[Released] JavaRa 2.0 Beta

SingularLabs has updated JavaRa to version 2.0 beta

Many bugs have been fixed since we released the JavaRa 2.0 back in December. We’re confident that JavaRa 2.0 is finally stable enough for general use. The updated version can be downloaded from the official page.

Changes:
[Added] /SILENT and /REMOVEOLD commandline arguments
[Added] Support for “jucheck.exe” update checking
[Fixed] Crash caused by incorrectly formatted definitions

More info and download here.

Duqu Removal Tool

Duqu is considered by some to be the heir of the infamous Stuxnet malware. Stuxnet was specifically designed to target Siemens industrial Step7 software. It was suspected that Stuxnet was intended to harm the Iranian nuclear effort.

Duqu seems to share parts of the code with Stuxnet and is rather difficult to detect and even harder to remove.

Bitdefender has now developed a free tool that removes all traces of Duqu.

More info and download here.

Should you feel the need to feel safe and secure then simply use a free antivirus tool, like Microsoft Security Essentials. Download here.

[Released] JavaRa 2.0 Alpha

SingularLabs has released the new JavaRa.

Download JavaRa 2.0 Alpha here.

You are invited to test this build and give feedback.

How to remove the German Governmental Trojan?

German and Dutch governments are spying on their own citizens. Is this the start of Big Brother as was the vision of George Orwell (1903-1950)? I gather they hope so but a growing group of disgruntled voters already lost faith and hope in this ageing generation of politicians. Is this the beginning of the end?

How do we counter this threat? How do we counter that potential invasion of our privacy?

The answer is easier than expected because BitDefender has created a simple tool that can detect and remove the governmental malware they named Backdoor.R2D2.A.

Download the Backdoor.R2D2.A Removal Tool (32-bit) here.
Download the Backdoor.R2D2.A Removal Tool (64-bit) here.

Most - but not all - regular antivirus program will now remove this malware.

Lavasoft RIP?

LavaSoft, creators of the once famous anti-spyware program,  Ad-Aware, was recently sold to a company called Solaria. See here.

Investigations into this company revealed that the people behind Solaria were also alleged to have sold online porn, reskinned peer-to-peer filesharing software, and allegedly 'skimmed' online sales, charging customers for software that they did not order. The new marketing director of LavaSoft was formerly the marketing director of UpClick, a company that has 'refocused its activities' and now offers 'eCommerce activities'.

In other words: forget about Ad-Aware. I don't trust them anymore. Neither should you.

JavaRa Definitions updated

Java Runtime Environment (JRE) has been updated to version 1.7.0.1. We have updated the definitions of JavaRa to reflect this update. Simply download the entire program anew here. JavaRa 2.0 has almost reached its beta stage.

HateBlock

HateBlock is a Google Chrome browser extension that blocks a predefined list of religious websites. The extension warns when you are about to visit a religiously motivated hate site (racism, homophobia etc), giving you the option of continuing to the website or leaving.

More info and download here.

New blog: Wordorexia

I've started a new blog on words that say you might have a problem with your body: Wordorexia.

If you have any suggestions or additions, please mail me here.

Wordorexia can be found here.

How to prevent Likejacking

Likejacking is a form of Clickjacking – a social engineering attack whereby victims are tricked into clicking on one or more hidden links on a page. With Likejacking, attackers exploit the Facebook ‘Like’ button and other Facebook widgets, to spread spam and propagate scams by tricking users into advertising the malicious content via their own Facebook profiles.

Zscaler has created a simple tool called 'Zscaler Likejacking Prevention' that protects you against lifejacking.

The tool is downloadable here.

Microsoft Removes Super Cookie Code

You think your privacy is safe when you remove your cookies? Think again.

Microsoft has only recently deleted some code on its MSN-website that secretly could log visitors' browsing histories across multiple web properties, even when the users deleted browser cookies to elude tracking.

So-called 'supercookies' are even capable of re-creating cookies or other identifiers after people deleted regular cookies. Microsoft was identified as one among others that had this code. Aware of its public image Microsoft promtly removed these lines of code, saying that it was occurring under certain circumstances as a result of older code that was used only on our own sites, and was already scheduled to be discontinued.

See Microsoft's press-release here.

As one poster replied: To sum up this post: We're sorry we got caught. Won't happen again...until we get caught again.

