Baseball junkies can download free major leage baseball schedules into Outlook. Other sports and categories are also available.

Back Up Your Data! You can't back up your accounting records too often. Even if you think that your data is being backed up every day at the server, an excellent practice is to use Peachtree's built-in backup to create a separate backup file on your local hard drive. Simply choose File, Backup, then choose a folder on your machinenot the server. Peachtree will back up your data to a .PTB file (if you're using Version 7 or later). During 2001, several clients learned the hard way that their data was not being backed up regularly. The best scenario is to periodically back your Peachtree data up to a Zip drive or CD Burner. Need help establishing a back-up system for Peachtree? Please email us.

Enter the word weather along with your zip code or city in Google to get the current weather conditions and a 3 day forecast.

You can disable the prompt that appears when an application crashes in Windows XP. This typically asks if you want to send information to Microsoft. To eliminate the prompt, choose System from Control Panel, click the Error Reporting button on the Advanced tab, then make a selection.

Express LiveUpdate - If you use Norton Antivirus, and have to click through several screens whenever LiveUpdate downloads the latest virus definitions, we have a shortcut for you. Click Start, Settings, Control Panel, Symantec LiveUpdate. If the General tab offers a choice between Interactive Mode and Express Mode, choose Express Mode, then I Want LiveUpdate to Start Automatically. This will cause Norton Antivirus to automatically download and install any virus or system updates with only minimal interaction from you.

One of the most popular sites for getting directions on the Internet is MapQuest (MapQuest.com) However if you haven't already, try MapBlast (MapBlast.com). Their "line drive directions " generates a clean map without any clutter that's easier to use than those generated by MapQuest.

Sometimes it's helpful to capture a picture of your computer screen, particularly if an unrecognized error message pops up. An easy way to do this is to hit the PrntScr button on your keyboard, then click on Start, Programs, Accessories, Paint, then Edit and Paste. From the File menu in Paint, you can choose File and Send if you need to e-mail the screen shot to to your IT person or consultant.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security offers advice on preparing for emergencies, including terrorist attacks, at http://www.ready.gov

Are you expecting a federal tax refund? Check the status online at the IRS web site: https://sa.www4.irs.gov/irfof/lang/en/getrefundstatus.jsp

Recent price spikes have boosted the popularlity of sites like www.gaspricewatch.com and www.gasbuddy.com, where you can often see the lowest (and highest) prices for gas in your neighborhood.

Do you or your company have a web site? Try http://www.whois.sc. This site gives some amazing statistics, including in some cases how many other sites are hosted on your same web server (if you're in a shared hosting environment).

The site http://www.cellforcash.com pays cash for certain used cell phones. Alternatively, http://www.collectivegood.com allows you to recycle your spare phone or donate it charity.

If you receive an e-mail saying "please forward this to everyone you know", it's most likely a hoax. These take all forms...threatened funding to government-subsidized entities (NPR is a frequent target), missing children alerts, scare e-mails warning of thieves that want your kidneys or other bodily organs, etc. Before you click the forward button and perpetuate the hoax, make sure it's not listed at http://hoaxbusters.ciac.org

Moving soon? You can file your change of address with the US Postal Service online at https://moversguide.usps.com.

You can often look up a corresponding street address by entering a telephone number in Google. If the telephone number is found, you'll also have the option to view a map of the address.

Starting a new business? You can apply for your Tax ID, otherwise known as an Employer ID number, online at http://www.irs.gov/smallbiz. Click the link for Employer ID Numbers (EIN).

Tired of telemarketers? Fight back by signing up for the free do not call list offered by the Federal Trade Commission at http://www.donotcall.gov.

The Direct Marketing Association offers two ways to reduce the amount of junk mail that appears in your mailbox at home. You can pay $5.00 to register for the "do not mail" list online, or send a paper request for free. Learn more at www.acctadv.com/go.mv?id=junkmail.

