Welcome to the Maryland Cooperative Extension Region I (West) Information Technology Office! The goal here is to provide the highest level of IT support and training to the faculty and staff of Maryland Cooperative Extension, The Agriculture Experiment Station, and Nutrient Management.

Hurricane season is (still) here!
(The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1st to November 30th)

Click on an active storm or hurricane to get details
NOAA Local Weather Forecast
Current Regional Severe Weather/Radar Map
Maryland Emergency Management Agency

Your November 2009 IT Question of the Month:

How can I de-clutter my mailbox in Outlook® 2007?

Answer: Outlook® provides several tools for cleaning out your email mailbox. View this PowerPoint® presentation to help you clean up yours.

Your November 2009 Top Tech Tip of the Month:

Add Video to a PowerPoint® Presentation

Inserting digital video clips and animated GIFs into PowerPoint presentations is a breeze when you know how. This video from Dummies.com shows you all you need to know to add video and animation to your PowerPoint presentations.

I.T. News for You!

(Looking for something you've seen here before? Archived older items available here)

Have a web cam on or in your computer? Watch out for spies that "Clickjack" without your knowledge!

Online communities include e-mail distribution lists, message boards, newsgroups, blogging sites, social networking sites, and more. You can help protect your privacy and enjoy the benefits of these groups by following a few basic guidelines.

Help protect your privacy in online communities

Get stunning desktop wallpaper images taken by the new and improved Hubble telescope!

Following a major upgrade, the Hubble orbiting telescope is capturing especially amazing images and dozens of them have been configured for use as your desktop background. Download these free images from http://hubblesite.org/gallery/wallpaper/ and let your imagination run wild!

Is video gaming actually good for your brain?

New research conducted by a team of leading neuroscientists shows that playing video games actually improves brain function and adds to brain mass. Here are more details about the study...

Add emphasis and impact to your emails in Outlook® 2007 with SmartArt® and Graphs...

To illustrate processes, or to present data in a more dramatic way, consider using SmartArt and Graphs in your emails...

Finally, a single source for the most reliable information you'll find on the Internet brought to you by the nation's largest and oldest network of universities!
A compilation of Land-Grant University Extension resources from all over the country, eXtension offers an ever-growing pool of searchable, research-based knowledge. Click on the logo or link above to visit the site, or view this short video to see what it's all about!

Help! I don't know my ROFL from my CYE! What language are my kids using when they text chat?

Answer: Don't worry! Just visit the Sharpened.net glossary of email and text chat acronyms to unveil this challenging new language.

E-mail Etiquette- 12 Pro's Tips You Should Know...

There are certain professional standards expected for e-mail use. Here are things to keep in mind when using e-mail.

Download Office 2007® Add-Ins that will make you safer, faster and more productive...
Here you'll find links and downloads for utilities such as "Word 2003® to Word 2007® Command Reference","Save As PDF", "Get Started Tabs", "Outlook .PST Backup",and Office® 2007 to Office® 2003 File Converter that make working with Office® 2007 easier, safer, less frustrating and more productive!

IT Person holding up a PC on his hand Remote Assistance is here! Using LogMeInRescue® your Regional IT Coordinators and IET Support staff can assist you with your computer problems and questions in most cases by connecting remotely. Unlike Remote Desktop you can watch and participate as we work on your computer, communicate via text chat, and thus learn how to complete many tasks yourself. For more information, or to request assistance, contact your IT coordinator!

Bought a new computer? Safely clean the data out of your old PC before disposing or giving it away.

Data theft is a HUGE problem, even from formatted hard drives! Here are some tips for properly cleaning your hard drive .

Visit the ultimate web site index at allmyfaves.com.
(Thanks to Dr. Joe Fiola and Terry Poole for submitting this site)

Got UMD logos?

You can find guidelines for visual identity and download official logos and templates at the UMD Trademarks and Licensing page. View or download a PDF of the latest UMD visual identity guidelines.

Beware of Hotel Internet Connections!
A new hotel network security study by Cornell University entitled "Hotel Network Security: A Study of Computer Networks in U.S. Hotels" has proven that using the wireless Internet - and even cabled Internet - at your hotel is almost always inherently insecure and unsafe. Find out more at theInternetpatrol.com.

