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TECH TALK: How safe is online shopping?

January 4, 2017/0 Comments/in Columns, Eric's Tech Talk/by Eric W. Austin

by Eric W. Austin
Computer Technical Advisor

My mother is paranoid. The idea of using her credit card to shop online fills her with dread. And she has good reason. A few months ago, she got a call from her credit card company asking whether she had recently used her card to purchase two round trips to Miami?!

She had not!

She was a victim of credit card fraud. In fact, 31.8 million Americans had a similar experience in 2014 – that’s three times the number in 2013. Very likely, this has already happened to you or someone you know.

Is it safe to shop online?

First, the bad news. Credit card fraud has become epidemic in the internet age. But it’s not just about hacking – it’s also about distribution: trading and selling stolen credit card information has become easier than ever.

So, how does your credit card get stolen in the first place?

Skimming is when a device is attached to a credit card reader like an ATM, gas pump, or merchant card reader which scans and stores card numbers as it is used. The thief then detaches the skimmer and downloads the credit card info.

Phishing happens anytime someone is able to trick someone into giving them personal information that they have no right to. They may do this by calling you and pretending to be a collection agency seeking a payment, or your electric company verifying your address. Or by building websites that look like your bank or favorite internet store.

SpyWare/Malware: This is software that is inadvertently downloaded and then attempts to siphon personal information from your computer and send that information back to a criminal who then sells your information, along with thousands of others on the internet black market.

Data Breaches/Hacking: You may have heard of the recent Yahoo data breach where over one billion accounts were hacked (if you have a yahoo account, and haven’t changed your password – do that RIGHT NOW!). What about Ebay, The Home Depot, JP Morgan Chase, Michael’s, Staples, Domino’s Pizza, Sony Pictures Entertainment, or Target? Yep, all these companies have been hacked!

Scary? Almost makes you want to do all your holiday shopping at Hussey’s Hardware this year, huh? But it’s not all bad. And there are some things you can do to minimize your risk.

Credit card companies are well aware of this problem, and most major banks have policies in place to protect you. Often, they will call you when they see a charge that is out of character for you. Check with the bank that issued your card to make sure you are protected and are aware of the procedures in case fraud occurs.

Keeping a close eye on your account is also important so you can spot fraudulent charges and report them immediately. You can set up fraud alerts with most card companies and the three major credit bureaus.

Install anti-virus and malware protection software on your home computer, and run a scan before you do any shopping. Two good free anti-virus programs are Malwarebytes and AVG Anti-Virus.

Never use public WiFi or a public computer to do shopping. Also avoid checking your email on a public connection if you use that email for finance or shopping. Secure your WiFi at your home with a password and encryption. Activate Windows Firewall or install a third party option to further protect yourself.

Upgrade your credit cards to the new EVM chip versions. These new type of credit cards have chips which change the information being passed each time it is used, and thus prevents skimming. Countries that have adopted EVM, such as the UK, have seen a drop in counterfeit fraud by as much as 70 percent. The United States’ slow adoption is one reason this is so prevalent here.

Never give out your personal information to anyone without verifying their identity. This includes phone calls, emails, or letters asking you to provide personal or financial data. Get a phone number and call them back to ensure it’s an authentic representative of that company.

And what if it does happen? Relax. Credit card companies are so used to this by now that in most cases all that is required is a phone call and the charge is immediately taken off your account. Disappointingly, you’ll probably never know how your information was stolen. They will tell you an investigation is being undertaken, but the fraud is so prevalent that I think most companies simply consider it a cost of doing business.

How about purchasing on sites like Amazon? Amazon is one of the safest places to shop, storing all credit card information on servers not connected to the internet. While not all sites go to the extent Amazon does, generally shopping with reputable merchants online is as safe as purchasing in a traditional brick-and-mortar store. Smaller online merchants typically use third-party services to process payments, so check out that service before committing to a purchase.

I hope that you have noticed that the lion’s share of fraud that happens is not the direct result of online shopping. Much of it occurs locally on your computer (malware & viruses), at a physical location where you use your card (skimming), by someone convincing you to give away information (phishing), or by hacking the companies that store your information. All of these things can happen to you even if you never buy anything off the web!

So, be smart, take precautions, but relax and enjoy the convenience of online shopping.

Have a tech question for me? Maybe I’ll answer it in my next column! Write me at ericwaustin@gmail.com subject line “Tech Talk” or use the contact form on the website.

I’m Just Curious: Let it Snow, let it snow!

December 21, 2016/0 Comments/in Columns/by Website Editor

by Debbie Walker

Let It Snow!! NOT!! I’m writing this column Saturday afternoon with the snow coming down. It does make for a pretty picture (but who’s taking pictures!).

