Got My Georgia License

I got my Georgia Driver’s License yesterday.

I’ve been in three DMVs in my life.  The first was back home, at the NYS DMV in Olean.  I’ve gotten my license there twice — the first one, and when I moved back from Virginia.  The second was the one in Arlington, VA.  And the third was yesterday in Norcross, GA.

The Olean DMV is what you might describe as a small office.  There are one or two clerks available, there might be a line of five people (or no line at all), and no one takes a number.  The other two DMVs I’ve been to are what you might describe as large offices — roughly twenty stations, customers must take a number, those numbers are announced over loudspeakers and displayed on digital signs above each station, and there are a lot of seats.  A lot of seats.

The Virginia DMV I visited sucked.  I went once, waited, talked to a clerk, and determined that I did not have everything I needed.  I went a second time, waited, talked to a clerk, and determined that I still did not have everything I needed.  The third time, I got everything taken care of.

The Georgia Department of Driver Services (Georgia recently split the offices into the license side and the registration side) was not unpleasant.  When I first went in, I had to wait in a short line so that I could talk to a clerk at the front desk.  There, a woman asked me for the purpose of my visit, asked to see every document I needed, then gave me my number.  I think waited about ten minutes, filled out about half a page of paperwork, and paid for my license.  I then waited for about ten more minutes before getting my picture taken.  Less than five minutes later I received my license and left.

Tomorrow I plan to register my car.

Got My Georgia License

Back to Work

I started a new job today.

I’m excited; I’m relieved. This sort of completes the plan/adventure of moving to Atlanta. Or gets it going, really.

I’ll probably be sleeping in less.

Back to Work

Credit Cards

Take a look at this article, or even just its title: 40 million credit cards exposed. What is this — the fourth article in the last year about millions of credit card numbers compromised?

I just came across an article on News.com titled the red herring of data protection, and I read it eagerly, but I feel that author Eric Norlin misses the mark. He suggests that web sites should store only the data that we as users allow them to store.

Personally, I think that it’s time to change the model. I think retailers (and web sites) should stop storing any credit card numbers. Why? They can’t handle the security requirements. Let’s leave that responsibility entirely up to credit card companies.

A Google search brought me to an MSNBC.com article titled The credit card system’s weak link?, which quotes Gartner Inc. analyst Avivah Litan as saying about the view credit card companies have of payment processors, they “just sort of wait for them to have a breach.”

On the June 20, 2005 edition of NPR’s All Things Considered, I heard a story titled Mastercard: Customers’ Data Was at Risk that started me thinking about this post. In that story, NPR reported that CardSystems passed a recent audit by Mastercard and Visa. I could go on an entertaining diatribe about why this security breach is CardSystems’ fault or Mastercard’s and Visa’s fault, but that’s off my point.

My point is, if certain parties involved are unable or unwilling to properly secure consumers’ data, then they should no longer possess the data.

Look at this model: I type my credit card number into a form at Amazon.com. I tell Amazon.com that I want to purchase a new DVD. Amazon.com sends my credit card number, my name and address, and a dollar amount to Mastercard. Mastercard then tells Amazon.com, “okay.”

I’m not saying Amazon.com practices risky behavior with my data, but the trust given to Amazon is also given to thousands, if not millions of retailers around the world. So let’s take the security burden — and the credit card numbers — out of the retailers’ hands. In other words, instead of Amazon.com telling Mastercard what my credit card number is, how about Amazon gives me a special code, then I give that code to Mastercard, along with the name of the retailer (Amazon.com), and a dollar amount? Then Mastercard can give Amazon the okay.

In this system, retailers would own the oft-exchanged, cryptic numerical code, instead of consumers. (Perhaps the code would be unique to the transaction, but I feel like there would just be too many.) Amazon might be interested in securing that code, but it would be available to anyone who ever uses Amazon.com to buy something. The beauty of it is, this code is used to credit Amazon’s account with Mastercard, whereas credit card numbers are used to charge consumers. I could use the code for something other than its intended purpose, but I wouldn’t get any financial gain out of it.

Of course, the inverse of this transaction would be a merchandise return, where Amazon would be required to return money to Mastercard, who would therefore credit the consumer’s account. If a malicious hacker could exploit the return system, you might have a problem. But again, I feel retailers would mind their own account information at least as doggedly as they mind their customers’ data, and third party transaction processors would likely face graver consequences if they exposed secret codes of retailers such as Amazon, McDonald’s, and Sony than if they exposed millions of secret codes belonging to lowly consumers.

It’s a new world. Electronic commerce will no doubt become orders of magnitude more popular than it is today. Under the current system, I don’t see much reason why large scale security breaches would be eliminated. So let’s change the system, put more power in the hands of consumers, and place more onus on corporations and the firms to which they outsource the dirty work.

Credit Cards

Private Accounts

I think private accounts for Social Security are bad. I just saw on the cover of USA Today today a poll asking what people think of Bush’s plan, with results broken out by age. The trend was that younger people like it and older people don’t.

