From the Editor
Autumn is a great time for exploration. In this spirit, we've filled October's eNewsletter with new ideas. Find out the latest on cashier's check scams. Double your efficiency by learning to open two browser windows at once. And get help personalizing the frequency of your incoming e-mail pickups. For even more exploration, check out the Great Sites featured. You can update your view of Pluto, take a stab at pumpkin carving, prepare to fly through airport security, or even join the global treasure hunt of geocaching.
Your Local Help Desk
Question: Is it possible to view more than one window from my browser at the same time? If so, how do you do it?
Answer: Yes. Two or more browser windows open on your desk top at the same time can be helpful when you want to view a new web page without leaving behind the current one you are viewing. It can be especially beneficial when comparing information on two or more web pages, such as when you want to do comparison shopping on multiple e-commerce websites during this holiday season.
To open an additional browser window in Microsoft Internet Explorer, go to
the File menu, select "New," and then click "Window." As a shortcut, you can press the Control (ctrl) key on your keyboard as well as the letter "N" (ctrl+N).
With Mozilla's Firefox Web browser, you can choose to either open a new
browser window or a new tab -- the latter provides a convenient way to
access multiple web pages within a single browser window. To open a new window in Firefox, go to the File menu and select "New Window." As in Internet Explorer, the shortcut is CTRL+N. To open a new tab, select "New Tab" from the File menu or use the CTRL+T shortcut.
To open an additional browser window when using Macintosh€s Safari, select "New Window" from the File menu. The shortcut is to press the "Command" key (the key with the apple symbol on it) along with the letter "N" (command+N).
Cashier's Check Scams On Web Purchases
Fake cashier's checks have been used for years by crooks
posing as Internet buyers, and new variations of this scam are also stealing
money from unsuspecting victims. If you sell items online or receive any
online
requests involving cashier's checks, pay close attention to this warning.
Here's how a typical cashier's check scam works: You are selling a valuable
item over the Internet such as a car or computer. You receive an e-mail
offer through a relay service with the buyer promising to pay by cashier's
check. An authentic-looking check arrives, but it is made out for several
thousand dollars more than the agreed upon price and the buyer asks you
to wire the difference back. Your bank accepts the check and credits your
account for the money so you wire the extra money back to the seller.
But later, the cashier's check turns out to be counterfeit so you're out
both the sold item and the extra money you sent to the buyer.
Another variation of this scam involves people who become friends through
online chat rooms and e-mail. For example, a man may chat with a woman
for a couple of months (to gain her trust) and then tell her he'd like
to move to the country where she resides. He asks her to get him an apartment,
sends a cashier's check for thousands of dollars, and tells her to wire
him back the overpayment. The check, of course, is counterfeit and any
money she wires to him is lost. People have also been scammed by fake
cashier's checks sent to pay for work done at home, or as an "advance"
on a sweepstakes they've supposedly won.
We remind you to be extremely skeptical of a cashier's check from an
unfamiliar source. It may look so authentic that your bank cannot determine
if it's fake until several days or even weeks later. Under federal law,
banks have to make the funds you deposit available quickly š usually within
one to five days, depending on the type of check. But just because you
can withdraw the money doesn't mean the check is good š even if it's a
cashier's check. It can take weeks for the forgery to be discovered and
the check to bounce.
Sites of the Month
Essential Reading Before Flying
http://www.tsa.gov/index.shtm
To check or not to check? We suggest you check out the site of the Transportation Security Administration before you pack for your next plane trip. Posted here is the most current and detailed information on airport screening procedures and baggage contents restrictions. Take a few minutes to review the rules and you can spare yourself some annoying surprises at the terminal.
Carve Out Time For Pumpkins
http://pumpkincarving101.com
After you go to the pumpkin patch, make this "cutting edge" site your next stop. It explains absolutely everything you need to know about pumpkin carving to get ready for Halloween night. Learn how to select the right pumpkin, which tools to use, and how to create masterpiece Jack O' Lanterns with the help of stencils. You'll even get tips on extending the lifespan of your creations and photographing them successfully.