PureRa 1.7

[30jul11] RaProducts PureRa has been updated to version 1.7

Changes:
[Added] CryptURLCache cleaning
[Updated] Format of 'total space cleaned' statistic in log

Download here.

SingularLabs acquires The Ultimate List of Uninstallers

SingulareLabs and the Ultimate List of Uninstallers today announced that they have entered into an agreement under which The Web Atom will acquire the content of this weblog. Fred de Vries will be maintaining the database of the Ultimate List of Uninstallers.

As of 17 June 2011 the Ultimate List of Uninstallers can be found here.

JavaRa 2.0 User Interface Preview

Since taking over development of the app, we decided that it needed to be even more user friendly and not out of place on the average family PC. We now present to you a prototype of the JavaRa GUI.

Development is still in relatively early stages, so don’t expect to see this released for quite some time. We want to make sure it is completely stable before it goes public.

How to remove Rogue Mac malware

Mac users were always relatively safe from infections with malware. It simply wasn't worthwhile to write malware for Macs because there weren't many around. But now there's a problem because more and more Mac users are reporting problems because they have been infected with a rogue security program called MacDefender, MacProtector or MacSecurity.

But the trickle of affected users is rapidly becoming a flood and now Apple could finally show how much they really care about their customers. Well, the fact is that they don't because Apple continues to tell support reps: do not help with Mac malware. That story is here.

What should an affected and now very grumpy Mac user do now to remove this threat from his computer? The answer is simply downloading Sophos AV for Mac via here, install, run and you're safe and protected again.

Update [25may11]: Apple finally admits that they have a problem on their hands. See here how to manually remove the malware. In the coming days, Apple will deliver a Mac OS X software update that will automatically find and remove Mac Defender malware and its known variants. The update will also help protect users by providing an explicit warning if they download this malware.

Update [31may11]: BleepingComputer.com has introduced the BleepingComputer Mac Rogue Remover Tool that removes Mac Security, Mac Defender, Mac Protector, Mac Guard and Mac Shield. More info here. Download here. The tool is constantly updated to remove new targets.

The Web Atom Acquires JavaRa

The Web Atom and RaProducts today announced that they have entered into an agreement under which The Web Atom will acquire JavaRa. The acquisition will ensure the further development of JavaRa as an open source project. Fred de Vries will be joining The Web Atom in the role of Chief Software Architect.

Update the Java JRE at the click of a button. JavaRa is a simple tool that does a simple job: it removes old and redundant versions of the Java Runtime Environment (JRE).

The Web Atom will re-engineer JavaRa from the ground up, utilizing the newest technologies available in Windows. The original RaProducts versions will continue to be made available and provided with definition updates.

Your Pics Can Now Appear In Tabloids

Suppose you take a nice picture and want to upload it to your Twitter or Facebook account. No worries, you might think but that is not true anymore. Twitpic the service to upload these pictures, recently (and silently) changed its terms of service regarding uploaded pics (see screenshot).

By using their service, you automatically agree to giving Twitpic permission to distribute you content. And say goodbye to any hopes of getting any sort of royalties from Twitpic if they use your pictures. They have already signed an agreement with advertising agency WENN to sell all pics of celebrities that appeared on Twitter.

The rumours are that scores of users are now removing pictures from Twitter and some are even canceling their account altogether.

Facebook was the next company that changed their therms of service

You and your privacy were already at risk but now even your own pictures are taken away from you.

JavaRa's definitions updated

RaProduct's JavaRa has been silently updated to reflect the publication of Oracle's Java JRE 1.6.0.25. Simply go here, select 'Download Windows Binary' and you're ready to go.

No Search Box after "Control F" (Solution)

In your browser, typing “Control F” will open a search box that allows you to search for a specific word or text in a web page. Sometimes hitting “Control F” does produce an sort of empty bar but not the search box you expected.

The solution to this problem is to register "regsvr32 oleacc.dll" (again). 

Goto Start > Run > type "regsvr32 oleacc.dll" (without the "" and note the space between 32 and ol) and hit Enter. Restart your browser. That should do the trick.

Another option is to download and run a little program called Dial-a-Fix. While it hasn't been updated for quite a while (and probably never will be), it still registers loads of entries. Download Dial-a-Fix here. Run Dial-a-Fix and check  the option 'Explorer/IE/OE/Shell/WMP. Then hit 'Go'. You can safely disregard all warnings the program displays while (re)registering.