Man spinning in chair FREE! E-learning: SkillSoft® Web-based Training for faculty and staff... use your UM ID to log on to use the SkillSoft® online training system or go to http://www.training.umd.edu. Choose from a wide variety of IT software and hardware offerings.

In the dark about traffic on your web site?
You can now see vital statistics maintained about traffic on any AGNR web site at: http://www.awstats.moo.umd.edu. . Learn what the statistics mean at http://www.thunderdata.com/wiki/Main/ReadingStats.

Connect remotely to your work computer..
Follow these steps to learn how to connect to your moo-connected work computer day or night from home using terminal services remote desktop.

/Reliable Electronics Reviews... ZDNet, a long time denizen of the cyber world reviews hundreds of computer-related hardware and software products.

Photo of man stealing laptop Browser hijacking: How to help avoid it and undo damage.

Updated daily! Search for your local current fuel prices.

Track daily earthquakes worldwide! USGS Earthquake Hazards Program

Tick-Tock... Have trouble getting a "handle" on the passage of time? This linear calendar will show you how quickly time is passing you by! Watch seconds turn in to minutes, minutes into hours, hours into days, days into weeks, months and years right before your eyes! I now see how my 1,703,259,676 seconds crept up on me so quickly!

Screeeeeeeeech!!! A vehicle traveling at 60 mph covers 88 feet per second. But stopping that vehicle takes over 4.5 seconds and covers a distance of 271 feet. That's almost the length of a football field. Of course, the faster you go, the more time and distance it takes to stop. As we age our reaction time slows down.
Now you can check your reaction time at this BBC web site. Not a game, but a way to gauge how long it might take you to start to hit the breaks next time that deer (or sheep) jumps out in front of your car.

Hate having to talk to a machine? You can talk to a human almost every time!
Use the gethuman 500 database for thousands of "human contact" phone numbers.

ShieldsUP!® free online tool tells you how "hackable" your computer is ...
Highly regarded in the network security field, Steve Gibson's ShieldsUp® utility is touted as "The Internet's quickest, most popular, reliable and trusted, free Internet security checkup and information service. And now in its Port Authority Edition, it's also the most powerful and complete. Check your system, and begin learning about using the Internet safely".

You can help save planet Earth in less than a minute at no cost to yourself!
UMD employees, find out how to help save the earth in one minute .

Beware of invisible Rootkits hiding out in your computer!
Rootkits attack deep within operating systems and make themselves invisible to the anti-spyware and anti-virus software sent out to detect them. Watch this 3-1/2 minute video to learn how to use rootkit detectors, (which use the same tricks as the rootkits themselves). Download Rootkit Revealer at http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sysinternals/utilities/RootkitRevealer.mspx .

Two more threats to your online safety- Pharming and Evil Twins...

Pharming is when a thief redirects a user from a legitimate web site to a malicious one even when the user is typing in the correct web address into the browser. To lean more about this threat, view this short video from C-Net.
An Evil Twin is a homemade wireless access spot that masquerades as a legitimate hotspot in order to gain personal information from users without their knowledge. To lean more about this threat, view this short video from the BBC.

UMD Computer Acceptable Use Policy

The President and the University Senate have approved a policy governing the use of university information technology resources including computers, networks, and data. This policy replaces the Acceptable Use Guidelines that have been in effect in the past. The policy highlights both the freedoms and responsibilities that come with access to the university's technology. The policy and a list of frequently asked questions related to the policy can be found at http://www.nethics.umd.edu/aup/.

How much data will a Gigabyte store?
Ever wonder what a gigabyte (one billion bytes) really means? Of course the definition of a billion varies from country to country. However, since here in the USA the federal government takes only 8 hours and 20 minutes to spend a billion dollars, perhaps we should have a better idea of just how much that is. Check out these creative illustrations at http://mathforum.org/~sanders/geometry/GP10BillionEtc.html. Oh, and by the way, a gigabyte will hold the equivalent text of about 10 yards of books on a shelf. Learn more about bytes, kilobytes, megabytes, gigabytes, terabytes, petabytes, exabytes, zettabytes, and even yottabytes at http://www.jamesshuggins.com/h/tek1/how_big.htm.

