Facebook, MySpace & Other Social Networking Sites Share Personal Info With Advertisers

The Wall Street Journal reports, Facebook, MySpace and several other social-networking sites have been sending user information to advertisers that could be used to find consumers' names and other personal details, despite statements in their privacy policy that they don't share user information without consent.

What happens is that these sites send user names or ID numbers tied to the user's personal profiles when the user's click on ads. This infomation assists the advertisers in looking up the user's personal details which include a person's real name, age, hometown and occupation. Each site shares various data and what is shared depends on which site is used. This information sharing is typical across the web but the social networking sites provide privacy policies agains such behavior.

The Wall Street Journal states:

"Several large advertising companies identified by the Journal as receiving the data, including Google Inc.'s DoubleClick and Yahoo Inc.'s Right Media, said they were unaware of the data being sent to them from the social-networking sites, and said they haven't made use of it."

It is also reported that LiveJournal, Hi5, Xanga and Digg also sent advertising companies user names or ID numbers in the same manner. Even Twitter was found to pass web addresses and user names of profiles visited on Twitter.com when users clicked links in profiles.

Facebook took this procedure to a higher level. Sometimes they sent information on which user name or ID was clicking on the ad PLUS the user name or ID of the page being viewed. This information lets an advertiser know a bit about a user's interests.

A letter has been sent to the FTC by Ben Edelman, an assistant professor at Harvard Business School who studies Internet advertising. He is requesting an investigation of Facebook's practices.

Bonanzle Wins @ Seattle 2.0

Seattle 2.0 was created in 2007 with one goal in mind: To help tech entrepreneurs build great companies.


Seattle 2.0 is made up of entrepreneurs, investors, advisors, consultants and members of a healthy and ever-growing startup community around Seattle.

Each year they hold a conference and award several businesses that fit into the various categories Seattle 2.0 have designated. The conference and awards help connect investors and businesses. The 2010 event was the second of it's kind.

Bonanzle was nominated as the Best Bootstrapped Startup at the Seattle 2.0 Awards. Last night, they won the award for that category.

Congratulations Bonanzle!

Featured Seller - Princess Peony 05-18-10

Sparkklejar at Etsy, is a friend of ours. Her teen daughter is also a seller on Etsy. She sells under the name Princess Peony.

From Princess Peony's profile:

I sell paper reclaimed and repurposed creations, salvaged goodies, simple crafts, and destash items.

The money I earn from my etsy sales is applied to my color guard fees and dues. Thank You for supporting me!

I just learned how to make origami boxes and I hope you like them. I am just learning how to craft with paper and I think it's a fun and responsible way to make old damaged books have a happy ending.

Here are some great items offered by Princess Peony:


6 Cinderella Paper Heart Tags From Childrens Book Repurposed Pink Bows Ribbons
6 heart tags hand cut from an old Cinderella story book by disney.

Pink ribbon ties and small bows

Large size hearts approx. 4" by 4 1/2" at longest areas

I traced the inner book page heart by using a cookie cutter, and free cut a border around it. Border is acid free craft paper.


7 Repurposed Origami Favor Boxes With Lids Vintage Chilrens Atlas Book
I do not destroy or cut up good books

This vintage childrens picture atlas was out dated and missing pages.

Free from bad smells and made in a smoke free home

Repurposed into 7 origami boxes made from the pages

3 1/4" by 3 1/4" by approx 1 5/8" deep

Shipped usps priority with recycled foam blocks to prevent crushing during transit~please recycle.
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Stop in and visit Princess Peony to see what she has created lately. While you are there, grab some great buys!

Be sure to also stop in and visit Sparkklejar for some great shabby chic products. Tell her Dakota sent you!

A Huge Stamp Project!

We are totally excited about a stamp collection that was given to us for absolutely nothing. We were given a large box, 2 shoeboxes, 4 or 5 plastic bags with tubs, boxes, and other containers of stamps and several stamp collecting supplies.

We do not know a thing about stamps or the collecting of them but it appears that we are going to have to learn!

In these containers are stamps dating back to 1902 (at least that we've found upon a couple of brief inspections). Some are unused, some are used - there are some US and some foreign but there is a huge variety. Some are neatly stored in albums and some are in various containers waiting to be sorted. A few still need to be seperated from the envelopes so we will have to learn the proper procedure of doing that.

We have been snooping all over the internet to find whatever information is available to help identify each stamp. We aren't sure what the best way to proceed is but looking up and researching each one of the thousands of stamps we were given is an intimidating task. There were a few stamp collecting books included that may be helpful but we think we are going to need more extensive sources.

Also included are some full display pages. One includes the 25th Anniversary of John F. Kennedy's death. We are amazed at the variety of designs that we do not remember ever seeing, even though they were issued during our lifetime. The older stamps are quite interesting and ornate. It's easy to see why stamp collecting is such a fun hobby.

There are even some First Day Covers from various years. Some are well kept while some have bent corners on the outer envelopes. We haven't opened them to check on the condition of the inner envelopes yet. All of the stamps on these are equally as interesting as the individual stamps in this collection.

When we first brought these stamps home, we went to one of the seller forums we frequent and asked for information on idenification and values. We had no idea where to start. We did get a lot of useful information to help us begin this project but it didn't take long for someome to come along and try to discourage us. We were told by one person that stamps can be valuable enough to pay off a car but then another person said that the value of stamps became diluted during the time that baby boomers were doing the collecting. He even said that if any of the stamps we were given were not used, they would have more value as postage than as a possible future sale.

