LEMHANBROTHERSTECHNOLOGY: August 2013

Saturday, 24 August 2013

NSA illegally collected thousands of emails, US admits

A protester holds a placard showing U.S. President Barack Obama with the phrase "Yes we scan"

The NSA's activities have sparked protests after leaks by Edward Snowden

A National Security Agency surveillance system illegally gathered up to 56,000 personal emails by Americans annually, declassified court documents show.

Officials revealed that a judge in the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court ruled the programme illegal in 2011.
The communications were between people with no links to terror suspects.
The US government faces mounting criticism over its surveillance operations after the leaks of US whistle-blower Edward Snowden.
The court, whose rulings are normally kept secret, said the NSA may have violated US law for collecting as many as 56,000 emails on an annual basis between 2008 and 2011.
But intelligence officials speaking to reporters anonymously say the scooping of emails was unintentional, blaming it on a technological problem.
The NSA was unable to separate out emails between Americans with no direct connection to terrorism, so the agency was collecting tens of thousands of "wholly domestic communications" every year, the court documents said.
In the ruling, Judge John Bates criticised the NSA over the breach of privacy, marking it as "the third instance in less than three years in which the government has disclosed a substantial misrepresentation regarding the scope of a major collection programme".
The court found that the data gathering violated the Fourth Amendment of the US Constitution, prohibiting "unreasonable searches and seizures".
The court's opinions, which are usually kept secret, were revealed by the government in response to a Freedom of Information request.
Government officials said that the court rulings had been declassified to show that eavesdropping programmes at fault had been found and fixed, highlighting its oversight measures.
The scope of the NSA's massive surveillance programme, which sweeps up internet traffic and phone records, was exposed in June in leaks to media by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden.
Earlier this month, President Barack Obama promised to be more transparent about US spying programmes, with "appropriate reforms" to guarantee greater oversight.

UK considers ban on mobile phones like car key fobs

The mobile phones can look similar to a car key fob unless closely inspecte

UK officials are considering banning the sale of small mobile phones designed to resemble car key fobs.

A government spokesman told the BBC that it was discussing the issue with the National Trading Standards Board and the Serious Organised Crime Agency.
In the meantime the NTSB has asked retailers to stop selling the products
The Times had reported some of the Chinese-made products were being advertised with prisoners in mind - having a mobile in jail is an offence.
The devices, in some cases marketed as the "world's smallest mobiles", are available from mainstream retail websites including eBay and Amazon.
They are designed to resemble the fobs used to transmit a signal to unlock vehicle doors, and feature logos from brands including BMW, Volkswagen, Bentley, Audi and Porsche.
A spokesman for the UK's Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders said it believed the devices were being made without its members' permission.
The product description of one device sold via Amazon states that it features "very very very low metal contact badges [which] can be removed due to metal content alarm", while another says the fob is "easily concealable".
The Times said it had spotted one advertised elsewhere alongside a cartoon of a prisoner behind bars.
Confiscated phones A prison service spokesman said it was already making efforts to detect the devices.

Adverts for the devices prominently feature carmakers' logos

"A range of techniques - including body orifice security scanners and high-sensitivity metal detectors - has seen the [overall] number of recorded seizures increase," he said.
"We're now working closely with the Serious Organised Crime Agency and Trading Standards to remove these small mobiles from sale in the UK, as well as legislating to block phone signals in prisons."
More than 7,000 phones and Sim cards were confiscated in prisons in England and Wales last year.
The POA - a prison officers' trade union - confirmed its members were also concerned the gadgets could make things worse.
"The latest key fob mobile phone has the potential to increase the number of mobiles in prisons simply by the nature of the design and size.
"This will lead to further problems in prisons and whilst we recognise the work of the Ministry of Justice and the National Offender Management Service in addressing this issue, more needs to be done.
"The POA believe all prisons should have blockers installed and prisoners found in possession of a mobile phone should be prosecuted."
Police warning A spokesman from Soca said the police unit had asked car makers to take a stand over the issue.

Soca says it warned car makers about the issue earlier this year

"By issuing alerts that warn of criminal dangers and threats, Soca seeks to arm specific organisations and sectors with information and advice they can use to protect themselves and the public," explained a spokesman.
"In this case Soca assisted the prison service and the National Trading Standards e-Crime Centre by issuing an alert to car manufacturers and online retailers earlier this year to make them aware of the issue so they can consider taking copyright infringement action against those selling these phones."
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders told the BBC it planned to co-operate with the authorities.
"We are aware of the existence of these mini-mobile phones and that a number of them bear resemblance to car keys bearing manufacturer logos," said a spokesman.
"We agree that these devices are potentially damaging and will work with Soca on this matter."
The NTSB e-crime centre said it was urging online retailers to stop selling the fobs, and members of the public not to buy them.
"There is a strong possibility that these products were not put through the stringent safety testing UK products go through, which means that there is a chance they are electrically unsafe meaning they could cause fires and injure consumers through electrocution," it said.
Amazon and eBay were unable to provide comment when asked.