Discover Geocaching
http://geocaching.com
Searching for a new hobby? Explore Geocaching š the adventure game for GPS users which began in 2000. Participants hunt for caches (boxes with a logbook and little treasures) that have been placed all over the world in both remote locations and cities. Location coordinates are posted online but the challenge is actually getting there and finding the cache. When you do, you take an item from the box and leave one of your own. This official site provides all the directions you'll need to get started.
Poor Pluto Gets Demoted
http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/profile.cfm?Object=Pluto
On August 24, 2006, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) formally downgraded Pluto from an official planet to a dwarf planet. Feeling a little sorry for little Pluto? Find out more at this NASA site, including details on the New Horizons mission that will reach Pluto in July 2015 - the first visit of its kind. Scientists hope the long journey will finally answer questions about the mysterious dwarf planet's surface properties, geology, and atmosphere.
For Fans of College Football
http://fanblogs.com
Forbes.com calls this "“the best blog dedicated to a single sport." If you're crazy about college football, you'll want to read the comments posted by other fans (and maybe add a few of your own). Join the heated discussions, participate in polls, and sign up for RSS feeds about your favorite college team. It's a site sure to score big with football fans this fall.
In This Edition
>Your Local Help Desk
>Tech Tips & Tricks
>Sites of the Month
>Frosted Pumpkin Bars
>Feature of the Month
>Cashier Check Scams
>Internet Classes
Feature
of the Month:
Voice Mail to E-Mail
With our new voice mail system, you can listen to your voice mail from
any phone and any computer with internet!
To find out more, click
here and click on the different voice mail options.
Or call us at:
256-7471
764-7600
597-3333
548-3200
Free Internet Classes
Browsing Only
Eden Valley High School
Computer Lab Room 127
October 9, 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.
E-mail Only
Eden Valley High School
Computer Lab Room 127
October 10, 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Browsing Only
Melrose High School
Media Center (Library)
October 16, 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.
E-Mail Only
Melrose High School
Media Center (Library)
October 17, 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Browsing Only
Sauk Centre High School
Computer Lab Room 14
Octobre 23, 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.
E-mail Only
Sauk Centre High School
Computer Lab Room 14
October 24, 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Browsing Only
Kimball High School
Media Center (Library)
October 30, 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Call to register:
256-7471
764-7600
597-3333
548-3200
Frosted Pumpkin Bars
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons baking powder
1 tablespoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 cup vegetable oil
1 (16-ounce) can pumpkin
4 large eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Cream Cheese Frosting (see below)
1. Heat oven to 350*F (175*C). Grease 17 x 11 x 1-inch pan and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt, and set aside.
3. Cream together the oil, pumpkin, eggs, sugar, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice. Stir in flour mixture, mixing well. Pour into prepared pan.
4. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Cool completely before frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting:
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups powdered sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons milk
1. Cream together the cream cheese, butter and vanilla together. Slowly add the powdered sugar and milk. Add a few drops more milk, if needed for spreading consistency.
Tech Tips and Tricks
Adjust Frequency Of Incoming E-mail Pick-ups
Most e-mail software programs are set as a default to check for incoming e-mail messages every ten minutes. If a message has been received, an e-mail sound alert notifies the computer user that a message is available for him/her to read. If these alert notices are too frequent for your liking, the settings can easily be adjusted. Follow the steps below to change the frequency that your e-mail software checks for and advises you of new e-mail messages.
Adjust Frequency of Incoming E-mail Pick-ups in Outlook Express When Using Windows XP:
1. With Outlook Express open, click your cursor arrow on "Tools" located on the menu bar and select "Options" from the drop-down menu.
