Amazon will soon have a new way to return gifts preemptively. Seriously.
Amazon patents incredibly heartless and useful idea (NPR)
Amazon has a Wish List where I can put items that I would like to receive. During Christmas time (and around my birthday?) they don't show which items have been purchased, so I won't know what I'm getting for Christmas.
With this new feature in place, I would know some of the gifts I would be receiving. Is this progress?
When I read the article, I wondered if this would really happen. Would Amazon really put this on their site? Then I started to think of who I would put on my list.
My second thought was what would happen when Wikileaks publishes the list.
My third thought was how many lists *I* would be on.
Showing posts with label Privacy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Privacy. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Free Speech rights at funerals comes to U.S. Supreme Court
Fred Phelps, who has a church with about 75 members, mostly his family, protest at funerals. Really? Are they protesting the way the funeral is held? Or the funeral company? Or an individual?
No, they protest because the federal government (and America in general) embraces gays. And gays are bad. And God is killing American soldiers because he's upset about the gay embracing.
They also protest at music concerts, sporting events and even a Holocaust Museum. Reprehensible as their proclamations and signs are ("Fags Doom Nations") they have a right to Free Speech under the First Amendment.
As disgusting and anti-Christian as they are (God DOES love everyone), someone has died. Whether you like or dislike the person, their attitudes, or actions, they have died. Their family should be allowed respect to bury them; without anyone disturbing them.
Phelps and his religious family are smart about it, though. They don't protest right next to the funeral. They are some distance away. They don't target any individual person (dead or alive). They protest generically, holding up signs and chanting things such as "God Hates Fags"; and "God Bless IEDs".
This case isn't about simply protesting at a funeral, it is specifically about speech directed at an individual, in this case, the soldier's father.
Having said all of this, I know the U.S. Supreme Court will fall on the side of Free Speech, as they should. Fred Phelps and his followers will probably be allowed to continue their homophobic hate speech. And gay soldiers will continue to die for our freedoms. And America will embrace gays more and more over the years, just as they did with Civil Rights and Women's Rights.
Maybe Fred Phelps will pass soon, and his followers will disperse, with no one taking the reigns. Then there will be no more media coverage of this loony-toon. One can only hope.
US weighs rights for anti-gay church (The Age)
Here is a good article on Fred Phelps and his beliefs: Fred Phelps and Goodness (InSearchOfGoodness)
Even the hatefulness of Fred Phelps is protected by this country’s free speech (KansasCity.com)
No, they protest because the federal government (and America in general) embraces gays. And gays are bad. And God is killing American soldiers because he's upset about the gay embracing.
They also protest at music concerts, sporting events and even a Holocaust Museum. Reprehensible as their proclamations and signs are ("Fags Doom Nations") they have a right to Free Speech under the First Amendment.
As disgusting and anti-Christian as they are (God DOES love everyone), someone has died. Whether you like or dislike the person, their attitudes, or actions, they have died. Their family should be allowed respect to bury them; without anyone disturbing them.
Phelps and his religious family are smart about it, though. They don't protest right next to the funeral. They are some distance away. They don't target any individual person (dead or alive). They protest generically, holding up signs and chanting things such as "God Hates Fags"; and "God Bless IEDs".
This case isn't about simply protesting at a funeral, it is specifically about speech directed at an individual, in this case, the soldier's father.
Having said all of this, I know the U.S. Supreme Court will fall on the side of Free Speech, as they should. Fred Phelps and his followers will probably be allowed to continue their homophobic hate speech. And gay soldiers will continue to die for our freedoms. And America will embrace gays more and more over the years, just as they did with Civil Rights and Women's Rights.
Maybe Fred Phelps will pass soon, and his followers will disperse, with no one taking the reigns. Then there will be no more media coverage of this loony-toon. One can only hope.
US weighs rights for anti-gay church (The Age)
Here is a good article on Fred Phelps and his beliefs: Fred Phelps and Goodness (InSearchOfGoodness)
Even the hatefulness of Fred Phelps is protected by this country’s free speech (KansasCity.com)
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Protitutes teaching our children?
A New York elementary school art teacher is writing a memoir about her time as a stripper and sex worker in Mexico when she was 19 years old and for about a year (ending in January 2007) she advertised as a hooker on Craigslist. She was 'outed' after someone videotaped her reading a portion of her memoir at an open-mic event.
Some parents are up in arms about a former prostitute teaching their children. And Melissa Petro is currently on administative leave pending an investigation by the school authorities.
Should the background of a teacher be considered for suitability for teaching children? Of course. No one would think that a sex-offender should be an elementary school teacher? But what about a previous sex-worker? What if the teacher used to smoke marijuana? Or if they were convicted of drunk driving 10 years ago?
Everyone has some past indescretion that they probably would prefer to forget. Small or large, few of us have gone thru our younger years (high school or college) without doing something we think better of later. Or maybe some don't. Just because Melissa is no longer a sex worker, doesn't mean she would do things different now. But how does this affect the children she teaches?
Unless Melissa is espousing her beliefs that all young people should become involved in the sex trade in some aspect, what's wrong with her teaching art to students? Where is the line that connects the two items that precludes one from the other?
