People of all ages would probably choose a dog for their pet. Some dog owners keep a single breed while others prefer to have several kinds. The common denominator among dog owners is that they would always give their pets the best of everything. They not only give them their basic needs. As far as their budget would allow, owners would give them an extra package of tender loving care. After all, they say that dogs are man’s best friend. Many dog owners have found the following pet gadgets useful and practical.

The One-of-a-Kind Inflatable Dog Shower

Of course, you do not want to see your dog walking around looking messy. Unlike cats, dogs do not clean themselves – you have to do it for them. To help you with this job, there is an inflatable dog shower. This gadget can be folded when not in use, so you can save on storage space. When folded, it measures only as small as 24” x 14”. It takes just 5 minutes to inflate, giving you a shower space that is large enough to handle your dog. Water emission can be controlled at 7 different levels. Level 1 gives you a gentle stream, while level 7 is strong enough to remove your pet’s dead skin cells. Its wall height of 21” prevents water from spilling. Plus, you can reach all areas of your pet by using the shower’s 52” hose. The gadget is absolutely durable because it comes in a puncture resistant PVC and nylon.

The 2-factor authentication process has just been introduced by Google. To log in, the user has to provide his or her cell or landline telephone number. Google then sends a one-time authentication code that is used to log in to his or her account. At first glance, this new technology seemed good, but later, questions as to its real purpose have been raised.

This new tool would not allow the user to log in without first giving his or her number. Using the number provided, Google would send the “key” to open the account. A prompt box is provided where the sent code would be entered. That’s the only time when the user can continue with the log in process. It is as simple as that, but those who know about data collection have some doubts.

Phone numbers are the user’s private “property”. Mindless uploading of cellular or landline phone numbers in the internet could be dangerous. Google’s 2-factor authentication is not an exception. Collecting such important data from users just for verification is not good enough reason. The millions of numbers provided by millions of users contain lots of information which could be abused. What about the storage of these data? Would these be deleted right after authentication? Would it not be stored for future use?

The informed consent law is drawing public attention with regard to its implementation. Some groups including Colorado Progressive Coalition said that there is a need for better implementation of the said law. It has proposed that both police officers and civilians should be educated on it. According to the group, it is not enough that only law enforcers are well informed. Civilians should be properly oriented on the new law especially that they are the ones protected by it.

According to the law, consent must be given by an individual before any search can be done on him. He or she may refuse the search. It requires that any officer should inform the civilian of his or her right under the law. Refusal would prevent any officer to go on with the intended search. This means that any search conducted without consent is a violation of the law.

The law was passed last year as HB 1201. This requirement is under the 4th Amendment – protecting individuals against unreasonable searches. Unreasonable here means any search conducted without the consent of the person involved. This law is in answer to the many incidents regarding police brutality. This is usually connected with those cases when individuals would refuse police search. Above all, the law hopes to instill respect of the law. This can be better achieved if the new law is aggressively implemented.

The aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks still haunts citizens and even the government. The introduction of new anti-terrorism policies is still in response to the tragic experience. Citizens have to pay for it in terms of their freedom. Today, no one can hide from being either a suspect of terrorism or a victim of privacy invasion. So much focus is put on counteracting terroristic plans that respect to privacy is given less importance.

How do these policies affect individual privacy? Let us take a closer look at one of those. There are political organizations in the U.S. that act peacefully and for valid cause. Some of them are being monitored because they are considered “terrorist groups”. These groups only want political reforms in a peaceful manner and not by way of chaos. It is sad to observe that they are treated as potential enemies of the state. The only basis is that they group and gather together. This would imply that any group of people that gather together could end up as “suspects”.

Government terrorism related databases would now include some environmental and union activists. In California, the upsurge of pro-environment movements has prompted the authorities to include them in the black list. The same is true with union groups who try to pull their resources together for a common goal. It can be picked up from these situations that any group including civilians can be suspects for terrorism.

Last February 11, 2011, Health and Hospital Corporation (HHC) issued a statement about the theft of valuable hospital data. It was reported that on December 23, 2010, nearly 1.7 million electronic files were stolen. These are owned by patients, hospital staff, employees of vendors, contractors and others. These comprise data of Jacobi Medical Center and North Central Bronx Hospital starting the year 1991 to present. Efforts to notify those concerned and who might be affected by the theft are being fast-tracked and ongoing.

To date, there is no evidence yet that the stolen data were accessed and abused. It could be partly explained by the fact that those are accessible only by using specialized technical expertise and data-mining tools. But HHC does proactive steps in order to protect individuals who are potentially affected. It has offered free credit monitoring and fraud resolution for one year. It has also opened a toll-free phone information hotline that customers can call for assistance or information.

According to HHC President Alan D. Aviles, the theft was the result of negligence. He said that the contracting firm that specializes in the secure transport and storage of sensitive data was to be held responsible. GRM Information Management Services was contracted to take care of the data. While the driver was making other pickups, the incident occurred. It was reported that the GRM van was left unattended and unlocked. But the HHC is taking the responsibility of providing assistance and services to any affected individual.