2. When the "Options" window appears, click on the "General" tab.
3. Under "Send/Receive Messages," look for the check boxes next to "Play sound when new messages arrive" and "Check for new messages every (# of minutes) minute(s)." If you want to turn off the alert sound, uncheck its check box. If you want to change the frequency of mail pick-ups, either uncheck its check box or change the number of minutes between pick-ups to a more suitable number.
4. Click on the "Apply" button and click "OK" to close the window.
Adjust Frequency of Incoming E-mail Pick-ups in Outlook When Using Windows XP:
1. With Outlook open, click your cursor arrow on "Tools" located on the menu bar. Drop down to "Send/Receive" from the drop-down menu and then "Send/Receive Settings" from the resulting submenu. Then choose "Define Send/Receive Groups" from the next submenu. Or, if that sounds too complicated, press on the "Ctrl" + "Alt" + "S" keys.
2. When the "Send/Receive Groups" window appears, select the groups you want to modify in the "Group Name" field or just select "All Accounts" to make your changes global.
3. Look for settings for the group "All Accounts" or the name of the group you selected and then look for the check box next to "Schedule an automatic send/receive every (# of minutes) minutes." Change the time in the field to whatever amount of time seems reasonable.
4. Click on the "Close" button to close the "Send/Receive Groups" window. Adjust Frequency of Incoming E-mail Pick-ups in Thunderbird 1.0.7 When Using Windows XP and Thunderbird 1.5 on Mac OS X:
1. With Thunderbird open, click your cursor arrow on "Tools" located on the menu bar and drop down to "Account Settings" from the resulting drop-down menu.
2. When the "Account Settings" window opens, click on your account name in the pane on the left side and, if it has a small "+" (plus sign) next to it, expand it by clicking on it.
3. Click on "Server Settings."
4. Under "Server Settings," look for "Check for new messages every (# of minutes) minutes." Adjust the number of minutes in the field to whatever amount of time seems reasonable.
5. Click "OK."
Adjust Frequency of Incoming E-mail Pick-ups in Netscape 7.2 When Using Windows XP and Mac OS X:
1. With Netscape Mail open, click your cursor arrow on "Edit" located on the menu bar and drop down to "Mail Newsgroups Account Settings" from the resulting drop-down menu.
2. When the "Account Settings" window opens, click on your account name in the pane on the left side. If the arrow next to the account name is pointing to the right, click on it so that it points down and expands to show the server settings.
3. Click on "Server Settings."
4. Under "Server Settings," look for "Check for new messages every (# of minutes) minutes." Adjust the number of minutes in the field to whatever amount of time seems reasonable.
5. Click "OK."
Adjust Frequency of Incoming E-mail Pick-ups in Mail.app 2.0 When Using Macintosh OS X:
1. With Mail.app open, click your cursor arrow on "Mail" located on the menu
bar and select "Preferences" from the drop-down menu.
2. Click on the "General" button on the button bar at the top of the window.
3. Find the item labeled "Check for new mail:" and set the interval by clicking on the menu to the right.
4. Click the red dot in the upper left hand corner of the window to close it.
Adjust Frequency of Incoming E-mail Pick-ups in Entourage 2004 When Using Macintosh OS X:
1. With Entourage open, click your cursor arrow on "Tools" located on the menu bar and select "Schedules" from the drop-down menu.
2. Find the schedule named "Send and Receive all" and double click on it.
3. When the "Edit Schedule" window opens, click on the button under the heading "When" and select the time interval that seems best to you.
4. Click "OK" to close the window.
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Disclaimer
We do not have financial interest in, or endorse, any of the sites, or products offered by the sites, listed in this customer newsletter. No opinions expressed on these sites should be considered to be the opinion of diversiCOM Melrose Telephone Company or it's employees. This is a free service of diversiCOM Melrose Telephone Company to enhance your Internet surfing experience. It is our policy to not share your e-mail address with any third party for any reason.
©2006 Cornerstone Publishing Group, Inc.