Security Info FTC's Top Consumer Complaints for 2006 Severe Weather Awareness Week Tips For Being Prepared Help Desk Call Our Local Number For Assistance Does Spam Have Your Email Clogged? Postini Can Eliminate Over 90% of Your Spam Security & Monitoring An IP Camera May Be Perfect Federal Universal Service Fund Improvements Suggested by the Public Service Commission to Protect Nebraska Interests Ask The Help Desk How Do I Add A Status Bar To My Web Browser? Local Website Of The Month Our Featured LOCAL Website Of The Month is... Sites Of The Month Great Sites To Check Out In April! Short Tutorial Customizing Your Browser's Toolbar

Hello Hartel.net Subscribers! In keeping with the season, we're going to shower you with information you can use this spring. First, learn how to avoid becoming a victim of today's many online scams and identity theft schemes. Next, find out how to add a handy status bar to your Web browser and how to customize your toolbar to include only the buttons you need. Finally, have some fun visiting the sites we've selected for you this month. They'll help you follow the NFL draft, prepare for a trip to the nursery, reach for the stars, pick a great movie, and explore the wonders of the world - all refreshing ways to spend your time. The goal of each of our monthly eNewsletters is to keep our subscribers informed regarding their Internet connection and to improve their Internet experience. To meet this goal, each monthly newsletter will usually contain information related to: Warnings on a recent virus, e-mail hoax or security issue that may affect you An update on new services and other local interests An answer to a frequently asked Internet related question Some fun, seasonal websites to check out A short, step-by-step tutorial on an e-mail or browser related task We think you'll find the information contained in this newsletter to be a valuable tool for enhancing your Internet experience. If, however, you'd prefer not to receive these bulletins on a monthly basis, click HERE. To see what's inside this issue, take a look at the index to the left and thanks for reading! - The Hartel.net Team

Security Info - FTC's Top Consumer Complaints for 2006

The Federal Trade Commission recently issued its annual report, "Consumer Fraud and Identity Theft Complaint Data," on fraud complaints filed by consumers in 2006. For the seventh year in a row, identity theft tops the list, accounting for 36 percent of the 674,354 complaints received between January 1 and December 31, 2006. Credit card fraud (25 percent) was the most common form of reported identity theft, followed by phone or utilities fraud (16 percent), bank fraud (16 percent), and employment fraud (14 percent). Other common fraud complaints included shop-at-home/catalog sales; prizes, sweepstakes and lotteries; Internet services and computer complaints; and Internet auction fraud. Consumers reported fraud losses totaling more than $1.1 billion and the median monetary loss was $500.

The FTC provides data on consumer fraud complaints to the Consumer Sentinel, a secure online database available to more than 1,600 civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad. For the first time, this complaint data has been broken out for more than 350 metropolitan statistical areas with populations greater than 100,000. You can find detailed information, including state-by-state statistics, at http://www.consumer.gov/sentinel.

The Internet was the top method chosen by fraudulent companies to contact consumers, used 60% of the time (e-mail was used in 45% of the cases and websites in 15%). The remaining methods were mail (16%), phone (13%), and others (10%). What can you do to avoid becoming the victim of online consumer fraud? Take these precautions:

• Don't reply to suspicious, unsolicited e-mail messages.
• Don't click on links contained in these types of e-mail messages.
• Don't provide personal information by e-mail unless it's a secure website ("https://" is in the web address and a padlock appears on the browser's status bar).
• Keep your anti-virus and firewall software running and up-to-date.

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Severe Weather Awareness Week - Tips For Being Prepared

As part of Severe Weather Awareness Week activities, Hartington Telecommunications Company is reminding their customers to be prepared for severe storms and offering helpful tips regarding keeping in communication with emergency personnel, neighbors or family. Severe Weather Awareness Week is April 2 through April 6.

“With the new types of telephone technology such as cordless phones and using computers for phone service, we want to remind customers that many of these types of telephones will not work if their electric power goes out,” said Bill Dendinger, General Manager at Hartington Telecommunications. “Even though the landline is still functioning, people need a traditional corded phone that plugs into the phone jack in the wall to use the service. Computers and cordless phones that need electricity to operate may not work if there is a power outage,” Dendinger said.

