Newsletter | November 2010

November 2010
In this issue

Update on Cybercrime
Puzzles Solved
Sayings of Steven Wright
"Section 179"
Make Meetings Valuable
Effective IT Departments
Is A Server Right for You?
Just for Laughs

Is A Server Right For Your Business?
used with permission from HP Small & Medium Business Site

Servers can do a lot of heavy lifting for a growing business, from securing data to enabling better sharing of company resources. But it's sometimes difficult to know when, and if they're a smart investment. There are a few common scenarios in which a server can bring real benefits to a growing business -- read on and see if any of these apply to you.

You need networking capabilities to share files, printers or other resources
It is technically possible to set up a simple network without a dedicated server, with just a few PCs connected together. However, if you want to share databases, files, printers, or other resources, a server makes it much easier. In fact, servers are specifically designed for sharing, so you'll get better control, faster access, easier management and improved security. And who wouldn't want all that?

Your PCs are overloaded and you need more storage
If you've got a lot of files or multiple databases, it might be time to consider migrating some of these files to a server. Whether you want to replace your old computers or just improve their performance, a server will give sluggish, data-laden PCs a welcome respite by freeing up memory and storage.

Final thought for mature adults:

Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you're wrong.

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An Alarming Update on Cybercrime
from Dave Sahl, ITSolutions|Currie President & CEO

Today the Internet is nurturing a multi-billion dollar cyber underground thought to rival the legitimate software industry in growth and sophistication. According to the latest FBI report cybercrime losses more than doubled in 2009 with some 1.3 million users falling prey to theft and malicious intrusions resulting in the loss of money and/or identity.

Internet crime has grown far more menacing in recent years. It’s gone from hackers writing viruses to a global criminal enterprise that steals money and valuable data from business and consumers.

A recent case in point: Cybercriminals latched onto an update notification from a popular Twitter application called TweetDeck. The interlopers substituted their own tweets which looked identical to the originals but contained malware capable of seizing control of the users PC.

Puzzles Solved!

For the puzzle solvers out there, here are the answers. The $100 dinner certificate was won by James Fultz of Climate Heating and Air Conditioning Services. Owner/Partner Chris Currie presents the check.

1.	1	7 C on the E	7 continents on the earth
2.	2	1 B in a R R	1 bullet in a Russian roulette
3.	3	25 S on a B C	25 squares on a bingo card
4.	4	7 H of R	7 hills of Rome
5.	5	13 C in a S	13 cards in a suit
6.	6	10 D in a D	10 dimes in a dollar
7.	7	15 M on a D M C	15 men on a dead man’s chest
8.	8	24 B B in a P	24 Blackbird baked in a pie
9.	9	6 W of H the E	6 wives of Henry the 8th
10.	.	56 S of the D of I	56 signers of the Declaration of Independence
11.	.	20 Y that R V W S	20 years that Rip Van Winkle slept
12.	.	40 T (with A B)	40 thieves with Ali Baba
13.	.	10 A in the B of R	10 Articles in the Bill of Rights
14.	.	435 M of the H of R	435 Members of the House of Representatives

Stay with us. Next month more puzzles and more prizes!

The Sayings of Steven Wright
More thoughts from the famous Steven Wright, the strange erudite scientist. . .

I almost had a psychic girlfriend. . . but she left me before we met.
OK, so what's the speed of dark?
How do you tell when you're out of invisible ink?
If everything seems to be going well, you have obviously overlooked something.
Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm.
When everything is coming your way, you're in the wrong lane.
Ambition is a poor excuse for not having enough sense to be lazy.
Hard work pays off in the future; laziness pays off now.
I intend to live forever. . . so far, so good.
If Barbie is so popular, why do you have to buy her friends?

And finally for this month. . .

If your car could travel at the speed of light, would your headlights work?

“Section 179”. . . A Major Business Tax Advantage in 2010

Now is the time for capital purchases including systems, software & equipment. Hurry this major tax advantage ends 12/31/10

What is the Section 179 Deduction??
Most people think the Section 179 deduction is some arcane or complicated tax code. It really isn't, as the following will show you.

Essentially, Section 179 of the IRS tax code allows businesses to deduct the full purchase price of qualifying equipment purchased or financed during the tax year. That means that if you buy (or lease) a piece of qualifying equipment, you can deduct the FULL PURCHASE PRICE from your gross income. It's an incentive created by the U.S. Government to encourage businesses to buy equipment and invest in themselves. It is sometimes referred to as the "SUV Tax Loophole" or the "Hummer Deduction" because many businesses have used this tax code to purchase qualifying vehicles (like SUV's and Hummers.)

4 Ways to Make Sure Meetings Are Not a Waste of Time
by Marlene Chism, www.stopyourdrama.com

Meetings can be a big waste of time or the biggest time saver. It all depends on your skills of keeping the meeting on track and engaging your staff. The challenges that keep your meetings from being productive include going on way past the allotted time, getting off track, and meetings that turn into gripe sessions. Here are four basics to running an effective meeting that keeps you completely in charge and engages your employees.

1. Set the expectations
2. Acknowledge the elephant
3. Beat the dead horse
4. Engage them

7 Habits of Highly Effective IT Departments
by Chris Geiser - cgeiser@pcstechnology.com - PC Solutions, Inc.

It's been 20 years since Dr. Stephen Covey published his book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Today, I will take a look at those habits and see how they apply to IT Managers of 2010 and beyond.

Habit 1: Be Proactive
Steven Covey writes that your life doesn't just happen. Whether you know it or not, it is designed by you. Proactive people recognize that they are responsible for the outcome of their life. By contrast, reactive people are affected by their physical environment, often blaming their circumstance or even the weather for their mood and behavior.