WOW -- Here we go again

My son and I have played wow (World of Warcraft) ... we have had a good time and then after a year called it quits. We tried different games from cryis, fallout3, heroes ....etc but the weird fact is we kept going back to wow and the ability to play it on your own time and meet new friends from all over the world.

so ... you guessed it, we got the new expansion LichKing ...

My son is giving me the look .. I will update this later as away we go ...

BitDefender

Maybe it is Old School or just maybe I am tired of those huge system hogs that call themselves a security suite, but BitDefender is our new Antivirus friend that will handel our virus and spam concearns. The cost is affordable and the products just works and it does not slow down your system.

Features:

- Bit Defender Scans all web, e-mail and instant messaging traffic for viruses and spyware, in real-time

- Proactively protects your PC against brand new virus outbreaks using advanced heuristics

- Blocks attempted identity theft (phishing)

- Prevents personal information from leaking via e-mail, web or instant messaging.

- Instant Messaging Encryption

If you have children or would like ceartain websites blocked, then the Security 2009 is for you.

We welcome your thoughts or any ideas you have or would like to see in a antivirus product.

Craig

Upgrade that old pc!!!

Just updated a custom PC I put together over 4 years ago.

I had a good Case - Power Supply that was at least 350 watts and my hard drive was relatively new.

My Friends as ASI set me up with a new ASUS M3N78-VM Motherboard that will fit almost all cases. The Feature set is fantastic coupled with 2GIG of Ram and Vista Packs a hell of a punch to a old PC.

The coolest feature is that if I want to browse the web, look at print some pictures or make a call on Skype, I can do that within 10 seconds of starting the PC. The system can load up a quick feature called express gate. Great way to put a rugrat in a internet based game and if he downloads spyware or a virus ... well just reboot and you can flush all settings and it will start up a fresh screen! .... Nice.. Craig

Currently Testing the Sprint Touch .... It was not a planned test as I awaiting the the New Diamond Touch. This is a snzy little phone that creates a easy way to connect to my email and contacts with out the Blackberry Charge.

Web surfing is fast on the new sprint network with Sprint TV a nice add-on.

The only negative is the batterly life does not a full day as I am on it all the time. Small phone size and ideal for a business user to a college student.

Craig

Sprints New Phone

The extremely popular Samsung Instinct from Sprint is now available off my cell phone site and at an amazingly low price. Sprint is currently selling this phone for $129.99 after mail in rebate and you can have the Instinct for only $59.99 after mail in rebate. That’s saving you $70.00 on the most popular phone that Sprint has ever had. This phone is packed with GPS, a beautiful 2 megapixel camera, Bluetooth, visual voicemail, and speakerphone. The Instinct also gives you access to Sprint TV, NFL Mobile Live, lightening fast internet, email, web browsing, text messaging and much more. It’s not a surprise why the Instinct won 5 awards at the CTIA WIRELESS 2008 Conference including Best of Show.

Click HERE to enter the site.

Enjiy the new Phone!!!

Talk to you Soon, Craig Kassing

MARKETING NEWS - GreenBackStreet

MARKETING NEWS - GreenBackStreet ---
Getting paid to shop and free advertising ... I could not think of a better combination for my business or even my family. The site is a portal for nationwide shopping at stores you use anyway. Click on the logo below or HERE and sign up for the free login so you can earn money back while shopping. (Just bought a Panasonic Phone System from Target and got 7% cash back ... it is like buying wholesale)

1- Signup for your free website login to see the benefits of buying supplies, gifts etc..

2- Look at signing up your business to advertise on the site for Local Buyers. Billboard advertising on the site as well as a coupon generator, email notifier to your customers and provide a immediate income stream for your business to PAY for the advertising. ..... Let me say this again ... It PAYS you to advertise ... that I like a lot ..

3- Share your business or personal site with your friends ... From your site they sign up a customer ... the customer gets cash rebates ... and guess what -- Green Back street pays you 40-80% of your customer or friends rebate as a thank you for passing their name to others. So customers earns $1000 in rebates and you earn at least $400 for passing along the site. WOW

Please feel free to talk to me about this as we are truly excited about this new program.

Virus Email Alert Fed Ex - UPS

My Friend Gary Jones passed this on to me last week and we have been following up with customers and are being told that a new virus is on the prowl.

If a user get a email from Fed Ex or UPS with a file attatched that you need to click on to get some information, DO NOT CLICK ON IT!

