I was searching the Internet for more blog articles when the headline "Yahoo To Launch Site For Women" caught my eye. It was nothing extraordinary, but I found it interesting that a popular search engine like Yahoo would be taking the time out to cater to a more specific demographic---women. I guess I should not have been surprised with all the marketing the Internet and its search engines promote. However, I naturally assumed they lumped us all into one group of web surfers with subcategories that were more focused on interests by topic, but not so much by the nature of our sex. It makes sense that Yahoo would redirect their focus to a particular market niche, but why now?
In search of the answer to that question, I kept reading the article which later revealed what seems most logical, there is a profit issue. Apparently, Yahoo is one of the Internet companies who is not faring so well as of late. I guess that shows how much I really pay attention to this stuff. Honestly, I take it for granted that the Yahoos and Googles will always be there at mine and everyone else's disposal if ever an Internet search beckons them. Yet, that does not seem to be the case as Yahoo, despite its model, is subject to cycles of all business---growth, maturity, decline, and death. It seems Yahoo is trying to prevent the latter part of that cycle. In it's quest to revive business, Yahoo has recognized a market niche that they have yet to truly tap. They have realized the power and influence women continue to have in the marketplace. Apparently, our opinions are not only significant factors in determining the square footage as it applies to the spaces in real estate, but also in cyberspaces where Yahoo maintains a residence.
Thus, Yahoo has initiated the task of designing its user interface to reflect what their internal research indicates is of most importance to women. Yahoo has decided to partner with media companies (magazines) to develop products and services that cater to women and their needs or interests. The following is an excerpt from the article:
"Amy Iorio, vice president for Yahoo Lifestyles, said internal research also shows women are looking for a site to aggregate various content and communications tools.
'These women were sort of caretakers for everybody in their lives,' she said. 'They didn’t feel like there was a place that was looking at the whole them — as a parent, as a spouse, as a daughter. They were looking for one place that gave them everything.' (New York Associated Press 31-Mar-08).”
I think this is definitely a good move for Yahoo just in how modifying their content may likely affect me. Often, I go to Yahoo primarily to just check email and rarely use it to perform a search transaction unless my browser references it. All I hear about is Goggle and that's likely what most people use. I can not recall the first time or ever if anyone said "Oh just Yahoo me" the way the say "Google Me." Naturally, I began using Google because it was so well promoted that I believed it must be a great company as well as Internet resource. However, my first email account was created via Yahoo so I have remained somewhat loyal. If they modify the content on the user interface to something that interests me more, then I would probably access the site more. In my opinion, Yahoo has made a smart decision to address the needs of women by providing "content and communication tools (NY AP 31-Mar-08)" on their sites that will allow women to feel like they have everything in one place.
Referencing Article:
Yahoo to launch site for women
31st March 2008, 7:30 WST
http://www.thewest.com.au/default.aspx?MenuID=145&ContentID=65337
Monday, March 31, 2008
Friday, March 28, 2008
Anarchy, Anarchists, and Anarchism Either Way You Say It Spells Rebellion Against DBs
Anarchy: a utopian society of individuals who enjoy complete freedom without government
Anarchist: a person who rebels against any authority, established order, or ruling power 2: a person who believes in, advocates, or promotes anarchism or anarchy
Anarchism: a political theory holding all forms of governmental authority to be unnecessary and undesirable and advocating a society based on voluntary cooperation and free association of individuals and groups
While researching information about one of my favorite movies Enemy of the State starring Will Smith, I stumbled upon an interview with the writer of the film, David Marconi. It was an in depth and almost eerie interview one in which the writer simply faced with a challenging interviewee, simply had to sit back, turn on his recorder, and allow the director speak at his leisure. Initially, that eerie vibe I felt when I continued to read the article made so much sense to me later when the words anarchy, anarchist, and anarchism were defined and discussed. It made sense that the writer would not be able to systematically interview this guy---the writer/director. In that instance, I realized that this man lived and breathed this philosophy of a truly autonomous life without authority, rigor, and control so much that he was not willing to compromise that belief even during an interview. For him, there was no standard protocol---no need for structure.
Immediately, I was intrigued by this concept of free will and no implications of time which he later discussed during the interview. When I analyzed the article, I thought of Garfinkel's Database Nation and began to understand why Marconi was the perfect someone to make a movie like Enemy of the State. The more that I read the article the more I was taken aback by what this man had to say because he obviously was no bumbling idiot. A lot of what he said made sense to me particularly when he discussed the implications for time and the way children initially view time. The recurring theme was about giving up freedoms for an authoritative ideal of rigid structure. I kept thinking about the idea of restrictions, structures, and form while I read the article and how I could make them analogous to databases. The key to me was the form with respect to database design.
