2020 and its Impact on Technology
If you haven’t already, I suggest you read the last blog, Part 1 about 2020 and its impacts.
In this blog post, I want to focus on technology not only because we’re depending on it more than ever due to the pandemic (stay-at-home orders, school closings, stimulus and unemployment funds, telemedicine with our physicians, staying in touch with loved ones, etc.) but also because this is a U.S. presidential election year.
In my hey-day as an I.T. risk manager, I supported 2,500 servers and 65,000 workstations nationally. I was there when the first polymorphic virus hit. Technology and the internet were young then (and so was I since I turn 68 this month).
Working then for a Fortune 100 financial institution, we were under constant cyberattack. Being on the inside, one learns more than he/she wants to know about how vulnerable computers and the internet are, let alone what to share with the public.
Anyway, as was mentioned in Part 1, 2020 is a fighting-star year. Information technology and telecom are particularly impacted.
2020 Impacts on Technology
We are at heightened risk for fraud in this energy. Even the government is inquiring more deeply into the big giants’ practices in how they data-warehouse and profit from our information.
Is it fair to ask who hasn’t been breached at this point? I have by the government, health-care, and even Goodwill. Basically, if we use a debit or credit card, have a computer, use a mobile phone, use social media, buy online, drive a computerized car, or even walk down the street … someone is studying us. The drive to rid us of cash (the supposed coin shortage) and do everything through credit or cards is to track us.
Did you know that Google went down this year and in doing so affected all web traffic? There are a couple of resources to monitor internet outages and downtime: Pingdom and Outage Report. If you know of reliable resources, please post a comment below.
It all seems daunting, doesn’t it?
Well, there are a few simple steps you can take to protect yourself:
- Research identity theft protection. Tip: Sign up for one.
- If your phone rings and it’s a number you don’t recognize – don’t answer it. If it is important, they’ll leave a message. Tip: I subscribe to Nomorobo free for my home landline. Then I subscribed for my mobile for under $2/mo. Worth every penny!
- If you receive a call and they ask for ANY personal information, don’t provide it. Tip: Ask to call them back because you can’t trust what it says on caller ID. 90% say never mind.
- Better yet – take a hiatus! Turn your phone off and relish some uninterrupted time.
- Same with email – there’s nothing that says you have to read and answer them all. Tip: A time management principle I use is to check it twice a day; otherwise it manages me rather than me managing it. Sound familiar? Manage your energy consciously or unconsciously it manages you.© (my tag line)
- If you don’t know or recognize the sender, delete it. It’s okay to delete (wink), it just goes to the delete folder until you purge it. Tip: I quit unsubscribing because all that does is confirm there’s a live person that received it and the sender sells that information (if you can trust who the sender is because they can fake that too).
- Backup, backup, backup – your computer and your phone. Daily is best unless you are okay with losing data, pictures, music, contacts, and more. Tip: Backing up to the cloud should be your secondary backup, not your primary. What will you do if you can’t get to the cloud (which is the internet) and that’s your only backup? This?
- Buy yourself multiple external hard drives or thumb drives to backup to. If your backup is hacked, you’ll have others — which leads me to the point to unplug them when not in use. Tip: Backup to one on one day, unplug it. Backup to the other on the second day, unplug it — and so on. If that’s too much then ask yourself … how much data, contacts, pictures, music, etc. am I willing to lose?
- Do you know someone standing behind you can capture your credit card information? They don’t even need to touch you! Tip: Use an RFID protector (available at Amazon). Read #4 in this article.
- This video shows how easy it is for scammers (more accurately skimmers) to steal card information without ever touching a card. Tip: Learn their tricks search for ‘credit card skimming’ on YouTube. Why don’t people put their energy into good deeds versus bad ones? The world would be a better place! Someone told me the answer … because good isn’t profitable.
- Tip: If data is that important (such as wills, passwords, financial statements, insurance tracking, contact lists, etc.) print them out and store it in a safe deposit box. Yes, the old-fashioned paper method – if the internet goes down or if there’s an EMP (nuclear electromagnetic pulse which neutralizes batteries, vehicles, electronics, and more), paper will be very handy (and so will old-fashioned books). EMP is a current concern but my philosophy is don’t leave it up to others! At a minimum, consider a faraday cage. You’ll be glad you have working batteries. Again, prepare and hopefully underutilize those preparations.
- And here’s one of the simplest TIP of all … join our virtual event on August 22 for some self-love!!
Speaking of the President (the ‘don’t leave it to others’ link above), he sued the state of Nevada for approving mail-in ballots. In my humble opinion in this year’s energy, mail is not as vulnerable as is electronic voting. Electronic election tampering is beyond possible, it’s reality.
What’s Going On Part 3 will be about community, family, and self.
I’m a huge Marvin Gaye fan so think of that song and its lyrics which mean as much today as they did in 1972 when this live concert was recorded. Goosies with every listen!
Again, join me for August 22’s virtual retreat and indulge in some self-care.
Leesa Scott and I put our heads together on how to help your health, happiness, and wealth — going beyond hope to action. You’ll experience principles that will help you the rest of your life! Leesa is extremely gracious to offer this $1,430 workshop to you for 80% off!! That’s how much we want to help you.
Also, watch for the workshop on 2021 Trends. It will be posted this fall. Many people who attended 2020’s Trends workshop in January said it was like a script unfolding, helped them be better prepared, and empowered their response. Click here to sign up for Intuitive Concepts email list to be notified of upcoming events, and you’ll also receive the free e-book “8 Simple Steps to a More Balanced You.“
The workshop is free for active clients!!
May you be exceedingly, generously, and joyfully blessed today.
~Diana Garber, Feng Shui Master
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