While most people protect their desktop computers and laptops against hackers and other forms of cybercrime, we may not be as safe as we think. A recent study conducted at a Boston cybersecurity firm suggests hackers and other white collar criminals can gain access to our computers via our smart devices. The researchers want everyone to be aware that this vulnerability does exist.
The Connection to Cybercrime
While there aren’t any reports of cybercriminals taking advantage of these vulnerabilities, tech experts warn that the potential is present. A particularly ingenuous cybercriminal can use the interconnectivity between smart devices and computers…
The pandemic has changed the way we do just about everything, including the way we write. That might not come as much of a surprise to you if you are a writer, but it’s still an interesting fact. Physically, there isn’t much of a difference between the way people write now and how they did it before. They still sit at a computer or at a desk with a pen and paper and record their thoughts, and that is something that people would do in isolation before there was a need to be in isolation. …
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Through collaboration with the CDC and other health institutions, local, state, and federal government task forces can mitigate the severity of pandemics. In the case of COVID-19, the Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) cooperative funds health systems on a state-to-state and city-to-city basis. Despite the efficiencies that emerge from this collaboration, preparing for pandemics and other emergencies involves many moving parts and oceans of data. Using specific technologies and business intelligence systems, governments can evaluate preparations and offer funding and resources to mitigate the next big disaster.
Data Management for Public/Private Healthcare Institutions
The typical short story has fewer than 8000 words. Every decision you make as a writer holds extra weight when working with such limited space. One of the most basic storytelling choices — which POV to use — is also one of the most impactful.
What Is POV?
The point of view is the lens through which readers experience a story. Most writers use either first person or third person. Second-person is less common, most commonly used for more avant-garde pieces.
First Person
With first-person, you tell the story from inside a character’s mind. …
This article was originally published to DaveKellyAuthor.com.
Mastering tone is all about understanding your audience. When a writer develops a deeper understanding of this audience — their motivations, interests, and ideals — then effective communication becomes more natural.
Specific lines in novels and stories can hold significant meaning for readers. Still, some readers may not be able to pinpoint why a piece left such a lasting impression on them. When people recite lines from their favorite books that connect with them, they are expressing an affinity for the tone; they cherish how the piece makes them feel. …
Rough drafts are meant to be just that — rough. No one has produced a masterpiece on the first go. Beloved staples of the literary canon have undergone countless iterations, subjected to scrutiny and fine-tuning that some might see as insanity. One example of this dedication to perfection is seen — or, not seen — in Ernest Hemingway’s A Farewell to Arms, which underwent almost 50 changes to the ending before publication. If you want to master your craft without sacrificing your sanity, here are a few easy ways to polish your writing right now.
Expand Your Vocabulary
Back in…
This article also appears on DaveKellyTech.com.
A recent report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that almost $1.4 billion in COVID-19 stimulus checks were sent to deceased individuals. The fraud amounted to over one million erroneous payments. The data required to avert this loss of tax-payer money was readily available in government systems, but the data wasn’t accessible to the agency that needed it.
On its face, this sounds like a data-sharing problem. But even if the Social Security Administration (SSA) death index had been shared with the Department of Treasury (the agency that issued the stimulus checks), it…
The key to a compelling incident response tabletop exercise involves modeling likely scenarios and demonstrating probable outcomes resulting from decisions made by the participants. Whether it be a cyberattack, a natural disaster, civil unrest, or all of the above simultaneously, government leaders need a platform with which to test their emergency response plans, challenge their business continuity assumptions, and assess their staff’s operational knowledge under pressure.
By exercising at regular intervals, government agencies can see in real-time where they can gain efficiencies and what gaps exist that need to be filled. Publishing the exercise results and sharing them across disciplines…
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) established its National Incident Management System (NIMS) in 2004. A response to one of President George W. Bush’s Homeland Security Presidential Directives, NIMS sets guidelines for public and private sector collaboration in preventing, mitigating, and responding to domestic incidents.
Because NIMS “applies to all incidents, regardless of cause, size, location, or complexity,” modeling and simulation are vital to strengthening incident management tools. To manage incidents — a process that involves careful analysis and strategy — FEMA utilizes NIMS and the National Response Framework (NRF) to serve as the backbone of its methodologies.
Dave Kelly
Dave Kelly is a tech solutions expert with Information Builders and retired police captain. He is passionate about writing, reading, and personal finance.
