Fire-Wired Blog

This article was first published by  dmcityview.com 95% of the world has no idea how the internet works. Security breaches, data leaks, identity theft- these are life altering events that the internet has inflicted on millions of people (probably billions at this point). So why did every media outlet cover the recent Facebook-Cambridge Analytica story as if national security was at stake? The immediate, half answer is the sour state of American politics where everyone still trying to figure out the narrative for the past presidential election. If a foreign outfit nefariously uses US citizens “private data” to help swing an election, the harvester of that data should explain how that happened. But of course it's not that simple. “Private data” does not exist when it comes to the internet, and anyone who says otherwise is selling you something. Seriously, when you sign up for any “free” service online what you actually doing is turning yourself into a renewable commodity that i...

This article was first published by  iowabusinessjournals.com Drone videography is becoming ubiquitous in our world. For stunningly low investment you can fly a small helicopter or quadcopter with a high definition camera. What started as an expensive filmmaking tool has trickled through the market and commoditized into an accessible tool for any enterprise. Business Commercials, City Services, Landscaping, Real Estate, Agriculture; basically you think of the business it is very likely that someone is out there sending a drone into the sky to film something for it. The problem is you should not be doing this yourself. No one needs to remind you how resources for a small businesses are limited, but the itch to fly your own remote controlled helicopter is pretty enticing. But before we get to the budget breaking potential of even consumer grade drones, there is a dirty little word you have to deal with: regulations, as in Federal Aviation Authority. If you are flying a drone, o...