Global warming stopped 16 years ago, reveals Met Office report quietly released... and here is the chart to prove it
by david rose

• The figures reveal that from the beginning of 1997 until August 2012 there was no discernible rise in aggregate global temperatures
• This means that the “pause” in global warming has now lasted for about the same time as the previous period when temperatures rose, 1980 to 1996

first published week of:   10/29/2012

Google outfoxes the FCC

Bonnie Goldstein, writing in the Washington Post, recants the tale of Google and the FCC.

In a clear example of overreaching, a few years ago, while collecting WiFi signals for an initiative to offer “location based services,” Google’s software program grabbed digital ephemera (including URLs, entire e-mails and passwords) off computers from inside people’s homes.

Although Google did not release the data publicly and claims to have never even looked at the payload, the mega–metadata site was this week fined $25,000 by the Federal Communications Commission. The fine is for obstructing the regulatory agency’s investigation of the activity, not for the unauthorized snooping. Although it would be a small pittance to pay the rather stark privacy intrusion on unsuspecting citizens gathered door to door, the cyber company was given a pass on that. It seems the oversight authorization conferred by the Communications Act of 1934 is a bit antiquated when it comes to privacy enforcement.

Let’s face it, there’s no such thing as privacy. In order to exist in a civilization where transmitting digitized data through the air is the preferred medium for everything from assuring our health care to submitting our tax returns, we all sacrifice security of our private business. Although screened from disclosure by cyber safety devices such as password-protected firewalls and encryption codes, most people’s personal details are nevertheless voluminously catalogued in countless federal files, insurance records and school offices.

Details Here

first published week of:   04/16/2012

Google starts warning users of state sponsored computer attacks

Google unveiled a service that automatically displays a warning to users who may be the target of state sponsored phishing or malware attacks. Company representatives did not indicate precisely what criteria is used to determine when a particular attack is sponsored by a government actor, because that information could be used to evade detection. They went on to say the company relies on “detailed analysis” and victim reports that “strongly suggest the involvement of states or groups that are state-sponsored.” The warnings are being implemented after Google users were hit by several high-profile attacks that show evidence of being sponsored by governments in China and Iran.

Details Here

first published week of:   06/11/2012

Google Street View sparks privacy issues in Greenwich, Connecticut

With a Google Street View car spotted recently in eastern Greenwich, the front lawns of thousands more town homes could soon be seen by almost anyone with an Internet connection.

The high-tech cars, such as the one seen on Silver Beech Road and other spots in Riverside and Old Greenwich, sport 15 lenses that take 360-degree photos along streets for the Street View feature of Google Maps. They also contain motion sensors, a hard drive, a small computer and lasers to capture three-dimensional data to determine distances.

With Street View, users can see continuous images alongside roadways and zoom in on them, pan up and down and even rotate around them. While Street View now only offers images of major Greenwich roads -- for example, Interstate 95, Route 1, Round Hill Road, North Street -- many more streets in the town’s quiet residential neighborhoods could soon be seen online.

Street View’s reception in Greenwich has been mixed. Some residents and town officials see the benefits of the service, yet acknowledge privacy concerns. But its presence has gone largely unnoticed -- almost all those who were asked about Street View were unfamiliar with the service.

“I have a suspicion a lot of folks are not yet aware of this concept, and as it becomes more widely known, folks may have a greater concern, or they may not,” said District 10 Representative Town Meeting member David Detjen, adding that Street View has not been discussed in the RTM yet, and none of his constituents have contacted him with concerns about the service.

Details Here

first published week of:   09/03/2012

GovCloud: One map, anywhere, anytime- Event Recap
by amy dewolf

On Thursday, November 8, Esri and GovLoop hosted a MeetUp to talk GovCloud and ArcGIS technology. As more and more people move their work into the cloud, security remains the number one priority for government agencies. But by teaming up with Amazon,  Esri’s ArcGIS technology can be deployed in the Amazon Web Services GovCloud US Region. At this MeetUp, speakers from Esri and Amazon highlighted the technology and newest functionality that allows organizations to relay data via interactive maps, while meeting regulation requirements. 

The first lightning speaker, Allen Carroll, discussed the value of story maps to share your own story and “liberate enslaved data.” So often organizations have all sorts of raw information that is disorganized and usually meaningless without context. Story maps combine intelligent web maps with applications and templates that incorporate text, multimedia, and interactive functions. They make data easier to understand and more consumable so it can educate the general public. One cool example he gave was a NOAA study of the 10 most damaging U.S hurricanes of all time and what would happen if they hit today. By creating this interactive map, NOAA was able to convey a more compelling story, while still providing important information that made sense to the average consumer. 

The second speaker, James Tedrick, spoke more in depth about ArcGIS online. ArcGIS online was developed to allow consumers to create interactive maps for their entire organization that can be accessed anywhere and on any device. ArcGIS has 20+ apps that you can configure however you like and can be accessed on both mobile devices and your desktop. Furthermore, you can turn your data into web-enabled services that is secure in the Esri cloud, create custom applications using ArcGIS APIs, and effortlessly share your maps through social media. James noted that all of these features were developed to make accessing and consuming information easier. As he said, “everything should be as simple as it can be, but not simpler.” 

The final speakers, Craig Cleveland and Jeff Peters, … continued here

first published week of:   11/19/2012

Government CIOs, Are You Underpaid?

According to GovTech.com, CIOs for some of the nation’s biggest corporations are bringing in big bucks. Network World showcases 27 of the highest-paid IT executives from Fortune 500 companies, including CIOs from FedEx, Aetna and American Express.

According to a biannual survey released last year, the average salary of a state CIO is about $130,000, while private-sector CIOs make about $190,000. And the upper bounds of private CIO salaries are much higher than those in the public sector, as showcased in Network World’s slideshow.

Details Here

first published week of:   07/02/2012