My opinion? They’re going to give every taxpayer something like three options as to what to do with their Social Security money. Which people are best suited to take advantage of this option? People living in trailer parks? The inner city? Or people who already invest and know what the hell they’re doing, people with money to spare? The fact is, wealthier, knowledgable people are going to do better, on average, with this system than poorer, less-educated people. It will widen the gap between haves and have-nots.

And who really needs Social Security? People who are investing in the stock market? Or people who don’t know the difference between a stock and a bond? It’s the latter. And they are not the people who will see the benefit from this system. Therefore I think it’s a poor solution. In fact, I don’t think it’s a solution at all.

Also — I have strong concerns about what effect will occur on these three or so funds when one third or more of the entire US population invests in them. Will their prices plummet? Will the skyrocket? Let me tell you what I think. People want to diversify. It distributes risk. So if I put my Social Security money in fund A, I’m probably not going to put the rest of my money in it. Therefore, I may be more inclined to sell it if I already own it. I might sell it for a lower price, its value might fall. Then these three funds that the government just spent billions of dollars buying will lose a lot of value quickly.

Private Accounts

Election Night

Kerry conceded about twenty minutes ago. How the hell is somebody like George W. Bush a two-term President? Doesn’t this country care about our standing in the world?

Our economy?

Our jobs?

Our liberties?

Our privacy?

I’m pretty sick about this. Four years was bad enough. Four more? What does a President have to do to get voted out of office?

And it’s not just Bush. The Crossfire crew was talking about it last night: The Democratic party is going to wake up today and take a good hard look at itself. I mean, Tom Daschle — the Senate minority leader — lost his seat. WTF? Where is the Democratic Party headed? Things aren’t working. We don’t have the house, we don’t have the senate, and we sure as hell don’t have the Presidency. We’re outnumbered 5-4 on the Supreme Court. Most of the Governors are Republicans. Things have to change.

Election Night

Update

I haven’t posted in a month. I started a post a few weeks ago, but decided to can it. It was about the RIAA’s amnesty letter … what a bunch of BS. In that killed post I was actually going to drop an f-bomb. It’s just totally ridiculous. Anyway …

The Bills are outstanding so far. Go Buffalo! The Dolphins are actually favored for the Sunday night game. It’s hard to believe, seeing as how the Bills wiped the floor with the Patriots and the Jaguars. But I’ll admit — it’s still too early in the season to tell who’s really good, whether teams have just played against stinkers, etc, etc. But I think the fact that the Bills have put up 30+ in both games says a lot. They also shut out New England and allowed 17 against Jacksonville … and that 17 should be 10 or even 3. Jacksonville’s last touchdown was against Buffalo’s second string defense, and their first touchdown came after Buffalo blew a fake punt (the only real complaint of the season). So … I’m looking for Buffalo to beat Miami 27 – 10.

What else … Summer 2003 is wrapping up and I’m still in Allegany. Dear Mr. Bush … I don’t need a tax cut – I need a job. You know, there might be something to the whole idea that the economy was good when Clinton was President because of things Reagan and Bush enacted, and the economy slowed because of things Clinton enacted … but there is a serious trend over the last century showing that when a Democrat is in office, things tend to be good. Demand side economics? Socio-economic debate, anyone?

Update

Today’s News

Today’s news:

At Arlington, VA bar Mister Day’s Saturday night, the DJ (or playlist or whatever) played Mark Morrison‘s “Return of the Mack.” If you’re unfamiliar with this song, just know that it’s maybe the single greatest piece of music produced in the last 200 years. But the song played was not just “Return of the Mack.” The song I heard was the extended/piano version. It clocks in, if I remember correctly, at a hefty 5 min 46 sec, rather than the 3 min 43 sec that the standard version lasts. After it was over I jumped on a table and chanted for an encore, but there must have been a problem with the equipment, because my requests went unanswered. Now, to the real world …

Missing pregnant woman Laci Peterson’s husband is looking more and more guilty all the time. When stories like this are in the news the families of the accused always say something like “the police are going after the family because they make the easiest targets.” Of course, statistics show that murders are mostly committed by friends or relatives of the victims. So I suspected the husband from the start and I’m sure the police did, too.

Now George W. Bush is going after Affirmative Action. And he holds the press conference on Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday! What an idiot. I wish Colin Powell would resign over this. Anyway – why do I think Affirmative Action is a good idea? Well, Bush says that A.A. doesn’t treat people equally, which was MLK’s goal. Except MLK’s goal wasn’t for people to be treated equally — it was for people to exist equally. To live equally. Blacks and whites in this nation do not live equally. Ask yourself some questions: Who is more likely to be considered a second class citizen – A black person or a white person? Who is more likely to be dead by the age of 22 – A black male or a white male? Who is more likely to be an officer of a Fortune 500 company? – A black person or a white person? Who is more likely to be on the janitorial staff of a Fortune 500 company? – A black person or a white person? Who is more likely to be President of the United States? – A black person or a white person?

