Surveillance: The government isn’t spying on us; Google is spying on us, and the government is asking Google for certain results.

Mass information gathering by for profit companies and the use of that information is becoming a major issue for societies, groups and individuals who are gradually waking up to the reality that if you type it with a keyboard or upload it and hit the send key you might as well be writing graffiti on government building walls and leaving your name and address in the bottom right hand corner.

What is amazing is how innocent and lulled most of us have been about the use of computers and keyboards.  Especially allowing kids to spend hours unsupervised on the same machines we do our most important communicating with banks, friends, colleagues, you name it.

So here we are having a debate about our relationship with online entities and the use of the data we willingly share and that data they are also able to produce deductively beyond what we are willing to share.

Whether we have anything to hide or not, most of us assume we get to make that choice.

Apparently, our keyboards, desktop computers and online connection are a gateway to big business and big brother which today seem to be becoming one and the same.

“LET’S get the most contentious point out of the way first: Edward Snowden made the right call to make public the extent of the National Security Administration’s surveillance of electronic communications. The American people can now have a debate about whether or not they consent to that level of surveillance in order to prevent terrorist attacks, a debate that we were previously denied by the government’s unwillingness to disclose even the …”

via Surveillance: Should the government know less than Google? | The Economist.

Filed under: News, Public Policy, Civic Engagement, Social Media, Technology and You, Blogosphere, WeSeeReason, Public Sector, Using Social Media, consumers, regulations, propaganda and spin, Culture Think, Changing Media Paradigm, analytics, Policy ThinkShop Comments on other media platforms, Big Brother is Watching; government surveillance; FBI waste; September 11th impact on civil liberties; civil liberties; civil rights; freedom under fire;, government surveillance, NSA

NSA Snooping Was Only the Beginning. Meet the Spy Chief Leading Us Into Cyberwar

Conflict and competition can be argued are leading forces in the development of civilizations.  However, when conflict and competition exist within a system that is competing with a plethora of external sources, these internal forces can be destructive because a divided house is more easily destoyed.

America is such a system today.  This is especially true of our divided political system.  From Watergate to various false attempts at “Obamagate” today, America finds itself at an important crossroads.  Eisenhower’s military industrial complex seems to be reaching Orwellian proportions.  It is not just made up of electronic eavesdropping.  It has plenty of mortal and brick and significant parts of it are independent, for profit and privatized.

The abuses of Black Water during the Gulf War are now looking temporary and relatively small compared to the all pervasive and apparently institutionalized programs that listen in on private communication among all Americans in a new America where BIG BROTHER seems to be watching, listening, recording and even sending drones.

“INSIDE FORT MEADE, Maryland, a top-secret city bustles. Tens of thousands of people move through more than 50 buildings—the city has its own post office, fire department, and police force. But as if designed by Kafka, it sits among a forest of trees, surrounded by electrified …”

via NSA Snooping Was Only the Beginning. Meet the Spy Chief Leading Us Into Cyberwar | Threat Level | Wired.com.

Filed under: Blogosphere, Changing Media Paradigm, Civic Engagement, consumers, Culture Think, drone attacks, News, political plots, propaganda and spin, Public Policy, Social Media, Big Brother is Watching; government surveillance; FBI waste; September 11th impact on civil liberties; civil liberties; civil rights; freedom under fire;

Devoted to Politics, MSNBC Slips on Breaking News

Do you remember Keith Olbermann?  The following article credits him for pioneering the niche MSNBC has carved out for itself in its rise to the top tier in ratings.  

“At MSNBC they view it as rooting against death and destruction: the last thing the channel wants is more months like the last two, filled with terror bombings, tornadoes and ….”

via Devoted to Politics, MSNBC Slips on Breaking News – NYTimes.com.

Filed under: Blogosphere, Changing Media Paradigm, consumers, Culture Think, Fox, Fox News, ideology and the media, Keith Olbermann, liberal media, MSNBC

In America’s cities, demographics must drive policy

The baby boom generation continues to dominate numerically.  Even as they slow down and even retire, their sheer numbers continue to drive American social needs and wants.  As corporations increase their global reach and their local dominance, simple demographic currents may rule the day as millions of boomers smother marketing strategies and trends with a simple “That’s not what I want.”

