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How important is data security? This accounting firm was hacked
By Isaac M. O'Bannon, Editor - Friday May 17, 2013
From the Tech Views blog . Perhaps your firm's management isn't concerned that much with hackers targeting their firm. After all, if a hacker has the expertise to do it, wouldn't they target much larger enterprises like banks? That's not necessarily the case, and the recent data breach at a local accounting firm in Connecticut should serve as a warning to firms who take the threat risk too lightly. The firm, which has offices in Ridgefield and Fairfield, Conn, fell victim to a hacker that police say may have been able to access information on as many as 900 clients. A partner at the firm confirmed the incident but would not yet provide additional information. From the Ridgefield Press : Jaclyn Falkowski, a spokesperson for the... -
How much do you value your employees? As much as they contribute?
By Isaac M. O'Bannon, Editor - Saturday April 13, 2013From Isaac's Tech Views blog . I'm about to reach the 11 year mark of working for the same employer, this publication. I graduated high school in 88, tried college (had fun, but didn't do well) - worked a few jobs, then joined the US Navy as a Seabee until the end of 1996. Then, I returned to college at OU and finished my BA in Public Relations/ Tech Journalism in Dec 1998. I then took an internship in Denver with Ogilvy , the world's largest PR firm. After Denver, I was offered a tech PR position in San Francisco. A great mid-sized firm (110 people in SF, NY and AZ). But I was laid off during the tech bubble of 2001. The firm went kaput in 2002. So, in mid 2001, I returned to Oklahoma and re-enrolled at OU to pursue grad... -
Small business lending and hiring up at end of 2012
By Isaac M. O'Bannon, Editor - Monday February 4, 2013Small businesses were able to borrow a little more in December and the data showed a slight increase for 2012, which a report says is a least a small sign of potential economic growth for the beginning of 2013. Likewise, a separate report showed small business hiring up slightly in January. For the year, small business lending was up 1 percent for 2012 over 2011, according to the Thomson Reuters/PayNet Small Business Lending Index, a measure of the overall volume of financing to small companies in the United States. Small businesses are often responsible for the bulk of new job creation after recessions. The recent recession ended in 2009, but sluggish growth has meant weak job growth, and unemployment in January rose to 7.9... -
Senate may consider online sales tax in 2013
By Isaac M. O'Bannon, Editor - Sunday February 24, 2013
In Washington, D.C., the inauguration is over and a new Congress and Senate are back in session. In addition to big and frequently discussed issues on their agenda, such as gun control, national security, immigration reform and the ongoing battle over the budget, a bipartisan group of U.S. Senators hope to accomplish is the passing of a bill that would better enable states to collect taxes on transactions. Wyoming Senator Mike Enzi-R, Illinois Senator Dick Durbin-D, and Tennessee Senator Lamar Alexander-R, have cosponsored the Marketplace Fairness Act , which would allow states to require online retailers and catalog retailers to collect sales tax on transactions. Because of the disparity and complexity of the various sales tax... -
California reports budget surplus
By Isaac M. O'Bannon, Editor - Thursday January 10, 2013
After more than a decade of financial strife, teacher cutbacks, employees paid with IOUs and the recall of one governor, California Governor Jerry Brown unveiled the state's latest finances. The surprise for many: A budget surplus of about $851 million. The state has seen tax revenue rise over the past few years, while spending on many programs was reduced. It expects $98.5 billion in income, and spnding of $97.7 billion. At a news conference in Sacramento, Brown proposed modest new funding for education and healthcare that would increase overall spending by about 5 percent. However, he warned against the impusle to increase spending too quickly. "I am determined to avoid the fiscal mess that the last few governors had to deal...
