Yep, it’s true, the Russians actually ARE after you!
May 14, 2018 | Carole Clark IsaksonIf you’ve been following the news lately you have heard that warnings have been issued concerning Russian hackers’ coordinated attacks on US data. The latest activities are not directed at the CIA or NSA or FBI… they are directed at people just like you. By intercepting the data from your router, for instance, a hacker has access to literally everything you’ve done on your home PC or other device. What can you do to protect your family data? This article has a few pointers. Check for updates and advice from the router manufacturer! Start with your Wi-Fi provider. Continue to follow these rules, which you hopefully implemented at your house long ago: a. No one downloads software without you knowing (for instance, many free games seem fine, but in fact are cover for companies wanting access to your computer) b. When opening an email, NEVER click on a link unless: i. You know the person who is sending you the email AND after looking at the actual email address, you recognize it (a hacker will copy your friend’s name, but the email address will now be different if you look at it). ii. The email sounds like the person you know. If it just says “Hey Carole you should check this out”…
Read MorePreparing Students for Jobs
April 20, 2018 | Barna, Guzy & Steffen, Ltd.As she has for many years, BGS Attorney Carole Clark Isakson recently spent a morning at Osseo Senior High School conducting mock interviews with students. This year nearly FIVE HUNDRED students will participate in mock interviews, which are well designed to give each student a taste of what a real job interview is like. “It is an activity I really enjoy”, said Isakson, “and I know it has tremendous value for the students, many of whom have never interviewed for a job.” Students are randomly assigned to one of the many interviewers, and are evaluated on everything from their responses to questions, to their posture. The interviewers are provided a range of questions that employers may ask, including those general “tell me about yourself” and “what has been your biggest challenge” questions that can temporarily stump even the most practiced adult. Working with students on how to answer those questions in a way that tells a potential employer something good about the student is one of the jobs of the interviewer, but not the only job! Resumes are reviewed and edited, and questions are answered. And while an interviewer works on content, he or she also works with the students on appearance and posture. Most students are aware that eye contact is…
Read MoreCan My Spouse Use Recorded Conversations and Messages in Court?
April 12, 2018 | Elizabeth A. SchadingWhen you are going through a divorce from your spouse, it can be a long and drawn out process, as well as distressing for everyone involved. Unfortunately, some marriages can break down and turn nasty in proceedings, especially if there has been infidelity or disagreement over assets. This means that the other spouse may turn to different forms of evidence to prove their point and things can get heated. One of the common questions that arises in divorce proceedings is whether recorded conversations and messages can be used in court against the other person. In the modern and digital age, we leave an electronic trail where everything we say is collected and cannot easily disappear. This means that spouses want to use social media posts, text messages and audio clips against the other party in a divorce as evidence. So, the question is; is my spouse allowed to use these recorded media and messages against me? Under federal law, wiretapping is illegal. This is when you secretly monitor someone’s phone call and eavesdrop on their conversation. The people that are involved in the phone call are not aware you are listening and that is what makes it illegal. Of course, forms of hacking into your phone or social media accounts to reveal…
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