Everyone loves the emoji. What better way to express yourself than the cute little faces and symbols one can put in emails and social media posts? But there is new emoji coming out that isn’t so cute.
The undesirable emoji I refer to is the middle finger emoji. It’s officially called Unicode 7. It took 15 months for it to be approved. It will be available on iOS 9.1. At the Apple conference last Wednesday, a lot of new emoji symbols were introduced, such as the hot dog, taco, burrito, champagne bottle, unicorn, even a Jewish synagogue. But the one that stands out to me is this very direct middle finger that needs no translation. To be fair, the signal has always been in the computer world somehow. Emoji One, What’s App, and Windows 10 has the finger cartoon. But Apple’s 9.1 version has the best version (if you want to call it that) of it. Let’s say you wanted to upset someone. You had these four finger versions to choose from. You’d want to choose the iOS 9.1 version. Don’t go rushing to your iPhone device to get this emoji yet. It won’t be available until next year. I’m sure there are those, including some of you reading this, that can’t hold out that long.
From an economic standpoint, this emoji is going to be a huge seller. I just feel it. I am totally for free speech and First Amendment rights! I hate censorship. So I don’t think this emoji should be taken down by any means. But I?have to throw my moral card down. Isn’t there enough hatred and anger in the world today? Does Apple really want to add anymore? If you’re dissatisfied with something, or someone, isn’t there another, more dignified emoji you can send? Yes, the middle finger emoji is legal and constitutional. But is it responsible and is it right?
As most of you know, Former First Lady, Senator and Secretary of State Hilary Rodham Clinton is running for US President in 2016. But there are some controversies surrounding her, like private emails.
The State Department is setting up a January 2016 deadline to release emails on her private server turned over to the agency she used to run. That includes all 55,000 of them. This January 2016 proposal addresses a lawsuit filed by Vice News demanding such emails. The email controversy has been a dark cloud over Hilary Clinton ever since she announced her candidacy for US President. While she wants public/work related emails released, she admits some emails her lawyers called private were erased. New York Times reveled Clinton’s email issues, and her team responded almost immediately. Some may ask, “Why is it taking months to reveal these emails?” According to State Department Information Program and Services director John Hackett, twelve staffers have been hired to review these emails. Now they’re scanning them in the records. This process alone takes five weeks. Also keep in mind there are 55,000 of them. The completion date should be around January 16, 2016.
Keep in mind the Iowa caucus, the unofficial journey start to the Democrat and Republican National Conventions, is on February 1, 2016. That’s two weeks removed from the email releases. Will it make a difference or impact? Only time will tell. I can’t stress this enough: This isn’t an endorsement of Hilary Clinton. Nor is this an endorsement of any of her Republican rivalries. But there’s a small lesson to be learned here. If you’re going to run for president, you better watch your emails. This is by no means Fmr. Secretary Clinton’s only concern, but this one has been following her. How important is this email issue to you as a voter (assuming you are a registered voter)? Do you think Republican candidates will submit their emails as well?
Last year, President Obama’s email accounts were hacked, as was an unclassified computer system. Now, investigators say that this hack was more severe than first announced.
The Russian hackers also got deep into the State Department’s unclassified computer system. That’s how they got many email archives from people in and out of the White House. Thankfully, no classified information has been compromised. But some of the information they got was sensitive: conversations with ambassadors, potential legislation, policy debates. They got all they needed to learn a lot about the Federal government. What makes this situation even scarier is the culprits seem to be either in the Russian government or hired by the Russian government. Neither the number of these hacks, nor the number of the emails compromised, are known. Investigators call the cyber attack among the most sophisticated they’ve ever seen. This hacking causing debate about President Obama and his aides’ cyber security, despite the President himself taking more precautions, especially emailing outside the White House computer system. But hardly a day goes by when the White House isn’t cyber attacked. Granted most of the attacks are minor, but they still keep coming.
China has also been known to commit hacks on the White House. But what concerns me about the Russian government possibly being behind this is the strained US/Russian relations over the last several years. Obama and Putin have rarely agreed on anything, from the Ukrainian conflict to the handling of Edward Snowden. Some say the relations between these two nations today are just as bad as the Cold War era. Earlier this year, there was a Moscow parade in which a phony missile was paraded with the President’s name on it! Some may say, “You’re overacting; that was probably a joke.” I sure wasn’t laughing. This is why something needs to be done about international hacking. What if Russia knew our secrets? What could that lead to?
As most of you know, former Secretary of State Hilary Clinton is considering a campaign for US President in 2016. But before she faces political opponents, she faces another: her own emails.
Reports are everywhere about Hilary Clinton using private email accounts for public government business during her tenure as Secretary of State. The computer server appeared to be a far more sophisticated account than typical email servers like Yahoo, which former political candidates like Mitt Romney were caught using for government business. Adding more fuel to this fire, it’s been discovered these emails went to her private server in her hometown of Chappaqua, New York. Most government officials use servers run by federal agencies for work purposes. Also keep in mind some of these emails were conducted during the Benghazi tragedy back in September 2012. Many Republicans, say this private account gave her power to remove and retain whatever she wanted. Now they want more subpoenas, especially on the Benghazi based emails. But between December 2014 and January 2015, Clinton submitted 55,000 pages of these private emails and 300 to the Benghazi Committee. Clinton tweeted she wants the public to see the rest of their emails, and asked the State to release them as soon as possible.
