Pierce said she felt an uneasy twinge in her stomach as she began to flip the pages. A dozen former addresses were listed, along with neighbors and their phone numbers. Almost 20 people were listed as relatives — and their neighbors were listed, too. There were cars she supposedly owned, businesses she supposedly worked for.
But the more closely she looked, the more alarmed she became: The report was littered with mistakes.
ChoicePoint, the now embattled database giant, aggregates data from hundreds of sources on millions of Americans. The reports are then sold to thousands of companies and government agencies that want to know more about their clients, customers, or employees.
Mossberg on Google’s Autolink
Steve Rubel summarizes Walt Mossberg’s comments on Google’s AutoLink/Adlink toolbar.
Daily Kos: Why is Kohl supporting the Bankruptcy Bill?
Good Question….
SXSW 2.6GB Torrent file full of MP3’s
Props to the folks at sxsw who posted a 2.6GB torrent file with 750+ mp3’s from bands performing at the Austin conference the next few weeks.
Business Schools Redefine Hacking
Greenspun on the recent Harvard “admissions hacking” controversy. He makes some very useful points.
US Asthma Capitals: Madison is 26th
The Asthma & Allergy Foundation released their second annual “US Asthma Capitals“. Madison is 26th.
Health Exchange
One of the main stumbling blocks in the American health care system, many experts say, is the inefficient use of computer technology to manage medical records.
Now, in Santa Barbara County, a network of hospitals, laboratories, pharmacies and doctors is pioneering new technology that will allow medical professionals with different computer systems to share clinical information. The initiative may well be a first step toward the creation of a national patient-care data bank.
Doyle’s iPod Tax
Steven Walters on Governor Doyle’s proposed sales tax on electronic downloads. Taxing certain internet activities and giving others a pass is simply absurd. We should apply the sales tax to all transactions, including newspapers and services….
Better Bad News Show on Google’s Autolink (or Adlink)
Well done! Check it out and send the link around.
BadgerNet: State Contractor Who Evaluated Bids hired by Winner – SBC
Patrick Marley does a nice bit of work:
A computer network consultant who evaluated bids for a $116 million state project ended his government work in the midst of final contract negotiations to work for SBC – the firm that had landed the huge deal two months earlier.