'Netline News
 Date: May 3, 2004
Happy Mother's Day!

  
 From the editor

The goal of Netline News  is to keep our subscribers informed regarding their Internet connection and to improve their Internet experience. Please let us know how we can enhance your Internet experience even more! netnews@meltel.com
If, however,  you prefer not to receive this newsletter each month, you may be taken off the mailing list at any time.  See unsubscribe instructions at the bottom of this newsletter. Please Do Not Reply to this message.

 Inside this Issue
<> Your Local Help Desk
<> Tech Tips & Tricks
<> Sites of the Month		 <> Joke of the Month
<> Feature of the Month
 <> Free Internet Classes		 <> This Month's Chronicles
<> Question and Answer
 Your Local Help Desk

Lightning Storms

With thunderstorm season upon us and in full swing, we encourage you to take a few precautions to protect your computer from a power surge in the phone line caused by lightning. For example, if you're going to be away from home for an extended period of time during the summer, you should unplug your computer from the telephone jack and electrical outlet. You should also do the same if you're at home and a storm is approaching your area. This will protect your modem and computer from power surges caused by electrical storms.
It is a good practice to have the proper surge protector that will protect both your computer and phone line (meaning the surge protector includes a place to plug in a phone line and has electric outlets). When a consumer thinks they are purchasing a surge protector they in fact are only purchasing a glorified power strip pretending to be a surge protector. Be good shoppers and don’t buy something that only fools you into believing you are protected. The best guarantee is to have your machine totally unplugged. If you receive a "no dial tone" error message when trying to connect after a storm, your modem/computer more than likely has been damaged by a power surge.
Help Desk hours are:

Monday - Friday: 8am to 9pm

Saturday: 10am to 2pm

Phone number: 256-8324     764-8324     597-8324

e-mail: support@meltel.net
Tech Tips & Tricks

Assessing your SPAM risk...
What you do online and where you provide your email address dramatically effects the likelihood of making it onto a spammer's email list. Here is a Chart that will explain the risk of making the spammer's email list:
Provide Email address to a known vendor- All creditable vendors will have a privacy policy that clearly states how your information will be used.

Lower
Risk

 Provide Email address in a Web Guest Book- When signing into a guest book on a website find out if your full email address will be posted.  You should  disguise your email address
Post Email address to a Newsgroup- make sure you disguise your email by using spaces and other text that a human could decipher but would be hard for a computer program .   Use Email address in a Chat Room- Many spammers use programs called 'bots' that monitor chat rooms and harvest email addresses.  It would be a good idea to disguise your email address
Reply to Spam- Never reply directly to spam. Most of the time the reply address is fake but if it is not you will be confirmed as a "good" email address.

Higher
Risk

 Opening Spam- Some spam messages include links back to the spammer's server notifying them that the message was opened and verifying your email address.  A personal firewall can be used to protect against this.
 

Arm yourself with the information needed to defend yourself from computer viruses.
http://cnet.com/software/0-5067630-8-6319437-1.html
http://www.mcafeeb2b.com/avert/virus-alerts/default.asp
http://www.f-secure.com/
Sites of the Month

All the advice you could possibly require on home and garden matters. Join a weekly chat and question the experts. www.hgtv.com 

"Cheer for the Minnesota Twins Today" Check out all the news about this years Twins team.
http://minnesota.twins.mlb.com 

Find the Bed and Breakfast of your dreams!
http://bedandbreakfast.com-

FishingWorks.com is the largest Internet directory of fishing guides, tackle manufacturers, fishing travel destinations, fishing shows and tournaments, and more! Take a look through the directories and resources above to find what your looking for- if it's fishing, and it's on the web, IT'S HERE! http://www.fishingworks.com/ 

This site provides all the information you'll need to create the best looking lawn on the block this summer. The site includes information on the best types of grasses to use, fertilizing techniques, mowing tips, "sick lawn" advice and "Big Bad Bug" illustrations. Of course, you could simply hire a good lawn care service..
http://american-lawns.com/

Email your favorite website- netnews@meltel.com

Joke of the Month

Are We Not Communicating? A man spoke frantically into the phone: "My wife is pregnant and her contractions are only two minutes apart!"  "Is this her first child?" the doctor asked.   "No!" the man shouted. "This is her husband!"

Did I Say That?! Police in Los Angeles had good luck with a robbery suspect who just couldn't control himself during a lineup.  When detectives asked each man in the lineup to repeat the words, "Give me all your money or I'll shoot," the man shouted, "That's not what I said!"

Got a joke to share- netnews@meltel.com

Feature of the Month


Please join us for our
Grand Opening
Thursday, May 20

2:00-7:00 p.m.

Guided Tours

Food & Refreshments

Stop by & check out the new building!
224 East Main Street, Melrose

Free Internet Classes

Browsing Only
Melrose High School Library
May 25.............7:00-9:00 p.m.

Emailing Only
Melrose High School Library
May 27.............7:00-9:00 p.m.

Beginner Internet Classes
Eden Valley High School-Rm 127
May 11...........7:00 - 9:30 p.m.

Beginner Internet Classes
Kimball Business Center
May 24...........7:00 - 9:30 p.m.

Call to register and for more info:
Melrose Telephone Company
256-7471        548-3200
597-3333        764-7600


Browsing Only
Sauk Centre High School Library
May 18.......7:00 - 9:00 pm
 
Emailing Only
Sauk Centre High School Library
May 20......7:00 - 9:00 pm
Call to register and for more info:
 351.1460

This Month's Chronicles
Birthstone: Emerald
Flower:    Lily-of-the-Valley

 

May 2004
May 1........... May Day
May 4........... Teacher's Day
May 9........... Mother's Day
May 11......... Minnesota Day
May 14......... Military Spouses Day
May 15......... Armed Forces Day
May 31......... Memorial Day

This Day in History
 www.scopesys.com/anyday

Horoscopes
Taurus:  April 20 - May 20
Gemini:  May 21 - June 20
 

Quotes

"In great attempts it is glorious even to fail."

  -- Vince Lombardi

"Dreams come true; without that possibility, nature would not incite us to have them."

-- John Updike

"Forgive yourself for your faults and your mistakes and move on."

-- Les Brown

"What lies behind us and what lies ahead of us are tiny matters compared to what lives within us."

-- Oliver Wendell Holmes

"In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on."

-- Robert Frost

"The world is a great mirror.  It reflects back what you are."

-- Thomas Dreier
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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.