Problem after using JavaRa's latest update

We have been notified that there have been a few incidents where people received an Error 100 when attempting to organize Internet Explorer favorites and/or AOL users found their email address book stopped working after running the March 30, 2011, JavaRa update.

In the event you have experienced this, merely do the following to fix this issue:

For Windows XP:
1. Press Start and select Run
2. Type CMD and press Enter
3. Type "regsvr32 jscript.dll" (without the "") and press Enter (Note the space between 32 and js)

For Windows Vista and Windows 7:
1. Press Start and type cmd
2. Right-click cmd.exe and select Run as Administrator
3. Type "regsvr32 jscript.dll"(without the "") and press Enter (Note the space between 32 and js).

Note: As indicated in Microsoft KB Article 831430, there are other instances where the jscript.dll registry key settings become corrupt, damaged or is missing.

(Thanks Corinne)

How to remove outdated Java Consoles

Sometimes multiple Java Console extensions will appear in the Firefox > Tools > Add-ons list.

Ideally uninstalling redundant versions of Java should also remove redundant Java Consoles in Firefox. But this is not the case: uninstalling older versions of JRE may not uninstall the Java Console for that version, causing Firefox to accumulate multiple Java Console extensions.

Make sure you already have the most recent version of Java Runtime Environment (JRE) using JavaRa.

Removing redundant Java Consoles is not always possible if you use the Add-on Manager in Firefox therefore a more manual approach is needed.

Goto C:\Program Files > Mozilla Firefox > extensions. Delete the folders "{CAFEEFAC-0016-0000-xxxx-ABCDEFFEDCBA}", where xxxx is the number of the JRE-version. Keep the highest number as this is the latest version.

JavaRa's definitions updated

RaProduct's JavaRa has been silently updated to reflect the publication of Oracle's Java JRE 1.6.0.24. Simply go here, select 'Download Windows Binary' and you're ready to go.

Free Tool to Combat Fake and Compromised Storefronts

The number of compromised and fake online stores is ever growing and unsuspecting users are falling victim to such sites every day. When these users attempt to purchase goods from such sites, they are giving away sensitive information such as credit card numbers. Zscaler Safe Shopping is a free Firefox plugin, which warns users when they visit one of the suspect domains. Zscaler Safe Shopping is continually updated whenever new compromised or fake online stores are identified.

More info and download here.

Update 24mar11: If you have upgraded your Firefox to version 4.0 then you may notice that the Zscaler Safe Shopping icon has disappeared. To get it back simply follow these easy steps: Goto View in your Firefox > Toolbars > Add-on Bars > Click/Check

How to check the colour of a webpage

Sometimes it is helpful to know which colour is used on a particular webpage. The solution is surprisingly simple.

A little program called Instant Eyedropper is a free tool that is able to identify and automatically paste to the clipboard the HTML color code of any pixel on the screen with just a single mouse click.

More info and download here.

T-Tools AntiSeptic 1.1.2 released

[05feb11] T-Tools AntiSeptic has been updated to version 1.1.2

Changes:
- Skype Toolbar added
- SweetIM added
- Bugfixes

More info and download here.

How to Remove Foxit Reader Advertisement

Foxit Reader is a great light weight PDF reader. It is small, fast and free. The only drawback is that the program displays a little advertisement.

To remove this ad simply follow the next few steps:
* Start > Run > Type Regedit
* Go to: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Foxit Software\Foxit Reader\MainFrame
* Change the value "ShowAd" from 1 to 0
* Restart Foxit Reader which is now ad free

This solution was found on wecode.biz

How to stop companies from harvesting your information and violating your privacy

Many well known sites distil profiles of its many users by combining information harvested through their ‘free’ web applications.

- How to opt-out of Google’s history: Go here (log in and select 'Pause').
- How to opt-out of Google’s targeted ads: Go here.
- How to opt-out of Yahoo’s targeted ads: Go here.
- How to edit Yahoo’s Marketing Preferences: Go here.
- How to turn off Bing’s search history: Do a search with Bing, select 'Search History' (see left column) and then 'Turn off'.
- How to opt-out of Amazon’s personalized ads: Go here.

