Who Knew That Journalism Could Channel the Worldwide Wrestling Federation?
February 12, 2021
In this corner, the newspaper founded by Alexander Hamilton and now owned by the News Corporation. In case you did not know, News Corporation is the nurturer of “real” news outfits like Dow Jones (Wall Street Journal), some outfits in England, and Harper Collins. Like Crocodile Dundee, News Corporation is a tough bit of kangaroo jerky. You may recall that some Murdochers were involved in what Wikipedia describes in an amusing way as the “news international phone hacking scandal.” I can see the laser lights and hear the death metal soundtrack now.
In the other corner is the Gray Lady, clutching its digital subscription financial reports, like a mace. The Gray Lady is a deceptive entity. Due to age or a careless record retention policy, the New York Times’ power house does not recall that Wikipedia summarizes this way:
Controversies include allegations of biased and inaccurate reporting of the Russian Revolution, reporting on Wen Ho Lee’s alleged theft of government documents, the Jayson Blair plagiarism scandal, articles by Judith Miller, the MoveOn.org ad controversy, the 2006 Duke lacrosse team scandal, the John McCain lobbyist controversy in 2008, and various accusations of: plagiarism, a leftist bias, Anti-Indian sentiment, Anti-British sentiment, and Antisemitism.
Does the Gray Lady remember muffing the online ball almost 50 years ago when Jeff Pemberton deployed the newspaper’s first digital service? I would be a WWF ticket stub that she nor her minions do. Cue the lasers. Crank up the rap music.
What are these two estimable outfits squabbling about?
The New York Post’s “real” news article “Read the Column the New York Times Didn’t Want You to Read” reports:
Last weekend, New York Times columnist Bret Stephens wrote a piece criticizing the rationale behind the forced ouster of Times reporter Donald G. McNeil Jr., but it was never published. Stephens told colleagues the column was killed by publisher A.G. Sulzberger. Since then, the piece has circulated among Times staffers and others — and it was from one of them, not Stephens himself, that The Post obtained it. We publish his spiked column here in full.
Is this the end of the story?
Nope. Two sweaty and quite capable contestants have now stepped into the ring. I await the bell and an opportunity to purchase a pay per view ticket so that I can enjoy the tussle.
Who knew that “real” news could be so exciting? I assume that the streaming video game version of this event will be available. Will there be an Amazon or Netflix content object available? The NFL has a good business model to emulate.
I must go. The referee is explaining the rules: No low blows, no eye gouging, etc. Would these contestants violate the ref’s instructions? Not with intent I assume.
Stephen E Arnold, February 12, 2021
Zuckasar and Bezoder or Caeberg and Alexos?
December 24, 2020
I spotted this image in Google Images. Miraculously I was able to locate it by querying “Zuckerberg Caesar.” Bingo.
The idea is that the Facebook poobah seems to look like the Big J. As you will recall, some of his friends allegedly unliked the Ruler of the World using real knives, not unfollows.
I read “Jeff Bezos Reportedly Considers Himself the Alexander the Great of Modern Exploitation.” The source of this revelation in tottering Oxford don or donette (no, not a donut, gentle reader). The insight appears in an online information service called Jezebel which recycled an interview from an alleged Amazon whiz person.
I learned:
According to an Amazon cybersecurity engineer who spoke anonymously and quite candidly with Logic Magazine, working at Amazon is much more Philip K. Dick than it is Plutarch, despite Jeff Bezos’s boner for Alexander the Great:
“Jeff Bezos studies other “great men” in history and imagines himself to be a kind of Alexander the Great. There’s even a building on the Amazon campus called Alexandria, which was the name of one of the company’s early projects to get every single book that had ever been published to be listed on Amazon.”
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I see the resemblance. Uncanny. The mosaic reminds me of the thousands of AWS services which contribute to Mr. Bezos’ wealth.
One question: Why are these business leaders embracing the war fighters and dictators of yesteryear?
There are other helpful models; for example:
JP Morgan is a potential role model.
The ancient history thing may not be about money. Perhaps the appeal is for the allure of power and the world domination thing. Interesting. I am looking forward to Messrs. Zuckerberg and Bezos commissioning Bernadette Banner. She can create the Big J armor for the Zuck and come up with a period correct outfit from 370 BC for Mr. Bezos.
Great for live streaming when the monopoly hearings become available. Perfect for Shopify T shirt vendors and TikTok snippets with Wal-Mart adverts.