I abandoned my idea of just wanting to write about GIS, criminal databases, government spying, and the whole intricate web of ideas related to the events that occur in the movie. The idea of form when we design a database with respect to table normalization for database optimization reflected the ideal of a rigid structure (normalization) and implications of time (e.g. optimization). I thought about how we even evolved to this point of needing to be so organized or structured. Then, I began to contrast that with this ideal that we were convinced by some authority perhaps the business with its business rules that the task we were executing was necessary for order and to optimize time. It all seemed so intricate to me, but yet it made sense if I chose to see things from the perspective of an anarchist. Thus, I would see the database as another construct of that authoritative system that needs to place restrictions not only on the contents or data it keeps, but on us as the keepers (DBAs) of that data. And either way you spell it, A-N-A-R-C-H-Y, A-N-A-R-C-H-I-S-T-S, or A-N-A-R-C-H-I-S-M, it is rebellion against databases.
Referencing Article:
http://www.altpr.org/apr12/zerzan.html
Anarchist: a person who rebels against any authority, established order, or ruling power 2: a person who believes in, advocates, or promotes anarchism or anarchy
Anarchism: a political theory holding all forms of governmental authority to be unnecessary and undesirable and advocating a society based on voluntary cooperation and free association of individuals and groups
While researching information about one of my favorite movies Enemy of the State starring Will Smith, I stumbled upon an interview with the writer of the film, David Marconi. It was an in depth and almost eerie interview one in which the writer simply faced with a challenging interviewee, simply had to sit back, turn on his recorder, and allow the director speak at his leisure. Initially, that eerie vibe I felt when I continued to read the article made so much sense to me later when the words anarchy, anarchist, and anarchism were defined and discussed. It made sense that the writer would not be able to systematically interview this guy---the writer/director. In that instance, I realized that this man lived and breathed this philosophy of a truly autonomous life without authority, rigor, and control so much that he was not willing to compromise that belief even during an interview. For him, there was no standard protocol---no need for structure.
Immediately, I was intrigued by this concept of free will and no implications of time which he later discussed during the interview. When I analyzed the article, I thought of Garfinkel's Database Nation and began to understand why Marconi was the perfect someone to make a movie like Enemy of the State. The more that I read the article the more I was taken aback by what this man had to say because he obviously was no bumbling idiot. A lot of what he said made sense to me particularly when he discussed the implications for time and the way children initially view time. The recurring theme was about giving up freedoms for an authoritative ideal of rigid structure. I kept thinking about the idea of restrictions, structures, and form while I read the article and how I could make them analogous to databases. The key to me was the form with respect to database design.
I abandoned my idea of just wanting to write about GIS, criminal databases, government spying, and the whole intricate web of ideas related to the events that occur in the movie. The idea of form when we design a database with respect to table normalization for database optimization reflected the ideal of a rigid structure (normalization) and implications of time (e.g. optimization). I thought about how we even evolved to this point of needing to be so organized or structured. Then, I began to contrast that with this ideal that we were convinced by some authority perhaps the business with its business rules that the task we were executing was necessary for order and to optimize time. It all seemed so intricate to me, but yet it made sense if I chose to see things from the perspective of an anarchist. Thus, I would see the database as another construct of that authoritative system that needs to place restrictions not only on the contents or data it keeps, but on us as the keepers (DBAs) of that data. And either way you spell it, A-N-A-R-C-H-Y, A-N-A-R-C-H-I-S-T-S, or A-N-A-R-C-H-I-S-M, it is rebellion against databases.
Referencing Article:
http://www.altpr.org/apr12/zerzan.html
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
What I Know About PeopleSoft: Formerly An Emerging Brand Now Its The Oracle Brand
I don't know much about Peoplesoft except that it became a big deal in 2000 to the institution (a community college) where I attended classes and worked as a part-time IT support tech. Honestly, I had no clue that it was a database or anything. All I remember were the grunts from tenured staff that they were having to learn a new system because someone was "moving their cheese." During that time, I was a member of a 3-person IT staff and we had regular meetings about the grunting, but only one of us (a senior staff member) had received training on PeopleSoft. It just so happened that particular individual liked having a monopoly on the information and seemed quite content to be delegated the job of training everyone else---essential personnel of course. I was just a student and fell into the non-essential personnel at the moment (as long as I was not needed to put out little fires then this was not something that would immediately affect my job). Therefore, I was enjoying my cheese for the moment.