If someone is currently an avid mountain-biker and teaches math to elementary students, where is the harm? If the person tells their students they need to get a mountain-bike and speed down converted ski-slopes, then there could be an issue. They are in the classroom to teach math. Telling students to go and do something potentially harmful could be an issue that the school should handle. They ask the teacher not to bring up the subject. And if they do, the teacher is disciplined.
So, whether I like or dislike what Melissa has done in the past and however she feels about it now, as long as she isn't bringing this into the classroom, where's the harm?
Bronx art teacher Melissa Petro blabs about exploits as stripper, hooker at open-mic events (NY Daily News)
Should the background of a teacher be considered for suitability for teaching children? Of course. No one would think that a sex-offender should be an elementary school teacher? But what about a previous sex-worker? What if the teacher used to smoke marijuana? Or if they were convicted of drunk driving 10 years ago?
Everyone has some past indescretion that they probably would prefer to forget. Small or large, few of us have gone thru our younger years (high school or college) without doing something we think better of later. Or maybe some don't. Just because Melissa is no longer a sex worker, doesn't mean she would do things different now. But how does this affect the children she teaches?
Unless Melissa is espousing her beliefs that all young people should become involved in the sex trade in some aspect, what's wrong with her teaching art to students? Where is the line that connects the two items that precludes one from the other?
If someone is currently an avid mountain-biker and teaches math to elementary students, where is the harm? If the person tells their students they need to get a mountain-bike and speed down converted ski-slopes, then there could be an issue. They are in the classroom to teach math. Telling students to go and do something potentially harmful could be an issue that the school should handle. They ask the teacher not to bring up the subject. And if they do, the teacher is disciplined.
So, whether I like or dislike what Melissa has done in the past and however she feels about it now, as long as she isn't bringing this into the classroom, where's the harm?
Bronx art teacher Melissa Petro blabs about exploits as stripper, hooker at open-mic events (NY Daily News)
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
How to keep your online presence private
Privacy on the web can be difficult. Once you post a book review, or upload a photo, or join a social network, the information will likely be stored and be available to anyone for years to come.
Here is a lengthy article on web privacy: The Web Means the End of Forgetting (New York Times)
These are some ways to keep your privacy on the web.
1) Create a separate email account
You already have an email account. Give it to family and friends. Now create another one. The new email address will be used when you sign up at a website or need to give an email address when you will be downloading some software. This email account will probably start filling up with spam after a while and you can simply stop using it at some point and create a new email account to use.
2) Give false personal information when signing up
When you need to sign up at a site for a one-time experience, such as downloading a piece of software, give them a false name and address. Nearly all signups are completely automated, and no person actually sees the information besides you. They don't go thru their database of thousands or millions of users and see the name Fred Flintstone and cut off your account. Choose a name and address that you will always use to make it easier to remember. If you try to use just random letters and numbers, some forms will not let you sign up. So come up with something you will remember. Fred Flintstone, 123 Stoney Lane, Bedrock, AZ, 92345.
3) Use a second credit card for online purchases
Don't use your main credit card for online purchases. If someone gets your information and you have to cancel your account, you won't have a credit card available until your credit card company sends a new card with a new account number or you open a new account. Get a second card that will only be used for online purchases. If something goes wrong, you can cancel that card and still have your off-line card to use.
4) Use 'private mode' when surfing the internet
Most modern browers have a 'private mode' that prevents web sites from doing things like setting cookies for long-term use. You can see what information is available to sites by visiting this link: Network-Tools.com
These are the top ideas for preserving your privacy while on the internet. If you do the four items listed above, you will save most of your private information from becoming available.
This site will give you an exhaustive list of privacy areas and what you can do to prevent your data from becoming public. Online Privacy: Using the Internet Safely (Privacy Rights Clearinghouse)
Here is a lengthy article on web privacy: The Web Means the End of Forgetting (New York Times)
These are some ways to keep your privacy on the web.
1) Create a separate email account
You already have an email account. Give it to family and friends. Now create another one. The new email address will be used when you sign up at a website or need to give an email address when you will be downloading some software. This email account will probably start filling up with spam after a while and you can simply stop using it at some point and create a new email account to use.
2) Give false personal information when signing up
When you need to sign up at a site for a one-time experience, such as downloading a piece of software, give them a false name and address. Nearly all signups are completely automated, and no person actually sees the information besides you. They don't go thru their database of thousands or millions of users and see the name Fred Flintstone and cut off your account. Choose a name and address that you will always use to make it easier to remember. If you try to use just random letters and numbers, some forms will not let you sign up. So come up with something you will remember. Fred Flintstone, 123 Stoney Lane, Bedrock, AZ, 92345.
3) Use a second credit card for online purchases
Don't use your main credit card for online purchases. If someone gets your information and you have to cancel your account, you won't have a credit card available until your credit card company sends a new card with a new account number or you open a new account. Get a second card that will only be used for online purchases. If something goes wrong, you can cancel that card and still have your off-line card to use.
4) Use 'private mode' when surfing the internet
Most modern browers have a 'private mode' that prevents web sites from doing things like setting cookies for long-term use. You can see what information is available to sites by visiting this link: Network-Tools.com
These are the top ideas for preserving your privacy while on the internet. If you do the four items listed above, you will save most of your private information from becoming available.
This site will give you an exhaustive list of privacy areas and what you can do to prevent your data from becoming public. Online Privacy: Using the Internet Safely (Privacy Rights Clearinghouse)
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