Viruses, Spyware, Trojans, Malware, Hijackers and Worms

by braingymlady on February 5, 2012

If you’ve noticed that there haven’t been any posts to this blog lately, there are a few reasons for that. First, there were the holidays. Then I really didn’t feel inspired to say anything, and I’m averse to writing just to fill up space. Third, and the most significant factor, was that both my computers, the at home laptop and the travel netbook were infected by Trojans within a week of each other. I was leaving for a work trip the day after the laptop became infected, so I didn’t have time to get it fixed until a couple of days ago; and the netbook became infected with a different version of the same type of malware while I was away. This left me with two computers that I was reluctant to use for anything but the most basic functions and certainly nothing involving passwords.

So-called fake alert Trojans are rogue software that hijack your system. The malware involved in my case introduced itself as a security system and informed me, the user of the system, of all kinds of dangers and problems, promising to fix them (for a price). Warning after warning popped up and prevented me from accessing anything real or worthwhile on the computer.

Fortunately, I didn’t fall for the fake and the only thing it cost me was bringing the computers into a shop to have them professionally cleaned.

Naturally, given my nature and way of perceiving things, I found the whole situation a great metaphor for life and the challenges of having a body.  We have a built-in physical alert system (i.e. brain and nervous system) that is designed to warn us of any threats. But our system becomes compromised by “fake security alerts” that warn of us apparent dangers when there are none in reality. Myriad thoughts pop up – literally hijacking our minds and energy – repeatedly warning us that something bad might happen.

We are nagged by conscious thoughts that may start out with a question such as, “What if?” We project failure, ruin, disaster and calamity. We worry about our future, getting older, being sick; we worry about our children, our parents, our jobs, money, etc. And, it is not only the conscious thoughts that get us. Subconscious patterns of fear and dread lurk (like malicious software running in the background, beneath the visible programs), expressing themselves in dreams or disorders. Habitualized tensions tighten our bodies, rendering them inflexible and uncomfortable.

How much pain they have cost us, the evils which have never happened.  ~Thomas Jefferson

We need to clean our systems of rogue programs—of physical/mental/emotional/spiritual viruses and malware—of Trojans that present themselves in the guise of some sort of protective gift, pretending to keep us from hurt, when in reality, there is no danger present and they are only keeping us from a thriving life. Sometimes we can root out the problems of anxiety, of unwarranted worries and concerns, ourselves, through retraining our thinking, through prayer, contemplation, meditation, or a physical exercise program, such as yoga or qigong. Sometimes we need outside help in the form of spiritual or psychological counselors, self-help books, support programs or teachers. Brain Gym or MNRI are great tools to get to the “rootkit” (the programs that run below the visible mental/emotional programs—those things that live deep in the background—in the cells and tissues. Whatever it takes, it is of the utmost importance to identify conscious, subconscious and unconscious (physiological reflexes and reactions) that inhibit our growth and development. Once identified, they need to be removed from the system and replaced with a security system that truly works, one that attends to real and present dangers or problems and effectively and efficiently handles them to keep our system running at its best.

 That the birds of worry and care fly over your head, this you cannot change, but that they build nests in your hair, this you can prevent.  ~Chinese Proverb

Just think of the things you could do with the time and energy currently consumed by chasing false messages. Imagine what your life could be if the fears and tensions, the patterns of inhibition, were released and you were free to experience life fully. Who would you be?!!

 There are more things, Lucilius, that frighten us than injure us, and we suffer more in imagination than in reality.  ~Seneca

 Fears are educated into us, and can, if we wish, be educated out. ~ Karl Augustus Menninger

 

Just one of the things that I love about the work I do, is that it re-educates the nervous system so that the “lies” (inaccuracies) of the body/mind are diminished or deleted entirely, and the great truths (original purpose of protective mechanisms) are retrieved and restored, to the extent possible, for any given body/mind system, freeing people to live fuller, more successful and happier lives.

{ 1 comment }

Teaching Reading with Phonics

by braingymlady on December 25, 2011

Now for a little fun with phonics, as if there wasn’t already enough.

How do you spell fish?  > Answer: ghoti  (gh as in enough; o as in women; and ti as in nation).

Passing a bit of time early this Christmas morning, I was watching a squirrel in the backyard and felt inspired to poetry. Three words into the poem, my teaching experience jumped up and hijacked the poem [see poem below] because I had already encountered three spellings for the same phoneme. The poem gave way to intentionally finding the inconsistencies in English phonetics.

Because of the inconsistencies, and because, by many, phonics is considered meaningless, rote learning, there is often debate in teaching circles whether phonics should be taught at all; and, if so, why, when and how.