I recall planning my move to Virginia Beach to attend college on campus therefore I only got the jist of what all the PeopleSoft brouhaha was all about. Essentially, it was being used for student enrollment, other registration tasks, and employee information. During that time, the concept of VoIP was also being thrown around as a requirement for deploying the PeopleSoft system. Other than that I was clueless.
So, I packed my bags moved to VA Beach and out of the IT field into the life of a commuter on campus and that of a debt collector. The next time I was to ever hear this name PeopleSoft was in a few job search requirements and later during news of Oracle's acquisition of this company in 2004-2005. I remember seeing upset employees resistance and I think picket signs disparaging Oracle for acquiring the company. There were talks of layoffs and downsizing and rumors that Oracle had acquired it's competition out of fear and planned to let the brand die by not providing support for the application. Some of the concerns seemed logical and valid while others did not make complete business sense.
Layoffs and downsizing are normal during mergers and acquisitions, but trying to kill off an established brand and application that had already been adopted by many users did not make business sense. If I recall vaguely, Oracle made a statement regarding continued support and plans to keep some of Peoplesoft's employees. I am a little shaky on the details therefore I decided to research it further to learn more about Peoplesoft and Oracle's acquisition of the company. What I learned was...(to be continued in another blog).
I recall planning my move to Virginia Beach to attend college on campus therefore I only got the jist of what all the PeopleSoft brouhaha was all about. Essentially, it was being used for student enrollment, other registration tasks, and employee information. During that time, the concept of VoIP was also being thrown around as a requirement for deploying the PeopleSoft system. Other than that I was clueless.
So, I packed my bags moved to VA Beach and out of the IT field into the life of a commuter on campus and that of a debt collector. The next time I was to ever hear this name PeopleSoft was in a few job search requirements and later during news of Oracle's acquisition of this company in 2004-2005. I remember seeing upset employees resistance and I think picket signs disparaging Oracle for acquiring the company. There were talks of layoffs and downsizing and rumors that Oracle had acquired it's competition out of fear and planned to let the brand die by not providing support for the application. Some of the concerns seemed logical and valid while others did not make complete business sense.
Layoffs and downsizing are normal during mergers and acquisitions, but trying to kill off an established brand and application that had already been adopted by many users did not make business sense. If I recall vaguely, Oracle made a statement regarding continued support and plans to keep some of Peoplesoft's employees. I am a little shaky on the details therefore I decided to research it further to learn more about Peoplesoft and Oracle's acquisition of the company. What I learned was...(to be continued in another blog).
Vendor Quality and Assurance: A Lesson On Vendor Relations
"...Software companies, including Oracle, typically include clauses in their license agreements that remove their liability from any kind of negative business-related events resulting from the software (like crashing all your company's servers), nor are there any warranties for the buyer to fall back on.
In other words, it's "buyer beware" on steroids. "If it doesn't do what you thought, it's not our fault," Jones adds. "[Vendors] are very unlikely to do anything that creates promise in the future."
Two of the main reasons why software companies typically include such licensing provisions are because, first, they can; and second, because there are accounting rules designed to stop vendors from misstating the timing of when they record revenues. For example, if a license agreement includes a 12-month warranty period, explains Jones, the vendor could not book the revenue from the software deal until after the 12 months expired (Wailgum 1)."
I stumbled upon this article soon after a Quality Management lecture in my Project Management class. My instructor gave us a synopsis of a poorly managed IT project courtesy of an article about the problems with the automation of the Census in today's Virginia Pilot. The article discussed the complications of the project, the initial procurement costs of an estimated $5.1 million dollars and a projected additional $2 million plus dollars to make changes to this project despite failing to meet project requirements. The vendor requested more money to fix problems due to the fact that the product it created was not user friendly. In it's defense, the vendor blamed the Census Bureau for failing to clearly specify the specifications of the product it was so expensively paid to complete. Now, from what I have gained from the Project Management course so far and what my now agitated instructor reiterated, is that the vendor was responsible for the efficient management of this project and basically passed the buck. If a project fails, then it is the responsibility of the vendor's Project Manager and the vendor should be held liable.
Ironically, the article for which I'm primarily referencing seems to reflect a similar situation in which Oracle's licensing agreement almost allowed it to escape liability despite any potential negative impacts to its customers. However, this European bank did its due diligence in ensuring via tactiful negotiations, quality assurance in the event of product failure despite an often iron clad licensing clause for Oracle products.
