Thursday 28 April 2011

Reading exam unrelated articles :(

Few days ago, I started to read a lot of news on Bloomberg, The Star Malaysia News, BBC, and YouTube quite frequently during exam time. I wonder why? This phenomena had been happening to me since I first came to the UK and I believed that it only happened when my year exam approaching. I have the tendency to read exam-unrelated articles from the internet to keep myself motivated for revision. However, this is a bad bad habit because of my anxiety to know more about a particular issue, I will spend a lot of time researching about it when I should do more on my revision. I categorise this phenomena as wasting time.

For example, the current issue about the Apple using iPhone and iPad to track users’ location by storing a bunch of location history in a hidden file in the device. What are the implications of this issue on users in the future if retained? Apple claims that these data is used for improving user experience by having the user location tracked faster and more accurate. Well, my opinion is that the given excuses by Apple are not consistent. First Apple claimed that they didn’t realised the device is tracking and storing such massive amount of location history but they suddenly claimed that these data are for iPhone or iPad improvements in the future. This matter concerning user privacy will cost the company some legal issues if unresolved. Legal = lost of money (that is what I was told in Finance class).

Now, try to think of what can a user history do to the user if the device is being hacked and the data falls on the wrong hand. Firstly, the various locations you have visited will be identified. This indirectly predicts where you live, work, shop, eat and many other things. If you are poor, there is noting to lose, but if you are rich, you might not want to reveal your house address to the bad guys. On the other hands, this data can be positive in terms of tracking crimes around the globes. Well, not going into details on how to fight crimes. Smile with tongue out 

On another story that interest me is that Mr Trump the Billionaire who owns the “The Apprentice” demanded President Obama to prove that he possess US citizenship by pressuring Obama to release his birth certificate. Why on earth does he want to do that? Questions is what is the motive of Mr Trump’s act? Is there any hidden agenda behind Obama’s birth certificate. Well, one of the comments he gave was “I managed to do something no one dare to do”. To be honest, I was quite impressed by his courage but what is the point?

Hush hush!!! enough of reading. Back to Fracture Mechanics and Thermodynamics…

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