Fine Print

CNN has an interesting story today about a social network for spies. The program is called A-Space, and it’s a site for analysts within the 16 U.S. intelligence agencies to swap intel and other information detrimental to national security. Unfortunately, only intelligence personnel with the proper security clearance can access the site, so Mashable won’t be sending out beta invites any time soon.

An interesting tactic, with a launch date of September 22, so expect hackers across the world to start polishing their keyboards in anticipation.

Seguing nicely from people stealing secrets to people stealing ideas, I heard about You Thought We Wouldn’t Notice from the girl Riot™. (A great blog by the way.)

YTWWN is a blog full of ad campaigns, websites, designs and other original ideas that — you guessed it — have been ripped off and used elsewhere, sometimes blatantly outright or in a slightly more subtle way. Look at this! And this! And this!

~ John Carson, Senior Digital Media Specialist, GCI Canada

If you recall, a few years ago Metallica’s Lars Ulrich was up in arms about online music services, equating them to nothing more than online piracy.

How times have changed! It seems that nothing else matters for him apart from getting some buzz for their latest music, and offering fans the ability to download high-quality tracks before their new CD is actually released: “If this thing leaks all over the world today or tomorrow, happy days. Happy days.”

The band also held some listening parties for bloggers, and weren’t happy with the feedback. You can’t have it both ways, Lars.

Matthew Ingram has the full story.

~ John Carson, Senior Digital Media Specialist, GCI Canada

Had meetings most of the day today, inlcuding a very comprehensive PR Boot Camp, so picked a quick couple of links for the blog.

Twitter Grader. I got 65, disappointed, thought I was at least a 67 or something.

At least we treat our interns with respect.

~ John Carson, Senior Digital Media Specialist, GCI Canada

Google’s Chrome browser.

For busy PR people who need to pop out at lunch and make a quick viral video for their clients, you can now shoot the video and upload it to YouTube, using this snazzy piece of hardware, or this one.

~ John Carson, Senior Digital Media Specialist, GCI Canada