--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Sal Sunshine <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > On Aug 23, 2006, at 8:17 AM, authfriend wrote: > > >> -- It's a power trip. And I don't think getting involved > >> in that kind of game is healthy. > > > > That's just paranoid, Sal. The TMO has always been on > > a power trip, but SS#s aren't an example, *except* to > > verify that one is qualified to go on particular > > courses and so on, and they could certainly check that > > just by using names and dates, although with more difficulty > > and more possibility of error. I haven't gone on a course > > in a while, so I don't know if they're still doing this, > > but they also used to ask for the name of your initiator > > when you applied for a course. That was another way of > > checking to make sure you had actually learned TM. > > Come off it, Judy. I'd be amazed if they had records going > back a few years, much less when someone learned TM.
I'd be amazed if they didn't. > The bit about the teacher's name is just more TMO silliness, as > anyone could have made up a name. But it wouldn't have matched what was on your initiation record. > Tell you what...next time you apply for a course, make up > some name to put in the initiator's blank, and see what happens-- > I'll bet nothing. Maybe not, but that wouldn't exactly prove anything, would it? > > In other words, unless they were to ask for no personal > > information at all, the "intimidation" you're imagining > > would still be a factor. The only thing about SS#s is > > that they're a very efficient means of identification. > > > >> And another point--usually when an organization asks you for one, > >> that's it. They don't keep asking you every single time. > > > > Sure they do, in many circumstances, as a way of verifying > > you're who you say you are. An SS# is sort of like a > > password. > > "Sort of like"? I must have missed the secret handshake. Cute, but a non sequitur. Guess you had no comeback for that one. <snip> > >> OK, why are they asking for them then? > > > > AS A MEANS OF IDENTIFICATION. Sheesh! Same > > reason so many other institutions have used them. > > And a photo ID would do just as well, same reason so many other > organizations have used *them.* THINK, Sal. Photo IDs can easily be faked, first of all. Second, what good is a photo ID for checking the central database? All a photo ID proves is that the person in front of you has a piece of paper with their photo on it. Driver's licenses used to have both, a photo and SS#. Were they trying to intimidate people? Or were the two useful for different purposes? And driver's licenses still use numbers to identify people. It's just a different set of numbers created for the same purpose as the SS#, except that it's limited to identifying drivers. <snip> > >>> Knowing the level of disorganization and general > >>> incompetence in the TMO, I simply wouldn't trust them > >>> to keep the numbers secure. > >> > >> That's my point exactly. Whether it's directly by someone with > >> some nefarious intent, or simply because some idiot gets > >> careless, you would not trust the TMO with potentially sensitive > >> information. > > > > Once again: So they're trying to intimidate people by > > suggesting that people with nefarious intent will get > > hold of your SS# and commit identity theft because > > the TMO is riddled with careless idiots? > > No, that was your point--I said they did it for intimidation. Right, then you said not trusting them to keep the numbers secure was your point: In other words, they were trying to intimidate people by suggesting that their SS#s weren't secure. That's the implication of what you've said, Sal. You boxed yourself into that corner. If you want to get out of it, suggest another basis for your "intimidation" idea, because your attempt to hijack my concern with security and graft it onto your claim of intimidation just doesn't pass the giggle test. As I asked: > > Fill in the blank: > > > > "We're asking for your SS# so that if you don't > > toe the line, we can __________________________." Face it, Sal. You never had any threat in mind. But without a threat, the notion of intimidation is utter nonsense. To subscribe, send a message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Or go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ and click 'Join This Group!' Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
