My Thoughts on Technology and Jamaica: February 2017

Sunday, February 26, 2017

How to clear Google Chrome, Firefox and Opera Browsing history in Google Android

The default browser on Android devices is usually Chrome. However there are many third-party browsers you can install such as Firefox and Opera. 

So knowing how to clear them all can save you a lot of trouble with your nosy girlfriend as pointed out in my blog article entitled “How to Delete Safari, Google Chrome, Firefox and Opera browser history on an iPhone”. 

So let's hop to it....

How to clear the browser in Google Android - The three dot menu is your friend

Clearing the browser history of Google Chrome is a piece of cake as the three dot menu features prominently in Google Android.

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1.      Tap the three dot menu in the upper-right corner.
2.      Go to Settings.
3.      Go to Privacy
4.      Tap clear Browsing Data.
5.      Check what you want to delete from the resulting list.
6.      Choose the blue button that says Clear Data.

You can also delete your data from a specified time period, ranging from hours, to the beginning of time. My advice; just delete everything, as women have a habit of putting two-and-two together and getting 22 instead of 4.

Clearing Firefox browser history is also very easy.

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1.      Tap the three dot menu in the upper-right corner
2.      Go to Settings.
3.      Tap Privacy
4.      Select Clear private data on exit.
5.      Select the things you want to delete
6.      Select Set.
7.      Tap OK to delete the data.
8.      Go back to the home screen in Firefox
9.      Tap the three dot menu in the upper-right corner
10.  Select Quit at the bottom.


Opera, which is a great VPN Option as described in my blog article entitled “How to get a Free VPN using an Opera Browser”. So do the following to clear Opera Browser history.

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1.      Tap the three dot menu in the upper-right corner
2.      Tap on the Settings cogwheel.
3.      Scroll down to the Privacy section
4.      Tap Clear browsing data.
5.      Select what you want to delete
6.      Tap OK.


 There you go! Cleared them all just in time for you mandatory girlfriend inspection of your smartphone. Sharing is caring so share this one to save a relationship.

How to measure heart rate with cameras using Panasonic's Contacts Vital Sensing software

Folks, it may soon be possible to estimate you heartbeat from any camera, even a webcam.

At a private show in Tokyo, Panasonic demonstrated their Contacts Vital Sensing software that can estimate heart rate as reported in the article “Video cameras could soon determine your heart rate from across the room”, published February 24, 2017 By Hillary Grigonis, DigitalTrends.

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Panasonic’s software could be available commercially as early as 2018. Panasonic’s is aiming their Contacts Vital Sensing software at sports broadcasting by estimating an athlete’s heart rate using any camera.

A more practical use may be to prevent people who work at nights like truck drivers from falling asleep by monitoring their heart rate. Once it detects that their heart rate is falling, it can sound an alarm to awaken the driver.

So how does Panasonic's Contacts Vital Sensing software work?

Panasonic's Contacts Vital Sensing software - How to visually measure heart rate

The program analyzes the change in the way the skin reflects light. Blood absorbs light, with the reflected light changed with heart rate.

Panasonic isn’t the only company doing this; Startup Oxehealth announced in late 2016 a similar algorithm that can measure heart rate from a video using “microblushes”. These “microblushes” are subtle skin and is already shown to be just as accurate as standard medical equipment in clinical studies done thus far.

Panasonic isn’t the only company doing this; Startup Oxehealth announced in late 2016 a similar algorithm that can measure heart rate from a video using “microblushes”. These “microblushes” are subtle skin and is already shown to be just as accurate as standard medical equipment in clinical studies done thus far.

Effectively this is a lot like a fitness tracker, but does need to be wrapped tight around your wrist to read your heart rate. Panasonic Contacts Vital Sensing software may not be very accurate, but it has the advantage of measuring heart rate using any visible skin, i.e. your face.

Panasonics product could potentially compete with GoPro’s collaboration with Polar fitness trackers and the Garmin VIRB’s sensor based heart tracking, as it can do heart rate monitoring without the need to be coupled with a fitness tracker.


I'd love to use this in a skype conversation, as it would help me to tell if the people I talk to are lying to me or just plain bored. I love Panasonic’s Contacts Vital Sensing software, as its potential usages can benefit mankind, possibly measuring other vital signs.

Saturday, February 25, 2017

Ben-Gurion University of the Negev hack Air-gapped computer using Hard-drive LED

“Our method compared to other LED exfiltration is unique, because it is also covert. The hard drive LED flickers frequently, and therefore the user won't be suspicious about changes in its activity”

Dr. Mordechai Guri, head of R&D at the Cyber Security Research Center on their discovery of stealing data using hard-drive pulses

Folks, it is totally possible for hackers to steal data from a computer that is not connected to a computer.

