I'll try this again,

I'm not saying they'll figure out who I am directly. I'm saying this kind of list is a menu for these kind of people. Identity theft doesn't mean they wear a look alike rubber mask and assume your identity convincing your mom to give them cash (although I think cfm might be thinking along that lines...) These people simply find a target. There are lots of ways they do it, but this list makes it really easy. An example if you will..

A person searches this list and picks a name, a name with a good dollar figure attached. In the case of teachers/administrators, they tend to live in or near the district they teach for. Since that is listed (maybe that should be excluded???) they do an address search in the phone book for that area. From there there is lots they can do... For one, they could simply just rob the house. Or go through the trash (one of the most common methods used to gain important numbers), or like in my case just rifle through the mailbox... When it happened to my family they intercepted a renewal visa and maxed it out in 3 days. Our bank immediately called because of all the activity and wanted to check up on it. Its lucky for us the did that because we were immediately able to get the police involved, and after a major hassle, the account was covered by visa. It isn't a nice feeling to have something like this happen.

regardless of what cfm says, I am not being paranoid. The odds of someone choosing me based on my salary are laughable. But thats not the point now is it.... Within 10 minutes I could track the address of any teacher on there unless they have an unlisted phone number. (which I do) I really didn't look elsewhere on the site except to see what they listed for me, so I dont know if it would be that easy for other state employees... This info was 2 years old based on the fact that some of the people I worked with that moved in 2001 were still listed. And by the amount of my salary... it has changed... a little.

someone earlier said, "you should have taken better precautions..." another silly statement. How can you take precautions for something you didn't know existed? The is no way for anyone to remove their names from that list. The best we can hope for is to get it changed, or convince people that just because its there doesn't mean you need to support it (What I'm attempting here...).

I often tell kids that I teach or coach, that sometimes adults make decisions simply based on their morals. My morals tell me that someones salary is there own business. My own parents would never ask me what I make! Why should every kid I teach be able to look it up in a heart beat? I know cfm will respond that it is everyones business when they are paying those salaries in taxes. Maybe so if a person is in an elected or appointed position.... I'll bet 95% of the people listed have no idea they're there.

Bottom line....

The list is wrong, both morally and numerically. Really there is no purpose for it other that to entertain nosey people who have no sense of right or wrong. Whats the plan here? someone going to break out the calculator and crunch those numbers to figure out the states budget woes? Not likely.

cfm chose to post this, yet in typical manner got pissed off when he was immediately challenged. Like I stated earlier, Its ok to have an opinion as long as it matches his... I really dont think he thought this thing all the way through. I believe the intent was to draw attention to wdfw spending. But once the $hit hit the fan, I would have had some respect for him if he simply said " man, I didn't think about that..." but he didn't, he started name-calling and ripping people. I wasn't after anything other than to get him to see a different perspective. Go back and decide for yourself who turned it into this.... But thats sort of his gig now isn't it.

To each his own I guess, but I'm done pissing in the wind here.