E-Mail Hoax - Spam Campaign Targets NFL Fans

The latest Storm spam campaign has been timed to coincide with the start of the NFL season. Inboxes worldwide have received e-mails like the one below, which contain a message luring recipients to a fake NFL website with the enticement of a "Free NFL Game Tracker." It's supposed to update football fans on game results; in actuality, when users download the tracker, they download a Trojan horse and become part of a botnet (an army of commandeered computers used by attackers without their owners' knowledge).

According to Internet security experts, this malicious NFL spam campaign is being generated by the Storm Gang — responsible for up to 20 percent of all spam traffic worldwide. Their name refers to the "Storm worm," one of the larger Trojan horse attacks in recent years, which baited people with timely information about a deadly, real-life storm front in Europe. The Storm Gang changes the content of their attacks frequently, sometimes on a daily basis.

To help protect your computer from spam like this, make sure you use and regularly update your computer's anti-virus software. In addition, do not click on website links contained in e-mail messages from unfamiliar or suspicious sources.

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Talk FREE! - With Our Newest Promotion!

Truly Free stuff does not come along very often, so when it does it is hard to know if it is for real. Our "Talk Free!" promotion is a for real deal! From October through November, you can get a $10 credit per month for 3 months applied toward your telephone bill, just by signing up for a product you likely need anyway. Subscribe to Cable TV or Broadband Internet to get the $10 per month credit. Add SecureIT Plus, Movie Multi-Plex or a Premium Channel, and you'll get a $2 per month credit for 3 months. Customer must use Partner Communications phone and long distance service in order to receive this discount. To find out more, call our office, stop by or visit our website at www.pcctel.net.

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Ask The Help Desk - How Do I Make My Inbox Appear When Opening Outlook Express?

Question: When I start Outlook Express, it doesn't go directly to my Inbox folder. I always have to click on the Inbox icon. Is there a way for Outlook Express to go there first?

Answer: Yes. To change this setting in Outlook Express 6.0, follow these steps:

1. Open Outlook Express.
2. Click your cursor arrow on the "Tools" menu and then drop down to and select "Options."
3. When the Options window opens, click on the General Tab. Next, put a check in the box next to "When starting, go directly to my 'Inbox' folder."
4. Click on the "OK" button. Your Inbox will now appear each time you open Outlook Express.

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Great Sites To Check Out This Month

Maze Craze
http://www.cornfieldmaze.com/site_list.html -  It may sound corny, but making your way through a corn maze can be a wonderful bonding moment for families. This increasingly popular form of agri-entertainment is spreading across the globe, so chances are good that there's one near you. To find a corn maze this fall, check your local newspapers or navigate through this site. It contains listings for nearly 200 locations in five countries, as well as helpful tips on how to conquer the twists and turns to make your way to the exit.

Room for Discussion
http://ratemyspace.hgtv.com -  Fall is a popular time for home decorating projects. Are you particularly proud of your painting performance? Or feel you have a flair for furniture? You can share photos and videos of your home's highlights at this HGTV site. Just sign in, name your spaces, and you’re ready to upload. Users can rate entries, post comments, and search for design inspiration by type of room.

Toy Recalls
http://www.cpsc.gov -  Much has been in the news lately about safety hazards involving lead paint on toys. Stay informed on the latest toy recalls by visiting the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission site. In one convenient place, you can review all the current recalls from Mattel, Fisher-Price, and RC2, plus sign up for the CPSC's e-mail subscription lists to automatically receive notices on the product categories of most interest to you.

RU Confused?
http://www.netlingo.com -  In the interest of speed while sending e-mail or instant messages, more and more people are talking in code. These acronyms and shorthand terms can be confusing, especially since their numbers keep growing and it's a challenge to keep up. Fortunately, it's easy to get the definitions you need here. NetLingo is an online dictionary that explains this jargon, and offers pages targeted to the needs of parents, new MySpace participants, and businesspeople.

Up and Running
http://www.chicagomarathon.com/cms400min/chicago%5Fmarathon -  The October 7th race marks the 30th anniversary of the Chicago Marathon. Participant capacity of 45,000 was reached back on April 18th -- the earliest close in the event's history -- and this new website is designed to bring energy to both current and future marathon runners. If one of your life goals is to complete a marathon, take the first steps right here. You'll find an "Inspiration Bank" with stories and tips shared through online diaries, runner essays, photo galleries, polls, and top ten lists. You can also sign up to receive marathon newsletters containing information and advice to put you miles ahead in your training.

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Short Tutorial - Changing The Default Search Engine On Your Browser

Rather than having to type in the URL of a search engine into your browser, newer browsers provide a default search engine box option so you can go straight to a search engine. This saves you time but the default search engine may not be the one you like to use. You can change the default search engine listed on your browser by following the steps below.

Changing The Default Search Engine In The Instant Search Box On Your Internet Explorer 7 Browser When Using Windows XP Home Edition

1. With Internet Explorer open, click on the down arrow to the right side of the search button on the right side of the Instant Search Box and select "Change Search Defaults..." from the drop-down menu. (The search button looks like a magnifying glass.)
2. When the "Change Search Defaults" window opens, click on the search engine you want from the field called "Search Providers."
3. Click the "Set Default" button and your selection will be labeled "(Default)" in the "Search Providers" field.
4. Click the "OK" button.
5. The Instant Search Box will now show the name of your new search provider.

Changing The Default Search Engine (Google) In The Search Bar On Your Firefox 2 Browser When Using Windows XP Home Edition Or Macintosh OS X 10.4

1. Click on the down arrow on the right side of the Search Bar field and select "Manage Search Engines" from the drop-down menu. (For Mac users, it will be on the left side of the Search Bar.)
2. When the "Manage Search Engines List" window opens, click on one of the other search engine choices and move it to the top of the list. This won't make your choice the default, however.
3. Click on "Google" in the list and click the "Remove" button.
4. Click "OK."
5. Your new search engine default will appear in the Search Bar field.
6. To get Google back on the list (but not as the default), click on the down arrow again and select "Manage Search Engines" from the drop-down menu.
7. When the "Manage Search Engines" window appears, click the "Restore Default" button.
8. Google will return to the list but will not be the default search engine. Click "OK."

Note: Macintosh's Safari 2 browser does not provide a way to change the Google default in its Search Bar. Safari 3, which is currently in public beta testing, will include this option.

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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,

Donald S. Jennings
EVP/General Manager
Partner Communications Cooperative



Partner Communications Cooperative
101 East Church Street
Gilman, IA  50106

641-498-7560
1-877-433-7701

(We have used our best efforts in collecting and preparing the information published herein. However, we do not assume, and hereby disclaim, any and all liability for any loss or damage caused by errors or omissions, whether such errors or omissions resulted from negligence, accident, or other causes.)

©2007 Cornerstone Publishing Group Inc.

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