It is so scary to think about the fact that there are very little activities or simple functions in life that do not require one to "sign in." Unfortunately, there is so little trust. And rightly so. One slip, blink or pause, and someone has stolen your identity or snatched some cash from your bank account. Your word is no longer your bond. You must VERIFY who you are.
The most extreme measures of security occur at the work place. Whether subtle or the straight-up requirement for DNA and blood sample prior to carrying out daily work responsibilities, the lack of trust is undeniable. To get on your computer, to check your voice mail, to get into the building, to enter your work time card--all of these functions require a username and password.
It is the password that bothers me the most. With so many to keep up with, I can never remember them. Experts (Clark Howard 'n em) always advise not to use the same one. "Try to mix it up." "Use a variation of numbers or letters." Well, there are only so many variations one can remember. I once worked for a company whose computer automatically requires users to change their passwords every 90 days. Moreover, if you try to use the same password within a six month period, the system rejects it.
Even doing a little research for a column I was writing required that I "register, setup a usersname and password." For pete's sake! But said requirement is simply a part of the Big Brother conspiracy; that issue requires a whole other blog and one I am not sure I want to write. But I digress. It is frustrating to have all of this knowledge at my fingertips but to have to jump through hoops to gain access to it.
Even more frustrating is the two ID requirement for deposits at my credit union. How twisted is that? I have to prove who I am beyond a shadow of a doubt to put my money in my account.
My consolation in dealing with all this madness is that there will be no passwords or usernames in Heaven.
In Other Words...
Those Nine Little Digits
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