Facebook is Listening

 

So... Facebook is listening to your conversations. There's no fancy or poetic way of saying it. Those 'terms of service' agreements you acknowledged when you downloaded the app updates gave Facebook access to your phone's camera and microphone (as well as pictures, video, call log, and contacts). There is literal proof that this is happening. I'll tell you my firsthand experience, but try it for yourself and be prepared to be scared. 

My wife and I were having a conversation with my brother and his wife about ADD. One of us suggested that perhaps it is a condition caused by lazy parenting, and that some attention and restrictions could make a child more patient and well-behaved... another idea was that perhaps all children struggle with a short attention span. Either way, someone noted, there are better solutions than medication.

Minutes later my wife opened the Facebook app on her phone and saw an article on ADD and the over-medication of children. 

Coincidence? Maybe. 

Later that night we get on the subject of dentistry. I explained my "dentists are quacks" theory and we slowly moved to discussions about fluoride and Tom's organic toothpaste. Finally, my brother made the point that Neanderthals did just fine without ever seeing a dentist. That's a very far-out topic and the last thing we would expect... happened. 

My wife opened her Facebook app to find an article suggestion about prehistoric dentistry. 

Still not convinced? Ok. 

We explained this phenomenon to my parents and my Dad couldn't resist testing our hypothesis. After we told him Facebook is listing for keywords in conversations he leaned close to my Mom's phone and started describing how much he wanted a new Jaguar. "You know, I am really in the market for a new Jaguar, I just don't know where to get one." 

Seconds later my Mom looked at her phone and sure enough the very first "article" Facebook suggested was an ad for a Jaguar dealership. 

...we all know that terms you search in Google are tracked and categorized (in case you murder someone and recently did a search for axes and the best place to hide a body). We have come to accept that the things we type into a computer are no longer private.

However, we have not intentionally signed up for this flagrant invasion of our privacy through our phones' microphones and cameras. Conversations that we have with other humans should be private unless we are aware that they are being recorded. Most of us have no idea that our phones are listening in on our private exchanges with loved ones and trusted companions. We have a right to know that social media companies are tracking our interests and opinions based on the things we say... while the app is not even running.

Turning off the "Background App Refresh" button is no longer an option. I have not updated my Facebook app since version 29, but my wife has version 46.

As you can see, she does not have the option to shut off Background App Refresh on her phone. It is "greyed out." That leads me to believe that Facebook is running anytime it wants, and can access the microphone, camera, or any other feature... anytime at all.

... but what are we going to do about it? Log off? Use Safari instead of the app? We are so addicted to social media that we have little recourse. We want to see our friends without calling them. We want to see our families without getting on a plane. The price of this convenience is our privacy, and we are paying dearly.

The only thing that can stop an irresponsible company from taking advantage of people is a massive shift in perspective. The people need to choose not to allow this to happen by deleting the app or turning off their phones.

... hey, it worked with MySpace!


Watch 'Facebook': A parody by John Powers



* it should be noted, this is not the first article to address the breach of privacy in the Facebook terms of service. Various news media have tried and failed to save us from ourselves. Here are several other sources that address this topic...

This article is on Facebook Messenger permissions:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sam-fiorella/the-insidiousness-of-face_b_4365645.html

This article poses the question, then quotes Facebook saying it's a myth:
http://www.webpronews.com/facebook-listens-2015-02/

This article covers Facebook identifying songs:
http://www.businessinsider.com/facebooks-new-feature-creeped-out-users-2014-6

International Business thinks we will get used to the privacy invasion:
http://www.ibtimes.com/facebook-microphone-update-electronic-surveillance-experts-react-smartphone-mic-data-1589575

Facebook got this article to correct itself and remove the word "eavesdropping":
http://www.forbes.com/sites/kashmirhill/2014/05/22/facebook-wants-to-listen-in-on-what-youre-doing/

Fourth of July Playlist

My wife and I are having family over to celebrate the 4th of July. I decided to put together a playlist for our iPod Nano, which will be docked outside for our listening pleasure. Before looking at the list below, you should know that I am a patriotic person... to a degree. I'm a believer in the ideals established by the founders of this country. This list was my attempt to have a larger and more comprehensive list than any of those I found online.

