How can you win a copy of the book?

To enter for a chance to win a copy of the book leave a comment sharing your tips or questions on how to best to be prepared for emergencies, whether economic or environmental. You must be live in the Victoria area to be eligible to receive the prize. The winning participant will be drawn Sunday, April 3, 2011 and contacted by email.

Note: when you leave a comment you’ll be asked for your email. This won’t show publicly and I don’t share email addresses with anyone.

We picked up our copy of the book at The Good Planet Company at 746 Fort Street. Unfortunately they’ve sold out. However, Munro’s Books at 1108 Government Street, currently has 2 in stock. The publisher is New Society, previously a local company. Don’t forget – support local!

UPDATE: Congratulations to Heather who has won the book. Enjoy! Thanks everyone for sharing your tips and questions.

Stop by the table and introduce yourself, you can enter the draw for 3 gigs of online storage for one year or a 1 hour on-site computer call .  I am looking forward to seeing you all there. Here is a link from the Saanich Voice Online, a new community minded newspaper, highlighting some of the events and more about the EXPO.

I attended last year and highly recommend the short trip to Brentwood for the afternoon and maybe a stop for lunch at the Sea Horse Cafe next to the Brentwood Bay Ferry Terminal.

The details are:

Saturday, March 12^th

Brentwood Hall, 7082 Wallace Drive

12:00 – 3:00 pm

FREE Admission!

Connect with healthy and sustainable solutions: More than 50 Green Businesses, Fabulous Local Food, Community Networking

To learn more about L.E.A.D. (Local Environmental Action Divas)  and their inspirational group check out their website.

Currently half of the fee will be invested in KIVA! Swift Kick Computers has joined together with The Good Planet Company’s KIVA Lending Team where, together, we will be able to multiply our efforts.

If you don’t need our help disposing of your old computer hardware, please be sure to avoid the landfill. There are a number of recycling depots around town; one is located at the Goodwill near McKenzie and Quadra. See Encorp’s website for more details on locations and their program.

* AMD 245 AM3 CPU running at a speed of 2.9GHz
* 2 GB DDR3 RAM
* 500 GB Hard Drive
* DVD Burner
* Microsoft’s latest version of Windows, Windows 7 Home Premium
* $600 + HST
* PLUS- 1 hour of onsite setup is included in the price! Yes, we will get you up and started with your new computer as part of the package!

Offer good until December 31, 2010

If you need your old computer or associated electronics recycled, we will happily take it away as part of a service call – no extra charge!

Things seem to have come full circle, just as in the early days of PCs most viruses were transmitted by exchanging floppy disks, now removable USB drives have become one of the most common forms of transmission for viruses. Unfortunately the Microsoft technology that makes such devices plug-and-play can also leave Windows wide open to this.

The Autorun feature of Windows is what allows our computers to automatically play a DVD or other form of media when we plug it into a computer, but it works equally well at running any virus or malware that has snuck onto the USB stick. You can disable Autorun on most versions of Windows (Google “Disable Autorun Windows” to see how), but equally important is to make sure you have anti-virus software installed that scans each new file before windows opens it. Avira and Avast seem to be among the best of the free anti-virus solutions out there today, but for the best (and what we use ourselves!), we recommend ParetoLogic’s Anti-Virus Plus. See our website or give us a call for more info on Anti-Virus Plus.

If you have an unsecured wireless network at your own home, this is an issue for you; but it’s an even larger issue at wireless cafés, where free wireless internet access is offered to a lot of people at once does this problem truly start to become a serious issue. During the login process to any unsecured website i.e. when you see http://www.facebook.com and not the secured version of a website https://www.yourbank.com/login The wireless router will spread your login and confirmation info out to everyone that is within range of the wireless router, and normally this would not be a problem if there was no one listening for this information but each internet user happily using the internet, having a coffee and not caring what their neighbour is doing on their laptop. What Firesheep has now done is made your login information more public and the solution requires a security update from Facebook, Twitter, etc. Ultimately, the creation of Firesheep is a good thing. Bad publicity around such poor security practices of these sites will force these companies to adopt higher security standards for end user. 
Firesheep has also highlighted another security issue that some websites practice. For example, when using Facebook you can login at the secure https:// website but once you are login it will drop you down to the standard, unsecured http://

Some obvious recommendations, if you choose to use wireless secure your home network if you have not done so yet. Recently in a customers condo I conducted a test and found 5 or 6 wireless network and at least one network was unsecured. Secure you wireless networks but better yet, use a hard-wired connection!

