E-Mail Scam Watch For IRS E-Mail Scams During Tax Season Customers Thrilled Bundling of Services Saves Money and Boosts Broadband Speeds Microsoft Classes in March Word & Excel - Beginners & Advanced Classes Digger's Hotline Made Easier Remember To Call Before You Dig This Spring -- It's The Law! Now Is The Time To Order Your New Computer Take Advantage of Pricing Specials With Your Tax Refund Ask The Help Desk Where's The Correct Place For E-Mail Replies? Local Website Of The Month Our Featured LOCAL Website Of The Month is... Sites Of The Month Great Sites To Check Out In March! Short Tutorial Manually Adjusting Time Settings To Match Earlier DST Start

Hello Hartel.net Subscribers! Spring begins this month and with it comes a fresh season of timely topics. With April 15 right around the corner, we bring you warnings of IRS e-mail scams aimed at unsuspecting taxpayers. You'll also learn how to adjust the date/time settings on your computer and find out the proper placement of e-mail replies within the message pane. Visit the sites we've selected to celebrate Women's History Month, discover fascinating facts about different nations, and get answers to common money questions. For pure springtime fun, check out the latest Will Ferrell movie and try your luck at fantasy baseball. 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

E-Mail Scam - Watch For IRS E-Mail Scams During Tax Season

It's a familiar scenario. As April 15th approaches, the amount of tax-related spam increases. The Internal Revenue Service has identified at least 105 different e-mail scams featuring the fraudulent use of the government agency's logo and Web address.

While there are variations of the IRS e-mail scam (some promise a tax refund and others threaten an audit), your response should always be exactly the same - DO NOTHING EXCEPT DELETE IT. Do not click links in the body of the e-mail and do not provide any information. Remember, the IRS never sends e-mail messages to taxpayers. If they need to contact you about a tax refund or audit, they will do so by mail.

These e-mail messages are phishing scams aimed at bilking you out of personal information such as your Social Security number and bank account numbers. Scammers are capitalizing on the fact that more than half of all tax returns are now filed electronically. For example, a recent e-mail claiming to be from the IRS contained this message: "You filed your tax return and you're expecting a refund. You have just one question and you want the answer now. Where's My Refund? Access this secure Web site to find out . . ." When victims click on the link, they find an IRS site that looks official but is actually a fake.

The good news is that you can help shut down these schemes and prevent others from being victimized. If you receive a suspicious e-mail that claims to come from the IRS, relay that e-mail to this IRS mailbox: phishing@irs.gov. The IRS can use the information, URLs, and links in the suspicious e-mail messages that you send to trace the hosting site and alert authorities.

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Customers Thrilled - Bundling of Services Saves Money and Boosts Broadband Speeds

Nearly 200 customers have signed up for Service Bundles, allowing them to save money and get lightning fast broadband DSL speeds. How can bundles help you?

Service Bundles provide the opportunity for customers to save money, receive the fastest Broadband DSL service in the Hartington area, and the lowest long distance rates offered by Hartington Long Distance!

When you signup for any Bundle package, your first 100 Hartington Long Distance minutes are free each month! Any additional long distance minutes are only $0.08 per minute! That's the lowest long distance price that we offer!

And if you signup for either our Broadband Bundle or VIP Bundle (Video, Internet, Phone), get up to 1.5Mg (1500k) download speeds!! We've never offered a faster DSL package! And on top of that, we're offering FREE DSL Installation and a FREE DSL modem with a 12-month contract!

If you've ever thought of switching from dialup (56k speed) to DSL, now is the time!! Broadband DSL saves you time because of the enormous speed increase, it doesn't make your phone line "busy", plus there's no hourly package limits! It's always "on".

And if you already have DSL, call or stop by to see how you can double or possibly even increase your broadband speed by nearly 12 times if you're currently a 128k DSL package customer!!

All bundles include three Calling Features of your choice to make your life easier! Click here to see a list of available Calling Features.

Plus the bundles are discounted to save you money over what you'd pay for all of these services separately! Be sure and call our office at 254-3901 or stop by our office at 104 W Centre St for more details! Signup NOW and immediately take advantage of the improved service offerings! You could save up to $345 per year!

