Let’s say you just downloaded a new graphics editor software.  You have 100 gigabytes of memory on your hard drive …

… but …

… when you try to use the software, your system says there is not enough memory.

The issue here is that you probably do not have enough “Random Access Memory,” which is called RAM for short.

This is very different from your “regular” memory that is on your hard drive (or “C” drive).  Your hard drive memory looks kind of like a record player.  Data is stored on a plate-like device that spins.  When you turn off your computer, your data remains on the hard drive.

Without getting complicated, RAM is a short term type of memory that “remembers” things like keystrokes, mouse clicks and other commands that allow you to interact with the processors on your computer.  Your computer’s processor then interacts with the commands within your operating system and software programs.  When you turn off your computer, nothing is stored in your RAM.

When helping people fix their computers, I’ve observed that many people do not know that there are these two types of memories:  the RAM and the hard disk memory.  Sometimes, a sluggish computer means that there is not enough RAM.

Tomorrow, we’ll take a look at how you can find out how much RAM your Windows computer has.

Internet censorship and surveillance are growing global phenomena, according to the Open Net Initiative (ONI). ONI’s mission is to identify and document Internet filtering and surveillance, and to promote and inform wider public dialogs about such practices.

The United States heavily filters social content, which includes content related to sexuality, gambling, and illegal drugs and alcohol, as well as other topics that may be socially sensitive or perceived as offensive. There is no data available for its political filtering which, to me, raises some red flags about filtering political data.

Given China’s ongoing Internet blocks, it is quite interesting to see how many filters and blocks are taking place in supposedly free countries.  You can take a look at the Internet filtering map here.

While this type of thing may not affect our online businesses right now, I am personally convinced that it will lead to increased Internet regulation, particularly with respect to social networking sites.

The bottom line: If you are a parent, you must take some responsibility for your kids. As a website owner or blogger, it is critical that you have a solid privacy policy and terms and conditions page (the link shows you some free and paid options).

Here’s a look at the latest “MySpace story.” The video will load in a few seconds.

Last week, a federal judge dismissed a case accusing Lori Drew, the 50-year-old Missouri woman convicted of federal computer fraud charges related to an Internet hoax that allegedly prompted suicide of teenage girl. Lori Drew’s lawyer was not sure whether the federal government will appeal the ruling.

The legal issue in the case was about a violation in terms of service.

If Lori Drew is guilty of a federal misdemeanor, then the stage is set to prosecute every person who says something that is inaccurate on a social networking site for federal misdemeanors. It is unclear at this stage whether the judge will rule that there was a misdemeanor, although Drew’s attorney does not believe that the judge will make such a finding.

(The news video will load in a few seconds.)

You can get dozens of free downloads on how to attract money and abundance into your life.  Some of the downloads are on the more spiritual/mindset end such as improving your thoughts.  They include hynosis and brainwave MP3 downloads and ebooks.

An example of some of the self improvement gifts.

Other downloads are geared toward making money on the Internet.  There are “how to” guides as well as PLR downloads and graphics packages.

I am not sure if it will still be available when you log in, but there is a coaching program worth almost $2000 that is being given away to a limited number of members.  The program also includes bonus giveaways worth thousands on how to make millions of dollars.

You get a free lifetime membership to the Wealth Attraction site when you sign up.  I’d suggest doing it right way if you want to take advantage of the free coaching program and other limited offers.

I’m headed to Sedona to see friends.  Sedona is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen.  The video below hardly does it justice … when you see it “in real life,” it’s absolutely breathtaking.

In such a situation, this is what I would suggest:

Step One.

Empty the recycle bin.  Delete anything else on the hard drive that is not necessary, or transfer it to an external storage device (her laptop is so full that this might not be possible).

Step Two.

Compress the hard drive.  To do this:

• Click “MY COMPUTER.”
• Right click on DRIVE C and SELECT PROPERTIES.
• Click the COMPRESS DRIVE TO SAVE SPACE option on the bottom of the screen and click okay.

Screen shots that give you pictures showing you how to compress your hard drive can be found in here (the link will open in a new window so you can easily return to this page).  The compression instructions are in the 2nd half of the article.

Step Three.

Clean up your disk.  You can do this from the properties menu you just accessed in Step 2 above, or from your system tools (accessible by clicking your start button).  Screen shots illustrating how this is done are shown in the first part of the same article as the compression instructions (new window will open here).

Step Four.

After the compression and cleanup, if you are still short on hard drive space, delete or transfer to an external storage device any files you do not need.  If you do not have enough external storage devices to save files that you do not want to delete, consider transferring them to an online storage area.