Furthermore I recommend using Ghostery, a little program that tracks and blocks over 400 web bugs used by ad networks, behavioral data providers, web publishers, and other companies interested in your activity and violating your privacy. More info and download here.

JavaRa's definitions updated

RaProduct's JavaRa has been silently updated to reflect the publication of Oracle's Java JRE 1.6.0.23.

Changes:
- All possible debris up to version 1.6.0.22 is now cleaned by JavaRa
- Streamlined the database (alphabetized it and removed some double entries)
- Added backward cleaning of JRE debris up to JRE 1.3.0

Simply redownload the program here and you're ready to go.

Microsoft closes last Stuxnet vulnerability

Microsoft announced that it will be closing the last Stuxnet-related issues this month. This is a local Elevation of Privilege vulnerability and it has only been used by Stuxnet.

T-Tools AntiSeptic updated to version 1.1.1

[28nov10] T-Tools AntiSeptic has been updated to version 1.1.1

Changes:
- Deamon Tools Toolbar added
- XP-AntiSpy Support added
- Web Security Guard added
- Bugfixes

More info and download here.

Free Stuxnet Removal Tools

Stuxnet is a very sophisticated piece of malware specifically targetted to create havoc in the Iranian nuclear facilities.

A couple of free tools can be used to remove all traces of this malware.

[For stand-alone computers] As mentioned before Microsoft's Malicious Software Removal Tool (MSRT) can remove Stuxnet. MRST can be downloaded here.
[For networks] BitDefender presented their Stuxnet Removal Tool that can remove all known variants of Stuxnet, as well as the rootkit drivers that are used to conceal critical components of the worm. SRT can be downloaded here.

Happy hunting and let me know if it helped you in any way.

How to disable the virus check in Firefox’ Downloadmanager

When you download something via Firefox it automatically checks if this download is infected with malware. That procedure is rather useless because everybody should be running a proper antivirus program to safeguard their computer. Furthermore this superfluous routine will slow your download for about a second.

However you can easily disable this feature in Firefox.
• Type ‘about:config’ in the address bar (without the ‘’)
• Discard the warning by hitting ‘yes’
• Scroll down until you reach ‘browser.download.manager.scanWhenDone’ or you can simply search for 'browser.download'
• Doubleclick the item and it will change from its default value ‘True’ to ‘False’

Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-On

Google Analytics is a service from Google that can track visitor activity on a website. A great number of websites and blogs use Google Analytics to capture and record details of users visiting websites.

Now you can disable this feature from gathering potentially sensitive and privaty information by downloading and installing the 'Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-On'.

More info and download here.

How to disable DOM cookies

DOM Cookies can store a great amount of data. Much more than a regular cookie. Another huge drawback is that they never expire. So the risk of violating your privacy is also much greater.

You can however prevent these DOM Cookies from entering your computer.

[01] Internet Explorer
• Goto Tools in your Internet Explorer
• Goto the tab ‘Advanced’
• Scroll down until you reach ‘Security’
• Uncheck ‘Enable DOM Storage’
• Hit ‘Save Settings’

[02] Mozila Firefox
• Type ‘about:config’ in the address bar (without the ‘’)
• Discard the warning by hitting ‘yes’
• Scroll down until you reach ‘dom.storage.enabled’or you can simply search for 'dom.storage.enabled'
• Doubleclick the item and it will change from its default value ‘True’ to ‘False’

JavaRa 1.16 beta

[08aug10] JavaRa has been updated to version 1.16 beta

Changes:
[added] Many new registry keys for JavaRa to remove
[added] New system of reading registry keys into the program
[added] New system of reading languages
[added] (beta!) x64 Support
[fixed] (beta!) Software crashes upon failure to access HOMEDRIVE environment variable
[fixed] (beta!) Broken jupdate method

More info and update here.

JavaRa is a program I co-designed (not coded).

How To Disable Geolocation

[More information about geolocation and solutions for several programs and phones can be found on my new weblog here]

Geolocation is a rather secret feature of some browsers and toolbars. It also makes use of the GPS of your cell phone/mobile phone. It allows the creator of that program to get a fix on the location of your computer or phone to within a few meters of where you actually live. For the potential dangers read the article from BBC News entitled 'Web attack knows where you live' here.