Initially, when I read the headline and the opening excerpt in this blog, I had mixed feelings about Oracle regarding quality and accountability. I guess that is is why it pays to dig a little deeper. Oracle for as long as I have known is a very widely respected company with the exception to some or at least a significant percentage of downsized PeopleSoft employees (I'll save that blog for next time). I am sure that there may be still be some instances where a customer was displeased, but I have not researched those yet.
Anyway, I continued to read further and was quite impressed with how the customer (a European bank negotiator) handled what could have been a stonewalled situation. Hats off to the negotiator in this deal because he really did his homework and mapped out a strategy for what could serve as a best practices approach to managing vendor relationships (Wailgum 3).
The negotiator researched licensing agreements with respect to vendor audits and gained a background on how Oracle and other software vendors typically maneuvered via legal backdoors their way out of quality of service (QoS) guarantees. He did what we often still struggle with in IT and as a society in general, which was to gain insightful information regarding past transactions or events and use it most efficiently. The customer realized an opportunity to minimize costs and risks of doing business by maintaining focus on what was most important (quality and reliability) to them while also providing a benefit to Oracle---for a hefty price of course. Oracle saw it as a win-win situation and despite it's reputation for playing hardball with licensing issues, it decided to bend its rules to accomodate the European bank. Perhaps, it was the weight of the money bags on its back that primarily sealed the deal and not so much that Oracle was becoming soft on its licensing policies.
Although it is very likely the money and obvious mutual benefits sealed the deal, I like to think that Oracle is committed to upholding its reputation as one of the best database (application) vendors out there and cares about its customers.
The referencing article.
href="http://www.cio.com/article/198000/How_a_European_Bank_Got_Oracle_to_Surrender_Key_Software_Licensing_Points"
In other words, it's "buyer beware" on steroids. "If it doesn't do what you thought, it's not our fault," Jones adds. "[Vendors] are very unlikely to do anything that creates promise in the future."
Two of the main reasons why software companies typically include such licensing provisions are because, first, they can; and second, because there are accounting rules designed to stop vendors from misstating the timing of when they record revenues. For example, if a license agreement includes a 12-month warranty period, explains Jones, the vendor could not book the revenue from the software deal until after the 12 months expired (Wailgum 1)."
I stumbled upon this article soon after a Quality Management lecture in my Project Management class. My instructor gave us a synopsis of a poorly managed IT project courtesy of an article about the problems with the automation of the Census in today's Virginia Pilot. The article discussed the complications of the project, the initial procurement costs of an estimated $5.1 million dollars and a projected additional $2 million plus dollars to make changes to this project despite failing to meet project requirements. The vendor requested more money to fix problems due to the fact that the product it created was not user friendly. In it's defense, the vendor blamed the Census Bureau for failing to clearly specify the specifications of the product it was so expensively paid to complete. Now, from what I have gained from the Project Management course so far and what my now agitated instructor reiterated, is that the vendor was responsible for the efficient management of this project and basically passed the buck. If a project fails, then it is the responsibility of the vendor's Project Manager and the vendor should be held liable.
Ironically, the article for which I'm primarily referencing seems to reflect a similar situation in which Oracle's licensing agreement almost allowed it to escape liability despite any potential negative impacts to its customers. However, this European bank did its due diligence in ensuring via tactiful negotiations, quality assurance in the event of product failure despite an often iron clad licensing clause for Oracle products.
Initially, when I read the headline and the opening excerpt in this blog, I had mixed feelings about Oracle regarding quality and accountability. I guess that is is why it pays to dig a little deeper. Oracle for as long as I have known is a very widely respected company with the exception to some or at least a significant percentage of downsized PeopleSoft employees (I'll save that blog for next time). I am sure that there may be still be some instances where a customer was displeased, but I have not researched those yet.
Anyway, I continued to read further and was quite impressed with how the customer (a European bank negotiator) handled what could have been a stonewalled situation. Hats off to the negotiator in this deal because he really did his homework and mapped out a strategy for what could serve as a best practices approach to managing vendor relationships (Wailgum 3).
The negotiator researched licensing agreements with respect to vendor audits and gained a background on how Oracle and other software vendors typically maneuvered via legal backdoors their way out of quality of service (QoS) guarantees. He did what we often still struggle with in IT and as a society in general, which was to gain insightful information regarding past transactions or events and use it most efficiently. The customer realized an opportunity to minimize costs and risks of doing business by maintaining focus on what was most important (quality and reliability) to them while also providing a benefit to Oracle---for a hefty price of course. Oracle saw it as a win-win situation and despite it's reputation for playing hardball with licensing issues, it decided to bend its rules to accomodate the European bank. Perhaps, it was the weight of the money bags on its back that primarily sealed the deal and not so much that Oracle was becoming soft on its licensing policies.
