Ron Guest

And all it took was Verizon…

Guess Who’s in Love Again?: Tech News and Analysis

Sunset on an alternate world

In a relatively small (based on price) acquisition HP takes a big step technologically in the analysis of very large scale data.

HP to Acquire Vertica: Customers Can Analyze Massive Amounts of Big Data at Speed and Scale

This is a good read. If someone grabs your iPhone, jailbreaks it, and then follows a few steps they can grab passwords for things like email accounts, VPNs, WiFi networks, etc. Not cool and a fundamental flaw in iOS. Your average iPhone thief won’t go down this path but still disturbing…

iPhone Attack Reveals Passwords in Six Minutes

He’s not that into it…

It’s a dog’s life

I’ve encountered ID scanners in the US a number of times but, from what I understand, those weren’t tied to a national database and since they weren’t biometric could easily be circumvented with a well-made fake ID. Leave it to the Aussies to take it to the next level.

National biometric pub list use ‘explodes’ - Security - News

Ice Day -Texas Trash Mix

We cannot afford to “invest” in more feel-good programs. It’s time for significant spending reductions - taxation cannot fix the deficit. Attempted use of that single tool will result in an economic death spiral in America.

I agree taxation changes are needed and some of those should include very targeted increases. But our corporate tax rate must be reduced and the notion of ending the mortgage interest deduction killed immediately since a housing recovery is essential to the country’s fiscal well-being. The Republicans need to show proper concern for the people of this country and the Democrats need to stop buying votes while bankrupting the country. Obama’s “investment” SOTU speech reminded me of an unpopular rich kid trying to use daddy’s money to buy some friends.

Deficit Outlook Darkens - WSJ.com.

They filed their registration statement today. And the LinkedIn-ites rejoiced :-) This IPO will be watched very closely by a lot of folks with a vested interest - i.e. employees of other private social media firms. If the LinkedIn IPO goes well it will set up the others for huge gains. If for some reason this IPO bombs…

LinkedIn files for IPO IPO Report - MarketWatch.

DriveSavers is the gold standard for hard drive recovery. Apparently there is a twist in recovering data from the increasingly popular SSD (solid state drives). According to the vendor nearly all SSD are encrypted. They don’t explicitly state the MacBook Air SSDs are but I’m going to assume so since they were making this comment at MacWorld this week…

Macworld 2011: DriveSavers talks about SSD recovery.

This is long overdue - you can now configure your Facebook account to use HTTPS/SSL when you log in. This is the same sort of security many of your other accounts use (e.g. all banks and credit cards). I say this is long overdue since services such as Google Mail implemented this maaaaany moons ago. Better late than never?

However… at least for me this setting is not showing up. Presumably it is rolling out over the course of the day. So YMMMV.

A Continued Commitment to Security

I don’t have any inside info but I’m 100% confident there is much more than meets the eyes of these recent top-end security hires by Apple. They definitely are not bringing in people of this caliber just to deal with security of their current systems or to work on vulnerabilities in their software. You can bet there is going to be a major initiative announced down the road. Mostly likely elaborating around the NFC (near field communications) rumors. Look for NFC to make a hardware appearance in the mid term with revenue generating initiatives ramping up soon after.

via Apple Taps NSA Alumnus As Global Security Chief – Apple – InformationWeek.

OneNote is IMO the best component in Office for Windows. Microsoft just released a version that supports iOS (iPad and iPhone) and includes Cloud syncing with Windows Live SkyDrive. Most of my work notes are too sensitive to store in the Cloud (or carry on an iPhone) but I know a lot of people who will be all over this app. It will be up against EverNote and its ilk but still I can’t wait to give it a try.

Microsoft’s Office Team Steps Onto iOS With ‘OneNote’

You think so? ;-)

via Global CIO: HP’s New Strategy Will Intensify Battles With IBM And Oracle – InformationWeek.

Google keeps a log of your entire search history - even if you have logged out of your Google account. I decided I don’t like this and if you feel the same way you can delete your history and prevent Google from profiting from you activity by following the instructions at the link below.

Deleting : Using Web History - Accounts Help.

I hate to pick on the Democrats - because both parties are worthy targets of complaint - but when it comes to spending, the deficit and taxation they’re the ones who spout the most foolish rhetoric and pursue the most damaging policies. Without a fiscally sound government no other policies can survive or prosper. The Dems like to say we just need to tax the rich more or tax everyone making above minimum wage more but the simple fact of the matter is even if we enact such changes it will not solve the deficit problem. And Hauser’s “Law” along with other lessons from the past show that people have a way of adapting to higher taxation in ways that minimize or even avoid a rise in the government’s revenue.

All of our Federal representatives need to face down the deficit/budget problem. But it is the Democrats falsely acting as if the problem can be solved by just taxing a few “fat cats” who aren’t paying their fair share. Perpetuating this notion in the mind of their backers is the one thing doing the most damage to gaining the popular support needed to reform our spending and hence guarantee a healthy future for our country. There is only one solution and that is to reduce Federal government spending. Politicians of both parties need to convince their constituents of this fact and then work to agree on the cuts needed. We can’t afford to have spending cuts pushed through in the same “gun to their head” approach Pelosi and the Dems used to pass the health care “reform” legislation.

Living with Hauser’s Law

We are gaining a family member…

Dreams

My daughter reading from the same Go Dogs Go book I learned from. Warms my heart :)

Ready for Santa to return

Awesome snow today. Kids are amped!

Kids driving iPhone Need for Speed

The timing and fact Verizon is doing the announcement should mean this is an iPhone 4-based release.

via Macrumors More Confirmation Verizon iPhone to Launch on January 11th

This won’t be a national ID system but should make it possible for those who elect to participate to have a validated online identity. Should be interesting to see how this plays out in both the technology vendor and merchant realms.

via CNET Obama to hand Commerce Dept. authority over cybersecurity ID | Privacy Inc.