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 The CTSI Tech Times
Monthly Updates from Your Business's IT Department
January, 2010 - Vol 2, Issue 1
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| Upcoming Area Events |
1/16 - Lady Raider Basketball vs. Texas
1/17 - Hobbs Southwest Symphony Orchestra
1/18 - Martin Luther King Day
1/20 - Iowa State vs. Texas Tech Basketball
1/21 - Winter Dinner Theatre, at The Legacy
1/23 - Oklahoma vs. Texas Tech Basketball
1/26 - Harlem Globetrotters, United Spirit Arena
1/27 - Lady Raider Basketball vs. Nebraska
1/30 - Lady Raider Basketball vs. Oklahoma
2/5 - Del Castillo, Cactus Theater
2/6 - Oklahoma State vs. Texas Tech Basketball
2/7 - Super Bowl XLIV
2/10 - Lady Raider Basketball vs. Texas A&M
2/12 - Hobbs Southwest Symphony
2/13 - Texas A&M vs. Texas Tech Basketball
2/14 - Valentine's Day
2/15 - President's Day
To have your event listed, please contact us.
|
| Milestones |
12/21/09 - Dennis Quiroz joined the CTSI team as a customer technician.
01/06/10 - Melanie Granzow became a full time employee after completing her marketing internship.
01/08/10 - Charlie Anderson left CTSI for graduate school.
|
| HP Special |
|
Workstation Promo
HP 6000 Pro Microtower
Intel Dual Core Processor
4GB RAM
250GB Hard Drive
DVD-RW Drive
Windows 7 downgrade to XPP
3 Year Warranty
Keyboard & Mouse
Free 20inch Widescreen LCD
$899.00
Expires 1-31-2010
PROMO CODE: NO2009
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| From David's Desk... |
|
Imagine that you're plugging away on that client project or buckling down on writing the next great novel when suddenly the power goes out. And let's say you've gotten just a bit lazy with saving your files as you work. If you're working on a desktop computer without a backup power supply, you could potentially lose hours of work if you're not careful.
An uninterruptible power supply (UPS) is simply a back-up battery, but it can save you lost work and lots of stress in case of a power failure. While a UPS isn't meant to provide hours of power so you experience no downtime, it can help you manage the potential crisis that comes from a temporary loss of electricity. Not only does having a UPS give you a chance to save your documents, but it can also enable you to safely and properly shut down your machine.
Admittedly, the power supply in our area is reliable and outages are infrequent. But, being prepared and having peace of mind are important. If you're looking for additional solutions to protect your data, a UPS could be a cost-effective option for you. Feel free to call us or visit us on the web for more information.
Until next time,
David D. Baucum
President, CTSI
P.S. Don't forget about our Client Appreciation Event! More details are available below.
|
| Email Scams |
Email scammers aren't trying to sell you something; they're trying to steal something or just scare you. Scammers have gotten more sophisticated than those Nigerian scam messages we used to get. Some of the more recent email scams are harder to detect.
Here are some of the email scams that are currently going around the Internet and how you and your users can recognize them and keep from being victimized.
1: Account cancellation scam
An email telling you that an account is about to be cancelled -- purportedly from Amazon, PayPal, even from the bank. Remind your users to be skeptical and to closely examine these messages. If the message contains a link that looks legit, hover your mouse pointer over it to show the actual URL. Make sure it matches, and doesn't have a foreign country code.
2: U.S. Census survey
2010 is the year of the next U.S. Census. Scammers are taking advantage of this to send phishing emails that claim to be from the Census Bureau. They attach a form or a link to complete a fake form gathering personal information that can be used for identity theft. The email may include attachments or web links which contain malicious code that can infect your computer. The Census Bureau does send email, but it does not ask for detailed personal information.
3: Microsoft or other trusted companies
Scammers send messages that appear to be from Microsoft, HP, Apple, etc., but are actually fake security warnings with attachments that claim to be vulnerability fixes (but are really malware).
4: Phantom shipment of packages
Don't trust an email message telling you that you have a DHL, FedEx, or UPS package that couldn't be delivered unless you complete an attached form. When you open the attachment or click the link to a site that looks like that of the delivery service, it delivers only malware, straight to your system.
5: Fake Facebook "friend" messages
Depending on your account settings, you may get email messages whenever someone posts to your Facebook wall or sends you a private message. If the URL looks strange, don't trust it. The red flag to watch out for is that if you're already logged into the service, you should not be asked to log in. The same advice applies to MySpace, LinkedIn, etc.
6: Fake admin messages
Scammers know that a message from the site administrator is more likely to get your attention. They will get hold of an email domain name and send messages to random names at that domain in hopes they'll hit on a real one. The second warning signal is the attachment, which can be infected with a virus. This is a good reason for keeping the antivirus program on your user's machines up to date.