Although it is very likely the money and obvious mutual benefits sealed the deal, I like to think that Oracle is committed to upholding its reputation as one of the best database (application) vendors out there and cares about its customers.
The referencing article.
href="http://www.cio.com/article/198000/How_a_European_Bank_Got_Oracle_to_Surrender_Key_Software_Licensing_Points"
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
IDMB.COM: IS THIS INTERNET MOVIE DATABASE AN INVITATION TO CAREER NETWORKING OR CAREER HACKING?
What I found most astounding was that this database is available to ordinary users as well as entertainment professionals despite celebrity privacy issues and frequent cell phone hacking to get the very information that may be accessible on the IDMB.com. Then, I thought perhaps the creation of this site was in an effort to give hackers some of the information they seek in a less violating and mutually agreeable way. I am sure no one really agrees with me on this, but after reading about (in Database Nation) all the sneaky ways information is collected then I may not be wrong. At the very least, it could be useful for someone without malicious intent who may need a creative way to network in the entertainment industry due to limited connections. If I look at it via the perspective of someone just trying to catch a harmless entertainment career break, then I step out of the paranoid and overly concerned role that Garfinkel cast upon me. I begin to see this type of database just as vital as those other career sites like Monster and CareerBuilder.
Professional online databases for people in the entertainment industry seems very beneficial for those trying to get discovered in this business, but I wonder if this could be inviting more trouble. Today, with all the instances of cell phone hacking and other IT security issues associated with malicious people trying to gain access to celebrity information, could this be a disaster waiting to happen? I will keep an eye and ear out for news that the data or security of this site has been compromised because it seems like a perfect place to target for those who are enticed by or obsessed with discovering personal information about celebrities.
Professional online databases for people in the entertainment industry seems very beneficial for those trying to get discovered in this business, but I wonder if this could be inviting more trouble. Today, with all the instances of cell phone hacking and other IT security issues associated with malicious people trying to gain access to celebrity information, could this be a disaster waiting to happen? I will keep an eye and ear out for news that the data or security of this site has been compromised because it seems like a perfect place to target for those who are enticed by or obsessed with discovering personal information about celebrities.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
My First Reaction to Reading A Chapter of Database Nation
This blog is about a journal entry I wrote in September 2006 soon after reading a chapter of Database Nation: The Death of Privacy in the 21st Century by Simson Garfinkel (http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/dbnationtp/). I had just given birth to a 8lb baby boy three weeks after undertaking Introduction to Database Concepts for the first time. If I can recall (because I was quite delirious due to managing a newborn), I found the material in the course textbook to be overwhelming and a little dry. Thus, when I had the Database Nation book sent to me I was never happier to find an easy read that could be used to complete a journal assignment. Unfortunately, I had to drop the course due to health complications and was unable to attempt it again until the Spring 2008 semester. I began to approach the tasks of reading the book and completing the journal again when I found something I wrote the day I got the Database Nation book. The entry is included below.
September 27, 2006, 1:01 a.m.
I just received my Database Nation paperback outside my door today. No one knocked on my door to see if I was even home to receive the package. UPS just dropped it in front of my door unlike all of the other times when they require me to sign or will not leave a package otherwise. Usually, they stop by the rental office if no one answers the door to my apartment. It's funny because I was home this time, but never heard anyone knock on the door. I even sat in my livinging room near the door in anticipation of a package. Most of the day had gone by when my son arrived home from school with a package in hand (much to my surprise) that had been left outside our door. Now, I know it is typical for UPS to just leave packages outside if no one is home, but it was atypical for our UPS agent. I had been worried that the package would get delivered later today or days after we had gone out of town on a family trip.
My first thought was that I need to notify UPS not to just leave unattended packages by my door because someone could steal or discard them or much worse open them to obtain information about me. I can be a privacy lunatic sometimes, but feel like the issues that surround privacy are so infinite that we can not even begin to fathom the best solution. All of this I pondered just at the thought of receiving a book that explores the intricacies of privacy and its relationship to databases.