Researchers at the BGU (Ben-Gurion University) of the Negev at the Cyber Security Research Center hacked a computer using the pulses of light on the LED drive as reported in article “Cameras can steal data from computer hard drive LED lights: study”, published February 22, 2017, Physorg.

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Dr. Guri and the Cyber Security Research Center are super famous, having done a number of studies to demonstrate various techniques for hacking air-gapped computers. They even hacked such supposedly secure devices using computer speakers and fans, FM waves and heat given off by the machine and transmitted the data.

Clearly every vibration that a computer gives off can be used to read data, even the Bluetooth mice and keyboards as researchers at cyber security  Bastille Networks as noted in my blog article entitled “How Bastile's US$12 Geetech Crazyradio Bluetooth dongle can hack Wireless Keyboards and Mice”.

So how did they do it?

Ben-Gurion University and Air-gapped computers – Li-Fi can be a hacking tool via a drone

The researchers read data from a "air-gapped" computer using various types of cameras and light sensors. Air-gapped computers are isolated—separated both logically and physically from public networks.

Simply put, they machines not connected to the internet and thus cannot be hacked over the internet or via a company Internet. You have to get up close and personal and hack the machines, Mission Impossible Style. Just like in the movie, these machines are used to store an organization's most sensitive and confidential information.


The researchers demonstrated that data can be received by a Quadcopter located outside a window with line-of-sight of the air-gapped computer as noted in the article “Hackers circumvent 'air gap' security with a drone that 'reads' the lights on a computer”, published February 24, 2017 by Luke Dormehl, DigitalTrends.

Using a regular LED Lights found on most PC's and Laptops, they installed malware on the Hard-Drive that rapidly flipped the LED's on and off.


This occurred at a rate faster than the human eye can see and reminds me a lot of transmission of PureLiFi using LED Lasers as noted in my blog article entitled “Why pureLiFi Solar Powered Li-Fi is coming to Apple iPhone with 5G Internet by 2020”.  

This means that highly sensitive information can be encoded and leaked via LED signals and read by any reader device in range, even a sensors loaded on a Quadcopter mounted with remote cameras or light sensors.


Wednesday, February 22, 2017

Jamaica’s Pork Glut as Illegal importation spurs Antibiotic Resistant Superbacteria

“We currently have some 500,000 kilograms of pork in storage, for the first time ever”

President of the Jamaica Pig Farmers Association, Hanif Brown, telling The Gleaner about the status of the Pork Industry in Jamaica.

Readers of my blog, I'm sorry to say but I told you so!

Jamaica is now experiencing a glut in Pork as reported in the article “Pork Glut Hits Local Industry” Published Wednesday February 22, 2017 by Christopher Serju, The Jamaica Gleaner.

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A press Conference is being held on Wednesday February 22nd 2017 at the St Andrew office of the Ministry of Agriculture on import permits for Pork and the status of the ACB (Agricultural Credit Board).

President of the Jamaica Pig Farmers Association, Hanif Brown, has disclosed that since October 2016, there has been indications that Pork sales were not increasing, quote: “Farmers were calling and telling us that places they normally sell to were saying, 'Listen, we don't need so much pork right now”.

I'd pretty much predicted the same thing for not only Pork but also chicken and Eggs as noted in my blog article entitled “How excess Jamaican production, imports of Eggs, Pork and Chicken in 2016 threaten 2017”.

So too had the Opposition, claiming that the importation of pork is causing a glut on the local market as pointed out in the article “Opposition concerned about issues in the agricultural sector”, published Monday, February 20, 2017, The Jamaica Observer.

So how bad is it really?

Glut affecting Caribbean Broilers Group - Opposition point scoring on Pork Glut

It’s beginning to affect the large player in the Pork Industry as well!!

Corporate affairs manager for the Caribbean Broilers Group, Dr Keith Amiel, points out that the company was also having problems thanks to too much pork left over from Christmas 2016, quote: “We have both whole carcasses and every cut of pork in storage. We produced at a rate that was required for the Christmas and tourist industry, but what apparently has happened is that the rest of people, having made money out of pork last year, decided to keep (and breed) more sows than would be advisable, based on the amount of takeoff during the year, up until Christmas. So that they are finding it difficult and get rid of finished products in the usual way”.