My days of rushing outside to go sledding or build a snowman are over. Do kids still do all that? We were lucky to have our own hill to slide on. Mom didn’t worry about us because at that time she had a clear view of the hill. The other day I noticed the clear hill of years ago is trees and shrubs now. (Seemed a lot bigger back then.)

Sadly, I imagine kids now are spending their sliding time on various computer games or applications. I remember coming in from outside to hot homemade cocoa (not a mix) and curling up with a blanket and good book, while our outside clothes dried out. Then it would be “to the outside again.”

Dad wasn’t much of a carpenter but occasionally he’d make an effort. Someone gave me a pair of skis. However I have never done well on skis. So dad took some wood to build the body (seat) and the ski would be the “runners.” Well the “sled” and I went down the hill and promptly ran into a tree. I wasn’t hurt but one ski broke off. The end of that sled!

Let It Snow!! Okay we have snow on the ground so I guess people who wanted a “White Christmas” will be happy. It made for tough shopping the weekend before Christmas but on the news it looked like plenty of people were still out there shopping. Bless their hearts!

I have about 30 Florida Christmas’s behind me. No, I was never upset about the lack of snow for Christmas. People tend to go nuts with lights down there. Really neat. They are so pretty every evening. My neighbor added a few new things every year. I’d hate to see his electric bill! He LOVES all things Christmas.

Let It Snow and it is still snowing. I hope you’ll all have a Merry Christmas and a Wonderful, Happy, Healthy New Year.

Contact me at dwdaffy@yahoo.com , sub line: Let it snow. I would love to hear some of your thoughts, favorite Christmas stories, or Snow stories.

REVIEW POTPOURRI: Film: The Reader; Singer: Jo Stafford

December 21, 2016/0 Comments/in Columns/by Website Editor

by Peter Cates

The Reader

starring Kate Winslet, Ralph Fiennes, David Kross, etc.; directed by Stephen Daldry; the Weinstein Company, 2008, 124 minutes, DVD.

Kate Winslet

Ralph Fiennes

Based on the 1995 novel by Bernhard Schlink – which I have on my shelves but haven’t read, The Reader is a depiction of two people, Hanna and Michael, whose lives intersect at very crucial points during the 50 years, after World War II, in Germany. From the 1950s, when the two have an intense romance (there is an R rating here; thus a resulting advisory similar to that of Schindler’s List), to the ‘60s and ‘80s, when a very tragic legal situation results from the cowardice of one and the stubborn pride of the other, the story is a gripping one that is impossible to summarize in two paragraphs.

Kate Winslet as Hannah and David Kross and Ralph Fiennes as, respectively, the younger and older David, give exceptional performances. My copy of the DVD will bear repeated viewings and is very fairly labelled a masterpiece by a long time favorite critic of mine, the very colorful and delightfully opinionated Rex Reed.

David Kross

Jo Stafford

Happy Holiday
Columbia CL 691, 12-inch LP, recorded 1955.

Jo Stafford (1917-2008) was one of the most accomplished singers in history, earning the admiration of Ray Charles, Frank Sinatra and Judy Collins for her phrasing, breathing – she could sing 18 or more bars without exhaling, and all around musicality. I own many of her records and have derived hours of listening pleasure. She was also married to the phenomenally gifted arranger and composer Paul Weston (1913-1996), with whom she collaborated on most of her records, live concerts and TV and radio appearances.

Jo Stafford

The 1955 Happy Holiday featured the usual high quality vibrant singing and instrumentation of the Stafford/Weston team, with the voice of the couple’s then three-year-old son, Timothy, and the exquisite backup harmonies of the Starlighters. They provided a varied selection of the well known — Silent Night, Toyland, Let It Snow, O Little Town of Bethlehem, etc.; a musical recitation by Jo of ‘Twas the Night before Christmas with Timothy’s help; and, finally, the unfamiliar Winter Weather. This was not the usual boring Christmas platter but one of newly minted freshness.

It is available as a CD reissue on Amazon but watch out for Stafford’s 1968 Xmas collection, with the title adding an S on Holiday. Scroll on each entry for info on recording date. Finally the CD has several extra tracks!

IF WALLS COULD TALK, Week of December 22, 2016

December 21, 2016/0 Comments/in Columns/by Website Editor

by Katie Ouilette

Christmas Trees were decorated in each room! Well, unless the people who frequented Redington Home, in Skowhegan, were ‘The Elves of Christmas,’ there were some busy members of various organizations at work! Yes, the beautiful Redington Home was decorated for Christmas and the Christmas Carols that rang out, thanks to Barbie Demo’s magnificent singing and playing her guitar, were from enthusiastic people who reside there. Wow, those men and women sure knew the words and lifted everyone’s spirits.

