HonkinNews for 20 June 2017 Now Available
June 20, 2017
HonkinNews reminds everyone that success may be measured in the size of one’s golden parachute. We report that Yahoot (sorry, I meant, Yahoo) is now Oath with a colon. As we ponder the end of Yahoot, we mention that Yahoot’s former president is leaving the company in a cloud of purple haze with about $250 million. Yahoooo. The Dark Web presentations at the TechnoSecurity & Digital Forensics Conference seemed to be a hit. The two public lectures attracted 310 people. The special hands on session was sold out. We report that the launch of Dark Web Notebook (available at gum.com/darkweb) caught some attendees’ attention as well. This week’s program has the details. Concerned that your Big Data or content processing system is an error-generation machine? The solution is editorial controls before one starts crunching. HonkinNews reveals that using the term “data governance” is no substitute for management and planning ahead. What about Palantir? Watch this week’s program to learn that Palantir, once an outsider for some government work, is now an insider. You can find this week’s program at this link.
Kenny Toth, June 20, 2017
Break into Netflixs Stockroom with This Chrome Extension
June 1, 2017
The article titled Search Hidden Netflix Categories and Save Your Favorites With This Extension on LifeHacker calls attention to Netflix’s treasure trove of hidden category codes. Using Netflix often feels like a very limited exercise, especially if you don’t use the DVD service. But part of that is because Netflix is only showing you titles based on what it thinks you will like. The algorithm has its perks, but it can also become a spiral of narrowing cultural interests. The article illumines,
Netflix has a ton of hidden categories codes you can use to find movies and shows you’re into. The aptly-named Chrome extension Netflix Categories helps you find and save the ones you like. The extension adds a button to your Chrome menu bar. Click it and you’ll see a drop down list of categories that you might not find on the Netflix site proper. You can search the categories by name to find something more specific.
What sort of categories are available? Everything under the sun, from “Movies for ages 0 to 2” to “Film Noir” to “Military Documentaries” to “Belgian Movies” to “Korean TV Shows.” These categories offer a great way to branch out and be exposed to content that might unlock new interests. Or they can help to pinpoint an area of interest and see everything that Netflix has to offer on the subject. At any rate, it is a helpful tool to navigate Netflix’s full inventory.
Chelsea Kerwin, June 1, 2017
HonkinNews for May 30, 2017 Now Available
May 30, 2017
This week’s HonkinNews tackles the “three peas in a pod” approach to certain online information. Some might call the approach used by China, Facebook, and Google censorship. HonkinNews understand that certain information should not be available to just anyone. Does censorship work? If the correct information is filtered, censorship is a champ. Google is into the side search business. The idea is not new, but Google’s approach is to use a euphemism for determining if an Adword leads to an actual sale from a retail outlet. Why position context analysis as something really new? Google wants to prove that online ads really work. Of course they do. Artificial intelligence has found its niche in life. Now smart software can name colors. What does one call that color your young child wants? We provide an answer. The Beyond Search team responsible for HonkinNews will be at the TechnoSecurity & Digital Forensics Conference. I know that sounds like a ton of fun. There’s nothing like the party atmosphere of more than 1,000 LE, security, and intel types. HonkinNews will be delivering three lectures/training sessions. Our next program will be on June 13, 2017, unless the Kentucky crowd becomes the guests of South Carolina. You can find the video at this link.
Stephen E Arnold, May 30, 2017
HonkinNews for 23 May 2017 Now Available
May 23, 2017
HonkinNews reports that summer has arrived in rural Kentucky. Ah, bourbon and mosquitoes. In this week’s HonkinNews, you will learn about Bitvore, an enterprise search company which focuses on financial markets. You can search news and other data. The company seems to be channeling Palantir but uses a patented three dimensional data structure. IBM apparently conducted research which proves that India (yep, the nation with 1.2 billion non-innovative people) is—wait for it—not innovative. IBM does understand one India-originated innovation: The number zero. IBM has reported 20 consecutive quarters of zero revenue growth. Ah, IBM. Ever innovative. Google made some waves in the goose pond behind the Beyond Search shed too. Google and its Streams data system allegedly help people with kidney diseases. Clever name, Streams. We report that the UK’s National Health Service suspects that Google pumped in data about patients and their visitors. Google will not be vacationing in Russia this year. The country now prohibits Google from restricting competition in Android-based devices. When Google and an advertiser enter into a marriage, that sickness and health stuff does not include the death do us part clause. About.com, a dead Web information service, is still running Adwords after the last rites. Advertising is important. Enjoy this week’s program. You can view the seven minute program at this link.
