My employer requires us to complete an annual on-line security "test" to refresh memories about not sharing passwords or adding unauthorized software and to remind us that we cannot expect anything we do on our office PC to be considered private. Even personal e-mail, such as Gmail or Yahoo.
But often the warning goes unheeded. One jerk in our central accounting office was fired and arrested for material he downloaded and stored on his computer (that was justice). Last week a guy in my unit received a warning about e-mail attachments he's been forwarding. His defense was: 1) he'd been doing it for years (that admission got him a suspension); and 2) he was using a private e-mail account. Idiot.
Privacy has always been a risky thing to assume, even a few thousand years ago. Did Paul know his letter to the Corinthians would end up being so public? John's letters? Well, maybe they did. Matthew wrote something along the lines of, "until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will disappear."
That got me thinking about something silly. If future civilization declines into some sort of "Idiocracy", what if a future "idiocrate" stumbles across the ancient writings of Ricademus and mistakes it for religion? It's a scary thought--Ricolites (of the Western Orthodox Catholic Church) gathering for mass on Wednesdays, the Holy Hump Day.
"Today's gospel reading is a letter from Ricademus to the Canadians: Hi Canadians, I think you folks are amazing, but what's with the weird spellings? You add the letter "u" all over the place and invert other letters. It's very confusing. Let's simplify by establishing a North American Standard and stop using all those extra letters. All my best, Rick"
Then the priest will explain the real message was that we need to simplify our lives--and anyone caught using a "u" will be ex-communicated. ;P
Soooo, aside from being silly, the real point of this post is just a reminder that if we post something it will be floating out there somewhere, forever, and you don't know where it will end up.
clap..clap,clap!nice one Rick;) heheh yeah..we really never know! hmm..Ricademus 1:1 sounds good!ahehe!
ReplyDeletehave a wonderful week ahead!
It might be silly and sounds hmmm impossible?? but yeah,yeah..it can be..we really never know..hehe!
ReplyDeleteGood day!
I have this intermittent paranoia that my boss is reading my posts. ahahhaha.
ReplyDeleteTo be honest this is what scares me about blogging. If I really think about the fact that the stuff I write is out there for anyone to read from here to eternity it starts to make my skin crawl.
ReplyDeleteHahahaha, I like Laikka's comment: Ricademus 1:1, LOL! Gotta love your letter to the Canadians as well, haha, that had me laughing out loud here!
ReplyDeleteAlso: I hope you don't send personal e-mails from your office PC! We don't want you receiving any kind of warnings and suspensions!
Hahaha, that was a good start into the day, good morning from Tokyo! I had to smile reading your post, but on the other hand it is really scary to think about that, too. But it won't stop me from blogging, lol. (Which I haven't done a lot lately, because work really eats up my time...) But I will post again today :-) Hope you stop by! ;p
ReplyDeleteOh my...what if the packaging tape incident of your unfortunate brother becomes the opening chapter of the newest testament...!!! hahahahaha
ReplyDeleteYou shouldn't trust the internet in the workplace, that's that! There was a guy here who got arrested coz he was indulging in his private uh, fantasies using the computer at work. So dumb!
ReplyDeleteLmao, from the book of Ricademus, it sound authentic enough! Yeah it's crazy how nothing is private any more. I know that there are a ton of ppl who will take care of all their personal matters on their work computer. That's just asking for it in my opinion!
ReplyDeleteI always hesitate when I'm about to check my private email on other computers beside mine, it's just scary how people can intrude private stuffs.
ReplyDeleteLOL at your message! :D
It's so true! With blogging, Facebook, Twitter and all the other countless ways to immortalize ourselves online, one almost has to act like a celebrity in maintaining one's "image"! That sucks that your office is so crazy about surfing - what do people do if they need a coffee break?
ReplyDeleteNever ever add your boss to your Facebook, Twitter, Bebo, whatever it is you may use because he/ she will, and may I repeat, will spy on you haha because I know I would probably do the same too if I were the employer, just to see if my employees are bad mouthing me hehe.
ReplyDeleteOh gosh, now I feel the need to be extra cautious to not become mistaken for some ancient philosopher as well ;) not that I write much in my beauty blog.. but nonetheless!! haha but yes, on a serious note, privacy is hard to come by even at home sometimes. And we never know who would use a slip of private information against us.. :(
ReplyDeleteAgain, thank you for your supporting thoughts Rick. It's definitely that extra boost I need when I feel de-motivated.
such a good and valid point. i'm pretty confident in what i write and post...but i know what to leave in and what to leave out :)
ReplyDeleteSo true. And if you're on IM at work, don't assume that it's private either.
ReplyDelete(Oh yes, the right detergent can make all the difference!)
ekkk they are idiots for doing that. i think i would be too scared to do any of that :X idk... im always a law abiding citizen.
ReplyDeleteand yes! kym did say the hansons. hahaha... i remember them! well a little bit cus i was too hung up on bsb! YAY! Nutella is delicious! Were you the one that introduced her to that?
atleast I left something in this world..♥
ReplyDeletehahahaha
Consider me a Ricolite, then! =D
ReplyDeleteWe are also not allowed to use our office computers for personal Internet-surfing needs, but we do have a special space in the diner where around 30 computers are set up. Employees can use them during breaks :)
That's kind of what I'm uneasy when someone blogs about really private things about themselves... the whole world can read it. eeeh. and yeah I thought Adam Young from Owl City swings the other way too, I guess he's just a very flamboyant guy!
ReplyDeleteThat's why I'm so careful now about what I post on my blog, on Facebook and Twitter!
ReplyDeleteOh my, that guy from work is really an idiot. There is no such thing as privacy at work. They could check all our stuff, including mails I guess.
ReplyDeleteI would definitely be ex-communicated according to the ancient writings of Ricademus. I'm a U person as we used to be a British colony.
agree, that's why we really need to be careful about things we're going to post on the blog. at least knowing our limit.
ReplyDeleteps. my IT guy in my office even knows my office email password. :S that's why i always change my password frequently.
I will be glad if stories of my life found by future generation, make them inspired and creating a 7D movie (if that will exist).
ReplyDeleteI need to thank you ric! Inside my bubble today is a great blog! *happy* Her blog's on your side bar. I love it!
ReplyDelete