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As we get older, the world wide web gets newer. We find ourselves not able to keep up with the new world because we’re still stuck spending senseless hours checking 20 emails and trying to figure out how to install a program on Vista. For those of you like me, going on 21 for the 9th year in a row, here are 5 tips to help you get through the old stuff so you can stay hip with the new.

• Book it before you book it. Now let’s say you are in the bored surfing mood, and you come across a cool website that you like. You think you would like to go back to it. The little “favorite” button or “bookmark” button will remember it for you. That way, you don’t spend 30 minutes to an hour getting frustrated, trying to figure out the website. So just book it before you book it. If it was just a “mood” website, you can always right click and delete it later!
• You have the “best” pop up blocker installed and are certain nothing that shouldn’t is getting through. If it does… you just hit cancel… and what the heck you’re at their site!4. So, not only does crap still get through, you also have to read it before you click it. For example some will say, “to continue to the website click ‘cancel’.” Them sneaky sons of www dot coms did it again! Don’t waste another 15 minutes of what you have left of your life playing click that pop-up!
• The dreaded Email. You always check your email when you get online. Yesterday, even though it took you two hours, you got your email down to 0 and now it’s back up to let’s say 20 new messages. Now, you don’t want to waste another two hours checking and replying and wondering who that “Jim” is that says he knows you and has been looking for you. So, you probably didn’t know this like the “hip” kids do… but not all spam messages make it into the spam folders. Them sneaky sons of www dot coms can sure sneak them in there. Trust me, 9 times out of 10 you are not the lucky winner in a drawing, or have been selected in a special giveaway. And honey… even though your memory’s going… you don’t know Jim! I personally hit the little spam button on those emails and eventually after a couple times they go away.
• Not that this has ever happened to me before… you find yourself in let’s say Chris’s chat room. And let’s say the topic is gadgets. Now all the “young’ns” in the channel are chatting and swapping gadget ideas, and you find yourself lost asking “hey, what is an iPod?” or “hey, what is a 3g card?” Of course, nobody answers you. They are busy thinking, “You gotta be kidding me right? They’re just messing around.” Well, here’s a tip: make Google your new best friend. When you are lost, Google will help you find your way. Taking a few minutes to google something is a lot better than looking dumb or like an old fart in chat.
• Watch your links. You’re chatting with one of your online buddies and they send you a link to lets say rnicrosoft.com. Earlier, you had Googled some new software that just came out, and you would like to buy it. So, you click on the link, find the software and give all your info. Weeks later… your CC is maxed out! If you carefully look at the link it’s r n i c r o s o f t . c o m. The r and the n are pushed together to look like m. This is just an example. though I’m pretty sure with your protection maybe something that drastic won’t happen, but that is one way your passwords and info. can get stolen. Sometimes, you are better off to type in the link yourself that way your not wasting even more time online and off trying to get this mess resolved.

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Tips for Internet Newbies (and General Reminders)

Evan is a community member who loves to go surfing. Now, I’m not talking about web surfing. I’m talking out in the water on a flat board type of surfing! His tips are excellent. It actually sounds… kinda fun. Who knows? Maybe I’ll attempt it next time I’m on vacation.

Hey Chris, my name is Evan. I love your community and pop in when I have time…which, unfortunately, is not as often as I would like since Advanced Placement courses have commandeered my life. I am currently a 16-year-old junior in high school and, as I said, my courses are extremely demanding. For this reason I love the water… it helps me relax. My summer leisure is spent almost exclusively at the beach. I happen to love surfing. I get a ton of questions from people interested in the sport asking for tips. There is a ton to learn in surfing, and most of it you need to learn by simply going out there and trying. There are, however a couple of simple tips that people should know before they go out and try it. Surfing can be extremely rewarding. It is both soothing and exciting at the same time. It is also potentially frustrating if you try to start without a little basic knowledge. For this reason, I submit my top 5 tips for safe and happy surfing.

• Probably the most important… Be cordial with the local surfers. Ask them questions! Most of us are passionate about our hobby and love to spread the knowledge. This goes for anything, but especially for hobbies with tight-knit communities. Like myself, many surfers are more than willing to teach you the ins-and-outs of surfing, the tides of your local beach, how to paddle out without being pounded to a sandbar and the courtesy involved with the sport. If you are new, ask for help. Don’t pretend to know what you are doing, you just make yourself look like an idiot. If there is any one thing that surfers hate it’s charlatanism.
• Buy the right board for your area. If your area has extremely small waves, don’t buy shortboards. Buy a longboard…typically about 8 or 9 feet. This will give you increased surface area for the wave to catch. These boards also sit much higher on the waterline, thereby decreasing fluid friction on the board and allowing maximum paddling efficiency. Shortboards tend to plow through the water and you will not be able to paddle fast enough to catch small waves. On the other hand, larger waves demand great maneuverability… this is best provided by smaller boards. These small boards often feature a stomp pad on the back which is used in extremely tight maneuvers such as cutbacks (placing weight on the back of the board creates a pivot-point around which you can swing the board). If you are unsure about the board to get, ask the surf-shop employees at your local shop. They generally know local conditions and will help you.
• Use the right wax for your conditions! This is extremely important. One of the most frustrating things is to be out in the water and start slipping off the board because you used the wrong wax. There are typically two types of wax. Cold-water wax is softer and stickier than warm-water wax. If your water is cold enough that this type of wax will not melt in the sun, use it. Empirically, this is the better grip wax… that is, disregarding weather conditions. Warmer weather, however, is problematic for cold-water wax since it has a low melting point and will run off the board leaving your fiberglass board slippery and you will fall off every time you try to stand up.
• Surf the outside break! I can not stress this enough. I see too many new surfers trying to surf the shore break. This is the most common mistake I see. These are not the waves people surf. If you surf these you will never get any significant ride. You will also put your board at risk of damage if you surf the shore break… the skeg (stabilizing fin on the bottom of the surfboard) will get caught in the sand and snap off, probably also sending you flying into the sand. Look for sandbars where the waves break away from the shore. This allows you to ride waves over the sufficiently deep water over the sandbar and not break your board. It also gives you room to maneuver.
• If you live in a cold climate, do not go surfing in winter. It may be tempting, and the waves are often best in winter. Many surfers do go surfing in winter, but this is not really a good idea. My father went surfing in cold water in winter as a kid, and he developed a condition called “surfer’s ear.” This is basically a growth in the ear, and he has lost significant hearing ability in that ear. It is caused by cold water entering the ear canal. If it seems unhealthily cold in the water, it is! Go home! It’s not worth losing your hearing to catch a wave.

If anyone learns anything from this… even if they never plan to surf… at least they will have gained knowledge. Extraneous knowledge is never truly extraneous. Knowledge is intrinsically useful.

Top Five Surfing Tips