Nerds are the Biggest Danger to America

I’m pretty sure this is how most business people feel about IT.  We should feel their pain a bit more, then work with them to solve their problems.

I wonder what hidden cameras in non-IT meetings would show us about what they think of us, really.  If you have time, go dig into the comments on this video, too.

An Audible Data Privacy Breach

RI labor dept. warns of possible privacy breach.

I think about data encryption, physical access controls to servers and such on a regular basis. But there are all kinds of formats via which data gets stored or communicated.  The Rhode Island Department of Labor recently had a data breach involving their call center.  Customers were able to hear conversations on other calls.  The department estimates fewer than 700 people were affected.

• Paper forms in which data is originally collected.  Think membership forms, applications, feedback and suggestion forms.  I remember seeing a binder full of membership forms being used to prop open a door on the sidewalk in front of a store.  When I pointed out to the manager that this was a problem, he shrugged and said it wasn’t a problem because all the data had already been keyed in and therefore no longer had any value to them except when the systems were down.
• Video and photographs.  The advent of video analytics and photo analysis means that we are collecting, storing, and putting at risk more data than ever before.  I remember seeing a retailer’s security video tapes sitting all lined up on a counter at the back of a store.  The only thing that made this somewhat safe is that most likely the security system was probably so poor it would be impossible to determine who was on those videos.  But now video analytics allow retailers to determine when you visit their store, who you shop with and what products interest you.
• Conversations.  Yes, all those "may be recorded for quality purposes" call center calls are most likely chock full of your personal information.  I worry how well those data sets are being protected, too.

I believe our role as data professionals should go beyond protecting the data held in a traditional database.  Because I’m not sure anyone else is even considering that data.  And I’d bet the bad guys are betting that no data professional is involved in protecting it.

Love your data.  Love your customers’ data, too.

Videos of the Endeavour Shuttle Launch – by Barbie #NASATweetup

For fun I thought I’d share two of the videos that I filmed while visiting the Kennedy Space Center as part of the NASATweetup to view the launch of Endeavour.

The first is of the retraction of the Rotating Service Structure (RSS) that surrounds the shuttle while it is being prepared for launch.  This happened about noon on 15 May 2011, the day before the launch.  We tweet up-ers were taken by buses courtesy of the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Visitor Complex to just outside Pad 39A where Endeavour activities were finishing up prior the launch.  I took a screen shot of Google Maps on my phone to show the location near where we viewed the retraction.

I was able to get a bazillion pictures, as the retraction takes about 30 minutes. We all stood there in the Florida sunshine, watching people do their work while the RSS slowly rotated away from the orbiter.

In addition to using real cameras, I also gave Video Girl Barbie a chance to do her own filming with her embedded video camera.  Her camera produces low quality recordings, but I find what she does produce to be of decent quality.  First up is the retraction video taken on 15 May just outside Pad 39A.

For some more context, this is my photo of Endeavour.  That’s how close we where.

The next morning we arrived at KSC just after 3AM.  It was especially nice to see the orbiter all lit up.  We definitely weren’t as close this time, but being 3.1 miles away meant that we were the closest non-staff viewers of the launch.

Video Girl did a great job filming the launch.  You may want to crank up your speakers to get the full effect of the rumbling launch sound.

I have a bunch of pictures to share, and a few draft blog posts hanging around that you’ll see over the next few weeks.  I’ll try to spread them out a bit so that you aren’t inundated with all my #spacebrain content all at once.

Travel Vest for Women Unboxing Video + Need Your Vote

I’ve uploaded a video to YouTube of an unboxing video I made for a contest.  As is my usual style, it is full of snark and happy things…at the same time.

. You can help me win the contest by:

1. Watching the short video I made
   A DataChick Christmas

2. “Liking” the video on YouTube (You may need to double click on the video above to view it on YouTube)
   To LIKE the video you have to be on the YouTube page and click on the thumbs up button on the lower right of the video:

What’s the contest and prize? Scott Jordan, Founder of SCOTTEVEST, is running a video contest that ends on New Year’s Eve (that’s TODAY).  The prize is a beautiful SCOTTEVEST Leather XAE jacket that I want to win for my husband and business partner, Rob.

Isn’t it beautiful? Like my Travel Vest for Women, it has mucho pockets (20 in this jacket, 22 pockets in mine).  It even has a pocket for an iPad.  Look at that price, though…I would really like to win one for Rob.

I really appreciate your help in viewing and voting on the video.  I’m sure Rob would love to have this jacket…and when they come out with one for women, he’ll have to win one for me, too.