The inequality does not exist because of the way whites are treated and the way blacks are treated. One problem that I am less qualified to say exists for certain is a cycle of violence. Violence breeds violence, and a lot of young black men are killed by other young black men. But violence also rises from despair and poverty.

Take note of this. Despair and poverty breed violence. It happens in the United States, and it happens in the Middle East. It happens everywhere. One of the factors that contributes to poverty is lack of education. (Note: I spent about twenty minutes trying to find an atricle or study on the internet to back this up, but I couldn’t really find anything solid. However, if you go to Google and search for “literacy rate” “crime rate”, you’ll see a lot of tourist crap telling you to visit Australia or retire in Guatemala because they have low crime rates and high literacy rates.) The worst schools in the US are found for the most part in inner city neighborhoods. Most of the people who live in inner city neighborhoods are black. Therefore, the children in this country who are getting the worst education are black. Additionally, a lot of violence occurs in inner city neighborhoods, discouraging quality teachers from taking jobs there. Again, there is a cycle here:

Violence discourages education. Poor education produces poverty. Poverty leads to violence. Repeat.

It’s a little more complicated than 2+2=4, and I think that’s why it’s possible for politicians to dance around it with such ease. (For instance, W. has suggested a plan to replace Affirmative Action. He calls it “Affirmative Access.” You know, I could take a shit in a pie tin, call it Sprinkleberry Pie, and says it’s a great alternative to Blueberry Pie, but you know what? It’s still just a bunch of shit. That’s what Affirmative Access is. Its name makes it sound like it’s similar to Affirmative Action, but it’s basically just a bunch of shit.) Also, people who aren’t educated tend not to vote as often or write letters to their Congressmen. Or write checks to their Congressmen.

Apologies for not using the term “African American.” It’s easier to type “black,” plus I kind of think “African American” is an inaccurate term. And it’s no more appropriate that the phrase “European American.”

What else. Lewis emailed me with assistance for that table a few posts down. With his advice I managed to get it looking just how I wanted it. Thank you, Brian.

Finally, I went to the Washington Wizards game Saturday when they hosted the Philadelphia 76ers. The Sixers got ’em, but I didn’t particularly care who won. I took about sixty pictures, and tomorrow I plan on cropping the best and posting them here.

Until next time, keep it real.

Today’s News

Rant

Okay. Rant time.

First, the previous entry originally said, “Someone just send me this link.” It was supposed to say, “Someone just sent me this link.” I was going to change it a couple weeks ago, but it kind of made sense as it was. However, I have now changed it to reflect my original intent.

RIT account deletion. Lewis got an email telling him he has something like two weeks left. I have not gotten such an email. Given, I basically delete every message that comes into my RIT inbox, and I could have missed it, but I don’t think so. I want to get deleted, too, dammit.

Bush’s economic stimulus plan. Okay. Basically, Republicans say that Bush’s plan will boost the stock market, which in turn should boost the economy. Democrats say their plan will give money to middle class taxpayers, who in turn will inject consumer dollars into the economy.

To be clear: I prefer the Democrats’ stimulus plan. Why? I’m going to use some numbers I got from the January 20, 2003 issue of Time magazine. The article is “Get Ready for Class Warfare.” The chart is on page 35. (I put this in with a table. It’s ugly, the font is wrong … I might fix it later) Take a look at this:

Estimated average tax savings under each proposal


Adjusted Gross Income Bush Plan Dems’ Plan
Less than $10,000 $5 $234
$10,000 to $20,000 $63 $290
$20,000 to $30,000 $204 $319
$30,000 to $40,000 $351 $361
$40,000 to $50,000 $500 $385
$50,000 to $70,000 $820 $447
$75,000 to $100,000 $1,776 $510
$100,000 to $200,000 $2,710 $517
$200,000 to $500,000 $5,527 $521
$500,000 to $1 million $17,605 $516
More than $1 million $88,873 $515

Now. What does this mean? It means that if you’re fresh out of college, making, say … $35,000, these plans look very similar. However, if you’re fresh out of college and taking shit jobs because the economy is terrible, the first line is a little more relevant. If you make, say $300,000 there’s a significant difference. I just want to know: If you’re making $300,000, do you really feel the hurt of a poor economy? Does a $300K guys hedge about whether or not he should buy a second gallon of milk, or buy that new TV, based on that $4,000 difference in tax relief? I don’t think so. Does someone making $10,000 hold off on buying a new suit, or making a car payment, because he’s waiting to see if he’s going to get a $234 tax break or a $5 dollar tax break? I think so. The fact is, if you make $300,000, you don’t need five grand as badly as Joe $10,000 needs another two hundred bucks.

If you don’t like that analogy, think of it this way. When Joe $10,000 gets a $5 tax cut, and Mr. $350,000 gets a $4,000 tax cut, which of those two is going to buy extra groceries next week? And if neither buy additional groceries, was any money really injected into the economy?

Alright. That’s all I’ve got for now. I gotta get some sleep.

Rant