Has Privacy Found the Spotlight?

My long overdue vacation to Orlando, Florida has kept me away from you for a number of weeks.  Alas, absence does, I hear, make the heart grow fonder.  In any case I am back from the land of the giant mouse with good holiday tidings for your and perhaps more importantly, good news.

It’s working.

Our patient and determined efforts to bring the masses to enlightenment is working.  Young and old, the common man is learning that identity has value.  Better yet, we are learning to question those that want to capture our personal information.  You may wonder how I came to these eye-opening conclusions. 

My methodology is by no means scientific.  There is no smoke, no mirrors, and no spin. 

I watched people. 

It all started one warm November day.  I was minding my own business at the “non-mouse-related” amusement part, when the clouds parted and an angel sang, “I feel violated.”   

I know what you are thinking, but rest assured that this posting is purely rated G or certainly no worse than a PG-13.

…now where was I?  Oh yes, violated.  A teen-aged boy proclaimed to his father that he felt violated.  Had someone touched him inappropriately?  Had he seen something untoward in the world’s happiest place?  No.  His fingerprint had been scanned at the park entrance.  Now, his address, name, credit card information, and fingerprint were holed up in some enchanted database and he was angry!   Even more importantly, he and his father voiced their anger publicly. 

Surely, this was an isolated incident… but wait, hawkers throughout the park preying upon those souls unfortunate enough to make eye contact were pelted with questions.  As they swooped in to capture their prey in survey Hell, the prey responded instinctively.  “Why do you need this?”  “What are you going to do with this?” 

A single tear dropped from the corner of my eye only to quickly sizzle away in the baking heat of November in Florida.  So, this is happiness…  Ah, my heart warms when I remember the vigor with which these brave souls stood up to protect their identities.  Pat your selves on the back my friends for a job well done.  I challenge you to look around and see that fruits that your labor has brought to bear.  Thank you for your persistence and enjoy this even merrier holiday season!