Any song in my collection that had the words "July 4th, Freedom, Star, United, America, Country..." all made it on to the list. Some are more patriotic than others, but they all have implications that relate to our country and various opinions of it... Here goes:

 

All Star -  Smash Mouth
America - Neil Diamond
America - Paul Simon
American Baby - Dave Matthews
American Cliche - Filter
American Eulogy - Green Day
American Gigolo - Weezer
American Girl - Tom Petty
American Girls - Counting Crows
American Girls - Weezer
American Idiot - Green Day
American Idiot - Richard Cheese
American Life - Primus
American Man - Velvet Revolver
American Music - The Hold Steady
American Pie - Don McLean
American Psycho - Eminem & Cypress Hill
American Witch - Rob Zombie
American Woman - The Guess Who
American Woman - Lenny Kravitz
Americana - Offspring
Awakening Americans - Alanis Morissette
Cry Freedom - Dave Matthews
Cumbersome - Seven Mary Three

(off their American Standard album!)
Falling Stars - Serj Tankian
February Stars - Foo Fighters

First Night - The Hold Steady
Flagpole Sitter - Harvey Danger
For God and Country - Smashing Pumpkins
Freedom - Jimi Hendrix
Freedom - Paul McCartney
Freedom - Rage Against the Machine
Geek U.S.A. - Smashing Pumpkins
Hurt - Johnny Cash 

(off his American IV album!)
I'm Afraid of Americans - David Bowie
Last of the American Girls - Green Day
Let Freedom Ring - The Nightwatchman
Living in America - James Brown
Lump - The Presidents of the United States
Omaha - Counting Crows
Peaches - The Presidents of the United States
Road Trippin' - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Rockin' in the Free World - Neil Young
Saturday in the Park - Chicago
Seven Nation Army - The White Stripes
Shooting Star - Puddle of Mudd
Solidarity Forever - The Nightwatchman
Song from an American Movie - Everclear
Star Spangled Banner - Jimi Hendrix
Starz - Smashing Pumpkins
Surf Wax America - Weezer
Swing, Swing - The All-American Rejects
This is Not America - David Bowie
This Land is Your Land -  Counting Crows
This Land is Your Land - The Nightwatchman
United States - Smashing Pumpkins
We're an American Band - Rob Zombie
White America - Eminem
Young American - David Bowie
40oz to Freedom - Sublime
4th of July - Soundgarden


... you're welcome.

Mayor de Blasio Bans NYPD Guns

The Mayor warmly greets the large Jewish population of NYC

In a shocking move late yesterday evening New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio issued an order that New York Police Department officers are to be stripped of their firearms.
The new policy will go into effect the first day of next month and will be a city-wide mandate. It says that officers are no longer authorized to carry guns in public. They are also no longer authorized to receive firearm training. The only place officers may still carry a gun is safely within the walls of the Police Station. Henceforth, the NYPD must use tasers and pepper spray in all situations. In his brief statement, the Mayor expressed that, "... without guns, cops are less likely to shoot anyone." There will be some exceptions to the new anti-gun policy which will include high-profile city events and security detail. The Mayor's own bodyguards will still carry firearms with live rounds.

de Blasio being levitated by the power of anti-police sentiment

A long-time opponent of stop and frisk, de Blasio has spoken out against the NYPD on several occasions. The most recent was following the grand jury decision not to indict NYPD officer Daniel Panteleo in the death of Eric Garner. De Blasio said that he and his wife Chirlane McCray had many conversations with their mixed-race son about taking "special care in any encounters he has with the police officers who are there to protect him." The statement was criticized as being antagonistic and aligning with anti-police sentiment expressed by the likes of instigator Rev. Al Sharpton. In that crucial moment in history, the Mayor did not stand up for the people who protect his city. He instead took the side of a man selling counterfeit cigarettes. On December 20, two officers were assassinated in their patrol car. The shooter made it clear this was revenge. The NYPD feels that the Mayor is at least partially responsible for rousing anti-police sentiment. Officers responded by turning their backs on the Mayor during his eulogies of the two police officers. 

Mayor de Blasio showing support for Gay Pride Day

Boston-born Police Commissioner Bill Bratton has been guarded in his responses to these events, obviously because de Blasio appointed him, and is technically his boss. Bratton was quoted (in his thick Boston accent) as saying, "It matters not what your boss decrees, it is your duty to smile and nod until it's time to punch out and go home." The NYPD have not been so guarded, however, with many officers claiming a direct correlation between the actions of the Mayor and the resulting officer deaths. They have also turned their backs on petty crimes that are designed to bring a tax profit to the city. These crimes (summonses, parking violations) are not hurting any humans, and are mostly in place to keep officers busy meeting quotas. The police are still responding as usual to serious, life-threatening situations.