7: Fear-mongering messages
Some messages don't benefit the scammer at all, except gratification from causing others to be upset or afraid. Unfortunately, this makes some individuals feel powerful.
8: Bogus greeting cards
If you don't recognize the complete name of the sender, the message may contain a link to a Web site that will download malicious software to your computer if you aren't properly protected.
9: Threats from the government
A recent scam email has been going around that purports to warn you that the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI are suspicious of your activities. Of course you need to send money to clear it up.
10: You're a winner...
And all you have to do to claim your prize is fill out a form and email it back. This is tricky because the entity awarding the prize legally needs your social security number since the value of the prize must be reported to the IRS. In a legitimate contest, there should be an address to return the personal information form through regular mail instead of emailing a document that contains your social security number.
Being aware of these schemes is the first step in the prevention of problems. For the complete story, click here.
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| |
|
Tips of the Month
|
 Some handy time-saving shortcuts for both beginners and experts:
For many laptops, pressing Fn+Up Arrow will increase the brightness of the screen (decreasing battery life), while pressing Fn+Down Arrow will decrease the brightness of the screen (increasing battery life, but also increasing how much you need to squint to read the screen).
If you're using Word, Outlook or PowerPoint, you can change the justification of a paragraph using the following four keystrokes:
Ctrl+L: Left justify the current paragraph, but keep the right margin ragged
Ctrl+R: Right justify the current paragraph.
Ctrl+E: Center the current paragraph
Ctrl+J: Left justify the current paragraph, but keep the right margin justified
Tap F5 in Microsoft PowerPoint and you'll run a slideshow, from the first slide.
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| Staff Spotlight |
|
What is your title and what do you do at CTSI?
- My title is Senior Application Developer. I am part of a team that designs and creates websites, web applications, and desktop applications that are beneficial to our clients.
How long have you been at CTSI?
- I have been with CTSI for 5 years.
Tell us about your family, and pets.
- I have been married to my loving wife, Dana, for 6 years. We have a son, Zachary, who is 20 months. We have 2 dogs, Panzer and Zora. Panzer is a 9 year old miniature Dachshund and Zora is a 7 year old Rottweiler. We also have 2 robotic hamsters, Mr. Squiggles and Patches.
What do you do in your free time?
- When I am not baking cookies or fire fighting, I enjoy doing nerd type stuff. I read books on Search Engine Optimization or Search Engine Marketing. I'll read articles on new web technology or play around with new web trends as well. I also enjoy spending time with my wife and son. Teaching Zachary how to swing a bat, catch a ball, or ride a Harley is a blast.
If you weren't working in the business technology sector, what would you be doing?
- I don't know; I'd probably try to pick a vocation that didn't require me to shave or shower as much, perhaps a fisherman or professional wrestler.
Tell us your favorite things about Lubbock.
- Hands down, it has to be Texas Tech football. Other than that, I enjoy the people and all around West Texas attitude.
Tell us one thing that co-worker and clients don't know about you.
- Hmmmmm....I can multiply 4 digit numbers in my head as long as it is by 1 or 0.
|
| Helen's Recipe of the Month |
| Helen Burns, CTSI's Purchasing Manager, has been with the company for the past ten years. In addition to her purchasing duties, Helen serves as our unofficial party coordinator. Helen (with help from our administrative assistant, Nancy Clark) makes sure we celebrate every staff member's birthday as well as various holidays by providing a wide range of delectable treats. Without further ado, from Helen's kitchen to you, here's a recipe--enjoy!
Game Day Hawaiian Chicken Dip
16oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup mayonnaise
10 oz. can white chicken, drained and chopped
8 oz. can crushed pineapple in juice (not syrup)
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/3 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup chipped green onion
2 Tblsp chipped jalapenos (more or less, to taste)
1/2tsp seasoned salt
Toast sliced almonds in oven at 250 degrees for approximately 10 minutes or until golden brown. Stir often to prevent scorching. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix thoroughly. Transfer to a serving dish and chill 12 to 24 hours before serving. Serve with crackers.
|
| Client Appreciation |
 Due to the steadfast support from clients over the years, CTSI has decided it's time to put the focus on you. We are excited to announce that CTSI will be hosting a Client Appreciation event on Thursday, January 21st at Fox & Hound English Pub and Grille, located at 4210 82nd Street. We hope that you will be able to join us for drinks and appetizers. There will be many giveaways such as an Xbox 360 Elite, a Linksys by Cisco Media Hub, and several other prizes. So mark your calendar and save the date.
