You know, one thing that really really pisses me off is invasion of my privacy. Which is ironic if you look at how open I am with my personal details online. But there's a world of difference between me putting my real information in my domain whois and some pimply faced kid taking my name off my debit card and putting it into a computer without asking me.

I caught this once before by the Radio Shack down in the Plaza. I wouldn't have noticed if I didn't have to handle my receipts several times in the process of doing my accounting for SkyWorks. It annoyed me then, because I knew I hadn't been asked, but it had been a month or so since I made the purchase and not worth going in and causing a fuss over. So I let it slide.

As I posted earlier I was going to get a new printer cartridge today to enable me to fill my pending order. That Radio Shack is the easiest place to get it. I amble my way over to the plaza, with the usual assortment of idiot drivers trying to kill off the stupid pedestrian. heh. I walk into the Radio Shack first since it's the first stop on the U loop of the Plaza.

Young Guy: Hi! How can I help you?

Me: Hey, I just need a printer cartridge...

YG: *talking over me* Do you know what kind of printer you have...

Me: *talking over him* It's a Lexmark *checks paper I wrote it down on* 12A1970.

YG: Oh the 70, just a black? ok... *grabs it* Is that everything?

Me: Yep, thanks.

All in all a normal, quick exchange. The way I like my shopping to be. I hand him my debit card and do the punch pad thing.

Me: *noticing that he's holding my card and typing* Oh fuck me, he's not typing in my name? Is he? Shit. Do I say something? What do I say? Right now? gah! Ok, I'll wait and see if my name is on the receipt and go from there.

Of course my name is on the receipt. I'm livid.

Me: *holding receipt with L Gallaher on it* Um. My name is on here. You took my name off my Debit Card and put it in. I essentially paid with cash and you took my name off my card. That's my name. You didn't ask me. This is the second time this has happened here and I really don't appreciate seeing my name on a receipt that doesn't need my personal information on it. I'm not coming back here again. *walks out*

YG: *looking like a truck hit him* I'm sorry, sorry.. sorry. Sorry.

I spent the rest of the Plaza trip just shaking with anger. I only started calming down when I got home and threw myself, er, danced around to a nice loud song for 10 minutes. I hate this attitude that seems to exist that companies have some kind of right to my information because I shop there. Radio Shack is the only one that has taken my information without my consent, but there have been several places that ask for my postal code, or name, or address or phone number and it's a fight when I say no.

I always end up having some stranger demanding a reason why not, or they inform me "it's just a postal code." dripping with distain. It's my life, my information, it's who I am. It's my decision on who gets to know that. I give you $60 for a printer cartridge? Be bloody thrilled that I gave you my business, don't demand or steal information from me. And yes, taking my name off my debit card without asking for my consent means that you have stolen from me.

I've been thinking a bit about writing a letter of complaint and sending it to their head office, and handing a copy to the manager of that store. I have the sneaking suspicion that the only thing that would do is give them more than L Gallaher for their files. heh.

Ahh well. Mom just called me back and wants some help refilling her ink cartridges. It's an ink frenzy, people! So, I'm off.