Cashing cheques written on someone else's face.

[hirez]

Years ago, I paid money for some random 'Identity protection' malarkey. That sort of thing was popular at the time since it was well before the age of mass password-db exploits and the understanding that no corporate entity can manage any security worth a light.

And then even the people behind the curtain, to whom we were supposed to pay no attention while they methodically gutted what alleged security systems we thought we had, turned out to be wholesale vulnerable to a committed system administrator armed with little more than a USB drive and some root passwords.

Months ago, an envelope thick with words arrived. Apparently the 'identity protection' people were going to be up before the beak and it was all terrible. A second envelope contained fewer words. The relevant authorities had spoken and, as is the modern way, 'compensation' was available.

That word has become a horrible thing. On one hand you've a set of people keen to exploit the system as hard as they can. Then there's another set of people keen to monetize the first set. The third set of people take out vast corporate insurance against the first two, which means a bunch of stupid things get more expensive and unless you want to think yourself some kind of sappy type with a cardigan and well-polished car, attending to your flowerbeds and generally not asking much from the world over and above some nice sunsets now and then, peace and quiet mostly and perhaps a pleasant holiday once in a while with tea and cake, you'd better wake up and smell the management cliches.

But oh no you can't possibly allowed that sort of thing. You have to compare! and choose! and deal! No tea and cake for you unless you approach every interaction with the morals of Arthur fucking Daley and demand a better price than The Others.

Fuck. That.

So anyway. Apparently I was supposed to 'justify' my participation in this alleged compo deal. I may well have written something rather sarcastic.

Result - 300 notes. That must be up there with Proper Writers on a pound-per-word basis..

Comments

[quercus.livejournal.com]

So, if they'd been at Industry Standard levels of useless, you'd have merely been out some monthly fee and had nothing in return? But because they're extra special at being useless, the underpants gnomes come and visit with profit.

Just whose business model is being rewarded here?

[hirez.livejournal.com]

To quote a bollix - it is wrong to allow stupid people to keep their money.

[jarkman.livejournal.com]

Profit! Shiny toy ?

[hirez.livejournal.com]

Indirectly - paying off debt, so more money and less stress later on.