My last post was about online privacy (see xxxxxx), and this one is, too.

I think the subject, which in the end is about freedom, is hugely important and will grow in importance as time goes by. That is, if we ever wake up from our complacency and apathy.

I believe much of our society is drugged by the convenience, fun, and "slickness" of the Internet and many of its services. facebook is certainly one. Don't know about you, but my kids would rather go without food than go without facebook. This is is a dangerous situation, because nobody is in control of what facebook can do with the information that its millions of users provide it, thinking that they are only talking to their friends. Unless more of us stand up and  either refuse to give them the information, or demand transparency and responsibility, things will get much worse, and there will be (probably already are) others.

I'm writing today about the 600 pound gorilla of "information collectors": Google.

We give Google incredible amounts of information about ourselves. Every time we use Google to search, or use one of the other Google utilities (search bar, mail. apps, youtube, lots of others) we are giving Google information about ourselves. They collect our names, our email addresses,our addresses and phone numbers, and much more. In fact, once they have the basics I just talked about, they can go about tracking everything we do on any of their services. And they do! Trust me, I do not wear a tin hat. They are doing this stuff today in the name of providing you better service.

In the end, what it is, is a massive invasion of privacy.

Recently, it came to light that the Google StreetView data collection cars have been stealing open wifi data as they drive around the world. If nothing else, this should be a signal to password protect your wifi router, but what about the open wifi at your local coffee or sandwich shop? Should you have the expectation of privacy there? If not, should you expect that Google is capturing the IP packets you transmit there?

Come on people, wake up! This is the slippery slope.

** Note: Here is another about Google privacy from today.

A few weeks ago, I deleted my facebook account. I'll never reopen it or start a new one.

The reason? Privacy.

Unless you've been on a beach in the South Pacific for the past year, you've heard at least some of the concern over facebook's privacy policy, or lack of one. You see, companies like facebook exist to make commercial use of your personal information. Just a little thought would tell you that your personal information, including who you know, what you like, what you search for, what you buy, and where you've been, are the only real value they have. Facebook and Google have enormous costs associated with delivering their "free" service, and they must find a way to monetize it over time.

Take time to read this great article called "The Privacy Machiavellis". It's a very short piece, and should get you thinking.

My daughter attends a tiny private school in Ghent, called The WIlliams School. The school is K-8, and there are not many more than 150 students at the entire school. Most of them play in the band.

Here is an excerpt from the spring concert in early May, 2010. In this one, nearly all the students are either playing or singing.