Mr Arch Creek

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Facebook To Share Users' Home Addresses, Phone Numbers With External Sites

Glad I left Facebook. From Huffington Post here.

Facebook will be moving forward with a controversial plan to give third-party developers and external websites the ability to access users' home addresses and cellphone numbers in the face of criticism from privacy experts, users, and even congressmen.

Facebook quietly announced the new policy in a note posted to its Developer Blog in January. It suspended the feature just three days later following user outcry, while promising that it would be "re-enabling this improved feature in the next few weeks." . . .

"People never thought when they were posting this data [such as their phone numbers] that it would be accessible to anyone but friends. There's a real mismatch of expectations around that," said Mary Hodder, chairman of the Personal Data Ecosystem Consortium. "Even if Facebook comes back with new protections, they're still saying, 'Hey, get over it, your data is public.' I feel badly for users that Facebook's approach is 'You give us anything and it's all fair game.'" . . .

I just don't trust Facebook. And it's true they own whatever you put on there, forever. However, Facebook replied to The Huffington Post with the following:

Despite some rumors, there's no way for other websites to access a user's address or phone number from Facebook. For people that may find this option useful in the future, we're considering ways to let them share this information (for example to use an online shopping site without always having to re-type their address). People will always be in control of what Facebook information they share with apps and websites.

I didn't hear from the mechanic till almost 5:00 (I'd decided to let him call me). Not a good sign. He said he'd started the car a hundred times today without a problem. Walked over to the repair shop after work to pick it up, and it started. (Took forever to find the spare key.) (Threw out a lot of old keys tonight.)

I'm scheduled to work four hours on Sunday. Since nothing was resolved with the truck and I can't really trust it, I'll just take the bus. (No express buses on Sunday, however.) I'll bus it to Omni, get my chili dogs at Checker's, then take the Metromover directly to my building.

The roast chicken with gravy was delicious. Had it for lunch and a late-afternoon snack (i.e., early dinner). Will have it again tomorrow.

Looking forward to "Million Dollar Listing" at 9:00. Another one of my new favorite shows (that and "Restaurant: Impossible").

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

One of my new favorite programs

See here.

Hump night - personal

Re: the truck, I heard nothing all day long from the mechanic, so at 4:30 I called him. The truck has been starting without a problem. He'll keep it one more day to see if it acts up so he can fix the problem.

I don't deal with car problems well. That 's one reason I live across the street from a bus stop and commute to work by bus. From here I can also walk almost anywhere I need to go.

Took a much-needed nap after work. I'll start going back to the gym soon. (Tonight was a gym night.) (Haven't been to the gym since I came down with the cold, three weeks ago.) (Over the cold now.)

Roasted a large frying chicken tonight. Came our great. Made a delicious pan gravy with help from a packet of dry mix and a sprig of fresh thyme.