There is a program here, called Black Sheep that has limited success in detecting anyone using Firesheep in the vicinity of a particular wireless router that the café is using. This will give you a fairly good idea if you are safe from Firesheep, but that is about all. I would hesitate to use any, free wireless networks and need to logon to an unsecured website.

To read more about concerns being raised about Wi-Fi click here.

An Ounce of Prevention
It sounds like common sense, but how many of us back up our data regularly? We have quite a few options these days, but the most common methods are to copy your key files and folders onto a USB stick, an external hard drive or burn them onto DVDs. It’s even better if you can take your backed up data somewhere “offsite.”

Unfortunately, we don’t always remember to do a daily back up and many tend to procrastinate for just one more day, sometimes even weeks. Inevitably that’s when things go wrong. We have the solution – With Swiftkick’s Online Backup you can have your key files and folders backed up automatically to a secure, offsite, internet data storage facility. It’s fast, automated and once it’s installed it will keep on backing up your data without you having to worry about it. See our website for more information!

And When Lightning Does Strike….
What can you do when you do lose your files?
Call us! Over the last 10 years we’ve received many a panicked call to recover deleted files, folders and entire corrupted and reformatted file systems and drives. We’ve acquired the skills and tools required to recover lost data from all manner of causes – and as long as the hard drive hasn’t developed a physical fault, there is a very good chance we can get your data back.

1. Turn the computer off so no further files get overwritten or more damage occurs.
2. Call Swift Kick Computers!

We can analyze your hard drive for a $30 and recover all retrievable data for $100, providing you with a CD or DVD copy. If replacing your hard drive we can copy your recovered data onto your new drive.

This recent news clip is only one of many reporting on some of the concerns being raised. Two sites worth noting are www.safeschool.ca and www.citizensforsafetechnology.com

I am clearly passionate about technology, it’s my business, but essentially I believe that it’s our responsibility to take a precautionary approach where our children’s safety is concerned.  Surely there’s good reason other countries are taking Wi-Fi out of schools, limiting exposure and insurance companies no longer covering claims related to this technology.

As a business owner I must put the safety of my customers and their families first. Although not as convenient, there is another option, hard-wired – it’s both safe and secure. Many of you have switched to a wireless connection – you can switch off the wireless component using the software within the router. Let me know if you need a hand with this. 

Here is a list of some of the reasons I’ve found to be concerned:  

