Maya Reports

Our way of keeping you in the loop. You can thank us later.

June 9, 2010 • 9:43 PM 0

Good thing I haven’t purchased an online WSJ subscription yet..

Not sure why this mass web attack hasn’t hit the airwaves yet…but apparently it’s BIG. Between 7,000 to 114,000 (right, that’s a huge range..) websites have been compromised, among them – the Jerusalem Post and WSJ. Andre DeMino, a co-founder of the Shadowserver malware-tracking group believes that “this incident appears to be the worst since a large number of WordPress-based sites were hacked in April”.

Security researchers are still trying to figure out how hackers posted malicious HTML code on the web sites, that then redirects victims to a malicious web server which tries to install software on the victims’ computer. If this virus is successful, it allows the criminals a way to remotely control their PCs. Awesome.

Yet another reason why we shouldn’t completely do away with printed materials. If I were reading a paper copy of the WSJ, the only way the paper would be compromised…is if it got wet, which wouldn’t compromise my personal information, just the page itself by smearing the ink, and making it unreadable.

Filed under: Business, Tech, HTML code, Jerusalem Post, malicious HTML code, malware, mass web attack, Microsoft, Scrawlr, SQL injection, Wall Street Journal, Wordpress-based sites hacked in April

June 7, 2010 • 11:01 PM 0

Looks like you CAN wash animals with Dawn dish soap

I stand corrected…

Filed under: Business, Marketing, animals covered in oil, BP, cleaning animals covered in oil, CNN, commercial, Dawn commercial, Dawn dish soap, Dawn dishwashing soap, Dawn soap, Jeanne Moos, oil spill, oilspill, P&G, Procter & Gamble

June 4, 2010 • 8:30 AM 0

Cleaning cute animals covered in oil, Hollywood-style

This has been on my mind ever since the Dawn dish soap commercial (see below) has begun to re-air. I get it, cute animals are being affected by oil spills, and we need to save them. But, if you’ll notice, on the bottom of the screen, it says “simulated demonstration”. I mean obviously they didn’t helicopter-in animals who were affected by an oil spill, to a sound stage that was pre-set with dawn liquid soap bottles and tubs of water, with people dressed in smock-like attire and gloves standing-by. Oh sorry, didn’t mean to burst your bubble.

So, my point is this. Procter & Gamble had this great story line in mind (and yes, it really makes its point) – oil spills are bad for the environment, just look at these animals – but they took these perfectly clean animals and covered them in some black liquidy substance, for the sake of the commercial?! How is that right? And they’re cleaning them with dish soap?

Filed under: Marketing, animals covered in oil, BP, cleaning animals covered in oil, commercial, Dawn commercial, Dawn dish soap, Dawn soap, oil spill, P&G, Procter & Gamble

June 4, 2010 • 8:00 AM 1

Bernanke vs Geithner, which version do you like better?

I was reading about the state of the economy yesterday, and came across two conflicting news articles.

The first article I read had Ben Bernanke (Fed Reserve Chairman) saying that things are not all well yet – “including the high rate of unemployment…” and then in another article Timothy Geithner (US Secretary of Treasury) says that the economy “is showing signs that companies are starting to hire more workers as the recovery strengthens.”

I should note that Bernie’s article was posted at 11:15am EST and Timmy’s at 5:01pm EST…maybe in the span of 6 or so hours, the economy starting showing positive signs?

Filed under: Business, Finance, Politics, Ben Bernanke, economy, Federal Reserve, Timothy Geithner, unemployment, US Secretary of Treasury

June 2, 2010 • 10:07 PM 1

Looks like Google is trying to pull a Walmart

Walmart is the world’s largest retailer, as Google is the world’s largest Internet company. When Walmart decides to refuse to do business with a specific brand, it has major repercussions for that brand. As of early this year, Google has decided that it will phase out Microsoft Windows as its operating system, and focus on Linux or Macs. Apparently employees (any of the 10,000) who want to stay on Windows, need approval from the CIO (Chief Information Officer). Pretty intense.

Clearly a mixture of the new Chrome platform and the hackers in China, have provoked Google to react in this way.

It’s incorrect to assume that Mac operating systems are any safer than Windows.

“…the reality is that the primary reason Macs aren’t attacked and compromised more often is that the platform with 92 percent market share promises malware developers a significantly higher return on investment than the platform with 5 percent market share.”

http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/192419/security_lessons_learned_from_pwn2own_contest.html

As of last week, Apple surpassed Microsoft in market value…Google is phasing out Windows…looks like everyone is bullying Microsoft. Where’s the love?

Filed under: Business, Tech, 5 percent market share, 92 percent market share, Apple, CIO, Google, Google China hacking, Google Chrome, Linux, Mac OS, Windows

May 31, 2010 • 1:33 PM 0

Why blame common sense, when you can sue Google?

Apparently it’s easier to blame others, rather than blame yourself.

So this woman from Los Angeles is visiting Park City, UT, and decides to utilize Google Maps on her BlackBerry to find a walking route.

We all know that Google maps isn’t always exact in their directions, and Google even points this out…so why this woman wouldn’t ask someone in Park City for tips on areas to explore..fine. Anyway, the route led her to a rural highway, and she was apparently hit by a car. Now I understand, being hit by a car may not be her fault, but if she started noticing that the route she was being led onto, did not seem like it was meant for people to walk…I’d ditch the technology and turn around (but that may just be me).

http://news.cnet.com/8301-17852_3-20006379-71.html?tag=mncol;posts

Filed under: Business, Tech, Google, Google Maps, Park City, technology

May 31, 2010 • 1:19 PM 4

If I had 50 cents for every iPad sold

…to date, I’d be a millionaire. Literally.

Apple has sold over 2 million iPads since they were debuted 2 months ago.

While I am not an economist, I think it’s safe to assume that the economy is turning up…or maybe people have $499 lying around and don’t know what to do with it?

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iccbdwWgHfgGbkvYx1sdaJq6kjQQD9G1UABO0

Filed under: Business, Tech, 2 million sold, Apple, iPad

May 27, 2010 • 11:32 PM 0

Toyota and Tesla may be on a break

Exactly 1 week ago, Toyota and Tesla (electric car maker) announced that they were joining forces. But today, they say that nothing formal has been decided.

Why would either company make such an exciting announcement, let it marinate for an entire week, then retract the statement? It doesn’t really make so much sense…

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN2712133120100527