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WOW – Super Bowl XLIV – How many of us look forward to all the great commercials, I know I do. In addition to watching great commercials, an outstanding game, and then to top it all off…Your team wins!

My career started in New Orleans and having spent eight years there and meeting my Uptown “Crescent City Lady” (wife) at Mardi Gras, the same year Super Bowl XV was played in the Superdome; I was happy to see the Saints win.

Now that I have said that let me switch gears and talk to you about an issue I have with the Super Bowl XLIV commercials, and in particular Motorola and the Megan Fox commercial.

Just this evening I attended a lecture at Judge Memorial, given by Adam J. Schwebach, Ph.D. Dr. Schwebach presented parents with tips on how to talk to your teens about cell phone safety: Texting, Sexting, CyberBullying, etc. Sexting is a big concern and law enforcement is having a difficult time in how to prosecute under aged kids. Every state but Vermont and Utah treats Sexting as a felony. Imagine your child being tried as a felon, and then branded as a registered sex offender the rest of his or her life.

The CyberHood Watch covers this problem as well as many others in a downloadable eBook called, “Think This Won’t Happen To You”. However, Sexting is not a problem to take lightly. Many teens have opted to commit suicide to escape the embarrassment and the humiliation when pictures have found their way on to the Internet. This brings me to why I believe Motorola’s Super Bowl XLIV commercial with Megan Fox is acting irresponsible and insensitive to a grave issue parents are dealing with on a daily basis.

Motorola must be aware of the Sexting issues parents and law enforcement are facing. I am by no means straitlaced or narrow-minded; however, to capitalize on the very nature of promoting the digital transfer of sexual innuendos only exacerbates the problem by further misuse of Motorola’s new digital media technology. What is the message we are sending our kids?

Motorola’s levity only diminishes the severity of the problem, which they chose to ignore in order to profit, while ignoring the current issue parents, educators, and caring adults are trying to overcome. I certainly understand their marketing ploy, but it does not help to curb a real dilemma parents are trying to correct when the very company manufacturing the product promotes the subtle message of Sexting. Again, we are sending our children the wrong message, and Motorola’s judgment to air the Megan Fox Super Bowl XLIV commercial is as immature as an adolescent Sexting.

david c ballard

Conduit Open compatible

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Senior Technology Consultant at Sophos

Graham Cluley’s post about 28 year-old Li Jun, a Chinese virus writer, who wrote the Fujacks worm was recently released from jail, and is now looking for work in the security business.

Graham raises several concerns especially among those, like himself, who have strived to do the right thing in the security industry. Should we reward unethical behavior?

How many of us have heard the comment that the top players in the security industry write their own malware to keep themselves in business, I know I have. Same theory for the radar detectors used in your personal vehicles and law enforcement to catch you speeding. Same industry produces both sides…It’s against the law to speed, but we will provide the tools to avoid getting caught speeding, as well as the tools to catch you.

Ironic isn’t it – if you don’t want to be caught speeding, don’t speed. If you want to work in the security industry, then don’t write malicious code. It’s a tough call, in some instances it has been a good call, but I would recommend a tight scrutiny in this case.

Another interesting point Graham mentioned is just because you can write malware doesn’t necessarily mean you know or understand how to write a good anti-virus program.

I know Bill and I tend to believe in giving second chances, but that’s us. We could argue that Sam Antar

Sam Antar Convicted Felon Makes Good On Second Chance

is one of those individuals who I would call a pit bull searching out and exposing swindles and White Collar Fraud. However, he also perpetrated one of the biggest frauds in the U.S. history. I remember talking with Sam and asking how he could do what he did? Sam pointed out that he didn’t care about what he was doing to others; he liked what he was doing and enjoyed the life style. I couldn’t relate to it, but I did understand what he was saying.

Nonetheless, he has an expertise, misguided at the time, however; Sam is now a real advocate and relentless in the pursuit of Frauds and White Collar Criminals.

Whatever the outcome for Li Jun and whoever may employ him, I do agree with Graham that we do not want other malware writers to think this is the avenue to pursue as a shortcut to a new job in the security industry.

david c ballard