Be on the lookout for more details in an invitation by mail. Or simply ask your CTSI associate and they'll be glad to provide you a personal invitation for admission. |
|
|
|
The CTSI Tech Times
Monthly Updates from Your Business's IT Department
January, 2010 - Vol 2, Issue 1
|
|
| |
| Upcoming Area Events |
1/16 - Lady Raider Basketball vs. Texas
1/17 - Hobbs Southwest Symphony Orchestra
1/18 - Martin Luther King Day
1/20 - Iowa State vs. Texas Tech Basketball
1/21 - Winter Dinner Theatre, at The Legacy
1/23 - Oklahoma vs. Texas Tech Basketball
1/26 - Harlem Globetrotters, United Spirit Arena
1/27 - Lady Raider Basketball vs. Nebraska
1/30 - Lady Raider Basketball vs. Oklahoma
2/5 - Del Castillo, Cactus Theater
2/6 - Oklahoma State vs. Texas Tech Basketball
2/7 - Super Bowl XLIV
2/10 - Lady Raider Basketball vs. Texas A&M
2/12 - Hobbs Southwest Symphony
2/13 - Texas A&M vs. Texas Tech Basketball
2/14 - Valentine's Day
2/15 - President's Day
To have your event listed, please contact us.
|
| Milestones |
12/21/09 - Dennis Quiroz joined the CTSI team as a customer technician.
01/06/10 - Melanie Granzow became a full time employee after completing her marketing internship.
01/08/10 - Charlie Anderson left CTSI for graduate school.
|
| HP Special |
|
Workstation Promo
HP 6000 Pro Microtower
Intel Dual Core Processor
4GB RAM
250GB Hard Drive
DVD-RW Drive
Windows 7 downgrade to XPP
3 Year Warranty
Keyboard & Mouse
Free 20inch Widescreen LCD
$899.00
Expires 1-31-2010
PROMO CODE: NO2009
|
|
|
| From David's Desk... |
|
Imagine that you're plugging away on that client project or buckling down on writing the next great novel when suddenly the power goes out. And let's say you've gotten just a bit lazy with saving your files as you work. If you're working on a desktop computer without a backup power supply, you could potentially lose hours of work if you're not careful.
An uninterruptible power supply (UPS) is simply a back-up battery, but it can save you lost work and lots of stress in case of a power failure. While a UPS isn't meant to provide hours of power so you experience no downtime, it can help you manage the potential crisis that comes from a temporary loss of electricity. Not only does having a UPS give you a chance to save your documents, but it can also enable you to safely and properly shut down your machine.
Admittedly, the power supply in our area is reliable and outages are infrequent. But, being prepared and having peace of mind are important. If you're looking for additional solutions to protect your data, a UPS could be a cost-effective option for you. Feel free to call us or visit us on the web for more information.
Until next time,
David D. Baucum
President, CTSI
P.S. Don't forget about our Client Appreciation Event! More details are available below.
|
| Email Scams |
Email scammers aren't trying to sell you something; they're trying to steal something or just scare you. Scammers have gotten more sophisticated than those Nigerian scam messages we used to get. Some of the more recent email scams are harder to detect.
Here are some of the email scams that are currently going around the Internet and how you and your users can recognize them and keep from being victimized.
1: Account cancellation scam
An email telling you that an account is about to be cancelled -- purportedly from Amazon, PayPal, even from the bank. Remind your users to be skeptical and to closely examine these messages. If the message contains a link that looks legit, hover your mouse pointer over it to show the actual URL. Make sure it matches, and doesn't have a foreign country code.
2: U.S. Census survey
2010 is the year of the next U.S. Census. Scammers are taking advantage of this to send phishing emails that claim to be from the Census Bureau. They attach a form or a link to complete a fake form gathering personal information that can be used for identity theft. The email may include attachments or web links which contain malicious code that can infect your computer. The Census Bureau does send email, but it does not ask for detailed personal information.
3: Microsoft or other trusted companies
Scammers send messages that appear to be from Microsoft, HP, Apple, etc., but are actually fake security warnings with attachments that claim to be vulnerability fixes (but are really malware).
4: Phantom shipment of packages
Don't trust an email message telling you that you have a DHL, FedEx, or UPS package that couldn't be delivered unless you complete an attached form. When you open the attachment or click the link to a site that looks like that of the delivery service, it delivers only malware, straight to your system.
5: Fake Facebook "friend" messages
Depending on your account settings, you may get email messages whenever someone posts to your Facebook wall or sends you a private message. If the URL looks strange, don't trust it. The red flag to watch out for is that if you're already logged into the service, you should not be asked to log in. The same advice applies to MySpace, LinkedIn, etc.
6: Fake admin messages
Scammers know that a message from the site administrator is more likely to get your attention. They will get hold of an email domain name and send messages to random names at that domain in hopes they'll hit on a real one. The second warning signal is the attachment, which can be infected with a virus. This is a good reason for keeping the antivirus program on your user's machines up to date.
