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September 26, 2006

Truth be told

Today I was browsing through the exhibits at the conference when I stumbled upon an interesting new product called Layered Voice Analysis (LVA).

LVA is software that analyzes 129 frequency parameters found in the human voice and provides an emotional/psychological profile of the speaker. It shows, for example, when a subject is being deceptive, excited or stressed.

To illustrate LVA's capabilities, the vendor had set up a large plasma screen showing the software running alongside a clip of Bill Clinton's now famous debate with Mike Wallace on Faux News.

As Clinton was speaking, the word "Truthful" continually flashed on the screen, punctuated occasionally by "High Levels of Stress". Who said telling the truth was easy? On several occasions when Wallace interjected or responded, the word "Inaccuracy" would flash on the screen.

I'm not making this up. I only watched a couple of minutes but found the demonstration fascinating. Now when can I buy a set-top box version to attach to my TV?

Of course, for watchers of Faux News, you wouldn't need to invest in this technology. Just place a sign on top of your set that says, "Lies, Damned Lies and Lying Liars" and you'll be set.

Posted by Mark Poole at 8:08 PM in Humor, Media, Politics, Psychology, Technology
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September 11, 2006

The real legacy of 9/11

According to USA Today, the so-called 'homeland security' business (aka the military-industrial-security complex) is now worth $59 billion a year. That's how much governments and businesses spend to 'thwart terrorosts', whatever that term means in practice. Homeland security is bigger than the motion picture and music industries.

The big winners?

  • The usual lineup of military contractors: Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, Boeing, Northrop Grumman, Ericsson, etc.
  • Accenture, a $15 billion a year services company headquartered in Bermuda.
  • The biometric industry and other whiz-bang technologies with limited or unproven effectivess.

Are we getting any value for all these billions?

Consultant Doug Laird, who worked for the U.S. Secret Service and was Northwest Airlines' security director, criticizes the Department of Homeland Security for awarding so many contracts to large corporations.

In general, he says, the contractors oversell the security value of their goods and services. Further, he says, the government exercises inadequate oversight.

"The DHS has pretty much given them an open check to supply products and services," he says.

Often, the large corporations "have no idea about" the work that needs to be done, Laird says. "In my opinion, it's a total rip-off."

The question on everybody's lips: Has the world become any safer? 

 

Posted by Mark Poole at 12:27 PM in Business, Politics, Security, Technology
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August 1, 2006

Second chances

A friend forwarded an interesting piece from Friday's New York Times concerning the recent appointment of Rev. Alvin O'Neal Jackson as senior pastor of the Park Avenue Christian Church in Manhattan.

Until several years ago, Mr. Jackson was a shining star in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), an 800,000-member denomination. A renowned orator, he was pastor of the church’s flagship congregation, in Washington, and as the denomination’s moderator held its highest elected position. In a previous post, in Memphis, he expanded a church of 350 members to more than 8,000 in 19 years.

But he was embarrassed in late 2003 when a curious member of his staff in Washington discovered that Mr. Jackson had been preaching, often verbatim, the same sermons as the Rev. Thomas K. Tewell, at the time the leader of the Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church in New York City [...]

Kathy McGregor, staff nurse at the National City Christian Church in Washington, woke up early one Sunday and, out of curiosity, typed into Google Mr. Jackson’s provocative sermon title for that day, “Sorry Mr. President, I Don’t Dance.” [...] A sermon with the same title by Mr. Tewell popped up on her screen. Clicking through Fifth Avenue’s Web site to see Mr. Tewell’s other sermons, she saw that many other titles matched Mr. Jackson’s as well.

Clearly the leadership of liberal churches is no more immune to scandal than the leaders of the religious right. This was truly a case of the mighty falling. By all accounts Rev. Jackson was considered a visionary leader and respected orator.

Jackson admitted in a letter to Park Avenue CC that he had "used some sermon materials without attribution over a period of several weeks from a colleague". According to the Washington Post (as reported in the NYT article) the actual length of time was more like eighteen months and the "use without attribution" was, in fact, verbatim regurgitation of other clergy's sermons, complete with "umms" and "ahhs" and personal anecdotes.

Jackson initially accused church members of waging a personal vendetta, and although he returned to the pulpit for a while he later resigned amid growing controversy. Surprisingly, he attributes his leaving to "opposition to the more multicultural direction that he, as a black minister, was taking the mostly white congregation", rather than anything to do with his own shortcomings as a spiritual leader.  [An earlier WaPo article here]

Continue reading "Second chances" »

Posted by Mark Poole at 12:59 PM in Ethics, Personal, Technology
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December 6, 2005

When corporations rule the Earth

Evidence mounts that Sony BMG knew that their new XCP copy protection scheme posed a security risk to consumers before the issue went public, but went ahead with it anyway... Or, as Ed Felten puts it:

We know already that entertainment companies want to redesign our computers in the hope (which is ultimately futile) of stopping copying. From there, it’s not so large a step to decide that users’ security simply must be sacrificed on the altar of copy protection.

Thank God at least for NY state Attorney General and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Elliot Spitzer, who launched an investigation into the matter last month. This wouldn't be the first time that Sony and other recording companies came under the Spitzer microscope. In May 2004, Sony and several other companies agreed to return nearly $50 million in unclaimed royalties to thousands of unpaid artists that they couldn't bother tracking down.

Apparently the recording industry will go to extreme and even illegal lengths to protect its own profits, but not those of the artists on whom it depends. Or, in Sony BMG's own words:

Going forward, we will continue to identify new ways to meet demands for flexibility in how you and other consumers listen to music.

Can't wait for that!

Posted by Mark Poole at 9:02 PM in Business, Technology
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December 2, 2005

Caught in the act

I was walking to the office from the bus stop, using my BlackBerry to read this article in the Washington Post, about BlackBerry users:

Since it hit the market seven years ago, BlackBerry has accelerated the pace of business and bred a generation of workers who rely on constant e-mail updates ... The device has even spawned modern afflictions such as "BlackBerry thumb," from typing too much on the tiny keyboard, and CrackBerry addiction, for those who can't look up from it while eating, walking or even driving.

Wow, how did they know?

Posted by Mark Poole at 9:28 AM in Technology
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November 10, 2005

Sony rootkit trojan zombie botnet shock threat!

OK, so I'm just trying to increase my chances of being read...

But before you turn that virtual page, consider this: Sony Music wants to control your Windows or Macintosh PC and obtain your personal data without your consent, and has hatched a cunning strategy to do just that.

Continue reading "Sony rootkit trojan zombie botnet shock threat!" »

Posted by Mark Poole at 4:35 PM in Technology
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