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Microsoft Classes in March - Word & Excel - Beginners & Advanced Classes

Microsoft Word classes will be held at the Hartington City Library in March:

The Beginning Microsoft Word class is on Tuesday, March 13th from 7:00-9:00pm and the cost is $10.00. Go from a blank white screen to a neatly formatted document looking EXACTLY the way you want it to! This class will teach you all you need to know about creating a document including editing, saving, previewing, printing, cutting, copying, pasting and formatting. Instructor: Michelle Paltz

The Advanced Microsoft Word class is on Tuesday, March 27th from 7:00-9:00pm and the cost is $10.00. Now that you know the basics, come back and learn some more fun stuff! Create an address list. Add photos and graphics to your document. Learn how to print envelopes and labels. All this and any other Word-related topics you’d like to learn! Prior experience in Word and/or completion of Beginning Word is expected. Instructor: Michelle Paltz

Microsoft Excel classes will be held at the Hartington City Library in March:

The Beginning Microsoft Excel class is on Saturday, March 17th from 10am-Noon and the cost is $10.00. Create spreadsheets to track information and calculate formulas. Topics covered include formulas, functions and formatting. Instructor: Michelle Paltz

The Advanced Microsoft Excel class is on Saturday, March 24th from 10am-Noon and the cost is $10.00. Spruce up those spreadsheets with charts! Set up a simple database and learn about sorting, searching and subtotaling. Prior experience in Excel and/or completion of Beginning Excel is recommended. Instructor: Michelle Paltz

Call the Hartington City Library at 254-6245 or UNL Extension Office at 254-6821 to register. Class size is limited!

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Digger's Hotline Made Easier - Remember to Call Before You Dig This Spring -- It's The Law!

Remember to call Digger's Hotline this Spring before you start any dirtwork. And now, calling Digger's Hotline is easier than ever. All you need to know is to dial 811 (from a Hartington 402-254 phone line) and you will be connected to the Digger's Hotline number. If you need to dial the regular number, you may continue to do so by dialing 1-800-331-5666.

Nebraska law requires everyone to call at least 48 hours before digging, and it could relieve you of liability if a utility line is damaged or cut. The hotline contacts all utility companies in the serving area and each company will locate all of its lines in the indicated area. Requests for locates after 6:00pm or on weekends or holidays will not be sent out until 7:00am the next business day.

Please remember to call 811 or 1-800-331-5666 for Digger's Hotline! Both are toll-free calls.

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Now Is The Time To Order Your New Computer - Take Advantage of Pricing Specials With Your Tax Refund

Northeast Nebraska Computer Services has new specials on Dell-brand computers! Take advantage and use your tax refund to get a new PC. Special pricing changes almost weekly, so check back soon to get the best deal for you. Ask about transferring your data from your old PC to your new one -- we'll do all the work for you and save you time, energy, and hours of frustration.

We can also setup any kind of home or business network AND make sure that it's secure. Most home networks that are self-installed have flaws in their security settings. Make sure your personal and financial data is protected by having the professionals at Northeast Nebraska Computer Services setup and test your wireless home or business network. Call us at 402-254-2110 or stop by our office at 106 North Broadway in Hartington today!

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Ask The Help Desk - Where's The Correct Place For E-Mail Replies?

Question: When I reply to an e-mail, I put my reply at the top of the message pane (above the sender's original message). Most of my friends and family do the same thing. However, I correspond with a few people who reply to e-mail messages at the bottom of the message pane. Which way is correct?

Answer: Congratulations! You come out on top in this debate. Typing your e-mail reply message at the top of previously sent correspondence is considered proper etiquette. This just makes sense from an efficiency standpoint, especially when you have a series of messages going back and forth between two people. When the most recent reply is at the top of the message pane, it's right there in front of the receiver and ready to be read. By contrast, when the reply is placed at the bottom, the receiver has to waste time scrolling down the e-mail to find it.

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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 business and website known throughout the Hartington area!

Cedar County Attorney

The Cedar County Attorney's Office announces it's new website. http://cedarcountyattorney.tripod.com. On this website, you will find valuable information such as:

• Home page: includes contact information, a photograph of the Courthouse, and a map for those unfamiliar with it's location in the City of Hartington.
• History page: includes information regarding the duties of the Cedar County Attorney, along with a listing of past Cedar County Attorneys.
• S.T.O.P. page: includes information on Cedar County's Safety Training Option Program. This is a pretrial diversion program regarding traffic citations written in Cedar County.
• Bad Checks page: includes valuable information for victims of bad check crimes.
• F.A.Q. page: includes Frequently Asked Questions which are asked of the Cedar County Attorney's office on a regular basis.
• Forms page: includes forms which are used by our office on a regular basis.
• Links page: includes valuable links to various local, county and state sites.
• Contact Us page: includes contact information and also a form that you may submit where you may ask the Cedar County Attorney a question, or just submit a comment or concern.

The Cedar County Attorney's Office hopes that you find the information on this site helpful. If you have suggestions regarding topics that should be included on their website, please go to their Contact Us page.