We cannot help but wonder how quick they will be to respond without a firearm.



* Disclaimer: This article is a joke. It is meant for amusement and should in no way be considered an actual report. None of the statements quoted in this article are real (except in paragraph two). De Blasio has not taken officers guns away... yet. The point of this article is to take what is currently happening to the next level as a warning of things to come if serious changes are not made in the very near future. The author has family and friends in the NYPD and has nothing but respect for our men and women in blue. The author has very little respect for politicians.

Here's a music video about NYC... Empire State of Meh

Paul McCartney is Number Two

Here's a list of number one songs written by Paul McCartney...

1963     She Loves You
1964     I Want to Hold Your Hand
1964     Can't Buy Me Love
1964     Love Me Do
1964     A Hard Day's Night
1964     I Feel Fine
1965     Help!
1965     Yesterday
1965     Ticket to Ride
1965     Eight Days a Week
1966     We Can Work it Out
1966     Paperback Writer
1967     Penny Lane
1967     All You Need is Love
1967     Hello Goodbye
1968     Hey Jude
1969     Come Together/Something *
1969     Get Back
1970     Let it Be
1970     The Long and Winding Road/For You Blue *
1971     Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey *
1973     My Love
1974     Band on the Run
1975     Listen to What the Man Said
1976     Silly Love Songs
1978     With a Little Luck
1980     Coming Up
1982     Ebony and Ivory
1983     Say Say Say
* Released as a double A-side single

There you have it.
Paul McCartney's Number 1 hits according to the Billboard Top 100.

The argument can be made that Paul McCartney has not had a number one hit (by himself) since the death of his long-time writing partner. That's not to say that Lennon was instrumental in McCartney's post-Beatles hits. Seven of the songs above (1971-1980) were written by Paul and had nothing to do with John whatsoever... but once John was no longer living, Paul stopped topping the charts.

John Lennon was shot and killed on December 8, 1980. Ebony and Ivory was a number one hit in 1982, but it was written by Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder. Say Say Say was a number one hit in 1983, but it was written with a very popular artist at the time named Michael Jackson.

 
In 2012 McCartney teamed up with one of the biggest names in music, Dave Grohl, to record Cut Me Some Slack. Many Nirvana fans would never have guessed that Paul McCartney would be the next man to front a Dave Grohl/Krist Novoselic band. The song was featured on the Sound City soundtrack and performed live for the 12/12/12 Hurricane Sandy benefit concert. It won a Grammy for Best Rock Song in 2014, but failed to top the charts.

The year is now 2015 and Paul McCartney just released a song with Kanye West, called Only One. It would be an incredible feat if Sir Paul could grab one more number one hit with an icon of modern culture. The song has been described by Kim Kardashian her favorite Kanye song yet, and it is already number one on the UK charts. If Only One hits number one, it would be 32 years between number one hits for Paul McCartney. That would be a historical feat.

Obamacare Does Not Cover Ebola

 
In a shocking turn of events, several Americans have recently contracted the Ebola virus. The virus has been ravaging the West African countries of Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea since December of 2013. It is estimated that 5,000 people have died in those countries. Several cases have now been identified in the United States. The most documented case is Thomas Eric Duncan, a Liberian immigrant who brought the virus to Dallas. Nurses Nina Pham and Amber Vinson both contracted Ebola while caring for Duncan. Journalist Ashoka Mukpo contracted Ebola while covering the outbreak in Africa for NBC News, and Craig Spencer of "Doctors Without Borders" just checked in to Bellvue Hospital in New York City with Ebola.

Unfortunately for these people... the Affordable Care Act does not cover treatment of the Ebola virus. Here is an excerpt from the law that lists the pre-existing "chronic conditions" that are not covered under the new plans.

Nobody is sure what to make of Ebola in the United States. Several cases seem to have been eradicated, but many people remain skeptical and concerned. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) seems to have underestimated the precautions necessary to stop the spread of the virus. In an effort to avoid a public panic, they instead created a great mistrust of their agency. Most Americans are convinced the disease can spread when someone coughs or sneezes, and it is clear that healthcare professionals are more at risk than the general public. Regardless of how contagious the virus can be, getting care will prove to be an issue.

John Powers
Contributing Reporter
http://www.johnjpowers.com