So earlier this week, I talked about China’s growing influence and takeover of all things IT support. Then I hear a disturbing IT service trend. They call it China’s social credit score. Is America next?
But here’ is what makes it even worse. American tech companies give China’s communist government the tools to make this happen. So what is a social credit score? It works like a financial credit score, but it’s way more invading. Because your financial credit score judges you simply on bad financial situations or choices, like credit card payments or overdue bills. But China’s social credit score judges you on way more; the impacts are also far deeper.
China’s mobile device business tops $9 trillion a year. So the Chinese government uses citizens’ mobile devices and other computers to track what you’re saying or doing. That’s how they get the info to determine your social score. They use things like your social media accounts, text messages, emails, phone calls, etc. But what if you get a bad social credit score? Like a bad financial credit score, it can keep you from getting? your dream house or car. But that’s the beginning. A bad China social credit score can keep you from getting a job, an apartment, a passport, a drivers’ licence, or even health care or education for your children!
In China, anything can get you bad social credit. Simply criticizing Jingping can do it. How ironic: This happens right when they give Jingping the Chinese presidency for life! Or an innocent joke or conversation can do it. Even talking bout your religion or spirituality can knock your credit score down. Do you see how stifling this is to free speech? But this can’t happen in America, can it? Not so fast. For years, people have gotten fired over what they put on social media. This intense political climate and political correct culture isn’t helping matters either. What about this Real ID Americans are supposed to have by 2020? They hook up this ID to a national database to track you better. Also, American tech companies gave China the tools to do this. Whose to say they won’t do it to us? China’s social credit score: Is America next?
So far this year, we hear a lot about Russia. We hear a lot of concerning things about Russia, like nuclear weapons. The US military’s DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Project Agency) wants to do something about it. Here it is. DARPA uses IT support and sea creatures.
So let me explain. DARPA actually wants to sea creatures like fish, dolphins, even coral and bacteria, to spy on enemy threats. But wait…there’s more. They also want to know which marine animal supports sensors that detect underwater vehicles. That means any of them, including, let’s say, one that can carry very harmful weapons. I think you know what I mean, then.
In, fact, if DARPA uses IT support on sea creatures could save them money. I say this because man made machines often break down. At least, that’s their reason for using sea creatures. However, it’s already happening. They’re already using some large ocean animal for work like this. But as you can imagine, not everybody is happy with this. This appalls environmental groups. One Greenpeace activist says marine mammals should not be involved in military exercises.? They insists they won’t use animals on the endangered spices list. That sounds like a step in the right direction, right?
However, this sounds more like two steps forward and two steps back. Because some reports say they want to…ahem…modify species to detect threats in our waters. To me, that either means one or two things, and neither are good. One is they’re either going to breed other species of animals. Or it could even mean they might try some trans-humanist experiments on animals. I hope that’s not the case. Look at how far technology has come in just this last decade. We can build voice assistants. We can build running robots. There’s even talk of building colonies on Mars. So if we can do all that, then can’t we build tools to secure our waterways without using sea creatures?
So you have Amazon’s Alexa. Then you know you can do a lot with that system. Alexa can do anything from play your music to turn off your lights. But did you know Alexa can also do your good deeds? Alexa donates to charity: from your account.
So this is how it works. Just tell Alexa how much you want to donate and which charity you want to donate to. For example, you could say, “Alexa, donate $30 to World Relief”. And Alexa donates to charity for you. In fact, it will even deduct if from whatever account you linked Alexa to.
You see, Alexa has a confirmation code can keep you from making an accidental purchase. Also, this is to protect you from literally your own household. What if you have a teenager who uses your Alexa account to go on his/her shopping spree. Your code prevents that. But what does this have to do with donating to charity? When, or if, you do use Alexa to donate, then you can know they won’t give away your credit info. However, it will give your name, email and address to the charity you chose. You can also track your donation at Amazon pay.
So as of today, there are over 40 charities you can donate to through Alexa. Some we know very well, like American Cancer Society. Then you have some lesser known and local charities, like Detroit Achievement Academy. But here is the list of all you charities under this new system, so far. Is this good for IT service? That depends on how much you trust Alexa. It sounds like she’s doing the right things to keep users safe. But you never know. Here around our computer service shop, I’ve seen so much stuff. So even if Alexa donates to charity is hack-proof, then I still wouldn’t do it. Doesn’t Alexa do enough already? Do we really want Alexa paying our bills and doing our charity work, too?
So IT support can do lots of things. But can IT service give you better health? There’s an Irish start up company that thinks so. So do venture capitalist that support them. LetsGetChecked: Can IT support save your health?
