http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/1003/10matrix.htmlHighlights:
"Georgia officials plan to contribute confidential driver's license and auto tag information from millions of Georgians to a crime-fighting database even as five other states have backed away because of concerns about cost and personal privacy."
"Past addresses and telephone numbers. Neighbors' addresses and telephone numbers. The make, model and color of registered cars. Business associates. Speeding tickets. Arrests. Marriages and divorces. Names and addresses of family members. Driver's license photos. Social Security numbers and birth dates. Credit information. And all a click away."
"Seisint, the private company that created Matrix, not only would manage this wealth of confidential data but also would keep track of who has access to it, according to an internal e-mail within the Georgia Department of Motor Vehicle Safety""Access to Georgia's information in Matrix would be controlled by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the GBI's counterpart, although Seisint would track users of the system."
"Seisint was founded by an admitted drug smuggler, Hank Asher, who brought the idea for Matrix to Florida officials two years ago""According to a report by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Asher admitted to smuggling drugs in 1982 but refused to elaborate. Agents developed "corroborating information" that "during 1981 and 1982, Asher piloted five to seven plane loads of cocaine from Colombia to the United States," the report stated."
"Asher told investigators "he had shown a lack of judgment during that period," according to the FDLE report. Asher was not charged with a crime and cooperated with federal investigators, the report stated."I just don't even know what to say anymore. Not charged with a crime? 5 to 7 PLANELOADS of coke? And Tommy Chong gets 9 months for selling bongs?!
What happened to the world I used to live in?
edited to add "quotes".