HonkinNews for 16 May 2017 Now Available
May 16, 2017
HonkinNews notes a Silicon Valley’s assessment of IBM Watson. (Trigger Warning: If you are an IBM stakeholder, you will not be too thrilled.) Social Capital’s Chamath Palihapitiya described the Watson billion dollar bet at a “joke.” Yikes! The statement was made on the US financial news program “Closing Bell.” You will learn where to locate the Department of Defense’s Memex open source code collection. The information is not in the US government’s Code.gov Web site, the so-called hub for open source software. The list, software developer, description, and link to the software appear on the Darpa Web site. A description of some of the software and a link to the Darpa Web page also appear in our “Dark Web Notebook,” which you can pre-order from our Xenky.com site. How useful is artificial intelligence for attorneys? HonkinNews reports that it is mostly a human-assisted search system. Software, it seems, cannot advise clients or appear in court. As the software improves, some displaced attorneys way seek jobs at Kentucky Fried Chicken. This week’s program summarizes research about bursty search. The approach requires running multiple queries and thinking about the subject of the search. The approach is different from bowling team research for pizza. The bowlers click an icon and wait for the delivery professional. That’s what HonkinNews calls tasty search. You can view the program at this link.
Kenny Toth, May 16, 2017
HonkinNews for 2 May 2017 Now Available
May 2, 2017
The HonkinNews show for 2 May 2017 features the Buzzfeed Palantir beatdown. Our intrepid researcher reveals that some Silicon Valley CEOs give talks in order to motivate employees or move the herd in a specific direction. Buzzfeed, however, sees a 2016 Palantir video as another example of Palantir Technologies’ inability to go steady with US government spy agencies. Marissa Mayer caught out attention this week. She will be leaving the Yahoo organization when the savvy Verizon outfit gobbles up an Internet dowager. But don’t feel too bad. The existing Yahooligan will be dragging a bag filled with $187 million.Yahoot! CIO Review’s remarkable analysis of “analytical engines” caught our attention. Not only were the recommendations a bit unusual, but CIO Review recommended a product no longer sold. Yep, that’s analysis analyzing analytical engines at its best. Google is working hard to ferret out hate speech and fake news. Forbes’ Magazine raises a question few wish to consider; specically, are Google’s search results declining in quality. Beyond Search is of the opinion that the more important question is, “Were Google’s search any good when compared with commercial online services’ systems?” Spoiler: Nope. Go with the commercial online databases. Editorial policy is useful in our opinion. You can view the video at this link.
Kenny Toth, May 2, 2017
HonkinNews for 25 April 2017 Now Available
April 25, 2017
This week’s HonkinNews features some smart software shenanigans. A late night talk show host used Google Translate, not human joke writers, to craft a clever sketch. Google Translate presented “I will survive” as “I will be punctual.” To beat that noteworthy deliverable, IBM Watson helped H&R Block this tax season. The empty white cube from IBM’s less than memorable Super Bowl ad seemed to be a metaphor for IBM’s 20th consecutive quarter of declining revenue. H&R Block also reported a downturn. Should I ask Watson what happened? Nah. Microsoft channeled IBM Watson in NICE health care. To sidestep the gremlins in automated question answering, Microsoft will use humans to make sure the information is — nice. Smart software may put lip readers out of work. The program includes a modern application of the fox in the hen house. To see how the advertising chickens react to Google’s stepping in to make objectionable ads into egg salad, watch the program. The program is at this link.