The question is therefore how to effectively disable this feature. At this moment the site offers solutions for
• Programs: Apple Safari, Facebook, Firefox, Flock, Google Chrome, Google Toolbar, Opera and Twitter.
• Phones: Apple iPhone, Blackberry, , Dell Aero, Google Nexus One, HTC, Motorola Droid, Palm Pre and Samsung Galaxy.

(to be continued...)

Windows Shortcut Exploit Protection Tool

The Windows Shortcut Exploit is a zero-day vulnerability in all versions of Windows that allows a Windows shortcut link to run a malicious DLL file. Sophos has created a free, easy-to-use tool that blocks this exploit from running on your computer. Simply download to your desktop, run the program and you're protected.

More info here. Download here.

T-Tools AntiSeptic 1.0.1

[19jun10] Updated T-Tools AntiSeptic to version 1.0.1

Changes:
• Added detection and removal of DVDVideoSoft Toolbar
• Added detection and removal of Yahoo! Toolbar

More info and download here.

J.K. Rowling Reveals (Possibility Of) New Book

[08jun10] "I'm quite sure in the not-too-distant future, I will bring out another book," she said.

PureRa 1.6

[20may10] PureRa has been updated to version 1.6

Changes:
[Fixed] Issue with spacebar/button focus.
[Fixed] Grammatical issue in description.
[Fixed] Closing 'About' windows closes whole program.
[Added] PureRa automatically requests full Admin privileges (allows creation of log on Vista/7).

Download here.

T-Tools AntiSeptic 1.0

T-Tools has created a little free program that has been specifically designed to remove every last trace of so-called add-on programs or piggyback programs that may end up clogging your computer if and when you forget to uncheck a pre-checked option to not install such a program.

This initial release removes all entries of
• AOL Toolbar
• AIM Toolbar

More info and download here.

T-Tools BitRemover 1.4.2

[30apr20] T-Tools BitRemover has been updated to version 1.4.2

[Changes]
• Added detection and removal of debris of IObit Random Password Generator 1.1.
• Some bugfixes.

T-Tools BitRemover 1.4.1

[29mar10] BitRemover has been updated to version 1.4.1

[Changes]
• Some bugfixes (one of them was that by ticking XSkin, the whole "Skin" folder of ASC was removed, including the standardskins. Without skins, ASC can't work anymore).

T-Tools BitRemover 1.4

[09mar10] BitRemover has been updated to version 1.4.

[Changes]
• Added detecton and removal of debris from ClickTask XSkin.
• Fixed a few little bugs.
• Added a forgotten registry value for IObit Smart Defrag.

More info and Download here.

Free New Font (donated by Microsoft)

Microsoft offers you to grab a new font, the IbarraReal.

More info and download here.

The blurb: IbarraReal is a public-domain font of Ibero-American character, created in 2005 as a revival of the types cast by Jerónimo Gil for the Royal Spanish Academy's edition of Don Quixote, printed in Madrid by Joaquín Ibarra in 1780. Its elegant design mixes tradition and modernity and is a genuine badge of Spanish culture.

But the most important thing is: it's free.

T-Tools BitRemover 1.3

T-Tools has created a little free program that has been designed specifically to remove every last trace of the entries of IObit programs, such as IObit Security 360 and Advanced SystemCare, left behind if and when you had decided to uninstall one or more of these programs.

Be aware that we at T-Tools do not in any way advise you to remove any one of IObit's programs.


More info and download here.

• BitRemover has been created according to one of my original ideas as part of a joint effort by T-Tools and Fred de Vries.

How to know which font is used on a website

Ever wanted to find a font just like the one used by a certain website and couldn't discover which type they used? Well now you can, using the WhatTheFont font recognition system. Upload a screenshot of the font and instantly find the closest matches in their database. Goto WhatThe Font now.

Don't know how to get a decent screenshot? Get the last free version of the easy to use FSCapture here.

New site

Most of you probably already know that I am an author who writes books about developmental disorders like PDD-NOS (a mild form of autism) and ADHD.

My collection of sites (www.pdd-nos.nl, www.pdd-nos.be and www.pdd-nos.com) has got a new addition: www.pdd-nos.is.

Thanks to our new sponsor: emco.

How to remove the ‘top-ads’ in your Gmail

Google and Gmail display several ads and adtypes when you use Gmail. One of them is an ad that occupies the top of your Inbox. See the image below to understand what I am talking about.

