vacuum up, back up, canister, short-circuit

How the Global Spyware Industry Spiraled Out of Control

The market for commercial spyware — which allows governments to invade phones and vacuum up data — is booming. Even the U.S. government is using it.

In some parts of Australia, vacuuming is banned after 10pm, and cat owners can be fined if their pets breach evening curfews. From The Economist’s 1843 magazine


Like many other big social networks, Facebook has been vacuuming up older customers. And its growing reputation as a sort of parental NSA may explain why some youngsters are more wary of it. In October 2013 David Ebersman, Facebook's chief financial officer, admitted that daily visits by younger teenagers had decreased. But there is no mass defection under way http://econ.st/1i1m9WF

Online retailers and publishers are pushing back against Facebook Inc.'s efforts to track users across the Internet, fearing that the data it vacuums up to target ads will give the social network too much of an edge.

Web traffic experts say there is less data flowing from some sites to Facebook, suggesting they have been reprogrammed to hold back information.Facebook has long kept track of the websites its users visit when...

Photo: A Palestinian woman watering plants growing in tear-gas canisters in the village of Bilin, near the West Bank city of Ramallah, on Wednesday. The canisters were collected by Palestinians during years of clashes with Israeli security forces.

Photos from Syria, Myanmar, Italy and Ukraine in Pictures of the Day: http://nyti.ms/GzRCl4

Photo by Majdi Mohammed/ Associated Press

Euro Zone Crisis Heating Back Up as Leaders Argue

By NICHOLAS KULISH and PAUL GEITNER 1 minute ago

Regional leaders meeting in Brussels failed to signal concrete steps to stimulate the economy or resolve the competing agendas of the German chancellor and the French president.

 Tepco Was Short-Circuited From the Start
Wall Street Journal
Investors still backing the Japanese utility must surely be looking to pull the plug. The latest round of funding, announced this week, entails $12 billion in government support as well as $13 billion in new loans. In return for its backing, ...


The container was labeled "baby food," but authorities say security personnel became suspicious when the woman who owned the suitcase claimed the canister held pickles.
該密封罐上的標籤寫著是「嬰兒食品」，但當局表示，安全人員之所以起疑，是因為擁有該行李箱的婦女宣稱，罐子裡裝的是醃漬品。


 back up
 in. to refuse to go through with something; to back out (of something).  Fred backed up at the last minute, leaving me with twenty pounds of hot dogs.


 1.  Move or drive a vehicle backward, as in He told her to back up into the garage. [First half of 1800s]
2.  Bring or come to a standstill, as in The water had backed up in the drains, or The accident had backed up traffic for miles. [First half of 1800s]
3.  Support or strengthen, as in The photos were backed up with heavy cardboard so they couldn't be bent, or I'll back up that statement of yours. [Second half of 1700s]
4.  Duplicate a file or program so that the original is not lost. For example, Every computer manual warns you to back up your work frequently in case of a power outage or computer failure. [Second half of 1900s]

 short circuit

n

(Electronics) a faulty or accidental connection between two points of different potential in an electric circuit, bypassing the load and establishing a path of low resistance through which an excessive current can flow. It can cause damage to the components if the circuit is not protected by a fuse

vb short-circuit

1. (Electronics) to develop or cause to develop a short circuit

2. (tr) to bypass (a procedure, regulation, etc.)

3. (tr) to hinder or frustrate (plans, etc.) Sometimes (for senses 1, 2) shortened to short

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003

 vacuum

noun (plural vacuums or vacua /-jʊə/)

• 1a space entirely devoid of matter.
• a space or container from which the air has been completely or partly removed.
• [usually in singular] a gap left by the loss, death, or departure of someone or something significant:the political vacuum left by the death of the Emperor

• 2 (plural vacuums) a vacuum cleaner.

verb

[with object]

• clean with a vacuum cleaner:the room needs to be vacuumed

Phrases

in a vacuum

(of an activity or a problem to be considered) isolated from the normal context in which it can best be understood or assessed: professional training cannot take place in a vacuum

Origin:

mid 16th century: modern Latin, neuter of Latin vacuus 'empty'

vacuum up,

To collect, obtain, or steal a large number or amount of something very rapidly, especially in a secret or inconspicuous manner. A noun or pronoun can be used between "vacuum" and "up." The company has been vacuuming up properties all over town to build more apartment complexes.

Vacuum up - Idioms by The Free Dictionary

canister

• [kǽnəstər]

[名]

1 （茶・コーヒー・タバコ・フィルムなどを入れる防湿用の）小さな缶, （円筒）ケース.

2 ＝case shot.

3 （ガス・化学薬品などの）金属容器；（催涙ガスなどの）カプセル, 薬筒.

Hoover Recalls WindTunnel Canister Vacuums Due to Fire and Shock Hazards

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.
Name of Product: Hoover® WindTunnel Canister Vacuums
Units: About 142,000
Importer: Hoover Inc., of Glenwillow, Ohio
Hazard: The power cord between the power nozzle and the wand connector can short-circuit posing fire and shock hazards to consumers. This condition can occur even if the vacuum has been turned off but left plugged in.
Incidents/Injuries: Hoover has received 69 reports of overheating or electrical malfunction, including one report of fire and smoke damage, and two reports of carpet damage. There has been one report of a minor injury.
Description: This recall involves the Hoover WindTunnel Bagless Canister Vacuum model S3755. The vacuum is silver and black in color, and comes with a power nozzle. The model number can be found on a label on the bottom of the canister.
Sold at: Mass merchandisers, department stores and independent vacuum retailers nationwide and online from March 2003 to December 2008 for between $250 and $280.
Manufactured in: China
Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled vacuum cleaners and contact Hoover for a free repair.
Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Hoover toll-free at (888) 564-2066 between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit the firm�s website at www.hoover.com/windtunnelcanisterrecall

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