Stephen E Arnold, December 24, 2020
Amazon Expands Data Monitoring
October 13, 2020
Here is an optimistic view of the future, at least for areas where residents can afford to purchase these gadgets. CNET reports, “Amazon Sidewalk Will Create Entire Smart Neighborhoods. Here’s What You Should Know.” Yes, Amazon’s vision of the smart home has grown to encompass the whole subdivision. Based on how many Echo devices are backward compatible with the new tech, the plan has been in the works for some time. But what, exactly, is this project about? Reporter Ry Crist writes:
“First announced in 2019, the effort is called Amazon Sidewalk, and it uses a small fraction of your home’s Wi-Fi bandwidth to pass wireless low-energy Bluetooth and 900MHz radio signals between compatible devices across far greater distances than Wi-Fi is capable of on its own — in some cases, as far as half a mile, Amazon says. You’ll share that bandwidth with your neighbors, creating a sort of network of networks that any Sidewalk-compatible device can take advantage of. Along with making sure things like outdoor smart lights and smart garage door openers stay connected when your Wi-Fi can’t quite reach them, that’ll help things like Tile trackers stay in touch if you drop your wallet while you’re out on a walk, or if your dog hops the fence. Maybe most noteworthy of all is that Amazon Sidewalk won’t require any new hardware, at least not for short-range benefits like easier device pairing. Instead, it’ll arrive as a free software update to the Echo speakers and Ring cameras people already have in their homes.”
To take advantage of those half-mile range 900MHz connections, though, one must have newer devices: a Ring Spotlight or Floodlight cam, the fourth generation Echo smart speaker, or Echo Show 10 smart display. (More will follow, of course.) These users will also contribute bandwidth to the cause, but Amazon was wise enough to provide an opt-out option. Not everyone’s community spirit will extend to their Wi-Fi connection, no matter how little bandwidth Sidewalk will use (which is very little, compared to streaming and other functions). Since the change will come in the form of a software update, anyone who wants to decline may have to be on the lookout for that update and find the appropriate checkbox.
Some users will have security concerns, and the company has worked to address them. The Sidewalk server only gets to see packets’ destination information, we’re told, but not any of the actual device data, which will travel under three layers of encryption. They promise to delete routing information every 24 hours. Here is the PDF of the company’s white paper addressing privacy and security for Sidewalk. Customers will have to trust Amazon to safeguard their data for Sidewalk to take off, it tells us. Considering how many have already incorporated the company’s digital potential spies into their homes, we think the project has a good chance at success.
Cynthia Murrell, October 13, 2020
Amazon: The Bulldozer Grinds Forward
October 7, 2020
It is hard to tell whether the company is shameless or clueless. Either way, SlashGear observes, “Amazon Has A Creepiness Problem.” The growingly ubiquitous tech giant recently unveiled two products that will make privacy enthusiasts shiver. Writer Chris Davies reports:
“The Echo Show 10, for example, brings movement to Amazon’s smart displays, with a rotating base that promises to track you as you wander around the room. The result? A perfectly-centered video call, or a more attentive Alexa, whether you’re stood at the sink or raiding the refrigerator. Echo Show 10 seems positively pedestrian, though, in comparison to the Ring Always Home Cam. Part drone, part security camera, it launches out of a base station that resembles a fancy fragrance diffuser and then buzzes around your home to spot intruders or misbehaving pets. Never mind wondering whether the microphone on your Echo is disabled: now, the cameras themselves will be airborne.”
Naturally, Amazon offers reassurances that users are in complete control of what the devices observe and transmit. The Ring drone maintains a certain hum so one can hear it coming, and users can limit its flight area. Also, when it is docked, the camera is physically blocked. The Echo Show 10 relies on visual and audio cues to keep the user center stage, but we’re assured that data is processed locally and immediately deleted. But there is no easy way to verify the devices respect these restrictions. Users will just have to take Amazon’s word. Davies considers:
“Rationally, nothing Amazon has announced today is any more intrusive or dangerous to privacy than, well, any other smart speaker or connected camera the company has offered before. All the same, there’s a gulf between perception and reality. I could understand you being skeptical about Amazon’s intentions – and its technology – simply because it’s, well, Amazon. The company that knows so much about your shopping habits it can make pitch-perfect recommendations; the company that wants to put microphones and cameras all over your house, in your car, and in your hotel room. […]”
The man has a point. Apparently, many consumers do trust Amazon enough to place these potential spies in their homes and offices. Others, though, do not. Will a day come when it will be difficult to function in society without them? We think Amazon hopes so.
Cynthia Murrell, October 7, 2020
Nix on Those Ethics Classes: To the Cricket Ground
September 28, 2020
I read “Cambridge Analytica’s Ex-CEO Banned from Running Companies for 7 Years.” I immediately thought about the former top dog at Fast Search & Transfer. His dalliance with financials resulted in a two year jail sentence with one year suspended if the information in Global Investigations Review is on the money; that is, actual money, not the confections generated by the enterprise search system that could do more than Autonomy’s system. The CNet article quoted a legal eagle as saying:
Following an extensive investigation, our conclusions were clear that SCL Elections had repeatedly offered shady political services to potential clients over a number of years,” Mark Bruce, chief investigator for the UK government’s Insolvency Service, said in a release. “Alexander Nix’s actions did not meet the appropriate standard for a company director and his disqualification from managing limited companies for a significant amount of time is justified in the public interest.”
Which sentence was more appropriate? A year in jail for financial impropriety or generating outputs which may have altered outcomes of democratic elections?
Good question.
Now about those ethics classes at Eton? Nope, a student will learn how to promote understanding of relationships between humans, location and environment and incorporate technology to expand learning experiences. One plus of the Etonian’s education: Lots of practice with “trials.”
Jail time? Obviously inappropriate. Just common courtesy, of course. Of course, old chum.
Stephen E Arnold, September 28, 2020
Amazon: Nope, We Do Not Have an Interest in Intelware
September 10, 2020
A number of individuals have informed me that Amazon has zero interest in what I call “intelware.” The term refers to services, features, and information products designed to meet the needs of certain government agencies. These individuals are convinced that Amazon sells online books and discounted wireless headphones.
I would point out that there are some who do not accept this denial. One example appears in the “real news” outfit The Verge’s article titled “Former NSA Chief Keith Alexander Has Joined Amazon’s Board of Directors.” General Alexander is a capable individual, and he can share his experience and wisdom to refine the process of selling electric toothbrushes and other fungible oddments. After retiring, he founded IronNet Cybersecurity. Kindles can never be too secure.
As for intelware, Amazon is not in that business. At least, that’s what I have been told. Are there challenges beyond JEDI? Obviously not.
Stephen E Arnold, September 10, 2020
Insider Threats: Yep, a Problem for Cyber Security Systems
August 20, 2020
The number of cyber threat, security, alerting, and pentesting services is interesting. Cyber security investments have helped cultivate an amazing number of companies. DarkCyber’s research team has a difficult time keeping up with startups, new studies about threats, and systems which are allegedly one step ahead of bad actors. Against this context, two news stories caught our attention. It is too soon to determine if these reports are spot on, but each is interesting.
The first report appeared in Time Magazine’s story “Former CIA Officer Charged With Giving China Classified Information.” China is in the news, and this article reveals that China is or was inside two US government agencies. The story is about what insiders can do when they gather information and pass it to hostile third parties. The problem with insiders is that detecting improper behavior is difficult. There are cyber security firms which assert that their systems can detect these individuals’ actions. If the Time article is accurate, perhaps the US government should avail itself of such a system. Oh, right. The US government has invested in such systems. Time Magazine, at least in my opinion, did not explore what cyber security steps were in place. Maybe a follow up article will address this topic?
The second news item concerns a loss of health related personally identifiable information. The data breach is described in “Medical Data of Auto Accident Victims Exposed Online.” The security misstep allowed a bad actor to abscond with 2.5 million health records. The company responsible for the data loss is a firm engaged in artificial intelligence. The article explains that a PII health record can fetch hundreds of dollars when sold on “the Dark Web.” There is scant information about the security systems in place at this firm. That information strikes me as important.
Several questions come to mind:
- What cyber security systems were in place and operating when these breaches took place?
- Why did these systems fail?
- Are security procedures out of step with what bad actors are actually doing?
- What systemic issues exist to create what appear to be quite serious lapses?
DarkCyber does not have answers to these questions. DarkCyber is becoming increasingly less confident in richly funded, over-hyped, and ever fancier smart security systems. Maybe these whizzy new solutions just don’t work?
Stephen E Arnold, August 20, 2020
DarkCyber for August 11, 2020, Now Available
August 11, 2020
DarkCyber is a video news program about the Dark Web, cyber crime, and lesser known Internet services. The program for August 11, 2020, covers four stories. This week’s program is available on YouTube at this link. [Note below]
Stephen E Arnold, the producer of DarkCyber, illustrates how to jam Alexa’s surveillance components. When a white noise is not enough, Arnold points to a Web site which sells a wide array of jamming equipment. The video features a diagram of how a jamming device can disrupt mobile signals, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth from a vehicle. If a basic mobile jammer is not suitable, Arnold provides information about a military-grade detection and jamming device with a comprehensive kill chain subsystem. Arnold reminds the viewer that use of some jamming devices can have unexpected consequences.
The second story addresses the TikTok dust up between the US and China. Arnold focuses on the trivializing of the TikTok threat by pundits. These individuals, in Arnold’s opinion, are not assessing the social engineering risks posed by a TikTok-type service. Data from a consumer app can pinpoint an individual who may be susceptible to cash inducements or threats to compromise the security of a workplace. TikTok videos may be silly, but the operators of the services are unlikely to be blind to the value of the data and its utility.
The third story considers iPhone hacking. Software, available via the regular Web, promises to hack an iPhone. If that approach does not work, there are hackers advertising iPhone hacking on the regular Internet. But what if the hack requires more aggressiveness? Arnold provides a link to a Dark Web site which makes clear that its operator will do anything for money. Can the iPhone be hacked? That depends on one’s willingness to believe information published on the Internet.
The final story focuses on the August 2020 Interpol report about cyber crime in the time of Covid. The report is available without charge, and its findings echo those of speakers at the 2020 National Cyber Crime Conference, held in July 2020. Arnold provides the url from which the new report can be downloaded without charge.
I wanted to point out that we will no longer post a copy of the video on Vimeo. That company sent an email demanding that Stephen E Arnold upgrade to a Pro account. Instead of saying, “We are raising prices,” Vimeo threatened Arnold with termination of his account because the free DarkCyber video is a commercial enterprise. Arnold wrote Vimeo twice pointing out that he retired in 2013, produces the video without financial support or sponsorship, and makes the content available to anyone interested in the Dark Web, cybercrime, and lesser known Internet services. Arnold told me,
“Millennial marketers at Vimeo thinks it is doing its job by making false accusations and then ignoring respectful questions about the fee change. Cancel culture to Vimeo, ‘You are history. This is your termination notice.’
We will give Facebook a whirl and include that url if the service allows easy access with a minimum of invasive surveillance, pop ups, and targeted advertising for WhatsApp.
Kenny Toth, August 11, 2020
A Smarter Captioning AI
June 10, 2020
Algorithms have been used to caption images for some time now. However, the results tend to be rather generic and treat images as separate from accompanying text. Tech Xplore reports on “A System to Produce Context-Aware Captions for News Images.” Journalist Ingrid Fadelli writes:
“Alasdair Tran, Alexander Mathews and Lexing Xie at the Australian National University have been trying to develop new systems that can generate more sophisticated and descriptive image captions. In a paper recently pre-published on arXiv, they introduced an automatic captioning system for news images that takes the general context behind an image into account while generating new captions. The goal of their study was to enable the creation of captions that are more detailed and more closely resemble those written by humans. … The three researchers went on to develop and implement the first end-to-end system that can generate captions for news images. The main advantage of end-to-end models is their simplicity. This simplicity ultimately allows the researchers’ model to be linguistically rich and generate real-world knowledge such as the names of people and places.”
Instead of ignoring rare words, the model analyzes them. The team eschewed the typical LTSM architecture for Transformer, a more recent architecture now used by language modeling and machine translation researchers. The shift allows for richer vocabulary and sentence structure. The team also worked to improve their model’s accuracy in identifying individuals in photos. This is particularly useful since, they found, most newspaper images feature people. The curious can check out a demo of the system, titled Transform and Tell.
Fadelli describes the researchers’ hopes for the system’s future:
“Tran, Mathews and Xie would also like to train their model to complete a slightly different task to that tackled in their recent work, namely, that of picking an image that could go well with an article from a large database, based on the article text. Their model’s attention mechanism could also allow it to identify the best place for the image within the text, which could ultimately speed up news publishing processes.”
The team also suggest their system could be used to extrapolate longer passages or summarize related background information. We are curious to see how this technology evolves.
Cynthia Murrell, June 10, 2020
Apple Channels Amazon
May 13, 2020
DarkCyber noted this Digital Reader article: “Apple Launched a Publishing Portal for Book Authors – And You Don’t Need a Mac to Use It!” The article reports:
Apple still doesn’t care if you want to read an ebook you buy from them on non-Apple hardware, but they have finally launched a publishing portal that anyone can access using a web browser.
The question is, “Why?”
Many years ago, DarkCyber prepared a report for a large and now mostly forgotten electronic database company. The point of the report was that self published books and monographs were likely to increase, dwarfing the hard copy new titles. The curves in the PowerPoint looked like Covid19 cases in New York City.
At that time, the electronic publishing company thought books were not interesting. For years, Apple was happy with putting actual and would be authors on the Apple bus.
Now Apple has changed its corporate mind. Why?
DarkCyber opines that:
- Amazon is likely to slam the door on epublishing and use one of those allegedly unpickable electronic locks which talk to Alexa. That’s bad, so Apple is changing its policy.
- Apple wants more money and content. Although the take off was frightening, Apple’s non rich media content offerings are gaining altitude. Books are a useful passenger. Revenue is revenue.
- Apple is just pulling a Silicon Valley me too. The benefit is that Apple wants to be in the book game. As the hip Silicon Valley person would say, “Books because.”
Whatever the reason, authors have a new channel. What about regular book publishing companies? Yeah, because. Like the online outfit that ignored books, there will be less attractive consequences of not embracing electronic publishing and book-like artifacts.
Stephen E Arnold, May 13, 2020
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