The File creates all sorts of errors as well as may need to do a system reload!

As Always, major banks and other large companies will never send you a file. They may ask you to go to a link for updates, but even then I would call or email the sender to confirm.

Hang in there

Craig

Shields UP

First of all Hello From Bourbon Street -- Just sat through a security mtg with SecurityMetrics. Great information and very impressed with their company.

Have not talked about this in awhile, but if you have not run some basic security tests at your office it is time to do a simple test. The link https://www.grc.com/x/ne.dll?bh0bkyd2 will take you to a wonderful free test that checks your pc for open dorrs for hackers. Click on the Proceed button and then "ALL PORTS" in the menu to test all the ports in your system. As always I would be glad to help! If you get a failed grade please let meknow so we can fix it!

Craig

ABC News and the Flag Lapel Pin

It only took a year and I have to bring politics into this Blog. I heard that ABC has banned their TV people from wearing patriotic clothes and pins. I checked the web and sure as heck I can not find anything denying it.

So .... ABC which owns ESPN and has ownership with Disney is now afraid to be patriotic. This makes me sick that people are not proud of the greatest country in the world. I received a Flag lapel pin at a meeting today and will where it proud every chance I get.

ABC - You have lost a customer .... --- Hey Management move to Canada ...

Craig Kassing

Buying on Amazon

Buying on Amazon ... Well, you know those pools that have a inflatable ring yet hold 3,000 gallons of water. Well they come with a pump, that if it goes bad you need to hit the web to replace. The only place we found one is on the web and we purchased one from one of it's vendors, CMS WorldWide Sales.

The order was placed and only then did I notice it was a $75 shipping charge .... almost as much as the pump.

I tried to cancel immediately and received a email 30 minutes later that said they could not cancel it because it was already processed and heading my way. They are either the fastest shipper known to man, or another example of a company that never wants me to buy from them again. I think it was the latter.

Craig Kassing

PC pricing

Here is some information on the PC's we are currently placing for our customers. We use Windows XP as the default operating system and warrantee all parts for three years!!

"Monitor is not included $200 - 19" Flat Screen"

Home System $656
Motherboard ASUS P5GC-MX/1333
Processor INTEL E2200 2.2GHZ CPU
Memory 1GB DDR2
Floppy
Hard Drive SEAGATE 320GB SATA
Controller and Video Card ON MB
Keyboard LOGITECH DELUXE 250 KB & MOUSE COMBO
Mouse OPTICAL MOUSE INCLUDED WITH ABOVE
Operating System WINDOWS XP PRO
CD-Rom SONY 20X DVDRW SATA W/ROXIO
Sound Card ON MB
Speakers LOGITECH R-20 3PC SPEAKERS
Network Card ON MB
NSPIRE 3YR DEPOT WARRANTY INCLUDED WITH O/S

Business System $875
Dual Drive Backup

Motherboard INTEL DG33TLM
Processor INTEL E2200 2.2GHZ CPU
Memory 2GB DDR2
Floppy OPTI-UPS CARD READER
Hard Drive 2X SEAGATE 320GB SATA
Controller SATA RAID ON MB
Video Card ON MB INTERNET 350 USB KB & MOUSE COMBO
Mouse OPTICAL INCLUDED WITH ABOVE
Operating System WINDOWS XP PRO
Modem
CD-Rom SONY 20XDVDRW W/LIGHTSCRIBE & ROXIO
Sound Card ON MB
Speakers LOGITECH R-20 3PC SPEAKERS
Network Card ON MB
Other NSPIRE 450W P.S.
NSPIRE 3YR DEPOT WARRANTY INCLUDED WITH O/S

Linked-In

Being in technology, I have long searched for a personal network tool that would help me network with professionals and friends. if you have not tried it, and it is free --NICE --, try http://www.linkedin.com

This program creates a tool that lets you link in with professionals you currently work with and those that you are looking for. Have been using it for a few months and it is now time to spread the word!!

Virus Crazy -- Thank god for Superantispyware

In the last few days we have been working with various customers on Virus Issues. The Bug Trojan.net-qgx/nmc has been dropping little gems on the PC's and Trend Micro 14 (From Dell) Just ignores them ... Have been using Superantispyware and will put a link on our server as it was able to at least let me know it is there ...

Superantispyware is free with a pro version that is not that much ... I got it for $20.

