LET'S COMMUNICATE
Agriculture Communication Newsletter
December 2005, No. 120

Contents

New Year's Resolutions with Your Computer
Videoconference Scheduling Reminder
Write the Right Word
Get Your Extension Brochures and Display Here

New Year's Resolutions with Your Computer

The beginning of a new year is a great time to make a resolution to regularly review the security and management of your computer. That means automatic virus software updates, spam filtering, regular backups, disk cleanup and more.

See http://www.ag.ndsu.nodak.edu/agcomm/accs/announcements/cleanup.htm  and go through each step to improve your computer performance now, and resolve to do this at least every month throughout 2006. Ask anyone who has had a computer crash without a backup or gotten a nasty virus, and they'll tell you how a little prevention can save many headaches down the road.

Videoconference Scheduling Reminders

If you organize a videoconference, it's your responsibility to make sure every site is available before calling the scheduler. For example, don't call Gail Hokenson, the Ag Consortium master scheduler, if you haven't yet called or e-mailed the sites you want to connect with to make sure they're available. Most Ag Consortium rooms are used for both videoconferences and regular meetings, so the videoconference software can't identify room conflicts.

Also, have the sites finalized before contacting Gail. Making changes -- either adding or deleting sites -- is much more work than the original reservation.

Ag Communication is in the process of updating the Ag Consortium videoconference Web site, but in the meantime, please follow these two guidelines to make your videoconference setup a good experience. If you have questions, contact Gail at ghokenso@ndsuext.nodak.edu  or 231-7881.

Write the Right Word

Commas and apostrophes are among the most misused punctuation. Here are some rules to help you avoid the more common mistakes:

* Do not use commas to set off essential (also known as restrictive) phrases from the rest of a sentence. Essential phrases cant be eliminated without changing the sentences meaning. Center board member John Smith voted in favor of an addition to the building.. (Including the board members name is essential to understanding who the writer meant.) We saw the movie Gone With the Wind four times. (Including the movies name is essential because it tells the reader which movie the writer is talking about.)

* Use a comma to set off nonessential phrases from the rest of a sentence. A nonessential phrase provides additional information but can be eliminated without confusing the reader. NDSU's president, Joseph Chapman, gave his annual state of the university address Monday. (Including the presidents name is helpful, but the sentence makes sense without it.) Mary and her husband, John, attended the play. (Including Johns name helps identify him to readers, but isn't essential. Also, dropping the commas around John would suggest Mary has more than one husband.)

* Don't use a comma after a year when it stands alone or follows a month unless the phrase that follows is nonessential. Construction began in 1910 and was completed two years later. The March 1964 blizzard was the worst on record. North Dakota farmers planted 620,000 acres of dry edible beans in 2005, or 60,000 more acres than in 2004.

* Use a comma before and after a year when it is part of a date. NASA selected Aug. 3, 2007, as the date for the next space shuttle launch.

* Do not use an apostrophe to create the plural of a family's name. If the name ends in es, s or z, add es. The Joneses bought a new car. The Gonzaleze's just moved into the neighborhood. For other names, add s. The Kennedy's are well- known in political circles. This house belongs to the Smiths. (Never the Smiths, Jones's, Kennedy's, etc.)

* Use an apostrophe when forming the possessive of names. For names ending in s, simply add an apostrophe. This is Agnes book. The Joneses new car is a 2006 model. When the name ends in z or x, add s. Have you read Marx's theories? For other names, just add s. Bills essay is on the desk.

* Use an apostrophe when forming the possessive of nouns as well. With singular and plural nouns not ending in s, add s. The company's profits were up 25 percent. About 300 people attended the women's rights rally. With plural nouns or nouns plural in form and singular in meaning, just add an apostrophe. The girls books covered the table. The doctor was concerned about the measles effect on the baby.

* Don't use an apostrophe to form the plural of multiple letters. She learned her ABCs.

Get Your Extension Brochures and Display Here

NDSU Extension Service Delivers, the new color brochure, is available in quantities from the Distribution Center. This brochure features color photos, a business card slot and a pocket for additional information. Also available to go in the pocket are 8 1/2 X 11" pages that list all the county offices and Research Extension Centers or that just have the NDSU Extension Service logo and color bars. You can use these pages to develop information about your county or specific programs to fold into thirds and insert into the brochure pocket.

A display that coordinates with the brochure is also available. For free brochures or to check out the display, contact the Distribution Center at dctr@ndsuext.nodak.edu  or 231-7882.