The founder is Tom Foley, who started LetsGetChecked back in 2014. It’s lab building technology that focuses on health testing. Then there are the ventures supporting this thing. They include Chinese VC company Qiming Venture Partners. Recently, they raised over $12 million. They will use the money to add people to their clinical team. I also hope they use these funds to expand worldwide.
LetsGetChecked is what is sounds like. It’s a health testing kit you give right at home. This includes cancer screenings, sexual health and STD testing, even hormone and fertility issues. You get the test based on your health concern. You can only get it through their website, and only after a doctor approves it. Then they’ll ship the test to your house. You do what you have to do, then send the sample back, with your kit, to their facility. If the sample reveals a serious diagnosis, like cancer or STD, then a LetsGetChecked doctor will call you.
Furthermore, these health kits are all over the place in cost. The cheapest cost $55. The most expensive costs? over $700. It depends on your test and your issue. Is it available in the US yet? I want to say yes. According to their website, they do have an office in New York City. They also have a US number you can call. They also have offices in their native Dublin, Ireland and another office base in Toronto, Ontario,Canada. I’d like to think if I ever used this kit, then it would stay at least in the US, and not go all the way to Ireland. Would you use a health kit like this?
So we all know Jack Dorsey as the IT service leader. He is the founder and CEO of Twitter. He’s also the CEO of mobile pay firm Square. But did you know he’s also a Bitcoin guy? In fact, here is Jack Dorsey’s Bitcoin Prediction: Bitcoin will be our global currency.
So Jack Dorsey revealed this in the Times of London. He believes not only will Bitcoin overcome it’s struggles, but it will thrive like nobody’s business. Furthermore, he says Bitcoin will be the single currency of the world and the Internet. Dorsey adds this Bitcoin takeover will probably happen in ten years, maybe even sooner.
He does admit, that Bitcoin isn’t ready to take over right now. He’s exactly right. As of today, Bitcoin is worth over $8,500. But one time, not long ago, it was worth over $20,000. Dorsey also admit Bitcoin??does not have the capabilities right now to become an effective currency?. However, he predicts more people will have it. And this will make it more dominant. Dorsey just doesn’t talk the talk, but puts his money where his mouth is. Because recently, he donated to 2.5 million dollars to a startup company they call Lightning Labs. It’s purpose is to help Bitcoin and other cryptocurrency easier and more portable and affordable to obtain.
I just noticed a point. In early 2017, Bitcoin’s worth started in the hundred. It rose to $20,000. But now, it’s only $8500. On one hand, Bitcoin is more affordable to get, but on the other hand, it’s worth enough to take notice. Then, you have the ID theft and hacking crises. Everytime you look around, somebody’s credit/debit card is being wiped out. Not too many people carry cash anymore. And not too many people use a checkbook on a regular basis anymore. Mobile pay companies like Apple Pay and Google Pay are all the rage.? Some in our Boston computer service shop use it. Is Jack Dorsey’s Bitcoin prediction right? Is this the next step?
So by now, most of us know about Elon Musk sending cars into space. Some believe he’s crossing into the next plane in IT support. But there could be a more grim reason for why Musk is doing what he’s doing. This is a question to Elon Musk: Will Mars save us?
So at a SXSW conference in Austin, Texas, tech billionaire Elon Musk paints a pessimistic picture of our future. In fact, he fears we’re heading for the new ‘dark ages’. A couple of things that concern him are World War 3 and climate changes. Musk also suggests a Mars colony will keep human beings safe from war and natural disaster. When the war ends, then people on Mars can come back to Earth and rebuild.
But WW3 and the environment aren’t Musk’s only concerns. His biggest worry is AI technology and robots. He urges the US government to pass some regulation that will control AI. Last summer, Musk called AI, “…a fundemental risk to the extinction of civilization”. That’s a fancy way of saying the end robots could end the world as we know it. It’s not that fantastic. I read an article where AI technology already develops language that us as humans can’t even read. However, these AI robots can read and speak this language to each other.
In fact, Musk just straight up told the Austin crowd AI is far more dangerous than nuclear war. He wasn’t just talking about robots threatening and taking our jobs.?This even means computer repair jobs. He wasn’t just talking about people choosing marriages and sexual relationships with robots over real humans. Both those things are happening. But Musk’s visions of what AI may do is far more deadly. That’s why his company builds these cars and robots to save us from these apocalyptic dangers. He also told them his spaceship to Mars will be ready next year. Add to that the million people he wants to take to Mars. I doubt you’ll be in that million if you’re in the 99%. Would you even want to go to Mars. My question to Elon Musk: Are you going crazy?
