Adding Holidays to Outlook Calendar

If you use Outlook 2000, you may have noticed that there aren't any holidays in your 2003 calendar. To work around this problem, you simply need to download and install the "Outlook 2000 Add-in: Holiday Updates" add-in. This add-in updates the calendar with holidays from 2003 up through and including 2007.
http://www.TheNakedPC.com/t/608/tr.cgi?outlook1

Exit Outlook before proceeding. Once you have downloaded the file, run it (OutHol.exe), and follow the instructions to install it. Next, to add holidays to your calendar follow these steps in Outlook: Tools, Options, click the Preferences tab, click the "Calendar Options" button, click the "Add Holidays" button, in the "Add Holidays to Calendar" dialog that appears select the desired country or countries and click OK. If you are prompted "Holidays for (country name) are already installed. Do you want to install them again?" click OK to install them, click OK to dismiss the "Calendar Options" dialog, then click OK to dismiss the Options dialog. If you ever find that you need to remove duplicate holidays, select Outlook's Calendar folder, View, Current View, By Category; there in the Holiday category you'll see all holiday events in a single list where you can delete--or otherwise act on--them as appropriate.

10 Tips for Cyber Security

1. Use protection software "anti-virus sofware" and keep it up to date. (Not less than once a week- daily is best!)

2. Don't open email from unknown sources. (Most modern viruses and worms hijack a users address book, so they appear to come from someone you know).

3. Use hard-to-guess passwords. (A combination of letters, numbers and “top row” computer symbols).

4. Protect your computer from Internet intruders- use "firewalls." (Dialup accounts are now as vulnerable as broadband access).

5. Don’t share access to your computer with strangers. Learn about file sharing risks. (KaZaa and Morpheus have been documented as sources of viruses and other threats).

6. Disconnect from the Internet when not in use. (This applies especially to broadband connections).

7. Back up your computer data… frequently!

8. Regularly download security protection update “patches.” (In most Windows computers, go to “start,” “Windows Update.”

9. Check your security on a regular basis- such as once a month or more.

10. Make sure your family members and/or your employees know what to do if your computer becomes infected.

Increasing/Decreasing the Size of Your Screen

Are the text and images on your computer screen so small they are difficult to see? Or in fact too big, that they are causing eye strain? In three simple steps, you can solve this problem!

1. In Windows 98/ME click on “Start”, “Settings”, “Control Panel”. (Windows XP, click on “Start”, “Control Panel”).

2. From here, double click the “Display”.

3. Click on the “Settings” tab at the top.

From here you can adjust the “Screen Resolution” by less or more. When you click “Apply” the new settings will take place.

Organize Your Start Menu!

Quick, Simple and Easy! Unclutter your start menu and make your computer more efficient!

Upon installation, many applications add shortcut items (quicklinks to the program) on your Start Menu. Items can be deleted/rearranged/moved within the start menu without affecting the actual program.

To sort out your start menu in Windows 98 or ME, from your desktop click, "My Computer", "C:" (Or your equivalent hard drive), "Windows", "Start Menu". Here you can add/delete folders, and rearrange the content.

Special Tips & Tricks:
1. Add Submenus- Within the above mentioned folder, choose "File", "New", "New Folder". Create folders of companies with multiple products. For example, make a Microsoft folder to hold all of your Microsoft Office shortcuts.

2. Delete Unncecessary Items- Often a program will install double shortcuts, or two of the same. Delete one, and save yourself some room.

3. ReName items- By "right clicking" on an item, you can select "Rename". This will allow you to shorten a long file name, or change it to something you prefer more.

4. Make Additions- Do you have a program that you want in the start menu that isn't there already? Find that program's execution file (the .exe file) within your C: (Hard Drive) Drive. "Right click" the item and "Create Shortcut". You can then click and drag (hold down your mouse and move the item) the Start Menu file folder.

Good luck!
Lindsay
lindsay@tcrose.com

Speed Up Your System!

5 Ways To Make Windows Faster:

1. Run MSCONFIG (Go to start, run, type in msconfig). From here, choose the "Startup" tab (on most systems). If you recognize a utility that you don't want to start automatically with Windows, de-check it. By getting rid of items you don't need to start up with Windows (Aol Instant Messanger, Games,
Real Player, to name a few), your computer will load up faster from a power off.

2. Defragment. Over time your computer's files get touseled about and disorganized. This can cause your computer to slow down. Run defragmenter by going to "Start", "Programs", "Accessories", "System Tools", "Disk Defragmenter" (On most computers). Close down all programs while you perform this action, otherwise it may not complete properly.

3. Delete Temporary Files. By using Windows Disk Cleanup, any temporary files on your computer can easily be deleated safely. Run this program by going to: "Start", "Programs", "Accessories", "System Tools", "Disk Cleanup" (On most computers). You can choose which files to deleate, I recommend you check all of them at least once a month, and do only the internet files weekly, depending on computer usage.

4. Get Rid of Unused/Unncessary Stuff. While everyone loves there background images, games and MP3s, these items can seriously slow down your computer. Consider put music and images files onto a CD to save space. Also go through your list of installed programs ("Start", "Settings", "Control Panel", "Add/Remove Programs") and see if there are any programs you can delete. Chances are, you have many.

5. Update Windows. It is very important to continually update your Windows program. By doing this, you are recieving the latest releases of programs that can effect your PCs health. To do this check out: http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/en/ .