Gmail doesn’t call them ads but rather obliquely ‘Web Clips’. These ‘Web Clips’ can simply be turned off.

1. Open Gmail
2. Goto ‘Settings’ (top right on the Gmail-page)
3. Under ‘Settings’ choose ‘Web Clips’
4. Uncheck the option ‘Show my web clips above the Inbox’

Tip 6: How to get free Vista fonts

With the release of Vista, Microsoft has introduced a number of new fonts. Normally you would have to buy Vista to get these fonts but there is a simple and easy way around this problem.

You can download these fonts for free and legally because they are included in PowerPoint Viewer 2007 which is available here on Microsoft’s official website.

Simply download and install PowerPoint Viewer 2007 and the fonts will be available for your Office applications.

Tip 5: How to disable the Windows start-up/log-off sound

When you start your computer, Windows plays a tune at start-up. After a while that tune can become pretty irritating. How can we disable that sound (and the equally irritating sound at log-off)? The solution can be found in this post.

1. Hit 'Start' goto 'Settings' and choose ‘Control Panels’
2. Select ‘Sounds and Audio Devices’
3. Under ‘Program events’ scroll down until you find ‘Start Windows’ and 'Windows Logon’ (and while you’re at it you may also find ‘Windows logoff’)
4. Highlight the item you want to disable
5. Goto ‘Sounds’ (below the ‘Program events’ box)
6. Choose [None]
7. Click ‘Apply’

Tip 4: How to clear the Firefox address bar

As a rule Firefox remembers the last 12 sites you have visited. Some of us simply won’t like the idea that a computer or a program stores our browsing history.

You can, however, easily change that with a few simple steps.

[1] Goto the Firefox settings by typing "about:config" (without the quotes) in the address bar;
[2] Disregard the warning message that appears;
[3] Scroll down to "browser.urlbar.maxRichResults";
[4] Double click the entry, and change the default setting of 12 to 0;
[5] Close and relaunch Firefox.

Tip 3: How to disable Adobe Reader Auto-Update

Versions 8 and up of Adobe Reader have annoying pop-ups to show you that the auto-updater is doing what it is designed to do. One of the side-effects is that it temporarily can freeze-up your system.

You are able to disable this auto-update feature by following the next easy steps:
- Open Adobe Reader by double clicking its icon;
- Goto 'Help'
- Goto 'Check for Updates'
- Hit 'Preferences'
- Uncheck 'Automatically check for Adobe updates'

Rowling: Harry's Family Tree

Original available here.

Rowling: Harry Potter Prequel

Joanne Rowling has written an 800-word prequel to the Harry Potter series.

The handwritten short story, featuring the fictional wizard's father James and his friend Sirius Black in their younger years, fills both sides of an A5-sized card.


Joanne Rowling comments on her writing on her website:
"Although I did feel a bit like a relapsing addict as I sat down to write - the words poured from my pen with frightening ease - I am NOT working on a prequel. Indeed, I've written that clearly at the bottom of the card itself. I just thought that this was the best way to make money for two extremely worthwhile charities."

The complete Prequel:

The speeding motorcycle took the sharp corner so fast in the darkness that both policemen in the pursuing car shouted, ”Whoa!” Sergeant Fisher slammed his large foot on the brake, thinking that the boy who was riding pillion was sure to be flung under his wheels; however, the motorbike made the turn without seating either of its riders, and with a wink of its red tail lights, vanished up the narrow side street.

“We’ve got ‘em now!” cried PC Anderson excitedly. “That’s a dead end!”

Leaning hard on the steering wheel and crashing his gears, Fisher scraped half the paint off the flank of the car as he forced it up the alleyway in pursuit.

There in the headlights sat their quarry, stationary at last after a quarter of an hour’s chase. The two riders were trapped between a towering brick wall and the police car, which was now crawling towards them like some growling luminous-eyes predator.

There was so little space between the car doors and the walls of the alley that Fisher and Anderson had difficulty extricating themselves from the vehicle. It injured their dignity to have to inch, crab-like, towards the miscreants. Fisher dragged his generous belly along the wall, tearing buttons off his shirt as he went, and finally snapping off the wing mirror with his backside.

“Get off the bike!” he bellowed at the smirking youths, who sat basking in the flashing blue light as though enjoying it.