I am reluctant to open this book because I worry that it will be yet another dry read. However, I discover that I am more intrigued by each page I read. So many privacy issues and ideas cross my mind. There is much to consider. I think about how much this book speaks volumes to my every day life and how techology has evolved to cause an evolution of great proportions in my own life. I have changed so much without really being aware of the change.
As I read all of the examples of how databases can affect our lives via the aspect of privacy, I begin to think about the movie "Enemy of the State." It is one of my favorite movies because it explores the possibilities of privacy issues like Database Nation does. I begin to read more pages of the book and ponder what angle I will write about for my journal assignment. I think of so many things that I am overwhelmed. I can not remember them all. In fact, I find myself so overwhelmed that I can only relate it to how much of that same feeling overcomes me when I consider how to protect my privacy.
Ultimately, I feel naked no matter what I try to do to conceal my information. I shred things a lot now. In the past, I never cared about shredding and would never have thought about buying a shredder because there was no obvious need. Now, I shred anything with other household members' or my personal information on it if it must be discarded. Sometimes, I take shredded things and flush them down the toilet. Luckily, I have managed not to clog up the plumbing. Although, I fear any day my toilets are going to grow tired, give a big hiccup, and expel all of its contents that I tried to flush, conceal, eliminate, and or keep away from identity thieves.
I try to process all that I have read and all of the thoughts that the book has generated. Then, I think how I can tackle the journal entries. Maybe, I can compare and contrast the movie "Enemy of the State" and Database Nation. Another option would be to read the articles, Rob text book, and or Simson Garfinkel DB Nation book. Maybe I should just read Garfinkel's book and go with whatever I feel passionate enough to write about. How about voicing my concerns and how they relate or dont relate to Mr. Garfinkel? I could compare and contrast our ideas.
(to be continued....)
September 27, 2006, 1:01 a.m.
I just received my Database Nation paperback outside my door today. No one knocked on my door to see if I was even home to receive the package. UPS just dropped it in front of my door unlike all of the other times when they require me to sign or will not leave a package otherwise. Usually, they stop by the rental office if no one answers the door to my apartment. It's funny because I was home this time, but never heard anyone knock on the door. I even sat in my livinging room near the door in anticipation of a package. Most of the day had gone by when my son arrived home from school with a package in hand (much to my surprise) that had been left outside our door. Now, I know it is typical for UPS to just leave packages outside if no one is home, but it was atypical for our UPS agent. I had been worried that the package would get delivered later today or days after we had gone out of town on a family trip.
My first thought was that I need to notify UPS not to just leave unattended packages by my door because someone could steal or discard them or much worse open them to obtain information about me. I can be a privacy lunatic sometimes, but feel like the issues that surround privacy are so infinite that we can not even begin to fathom the best solution. All of this I pondered just at the thought of receiving a book that explores the intricacies of privacy and its relationship to databases.
I am reluctant to open this book because I worry that it will be yet another dry read. However, I discover that I am more intrigued by each page I read. So many privacy issues and ideas cross my mind. There is much to consider. I think about how much this book speaks volumes to my every day life and how techology has evolved to cause an evolution of great proportions in my own life. I have changed so much without really being aware of the change.
As I read all of the examples of how databases can affect our lives via the aspect of privacy, I begin to think about the movie "Enemy of the State." It is one of my favorite movies because it explores the possibilities of privacy issues like Database Nation does. I begin to read more pages of the book and ponder what angle I will write about for my journal assignment. I think of so many things that I am overwhelmed. I can not remember them all. In fact, I find myself so overwhelmed that I can only relate it to how much of that same feeling overcomes me when I consider how to protect my privacy.
Ultimately, I feel naked no matter what I try to do to conceal my information. I shred things a lot now. In the past, I never cared about shredding and would never have thought about buying a shredder because there was no obvious need. Now, I shred anything with other household members' or my personal information on it if it must be discarded. Sometimes, I take shredded things and flush them down the toilet. Luckily, I have managed not to clog up the plumbing. Although, I fear any day my toilets are going to grow tired, give a big hiccup, and expel all of its contents that I tried to flush, conceal, eliminate, and or keep away from identity thieves.
I try to process all that I have read and all of the thoughts that the book has generated. Then, I think how I can tackle the journal entries. Maybe, I can compare and contrast the movie "Enemy of the State" and Database Nation. Another option would be to read the articles, Rob text book, and or Simson Garfinkel DB Nation book. Maybe I should just read Garfinkel's book and go with whatever I feel passionate enough to write about. How about voicing my concerns and how they relate or dont relate to Mr. Garfinkel? I could compare and contrast our ideas.
(to be continued....)
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