“As many boomers choose to “age in place,” that is, to retire and continue living in their homes and/or neighborhoods as opposed to in retirement homes, they will demand accessible transportation, services, walkability, and access to health care in their communities. These demands also characterize today’s young, educated, millennial generation.

Will cities and neighborhoods be able to cope with these interrelated demands? There are several key reasons for concern and also several important opportunities.

Areas for concern

• Urban Institute models project that between 2010 and 2030 there will be a 70 percent increase in senior homeowners and a 100 percent increase in senior renters.
• As many seniors choose to “age in place” by staying in their homes and communities, their cities and neighborhoods may not be equipped to provide the transportation, services, and health care they increasingly demand.
• Affordable housing is limited, but retirees on fixed incomes and millennials facing an unprecedented wealth gap will increasingly demand affordable housing in walkable urban areas.

Reasons for optimism according to panelists

• Health care will increasingly comprise the largest share of living expenses for seniors, but in-home care and other in-home services can reduce health care costs, and those cost savings can be reinvested in the services that generate them.
• Social Impact Bonds and other public-private partnerships may be well-placed to make the initial investments in the many services that will be needed, increasing economic efficiency and generating profits.
• Technology will allow many seniors to receive health care monitoring and service delivery in their homes, while millennials will use it to interact with and replace many neighborhood amenities.”

via In America’s cities, demographics must drive policy.

Filed under: Aging, analytics, Blogosphere, Children and Poverty, Civic Engagement, consumers, Culture Think, Demographic Change, Economic Recovery, News, WeSeeReason, American Cities, Demographics, Policy Process Politics Values Objectivity of Science Social Science Public Policy, Public Policy

Income-Based Diversity Lags at Many Public Universities – NYTimes.com

Why do we so vigorously debate affirmative action?   Truth be told, policies purported to address inequality in our society are neither affirmative nor very “active.”

The value of the idea that underrepresented groups within mainstream institutions is a problem greatly relies on who is defining and  how these groups are defined.  The following article in the NYTs raises some interesting issues in this area which show that many in our society are beginning to question how and why we quantify and measure representation within our learning communities.

“Opponents of race-based affirmative action in college admissions urge that colleges use a different tool to encourage diversity: giving a leg up to poor students. But many educators see real limits to how eager colleges are to enroll more poor students, no matter how qualified — and the reason is …”

via Income-Based Diversity Lags at Many Public Universities – NYTimes.com.

Filed under: access to education, Blogosphere, consumers, Culture Think, Demographic Change, Discrimination, Education Policy, Education Reform, ethnicity in politics, ideology, Education policy

Personality, social media and marketing: No hiding place | The Economist

Getting into the heads of consumers seems to be the new marketing genius being applied to developing advertisement campaigns that will move us to buy products.

But who is us?  That seems to be the main problem.  Some people have limited budgets, strong discipline, and limited opportunities to veer from their social rounds–all making it nearly impossible for them to want, need or even have the opportunity to use many products.  Nevertheless, new tonics and theories are being developed into marketing strategies that will deliver consumers for available products, seemingly needing them or not.  They seem to be inventing ways to get into your mind and then direct it towards buying decisions that will move your money from your hands to their deposit boxes.

“Modern psychology recognizes five dimensions of personality: extroversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism and openness to experience. Previous research has shown that people’s scores on these traits can, indeed, predict what they purchase. Extroverts are more likely to respond to an advert for a mobile phone that promises …”

via Personality, social media and marketing: No hiding place | The Economist.

Filed under: analytics, Blogosphere, Changing Media Paradigm, consumers, Culture Think, News, Pop-Psychology, propaganda and spin, Social Media, Using Social Media, consumer research, marketing and psychology, minding the mind, psychology

Wariness Over a Deal Intended to Deliver More Pork to China – NYTimes.com

In an Orwellian turn of fate, in a surreal moment where life imitates art, the Chinese play the role of capitalist pigs as the US food market is sold to the three winds like pork bellies.