For More Tips, Visit Smart Computing.Com

TIME Magazine Recommends Ad-Aware!

It came first on T C Rose.Com and now TIME magazine is recommending the anti-spyware program, Ad-Aware, for all PC users.

View this article at:
TIME.Com - What Spies Beneath

A Check's a Check- Or is It?

The ABA reports overall that check fraud accounts for losses of more than $12 billion a year...

Check fraud affects every financial institution, every business, and every individual throughout the United States and around the world. Industry sources estimate that check fraud and counterfeiting cost our nation between $10 and $14 billion per year. Some observers are calling it the growth crime of the 1990's. -Source: Check Fraud brochure, Federal Reserve System.

The ABA reports overall that check fraud accounts for losses of more than $12 billion a year according to Samuel Greengard in his article Deflecting Check Fraud found on Business Finance Mag's website.

The actual loss of dollars due to this crime is easily tracked, but consider the other costs incurred. Once a fraudulent check is identified with your account, the bank will close your account immediately. All the hacks you have on hand are now obsolete. New checks with the new account number are required. Anyone you've sent a check to will need to be notified and new checks issued from your new account. It is estimated that all this change can be two to three times more costly than the original check fraud amount.

Check fraud can take many forms. Some of the more common encountered today are forged signatures, forged endorsements, counterfeit checks, and demand drafts (misuse of account information to obtain funds from a person's account.). Several other forms exist such as altered checks. The Federal Reserve website provides a brochure describing these forms as well as other informative information about check fraud. Go to their website at http://www.frbservices.org. Use their search vehicle and enter check fraud to find the article.

So, how can you protect yourself and your customers from check fraud? Greengard shares five ways in his article:

1. Use checks that have advanced security features.

2. Use a positive pay system.

3. Make a serious attempt to verify the identity of the people cashing checks.

4. Work closely with your bank.

5. Put proper safeguards and audits in place.

Remember that disgruntled or greedy employees can be some of the most successful check fraud perpetrators. For more information regarding these safeguards, go to the aforementioned Business Finance Mag website.

So how sage are the checks you are selling to your customers? If they're Wilmer's, you've got a step-up on criminals. The Federal Reserve Check Fraud document y features as making fraud more difficult and Wilmer offers these either as standard* or custom + features:

1. Watermarks*- Since water marks are designed to be viewed at a 45-degree angle, scanners and photocopiers are not able to reproduce them.

2. Void Pantographs*- Pantograph technology protects documents from being illegally duplicated. When document containing pantographs are copied, words like "copy" or "void" appear.

3. Warning Bands*- Warning bands call attention to the security features that protect the document.

4. Laid lines+ - Laid lines are unevenly spaced lines on the check that make it difficult to electronically cut and past information on the check from a scanned images.

5. Chemically sensitive paper*- Chemically sensitive paper reveal attempts at altering the paper with eradicator chemicals. When the eradicator comes in contact with the paper, the paper becomes stained or the word "void appears.

6. Prismatic printing+- Prismatic printing is designed to make it difficult to reproduce intricate colored backgrounds on color copies.

7. Micro printing*- Micro printing is a group of words so small that it becomes unreadable and appears as a line when copied or scanned.

As capabilities of home computer systems and printing technologies continue to advance so will the methods of check fraud. You can be assured that as your provider of checks, we will be ready to add the deterrents necessary to ensure the safety of yours and your customers' checks.

Is It a Virus? Or Just a Hoax?

Have you ever received an email that warns you of impending doom from another email virus attack?

Have you ever received an email that warns you of impending doom from another email virus attack? How about "GET PAID FROM MICROSOFT" for sending email to everyone in your address book. My friend the attorney did it and received thousands of dollars for their efforts. How about the child that is on their deathbed with cancer and wishes for a chain letter to be sent around the world in his honor? This particular email claims that if it is forwarded, a donation will be made to the American Cancer Society.

These are just some examples of the junk mail that is circulated on the web. Before you forward ANYTHING to your friends via email, it is important to take a moment to find out if what you are about to forward to everyone you know is accurate. This helps prevent you from making unsubstantiated statements to all of your friends and associates.

If you receive an email claiming you will gain free items from a company, or a donation will be made to this or that for forwarding the email, check it out first. This could be for real, or a recycled hoax. Try web sites like http://www.symantec.com or http://www.nonprofit.net/hoax. Both of these sites offer reliable information that will help you determine the facts. A little research will help prevent you from becoming a "Chicken Little." In any case, NEVER open an email from an unknown sender especially emails with attachments.

Another tip is to use up to date virus protection that checks your email. If you receive email from people, an up to date virus protection engine is a must. Although nothing is full proof, it is best to update your data files weekly to give your virus software the best chance to do its job. When we receive a call for help from a client that involves a virus, nine times out of ten their virus definitions are 6 months or more old. This offers no defense against recently created viruses. There are people in cyberspace that have nothing better to do than to create this stuff and spread it around.

In conclusion, email can be a vast wasteland. Resist wasting the resources of the Internet world and don't blindly forward things. Many chain e-mails are just updates of chain snail mail, and they don't deliver what they promise. If you get chain emails from someone you know, or any email from someone you don't know, the best procedure is to delete it. The best deleting procedure is to select (highlight) the email, then press your “shift” key and “delete” at the same time. This removes it from your system immediately instead of sending it to your recycle bin folder. To assure yourself a safe inbox, remember to update your virus definitions weekly and delete all unknown sender emails and attachments.