7922 Paul - I have had several clients who travel internationally on a frequent basis, be WAY behind on tax payments and tax filing requirements. They have never had a problem with their passport. However, that doesn't mean that some provision wouldn't cause problems with obtaining a NEW passport.

I am aware of one having difficulty obtaining a passport when behind on child support payments.

The problem, particularly with chains, is that it's the bean counters at corporate that set the data requirements, and they want your info because, big surprise, it's worth MONEY to them. They make a profit (a small one) by selling your information to data aggregators and other businesses. And, they also make money by being able to pimp you for "special offers" via direct mail.

The problem we all face with register drones is that they are "chust followink orderz." I actually had a long (and pleasant) discussion with the manager of the hair shop wherein she related to me that Corporate requires them to get the info and they PENALIZE employees if they fail to obtain the desired info. Yes, they actually financially penalize them, and in some cases will fire an "associate" if they routinely fail to obtain the necessary information.

I was sympathetic (and marginally distrustful) but remained uncooperative and simply said, "Well, you have a choice, you can either do without my personal information or I can go elsewhere and you'll lose my business, and the business of all my friends. You choose."

She chose my business and created a record for me with the name "Mr. Cash" and a bunch of info drawn at random from the local phone book, which means that some poor schlub who was silly enough to have his information listed in a phone book is getting all the junk mail intended for me. The wages of sin I suppose. Now, anybody who doesn't want to be on the list gets to use "Mr.Cash's" record. He gets a lot of haircuts I guess...

Anyway, demands for customer identification information are nearly universal and the motive is profit, but you're free to lie like a rug and make stuff up if you want to avoid having an argument with them. Learning to lie (except to the police or government) about your personal information is a skill that all privacy-oriented people need to learn to exercise instinctively, as opposed to the trained response of always telling complete strangers the whole truth.

Or, you can just go ahead and give them the privacy speech, like I do when I meet some register drone who hasn't put an ounce of thought into it, thereby educating them as to why it might be in THEIR best interests to join the movement to deny personal information to retailers, even while they are required to ask as a part of their job. Most times it annoys them, which is fine by me, since they annoy me by asking, but sometimes I make converts as well.

I always enjoy making converts, particularly of cute young women, by telling them that if our roles were reversed, and I was the creepy old guy selling them something, they would be placing themselves at risk by giving me their personal information, and would they really like me to be able to call them up for a "date" or stop by their house for a visit sometime. This explanation usually puts the fear of God into them and they immediately become sympathetic and much more willing to skip the interrogation.

Things got a bit more complex at my local doctor's office, where I had to have a long, sit-down heart-to-heart with the office administrator about the privacy of my medical records, which involved insinuating (not completely falsely) that I was in a kind of "witness protection" program being that I'm an ex-cop who has put a good many not-very-nice people in jail who, from time to time, come looking for me in the small town I used to live and work in. Worked out nicely, and my records are identified by a code number only, and only the billing office manager has access to my mailing address (P.O. Box) but not my physical location.

So, I suggest taking the time to point out WHY you refuse, so as to spread the culture of privacy as much as possible.

In NC if the construction cost is over $50,000.00 (This is what it was a few years ago) a general contractor’s license (GC) is required. This dollar amount is what you state on the permit application but I do not expect you could build a home using 50K as the amount on the permit. A homeowner in NC can do the work themselves but it must meet state code and you must live in it for two years. The two year requirement applies so you are not a DIY GC without license flipping houses. You may get by doing this in multiple areas but not with the same inspection dept. (town or county)

A GC would need a privilege license in a town a home owner would not.

A pseudonymous identity would be my first choice but the inspectors go by the tax dept records for their information on a permit, (the owner should match the tax records and ID should not ever be required for a permit) a nominee with a building contractor’s license would work but as with finding any nominee they would be responsible for your work meeting code so trust is a factor to think about before asking a GC to do this for you.