Nebraska’s telephone companies have invested hundreds of millions of dollars over the years burying their cables to create the safest, most secure and reliable communications system possible. Telecommunications companies have their own electrical power sources to put electricity through the phone line to make sure a person’s life-line to emergency personnel, doctors, neighbors, business associates and their family are still working.

“With a lot of the new communications gadgets people have today, it’s important for people to know that the traditional ‘plug-in-the-wall’ phone is still an important safety feature. We recommend people keep a traditional phone stored near a flashlight or other emergency preparedness kit that they may have in their home,” Dendinger said.

For other severe weather tips, visit the National Weather Service website on severe weather at http://www.weather.gov/om/severeweather/index.shtml. You may also see the local weather forecast and local radar at anytime by visiting our homepage www.hartel.net and clicking on Current Weather above the Google Searchbox.

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Help Desk - Call Our Local Number For Assistance

Having problems connecting to the Internet? Assistance is available 24/7 just by making a local call and dialing 254-3902. Just a friendly reminder from your friends at Hartel.net.

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Does Spam Have Your Email Clogged? - Postini Can Eliminate Over 90% of Your Spam

Spammers continue their deluge of unsolicited email and while very annoying, some are downright crude. To deal with spam, Hartel.net offers Postini, one of the best and strongest spam filtering available.

Postini scans and deletes most spam almost immediately and also "quarantines" emails that are only suspected of being spam before they reach your Inbox. Postini can also be used as a first line of defense against common email viruses, although separate anti-virus software is strongly recommended.

Recent reviews of the Postini filtering system show that in any given hour, between 75-85% of emails intended for our hartel.net customers were spam. With Postini as your spam filter, most of these never reach your computer.

Postini is available from Hartel.net for only $1 a month per email address. Give yourself a piece of mind (not to mention less time reviewing emails) by calling us at 254-3901 and asking for Postini. Or just click here to send us an email. With all the spam nowadays, it's a bargain -- at any price!

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Security & Monitoring - An IP Camera May Be Perfect

An IP camera serves as a full-featured security system with recording capability and it acts as its own webserver.

IP cameras are video cameras that transmit video via a secured, private Internet connection. Capable of low-light images, these cameras are perfect for monitoring businesses, livestock operations, a remote cabin by the lake or river, and can even be used as a baby monitor in the privacy of your own home. While away on a day trip, business trip, or on vacation, your property and valuables can also be securely monitored from afar and the video saved for later playback if needed.

We have several types of IP Cameras available to accomodate various types of needed features and also for all types of budgets. Contact Northeast Nebraska Computer Services at 402-254-2110 or toll-free at 1-866-447-2110 for more information or to see a live demonstration.

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Federal Universal Service Fund - Improvements Suggested by the Public Service Commission to Protect Nebraska Interests

NEBRASKA COMMISSION SUGGESTS IMPROVEMENTS
TO FEDERAL UNIVERSAL SERVICE FUND PLAN

The Nebraska Public Service Commission has taken steps to protect the interests of Nebraska telecommunications users by suggesting improvements to a federal plan on universal service charges.

The Nebraska Commission, along with its counterparts in Indiana, Montana, Wyoming, Maine and Vermont, filed a proposal that recognizes the steps already taken by some states to reform access charges and, in some cases, establish state universal service funds. The Nebraska Commission contends that states that have already adopted universal service funds would be harmed by the new federal plan. Universal service funds are used to reduce rates charged to access the long distance network and provide monies to offset the high cost of providing service to rural areas. States like Nebraska, which took prompt action to set up universal service funds, would be penalized under the federal plan.

“It’s pretty clear we have taken some pretty dramatic steps in access rate reform and at the same time are addressing the need to provide affordable telephone service in high cost, rural areas,” Boyle said. “The states’ proposal takes this into account.”