WHY > What is wrong with rote learning? Who hasn’t benefited from memorizing the times tables? And, despite the phonemic inconsistencies of the English language, there is a significant correlation between reading and phonemic awareness. Children who have targeted, clear instruction in phonic decoding are far more likely to read better than their untrained counterparts.

“In the largest, most comprehensive evidenced-based review ever conducted of research on how children learn reading, a Congressionally mandated independent panel has concluded that the most effective way to teach children to read is through instruction that includes a combination of methods. The panel determined that effective reading instruction includes teaching children to break apart and manipulate the sounds in words (phonemic awareness), teaching them that these sounds are represented by letters of the alphabet which can then be blended together to form words (phonics), having them practice what they’ve learned by reading aloud with guidance and feedback (guided oral reading), and applying reading comprehension strategies to guide and improve reading comprehension.”  [Source: nichd.nih.gov]

Strong evidence of the effectiveness of two programs emphasizing phonemic awareness was also reported in An Educator’s Guide to Schoolwide Reform, 1999

WHEN > Research indicates that phonics should be systematically taught to the beginning reader and continued for the next two or three years.

HOW > Phonics is taught by using a planned sequence that starts with the most common consonant sounds and adding short letter sounds, most commonly beginning with short a–as in at, mat, pat, sat, cat. Gradually, more vowel sounds, including long vowels (silent e), and vowel blends are added, as are consonant blends. Children learn to decode and then encode new words based on consonant sounds (rhyming). Later, context clues help children using their phonics skills to read unfamiliar words.

IMPORTANT > In my opinion, phonics is best taught after, and in conjunction with, a whole language approach, so that children have the basis of a rich vocabulary, adequate auditory training to hear letter and word sounds accurately, and a love and appreciation for language and story. This gives the learning of reading a deeper meaning, and a sense of joy in discovery. I would liken this to knowing music before learning individual notes. Imagine having to study notes without knowing that they make music. How boring would that be?

And now for my phonemically inconsistent poem:

 

Frisky squirrel scamper

On roof, through tree

And newly fallen leaf

Be seen a thief, of sudden lurch

And raucous shriek,

Who steals away the arbor space

That they, thy neighbor birds

Would have, who, hasty, flee their

Wooded perch, to take to sky

To search,

To light upon another birch.

 


{ 0 comments }

Touch, Part 3

December 20, 2011

So what’s all the fuss about touch (the tactile system)? According to Hemholtz (the famed 19th century German physician, physicist and philosopher, famous for his many contributions): “….everything occurs on the skin.” In Psyche, Volume 16, number 1, (Alberto Gallace, Department of Psychology, University of Milan-Bicocca and Charles Spence, Department of Experimental Psychology, Crossmodal Research Laboratory [...]

Read the full article →

Touch, Part 2

December 5, 2011

I have been to two Body Worlds exhibits and one lesser-quality Chinese knockoff.  If Body Worlds comes anywhere near to me in the future, I will go again. Some of my more squeamish friends have not been as enthusiastic as I am. Body Worlds displays some 200 or more real human (and occasionally animal) bodies [...]

Read the full article →

Touch , Part 1

November 17, 2011

The Sami people of Scandinavia have 300 words for snow, while English has only a fraction of those. The “sense of touch” describes the entire tactile system, one of the five ordinary senses, complex systems often  inadequately described by single words:  sight, sound, smell, taste and touch. Imagine….an entire system referred to simply as “touch”. [...]

Read the full article →

Mistakes

November 1, 2011

Look at the word “mistake’ — it is a “miss take”.  There are 33 definitions for  “take” in the American Heritage Dictionary online (not counting the sub-categories within those 33, another 6 definitions for the intransitive form of the verb, 8 plus sub-definitions for the noun; and a slew of verbal phrases such as: take [...]

Read the full article →

Sitting–as Lethal as Smoking?

October 26, 2011

Nobody, but nobody, would want their young child smoking, nor have them smoke at any age for that matter. But do parents know that chair or couch time is also truly dangerous? Think of the hours children spend sitting in front of the TV and computer. As I sit here and type this, I can’t help but [...]

Read the full article →

Attention Span

October 22, 2011

Came across this piece on SpongeBob and had to post it. I have to admit that I agree with Nickelodeon (the network that airs “SpongeBob SquarePants”) that the study is at best inadequate. That said, I also have to admit my bias as a trained and experienced Waldorf (Steiner) eduactor that I would expect the [...]

Read the full article →

Acupuncture

October 12, 2011

“Acupuncture: a clinical review.(Review Article).” Southern Medical Journal. Southern Medical Association, March 1, 2005 | Sierpina, Victor S.; Frenkel, Moshe A. (It is possible to read some of the article here. A subscription is required to read the entire article). Abstract: This article summarizes the research base, probable mechanism of actions, and clinical applications of [...]

Read the full article →