7: Fear-mongering messages
Some messages don't benefit the scammer at all, except gratification from causing others to be upset or afraid. Unfortunately, this makes some individuals feel powerful.
8: Bogus greeting cards
If you don't recognize the complete name of the sender, the message may contain a link to a Web site that will download malicious software to your computer if you aren't properly protected.
9: Threats from the government
A recent scam email has been going around that purports to warn you that the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI are suspicious of your activities. Of course you need to send money to clear it up.
10: You're a winner...
And all you have to do to claim your prize is fill out a form and email it back. This is tricky because the entity awarding the prize legally needs your social security number since the value of the prize must be reported to the IRS. In a legitimate contest, there should be an address to return the personal information form through regular mail instead of emailing a document that contains your social security number.
Being aware of these schemes is the first step in the prevention of problems. For the complete story, click here.
|
|
|
| |
|
Tips of the Month
|
| Some handy time-saving shortcuts for both beginners and experts:
For many laptops, pressing Fn+Up Arrow will increase the brightness of the screen (decreasing battery life), while pressing Fn+Down Arrow will decrease the brightness of the screen (increasing battery life, but also increasing how much you need to squint to read the screen).
If you're using Word, Outlook or PowerPoint, you can change the justification of a paragraph using the following four keystrokes:
Ctrl+L: Left justify the current paragraph, but keep the right margin ragged
Ctrl+R: Right justify the current paragraph.
Ctrl+E: Center the current paragraph
Ctrl+J: Left justify the current paragraph, but keep the right margin justified
Tap F5 in Microsoft PowerPoint and you'll run a slideshow, from the first slide.
|
| Staff Spotlight |
|
What is your title and what do you do at CTSI?
- My title is Senior Application Developer. I am part of a team that designs and creates websites, web applications, and desktop applications that are beneficial to our clients.
How long have you been at CTSI?
- I have been with CTSI for 5 years.
Tell us about your family, and pets.
- I have been married to my loving wife, Dana, for 6 years. We have a son, Zachary, who is 20 months. We have 2 dogs, Panzer and Zora. Panzer is a 9 year old miniature Dachshund and Zora is a 7 year old Rottweiler. We also have 2 robotic hamsters, Mr. Squiggles and Patches.
What do you do in your free time?
- When I am not baking cookies or fire fighting, I enjoy doing nerd type stuff. I read books on Search Engine Optimization or Search Engine Marketing. I'll read articles on new web technology or play around with new web trends as well. I also enjoy spending time with my wife and son. Teaching Zachary how to swing a bat, catch a ball, or ride a Harley is a blast.
If you weren't working in the business technology sector, what would you be doing?
- I don't know; I'd probably try to pick a vocation that didn't require me to shave or shower as much, perhaps a fisherman or professional wrestler.
Tell us your favorite things about Lubbock.
- Hands down, it has to be Texas Tech football. Other than that, I enjoy the people and all around West Texas attitude.
Tell us one thing that co-worker and clients don't know about you.
- Hmmmmm....I can multiply 4 digit numbers in my head as long as it is by 1 or 0.
|
| Helen's Recipe of the Month |
| Helen Burns, CTSI's Purchasing Manager, has been with the company for the past ten years. In addition to her purchasing duties, Helen serves as our unofficial party coordinator. Helen (with help from our administrative assistant, Nancy Clark) makes sure we celebrate every staff member's birthday as well as various holidays by providing a wide range of delectable treats. Without further ado, from Helen's kitchen to you, here's a recipe--enjoy!
Game Day Hawaiian Chicken Dip
16oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup mayonnaise
10 oz. can white chicken, drained and chopped
8 oz. can crushed pineapple in juice (not syrup)
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/3 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup chipped green onion
2 Tblsp chipped jalapenos (more or less, to taste)
1/2tsp seasoned salt
Toast sliced almonds in oven at 250 degrees for approximately 10 minutes or until golden brown. Stir often to prevent scorching. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix thoroughly. Transfer to a serving dish and chill 12 to 24 hours before serving. Serve with crackers.
|
| Client Appreciation |
Due to the steadfast support from clients over the years, CTSI has decided it's time to put the focus on you. We are excited to announce that CTSI will be hosting a Client Appreciation event on Thursday, January 21st at Fox & Hound English Pub and Grille, located at 4210 82nd Street. We hope that you will be able to join us for drinks and appetizers. There will be many giveaways such as an Xbox 360 Elite, a Linksys by Cisco Media Hub, and several other prizes. So mark your calendar and save the date.
Be on the lookout for more details in an invitation by mail. Or simply ask your CTSI associate and they'll be glad to provide you a personal invitation for admission. |
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