• CBC – The National: Wendy Mesley reports about how many insurance companies are not insuring cell phone manufacturers and wireless carriers, worried that this industry could turn out to be another health crisis like asbestos  More info here.
• Warnings from the Telecommunications Industry More info here.
• Countries in Europe are already starting to take Wi-Fi out of schools.  Switzerland is providing Fiber Optics for their schools. Already exposure rates and guidelines are significantly lower all around the world with the exception of Canada and the USA which is up to 1000x’s higher than many of these other countries.
• Israeli Knesset panel endorses plan to minimize electromagnetic radiation exposure in schools. More info here.
• The mayor of the second largest city in Calvados is going to remove the Wi-Fi network from local schools. More info here.   
• One Surrey BC school bans Wi-Fi and cell phones, stating it was not a major change to hard-wire computers. More info here.
• Evidence presented to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health from the Public Health Department, Salzburg, Austria. The official advice is to avoid using this technology in schools.  More info here.
• Parliament of Hesse (Germany) states that wired over wireless connection should be given preference wherever possible. In a decision from 22 March 2007 (br-online.de), the Bavarian parliament asked its schools to forego the use of wireless Internet networks such as Wi-Fi because of health concerns and instead to go back to wired network solutions. In an additional decision from 21 June 2007 (print copy 15/8409) on “Protecting Children at School from Radiation Exposures,” the state government was asked to inform the school authorities about the statements and recommendations of the Federal Office for Radiation Protection.  More info here.
• Lakehead University Wi-Fi Policy limits wireless connectivity based on the precautionary principle. More info here.
• We know that cell phone towers use the same technology and same frequency range as Wi-Fi yet there are guidelines in place which state the suggested “safe” distance in which cell phone towers may be in proximity of a school. Why would we install Wi-Fi technology directly inside a classroom?  
• Swisscom is the leading telecom provider in Switzerland and it devised a way to reduce the microwave radiation from Wi-Fi (also known as WLAN or wireless local area network). In its patent application, Swisscom clearly states the elevated risk of cancer and genetic damage from the constant low-level microwave/RF exposure from Wi-Fi.  More info here .
• There are no current studies on short or long-term effects of Wi-Fi on children as such studies are considered unethical, yet implementing Wi-Fi in schools is essentially exposing children to an ongoing experiment without parental consent.
• Health Canada’s Code 6 guidelines were written for microwave ovens in the 1970’s.  Basically Code 6 states that if the microwaves do not heat your skin in 6 minutes or begin to cook you, then they are not harmful. This code was designed well before the use of cell phones or Wi-Fi routers and certainly before anyone thought to put them into schools.  The “safe” label was allowed to be dangerously high to also allow the use of military technology and not to be used in a school setting where there are developing children and young adults. For more information click here.
• In the 1999-2009 version of Safety Code 6 it warns about the health problems some people will experience: “Certain members of the general public may be more susceptible to harm from microwave exposure. Wi-Fi should never be used in public schools because some children will be more harmed than others suffering headaches, nausea, radically altered heart rates, rashes and weakness.” This warning from page 11 has been erased from the Safety Code in October of 2009.  The latest specification for Wi-Fi, the 802.11N protocol was also introduced in October 2009, and uses multiple frequencies and multiple antennas to increase the transmission speeds and data rates. It would seem to me that this would further increase the concerns and the warning noted above and should be more prominent, not removed from the Safety Code.
• The Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Kendall, states that the use of Wi-Fi is indeed safe yet recently has written to the Ministry of Education, providing a list of ways to reduce exposure. Click to download and view the Letter Re: Wi-Fi in Schools Nov 2010.
• The Parliamentary HESA committee is in the process of meetings to address this issue where many concerns and questions are presently being raised. HESA Wi-Fi Hearing Oct 28 2010. More info here.  
• A sales campaign called the “21st Century Learner” is putting microwave transmitters into classrooms across Canada. The sales job is so successful the systems are being bought by countless schools which already have safe cable internet connection. It all began in 2002 with a group of technology companies were dreaming up how to sell their products to schools. Below is a link to the sales team — the corporations who came up with the “21st Century Learner” campaign that was soon disguised as an “education” campaign. Many school boards have been fooled. Click here to read more.

What can you do?

1. As parents and members of the community you can get the discussion started with your local school Parent Advisory Committees. Ask at your school how to contact the PAC or attend their next meeting. You can find PAC information on your school districts website or local school’s website.
2. You can write to the Minister of Education and the Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Kendall and express your concerns.
   • Minister of Education – Mary MacDiarmid minister.educ@gov.bc.ca
   • Office of the Provincial Health Officer – 4^th Floor, 1515 Blanshard Street, Victoria BC V8W 3C8 Phone: (250) 952-1330 Fax: (250) 952-1362 Perry.Kendall@gov.gc.ca
3. You can write to the trustees in your school District.
   • Greater Victoria School District: trustees@sd61.bc.ca
   • Sooke School District: http://www.sd62.bc.ca/AboutSSD/Trustees.aspx (individual email addresses provided)
   • Saanich School District: sbo_board@sd63.bc.ca
4. Attend SD 61’s public meetings of the Wi-Fi Ad Hoc Committee. If you’d like to present be sure to note the January 10^th deadline for submissions and presentation guidelines. The meeting dates are January 24^th, 31^st and February 28^th from 5-7 pm. For further information go to: http://www.sd61.bc.ca/wifi.aspx **Although this issue isn’t isolated to The Greater Victoria School District 61 they are the only District that has  created an Ad Hoc meeting to discuss this.**
5. Turn off Wi-Fi in your own home.

