When my older brother was in college, he spent many of his summers in Rome. It started out as a summer study program, the first few years, but ended up a summer boondoggle, the last few summers without any pretence of study. When he and his friends traveled outside of Rome, he always used the alias "Escovitto Manchetti." For some reason, over wine one night at some little sidewalk café, they tried to think up the perfect Italian race car driver's name, and they came up with the above moniker. Somehow, they thought it was great fun to pretend to be one of the locals using an assumed name when they traveled.
I went to the grocery store this morning, since my lovely wife, Puddy, was sick, and we have house guests, and they all look at me now like some ravenous pack of wolves. I dutifully went to the checkout counter and had to produce my special Grocery Store ID Card that enables me to purchase at the regular price, instead of the marked up price that those without the special ID cards have to pay. As I left, I asked the checkout girl to have the store call me the day before my milk expires. She looked at me funny, until I explained that with my special ID card the grocery store has my address, phone number, work number, e-mail address, fax number, home address, bank information, VISA card number, beer brand preference, as well as, what type hemorrhoid crème I use. I told her that certainly with all that information, the least they could do was remind me the day before my milk expired. She said she would call the manager to see what he could do. For some reason, my survival instinct kicked in and I thought it wise to leave before the manager arrived. (Although he does know where I live.)
Perhaps it is time to borrow my older brother's alias. After all, he is not using it any more. This week, I think I will go back to the grocery store and fill out a new special Grocery ID card. I may even use the address of the local city jail on the form along with good old Escovitto Manchetti's name.
Of course, I will have to pay cash whenever I use the EM alias, but why not? Cash is just another thing that is difficult to track. So what if my dietary habits are not recorded properly on a store computer somewhere? Do businesses really need this type of information? I heard on the radio today that some internet businesses now have software that determines which web sites you have been to from the cookies on your computer before they automatically quote a price on an item. In other words, if you have been price shopping at competitive internet sites with deep discounts, then they will quote you a deep discount to match or beat the price. If you just log on and go to their web site, they will not quote "the good price." They also can tell from your zip code, what part of the country you are from, and this can also affect the price automatically quoted.
This type of privacy invasion is expected by our government, but now big business is getting in on the act. Fight back! Your privacy is a cherished right that you must protect. So what, you say. What does it matter? It matters greatly! Resist giving any information to anyone. If you are one of those people who still have your Social Security Number on your Driver's License or printed on your checks, then wake up. Identity thieves are out there, as well as other people who have no business going through your electronic private papers. Fight back every chance you get. Buy small items and groceries in cash. Refuse to give personal information readily without good reason to do so. Ask why they want this information and what they plan to do with it. Resist the trend to gather information on every snippet of your life. I am going right back to that grocery store after I feed this bunch and fill out a new special Grocery Store ID card. Escovitto lives again!!!
Larry LaBorde, Silver Trading Company
