Take back your personal data??

There are several companies that crawl the internet looking for personal information about you, compile it, and sell it. They get the personal data from Facebook, real estate transactions, birth/death records, marriage records, news articles... you name it, they collect it.

Most of us share a name in common with other people in this country, so it is likely that information collected, based on name alone, is a contaminated mish-mash of meaningless bullshit.

"There otta be a law", says Consumer Reports. "Tell Congress to give you back control over your personal profile." We should be able to view data collected on us for free and be able to correct it.

Well, my friends, I have a different solution. Let the internet run its course and eventually people will understand that personal information from anyone other than the PERSON is of absolutely no value. It's time we started considering the source before using information of any kind, including personal information.

Don't post things on the internet that you don't want the general public to know about.

Don't believe what you see on the internet, even if you are stupid enough to pay $50 for access to the information. If it's really important, make sure you have multiple sources corroborating the information before taking action.

We've got to stop being so freaking lazy. Being on the internet doesn't make it true!! We've got to start treating it as bullshit first. If we're interested or have to make a decision based on what we see, find other sources!!! Too much work?? Maybe that's why "there otta be a law".

Facebook Timeline

The newest updates to Facebook profiles are the next step in enticing users to GIVE away more information so that they can SELL it for their profit. If anyone believes they can have an everlasting record of their major life events by posting them to Facebook is extremely naive. Facebook owns all information posted and as soon as it is no longer profitable to keep it, it will be gone. Facebook is a fad and it will disappear (within the next 5 years) like bell bottoms, pet rocks, disco and cabbage patch dolls.

Facebook is dead

You heard it here first. Facebook used to be easy, fun and innocent. Now it's difficult, a pain in the ass and dangerous. Zukerberg rolls out changes too fast and furious without consideration for how the changes affect millions of users.

It's time to move on. I only wish I was smart enough (or dumb enough) to stumble on the next thing to capture the imagination of the masses.

Facebook is about to start its downward spiral. Remember, you heard it here first.

I hate it when......

Someone just posted a link on Facebook for "Tell Congress: Support the Buffett Rule". It simply says: "As part of his deficit reduction plan, President Obama proposed a new tax on incomes over one million dollars that would prevent millionaires and billionaires from paying a lower tax rate than the middle class. Tell your member of Congress to make the super-wealthy pay their fair share!".

When you follow the link, you simply fill in your address and create an e-mail to your congress person urging him to support the "Buffett Rule". There is nothing that gives any statistics, nothing that provides any rationale. It's just populist bullshit and it creates such a flood of e-mail to senators and representatives that they ignore it all. Oh, yeah, the Buffett Rule, cool.... I'm for it. What is it and what effect does it really have?

Do the research before pushing the EASY button.

Just wondering......

Do some middle class working families that take deductions for a mortgage, healthcare expenses and dependent children pay less taxes than some of the "poor" people? Just wondering.

Holding Teachers Accountable

With the start of a new school year, we once again hear cries that we must hold our teachers accountable. Our educational system is in shambles, hold the teachers accountable. Our kids are falling behind those of other countries, hold our teachers accountable. Test them, fire them, make them stand up to the challenge.

Hang on a minute. When are we going to start making parents and students accountable? Why do we always have to blame it on someone else. Where is the "test" for parents? Do you read to your small children EVERY day? Do you read with your young children EVERY day. Is the home atmosphere conducive to doing homework? Are your children taught manners and values at HOME? Are the parents (or parent) there to offer help and support with homework?

I don't think the quality of teachers has gone down as much as the quality of the educational environment at home has gone down. It used to be that parents were INVOLVED with the education of their children both at home and in school. Teachers were held accountable by parents via interaction with them and the administration if necessary.

Unfortunately, many parents who want to be involved in their children's education send them to private schools or home school them. Again, this is taking the easy way out, rather than facing the problem and doing something about it. Again, the problem is NOT exclusively (if at all) the teachers. The problem is the parents who want to leave 100% of the responsibility for educating their children (socially, intellectually, morally, etc) to the teachers.

Test the teachers all you want. Fire the ones that don't make the grade. None of it will do any good unless we re-establish the home as the primary educator. Get your kids back in public school. Use your private school money to get a less demanding job. Get INVOLVED with the teachers and administrators of your school. Know what your children are studying and be aware of any difficulties they are having. Support them, help them, get help for them. Don't leave it up to someone else. Hold yourself accountable, as a parent, for the education of your children and the success of the educational system in your community.