Sunday, March 08, 2015


Incomprehensible. Can we agree that data on a smartphone is unlikely to offer a clear and present danger to Customs agents? What do they expect to find?
Man Detained At Canadian Airport For Not Divulging Smartphone Passcode
There have been many stories to come out of the US over the past couple of years that have related to law enforcement requests of personal passwords, and now, it looks like Canada wants to get in on the action.
This past week, traveler Alain Philippon was returning to the Great White North from the Dominican Republic, and upon his arrival, customs officers demanded that he give his smartphone's PIN code so that they could fish around. He refused, and now he faces a fine of $1,000 to $25,000 and one year in jail
… Customs authorities say that searching people's smartphones is not standard procedure, but it's not against the rules. It's up to the officers themselves to deem the best action to take.
In the US, people could argue their Fifth Amendment rights when it comes to divulging passwords. That won't stop many from asking, though. We learned just a couple of months ago that a school district wants to demand social media passwords from accused bullies; so it's not just law enforcement that wants this sort of access.


Might be fun to teach a few classes at CIA University.
Unclassified Version of March 6, 2015 Message to the Workforce from CIA Director John Brennan
… The initiatives described below are driven by two fundamental shifts in the national security landscape. The first is the marked increase in the range, diversity, complexity, and immediacy of issues confronting policymakers; and the second is the unprecedented pace and impact of technological advancements.
… First, we must ensure that we continue to attract the best from the broadest pool of American talent, and develop our officers with the skills, knowledge, and Agency-wide perspective they will need to lead us into the future. Second, we must be positioned to embrace and leverage the digital revolution to the benefit of all mission areas. Third, we need an organizational construct and business practices that support our decisionmaking process. And fourth, we must allow all of our Agency’s capabilities to be brought to bear as quickly and coherently as possible to meet the Nation’s challenges.”


If you ever asked a friend for their recommendation for anything, Google wants you to ask them. Find insurance. Find a restaurant. Find a lawyer? Find a date?
Google can now help you buy the best car insurance
Airline and retail price comparisons were only the beginning for Google's shopping tools. The tech giant launched “Google Compare for Auto Insurance” on Thursday, delving into yet another realm of the consumer world through its near-ubiquitous search engine.
Google Compare for Auto Insurance will work similarly to its credit card comparison tools. You type in your ZIP code, vehicle info, and coverage details, then Google will show you an array of options from one of its 14 partners. If you see a quote you like, you can buy it on the spot, or get contact information to talk further with an insurance company.
… Right now, it is only operating in California, but Google says it will expand...


Social network marketplace? “I have thousands of faithful followers. Hire me to pitch your products?” How should I classify this?
How Everyday People are Building Businesses on YouTube
… There’s a growing community of lesser-known YouTubers that are finding ways to work with brands and build financially successful businesses just by posting YouTube videos. DayLynn Contreras is one of those YouTubers. She runs the channel Jelly and Day with her fiancĂ©, Angelica Perez. The channel has just more than 100,000 subscribers and features videos about different products that the couple uses on a daily basis.
Until recently, the channel didn’t bring in much money. But when Contreras and Perez discovered FameBit, a platform that connects brands with YouTube creators, that all changed.
… Those creators get paid a minimum of $100 to upwards of $20,000 for working with brands to develop video content.

Dilbert defines the perfect employee.

No comments: