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« Monday « May 6, 2013
1. datetime
  1. {05062013}
  2. {02:27:34 AM}
  content
  1. Kingpin (2012)
  2. Subtitle: How One Hacker Took Over the Billion-Dollar Cybercrime Underground...
    
    OK, this book was a well-paced travelogue through the cyber-underworld that most of the people on this planet probably aren't even aware of. We meet Max (Butler), a seemingly bipolar computer geek, when he's a teenager in Boise, and follow his rise into the world of computer hacking in the 1990's and 2000's. Good and bad—in almost Shakespearian proportions—Max lets his bad side control his actions as we follow his rise to global prominence in the seedy, but stunningly lucrative world of credit card fraud. In the end, Max, and his colorful accomplices, all featured in this book, are all caught. The story ends when Max is caught and sentenced for the largest credit card scam in history; he is currently serving time in a California prison, due for release in 2018, when he'll have to figure out how he'll repay over $25 million in fraud reparations—marked down from an estimated $86 million during his time on the top of the cybercrime mountain. And of course, he's got successors who are picking up where he left off right now!
    
    The book was alright—not great—and it was a fast read, but it raised more questions than answered for a garden-variety civilian like me. What I came away with was this nagging conclusion that for all of the businesses and banks that get pilfered by cyber-geniuses like Max over the last 10-15 years, they all seem to prefer to take the insurance losses on fraud than to actually protect consumers.
    
    In the end, I walked away from this book thinking that none of the money in any of my bank accounts or on my credit cards is actually safe.
  metadata
  2. 02:27:34 AM
  3. Subtitle: How One Hacker Took Over the Billion-Dollar Cybercrime Underground......"
  categories
  1. keywords:
  2. cyberculture
  3. crime
  4. tags:
  5. wired
  6. hackers
  7. malware
  type
« Wednesday « April 21, 2010
1. datetime
  1. {04212010}
  2. {10:07:48 AM}
  content
  1. Let's not get carried away with faux relationships
    
    (Advertising Age)
  2. We in advertising and marketing need to remember this, and embrace it. The technology may seem to make us closer, but in reality it is less intimate and personal -- less human.
    
    This is a great article, and I applaud the author, adman Derek Walker, for putting it down on paper, albeit electronic paper. But, there's always a 'but,' in my experience, the problem with a lot of advertising/marketing people and technology is that: 1) they don't embrace technology so they're suspicious and doubtful about what it can do for them from the outset; and 2) they don't take the time to actually learn how to use technology in service of their goals, which as Walker states, should be in pursuit of making (brand) experiences more human. Absent any comfort with technology, and mostly filled with ignorance of its capabilities, all you have left is hype which, of course, is the domain of (m)admen.
    
    So if the ad world is getting carried away with all this buzz about iPads, iPhones, Facebooks, Twitters, Foursquares, interactivity and videogames, ad (LOL) nauseum, it's because not enough ad people are building their technology skills. And yet, here we are living in a world enveloped by technology. Look, technology is just a toolbox, it's not a substitute for relationships, but used properly and with insight, it can certainly enhance, or hinder, real relationships. But you must learn how and when to use it, or all you'll ever be able to do with it is hype it, or complain about it. That's why people in the ad game are getting carried away: their lack of technological acumen, and their unwillingness to do the hard work to master the tools is at fault. Becoming skilled with technology will not make you, or your ideas, any less human, and it's not going to erase that opportunity to get drive-through cheeseburgers with your children. But step up your digital game first, then pop off.
  metadata
  2. 10:07:48 AM
  3. We in advertising and marketing need to remember this, and embrace it. The technology may seem to make us closer, but in reality it is less intimate and personal — less human...."
  categories
  1. keywords:
  2. cyberculture
  3. business
  4. tags:
  5. advertising
  6. marketing
  type
« Tuesday « April 20, 2010
1. datetime
  1. {04202010}
  2. {09:48:14 PM}
  content
  1. Web sales tax debate flares again
    
    (CIO.com)
  2. California now asks taxpayers to disclose how much they've spent on items purchased on the Internet that would have been taxable if purchased in state. I haven't seen any statistics on this one, but I'd guess that compliance rates are rather low.
    
    I didn't fool around with this one, I don't mess with the IRS or the FTB. I had all of my online receipts from 2009, and California was more than happy to tack on another $83 to my tax bill. Other than the convenience of shopping in my pajamas, online shopping doesn't look as pretty as it once did. For me, online perks like free shipping and true long-tail choice are going to be much more important to making that purchase decision.
  metadata
  2. 09:48:14 PM
  3. California now asks taxpayers to disclose how much they've spent on items purchased on the Internet that would have been taxable if purchased in state. I haven't seen any statistics on this one, but I'd guess that compliance rates are rather low...."
  categories
  1. keywords:
  2. cyberculture
  3. business
  4. tags:
  5. taxes
  6. ecommerce
  type
« Wednesday « February 10, 2010
1. datetime
  1. {02102010}
  2. {06:20:18 PM}
  content
  1. Time to start blogging (and writing) again
  2. The seductive magnetism of social media, all those Twitters and Facebooks, all of those mobster and spy games and apps, and the wealth of bright, shiny mobile time-sinks, has been totally detrimental to my blogging and writing muscles. It's time to start flexing those muscles again, before they atrophy into nothing.
    
    Started blogging in 1999, and since all of that content is hosted (and backed up) on my own system and media, I have evidence of what I've done, and what I've been thinking about that goes all the way back to the start. With Twitter and Facebook, I wonder if they're going to preserve everyone's content perpetually. My guess is at some point, the cost of storing all the material, and memories, that's being uploaded and shared on these various social networks is going to outweigh the value of any one company keeping it online forever. And then they'll delete it. And then what will you have? I think I'd rather pour my thoughts and ramblings into a bucket that I own and control, than count on a third-party to keep everything safe for me.
  metadata
  2. 06:20:18 PM
  3. The seductive magnetism of social media, all those Twitters and Facebooks, all of those mobster and spy games and apps, and the wealth of bright, shiny mobile time-sinks, has been totally detrimental to my blogging and writing muscles. It's time to start..."
  categories
  1. keywords:
  2. weblogs
  3. internet
  4. tags:
  5. social
  6. media
  7. web2.0
  type
« Tuesday « December 22, 2009
1. datetime
  1. {12222009}
  2. {01:18:30 AM}
  content
  1. Tracing the Journey of a Single Bit
    
    (Wired)
  2. The Internet surrounds us like air, saturating our offices and our homes. But it's not confined to the ether. You can touch it. You can map it. And you can photograph it. Here are five postcards from the journey of a single bit, as data flashes from sea to wired sea.
    
    b/w: growabrain
  metadata
  2. 01:18:30 AM
  3. The Internet surrounds us like air, saturating our offices and our homes. But it's not confined to the ether. You can touch it. You can map it. And you can photograph it. Here are five postcards from the journey of a single bit, as data flashes from sea t..."
  categories
  1. keywords:
  2. cyberculture
  3. internet
  type
« Monday « September 7, 2009
1. datetime
  1. {09072009}
  2. {11:57:42 AM}
  content
  1. The New Literacy
    
    (Wired)
  2. "I think we're in the midst of a literacy revolution the likes of which we haven't seen since Greek civilization," she says. For Lunsford, technology isn't killing our ability to write. It's reviving it'and pushing our literacy in bold new directions."
    
    Time will tell.
  metadata
  2. 11:57:42 AM
  3. "I think we're in the midst of a literacy revolution the likes of which we haven't seen since Greek civilization," she says. For Lunsford, technology isn't killing our ability to write. It's reviving it'and pushing our literacy in bold new directions."..."
  categories
  1. keywords:
  2. literacy
  3. technology
  type
2. datetime
  1. {09072009}
  2. {09:41:16 AM}
  content
  1. Access vs. Ownernship
  2. Or rent vs. buy. It's the big debate I've been having with myself lately. And I think the access side of the argument is winning. Will return to this later.
  metadata
  2. 09:41:16 AM
  3. Or rent vs. buy. It's the big debate I've been having with myself lately. And I think the access side of the argument is winning. Will return to this later...."
  categories
  1. keywords:
  2. finance and investment
  3. economy
  type
« Sunday « September 6, 2009
1. datetime
  1. {09062009}
  2. {11:05:22 AM}
  content
  1. Thoughts on Van Jones' resignation
    
    (Grist)
  2. The White House will find someone else to tend green job-training programs; Jones will go back to his much more effective role as an activist. He will do much good in the world in his life, far, far more than a pissant charlatan like Glenn Beck. But I'm not as sanguine about the direction the country is headed.
    
    Sadly, I'm in agreement.
  metadata
  2. 11:05:22 AM
  3. The White House will find someone else to tend green job-training programs; Jones will go back to his much more effective role as an activist. He will do much good in the world in his life, far, far more than a pissant charlatan like Glenn Beck. But I'm n..."
  categories
  1. keywords:
  2. politics
  3. racism
  4. tags:
  5. obama
  6. country
  type
« Sunday « July 26, 2009
1. datetime
  1. {07262009}
  2. {10:01:04 AM}
  content
  1. Bill Maher: New Rule: Not Everything in America Has to Make a Profit
    
    (Huffington Post)
  2. "The United States always defined capitalism, but it didn't used to define us. But now it's becoming all that we are."
    
    You make some good points here, Mr. Maher, as usual. But since you've proposed this new rule: why not start doing your HBO and stand-up shows for free? After all, not everything has to make a profit, you say. Why make us pay for our laughs?
  metadata
  2. 10:01:04 AM
  3. "The United States always defined capitalism, but it didn't used to define us. But now it's becoming all that we are."..."
  categories
  1. keywords:
  2. politics
  3. entertainment
  4. tags:
  5. bill+maher
  6. commentary
  7. humor
  8. comedy
  9. society
  10. economy
  type
« Sunday « July 19, 2009
1. datetime
  1. {07192009}
  2. {04:45:59 PM}
  content
  1. The Internet Is Dead (As An Investment)
    
    (Wall Street Journal/WSJ.com)
  2. "I can live all day inside the Internet. I can talk to my friends, listen to music, watch TV, trade stocks, play games, do work - all on the Internet. From 6 a.m. until 10 p.m. every day I can spend on the Internet and it would be a day well spent. But run for the hills when it comes to advising clients to invest in the Internet."
    
    I'm not an investment fund manager, or a VC, so I can't say whether this guy's financial conclusions are right one way or another. I disagree with his sentiments, because I believe that at about 15-years-old, it's way too early to call the Internet "dead" from any angle you'd like to examine it. What I do know is that in the 15 years I've been working in Internet technology and in business practices centered around the Internet is that it's already changed the fundamental nature of almost everything it touches, and that process is only accelerating. If anything, the Internet is killing lots of old ways of doing business, and for the people, companies, and investors who keep their eye on these rapid and massive changes, there will be a big reward...eventually. Of course, all of the volatility that the Internet brings is exactly what destroys predictability, and for investment fund managers, and VCs, I suppose it's better to be alive in traditional businesses where you know what to expect, than to roll the dice on things that are far too disruptive and moving way too fast. Perhaps in these bad economic times, a sure thing is the prudent thing to seek out, but the Internet is far from dead, it's barely out of its infancy.
    
    Related
    Here's what a VC who spends heavily in the Internet thinks: The Internet Is Alive And Well (As An Investment) (A VC blog)
  metadata
  2. 04:45:59 PM
  3. "I can live all day inside the Internet. I can talk to my friends, listen to music, watch TV, trade stocks, play games, do work - all on the Internet. From 6 a.m. until 10 p.m. every day I can spend on the Internet and it would be a day well spent. But ru..."
  categories
  1. keywords:
  2. cyberculture
  3. business
  4. tags:
  5. internet
  6. economy
  7. venture+capital
  8. investment
  type
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[caught |n between] noteblog

[ c|b ].extra

[ c|b ].newsfeed

[ c|b ].is.ad.free

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« Monday « May 6, 2013

« Wednesday « April 21, 2010

(Advertising Age)

« Tuesday « April 20, 2010

(CIO.com)

« Wednesday « February 10, 2010

« Tuesday « December 22, 2009

(Wired)

« Monday « September 7, 2009

(Wired)

« Sunday « September 6, 2009

(Grist)

« Sunday « July 26, 2009

(Huffington Post)

« Sunday « July 19, 2009

(Wall Street Journal/WSJ.com)

[ c|b ].archives