The lesson here is to pay cash and cash only. And yes, walk away if they won't agree to your terms.

So, a person could track your communications to the coffee shop, and yes, in theory, if they know you're logged on, they can RDF their way to your WiFi card.

However, there's a more important bit of information that ALSO gets transmitted, and that's your computer's MAC address. This has nothing to do with Macintosh computers, it means "Machine Address Code" and it consists of six alpha-numeric pairs separated by colons. Each internet device like an airport card or network card has a unique MAC address, and the MAC address is what websites use to identify your specific computer for creating cookies and otherwise tracking your computer when it's online. It's hardware code within the device that identifies that specific device, as distinct from every other device on the planet. It's like a machine fingerprint.

Therefore, it is possible for someone to identify your personal computer by its MAC address, even from behind a firewall, with the right programs.

There are MAC address spoofing programs out there that claim to obfuscate your actual MAC address while online, but I've never used one.

So, someone technically proficient with the right equipment can track your usage of the coffee shop internet connection, and it's highly likely that the coffee shop itself keeps a log of users MAC addresses for its own protection. And yes, they can theoretically RDF their way to your computer, particularly if you remain online constantly or you frequently use the same IP address connection. They will know you use the coffee shop's modem, and they will know that you have to be within a couple of hundred feet of that antenna simply because of the physics of WiFi.

There are ways of extending the range of a WiFi signal. You can use high-gain directional antennas of various designs, such as the Hawking Technologies flat-panel 10db gain antennas, to increase signal strength and increase range up to a couple of miles in some cases. You can also create "repeater" links using some types of wireless access points in a point-to-point mode. I use a pair of Netgear WG 102 ProSafe 802.11G Wireless Access Points in point-to-point mode to link wirelessly between my home and my sister's home, about 600 feet away, and that system could go five miles or more using high-gain antennas on each end with clear line-of-sight conditions.

Newer, higher speed wireless protocols are also available, but the G protocol provides adequate bandwidth for email and basic surfing.

Using such long-distance links, if you can, will give you some added security at the expense of speed and the potential for interception and deencryption of traffic by a "man in the middle" attack. But in reality, someone RDFing the signal will discover the link and track it to the other end just as easily.

It all depends on what level of security you're trying to achieve. If the three-letter agencies want to find you, they will.

But, if the coffee shop offers free WiFi access to all, and doesn't have any login procedures, then there's no legal impediment to using their bandwidth, although if you hog it they might choose to cut you off, which they can do by your MAC address. The log they keep will show your MAC address as being on line when they are closed, and it will be obvious that you're leeching on their service. They may not care, but if they do, they'll just program their access point to reject your MAC address and you'll be done.

So, if your need is for infrequent, quick connections to check for and send email, you're not likely to raise their ire. But if you log on every day and download videos, they'll probably cut you off eventually.

Then I visted my insurance agent at a local AAA office. He was very hesitant about issuing a new policy with the LLC address but not the address on my driver's licence. He promised to call around and ask questions, and get back to me soon (probably tomorrow).

Since I keep my Oregon driver's license, registration, and insurance card hidden in my car (NOT in the glove compartment with the owner's manual), and only intend to show the insurance card when required to do so by law, is there any reason not to have the address on my driver's license also on my insurance card?

(As I understand it, I am required by law to show the DL, insurance card, etc., when stopped by a police officer for a traffic violation OR after an accident, to the driver of the other car. The registration would show the LLC's address in Alaska, but the DL and insurance card would show my former address in Oregon.)

He was lying to you. What he wanted was all sorts of personal information that he could sell to a data aggregator and to aftermarket "warranty" companies so they can solicit you for goods and services, on which he makes money.

Remember, if someone invokes a law requiring you to give them information, challenge them to cite the SPECIFIC STATUTE and actually, physically show you the official document that dictates this.

If they cannot produce an official document, then tell them that the transaction hinges on their ceasing to be nosey Parkers, or better yet, go somewhere else.

You'll find that 99 percent of the time they were lying to you in order to make money. That's a good sign that you don't want to do business with them in the first place, and I'd certainly never return there for service.

Also, on this note, as relates to Carfax, I vaguely recall that there is some obscure federal statute that prohibits a person from concealing the VIN number of your vehicle that's found behind the windshield. I'll do a bit of research on this, but my recommendation is that you cover it either with black tape, or you just "accidentally" conceal it with some object that you've glued permanently in place. This prevents thieves from easily obtaining your VIN, which they can use to have duplicate keys made, which is now necessary due to the key-chip based security systems in newer cars.

"On a cash sale?" I asked.

"Homeland Security," was his answer.

Unbelievable.

... I disagree, Lloyd, that privacy cannot be maintained even when you pay cash. You can buy from any private party, pay cash, and have no problem. With a dealer, ask about his policy before you buy. Also, it's best to use an LLC.

I spoke with a Toyota dealer just ten days ago, about buying a new Tundra with a NM LLC. He said no ID was needed (thus, one could use a pen name to sign for the LLC) and there would be no Homeland Security check as long as I paid cash and licensed the vehicle in the same state. I don't buy from dealers, of course, but I was checking for other readers. A few days later I bought a 2004 Tundra Limited with only 17000 miles on it from a private party. Runs just like new!

What is the most efficient way to jump to a specific question number and continue reading forward from there?

I know how to search for a topic but sometimes I would like to read the following posts in chronological order. It would also help me pick up where I left off last time. When I'm away from my computer for a few weeks I really get behind in the Q and A.

Thanks!
Ann PS. Thank you for all of your wonderful eBooks. They have been very helpful. Invisible Money is essential but Off the Grid is a personal favorite.

... I'm not sure if this will be the solution, but my Wed designer is going to set up a way to jump straight to certain pages. However, he's been delayinig on this for a month so I don't know when it will get done.