Yes, Redington Home and its director and staff have rolled out the Christmas Carpet for Ch.11’s Keeping Pace for many years. It is a tradition for those of Keeping Pace, though we missed Darla Pickett, who didn’t feel up to the task, and Alan Foxwell, who was very busy at Alan’s Cut Above Barber Shop. Chris Perkins and Donna Finley kept the pace for all of us. Katie encouraged everyone to sing the carols that they knew and, for sure, those Redington Home residents didn’t disappoint, as they sure did know every word of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and Barbie’s renditions all the way to We Wish You a Merry Christmas, at the end! Yes, John Harlow was our videographer. John is the manager of CATV-11 and you faithful readers and residents of Redington will be treated throughout the holiday season to the wonderful evening of Christmas Carols and music by Barbie Demo that Keeping Pace did for you all on December 15.

Now, for you faithful readers who prefer a bit of talk to go with the singing, Chris Perkins and Donna Finley did give tribute to Keeping Pace’s early days and Katie reminded everyone that Keeping Pace is now 18 years old.

Yes, these folks have kept the pace for Herb Paradis, Keeping Pace founder, with Katie… and Alan Foxwell was one of those early panelists. Donna mentioned missing Herb, Betty Withee, Alice Corson and Maitland Richardson, and many who have shared so much with us. As a matter of fact,

Residents shared the Christmases that gave them special memories. Actually, most everyone there lived through the Great Depression, when no one had any money. and wonderful memories of ‘making do’ was an education for the younger folks.

So, until the next issue, may you enjoy our Christmas Season in Maine.

We wish you all a Merry Christmas and for those of you who remember Melissa Gaspar, who used to be librarian in Skowhegan, Katie read a piece entitled Happiness, sent to her by Melissa. “Happiness lives inside our hearts and shines like a shimmering star. It lights our way on a dreary day and finds us wherever we are.”

SOLON & BEYOND, Week of December 22, 2016

December 21, 2016/0 Comments/in Columns, Solon/by Website Editor

by Marilyn Rogers-Bull & Percy
grams29@tds.net
Solon, Maine 04979

Good morning, dear friends. Don’t worry, be happy!

Nomination papers are available at the Solon Town Office for those who might want to run for an office. Those who have already taken out papers at this time are Sarah Davis for selectman, Mike Foster for road commissioner and Leslie Giroux for Town Clerk and Tax Collector. At this time no one has taken out papers for RSU #74 School Board Director. Qualifying signatures must come from registered voters in the town of Solon. All nomination papers must be returned to the Town Clerk by the end of business day, January 13, 2017. Please see the clerk to obtain a nomination paper during business hours; Monday, Wednesday, Friday…8 a.m. – noon, 11 – 4 p.m., and Wednesday evening 6 – 7:45 p.m.

The annual town meeting will be held on March 4, 2017, and the budget meeting will be held on January 21, 2017.

The 5th Annual Gingerbread Competitions, sponsored by All/Points/Weber Insurance, in Madison, was held recently. This year’s them was “Your Favorite Holiday.”

Winners were: Adult Group: Decorator’s and People’s Choice – Maplecrest Nursing Home, Madison; Group Children: Decorator’s and People’s Choice – BryAnna and Bryleigh Hagopian, of Madison. Individual Child age 5-8: Decorators Choice – Finn Donoghue, of Madison.

People’s Choice: Kaylee Hayes, of Anson.
Individual Child age 9-12: Decorator’s Choice – Elle Donoghue, of Madison. People’s Choice: Jacob Hayes, of Anson. Individual Adult: Decorator’s Choice and People’s Choice – Caroline A. Prevost, of North Anson.
Other entries were by: Sydney Steward and Lizz Manzer, of Anson, Trevor Russell, of North Anson, Ivy Wess, of Madison, Haley McFadyen, of North Anson, Laura Holden, of Madison, Trinity Shaw, of North Anson, and Ryan Donoghue, of Madison.

The judging for Decorator’s Choice was provided by Mike Hunt, owner/decorator from the Bankery, in Skowhegan. They had 115 come into the office to vote for People’s Choice. Next year’s theme is “Nursery Rhymes.” The above information was from Sharon Mellows.

Through a gracious donor. the Embden Community Center has over 50 hard cover books in excellent shape; some are even autographed. (There are a few paperbacks.) Many of the books are on the New York Times Best Seller List. You could purchase them for yourself, but there’s a good possibility that you could give them as a Christmas gift. They are for sale at the Embden Community Center Thrift Shop for $2 each.

