WE ARE ON THE THRESHOLD OF A GLOBAL CYBER-THREAT CRISIS
I don't know what else to say to increase the concern and awareness. I wrote an entire novel on the nature of the crisis (see the last item in this week's edition on this topic). Sony Playstation was hacked and Sony's CEO tells us that he can't be sure it won't happen again. Google is hacked in China. Iran's nuclear installations are attacked by the Stuxnet virus. Facebook can't protect its security either, so whoever is on there is vulnerable.
These hackers can find ways into your computer to either use it, or plant things in it (porn, for one popular example) that could get you in big trouble. This isn't even new technology. It's been around for almost ten years.
IF YOU HAVE ANY INFLUENCE OVER ANYONE WHO HAS A COMPUTER, OR A COMPANY THAT HAS COMPUTERS, OR YOU USE AN IPAD OR A SMARTPHONE--YOU ARE VULNERABLE. BE VERY CAUTIOUS!
What can you do? Keep anti-virus protection up to date; keep your firewall on; accept as few cookies as possible; stop forwarding file attachments that have not been scanned for viruses; don't open or share file attachments; just trash them (it's not worth the risk). If you want someone to watch a video, send them a link to the origin site, one that you have checked out, and know is safe and valid. One of the best ways hacker get in is by phishing or social engineering--fooling people into voluntarily giving up critical information. DO NOT GIVE ANYONE INFORMATION UNLESS YOU ARE SURE THEY ARE LEGITIMATE !
NOTE: MICROSOFT SAYS ONE IN 14 DOWNLOADS IS MALICIOUS--AND MICROSOFT HAS ITS OWN PROBLEMS TOO!
The next time a website says to download new software to view a movie or fix a problem, think twice. There's a pretty good chance that the program is malicious. http://cwonline.computerworld.com/t/7344996/886955522/512542/0/
FYI--I just bought Microsoft's latest version of Office for Mac and the fourth day I had it there was a "Critical" Software Update of over 450MB for security reasons. I assume it went to all owners of those programs. Took forever to download and install. Now that Apple is gaining share and stature, hackers are going after it--and the relative safety of Macs is in jeopardy too.
BUT AN EVEN BIGGER PROBLEM IS AMERICA'S LEADERSHIP: IS THERE ANYONE PICTURED HERE THAT CAN GET ELECTED--AND THEN HELP SAVE AMERICA?
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703655404576292930136224932.html?mod=djemTEW_h
Ron Paul is in (ho-hum--been there seen him);
Tim Pawlenty is in (nice but dull);
Newt is in (although he's already screwed up any chances he had).
Huckabee is out. Trump is out.
Herman Cain is due to announce this weekend--he is "the real deal!"
Mitt Romney will be in, and he's a serious candidate but is still awkwardly skating around his past issues.
Mitch Daniels is possibly coming in, based on his wife's appearance recently, and he's competent but not an exciting speaker.
Michelle Bachman is possibly coming in, who may or may not be competent but is more "exciting," at least to Tea Partiers.
Jon Huntsman may jump in too (he's a smart, interesting moderate--but also a Mormon--or doesn't that matter as much anymore?)
Once the candidates who really plan to make a serious run are in, some of the "also rans" (Santorum? Johnson? & who else--please not Palin!) should bow out--and support a stronger candidate--but they won't. It's their 15 minutes of fame.
Paul Ryan, Marco Rubio, Chris Chrisie--the new "young guns" don't want to take on a hugely funded, incumbent President who will stop at nothing when campaigning.
DARK HORSE CANDIDATE FOR GOP NOMINEES (PUN INTENDED) HERMAN CAIN--SPREAD THE WORD--CHECK HIM OUT
http://hermancain.com/
I still like him, out of all the possible candidates. He should be announcing this weekend if he is an official candidate. I think he will officially run. I don't know if he can raise the money he'll need--but he'd be a lot better than some of the current candidates. Check his background, his beliefs and how he approaches things. I think you will be favorably impressed. He is not getting the credit/exposure he deserves. He clobbered the field in the Fox News South Carolina "debate" and that included Pawlenty and Paul.
