Tuesday, October 26, 2010

We are Interconnected

IF WE ARE INTERCONNECTED
WITH EVERYTHING,
EVEN OUR SMALLEST,
LEAST SIGNIFICANT THOUGHT,
WORK, AND ACTION HAVE REAL
CONSEQUENCES THROUGHOUT
THE UNIVERSE.

~Sogyal Rinpoche

Of Note: A continuing theme of this blog is the interconnectedness of all to all. That is playing out in real physical time these days on the Internet where we can be and are in touch with most anything and anyone we want. The dark side of this connectivity has been highlighted in a series of stories in the Wall Street Journal over the last few months. The WSJ investigative reporters uncovered how data-mining companies use the information we type in the computer or share on social networking Websites. Forget privacy. That is an illusion for anyone using a computer or even a credit card. The information we enter is gathered and tracked by the data-mining companies and then sold to others who want to use it. Some of these companies even sell it to other of these companies. Around and around it goes. The information collators tell us that names are not associated with the data--that is usually not. A mega data-collector, Rapleaf, does associate names with data and their information is highly prized by many, especially politicians. To opt-out of their "services" log on to rapleaf.com, go to People, click on Manage Your Info and on that page is a box to Opt-Out. From there if you wish, click on a blue box to access the national ad association's Website and Opt-Out of ALL the trackers. The data-miner's defend their actions by saying our data is only used to help make a better connected world. By opting in or out, we can each decide on the merits of their claim.

Today's Weather Report: A blustery fall storm is blanketing the Midwest today, and it is in all the news. The whole area is bracing for 24 hours of high winds and several inches of rain. Tomorrow northern Wisconsin might even see snow. That seems a little far-fetched since it is 54 degrees Fahrenheit at the moment. But it is October and stranger things have happened in this transitional month. Regardless of the weather conditions, I have to go to town today to run errands. Better today in the wind and rain than tomorrow in snow. With all this precipitation, there is a very good chance the lake will reach its original shore line by the time it freezes over for the winter. My husband says that usually occurs around December 1st, which means we still have over a month to go.