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According to the Spokesman on Agriculture Dayton Campbell, the importation of cheaper pork has been driving local farmers out of business since Christmas, quote: “It is understood that there is an exodus of pig farmers leaving the industry as local pork is displaced by cheap imports including major shipments of ham in the run-up to Christmas last year. Local processors of ham are said to still have large stockpiles of the product as increased production done in anticipation of a huge Christmas demand remain unsold in cold storage. As a result, the processors have reduced their purchase of pork from pig farmers, who are facing severe financial hardships as a result”.

Interestingly, Minister of industry, commerce, agriculture and fisheries, Karl Samuda, has fired all of the board members of the ACB, who has oversight for the NPCB (National People’s Cooperative Bank) as noted in the article “Measures in place to prevent another PC Bank scandal”, published Tuesday, February 21, 2017 by Alphea Saunders, The Jamaica Observer.

This may be a cover-up for the growing scandal uncovered by Auditor General Pamela Monroe Ellis. But I suspect the health implications are a little more serious!

Jamaica's Pork Glut - Pork importation to spur Antibiotic Resistant Superbacteria in Jamaica

 Pork importation is illegal, as according to Hanif Brown, no such permits have been issued by the Ministry of Agriculture, quote: “Two ministers have assured me that there have been no permits granted for the importation of pork. They indicated that the quantity of bellies and pig's tail that they grant permits for last year was the lowest ever, over the last five years. I believe the ministry, but does it mean that some individual or somebody could not have brought in pork?”

Guess Mother's may also be experiencing a decline in Pork patties as detailed in my MICO Wars blog article entitled “Why Mother’s Pork Patty a hit in 2016 as Pork is now Popular”. 

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But it's much more serious that just selling Pork patties and pork cuts at the supermarket; we might be introducing Antibiotic Resistant Superbacteria to the people of Jamaica, potentially creating a huge health risk as noted in my blog article entitled “How US Pork Imports will cause JA$73.4 billion jobs lost and Antibiotic Resistant Superbacteria due to Jamaican Pork Shortage”. 

 So the glut is real; so too is the risk of Antibiotic Resistant Superbacteria spreading in Jamaica!


How to set up two-step verification using Apple ID for your Apple devices

If you have an Apple iPhone, you may want to enable two-step verification to protect your personal information i.e. contacts, music, photographs and messages.

Two-step verification comes in the form of a four-digit code that is sent to another smartphone or cellphone after you've entered your password. The idea is that if are the legitimate owner of the phone, you should receive the message and enter it as requested, proving that you are indeed the user of the device.

To add the Two-step verification to your account is fairly easy:

1.      Visit the Apple ID settings page on your computer
2.      Click on Manage your Apple ID
3.      Log in your Apple Account to enable two-step verification

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Click on Password and Security option on the left side of the screen. Then click on the Get started link to enable two-step verification for your account

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You'll then need to add a device or several devices to your account, so that they can be used to authenticate you via the four-digit code required to gain access to your account. Hint: If you use one Apple ID for App Store purchases, and another to access iCloud services, you'll need to set up the App Store account to be SMS only. This ensures that the iCloud-only account can use both Find My iPhone and SMS to receive the four-digit code.
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The next step in the process is to receive your Recovery Key which you must write down and keep in a safe place. Your Recovery Key will grant you access to your account if you lose the devices of forget your password. So important is the recovery key that Apple makes sure you cannot copy and paste it, forcing you to write it down.
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The last page informs you that you need to remember to remove two-step verification in case you plan to sell your device.  Apple takes you through a couple of pages explaining exactly what two-step verification is exactly.  Good to note that you'll need to keep your Recovery Key in a safe place. This as you'll be the only persons able to request a password reset. Also, your security questions will no longer exist.

The process takes a few minutes of your time and the additional layer of security eliminates any risk of you being hacked. Sharing is caring so share this information with a many of your Apple friends as you can.


How to Delete Safari, Google Chrome, Firefox and Opera browser history on an iPhone

Deleting browser history from your computer browser is an essential life skill to survive a nosy girlfriend.


However, she'll eventually get a hold of your Apple iPhone unlock code or password, making you think differently about her. So how do you stop her from finding out you've been chatting to her best friend, who secretly wants you?

Well, Temporary internet files and cookies also away at your smartphone’s internal storage if you don’t manage them. That too is a major headache of browsing the internet. So, you'll have to learn how to delete your browsing history and cookies on an iPhone or Android device and clear your browsing history and cookies from Safari, Chrome, Firefox, and Opera.