Working W/O Permits 101

Out building w/ no water or electrical / normally 12 ft is the max you can build in any one direction unless you get a permit. Setback requirements must also be met.

Farms buildings are exempt from most building permit requirements. If you use it as a dwelling, the use changes and a permit would be required with an inspection prior to occupancy.

Do as much work as you can out of eye site. If you are replacing roofing siding or painting a permit is not required. If you are adding on or building a deck get a permit. It is not worth the trouble for the pain and they could make you tear the work down.

A drive by view of fixtures going in or out of a place without permits is eye candy for inspectors (Do not place old toilets, duct work, lumber, hot water heaters, etc. outside of your home or by the side of the road. This would be a clue for a building inspector. Also keep the noise down. Home owners ass. may have requirements and really watch out for a nosy neighbor complaint in a HOA.

State code is a minimum standard If you do not know what you are doing leave it up to the pros or get skilled help.

If you need answers and do not wish to tip off your inspection dept. call another jurisdiction and ask any and all questions from there inspectors. Local inspectors are usually in the office to take calls after 8:00 and after 4:00.

Unless they have local ordinances that apply in your area State code is State code.

Another source for questions is the NC Dept of insurance. Talk with an engineer for any building questions since they interpret the NC building codes from their office.

Submitted Link #1: http://www.wakegov.com/inspect/permits/...

"Prosecutors across the U.S. claim the videotaping violates wiretap laws — a stretch, to put it mildly."

"Even if these cases do not hold up in court, the police can do a lot of damage just by threatening to arrest and prosecute people. ... It discourages people from filming,... even when they have the right to film."

Submitted Link #1: http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,200...

"It [TSA] plans to install about 1,000 by the end of next year."

"Under existing protocols, full-body scans are optional at airport checkpoints. Travelers who decline the scans are funneled to a location where they may be given a pat down and subjected to other tests such as swabs that can detect minute traces of explosives on hands or luggage."

You will find full-body scanners at the following US airports:

Albuquerque International Airport (ABQ)

Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson Airport (ATL)

Baltimore-Washington International (BWI)

Boise Airport (BOI)

Boston-Logan International (BOS)

Brownsville-South Padre Island Airport (BRO)

Buffalo-Niagara International (BUF)

Charlotte Douglas International (CLT)

Chicago-O'Hare Airport (ORD)

Columbus International Airport (CMH)

Corpus Christi International Airport (CRP)

Dallas/Ft. Worth Airport (DFW)

Denver International Airport (DEN)

Detroit Metro Wayne County Airport (DTW)

Indianapolis International Airport (IND)

Jacksonville International Airport (JAX)

Laredo International Airport (LRD)

Las Vegas-McCarran Airport (LAS)

Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)

McAllen-Miller International Airport (MFE)

Miami International Airport (MIA)

Phoenix Sky Harbor (PHX)

Providence-T.F. Green International (PVD)

Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU)

Richmond International Airport (RIC)

Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC)

San Diego International Airport (SAN)

San Francisco International Airport (SFO)

Tampa International Airport (TPA)

Tulsa International Airport (TUL)

Valley International Airport (HRL)

Washington DC's Reagan Airport (DCA)

You will find full-body scanners at the following international airports:

Amsterdam-Schipol Airport (AMS)

Gimhae/Busan International (PUS)

Gimpo/Seoul International (GMP)

Jeju International (CJU)

London-Heathrow (LHR)

Manchester Airport (MAN)

Moscow-Sheremetyevo International (SVO)

Paris-Charles de Gaulle (CDG)

Rome-Leonardo da Vinci/Fiumicino (FCO)

Toronto Pearson International (YYZ)

Tokyo-Narita International (NRT)

Vancouver International (YVR)

Submitted Link #1: http://travel.usatoday.com/flights/2010-07-13-1Abo...

"In Georgia, the Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC) tracked 21 incidents of ID breaches from 2009 through mid-August. They include credit card numbers exposed at an Augusta dollar store..."--From the Atlanta Journal Constitution article, "ID breaches more common than ever", this past Saturday.

