Metaphysical Calculus

Can there be a Delta Change? Change here meaning the the grander definition of the word, not of metal currency. Ok well may be not delta, which most of the time refers to the TIME-rate-of-change of the variable that follows it (Ex: Delta Chi is the change of cack over time). d-change would be a more accurate representation of this meandering, the differential change of change. I guess I can't remember if it is mathematically possible to have a differential value without a dependant variable. Change is entirely relative in that there has to be a beginning state and an after state. The dependant variable I guess could be anything: time, position, temperature, goat. Yes, d-change/d-goat...step aside Descartes.

But what if we used the standard meaning of Delta (as in change over time). So if it was Delta Change, then it would represent the rate of change OF changeover time. The equation would be:

change'(t) = (d-change/dt) change(t)

People often say "Life is always in a constant state of change." I'd argue that this assessment is only slightly wrong. Mathematically, if change was constant, then a time rate derivative of change would be zero, meaning that change is not changing over time. But if you take this historically, the rate of change of change seems almost geometric. The Dark Ages lasted x amount of years, The Renaissance lasted half that time, Colonialsm half of that, Industrialism, Information age and so on, each having greater amounts of change in each. Just think about all the forms of communication that have stemmed out in the past 10 years: first email and newsgroups, then web based discussion forums, then instant messenger, Blackberrys, blogs, wikis, etc. Gadgets are the same way. PDAs hit the scene in the late 90's and now they're seeing them headed to obsolesence in the next 3-4 years. This whole concept ofchange of change is almost like Moore's Law for human existence.

So what have we learned from this?
- Jamie really needs a hobby
- change(t)=2t
- The expression should be "Life s always in a constant RATE of change"
- Humans are going to have interesting lives when change is 16 times faster than it is now.
- Jamie has just wasted at least 3 minutes of your time that you could have spent travelling to your local cinema to watch Batman Begins again (or for the first time for you people terrified of your own dorky alter-ego)

Your Personal Information is our Job #2 or 3

2005 will be known as "The Year of Botched Identity Data Security"

Seriously, let's take a look at the timeline here of the BIG losses, including today's:

February 2005: ChoicePoint (Personal Data Vendor): personal data for 145,000 (known, may be up to 500k) unsuspecting individuals stolen by hackers
February 2005: Bank Of America: data for 1.2 million charge card customers lost when computer back up tape lost in shipping accident
March 2005: LexisNexis (Personal Data Vendor): personal data for 310,000 (originally thought 32,000) unsuspecting individuals stolen by hackers
April 2005: Ameritrade: data for 200,000 personal accounts lost when computer back up tape lost in shipping by courier
May 2005: Wachovia AND Bank of America: Informed that data for 100,000 customers were stolen internally and sold to collection agencies
June 2005: CitiFinancial: data for 3.9 million customers lost when back up tape lost in shipping by UPS

Granted, the back up tapes were encrypted, but most of these incidents involved data not only including name and account information but DOB, mother's maiden name, social security numbers, linked accounts, and a shit ton of other info that is fodder for ID thefts or just thefts in general. ChoicePoint and LexisNexis, are data brokers, as in they got your skinny through other means and sell your information to people who like to fill in your mailbox with useless shit. So for the 455,000 people who's information got ganked, you got double-fucked. Thankfully, Congress has promised to look into this matter next year sometime.

I'm glad to see some progress being made by states changing their Drivers License#s to something other than your SSN, as well as colleges for their student ID numbers.

As stated on the Social Security Administration home page:

"You should treat your social security number as confidential information...Giving your number is voluntary even when you are asked for the number directly. If requested, you should ask:

1. Why your number is needed
2. How your number will be used
3. What happens if you refuse
4. What law requires you to give your number."

Thanks SSA!......."Way to go, kids!"