Don’t retype that PDF!

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Has anyone ever sent you a PDF document that you need to get back into Word format to edit? But nobody has the original Word document to make changes in? Don’t waste time retyping the whole thing! Just let any of these websites convert a PDF file to a Word document for you… free!

The best one in my experience has been Convert PDF To Word. The website and conversion process are both really fast. Just click the BROWSE button to locate your PDF file and press OK. In a few moments, a link will appear for you to immediately download the converted file! It’s been easy and blisteringly fast for every PDF I have thrown at it, and recreates the original PDF file in Word perfectly. The only problem is that is recreates the original PDF file in Word perfectly. If the PDF is complex, with a lot of tables and drawings, the word version will have a lot of tables and sub-tables all over the place. Things won’t be congruently selectable, but you can edit everything as much as you like. Everything I tested came back looking just like the original PDF it came from. If you’re looking for a direct copy of a PDF file that just needs a tweak here and there, this site is the one to use.

My second favorite is PDF ONLINE. This site is fast, with a simple BROWSE button to upload your PDF file from your local computer. In a few moments, you can download the converted word document. This site doesn’t do so well with a heavily detailed PDF in my tests, though. But it does great with grabbing the core content of a PDF and making everything selectable at once. Website PDFs consistently came back with the article as the main conversion. Books would convert in one big flowing document. However, this site converted everything into RTF format. You can go to Word and go to FILE and OPEN to pull the data in for this kind of conversion. If you don’t need the sidebars on a website, or your PDF document is pretty much text and no graphics, this site is the one you should choose.

3rd on my list is PDF TO WORD. This site is similar to the other two in its’ ease of use, but the main difference is that this site will email you the converted file. It’s kind of a mixed blessing. The results were somewhere between the two sites above, and it was nice to know the converted files would be waiting for me in my inbox and not have to be downloaded to the PC I was at. But some complex PDF conversions were so slow, they didn’t show up in my inbox for hours. An overall nice compliment to the two above.

Think you’re having a bad day? Watch this…

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If you think you’re having a bad day, this forklift driver’s day in Russia might make you feel a little better.

According to the dailymail website, this driver just nuked five million rubles of vodka and cognac in just five seconds.

Having seen this, I’m probably going to freak out a little the next time I’m at Sam’s.

Microsoft Office Accounting : DOA

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If you are a user of Microsoft Office Accounting, you should probably sit down before reading any further.

Microsoft just announced that they are canning their whole Office Accounting package as of November 16th.

On the FAQ site, the official reason from Microsoft is that “…we have determined that existing free templates within Office used with Excel was a better option for small businesses, and the Microsoft Dynamics ERP products were appropriate for mid-range organizations.”

In addition, they’re yanking the Ebay and Equifax rug out, saying “Online sales from eBay and credit profile from Equifax will no longer be available after December 15, 2009. However, your customers will still be able to pay emailed invoices directly through PayPal.”

Paypal instead of Equifax? Yeesh.

Someone at Microsoft probably woke up this weekend and said “Hey, this product is so easy and stable and cheap, why the hell are we supporting it? Make the low end people buy the whole Office suite! And make the high end people buy the juggernaut called Dynamics! Mu ha ha ha ha!”

Ifya’ want to grab this one before it’s nuked forever, here’s a link to Micosoft’s download page or you can grab the express version directly here.

Here’s the direct link to the Microsoft PR announcement about the product.

RECALL : Alexia Foods Olive Oil, Sun-Dried Tomatoes & Pesto Oven Reds

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Another recall. This one from Alexia Foods. Their Olive Oil, Sun-Dried Tomatoes & Pesto Oven Reds have some pine nuts as ingredients that wasn’t on the label.

The FDA notice reads… “Alexia Foods… is voluntarily recalling packages of its Alexia – Olive Oil, Sun-Dried Tomatoes & Pesto Oven Reds (frozen seasoned potato wedges) for an undeclared allergen, pine nuts. This voluntary recall is limited to only packages of Alexia – Olive Oil, Sun-Dried Tomatoes & Pesto Oven Reds bearing the following Sell By dates (shown below) printed on the upper left back panel of the poly package with the UPC # 34183 00108. No other Alexia frozen or shelf stable products are affected.
Sell By 5385050811               Sell By 5385050911
Sell By 5385051011               Sell By 5385051111”

Here’s the link to the official FDA recall notice.