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Great Sites To Check Out This Month

Astounding Stats
http://nationmaster.com/index.php -  Any idea what the least populated country in the world is? It's Pitcairn Island, which has just 45 residents. What country has the most Internet users per capita? It's New Zealand. And did you know that in Taiwan, mobile phones actually outnumber people? You'll find a world of fascinating facts at this site, which provides a vast central source of statistics comparing nations in more than one thousand categories. Browse around and you'll probably discover a thing or two about your own nation. For example, did you know that the U.S. is the all-time leader in number of Summer Olympics medals?

March is Women's History Month
http://history.com/minisites/womenhist -  According to the U.S. Census Bureau, women now outnumber men in this country (152 million compared with 148 million). If women of the past are any indication, today's women will continue to make valuable contributions in every field. This site celebrates Women's History Month with a look at groundbreaking American women throughout the years. For example, did you know that Victoria Chaflin Woodhull was the first female presidential candidate in 1872? Check out the list of Firsts in Women's Achievement, the History of Women's Suffrage, and the National Women's Hall of Fame. It's an inspiring tour through the lives of amazing women.

Laughter on Ice
http://bladesofglorymovie.com -  For the first time in the history of the sport, two men (Will Ferrell and Jon Heder, star of Napoleon Dynamite) compete as a figure skating pair. That's the premise behind this lighthearted comedy from DreamWorks, which promises to spin, lift, and jump its way through laugh after laugh. (The skating costumes alone are worth a chuckle.) See the trailer at this site and register for updates on special events and promotions.

Wealth of Money Tools
http://smartmoney.com/worksheets -  Different stages of life generate different types of financial decisions. Should I buy or lease a car? How much house can we afford? How much should I save for college? How long will my money last once I retire? This site contains a broad range of step-by-step financial worksheets to help you find the answers you need. It's easy to use and a smart resource for making informed choices about buying, saving, investing, and borrowing.

Join the Fun of Fantasy Baseball
http://www.mlb.com/mlb/fantasy/wsfb/info/index.jsp -  The free fantasy baseball game, MLB.com Open, starts a new season on April 2nd. So now's the time to join the fun and compete for the $10,000 prize. The easy-to-play game is designed for fantasy participants of all skill levels so anyone can take a swing at it. Play with your friends in your own private league or test your skills as an individual against a random group of eleven other participants. Get complete contest rules and register online, then check out the site's stats on team records, players, draft action, and more.

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Short Tutorial - Manually Adjusting Time Settings To Match Earlier DST Start

As a result of the U.S. Energy Policy Act of 2005, Daylight Saving Time (DST) is set to begin three weeks earlier this year on March 11th. (Congress decided that more early evening daylight would translate into energy savings.) Most U.S. states and Canadian provinces are following this revised DST schedule. Be aware that unless certain updates are applied to your computer, it's possible that the date/time settings may now be incorrect. This is because software created before 2005 is set to automatically advance its timekeeping by one hour on the first Sunday in April, not the second Sunday in March.

To help you "spring ahead" this year without stumbling, just follow these steps:

Windows Users

1. Go to this webpage: http://support.microsoft.com/gp/cp_dst and read the introduction to see whether you need to update your PC for the new daylight savings time law.
   
   
2. Select the option that best applies to you from the list and then click "Next."
   
   
3. Select your operating system and click "Next."
   
   
4. To download the update for the system you selected, click the "Download" button.
   
   
5. You will be asked if you want to download the update to your disk or run it immediately. Either way is fine but, for the purpose of this tutorial, we will choose to run the update. Click the "Run" button.
   
   
6. The "Internet Explorer - Security Warning" dialog box will appear. Click the "Run" button again.
   
   
7. The first screen of the "Software Update Installation Wizard" will appear. Click the "Next" button.
   
   
8. The "License Agreement" screen will appear next. Click on "I Agree" to agree to the terms and then click the "Next" button.
   
   
9. The final screen of the installation wizard will appear. Click the "Finish" button.
   
   
10. When the installation wizard quits, you will return to the "Update your operating system" window in Internet Explorer. Click the "Next" button.
    
    
11. Some other programs will require additional updates. Select the program you would like to update and then continue. This applies mostly to Outlook users, not Outlook Express users. If you are an Outlook Express user or if you use Thunderbird or some other e-mail client, select "I do not use Outlook" and click the "Next" button. If you do use any of those programs, mark them and follow the directions.
    
    
12. The "I do not use Outlook" window will appear. Click the "Next" button.
    
    
13. You are now finished. As the final screen says, there is no reason to restart.

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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





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