The Hearings

If you pay attention to technology news, political news, or even fake news, you no doubt heard about the data-mining over at Facebook. I was considering explaining how a few thousand people trying to figure out what Norse god or comic book hero they are most related to, morphed into 50 million peoples’ privacy being abused. However, that involves math, and I did math last Monday.

While we don’t know for sure how this will all play out, it seems likely that someone from Facebook is going to be invited to testify before Congress. Also, there is talk about developing regulations regarding the privacy of personal data. I thought I’d give you a sneak peek into that testimony:

C: “Our research shows that you knew you were sacrificing the privacy of your users when you allowed certain firms to harvest all this private data.”

F: “That’s true.”

C: “Why would you do that? We don’t understand.”

Z: “You don’t understand? Of course you do – We did it for the money.”

C: “Oh? Why didn’t you just say so?”

F: “Our users, you know, your constituents, expect us to do the right thing. We like to support that myth.”

C: “Oh my, that’s a good one! Unfortunately, I’m afraid that some of my colleagues are suggesting that we impose some regulation on your industry, in your space, so to speak.”

F: “I think that would be a good thing, Congressman.”

C: “See, now I find that confusing. Why would you embrace regulation?”

F: “For the same reason you want to make it harder for some people to be able to vote, it presents a barrier to anyone trying to enter our market.”

C: “I see. If we put some regulations in place, we’d only be left with you, those pinheads over at Google and the artist colony up in Cupertino.”

F: “Don’t forget Twitter.”

C: “Seriously? You think anyone on this committee can forget Twitter?”

F: “Good point.”

C: “Still, it seems like a hard task.”

F: “What do you mean?”

C: “How do we write regulations that will prevent the new entrants from gaining a foothold without stifling companies like you and Google and those other guys? I mean, you guys employ a lot of people, pay some taxes, contribute to campaigns – we can’t risk hurting the established players.”

F: “We have some lawyers on staff that can help with that.”

C: “Excellent! Have your people contact my people. Now, let’s wrap this up and get some lunch.”

Maddie and I took a walk on Saturday. She demanded that we take the long way again. It was early, it was cold and the sun was very bright.

The sun is rising above the sun. I was shooting blind, I could not see the display on my phone.

Do you see him? He blends in pretty well.

Happy pup!

A little blurry, but Maddie is pushing me into the driveway to the park. The long way.

The long way around the park.

Maddie had us walking straight into the rising sun.

I was trying to get a picture of that new sign – “Authorized vehicles only!”

Hard to see him, but Chippy is in the right corner by the downspout.

Chippy

We walk, and then we nap. Well, I read, Maddie naps.

“I don’t need a reason to nap.”

The bar was serving Seafood Chowder on Saturday.