Let me make it clear: I AM NOT endorsing, promoting, or backing any political party or candidate. I just find it interesting that in today’s technology, even emails can make or break your political career. It’s perfectly legal for a government official to use private email accounts for business matters. But to do so in the midst of a possible preventable tragedy like Benghazi…that’s a little concerning to me. But then again, if a Republican candidate came under fire over primate emails, I’m sure the Democrats would react the same way. American politics is a contact sport. It has been since the Adams vs. Jefferson race of 1800 and I suspect it always will be. Now, 21st century communications are the new boxing gloves. Whose going to win this round?
New Years Resolutions are everywhere this time of year. Everyone else makes them, but when it comes down to actually doing it, people rarely follow through. Those of us that frequent our local gym, will have it inundated with people for the first month, maybe two,? and then like magic, everyone is gone. So why don’t people just make New Years Resolutions that they can stick to? Things that are easy, and that don’t take a ton of your valuable time. Well, here at Computer Geeks we have compiled a list of New Years Resolutions for all of you to help your PC thrive in 2015! And if your computer and everything on it is fast and safe, then it will save you time, and potentially a lot of money. Without further ado, here is the list
7. Viruses, spyware, malware, adware protection
Listen, most people have anti-virus software because it comes with virtually every computer out there. But do you have Anti-Malware on your PC? How about Anti-spyware? Probably not. Computer Geeks has several solutions to this problem that we can put on your computer, and the best part is that the software is free!
6. Maintenance Checkups
I know, I know, nobody likes to schedule to fix their computer. But checkups are important. So many people who call me up with a dead computer that they haven’t had serviced in 5 years. What if you didn’t take your child to get a check up for 5 years? Sounds outrageous right? Same thing with your computer. That could be all of your family memories on that computer, or your entire business database, gone because you didn’t see a problem coming. A computer should get a thorough cleaning and tune up every 3 months to keep performance optimal. Simple checkups can increase the average computer life span by up to 4 years. Computer Geeks can set you up on scheduled maintenance calls for the entire year, all at once! And you can always reschedule at no cost if something comes up!
5. Use Better Passwords on your computer
I’m sure your dog is cute, and is a great companion, but he’s a BAD password. Most hackers who get into your computer can find personal information, like your pets name. And when they go to steal your email address, or your bank account info, you might as well have not even set a password. You want there to be 3 variables to your password, a capital letter, lowercase letter, and numbers, but please don’t just do R4m35eS, they’ll try that too. Combine two things to make your password unguessable, like your dog and your birth year backwards. My birth year is 1982 so my password could be this: S2e8se9ma1R, now that’s a password! (FYI that’s not my password)
4. Archive your old emails
For you outlook users, your inbox/outbox for your email can look like the warehouse from Indiana Jones. Filled with so many items that you’ll never find anything. Outlook has an auto-archive function that will archive anything that is older than a certain amount of time, that you can dictate. Set it once, and then forget about it! The best part is that if you need to view the archive emails, they will still show up when you use the Outlook Search feature.
3. Watch what you post on social media
Listen, we’ve all done it, had a bad day at work and then go home and blow up Facebook about how much your boss’ management style reflects that of Adolf Hitler. The problem is, when you go to leave Hitler’s company, your new potential employer is more than likely going to find you on Facebook before he hires you, so he can see what he may be getting himself into. Be careful what you post online, there is no escaping something once its on there…
2. Be careful where you surf on the web
Seriously, this should be self explanatory. Don’t go to a site that you don’ t know what it is. And if you do go to a bad site and pop-ups and people saying you have viruses comes up, CALL GEEK CHOICE FAST!? Once a virus is on a computer the longer it sits there the more damage it can do. Turn the PC off, and give us a call 800-433-5435.
1. BACKUP ALL YOUR FILES
This last one is so simple, so important, but almost always not done. People think backups take up a lot of their time, or that they are expensive. But Computer Geeks is here to tell you they are neither, they are just lifesavers. 10 times a week some poor soul wanders into my office telling me their hard drive is dead, and they’re whole life was on it. I ask if they have a backup, and they give me the frowney face. Backups are really cheap, and for the most part can be set up 1 time, to perform backup either daily, weekly, monthly or ever quarterly. And you can set the backup to occur at 3AM while you sleep, so you never have to deal with it! Computer Geeks can get you on a yearly backup plan for UNLIMITED DATA at only 59.95! Just give us a buzz and Computer Geeks can help
We hope you have enjoyed our New Years resolution blog, feel free to follow us on Twitter @geekchoice, and like us on Facebook Here to get all of our daily blogs to keep you updated with everything technology from cell phones, gaming systems, to computer tips and hints!
Computer Geeks would like to take this time to wish all of you and your families a Merry Christmas! We hope all is well and everyone stays safe this holiday. Lets hope that Santa was nice and got you a fancy new tech gadget, or a new computer! If you are having any issues with your new technology device feel free to call us. Our call center is open all day today and we are available for service calls starting Friday the 26th!
We’d also like to thank all of you out there that have supported our business and our staff throughout the years that you have been great, loyal customers. It has been an honor and a privilege servicing the Beacon Hill and Boston community every day for the last 18 years! We look forward to a great new year in 2015, but for now, let me summarize some of the new, and old services Computer Geeks can provide for you