How to clear your browser history on an iPhone – Safari, Chrome, Firefox and Opera

Apple’s default browser is Safari. Unlike most browsers, you can’t clear your browsing data from the browser; you have to go into the device’s settings as follows:
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1.      Open Settings.
2.      Scroll down to Safari.
3.      Scroll down to Clear History and Website Data, and select it.
4.      A pop-up message will appear, notifying you that this will remove the data from your device and other devices signed into your iCloud account.
5.      Tap Clear History and Data to confirm.

If you use Google Chrome, the same treatment applies:
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1.      Tap the more menu in the upper-right corner.
2.      Go to Settings.
3.      Go to Privacy, and then tap Clear Browsing Data.
4.      Check what you want to delete from the list, and then choose Clear Browsing Data.

5.      Tap Clear Browsing Data again to confirm your decision.

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1.      Tap the hamburger menu at the bottom,
2.      Tap Settings.
3.      Go to Clear Private Data.
4.      Select the things that you want to delete
5.      Select Clear Private Data again.
6.      A reminder will appear signifying that this data will be deleted, and that the action cannot be undone.
7.      Tap OK to confirm your decision.

Opera is growing from strength to strength on mobile. Right now, the Opera Browser is a great browser to use on a smartphone, especially if you need a free VPN (Virtual Private Network) as explained in my blog article entitled “How to get a Free VPN using an Opera Browser”?
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The same treatment applies also:

1.      Tap the red “O” at the bottom of your browser.
2.      Tap Settings in the resulting pop-up menu.
3.      Go to Clear.
4.      Select specific things, such as saved passwords or cookies, or select Clear All.
5.      You will be asked if you’re sure you want to clear the data.
6.      Choose Yes.

So there you have it; sharing is caring so share this with your friends who have nosy girlfriends who like poking around in their smartphones.


Tuesday, February 14, 2017

Why Tullow Oil’s live Oil seep means Jamaica an Oil Producing Nation in 2017

“In Jamaica, following the completion of a drop core and seep study in the Walton Morant blocks that identified a live Oil seep, Tullow will acquire a further 680 kilometres of 2D seismic data before considering the acquisition of a 3D seismic”

Tullow Oil in its annual report released on Wednesday February 8th 2017 commenting on finding Oil in Jamaica

Jamaica, we're struck it rich!!!

Tullow Oil, the Oil and Gas company contracted by the ministry of Energy and Mining in Jamaica, has found Oil off the coast of Jamaica as reported in the article “Tullow Finds ‘Live’ Oil Offshore Jamaica”, published February 10, 2017 by Steven Jackson, The Jamaica Gleaner.

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Tullow Oil is a United Kingdom based Oil and Gas exploration outfit that's been in Jamaica since November 2014, when the PCJ signed a production-sharing agreement for Oil and gas exploration off Jamaica's offshore areas.  They had reported signs of Oil or gas in 10 of the 11 onshore and offshore wells drilled in Jamaica.

Tullow Oil, which operates in some 18 countries, is in the best position to determine if they've struck it rich. They've borrowed some US$4.8 billion, lost about US$600 million but made US$1.3 billion with free cash flow of $1 billion as stated in their December 2016 financial reports. They'd not make this declaration unless they were certain. So this latest news is cause for elation.

Tullow Oil has found Oil - Jamaica an Oil Producing nation in 2017

Tullow is now expanding their 2D seismic mapping by hundreds of kilometres after completing their 32,056 square km Walton Morant Blocks. so most likely the Oil seep, which is basically live flowing Oil leaking into the ocean, is located in the Walton Morant Blocks area. The offshore area to the south of the island includes three geological provinces:

1.    The Pedro Bank carbonate platform
2.    Walton Morant Blocks
3.    'Southern' sub-basins

This is included in 10 full blocks and one part block in shallow water to the south of the island as detailed in my blog article entitled “@TullowOilplc gets License for Offshore Oil Exploration - 3 Billion Barrels of Oil for Jamaica to re-discover as Price set to Boom by 2017”. 

These tertiary-aged clastic and carbonate reservoir targets all produced seismic data that suggests Oil may be no more than 2,000m below the surface. A Jamaican engineer off the coast of Gabon hinted that live Oil seeps are evidence of Oil flowing to the surface. This is an indication of petroleum systems in the basins surveyed. 


The Government of Jamaica is funding the exploration with the help of Private Sector money, as they expect a huge windfall as the price of Oil is set to rise in 2020 as predicted in my blog article entitled “Why Jamaican Private Sector funding Oil Exploration by Tullow Oil for US$300 per barrel in 2020”. 

So expect by the end of 2017 that Jamaica will become an Oil Producing nation that'll profit from the expected rise in the demand for Oil.