Bloomberg’s $73 million 911 system crashes twice

Posted on May 31, 2013 by bitemaster

It’s yet another Bloomberg tech program failure. This one was seven YEARS late and has already crashed twice. But it’s not news to faithful BITEME reader, since we covered this scandal in depth last year.

Other Bloomberg tech failures include the homeless shelter scandal, CityTime boondoggle, the botched ARIS program. and the screwed up NYCHA computers.

If there’s one thing media-mogul Bloomberg can NOT do well, it’s implement a high-level high-tech system.

Part Of City’s 911 System Crashes Twice In Less Than 24 Hours « CBS New York.

Bloomberg to taxicab owners: “After January, I am going to destroy all you fucking guys.”

Posted on May 22, 2013 by bitemaster

Having lost a court decision over his “Taxi of Tomorrow,” Hizzoner isn’t about to give up: his new plan is to destroy the cab industry after leaving office, as he explained to Taxi Club Management CEO Gene Freidman when the two met at Madison Square Garden’s private 1879 Club during last Thursday’s Knick playoff game.

According to one witness, Mayor Bloomberg promised to “destroy your fucking industry.”

I could mock him for losing his cool, revile him for being a sore loser, or nominate him for BITE ME’s Man of the Year Award. I think I’ll just quote Jon Bon Jovi: “You’re an asshole.”

Taxi king says Bloomberg threatened him with curse-filled rant – NYPOST.com.

Alleged ‘PayPal 14’ Anonymous cyber attackers suffer from depression and anxiety

Posted on May 18, 2013 by bitemaster

In December 2010, members of Anonymous launched a DDoS attack on the PayPal website, using the the Low Orbit Ion Cannon (LOIC) program to knock PayPal off the Internet and cause about $5 million in damage.

By July 2011, 14 members — the so-called “PayPal 14” — had been charged with various cyber crimes.

Now they’re saying how the indictments have caused them depression and anxiety and messed up their lives.

One sympathizer, McGill University professor Gabriella Coleman, says “They were just sitting there firing requests with a piece of software from their computers. It doesn’t feel all that criminal. It doesn’t feel like you’re causing harm.”

Well, don’t do the crime if you can’t do the time. In other words, BITE ME.

Alleged ‘PayPal 14’ Hackers Seek Deal To Stay Out Of Prison After Nearly 2 Years In Limbo.

Toilet paper shortage in Venezuela sends citizens scrambling for remaining rolls

Posted on May 17, 2013 by bitemaster

As I understand it, former Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez nationalized large swaths of land and many businesses. That led to a — surprise! — flight of capital. Chavez tried to counter with currency controls. It’s taken a decade, but the currency controls have now made it so difficult for domestic businesses to get parts and supplies from overseas that citizens face frequent shortages of medicines, milk, sugar, butter, flour — and now toilet paper.

Nice work, asshole.

Toilet paper shortage in Venezuela sends citizens scrambling for remaining rolls – NY Daily News.

Asllan Berisha charged in gay-bashing attack

Posted on May 12, 2013 by bitemaster

Asllan Berisha is one of two men charged in a recent gay-bashing attack in New York City. His name sounds Serbian. He’ll probably skip the country like Miladin Kovacevic did.

Two men charged in gay-bashing attack at midtown PATH station – NY Daily News.

Big Brother is watching you through your Bloomberg terminal

Posted on May 10, 2013 by bitemaster

Adapted from the NY Post:

Goldman Sachs has learned that Bloomberg LP staffers could determine not only which Goldman Sachs employees had logged into Bloomberg’s proprietary terminals but also how many times they had used particular functions.

The matter raised serious concerns for Goldman Sachs about how secure information exchanged through the terminals within the firm actually was — and if the privacy of their business strategy had been compromised.

“You can basically see how many times someone has looked up news stories or if they used their messaging functions,” said one Goldman insider.“It made us think, ‘Well, what else does [Bloomberg] have access to?’ ”

via EXCLUSIVE: Goldman Sachs employees concerned Bloomberg news reporters are using terminals to snoop – NYPOST.com.

E-mails reveal Bloomberg administration courted celebs and feminist icons to get support for Cathie Black as schools chancellor

Posted on May 3, 2013 by bitemaster

Before Mayor Bloomberg appointed Cathie Black as schools chancellor, he had Micah Lasher, one of his top political operatives, orchestrate a public relations salvo to build support for her. Goodness knows she needed it, given that Black was not legally qualified for the job.

E-mails reveal Bloomberg administration courted celebs and feminist icons to get support for Cathie Black pick as schools chancellor – NYPOST.com.

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Monthly Archives: May 2013