Again, I want to be clear, I’m not against the technology. I just want it to be safe. By taking a precautionary approach and working together through reading reliable information, not studies financed by industry, and educating ourselves on alternatives to Wi-Fi we can reduce potential risks to our children until we know with certainty that the technology is safe. SD61’s Mission statement declares that it “…is committed to each student’s success in learning within a responsive and safe environment.”

Last weekend was the launch of the Swift Kick Computers Online Backup Program while we were at the Organic Islands Festival. It was a great success. Our table was hopping with questions and interest in our NEW Swift Kick Online Backup system; it provides off site backup security for all your computer files, ensuring that if anything happens to your home or business, if your computer or laptop is stolen, lost or damaged, your data is safely and easily retrievable. I was explaining this to someone at the festival and they responded, “All hard drives fail 100% of the time—it’s just a matter of when.”

A few of the features include automatic backup on a schedule that works for you; backup of an unlimited number of computers and powerful recovery options as well as global access to your files from anywhere you have a computer and internet access.

Swift Kick Online Backup is an essential service. I can’t count how many times I’ve had calls from customers reporting their computers won’t start up, only to find that they’re hard drive has failed. No one likes to make that dread call to explain the situation and then ask the dreaded question, “Do you have everything backed up?” I usually get a long pause followed by a quiet “No.” Photos, emails, documents, tax returns, music and videos can easily disappear if not backed up. Depending on the state of the dead hard drive, some data can be retrieved but it’s a costly and time-consuming affair. A good back up plan would alleviate this scenario.

External hard drives can fail too, even for computer techs. Having seen this happen too many times, it prompted me to seek out a more secure, robust and safe option that would suit the needs of everyone. The good news is that I’m glad to say that I have found an affordable option that is just that.

Although there wasn’t near enough time to get around to all the exhibits myself I did talk to several and enjoyed a couple of the forums. My family discovered several new vendors we’d not met before and new ways to continue to reduce our household and business footprint.

Now for some more news…

We offered several contests before and during the festival this year. Leading up to the festival we gave away 2 free tickets.  At the festival we had a draw for 3 GB Swift Kick Computers Online Backup and a $50 Swift Kick Computers On-site service call.

Congratulations to all three winners!

Thanks to all who stopped by, it was good to meet you and see good to see some familiar faces. And don’t forget to call if we can help you with your backup plan, or any other computer issue that you might have.

Looking for a sustainably made company banner or t-shirts to represent your business, but having trouble finding a print studio up for the challenge? Green Print Studio is a cutting-edge local company committed to green practices.

Unlike most printers, Green Print Studio’s uses 100% solvent-free processing products, PVC and phthalate-free textile inks, and ethically sourced sustainable garments. When seeking a Swift Kick banner for exhibiting that wouldn’t use toxic materials Green Print Studio’s was the first place I looked; their services include screen printing, artisan sign creation, and logo creation and branding.

Green Print Studio’s commitment to sustainability means they only buy from manufacturers that share an equal commitment to our environment. Their signature Little Inkers clothing line creates garments for infants and children made from organic cotton and bamboo. For promoting your business, Green Print Studio’s also offers a wide range of organic cotton, hemp, soy and bamboo garment blanks including tee shirts, hats, hoodies, bags, sportswear, onezees and infant caps – all from reputable sweatshop-free suppliers. Not limited to environmentally conscious garment printing, they also print a large variety of other media. Contact them to find out more. Always innovative, one new initiative is their computerized waste water system ensuring that all water used in the processing of screens can be contained, cleaned and reused in the garden.