Submitted Link #1: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/re...

It was on a sunny Friday morning in Majestic Wine Warehouse that my problems began. I’d popped in to replenish our stocks of Côtes de Provence rosé. When I handed over my debit card at the till, the assistant asked for all my details – address, phone number, email, mobile phone – to put on a computer. When I asked why, as I didn’t need credit or to have the stuff delivered, he said it was so I could receive information about Majestic events, plus a copy of the company magazine.

Luckily, my social life is full enough not to depend on promotional events by wine retailers, and I buy more glossy magazines than I ever get through, even if the Majestic one has Catherine Zeta-Jones on the cover. So I politely turned him down. His evident amazement was less surprising than the implication that my act was unprecedented in the history of the store.

But why? Why should retail outlets casually expect us to divulge personal information; even more amazingly, why do we go along with it? We have fought for personal freedom and the rule of law in two world wars, we have fiercely resisted the onset of ID cards, we see our homes as our castles and we fanatically shred every last supermarket receipt.

And yet in the shops we’re expected to hand over our emails, addresses and phone numbers like sheep. It even happens in John Lewis – yes, that national treasure of a store, byword for all that is best and British and decent. The other day I couldn’t even buy an ironing board there without relinquishing name, rank and serial number. “It’s a customer requirement,” said the assistant. But as I was taking the board with me, why? Is there something innately suspicious about people who iron?

What’s fine in the doctor’s surgery or passport application office is not fine in the high street if you’re not asking for credit or not arranging delivery. Yet, for refuseniks like myself, shopping is becoming a Stalinist nightmare. And while I doubt there has been any nefarious use of details thus garnered, I may have spotted a link between giving info willy-nilly and those tidal waves of junk mail and Nigerian banks spam in one’s inbox. Why should we hand over our privacy for others to profit from?

Earlier this week, the BBC highlighted how easy it is to give away personal data. Its technology correspondent booby-trapped a mobile phone application so that the owner’s private information – including passwords – could in theory be silently stolen and used for identity theft and other cyber crimes.

My identity crisis came to a head, as it were, in a hair salon in Cornwall last week. Having a rare hour to myself (husband and children having gone off to see Toy Story 3), I decided to get my hoary locks trimmed. Scene as follows: Me (entering salon): Could you trim my hair, please?

Spiky-haired middle-youth on reception desk: Yeah, sure, no problem. I’ll just take a few details down on the computer [fingers poised over keyboard]. Name, address?

Me: Do you mind if I don’t? I just want a haircut. Him (clearly stunned): But we always take people’s details. We need them to keep in touch with our customers. Me: I’d rather not. All I want is a haircut.

By now the whole salon was staring at me and it was tempting to turn on my flip-flopped heel. However, I felt my position was reasonable and I wanted my hair cut. Whereupon the following conversation took place:

Haircutter (called Don, snip-snipping with his scissors): Look, about that computer thing, we only take personal details to keep in touch with our customers, OK? Build up a relationship. Keep them informed.

Me: Yes. But I just didn’t want to, that was all. Don (still agitated): We’re not going to do anything with it. This information you don’t want to give us. Nothing funny or anything. [I don’t reply.] So, you on holiday? Me (relieved he has changed subject): Yes Don (sarcastically): Incognito, eh? Me: Look, Don, I think you should just get over me not wanting to give you all my details. It isn’t necessary. Don (aggressively): OK, OK, I am over it, OK. I am. Over it. Look, I’ll just cut in complete silence, shall I? Happy? Actually, as Don’s sharp scissors were millimetres from my neck, I wasn’t that happy. I didn’t want to be the first martyr to the cause of the right of the individual to shop without full disclosure. The cut was finished in sulky silence. I paid – cash – and left.

I will go on with my campaign against this invasive lunacy, however. And I invite you all to join me. When you’re asked for personal details, do as I do. Just say no.