Recall : Pointe Scientific Expanded Recall : Liquid Glucose Hexokinase Reagent (G7517)

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I posted this late last week, but now they’re expanding the recall/trash notice to ALL their kits. Not good. If a Pointe Scientific is on your cart or station, you might want to do a quick check against these numbers.

The new recall states… “Pointe Scientific… is initiating a nationwide recall of all size kits of Liquid Glucose Hexokinase Reagent catalog number G7517.  The reagents have been found to fail linearity at >200mg/dL that results in inaccurate glucose values above this range. Distributors and testing laboratories who have received the Pointe Scientific, Inc Liquid Glucose Hexokinase Reagent (G7517) which is being recalled should destroy remaining inventory.”

“The recall includes the following lot numbers:
Lot # 823901 (all batches)     Expiration:  2010-02
Lot # 826801 (all batches)     Expiration:  2010-03
Lot # 829401 (all batches)     Expiration:  2010-04
Lot # 831502 (all batches)     Expiration:  2010-05
Catalog #s:  G7517-120 (97 kits), G7517-500(129 kits), G7517-1L (31), 8-G7517-120 (15 vials), 8-G7517-500 (21vials), 3-G7517-L (28L), 7-G7517-500 (5 vials). 7-G7517-1000 (3bottles)
Lot #814301 (all batches)      Expiration:  2009-11
Lot# 820502 (all batches)       Expiration: 2010-01”

“Testing laboratories should consider all test results obtained with the lot numbers listed above to be questionable.  The laboratory should inform the patient’s attending physician, and determine, with their input, whether confirmation of the previous test results will be required.”

Here’s the link to the official FDA recall notice.

News stories the mainstream media missed 10/31/09

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Here are some news stories from this week that I think the mainstream media completely missed out on. All links are from legitimate news sources and not the fringe / wacko sites.

* Some people have a pre-existing immunity to H1N1. Now THAT would be good to have! Warning: deep med-speak in this article [CDC]

* Hormel and Herdez Del Fuerte are going to combine to form VOLTRON MegaMex Foods. This venture is to market “Mexican foods in the United States”. Um, guys? You’re a little late. It’s called Fiesta. But I guess this might be a good thing overall to push more things into the mainstream. As long as they don’t “Hormel-ize” everything. I better not see no Molle with “real bacon flavor” at the grocery store. [FOOD BUSINESS NEWS]

* The US Military would like to point out that current research… “appears to show that many people can emerge from traumatic experiences with greater self-confidence, [and] a keener sense of compassion and appreciation for life, says Brig. Gen. Rhonda Cornum, director of the Army’s Comprehensive Soldier Fitness program.” OK. Let me paraphrase that: Didn’t die. Woo Hoo! Pass the beer. [US MILITARY HEALTH SYSTEM and a cross link on USA TODAY]

* Pepsi just lost 1.26 billion in a lawsuit… because they didn’t show up. As in ever. As in summary judgment. What the hell, right? It’s just money! [WALL STREET JOURNAL]

* A California jury just found KDNDFM radio station liable for causing a woman’s death in a stupid “Hold Your Wee for a Wii” contest they had back in 2007 when the Wii system was just coming out. This woman drank 7.5 litres of water trying to win a new this video game system for her three kids. The Wii video game system is now worth around $200. That’s messed up. And why is this only making British news? [DAILY MAIL]

* Good news, bad news. A US company has acquired BIMBO. For those of ya’ll that don’t know what BIMBO is, it’s pretty much a major Hostess / Sarah Lee bakery kind of thing in Mexico. Well, “net U.S. third-quarter sales more than tripled to $978 million when compared to the previous year’s third quarter.” Fine. I’m happy for you all. Really. Just DON’T MESS WITH MY BIMBUNELOS! They’re 100% sugar on a fried wagon wheel goodness! [FOOD BUSINESS NEWS]

FDA warning to Vicks products : Quit that foolishness

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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration sent a nastygram to Procter & Gamble today, telling them that Vicks DayQuil Plus Vitamin C and Vicks Nyquil Plus Vitamin C are… “illegally marketed combinations of drug ingredients and a dietary ingredient…. single dosage form combinations of drug ingredients and dietary ingredients legally cannot be marketed because they have not been proven safe and effective, and… the agency previously determined that there are insufficient data to show that vitamin C is safe and effective in preventing or treating the common cold.”

