Sometimes an airline passenger in the right place on the right flight really hits the jackpot. At least, that’s what happened to this Air Canada passenger with a window seat. He has the perfect view of a space-bound shuttle. I suggest kind of clicking ahead a little every once in a while unless you are truly awe-inspired (it’s a bit long).
From what I’ve been able to gather, this is likely the shuttle Discovery on STS-124 (the mission’s official designation). The purpose of the mission is to complete the Kibo space laboratory on the International Space Station. Very cool!
A Spanish office worker has been jailed for two years after he “hacked” into the computer of his ex-boss, retrieved hundreds of emails that the man had deleted and then sent them on to lots of other people.
The emails were said to be “highly personal” and contained details such as the man’s sex life. But they then found their way to people such as the ex-boss’s wife, mistress, former colleagues and even the Mayor!
As well as the two year jail term, the villain was also ordered to pay a fine of €3,240 ($4,820) as well as €4,000 ($5,950) in compensation to the former Pointy-Haired Boss, whose reputation – and marriage – must be in tatters by now.
The case was able to be brought to court because of Spain’s strict privacy laws. So as soon as the first email went out, the office worker was in deep doo-doo. Never mind the fact that he hacked his way in. They got him on the privacy violations instead.
A bit like getting Al Capone on tax violations instead of the gangster-related charges. It’s always the little things that bring these people down.
Moral Of The Story – When you think the compromising email is deleted, perhaps it’s really not. Check again!
The Internet, and especially blogs, are quickly becoming recognized as a great source of debate and opinion on controversial topics. Stories that begin in the mainstream media often spill over to blogs for discussion, and more and more often now, people form their own opinions after reading both sides of issues on blogs.
A perfect example of this is the debate over Comcast’s traffic shaping to suppress P2P applications. Comcast ultimately stopped the practice and was fined by the FCC, but during the runup to the FCC hearings, many blogs, including this one, offered opinions on whether or not Comcast’s practices were against net neutrality or constituted normal traffic management.
I have written in this space previously that, in my opinion, what Comcast was doing was necessary as day to day management of their network. What if it came out later that Comcast was paying me to write this on this blog? (they didn’t.) Wouldn’t that make you mad? I know that it would make me mad if I found that such a biased piece was written on one of my favorite blogs.
But this is just what has been happening on other blogs and online newpapers, including The Harvard Crimson. In this article here, author Mel King writes that FCC has been putting on a “dog and pony show” regarding Comcast’s traffic management. Now he has been outed by CNET’s Declan McCullagh as a staunch supporter of net neutrality, and an opponent of federal legislation that would benefit Broadband Providers. So why the opposing opinion piece for the Crimson?
According to McCullagh, its because he is a member of LawMediaGroup, a DC lobbying and public affairs firm that specializes in turning controversial issues into campaigns for corporate interests. And Comcast hired LMG to campaign against the net neutrality message in the courts of public opinion. According to LMG’s website, this is how they do it:
Most public affairs firms are “stovepipes” which specialize in discrete issues such as traditional lobbying, media buys, or often merely purchasing grassroots relationships with the clients’ funds. By contrast, LMG uses a “political campaign model” that integrates expertise in the subject matter, message development, aggressive, research-driven paid and earned media, on-the-ground coalition building, preparation of analytical and other policy papers, and a host of next-generation services such as viral and online campaigns. Our goal is to dominate the media environment on behalf of the client.“
In order to be a blogger for one of these types of media lobbying firms, you have to keep it a secret, but the job could be lucrative. Again, according to McCullagh, op-ed pieces on blogs or newspapers can earn about $750 bucks per article. Not bad work if you can get it, I guess. But I didn’t know integrity had such a low price tag.
A while ago, Nokia launched a site that featured a strange box that could be unlocked by solving various puzzles. When opened, the box promised to present “The Weirdest Clip Ever Made”. Well folks, the mysterious clip has just been released to the public, and I must admit, it may really be one of the strangest things I’ve ever seen. If you thought that those old PS3 ads looked weird, buckle your seatbelt, as this clip is bringing strangeness to a whole new level. Video after the jump. Continue reading ›
A political row is erupting in Scotland after it emerged that 8,300 Scottish schoolchildren are to be biometrically fingerprinted at a cost of 20,000 pounds ($37,300) per school per year. As well as the staggering cost, angry parents are also voicing their opposition to the Big Brother privacy intrusions into their children’s lives.
It’s all part of a pilot scheme which is being tested at eight secondary schools (high schools) at East Dunbartonshire. Supporters of the scheme are citing the advantages of the fingerprinting database including class attendance monitoring, better monitoring of library book borrowing and the buying of school meals (and the end of stigma for those who receive free meals).
It’s hard to imagine that Barack Obama got sucked into something like this, but clearly even he isn’t immune to the ravages of the internet. If you were going to vote for him, I’m sorry but all hope is now lost. Just watch, spoilers after the jump:
I’ve just returned from a short holiday to Scotland and one of the highlights of my trip was a visit to a standup comedy show at the Edinburgh Festival. The comedian in question was Dean Haglund. Don’t know who he is? Well here he is with my girlfriend and I after his show (he’s the one in the middle) :
Still struggling to place him? OK, let’s go back to the late 1990’s and see what he looked like back then. This is sure to jolt your memory.
In the following three videos, you’ll see how various kinds of traffic flow all over Britain, from the exchange of data all over the country, to the various routes of planes and ships during a typical day.
Let’s admit it, most elderly people can’t handle today’s “new fangled” television remotes. They all think that they’ll break something if they hit a button they’ve never touched before. Even my parents, who are in their mid-60s, look like complete idiots when trying to switch from one television channel to another. They’re so slow to punch in numbers that when switching to a multi-digit channel, they don’t even have time to hit the second or third number before the television thinks they’re done with their choice. I don’t know about you, but this drives me totally crazy. Anyway, if you’re like me and know some old folks who are afraid of touching remotes of any kind, the following comic by Roz Chast will really make you snicker.
Chris Brogan has some great ideas on how to pitch the concept of “social media” to your boss. This can be particularly useful if your superior is a Pointy-Haired Dilbert-like boss whose mind is still in the Medieval Ages when it comes to business.
Back in 2002, when I was still working for an employer (before the glory days of being self-employed), I remember approaching my boss and pitching the idea of a website for the company. I had to then spend the next half hour telling her what a website was and why exactly the company needed one. I then had to spend another half hour explaining the concept of the internet and how it worked (I needed a good stiff drink after that day at work!)
But even though we are now at 2008, there will still be many bosses who still don’t “get” the internet, especially social media, so Chris’s list is a good starting point.
Are there any more pitches you would add to the list? Any you disagree with? Any you would revise?
A Spanish office worker 
The Internet, and especially blogs, are quickly becoming recognized as a great source of debate and opinion on controversial topics. Stories that begin in the mainstream media often spill over to blogs for discussion, and more and more often now, people form their own opinions after reading both sides of issues on blogs.
A political row is erupting in Scotland after it emerged that 8,300 Scottish schoolchildren are to be biometrically fingerprinted at a cost of 20,000 pounds ($37,300) per school per year. As well as the staggering cost, angry parents are also voicing their opposition to the Big Brother privacy intrusions into their children’s lives.
Chris Brogan