The Thrift Shop is open Wed., Fri., & Sat. from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. The Lending Library is open the same days and hours. Books are a weakness of mine, I love all kinds.Would like to share a great rather new author with those of you who love a good mystery. His name is Paul Doiron, and a good friend let me borrow some of them, and I also took a couple of them out of the Coolidge Library here in town. I would recommend that you read them in order, from first one written to last. the first one is The Poacher’s Son, Trespasser, Bad Little Falls, Massacre Pond, Bone Orchard, The Precipice and Widowmaker. I couldn’t put them down when I was reading them, surely do hope he will write some more, Happy reading!

Must leave room for Percy’s memoir, it is a thought for the New Year: “New Beginnings: Each chapter that is ending Leads us to a new beginning: The past that we are leaving Means a future we are winning. Each change that fills the present Sets the stage for our tomorrow, And how we meet each challenge Helps determine joy or sorrow. In every new beginning Spirit plays a vital part; We must approach tomorrow With a strong and steady heart. So as we turn the corner Let’s all apprehension shed And fill our hearts with confidence As we proceed ahead.” (words by Bruce B. Wilmer.)

May you all have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Give Us Your Best Shot! Week of December 21, 2016

December 14, 2016/0 Comments/in Give Us Your Best Shot!, Palermo/by Website Editor

LAST WESTERN TRIP: During their last run out west in their camper, Pat Clark and husband, of Palermo, snapped these spectacular photographs. From top to bottom, a glacier, Mesa Verde, and Monument Valley.

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SCORES & OUTDOORS: Canada lynx surviving in Maine

December 14, 2016/0 Comments/in Columns, Scores & Outdoors/by Roland D. Hallee

by Roland D. Hallee

Recently, two Canada lynx were found dead in northern Maine, spawning an investigation into why, and who, killed the predatory cat.

The Canada lynx, Lynx canadensis, was listed as threatened on March 24, 2004, by the U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Canada lynx are medium-sized cats, generally 30-35 inches long and weighing 18-23 pounds. They have large feet adapted to walking on snow, long legs, tufts on the ears, and black-tipped tails. They are highly adapted for hunting snowshoe hare, the primary prey, in the snows of the boreal forest.

A Canada lynx in the wild.

Lynx in the contiguous United States are at the southern margins of a widely-distributed range across Canada and Alaska. The center of the North American range is in north-central Canada. Lynx are found in coniferous forests that have cold, snowy winters and provide a prey base of snowshoe hare. Lynx, primarily found in northern Maine, prey almost exclusively on snowshoe hare, so the fate of both species are linked.

Lynx can only flourish in a large boreal forest that contains appropriate forest types, snow depths and high snowshoe hare densities. In the Northeast, lynx were most likely to be in areas that support deep snow (106 inches annually), associated with regenerating boreal forest landscapes.

Lynx are highly mobile and have a propensity to travel long distances, particularly when prey becomes scarce.

Some believe both lynx and coyotes would compete for the same food, but during a recent 12-year study, it was found that is not the case. Lynx roam the deep snow without problems, while coyotes travel more in packs along trails and road systems, and are more likely to attack larger prey, such as deer.

A snowshoe hare, the favorite prey of the lynx, with its winter coat.

The historic and current range of the lynx in the contiguous United States is within the southern extensions of the forests of the Northeast, Great Lakes, Rocky Mountains and Cascade Mountains.

The lynx is listed in 14 states that support the environment needed to sustain the animal. Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont are three of them.

The environment in Maine is perfect to support Canada lynx populations. Harsh winters, deep snow, dense evergreen forests and sub-zero temperatures are exactly what the lynx likes. But, due to extensive hunting for its pelts in the 1960s, the cat nearly disappeared from Maine. Only a new law enacted in 1967, has protected it from hunting and trapping.

According to Jennifer Vashon, in charge of Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife lynx program, it is believed the lynx population in Maine is at a historic high. More than 1,000 adult lynx are believed to be inhabiting the Maine forests. Even though it doesn’t sound like very many, compared to other fur bearing animals in the state, the lynx is actually living at the edge of its range.

Recently, a friend of mine who keeps farm animals in Richmond, reported sighting a lynx that was checking out his chicken coop.

Although the lynx was placed on the federal threatened species list, it is only listed as a species of special concern in the state of Maine.

Legal trapping, snaring, and hunting for bobcat, coyote, wolverine, and other fur-bearers create a potential for incidental capture of lynx. Lynx persist throughout their range despite the incidental catch that presumably has occurred throughout the past, probably at higher levels than presently.

Even though the animal rights group won a ruling about the state taking steps to prevent the occasional accidental trappings, they were not successful in their request for temporary suspension of some trapping where lynx are present in northern Maine.

Subsequently, inadvertent trappings of Canada lynx occur from time to time.