Dickie's Quickies

Bill Schneier once again has a great post. This one links to a report on the Global Infrastructure for Mass Registration and Survelliance. As the report notes, these moves are not likely to make you safer - ever, but they will have the "bonus" effect of turning back the democratic institutions that for hundreds of years have been assumed to make you safer - from your own government.

Meanwhile, on the identity theft front, SecurityFocus noted today that companies often times don't use encryption when making backup tapes of customer data. Hey, better yet, some firms are "misplacing" those tapes. Lovely. Feeling safer yet? Guess what, you have no recourse under the law if the information ends up in someone else's hands. Feel better? There's no law that requires a company to notify you that they are gathering this information about you, that they are sharing this information about you, or what exactly that information is. Ah, the things that nightmares are made of...or at least, a Kafka novel.

Feministe noted the CNN article on Indiana switching to Daylight Savings Time. I've ranted about DST to friends and family and I have yet to find anyone who likes it - not even business owners. I wish we'd just pick a time and stick with it and not switch. Last fall, the Oregonian published a report from Portland police who claim that traffic accidents rise for 2 weeks in the fall after the time switch. That takes time from the police, emergency workers, hospitals, employers, family and friends, plus costs us money and insurance and may result in deaths. Who thinks this is a good idea? I'm sorry to see Indiana switching. Arizona remains a hold out and their businesses are NOT suffering.

Finally, here's some eye candy for you. Wonderful illustrations and computer work by Autumn Whitehurst.