More TJX and Pillar

The biggest little state in the Union, Rhode Island, is about to enter the TJX fray with an investigation regarding proper disclosure - a criminal action is possible (and proper, if you ask me).  Things aren't getting better.  I think big Ben's quasi-apologetic mostly ridiculous public letter irritated more folks than just me.  I'm also hearing that the hacks go back as far as March of 06, and it's possible that TJX knew or suspected problems earlier than December, as first reported.

TJX uses every big IT vendor there is, and those guys have security practices.  I've already heard from one big one (anonymously) that they have been pitching security measures as well as encryption to the company for over a year - and I believe the company has several proposals on the subject on file.  That means there are others out there as well, and I'd love to know about them.  I'm dying to find out the real cost and effort it would have entailed to prevent this from happening.

On Pillar, who I mentioned in a recent blog as having a bit of an "eccentric" (nice sounding word for raving lunatic) CEO, Mike Workman.  Apparently Mike was OK with my portrayal as he sent me two bottles of his homemade wine - Weeners Leap (Syrah and a Cab).  Mike's dog is Clams, a weiner dog, who has become the company mascot (and who picture you can apparently see as take off from San Jose Airport as it sits on a huge billboard on Pillars building I'm told).  Anyway, both bottles are superb, and wine is something I don't take lightly. Really stellar.  And gone already......