Kenny Toty, April 25, 2017
HonkinNews for April 18, 2017 Now Available
April 18, 2017
From the friendly skies of rural Kentucky, this week’s HonkinNews talks about the benefits of a visit to Louisville, Kentucky. Injuries are possible. HonkinNews report that a mid tier consulting firm has decided that people do not search. When you look for information online, you really “insight.” Yep, that sounds pretty crazy to Beyond Search as well. Even more startling are the companies the thrashing consulting firm identifies as leaders in “insight.” Spoiler: Recorded Future, Palantir Technologies, and other companies of this ilk are not included. Why? Insight means enterprise search. HonkinNews also take a quick look at what we call the “high school science club disorder” or HSSCD. Although not on the list of official medical conditions, we report on some striking parallels between Stephen E Arnold’s high school science club in 1958 and Google’s response to allegations from the US Department of Labor about Google’s compensation plan. From the Beyond Alexa service, HonkinNews recycles some information about must-use Amazon Alexa skills. Fancy some Eastern philosophy or words from fashionistas. You will learn what to have Alexa deliver for your auditory delight. A technological news flash about pizza adds flavor to this week’s show. You will want to use DRU to get your slice. No, DRU is not based on “drool”, although one of the Beyond Search team does droll when someone mentions pizza. DRU is a Domino Robotic Unit. Yummy. HonkinNews speculates about a rumored “new” functions for those who write using Microsoft Word. If you like Windows 10’s start menu ads, you will love LinkedIn information displayed next to that memo you are trying to finish so you can leave early. View the program to find out if Clippy will return. You can view the program here.
NB. One viewer of the program wanted to know why the program is in black and white and is pretty lousy. The reason is that we film on a Bell & Howell camera. We are in rural Kentucky, and we use what we have. Enough said. You can “insight” old fashioned eight mm film too.
Kenny Toth, April 18, 2017
HonkinNews for April 11, 2017, Now Available
April 11, 2017
This week’s HonkinNews video program leads with information about Bitext, a company providing breakthrough deep linguistic analysis solutions. In order to put the comments of Dr. Antonio Valderrabanos in perspective, HonkinNews takes a look at the “promo” article discussing IBM’s cognitive computing activities. There is one key difference highlighted in HonkinNews: IBM talks jargon in recycled marketing language and Bitext’s CEO talks about the company’s rapid growth and licensing deals with companies like Audi, Renault, and one of the largest players in the mobile device and mobile services market. The program also looks at the remarkable 9,000 word Fortune Magazine article about Palantir Technologies’ interaction with US government procurement agencies. The very long article does not describe Palantir’s technical innovations nor does the Fortune analysis explain why using commercial off-the-shelf software for intelligence work makes sense. News about the Dark Web Notebook teams three presentations at the prestigious TechnoSecurity & Digital Forensics Conference in June 2017 complements a special offer for the only handbook to Dark Web investigations available. For discount information, check out the links displayed in the video. The video also takes a look at the new Yahoo. Once the transformation of Yahoo into Oath with a punctuation mark no less takes place, the Yahoo yodel will become a faint auditory memory. Does the HonkinNews item trigger an auditory memory. Watch this week’s video to find out. You can watch the video at this link.
Kenny Toth, April 11, 2017
HonkinNews for 4 April, 2017 Now Available
April 4, 2017
For April 4, 2017, HonkinNews digs into a shallow article about enterprise search. We did not know that enterprise search illuminates the dark corners of the Internet. We don’t believe this, but that’s why we decided to discuss this flimsy analysis. Also, Snap ephemera are now findable, which means that these gems of knowedge ot disappear quickly. We find some humor in a headhunting outfit which is promoting the name Beyond Search in interesting ways: Dead links and tie ups in Brazil, for example. ISPs can now sell user data. We quote a former FTC big wig who is a master of alliteration. Of course, big ISPs promise not to sell user data. Never. Ever. We discuss a company with technology able to figure out a person’s interests and match ads to that individual. The ads will arrive via an Alexa device or a wheelchair. Finally we illustrate the Google way of answering direct questions. You can find the program at this link.
Kenny Toth, April 4, 2017
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