CONSUMERS KNOW WHAT'S CONCERNING THEM--THEY JUST DON'T KNOW WHO CAN FIX "IT"
BIGresearch does some wonderful surveys. I have mentioned them before. The Consumer Intentions and Actions (CIA) done monthly is the closest you can come to predicting the future (from a consumer standpoint) in retail and for companies that sell to retail. It surveys almost 10,000 people, trims it down to 8,000+ for demographic correctness and that yields a margin of error of 1% or less. BIGresearch also does an even larger survey (over 20,000 respondents) semi-annually that focuses on media usage and influence. Finally, they do an American Pulse survey a couple times each month, in which they usually have about 5000 respondents. This survey covers a wide range of topics but clearly showed (most recently) how Americans defined their worst concerns. Here's a brief snapshot of a small piece of that survey.
What do you think are the worst problems currently affecting the United States? (Check all that apply)
Rising gas prices
85.4%
Rising food prices
65.7%
High inflation
40.6%
Weak economy
67.7%
Unemployment
77.1%
National debt
67.6%
Source: BIGresearch® American Pulse™ Survey
The April #2 Survey was conducted 4/25-4/28/2011. 5340 Adults Age 18+ surveyed. Margin of error is +/ 1.4%,
(Yes, they will happily sell subscriptions to these great surveys! Email me if anyone is interested.)
For more info you can see lots more at http://www.bigresearch.com .
THE WIDELY ACCLAIMED QE2 IS FAILING--JUST LIKE THE STIMULUS BEFORE IT DID
President Obama continues to spend the USA into insolvency, irresponsibly throwing money at problems via his henchmen, the Treasury Secretary and the Fed Chairman. While monetary stimulus can slow the fall of a falling economy, it doesn't create sustainable growth. How many times does this need to be illustrated. So far, more than a Trillion Dollars has been spent, allegedly to jump start a sick economy. It didn't work. Somehow the widely publicized NYTimes columnist Paul Krugman may have gotten a Nobel prize in economics, but he doesn't get this point. He wants to dump more of your tax money down the drain. But then look at some other recent Nobel prize winners: Al Gore, Barack Obama? It makes you wonder what this prize is for--who can mislead people more?
THE RECOVERY SEEMS TO BE SLOWLY ADDING JOBS--VERY SLOWLY
Small businesses are still wary. Consumers are hesitant since their incomes have not gone up much and what increase they saw has been consumed at the gas pump and grocery store. Maybe relief in gas prices is coming--IF the recent upsurge was fueled more y speculation than by supply and demand.
A RECENT MOVE BY THE OBAMA SIDE--LET THE PRESIDENT CHOOSE FED COMMITTEE MEMBERS
In a little publicized set of moves, there is action underway to remove the regional members of the Federal Reserve Committee because they represent large banks and that is a "conflict of interest." The alternative solution is to designate replacement members. Who would choose then? Why "King Obama," of course, our Pretender in Chief. Who else? This will not stop until he is out of the White House.
FROM POLITICO.COM WE GET THE LATEST OBAMA PLOY: ADD MILLIONS OF ILLEGALS TO HIS VOTER ROLL
How can a presidential candidate manufacture millions of new votes by a single action? Barack Obama typically draws 60-75% of the Hispanic vote, so IF he can legislate the addition of millions of illegals, he picks up a hugely sympathetic voting block. And that, my friends, is exactly what he is trying to do--again--with this legislation. Obama henchman "Dirty Harry Reid" will lead the charge followed closely by Illinois devotee Dick Durbin.
Senate Democrats will re-introduce the long-stalled DREAM Act, hoping to tap into momentum from President Barack Obama’s speech along the border Tuesday about America’s need to pass comprehensive immigration reform. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and other Democrats will urge passage of the DREAM Act at a news conference Wednesday morning at the Capitol.
Foundering in Congress for a decade, the legislation was passed in the House but came up five votes short of overcoming a Republican filibuster in the Senate during last December’s lame-duck session. The DREAM Act would provide a path to citizenship for millions of illegal immigrants brought to the country as children if they attend college or join the military for two years.At a speech in El Paso, Texas, Obama called on Congress to pass the bill and “stop punishing innocent young people for the actions of their parents.”
“It was a tremendous disappointment to get so close and then see politics get in the way,” Obama said. “These are kids who grew up in this country, love this country, and know no other place as home. The idea that we would punish them is cruel and it makes no sense. We are a better nation than that. “So we’re going to keep up the fight for the Dream Act. We’re going to keep up the fight for reform.”
