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Buried under paper? Are identity cards the answer?

Last modified on 2009-05-26 09:55:38 GMT. 0 comments. Top.

Is everyone else sick and tired of the avalanche of paper that gets stuffed into our mail boxes each week?

I don’t just mean the advertising junk mail - that has a short lifespan at our house, straight into the yellow bin. Never even makes it inside or gets opened (well apart from the odd Dick Smith one so I can see what geeky toys there are that I can’t afford).

I mean the endless bank statements - why do we need two copies of every joint account we have? Why do we need wads of advertising brochures stuffed into bill envelopes? Why do we constantly need to be reminded of how easy it is to contact businesses that we already know how to contact? Why? Why? So many questions and so few answers…We have a paper shreader permanently setup on a bin for all the personally identifying rubbish that, in this day and age, we simply can’t take the risk of putting straight into the recycle bin. It’s nearly had it’s day though - it can just about handle 5 sheets at a time, but the odd paperclip that accidentally gets put through causes it to have a hernia. We need an industrial strength one that can roar through 20 sheets at a time and mince the bloody paperclips as well!

Remember the claim that computers would soon (this was in the eighties by the way) enable us to have paperless offices and reduce the number of trees cut down to provide paper? It seems that businesses are well on the way to a achieving that goal - they send it all to their suffering customers…

I think it’s a plot. They bury us in all this rubbish so that we end up ignoring it and throwing it all away. Then one day the government sneaks in a small envelope with a letter saying they have the answer to the paper avalanche. It will replace a stack of personal paperwork for each of us. Not only that, it will keep us safe from terrorism and after all, if we have nothing to hide why should we worry?

A wee plastic identity card for each of us.

Oh, it won’t be compulsory - it will be an ‘opt in’ scheme. Sure, just like they have done in the U.K.

We stick it in the kitchen drawer. Then we find that we can’t do, go or say anything without it. We have to carry it everywhere with us at all times because it’s necessary to carry it to be able to get anything or go anywhere that you are already entitled to.

Have a look at this website if you think that a national identity card for Australia is a good idea - NO2ID.

Beware of Bogus Door Knockers

Last modified on 2009-05-26 13:38:25 GMT. 0 comments. Top.

While scammers are using every available modern technology like email, the internet, text messaging etc, it seems that good old-fashioned door knocking scams are still alive and well.

From a recent media release by the council :

“Shoalhaven Water has been made aware that some customers have been telephoned by a person purporting to be a Shoalhaven Water employee and claiming that works were being undertaken in the area that may have affected the water quality, if so would they like to purchase a water filter. Similar scams have been occurring with other authorities and all residents should be cautious. All Shoalhaven Water Staff carry identification cards when working outdoors.”

We should all remember to treat every encounter with callers, both phone and personal, with healthy skepticism.

The govenment has a website that both lists scams and provides tips on how to avoid becoming a victim yourself. It’s well worth a visit, see below for the link. I  was surprised at how many of these that I had never heard of. Remember the line from Sgt. Phil Esterhaus from Hill Street Blues (was it really 1981…) - “Let’s be careful out there people”?

Link: Scamwatch