Thursday, 8 August 2013

Form meets creative function at Fab.com

An office that features bean-bag meeting rooms, alphabetical lunch lines, rooms whose walls turn into seating and a banana-themed work space — they are all part of a mission to foster employee creativity.

How do companies inspire ingenuity and collaboration?
Fab.com, on online purveyor of innovatively designed products and gifts, has created an open, whimsical space in its New York building to inspire its employees.
Office Space is a video series that peeks inside some of the world's coolest offices to find out how design and form meet function, creativity and productivity.

Why school paid off for Manchester City's Vincent Kompany

Vincent Kompany enjoys the lifestyle which comes with being a modern millionaire footballer. But, despite rising to the top of his sport, the Belgian remains grounded and committed to education.

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In good Kompany

Bright start

Belgium breakthrough

At home in Hamburg

City slicker

Silverware

Dramatic climax

Manuel's man

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Vincent Kompany joined Manchester City from Hamburg in 2008
The defender is captain for both City and the Belgium national team
Kompany combined a football career with his studies as a teenager
He hopes to see authorities take a hard stance when tackling racism

(CNN) -- While those about him have lost their heads, Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany has been a model of consistency.

Whether it is players falling foul of the law, refusing to play, or simply getting swept up by the revolving door at the club's Etihad Stadium, Kompany has seen a number of teammates and managers come and go during his five years in Manchester.

But the Belgian has led the line for City both on and off the pitch.

The 27-year-old is captain of both club and country and his leadership helped City clinch a first English championship in 44 years in 2012.

The transfer window means football is rarely off the newspaper back pages in the off season. Much ink has been already been devoted to the question of whether Spurs' Welsh international Gareth Bale will join Real Madrid.

Real deal?

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Movers and shakers in transfer window

Nadine Angerer reacts after saving a second penalty kick during the women's European Championship final in Solna.

Germany win Euro 2013 title

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Germany win Euro 2013 title

Read: Marta seeks fair deal for women

His stellar performances and articulate interviews have made Kompany an idol among fans and a respected figure within the media.

Kompany's level head is something he credits to his education and his parents, who kept him grounded even when it became clear he was destined for sporting stardom.

"I couldn't go anywhere without finishing my studies," Kompany told CNN reflecting on the years he spent combining football and his education.

"I always remember playing in big games, millions of people watching, and the next day coming back at two o'clock in the morning.

"At eight o'clock I was just sitting on the bench with all my classmates and I was just a normal guy, but it's always given me the right balance.

Pele (right) joined the New York Cosmos in 1975 and led a troop of superstars who flocked to the North American Soccer League (NASL). George Best, pictured here with the Brazilian, was a Manchester United legend who enjoyed three separate spells in the NASL.

Superstars stateside

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The rebirth of the New York Cosmos

New York Cosmos' grand plans

"I thank my mother every day and my father every day for pushing me in that direction. They've never ever said to me, 'You're a great footballer. You've made it now just focus on your football.'

"They've always said keep other things at hand and I guess I still have this in my life now."

Blog: Is Gareth Bale worth $120m?

Kompany's present is a far cry from his parents' past. His parents fled Zaire, now known as Democratic Republic of Congo, during the regime of president Mobuto Sese Seko, heading to Belgium where Kompany was born and raised.

"They've given us so much love when we were younger, but I guess like any modern family as well, we've had our problems in the fight," said Kompany of his parents.

"We've had financial difficulties like any normal family would have, but I think that the biggest lesson for me is that we've always come back to that education, the strength to do our own thing ... knowing that we would be okay even if we didn't have any money because we knew exactly how to handle situations."

Despite the success he has enjoyed since signing for City in 2008, Kompany continues to have numerous extracurricular interests.

Gerardo Martino has signed a two-year deal at Barcelona after agreeing to replace former coach Tito Vilanova.

New man at Camp Nou

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New man at Camp Nou

Ozil: Real Madrid needs Ronaldo

British newspaper the Daily Mail reported in January 2012 that Kompany had signed up for a three-year Business Administration course, while he also purchased a football club in his hometown and renamed it BX Brussels.

The team, which plays at the bottom level of the Belgian football pyramid, is Kompany's attempt to ensure up and coming players are given the best possible start to their careers.

"I played football for Anderlecht from the age of 6 to the age of 20 so that has had a big impact on my life, at the same time as my parents and the schools I went to," he explained.

"I really believe that the interactions between all of those different assets led me to be better.

"I want to make a very strong link into the schools, maybe sometimes even the life at home for the kids.

"I think a part of the reason why a lot of young kids fail is because they don't have the support from home that they need to."

One obstacle faced by some modern footballers is racism. The key to tackling discrimination, according to Kompany, is also education.

While Kompany pays little heed to the abusers, he still says it is important for the game's governing bodies to clamp down on the vocal minority.

"It's a very sad life, it's a very sad way of behaving so I wouldn't give them too much attention," he added.

"But at the same time, as much as I wouldn't teach my kids to give them too much attention, I hope the governing bodies will be extremely hard and extremely exemplary in the way that they deal with those situations."