensive database of images, newspapers, vital records, and more for your ancestors' historical records.
Areaconnect.com - a resource that has access to local Yellow Pages, White Pages, search, directories, news, weather and more.
411.info - looking for phone numbers, addresses, reverse look-ups?
Netronline.com- gain entrance to those official state Web resources that provide online access to property tax and related information. Check out the State of Wisconsin info and local Dane County examples below.

and

Wisconsin and local resources examples:
Access to the Public Records of the Consolidated Court Automation Programs (CCAP) from the Wisconsin Court System - commonly referred to as "CCAP"; and City of Madison Property Taxes

selected Peter's schedule for appearing as a guest on Larry Meiller's show can seen by clicking here.

You can listen to Peter on WPR (Wisconsin Public Radio) - 970AM WHA Radio in Madison, WI monthly! It is broadcast live over the WPR radio network from the 7th floor of Vilas Hall, and is "Web casted" live via Real Audio - you'll need the "Real Audio player". The show is 90 minutes in length and covers the latest in PC computer technology , the Internet and the World Wide Web; show is a question & answer format. I have supported Wisconsin Public Radio for over 31+ years with a monthly radio show on computer technology. The show is hosted by Larry Meiller.