Notes from the Electronic Cottage 3/25/10

Producer/Host: Jim Campbell

Here are the web site addresses mentioned on today’s program.
MARVEL, where you can read thousands of magazines, newspapers and reference works: libraries.maine.edu/mainedatabases
A look at the state of the news media in the U.S.: www.stateofthemedia.org
One site’s very good analysis of the best jobs in the U.S. Be sure to check the criteria used to make the list:
www.focus.com/fyi/human-resources/best-jobs
The Top 20 Open Source Program Downloads:
www.tripwiremagazine.com/2010/03/20-most-popular-open-source-software
-ever-2.html
A great genealogy site with millions of records, free software, and
tutorials: www.familysearch.org

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Notes from the Electronic Cottage 2/25/10

Producer/Host: Jim Campbell

Sorry to say, electronic technology can be used for bad purposes as well as good and we review a few today from electronic skimmers that capture your credit and ATM card numbers to school laptops and your cell phones that can be used to spy on you.
For a look at some card number skimmers that have been used to help generate a billion dollars of ATM fraud, check www.krebsonsecurity.com/2010/02/atm-skimmers-part-ii

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Notes from the Electronic Cottage 2/18/10

Producer/Host: Jim Campbell

In this world of increasing surveillance, it’s comforting to know that even if our whereabouts are known though surveillance cameras and monitoring of our cell phones and GPS units, and even if Google (and the government) knows everywhere we go on the Internet, at least no one can know what we’re thinking. Right? Maybe not for long. Listen up.

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Notes from the Electronic Cottage 2/04/10

Producer/Host: Jim Campbell

Every day, we are captured on video cameras in stores or gas stations or toll booths. Let’s reflect a bit on what effect such surveillance has on daily life, and on the recent introduction of automated license plate reading cameras mounted on police cruisers here in Maine.
An interesting book on the difference between digital memory and human memory and what it means for out lives and those of our children is “Delete:
The Value of Forgetting in the Digital Age by Viktor Mayer-Schonberger.
Definitely worth a read if ubiquitous surveillance concerns you.

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Notes from the Electronic Cottage 1/28/10

Producer/Host:  Jim Campbell

“The State of the News Media 2009” is a sobering report from the Pew Research Center’s Project for Excellence in Journalism. We’ll take a look at some of the trends the report observes. and on the impact that the decline of traditional news media is having on our lives, our culture, and, perhaps, on our way of governing ourselves. The full report is available at www.journalism.org.  Take a look for yourself.

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