This isn’t so much a current recall as it is a pending recall. I would bet that Procter & Gamble is going to yank these Vicks products off the shelves ASAP so as not to tick off the FDA. So if you like your DayQuil or Vicks pre mixed with Vitamin C, go buy them now. Or you can do it the hard way and just chase your next plain dose of Vicks with a giant glass of OJ.

Here’s the link to the official FDA notice.

Recall : Pointe Scientific, Inc Liquid Glucose Hexokinase Reagent (G7517)

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Earlier today, Pointe Scientific, Inc issued a big nationwide recall of their Liquid Glucose Hexokinase Reagent with catalog number G7517.

The notice on the FDA site says “the reagents have been found to fail linearity at >200mg/dL that results in inaccurate glucose values above this range. Distributors and testing laboratories who have received the Pointe Scientific, Inc Liquid Glucose Hexokinase Reagent (G7517) which is being recalled should destroy remaining inventory.”

“The recall includes the following lot numbers: Lot # 823901 (all batches) Expiration:  2010-02  : Lot # 826801 (all batches) Expiration:  2010-03 : Lot # 829401 (all batches) Expiration:  2010-04 : Lot # 831502 (all batches) Expiration:  2010-05: Catalog #s:  G7517-120 (97 kits), G7517-500(129 kits), G7517-1L (31), 8-G7517-120 (15 vials), 8-G7517-500 (21vials), 3-G7517-L (28L), 7-G7517-500 (5 vials). 7-G7517-1000 (3bottles)”

No injuries or problems have been reported yet, but better safe than sorry.

Trash ’em if you got ’em!

Here’s a link to the FDA recall notice.

FDA’s latest recall and a real PTOO! moment

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So there I was, going home for lunch today. I made myself a nice roast beef and horseradish sandwich on wheat, some Flamin’ Hot Cheetos with Tabasco sauce, and a freezing cold bottle of Evian water. As an indulgence, I grabbed one macadamia nut cookie from an unopened Sam’s cookie box I got a few weeks ago.

I had finished lunch watching some stuff on the Tivo, and was nomming on my cookie when I started to open the mail. First up – a letter from Sam’s.

Cookie bite number four was in progress when I read…

“Dear Sam’s Club Member: Today we were notified that Countryside Backing Co Inc in conjunction with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has initiated a Recall of cookies made with Macadamia Nuts because the nuts may be contaminated with Salmonella. Our records reflect you may have purchased one of more of the following: Assorted 24ct Cookies (choc chunk, oatmeal, mac nut) Item # 68503 UPC #: 0022193700000”

PTOO! PTOO! PTOO!

Figures.

Here’s the actual letter with more detail…

Sams Cookie Recall

Sam's Cookie Recall

The bad thing is I took two of those cookie sets to a recent birthday party. Not funny.

It’s great and very commendable that Sam’s sent out this letter directly to its’ customers who made the actual purchase. Sam’s definitely stopped one possible infection. Well done ya’ll. But I still can’t find the official FDA notice about this tie-in with Sam’s.

So until the FDA notice comes out, take this letter as a basic guideline on the UPC codes. The items affected are Item # 68503 with UPC # 0022193700000, Item # 6850 with UPC # 0022193900000 and Item # 929830 with UPC # 0022201900000.

Facebook attack

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If you are a user of Facebook and get an email saying “your password has been reset” with a attachment to open, just delete the email. A new scam/trojan attack is making the rounds, and this one is specifically targeting users of Facebook.

According to the tech site Neowin, Facebook users may get an email saying… “their password has been reset, and that the attached zip archive contains their new password. Instead of a new password, users will find a trojan downloader.”

Once the trojan is opened, it will go out over the internet and grab more viruses and malware to download to the infected PC. The article says there are “around 735,000 of the phony Facebook messages since Monday”, so this thing is only getting bigger.

Make sure to update your antivirus definitions this weekend, and it would be a good idea to set your antivirus application to run a full scan while you are out for Halloween.