My personalDNA Report
Apparently this is me. I think it is pretty accurate.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
The Notice
Well, I finally did it. I put in my notice at the company where I have worked for nearly three years. I spent two years at the Oshkosh store, where I worked the last month of high school and the first two years of college. Then the company opened up a store in Appleton, so I transferred there. In the past few months, I have only been working one day a week for the sole purpose of keeping a benefit where the company will help me out with school. I finally decided it was no longer worth it. That one day a week was one day too many. So, after much deliberation, I gave it up. I could make much more money taking up another day at my main job.
I suppose I should clarify that technically I put in for a "leave of absence", citing my next semester at school as my reason. I wanted to keep my options open, in case I feel like working there over the summer for some extra cash.
I won't miss the job at all, but there are a few people that I will miss a lot. I will also miss my boss. I know that sounds rather odd, as most people hate their bosses, but I actually liked mine. She was great about my very particular scheduling needs and giving me the jobs I hated least. If I decide to come back in the summer, I hope they are still there.
It's been a great almost three years, but it was definately time to move on.
I suppose I should clarify that technically I put in for a "leave of absence", citing my next semester at school as my reason. I wanted to keep my options open, in case I feel like working there over the summer for some extra cash.
I won't miss the job at all, but there are a few people that I will miss a lot. I will also miss my boss. I know that sounds rather odd, as most people hate their bosses, but I actually liked mine. She was great about my very particular scheduling needs and giving me the jobs I hated least. If I decide to come back in the summer, I hope they are still there.
It's been a great almost three years, but it was definately time to move on.
Friday, January 11, 2008
The New Identification
http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/01/11/real.id.ap/index.html
This terrifies me. In short, the government is planning to create a new federal ID card as a way to help prevent terrorism. To me, this just looks like another way to invade everyone's personal privacy.
I don't believe that doing background checks and creating one official form of identification is going to do much to prevent terrorism. I'm sure there are numerous people who are legal citizens with clean backgrounds that will pass all of the checkpoints, yet still be terrorists.
However, the thing that terrifies me the most about these identifications is the idea of a central database. It starts out as just things such as my birthdate, criminal/driving records, address, etc. That's not so scary. Police have access to that any time they run my license plates or current drivers license. But, I really don't think that will be the end of it. I believe that in time, this new identification card will collect data on my habits. If I buy something or go somewhere that I will need an ID, such as entering a bar, buying alcohol, tobacco, even taking some exams, this could be entered in a permanent record, so to speak. I don't want the government knowing when I buy alcohol and what kind it is. I don't want people knowing when I go to specific bars.
This ID is just another step in our march towards a total surveilance society. I personally believe that I should not have to give up my civil liberties and right to privacy in another half-assed scheme to "prevent terrorism". I believe Benjamin Franklin said it best when he said, "Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety. "
If only our current administration could understand that.
This terrifies me. In short, the government is planning to create a new federal ID card as a way to help prevent terrorism. To me, this just looks like another way to invade everyone's personal privacy.
I don't believe that doing background checks and creating one official form of identification is going to do much to prevent terrorism. I'm sure there are numerous people who are legal citizens with clean backgrounds that will pass all of the checkpoints, yet still be terrorists.
However, the thing that terrifies me the most about these identifications is the idea of a central database. It starts out as just things such as my birthdate, criminal/driving records, address, etc. That's not so scary. Police have access to that any time they run my license plates or current drivers license. But, I really don't think that will be the end of it. I believe that in time, this new identification card will collect data on my habits. If I buy something or go somewhere that I will need an ID, such as entering a bar, buying alcohol, tobacco, even taking some exams, this could be entered in a permanent record, so to speak. I don't want the government knowing when I buy alcohol and what kind it is. I don't want people knowing when I go to specific bars.
This ID is just another step in our march towards a total surveilance society. I personally believe that I should not have to give up my civil liberties and right to privacy in another half-assed scheme to "prevent terrorism". I believe Benjamin Franklin said it best when he said, "Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety. "
If only our current administration could understand that.
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