 

“If you dined on tilapia recently, chances are it came from China. And that artificial vanilla you just used to make cookies? It, too, may have made the same long journey to your …”

via Wariness Over a Deal Intended to Deliver More Pork to China – NYTimes.com.

Filed under: Asian, Blogosphere, consumers, Health Policy, International Relations, News, food suppy, US China Relations, US food supply

Feds shut down “pay pall for criminals”

Well, if there is a will there is a way… and so it goes in cyberspace and in the world of law enforcement.

The internet appears to have created sophisticate ways of moving value around–seemingly under the noses of law enforcement… but not any more…

“In what could be a bad sign for the future of Bitcoin, the feds have shut down Liberty Reserve, a virtual currency exchange system that prosecutors claim …”

MORE via Mashable.

Filed under: Blogosphere, consumers, Crimes and Misdemeanors, creativity and crime, cyber crime, Cybersecurity

Measuring energy efficiency in buildings: Turn that light off! | The Economist

Want to save some green?  Go green–as in make your home energy efficient.  But who is to say what really defines green and when you have reached it?

“FOR some people there are two important numbers when it comes to buying a car: the price and the miles it does per gallon (for others, looks, style, brand and the whole driving experience are what counts). Property is no different. A cheaper house price will save you money at the time of your purchase, and a high energy-efficiency rating (EER) will save you cash on each month’s energy bill. One problem with the latter is that there are far too many factors in each property to produce a single rating.”

MORE via Measuring energy efficiency in buildings: Turn that light off! | The Economist.

Filed under: Blogosphere, consumers, Energy Policy, Environmental Policy, Going green, News, Oil and Gas

The New Rules for Sunscreen

Sunshine and good health and  happiness go hand and hand.  Or do they?

Today the connection between cancer and over exposure to the sun’s warm rays is well documented and it seems to be growing…

“Here is some advice to bear in mind when selecting sunscreen:”

More via The New Rules for Sunscreen – NYTimes.com.

Filed under: Blogosphere, Cancer Treatment & Success, consumers, Health Literacy, Cancer, skin cancer, sun health, Sun tan, sunshine and health

Nonprofits: Master “Medium Data” Before Tackling Big Data – Jacob Harold – Harvard Business Review

The now seemingly omnipresent digitalization of human communication is leading to unthinkable mountains of data which various economic, government and not for profit organizations seek to manipulate and put to good use.  This new area of information management and data mining is referred to as “BIG DATA” and it is being discussed more frequently as more and more data becomes available more entities seek to take advantage of the knowledge it may yield and the advantages or profits it may make possible.

The Policy ThinkShop comments on an article on this topic below… you can follow the link to see the article we are commenting on for the whole story…

“Could it be that BIG D is logically for the BIG players with macro goals and great resources? By definition, BIG data belies the benefits of statistics and, perhaps, well designed analytic tools.”

via Nonprofits: Master “Medium Data” Before Tackling Big Data – Jacob Harold – Harvard Business Review.

Filed under: analytics, Blogosphere, Changing Media Paradigm, consumers, MashCrunchWired, Mass Media and Public Opinion, News, Social Media, Big Data, hexabyte, knowledge management, petabyte

Medication vs. stents for heart disease treatment – Harvard Health Publications

What’s the best way to “fix” a narrowed coronary artery? That question was the crux of a multimillion-dollar trial dubbed COURAGE, short for Clinical Outcomes Utilizing Revascularization and Aggressive Drug Evaluation. Its results, presented in the spring of 2007, stunned some doctors and seemed to shock the media, but we hope they won’t come as a surprise to readers: For people with stable coronary artery disease (clogged arteries nourishing the heart), artery-opening angioplasty was no better than medications and lifestyle changes at preventing future heart attacks or strokes, nor did it extend life.

via Medication vs. stents for heart disease treatment – Harvard Health Publications.

Filed under: Aging, Blogosphere, consumers, Death and Dying, Health and Exercise, Health Literacy, Health Policy, Healthcare Reform, Medical Research, News