... Note to readers: The above seems to be from a woman in the UK, but the sender gives the name Brad and claims to be from Illinois. Perhaps he is quoting from something he found on the internet, but no reference or URL is given. No email address was included so I cannot check.

As for the complaints--we all get them. When I went to a massage therapist recently, she insisted I had to give her my home address. When I told her I do not give my home address to my doctor, my lawyer, my banker, or anyone else, she replied, "Why? What are you afraid of?"

They are 4 1/4" x 2 3/4" x 1/2". They have a credit card fan inserted, but I'm not sure if you can remove it. If its possible, my nokia 1661 should fit inside.

Just go to Amazon and put: 'RFID blocking wallets' into their search engine. Several pages will come up and there are different brands and sizes, but they all seem to be from Sweden. I am not connected with them in any way.

Is it possible?

... Yes, to both questions.

He had 3 roommates living at a large house and they all used the same PO Box. A roommate checked the mail, picked up his package and took it home.

A short while later a three letter agency came to the house and busted everyone there. The package had never been opened.

Lesson 1. Somethings just shouldn't be mailed.

Lesson 2. never get in a mess with an agency that can print there own money.

Therefore.... I would suggest that you consider the notion that a PI with above-average resources or above-average "social engineering" skills might find out from the clerk when YOUR box number's passcode was entered into the after-hours keypad over the previous 30 days or so, thus figuring out your personal "schedule" for picking up your mail.

Instead of using the after-hours pick-up times exclusively, I would recommend calling the CMRA before going, asking if there is anything waiting for box #___, and then planning your pickup time carefully, paying careful attention to the surrounding area before you go in and planning those visits as randomly as possible!

As I believe JJL has said in the past.. UPS-run CMRA's are not necessarily secure!!!

Here's an excerpt from a recent column, describing a seminar he conducted for some students in Eastern Europe who have suffered under economic problems:

"In my opinion, value is like the karma of business. If you create value, positive things will happen to the business (i.e. loyal customers, more sales). If you destroy value, negative things will happen to the business (i.e. angry customers, high refunds and chargebacks, brand destruction,lawsuits, etc.)

The second major theme we discussed was attitude. We all know people in our lives who are smart and capable-- they talk a lot about the business that they want to start, or the management position at work that they would be good at, or the no-brainer deal that they could get involved with.

Yet, for whatever reason, few people follow through and actually take action... usually this is due to fear of the unknown. I think that human nature would have us remain in a bad situation where we at least know what to expect, rather than take a small step into a potentially great, yet uncertain situation.

Age and family considerations often play heavily into people's decision-making process; they say things like, "If I were younger, I would..." or "If I didn't have my spouse and children, I would..."

I respect that there are certain obligations and limitations in nature; these are definitely important. I think we can recognize, however, that they older we get, the easier it becomes to make up excuses for not taking action to improve our lives.

Often the catalyst that can generate the most positive benefit takes nothing more than a little bit of extra effort, or small baby steps towards an uncertain outcome."

Submitted Link #1: http://www.sovereignman.com/expat/why-i-went-dark-...

For temporary changes, they are not supposed to do this, but one time they mistakenly treated a temporary order I put in, as a permanent one.

Since then I have never put in a change of address with the PO, just closed the box.

Found a company that allows pseudonymous testing; you pay with a money order by mail, or prepaid credit card, then get the tests done at a local medical lab, same one that docs use.

Remember your pseudonym, date of birth and age as you will be asked a couple of times when getting tested. This is just to make sure they're not mixing your specimens with someone else's.

Choose a date of birth witin 1-2 years of your own since normal levels for some blood components depend on your age.

You then get the results via email. This service is not available in a couple of states. I don't know whether this just means you cannot say you live in that state or you can't go to a lab in that state. Here's the link to the one I used but there are others.

Submitted Link #1: http://www.privatemdlabs.com...