Jun 23, 2013 | internet, News
Over the past year, CEO?Marissa Meyer has added a lot to Yahoo since last year. But she also subtracted quite a bit: like jobs. During her tenure, about 1,000 of them have been cut.
She’s done it so cool and quietly. And?did it the way it should be: through job performance management and through more frequent reviews. Employees used to get reviewed every year; now, it’s every quarter. In July 2012, when Meyer became CEO, Yahoo had 15,000 employees. That’s not including the thousands of temps coming and going. Instead of gathering thousands and telling them, “You’re fired!” like Donald Trump, or Vince McMahon (how cool would that be?), she cut the jobs few at a?time, kind of like an potter slowly cutting off the excess clay.
This could have had very negative results. This could have put people on such edge morale could have plummeted. This could have led to poorer work, with people saying, “Well, she’s going to fire me anyway, so why bother?” This could have even led to a revolt or strike. But instead, it had a very positive effect. Morale has shot up. Now why is that? Maybe the people that were let go were bringing everyone else down, professionally and personally. Maybe letting these people put others on notice, making them as the Nat King Cole song said, ‘Straighten Up and Fly Right’. Maybe this made everyone better. What lessons could we learn from a story like this?
Jun 22, 2013 | News, Security
The NSA surveillance crisis hit a predictable turn over the last 24 hours. Eric Snowden is the man who leaked documents of government officials collecting data from our cell phones and computers. Now, US authorities have a warrant for his arrest and are asking Hong Kong to detain him.
Snowden is being charged with theft and espionage. The complaint was filed in an Eastern Virginia District Court, home of Snowden’s former employer. Also predictable, the Justice Department says, “No comment.” They want to prosecute Snowden under the 1917 Espionage Act. So far, the Obama Administration has indicted more people under this act than any other presidency. In fact, of the nine people arrested in violation of the Espionage Act, six have been since 2009. Will Hong Kong give him up? That has to be seen. If they do,?it’s likely he won’t be sent to an American jail, but?Hong Kong’s maximum security prison throughout his?potential trial.?Another option for Snowden is asylum under the United Nations.
So what now? The Snowden case is far from over. It would be interesting to see where Hong Kong will stand. It will be interesting to see if the UN will try to give him asylum. I tell you what, if this case goes to trial, it will make the OJ Simpson trial of the mid 1990s look like small claims court! Now, it’s been revealed Britain has been spying on it’s citizens. So everyone will have a stake in this case. If the US vs. Snowden case did make trial, which side would?you be on?
Jun 20, 2013 | Computer technology, News
Recently Microsoft’s Xbox One, yet to be released,?has come under fire. One issue?has been the 24-hour check for offline?games to work. Also, while accounts can be used for other consoles, a once an hour Internet check?was required for that to happen.
Now, they’re calling off that 24-four hour check. A representative stated, ?”After a one-time system set-up with a new Xbox One, you can play any disc-based game without ever connecting online again.” They’re changing their used game policy; they’re now no limits when it comes to using and sharing used games. There were even issues with users buying discs. Now, due to restrictions being lifted, consumers will have no problem playing a disc on any Xbox One console. What changed their tune? The first thing is customer outrage. The people spoke up, forcing Microsoft to do something. Competition played a huge role. They know rival Playstation 4 is coming out, and they called out Xbox one on these issues, also forcing Xbox One to change.
The chains are being lifted. However, I’m still hearing rumors that Xbox can record you playing the game by sound and sight. I’m also hearing rumors this data can be stored for years. So yes, other restrictions has been lifted, thanks to alert and vocal consumers like you. Plus, competition works! That’s why it scares me when I read about all these buyouts and takeovers. What if Xbox one was the only video game system around? Then they’ll be able to do what they want and charge what they want. Why we don’t know what the cost will be, I’m sure Play Station will make it very competitive. But we can’t just go back to business as usual. We as consumers must stay on top of Microsoft about issues of privacy and decency, if they want our dollars. That’s why I’m hoping these rumors about Xbox One spying on it’s own customers and storing data are just rumors. Have these revelations warmed you toward Xbox One?
Jun 16, 2013 | News, Security
So far in 2013, we’ve seen more than our fair share of cyber attacks. In May, eight were charged in heisting?over $40 million dollars from? banks?worldwide. That same month, a report came out about Islamic extremist hacking American banks and government entities.?Now, U.S. officials are talking of? steps of action.
They’re calling for banks to prepare and arm themselves against future cyber attacks. No bank big or small is immune. In the last several years, J.P. Morgan, Bank of America, and Capitol One have all been hit. In 2011, the SEC required banks to tell investors when their computers were hacked. There’s a ‘war game’ being played with banks and Homeland Security, a ‘what if” factor, and what’s to be done in worse case scenario. The?U.S. Treasury Department are collaborating with?the banking industry ?for better government responses in case of an emergency.
These are all great steps, but what about prevention? Not too many people have an answer to prevent this stuff before it happen. These aren’t just people who take money, but we’re talking about people who can and will destroy whole countries. There was an episode of Iranian hackers who weren’t just interested in getting money, but in total destruction. It’s scary of how destructive a push of a button can be today. Shouldn’t prevention be the key topic here?
Jun 15, 2013 | News, Security
In the past couple weeks, acronyms like PRISM, NSA and FISA have become household names, for not so good reasons. News of the US Government ordering companies from Verizon to Microsoft to gather data on us, whether we did anything wrong or not, has dominated conversation. Facebook and Microsoft weigh in.
Facebook and Microsoft become the first two companies to tell the public just how many people they were to get data on, due to orders from the National Security Advisor. Facebook’s count was 18,000. Microsoft’s count was 31,000. Keep in mind this less than one tenth of a percent of Americans that use these online services regularly. They did this to put consumer minds at ease and put to rest PRISM rumors and conspiracy theories. While Google CEO Larry Page blatantly denies spying.
I think Facebook and Microsoft did the right thing. First off, they came out and admitted their role in the NSA info gathering. Then they gave concrete numbers and other hard facts. Instead of denial, they went into great detail. While these numbers look big, keep the context in mind: billions use Facebook and Microsoft. I applaud Facebook and Microsoft for this move.?I just hope they’re telling the truth. Has this confession put your trust back in online corporations?
Jun 11, 2013 | News, Security
We’re starting to know how the American public found out about the National Security Advisor collecting data?about our phones and Internet. A 29-year-old contractor and NSA system administrator named Edward Snowden is the center of this growing story.
Snowden, who was also a CIA agent, claimed to have leaked the report to the Washington Post and U.K.’s Guardian. ?Now, the NSA is panicking, wondering how Snowden got that kind of access to these secret documents and aired this info out to the world. He got a highly classified document from FISA. Authorities are working to build a case against him. They’re even looking into Snowden’s personal life. The media hounded his parents so much that his mom had to put something of a ‘Go Away’ sign on the door. It’s believed that more info will be released about the NSA and their cell phone and Internet listening activities.
One thing that isn’t going away is this case. Even Wiki Leaks founder Julian Assange called him a hero, and urged him to go to Latin America. The Feds are building a case against Snowden, but he’s in Hong Kong. Will he be extradited from HK or will he seek asylum there, or in a country like Iceland? And how do the American people feel about this? I read one poll where 56% of Americans feel phone and online tracking is an acceptable way to fight terrorism. Where do you stand? Do you think Snowden is a hero or villain?