The federal plan favored the states that have not tackled the access rate and high cost questions. “Our proposal is an attempt to equalize the impact on consumers across the country,” Boyle said. The proposal submitted by the six states was developed in harmony with industry representatives who largely crafted the original federal plan.

Nebraska adopted its universal service fund in 1999. Boyle said that a key objective of the fund is to ensure that all telecommunications networks interface with each other regardless of the technology utilized and regardless of the type of service.

“It is important to ensure fairness among the carriers, the states and especially to the ratepayers,” Boyle said. The Federal Communications Commission has been considering compensation between carriers for some time.

Before the establishment of the Nebraska Universal Service Fund, local telephone service in the state was heavily subsidized by access charges charged by local telephone companies to long distance service providers for in-state calling. “We have lowered in-state long distance rates from among the highest in the nation to among the lowest. Other states have not followed our lead and continue to draw from the federal fund, placing a greater burden on those who have set an example. It is far past time for states across the nation to be responsible for their fair share of intrastate costs. That is what was envisioned by the 1996 Telecom Act. We are attempting to reform these access rates to recognize the massive technology changes the industry is facing with the evolution to broadband networks and make the transition fair to the consumers,” Boyle said.

The Federal Communications Commission has not indicated when it will rule on the new federal plan. -- PSC News Release 3/9/07

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Ask The Help Desk - How Do I Add A Status Bar To My Web Browser?

Question: I used to have a bar at the bottom of my Web browser that showed the progress of searches when trying to find a website. It would tell me if I was connected to the site I was searching for and it even had a little bar that showed whether the requested page was making progress in completely opening. I don't see this information at the bottom of my browser window anymore. Is there a way to get it back?

Answer: Yes. You are referring to a "status bar" and it is a handy tool that tells you whether or not you're connecting to a site. To add the status bar back onto your browser when using Internet Explorer 6.0 and 7.0, simply click your cursor arrow on the Internet Explorer "View" menu and drop down to "Status Bar" on the resulting drop-down menu. If your menu bar in I.E. 7.0 isn't visible, click on the "Tools" icon to the right of your address bar, drop down to "Toolbars," and select "Status Bar" from the resulting submenu. The status bar will appear at the bottom of your browser. If you are using Firefox 2.0, click your cursor arrow on the "View" menu and drop down to "Status Bar." The status bar will appear at the bottom of your browser. When using Safari 2.0, click your cursor arrow on the "View" menu and drop down to "Show Status Bar." The "Status Bar" will appear at the bottom of your browser.

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Local Website Of The Month - Our Featured LOCAL Website Of The Month is.....

This is a series of monthly articles featuring local websites. Please contact us by clicking here if you want your website to be featured in an upcoming issue. You supply the information and we'll put it in our eNewsletter. What a great way to get your website known throughout the Hartington area!

Cedar County Theatre

In the Spring, 2002, one voice publicly asked, "Why doesn't Hartington have a community theater?" Many interested persons responded to that public outcry and the Cedar County Theatre was formed. By November that year, the group had established itself enough to put on a full-scale production, "An Evening of Culture."

Since forming five years ago, the Cedar County Theatre has performed six full-scale productions, a melodrama, a reader's theater, two short Christmas plays and a junior production. The Cedar County Theatre, with assistance from citizens and businesses, has facilitated the Missoula Childrens Theatre's coming to town for the past 4 years.

Photos, past production information, the auditorium stage reopening and much more information can be found at CCT's website by clicking this link: www.cedarcountytheatre.com or Cedar County Theatre.

And look for information regarding our upcoming production (# 7), "Opal's Baby," coming April 13th, 15th, 20th and 21st at the Hartington City Auditorium Stage.

Enjoy our productions? Hug a thespian!!!

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Great Sites To Check Out This Month

Get Growing
http://landscape-america.com/index.html -  April is Lawn and Garden Month so it's time to get growing. To plant the seeds of inspiration, you may want to visit this comprehensive landscaping site. It's an excellent resource for planning your next yard project, and includes information on all aspects of landscaping from selecting the right plants for your climate to adding beautiful and practical pathways. And because things aren't always rosy, this site also offers advice on controlling weeds, insects, and disease.