The Links toolbar in Internet Explorer can be customized to give you one click access to frequently visited sites. First, if you don't see the links toolbar, click on the File menu in Internet Explorer. Make sure that Lock the Toolbars is not checked, and that Links is checked. Right-click on any existing links on the toolbar and choose Delete to remove them. Then, as you surf to your favorite sites, drag the "e" icon from the Address bar onto the Links toolbar. Right-click on the new link and choose Rename to assign a shorter name if necessary. This gives you access to favorite sites without having to navigate to the Favorites menu.

Microsoft is frequently issuing updates to plug security flaws that are being discovered regularly these days. Protect yourself from the new breed of viruses, such as Blaster and Sobig, by visiting www.windowsupdate.com and installing the Critical Updates.

By default Google displays 10 results per page. If you have a fast Internet connection, you can change the number of results to as many as 100 per page. To do so, click the Preferences link on the Google home page.

Long time Palm users that upgrade to a current model may be surprised by the new Grafitti 2 handwriting system. New Palm handhelds signficantly change how several key characters, most notably "t" and "i" are written. If you're proficient with the original Grafitti, the new Grafitti 2 will most likely frustrate you. Fortunately, there's an easy solution at a nominal price: TealScript. This software also lets you tweak how characters are written, so you can make either Grafitti 1 or 2 more closely match your handwriting style.

The free Google Deskbar allows you to search Google without even opening your web browser.

The US Government has recently launched a http://www.recalls.gov web site, which offers easy access to product recall information on consumer products and motor vehicles.

Miscreants may try to trick you into installing viruses or other software on your computer delivered under the guise of a Microsoft security bulletin e-mail. The Microsoft web site has an article that shows you how to determine if such an e-mail is authentic or dangerous.

Google's Search By Location page allows you to limit Google searches by zip code. You can broaden or narrow the search by entering a city/state or street address. The resulting searches are presented on a map, and the distances away from the search location are included.

Looking for a wireless hotspot on the road or in your neighborhood? A free locator is available.

Amazon.com now makes it easy to provide monetary support to the US presidential candidate of your choice.

Going on a flight? Check the airport status by using the search term of your airport code and the word airport. For instance, "atl airport" will provide current conditions at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.

• Want to get more out of Google? We recommend the book Learn Google

Are you expecting a federal tax refund? Check the status online at the IRS web site.

By default, Windows XP doesn't show an icon for My Computer on your desktop. To enable this feature, right-click on the desktop and choose Properties. Select the Desktop tab, and then click the Customize Desktop button. Click the checkbox for My Computer, along with My Documents and My Network places if you wish. While you're there, clear the checkbox for the Desktop Cleanup Wizard if you don't find that feature helpful. Click OK twice after you've made any changes.

Common Internet perils aren't limited to viruses and spam these days. An article on the Microsoft web site will get you up to speed on spyware and help you avoid problems that can detrimentally affect your computer's performance.

The Sallie Mae web site has numerous resources for those considering student loan consolidations. (Thanks to Jeremy Conley for suggesting this tip!)

Learn more than you probably ever wanted to about ideal long-term storage conditions in Fred Byer's study. The free Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to view this link.

The site www.findaflushot.com provides listings of flu shot resources by zip code.

Michael Horowittz has developed an excellent tutorial that shows examples of common e-mails currently circulating in an effort to spread viruses and steal personal information. A quick perusal of this guide can help you protect your identity and your computer.

If you haven't already installed Windows Service Pack 2 yet, it's a good idea to do so. If you have a fast Internet connection, you can download the update through Windows Update. Alternatively, Microsoft will send you SP-2 on CD at no charge.

You can often copy the contents of an error prompt in Windows XP to the clipboard. When a prompt or alert appears on the screen, press Ctrl-C. It will appear that nothing has happened, but you should be able to then paste the clipboard contents, i.e. the error message, into an e-mail, Word document, or other location.