Craig

Cutting Costs - Sending and Paying Invoices

March Madness is upon us and we have been working with our vendors to cut costs and stay lean and mean. One of our expenses that we have been working to remove is postage for sending out invoices and the cost of you sending us the invoice back.

We have been working with Pay Pal, Local Banks and Quickbooks and to my surprise Quickbooks stepped up to the plate and have provided us those features. Their fees were the cheapest in the area and cut our costs for receiving payments by credit card or debit card.

If you own quickbooks it is a very simple add-on to set things up. When we go to print the invoice, we instead send it via email. Then Quickbooks adds a link to pay online if the customer wishes.

We are always looking for ways to save money and look forward to future technology advances to share with our customers.

Craig Kassing

Independence Chamber of Commerce EXPO 2008

Welcome to Spring 2008!! I wanted to get this update out ...

This Thursday is one of the largest expo’s in the Kansas City area. Our company has attended this event for the last 5 years and has been a great success. Below is some more information for you …

Independence Chamber of Commerce EXPO 2008
When:

Event Starts: 3/13/2008 11:00 AM CST Event Ends: 3/13/2008 04:00 PM CST
Where: Hilton Garden Inn - Independence19677 E. Jackson Dr . Independence, MO 64057 Map

Phone: 252-4745

This event will have over 1,000 people of all demographics walk though the Hilton Garden Inn Conference Center. It will go from 11-4 on Thursday.

We would like to invite you to stop by one of our Business Partners Booths. We will have our New Flagship PC at this Event. It will be located at the Phoenix Specialties Booth. This pc is flat out the fastest computer we have put together and we will be selling this very shortly. This version is perfect for Gamers to Graphic Artists.

Talk to you Soon
Craig Kassing

So are you looking to switch or get Satellite TV

This last weekend we ended our 10 year run with Direct TV. Satellite TV, along with our friends at the cell phone companies, have this marketing program that gives the best hardware and products to NEW customers. So, being a 10 year customer and wanting a new HD DVR(Record and Pause TV at a push of a button) I called Direct TV. $400 to upgrade 2 older DVR’s and ONE HD Dvr if I stay with them for another 2 years. I Told the lady I will stay with you for 5 years if you do it for free … they said no. I reminded them that Dish Network would do it all and wire a new location for free. She said nothing …

As every smart American would do … Out goes Direct TV and in comes Dish Network. I was a little nervous as Dish is the smaller of the two, but I have been very surprised and pleased. Two technicians arrived on time and spent the morning wiring my house. They utilized existing cable where necessary and were extremely professional.

Positives:
· The Satellite is HALF the size … nice
· They looked at our setup and offered to put it on a pole due to the fact that our house has some large trees that will be blocking the satellite in the coming years. Again, no charge to do that.
· They use receivers that control 2 TV’s at once. Less Hardware – that I like
· I had four cables coming from my old Direct TV and now I have one. I was able to remove half the cables from my house. Wife is pleased!
· Very responsive menu and easy to use … easily twice as fast as my 2 year old tivos

One of these days current customers will be treated like new customers. Until that day , A switching I will go.

Craig

Disaster training: Are Your Employees in Danger?

Disaster training: Are Your Employees in Danger?
Success is measured in many ways. For business, some look at success as a line on the profit and loss statement, while others measure success as the amount of time spent on the golf course, away from the office. No matter what your view of success is, one undeniable fact is that saving money on the training of your employees is not the way to increase your bottom line or profitability. In fact, studies show companies who have an excellent track record in providing training to their employees often have the highest productivity and the lowest turnover.
So, with this said, why don’t many companies provide the most basic of disaster or safety training? For months, articles were published which touted the praises of those companies in the twin towers who trained their employees to evacuate well in advance of the attack. Today, with the use of technology, it is easier to provide employees with on-line training aids in a varied array of topics. Such topics range from workplace violence, suspicious person or packages to business continuity or disaster recovery training. One method gaining popularity is the use of web training where the employees simply log on and participate in a 30 minute or 1 hour presentation for a nominal fee.
From a legal aspect, providing training a minimum of once a year helps the company to address negligence concerns for failure to provide employees with such training.

Marc Jacobs CBCP is a Certified Business Continuity Professional who is published and a well known speaker on the topic of Business Continuity/Disaster Recovery planning, exercising and training. For more information: marcj@contingencyconsulting.net