They did as they were told, finally pulling free from the broken wing mirror, Fisher glared at them. They seemed to be in their late teens. The one who had been driving had long black hair, his insolent good looks reminded Fisher unpleasantly of his daughter’s guitar-playing, layabout boyfriend. The second boy also had black hair, though his was short and stuck up in all directions; he wore glasses and a broad grin. Both were dressed in t-shirts emblazoned with a large golden bird; the emblem, no doubt, of some deafening, tuneless rock band.

“No helmet!” Fisher yelled, pointing from one uncovered head to the other.

“Exceeding the speed limit by-by a considerable amount!” (In fact, the speed registered had been greater than Fisher was prepared to accept that any motorcycle could travel.) “Failure to stop for the police!”

“We’d have loved to stop for a chat,” said the boy in glasses,” only we were trying-”

“Don’t get smart-you two are in a heap of trouble!” snarled Anderson. “Names!”

“Names?” repeated the long-haired driver. ”Er-Well, let’s see. There’s Wilberforce… Bathsheba… Elvendork…”

“And what’s nice about that one is, you can use it for a boy OR a girl,” said the boy in glasses.

“Oh, our names, did you mean?” asked the first, as Anderson spluttered with rage.”

You should’ve said! This here is James Potter, and I’m Sirius Black!”

“Things’ll be seriously black for you in a minute, you cheek little-”

But neither James nor Sirius was paying attention. They were suddenly as alert as gundogs, staring past Fisher and Anderson, over the roof of the police car, at the dark mouth of the alley. Then, with identical, fluid movements, they reached into their back pockets.

For the space of a heartbeat both policemen imagined guns gleaming at them, but a second later they saw that the motorcyclists had drawn nothing more than-
“Drumsticks?” jeered Anderson. “Right pair of jokers, aren’t you? Right, we’re arresting you on a charge of–”

But Anderson never got to name the charge. James and Sirius had shouted something incomprehensible, and the beams from the headlights had moved.

The policemen wheeled around, then staggered backwards. Three men were flying-actually flying - up the alley on broomsticks - and at the same moment, the police car was rearing up on its back wheels.

Fisher’s knee bucked; as he sat down hard; Anderson tripped over Fisher’s legs and fell on top of him, as flump-bang-crunch- they heard the men on brooms slam into the suspended car and fall, apparently insensible, to the ground, while broken bits of broomstick clattered down around them.

The motorbike had roared into life again. His mouth hanging open, Fisher mustered the strength to look back at the two teenagers.

“Thanks very much!” called Sirius over the throb of the engine.” We owe you one!”

“Yeah, nice meeting you!” said James. “And don’t forget: Elvendork! It’s unisex!”

There was an earth-shaking crash, and Fisher and Anderson threw their arms around each other in fright; their car had just fallen back to the ground. Now it was the motorcycle’s turn to roar. Before the policemen’s disbelieving eyes, it took off into thin air: James and Sirius zoomed away into the night sky, their tail light twinkling behind them like a vanishing ruby.

From the prequel I am not working on-but that was fun! J.K. Rowling. 2008

Tip 2: How to enhance text readablility on your laptop

You can seriously enhance the appearance of the text displayed on your laptop screen by turning on a feature called ClearType.

Cleartype is a new feature introduced in Windows XP that uses a technique known as “sub-pixel font rendering” to “round up” the text displayed.

While the “cleartyped” text may be a little too blurry on normal CRT monitors, it becomes more readable and pleasing to the eye on laptop monitors.

Cleartype is enabled by right-clicking on your desktop > select 'Properties' > select the 'Appearance' tab > click on 'Effects' > enable 'use the following method to smooth edges of screen fonts' > choose 'Cleartype'.

The difference between 'Standard' and 'Cleartype' is that the standard setting smooths only big-sized text, thus making it more suitable to CRT displays.

Tip1: How to set the Google Popup Blocker counter to zero

The Google Toolbar has a useful Popup Blocker but, unlike its counterpart in the MSN Toolbar, it hasn’t a nifty little feature to set the counter back to zero.

Okay, it doesn’t save the blocked popups on your system, so it’s not really necessary to clear the popup counter. But it counts and never stops. It is not strictly something that invades your privacy or clutters your system with a useless file but some computer users would surely like to see the counter set to zero from time to time.

All you have to remember is a couple of keys to do so manually: hold the Alt and Shift keys together and then click on the Popup Blocker button.