Welcome Fall 2008

G'day Everyone!

Happy Fall 2008! For some of you, you've just entered back into school and colleges. For others, we're all busy with everything else going on. It's a time when we're getting out on the holiday and taking drives through the countryside, seeing the trees begin to shed the wonderful green leaf to *star bursting* colors. It won't be long before they all start falling down.

College Football has begun at last. PSU, as we like to call them: Joe PA team, has won their first game to the season and allowed Paterno to have his record officially tied with Bobby Bowden. But how long will that remain? PSU has a tough schedule coming up. Won't be an easy season.
Then, that remains the same for Gallaudet University Bisons when they officially open their season this coming Saturday, September 6th at the Hotchkiss Field (nick named: The infamous OK corral, since kick off time is HIGH NOON!). Don't miss the duel folks! It's sure to be a shoot-out!

Meanwhile, I'm still pissed about yesterday. I hate posting alerts. Especially where it involves something that happens in a major way. How could an employee in NTID be having so many personal information on a laptop that WAS NOT secured to the desk? Why would NTID/RIT wait so long before putting out the information to the media? ID Theft is a major incident. We are no longer living in a world where society trusts each other. If personal information does get compromised in the NTID alumni community, how will NTID feel? Just to say that they've reviewed and improved "security procedures"? Sorry, NTID. That's too little too late to do just that. It makes me wonder why data security wasn't done a whole lot sooner.

In this nation, ID theft is a growing threat. Especially data that is left on laptops! We've heard that Department of Veterans laptop got stolen. Department of Justice, and God knows of any other important organization Government, State, and local businesses that have suffered the same type of crime.

When I worked for a major government business organization, I made it a habit to remind the new laptop users to please use the laptop security chain whenever possible. We try to tell our clients that laptops can be stolen at any time, even if a door is closed. So if you got a laptop or a tower, do me a favor, put a damn computer chain on it and bolt it to your desk.

As I said before, what has happened at NTID ought to be a wake-up call to Gallaudet and other deaf related organizations and schools. When dealing with PRIVATE confidential information, make sure it's secured. By what I mean secured is putting it on a main computer in a secured room and encryption to the HIGHEST level that there is.

In the next few days as the deaf community comes out of the holiday weekend I have a feeling that the reaction is going to be hard and fast. Let's hope NTID is fast at giving out apology too.

Semper FI.