THE WHITE HOUSE PASSES THE BUCK ON CYBER-SECURITY--TO BUSINESS!!!
The White House sent a roadmap to Congress telling it how to protect the nation from cyber threats—Pass new laws requiring companies to guard critical water, electric and transportation networks.
The administration also called for a new federal data breach notification law on how businesses tell customers their personal data has been stolen by hackers or thieves. A senior White House official told reporters on a conference call that laws need updating to fight the growing challenge from digital assailants. This is either a government abdication of responsibility or a really good idea. We'll see which. Actually, business IS better equipped to do this than the bureaucrats in DC. This might actually be effective—if the new laws are not too burdensome.
OUR MILITARY PRESENCE IN SO MANY PLACES IS DRAINING US--FOCUS AND PRIORITIZE ARE THE KEY WORDS
We still have tens of thousands of military in various places in Europe, notably Germany, more than 60 years since the end of WWII. Our unclear (and unwinnable) mission in Afghanistan is due to start winding down later this year. Pakistan is an easy escape route for Taliban and al Qaeda sympathizers--and thus far, Pakistan has shown little ability (or interest) in keeping that from happening. Iraq is "over" for the USA--we need to move on out and led them squabble among themselves. Korea is worrisome, but we can't put enough troops there to stop a massive attack by the North. The American military needs to re-focus, re-task and re-build. We must quit fighting yesteryear's wars and prepare to fight tomorrow's--and those will be totally different--asymmetrical, widely dispersed, covert, guerilla actions against pockets of enemies--not even necessarily "nation states."
HERE IS ONE OF MY RECENT FORBES BLOG POSTS IN CASE YOU DON'T READ THEM:
http://blogs.forbes.com/prospernow/2011/05/02/forget-afghanistan-lets-rebuild-america/
Best, JOHN
----------------------------
PS: THE GOOD REVIEWS of The Chinese Conspiracy KEEP ROLLING IN--READ THEM ON MY SITE OR ON AMAZON.COM
Thus far, a dozen independent reviews (and several more from friends and acquaintances) have been very positive--only one was "critical." And I was happy that the others were almost equally split between male and female reviewers--a significant plus for a novel.
But sales are still weak. Need help in that area! Encourage your friends to buy several copies--please--one for their own reading and others to use as gifts?
Please send people here: http://www.thechineseconspiracy.com
THE LATEST GOOD REVIEW OF THE CHINESE CONSPIRACY (FROM AN INDEPENDENT REVIEWER)
"I don't know about you but everyday I turn on my computer and it becomes my life for several hours. I have mail to answer, orders to fill, reviews to write, and the list goes on. I know at times when my server is not working correctly and I cannot get on I become agitated as my world seems to be off-centered. Although all of that information is not a good thing, it is a truth, nevertheless. Now imagine what would happen if the internet did not come back on, if your cell phone or house phone, for that matter did not work. What if the television was off and the radio did not play no matter what you did? Scary thought isn't it?"
"In this outstanding book by John Mariotti we are taken on a journey where that is exactly what is being planned. As a Chinese Minister decides to see just what would happen if a cyber attack were to take place the race is on as our hero, Jim Martini, stumbles upon the plot while visiting his hometown, and races to stop it. What a rush!"
"This is an outstanding book in so many ways. The storyline could be tomorrow's headlines and it could happen across the nation of in just a small section. The characters were very well defined, giving you that 'I've known you all my life' feel to 'wow, what a creep. who are you?' In other words both good and bad, mixing them with just the right flow within the story as each character played his or her part. It flowed at a good pace, keeping my attention and keeping the thrill effect right to the end. A very good read, well written. It was not only entertaining but left me with much to think about. Recommended."
Shirley Johnson/Senior Reviewer
MidWest Book Review
---------------------------------
BUY IT NOW:
THE CHINESE CONSPIRACY
http://www.thechineseconspiracy.com
Come see me on Forbes.com: http://search.forbes.com/search/find&start=1&tab=searchtabgeneraldark&MT=JOhn+Mariotti&sort=Date Also come see me on American Express Open Forum http://www.openforum.com/search/text/?searchstring=Mariotti&x=0&y=0
John L. Mariotti, President & CEO, The Enterprise Group, Phone 614-840-0959 http://www.mariotti.net, http://mariotti.blogs.com/my_weblog/
.
Comments