The person talking about the diluted stamp market was talking mostly about the foreign stamps. In the large box, we have a book with many foreign stamps from all over the world. We are not going to let that information discourage us. We are going to look into these stamps to find out for ourselves. If nothing else, it looks to be an educational journey ahead - learning the history behind the stamps.

** If any of our readers has any helpful information or advice on how to handle this collection and the proper way to do things, we would greatly appreciate it if you would contact us. **

We are excited about the adventure ahead!

34th ACE© It Mid-Year Educational Conference

Crown Plaza Hotel
Warwick RI
August 14 - 17, 2010

The National Association of Jewelry Appraisers (NAJA) will hold its 34th Annual Mid-Year Conference this summer. This conference is geared towards professional appraisers.

The theme of the conference is: "Antique Jewelry--Facts vs. Myths".

Schedule:

Saturday, August 13, 2010

Twelve Months of Change: The Ups & Downs of the Jewelry Market
Simon Teakle

JSI - Jewelry Search Investigators! Demystifying the Dating of a Jewel Suzanne Martinez, GG & Tim Spauwen, FGA

The Value of Time: The Language and Fundamentals of Evaluating
Wristwatches and Pocketwatches Edward S. Faber

When Art Met Metal: Evaluating mid-20th Century Studio Jewelry
from Margaret de Patta to Earl Pardon, 1940-1980 Patricia Kiley Faber, GG

Dating & Authenticating Through Gems Rui Galopim de Carvalho, FGA

Sunday, August 15, 2010

Egypt: Then and Now Yvonne Markowitz

Arts & Crafts vs. Art Nouveau: Similarities & Differences Elyse Zorn Karlin

All You Want to Know About British Hallmarks and More Danusia Niklewicz, GG & Bill Whetstone

A View from the Backside Peter Shemonsky, GG

Advanced Hallmarks - (and you thought you knew it all!) Danusia Niklewicz, GG & Bill Whetstone

Period Fashions & The Appropriate Baubles Mona Miller, GG

Monday, August 16, 2010

Etruscan Revival 101 Robert C. Aretz, GG

Pimped Out Pocket Watches Gary Lester, GG

Another Feather on the Cap: “Regal Head Ornaments” Kathrin N. Schoenke, GG

Good Marriages, Bad Marriages ... What’s an Appraiser to Do? Gloria Lieberman

Tuesday August 17, 2010

A Better Understanding of Precious Metal Content Dave Atlas, GG

Link & Link: an Overview of Chain from Antiquity to the Modern Age Ann Cahoon

Something Old, Something New Chris Ploof

Unveiling the Mystery of Enamel Richard McMullen

Click here to view the conference brochure.

Click here for the registration form.

GIA & Law Officers to Fight International Jewelry Crime

Special agents and detectives from international law enforcement agencies gathered at the Gemological Institute of America’s (GIA) Carlsbad campus recently for a two-week crash course in gemology that was specifically requested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

Law officers from Brazil, Colombia, Belgium, India, Thailand, the UK and the UAE joined detectives from the New York and Los Angeles police departments and FBI specials agents from New York, Los Angeles, Miami and Washington, D.C. to get a first-hand look at how gemological information can help them solve crimes.

The group was exposed to a broad range of gemstone topics, including how to use gemological tools (loupes, tweezers, microscopes); the Four C's of diamonds and what to look for in clarity, cut and color; synthetics, imitations and color treatments; the diamond industry and the Kimberley Process; field identification of colored stones; and how to read GIA grading reports.

Learning about the science and tools of gemstones is a priceless opportunity, according to Patrick Peys, of the Belgium Federal Police, an experienced gem detective and lead investigator of the 2003 Antwerp Diamond Center heist of nearly half a billion dollars in diamonds, cash and other valuables.

“There is a big difference between being an operational police officer and having knowledge about the product you’re investigating,” Peys said. “That kind of basic information might give you an advantage you otherwise would not have.”

Working with law enforcement officials is a very important aspect of GIA’s mission to protect the public trust, said Donna Baker, president and CEO of GIA. “It is imperative that we continue to work with these detectives and special agents on the front lines of fast-moving gem crimes.”

“The thieves communicate and coordinate across international boundaries – we need to do the same if we want to stop them. Giving law enforcement officials access to our resources and gemological information will help them close the net on those who steal from and take advantage of the public. This is a mission we are proud to share with law officers around the world.”

Law enforcement agencies and GIA have a long history of working together to solve gem-related crimes, said Tom Moses, senior vice president of GIA Laboratory and Research. “Our grading reports and inscriptions are the most effective ways to protect gemstones and information on thousands of them are stored in GIA’s database for future reference,” he said.

The database, started in the 1980s, has proved to be extremely useful for investigators, according to Daniel McCaffrey of the FBI’s New York field office. “It’s so significant to have this relationship with GIA and to have a starting point,” he said. “Literally hundreds and hundreds of stones have been recovered because of it.”

Ivy Cutler, records coordinator for the GIA Laboratory in New York notifies law enforcement officials when GIA identifies stolen gemstones and acts as a liaison during investigations. She was recently honored by the Jewelers Security Alliance for her efforts to recover stolen gems and educate law enforcement agencies about gemology.

“Gems are one of the most concentrated forms of wealth, and diamonds travel very quickly,” Cutler said. “It’s amazing how frequently the stolen diamonds flow back to GIA. The crime community is small, the crooks are very smart and a lot of the trade is unaware of what they are handling.”

The investigators added that meeting their counterparts from other countries was one of the best outcomes of the two-week seminar.

“I’m very involved in diamond investigations and as far as I know, GIA is the only organization that is really doing something to bring law enforcement officers together to educate them and get that network working,” Peys said. “For me, that’s very visionary.”