Top Picks in NASA Pics
http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html -  It's the next best thing to being there. Each day NASA posts the Astronomy Picture of the Day on this site, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. You can see our fascinating universe in all its glory, and get a close-up feel for the stars and planets so far away. In addition to the Astronomy Picture of the Day, check out selected photos dating back to 1995.

Reel Reviews
http://reel.com/reel.asp?node=intheaters -  If you don't get your fill of stars on the NASA site, come here for detailed reviews of new movies in theaters and those coming soon. These reviews include handy links to the stars in the cast that show their other movie credits, as well as lists of similar films under Close Movie Matches. Still deciding what to see this weekend? Be sure to view the new trailers included on the site and take a look at the current top ten at the box office.

Wonders of the World
http://new7wonders.com -  The Ancient 7 Wonders of the World (including the Pyramids at Giza and the State of Zeus at Olympia) will soon have company. This site is gathering a global vote for the New 7 Wonders of the World and millions of people have already voted for their favorite "wonder." Will the new list include the Statue of Liberty? Eiffel Tower? The Kremlin? We'll find out, appropriately enough, when the seven winners are announced on 07.07.07. There's still time for you to cast your ballot, but as with any sort of online voting site, it's best to use a "throw away" e-mail address (like Hotmail) rather than your main e-mail account.

Draft Tracker
http://nfl.com/draft -  Keep up with the action of the 2007 NFL draft (April 28-29) with the help of the official NFL site. All the stats you could possibly want are here including prospect profiles listed by position or school, and a team-by-team history of first round picks from 1982 to 2006. NFL.com draft guru Gil Brandt weighs in with results from this year's Pro Days, plus you'll find draft analysis and columns, player diaries, and links to team draft sites.

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Short Tutorial - Customizing Your Browser's Toolbar

The default settings of the newer versions of the Internet Explorer Web browser include buttons for common functions such as "back," forward," "stop," "refresh," home," "autofill," "print," and "mail." Additional buttons for other functions can easily be added to your toolbar or default buttons can be removed. Here's how:

To Make Adjustments To The Browser Toolbar When Using Internet Explorer 6.0 For Windows XP Home Edition:

1. Click your cursor arrow on the "View" menu and drop down to "Toolbars."
   
   
2. Select "Customize" from the resulting submenu. When the "Customize Toolbar" window appears, there will be two side-by-side panes visible with an "Add" and "Remove" button between them. The right hand pane shows you the buttons currently displayed on your toolbar and the left hand pane shows you the buttons that you can add to your toolbar.
   
   
3. Click your cursor arrow on a button in the left hand pane that you'd like to add and then click on the "Add" button. The button you selected will then move over to the right hand pane and become visible on your toolbar. NOTE: A double click on buttons in the left hand pane will also add them to the right hand pane as well as your toolbar.
   
   
4. To remove a button from the toolbar, click on it in the right hand pane and click on the "Remove" button or double click on it in the right hand pane. The button will disappear from your browser's toolbar. Please note that buttons removed from your toolbar do not disappear completely, they just go over to the left hand pane and can be easily put back.
   
   
5. The "Customize Toolbar" window also has buttons that will allow you to change the position or order of the buttons on your toolbar. Click on the "Move Up" button or the "Move Down" button to change the position of the buttons.
   
   
6. If you've finished modifying your toolbar and you don't like what you've done, press the "Reset" button and the toolbar will revert to its original factory settings. If you like your changes, click on the "Close" button and enjoy your newly modified toolbar.

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We hope you found this newsletter to be informative. It's our way of keeping you posted on the happenings here. If, however, you'd prefer not to receive these bulletins on a monthly basis, click HERE.

Thanks for your business!

Best regards,

The Hartel.net Team





Hartington Telecommunications
104 W Centre
PO Box 157
Hartington, NE 68739

Ph 402-254-3901

©2007 Cornerstone Publishing Group Inc.

Trademarks: All brand names and product names used in this eNewsletter are trade names, service marks, trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.