I think MediaFire is probably the best place to start off with if you are looking for free online storage.  Here is a screen shot that lists MediaFire’s features for a free account:

Step Five.

Defrag your hard drive.  To do this:

Click the “start” button on the lower left side of your screen.

• A menu comes up — click “Programs.”
• When you click “programs,” you’ll see a menu for “Accessories.” Click that.
• You’ll see a menu for “System Tools.” Click it.
• In the “System Tools,” you’ll see “Disk Defragmenter.” Click it and follow the prompts.

Other Things to Consider.

Regularly maintain your computer by defragging and using your system’s cleanup utility.

If you store a lot of graphics or other media, consider getting an external hard drive that you can plug into your USB port. Just plug the hard drive into your port and you’re ready to go … there is no special set up procedure.  I use these all of the time and they are a life saver!  The cost is economical, particularly considering how much time and aggravation you are saving.  You can plug your external hard drive into any computer and be able to access your files.  This may be more reliable than depending on an online storage service, and you do not need Internet access to retrieve your files. Take a look at the external hard drives featured below — I spent some time trying to find some of the cheapest options. If you have storage challenges, these are wroth checking out.

This Seagate external drive has 750 GB of space and is $79.95. 750 GB will store a lot of stuff! Click the image for more details.

If you’re willing to spend a bit more money for some peace of mind, Office Depot is currently running a special where you can get a 1TB storage drive for just $119 (it’s normally around $140). With free shipping, this is one heck of a deal. Click the image for details.

One of the biggest areas of this giveaway event is PLR (private label right) content.  There are massive packages of PLR articles (ranging from 2000 to 15,000 articles) that you can download for use on your sites and blogs, as well as some specialized packets.  Niches include travel, health and wellness, and several more topics.

The 4th of July Giveaway also has some video-making downloads that I think I’m going to test out.  Here is an example of what you will find:

I think that this giveaway event’s strongest area is the PLR content.  You will find both ebooks and articles that you can use.

As with all of these types of events, it is free to join.

Although it may sound “New Agey,” a group of researchers have been working since 1997 on the Global Consciousness Project, or GCP for short.

The GPC collects data from “eggs” (which are special data collection instruments) and then correlates random data to specific events.  The stream of data shows reactions in the human consciousness to global events, such as major news stories.  There are 65 of these “eggs” located in all populated continents, and in almost every time zone.

Sometimes the spikes from the normal data stream precede shocking events.  According to the GCP site, “Each is defined by a prediction that the data will depart from expectation during special times such as the celebration of New Years, shocking events like the disaster on September 11 2001, natural tragedies such as the great earthquakes in Turkey and the Asian Tsunami, and large-scale meditation and prayer events like the Kumbh Mela in India. The results indicate strong correlations in some cases and virtually none in others, but overall they show significant evidence that something remarkable happens when we all are drawn into a community of interest and emotion.”

While I don’t understand how the math or the eggs work, it is sort of interesting to visit GCP’s real time data site.  When there is a spike in consciousness, the program “gongs” for big spikes or “pings” for smaller ones.  Otherwise, you just hear a heart beat.  It’s hard to explain this — visit the Global Consciousness Project by clicking here for the real time data display and sounds.

For a better understanding of how this works, the Vacuum Genesis blog has a pretty good explanation.  A full disclosure of the project, including results and analysis, is hosted at Princeton University’s website.  For instance, they have have some information on the global consciousness reactions to Michael Jackson’s death and the elections in Iran.

There are over 100 scientists, artists and business people who are working on this study of human consciousness.  300 formal experiments have been registered for this year.

Can you imagine being blind?

One San Diego family is on a mission to the make the Internet more accessible to the blind. 

JAWS has given them a head start. It is a screen reader service that helps visually impaired people surf the Internet.  JAWS does a fairly good job, but does not work on a site that uses Adobe Flash or javascript instead of html links.  For this and other reasons, SEO Incorporated in Carlsbad changes codes on websites so that links can be accessed by the blind.

The news story below discusses the conflict between websites and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Amber, the young lady featured in the news story, is the plaintiff in a lawsuit against Target. She was able to surf Target’s site with JAWS but was unable to make a purchase.

My take:  We will all need to comply at some point, offering alternative pages for those portions of our sites that are embedded with javascript, AdobeFlash, or other programs that are not accessible with screen readers such as JAWS.

(It may take a couple of seconds before the video loads.)