Monthly Archives: April 2007

Google Steps Up and Kills Drive-By Spyware Pimps

Posted on April 28, 2007 by Lonny Paul

Google – Good Job! Spyware has long been a thorn in my side. Several years ago I was deeply involved in litigation regarding spyware and trying to stop it. We all know that spyware has evolved considerably over the last 10 years, but it continues to be a problem. Millions of computer users worldwide are currently having their PC used for things they aren’t even aware of – most often being used to send emails. Spam. My favorite! (Ugh!)

Google announced that they were removing paid links which although seeming to go to legitimate websites, many were redirecting to search results and other pages which would perform a ‘drive-by download,’ where the person is generally not aware an application is being installed on their computer. This can be done a myriad of ways, and they seem to try them all – but now Google is going to stop as much of it as they can. Continue reading →

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Without bees only Four Years Left

Posted on April 14, 2007 by Lonny Paul

According to Albert Einstein, once the bees are gone, “man would have only four years of life left.” Bees are critical worldwide for the pollenation of various plants – and now the story being put forward is that “radiation given off by mobile phones and other hi-tech gadgets is a possible answer to one of the more bizarre mysteries ever to happen in the natural world – the abrupt disappearance of the bees that pollinate crops. Late last week, some bee-keepers claimed that the phenomenon – which started in the US, then spread to continental Europe – was beginning to hit Britain as well.”

The problem is now affecting half of all American states and sixty percent of it’s commercial bee population has been lost on the West Coast with seventy percent missing on the East Coast. Continue reading →

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Apple O/S Delay: Legit or just a PR Event?

Posted on April 13, 2007 by Lonny Paul

Apple announced today that they won’t be shipping their latest operating system, Mac OS X Leopard, until October. Leveraging the O/S team for iPhone tweaks is getting the blame for the delay. Aside from the daunting task of ensuring ‘everything works,’ is it possible, even just for a second, that this O/S delay, like most operating system release dates, is only a reason to get more press?

Apple’s released statement regarding the delay was rife with information and sexy language about the iPhone, perhaps only attempting to get it more deeply embedded in everyone’s minds – while providing them a little ‘breathing room’ to get the release and phone done on time. Continue reading →

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The Sweet Smell of Piracy – now detectable by Dogs

Posted on April 1, 2007 by Lonny Paul

Dogs are a great help in search and rescue as well as in the fight against drugs for the DEA and as well for explosives detection, but pirated movies? Unless there is a specific scent associated with being ripped off (would I go so far as to say that these are dogs seeking fecal aroma or methane pockets?) how can these dogs find pirated DVDs? Continue reading →

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