Interested in buying a new computer, iPod, or software packa

on campus at a discounted price?
The Terrapin Technology Store is now open, and it is located on the ground floor of the Stamp Student Union, right around the corner from the Food Court. The store is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. when classes are in session and at selected additional times depending on campus events. For more information, please call 301.314.7000 or visit www.act.umd.edu.

Fear the Turtle logo Fun free stuff! Get Fear the Turtle images galore... find all types of screensavers, wallpapers, email signatures, and other UMD memorabilia at http://www.feartheturtle.umd.edu/stuff/

Credit card on computer keyboard image 1 in 10 surfers fall prey to cyber-criminals! Don't be a victim! Learn how to shop & surf online more safely.
One in ten online adults could become a victim of cyber-fraud this holiday season, according to a joint warning issued by the National Consumers League (NCL) and the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA). Remember Check Point's Top 10 Tips to stay safe online and before you enter your credit card number or personal information, check out these tips for determining whether you're dealing with a secure and trustworthy web site. If you think your identity has already been stolen, here's what to do.

Backups? Why should I? Isn't someone backing up my data for me?
Sure your IT pro strives to protect and back up your computer files, but things can and do go wrong. Remember, you are ultimately responsible for protecting your own data. Learn how at http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/setup/learnmore/bott_03july14.mspx and enjoy the peace of mind that comes only from making your own backups.

Three tips for printing digital photos at home... If you're out to create professional-looking photo prints using any home PC, here are a few hints and tips that will help you produce sharper, more eye-catching results. While you're at it, check out the top 3 digital shooting mistakes—and how to prevent them article at http://www.microsoft.com/athome/morefun/photomistakes.mspx . Happy holiday snapshotting!

Learn all about digital imaging...
Microsoft® now has a comprehensive site designed to help you with taking, managing, enhancing, sharing, printing and scanning your images. Multimedia presentations, FAQ's, chat rooms and vendor links are just some of the resources available at http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/digitalphotography/default.mspx.

Learn the tricks of your trade! Your Tips, Tricks and Shortcuts Page has been updated with lots of new ways to blast through your work smoother, better, cooler and quicker than before! Additions include help with Mail Merge, Tabs and Outlines! Look for the icons scattered throughout the page.

Get the picture? Search, browse and download AGNR photos by the hundreds... Photographer Edwin Remsberg has posted a huge collection of his AGNR photographs (and possibly your own portrait) to the web for your use. Check out this highly organized, searchable site at http://www.photos.umd.edu.

Learn how to secure your home computer using the Microsoft® Home Office Security Checklist! Your IT Pro helps keep your computer safe at work, but you're on your own at home. Learn how to safeguard your own computer from viruses, hackers, spyware, and other Internet intruders. Here's a checklist that you can use to help protect your home office computer(s) from spam, viruses, spyware, hackers, your kids, and other Internet intruders. You can also learn about keeping your kids safe when using the computer on the Internet.

Why You Should Not Run Your Computer As An Administrator...

Running Windows 2000® or Windows XP® as an administrator leaves your system vulnerable to Trojan Horses and other security risks like Rootkits. Learn why you should not add yourself to the Administrators group and should avoid running your computer while logged on as an administrator. Learn the difference between Rootkits and Viruses.

Protect your personal information online from "phishing" and other identity theft schemes...
This video from Microsoft® will show you how to protect your personal information online. Visit another Microsoft® site to learn the five safety tips for using public or shared computers. Watch this phishing video to find out more about phishing e-mail scams and how they are used for identity theft. You will learn how fraudulent e-mail messages and spoofed Web sites—two common forms of phishing—can trick you into sending personal information, such as a credit card number, to an identity thief. You'll also learn three things you can do to protect yourself from being hooked by a phishing scam. Plus, learn what to do if you've unwittingly fallen for a phishing scheme.

25 easy ways to Customize Your Computer!
Learn easy ways to enhance your Windows® XP experience like changing screen savers, adding desktop backgrounds, making everything more readable, using new cursors, themes, colors, and much more at http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/setup/customize/default.mspx.