A real post

Gregster Reacts: Inauguration Day

After watching the Inauguration this morning from my office conference room with about 80% of the staff in the room, I felt a sense of confusion. You must understand that I'm a realist who regularly faces the conflicts and challenges of technology issues daily, hourly - every minute for that matter. When our new President talked briefly about technology, I grew concerned.

As everyone in my industry is well aware, technology today has become synonymous with snake oil and good old fashioned capitalist whoring. Companies innovate for their bottom line, scientific advancement be damned and profits be heralded. When he said that "we will restore science to its rightful place," I'm not entirely convinced that he fully understands where modern day technology really is. Never once did he touch on privacy and the electronic age. To me, this is more vexing than how to "wield technology's wonders to raise health care's quality and lower its cost."

There needs to be an executive directive to force technology companies to stop putting profits before security and the law. Exploiting the common mans misunderstanding and/or lack of understanding of the real consequences and risks surrounding technology today should be crime in and of itself. We need to hold corporations and individuals responsible for protecting our information. It is no longer feasible for the average Joe to manage the complexities of securing their information. The task is daunting for even the most savvy of geeks.

Let's hope that Mr. Obama does the right thing, whatever that might be. The problems are apparent, the solution is eluding.

Gregsta'