More rain

At this point I'd consider downsizing by trading a 34' 5th wheel for about a 29-30' ark. The rain has been steadily falling for a couple of days now and no matter where I walk the dog it involves wading in some deep puddles. It also wakes me up at night when it hits the top of the bed slide. But I'm not complaining yet, as I remember worrying a couple years ago if I should have my well dug deeper because of the drought.

I have been chided by several people as being paranoid and overly critical of Google, the home of the gmail, blogger, and picasa gods, as well as a few more. I am getting forgetful once in a while which is to be expected when you pass 60, but I am not stupid. I understand that any email or blog program will collect statistics - how many of this and how many times that, and it is fine with me that they do. What I resent is the fact that a little computer robot goes through everything I read, write, and receive, and is so accommodating that they present relevant ads alongside the text and retain that information. It's that practice that bugs me. You ask, who cares if they know you are searching for a 50' class A motorhome with all the bells and whistles? I don't care about any one specific thing, but together they present a snapshot of my current life - what I read, who I'm connected with, what types of things I google, what medical ailments I research, and a host of other topics.

Several years ago when George Bush created the Department of Homeland Security, it was decided they could demand telephone companies to turn over all their records of calls, and that brought an uproar of resentment from many people. There were always those who declared their life is an open book and the government could check them out any time. Well, I don't feel that way. My privacy from snooping and statistics taking is important to me even though my life is usually an open book, as a read of my blog entries should show.

Several years ago my family doctor came under scrutiny from the FBI, as well as the pharmacy two doors down. One day the FBI raided the doctor's office and confiscated all his records, simultaneously with those of the pharmacy. ALL the records! My complete medical history together with a record of prescriptions taken is sitting in a Government file cabinet somewhere! Naturally I switched doctors, but I could never get back MY OWN medical records!

Maybe I am a little paranoid about an organization or entity who collects records of what I do, who I write to, what I say, what I buy, what medications I take, and all the rest. I don't like it and I never will and that's a personal thing with me. I still have the freedom to speak out against what I don't think is right or proper.

Now I am finished with this subject.