According to recent SCOTUS rulings, you are required to provide "booking information" to the police, including your name, address, place of birth and other identifying information, including fingerprints. They can forcibly take your fingerprints, and have a nifty little device for your hands that looks like something out of the Inquisition to hold your fingers straight if you resist. You can be charged with resisting arrest or obstruction if you refuse to provide information about your identity. You can also be HELD until they have confirmed your identity, so the longer you resist, the longer you stay in jail.

The Court felt that the importance of correctly identifying an arrested person outweighs the individual's right to remain silent, and that providing identity information is not in and of itself "incriminating" in any way, and that therefore the government is justified in compelling your cooperation.

The purpose is two-fold: first, it is to ensure that the police have the proper person in custody, and that you are not using another's name falsely, which might subject an innocent person to criminal sanctions through identity theft; and second, since all arrest records are PUBLIC RECORD, it is intended to ensure that booking information is accurate and correct so that the press, and the public, may know who is being held in custody. This is a constitutional protection for the arrestee because it helps to prevent secret detentions, which is a commonplace tool of tyrannical and oppressive governments. If the public arrest and booking records are accurate, then the public can always know who is being held and can, if necessary, file for a writ of habeas corpus to compel the police to produce the arrestee before a judge to hear the charges. As a result, the requirement that you cooperate with the booking process is both reasonable and essential to a fair and just system of law enforcement.

It seems that we should strive to avoid being arrested, as that could undo all our attempts to keep our privacy!

Yup.

Massachusetts makes you go to your insurance company first, then go to the RMV. So, if I apply for insurance under My Name dba Holdings LLC, I assume that whole line is going to the RMV.

Has anyone successfully registered a car in Mass and not had their name attached to the vehicle? Any tips?

You need to call and verify that they do accept money orders from the get-go, some companies only do so for "established" or "dedicated-server" customers. The reason being, you may find at some point in the future that the prepaid card method may no long work, since it is a recurring charge. I have found repeatedly over time that recurring type accounts tend to reject prepaid credit cards, more specifically, the Vanilla Visa and American Express ones.

Additionally, it is easier and probably best to prepay as many months as possible in advance (as long as you know it's a good service, do not if unsure as of yet! hosting companies are notorious for not refunding anything for any reason!). Money orders make even having a valid phone number on the account irrelevant - I never do.

, the address can be completely bogus - It always is. Just a valid email of course is needed. Just a suggestion, do as you wish.

Many people sublet parts of their homes to relatives or even strangers. I myself live in such a "mother-in-law apartment" for which the only street address is that of my landlord. (He and his family occupy the downstairs and part of the upstairs, while I rent most of the upstairs. I have my own separate entrance via an outside staircase.)

On Census Day, they will want to know who was living upstairs, in my apartment.

Again, until her death my grandmother rented an apartment in the basement of a house, while her landlady occupied the upstairs. The house was on a hill, with the main entrance from the road upstairs. My grandmother's entrance was down the driveway to the downstairs of the house (the back entrance). I presume that the Census people wanted information on both residences, in order -- again -- to get as accurate a count as possible on Census Day.

While looking out our window, she caught one walking around the BACK of our property with his hand held scanner and he met somebody out front and she said it appeared that he had come from our front door. What could they possibly need the exact location of all entrances into a house for?

You know that if it was for a good reason they would tell us in some feel good, "look what the patriot act, and dept of defense is doing for you" kind of propaganda.

I really wonder why this has not been on the news AT ALL in Columbus, on the radio, television or newspaper. This affects everybody. Guess we know who is controlling our news as well, huh?

Before I sit down, not yet having filled out anything, she asked for my insurance card and a PHOTO ID. I gave her the insurance card, but balked at the photo ID as I only had a drivers license. I asked why she needed it. Her reply bothers me.

"Because next year it becomes law that we have to have a photo ID to go with all our patients files. We are just getting a jump on it".

As I drove there, I didn't figure I could claim I didn't have any photo ID. I don't have a passport. I wasn't feeling well enough to leave, so I handed over my ODL.

Her attitude changed towards me though after I had asked why. She became a real sticker for ALL my details, but I did not give up my social.....turns out, I have a collasped lung and pneumonia. I did tell my doctor, DO NOT put me on Obamas Swine flu list.

I'm getting more aware and more leary of anything govt. Is it true that we are now required to show Photo ID and is this just Oregon or the Fed. govt.?

... I was told three weeks ago that the next time I show up for a doctor's visit, I must bring photo ID [which in my case will be a passport]. The receptionist claimed that this would be the law beginning November 1st.

... This photo ID stuff just gets worse and worse, but on the plus side, they do not have a clue as to where I actually live.

'Where were you born?' Jail wants to know?: Federal immigration officers work alongside county jailers, searching for illegal residents

[begin quote]

"One of the first things we ask is, 'Where were you born?' " said Undersheriff David Kirby, who oversees jail operations. "The answer they give can change everything."

Corrections deputies also are trained to spot potential problems where they may not be so obvious to others. Inconsistencies during questioning may warrant a second look. Same goes for an inability to speak English or failing to provide a Social Security number or a permanent address.

[end quote]

Jack, I wonder if you or your readers would comment on this. If arrested, am I legally required to provide my birthplace, my SSN, and my permanent residence address? I suspect not, but it seems that failure to do so would subject me to some intimidating hassling from the sheriff's staff.

It seems that we should strive to avoid being arrested, as that could undo all our attempts to keep our privacy!

Submitted Link #1: http://www.oregonlive.com/clackamascounty/index.ss...

I decided to test the flexibility of one of my credit card companies. I called them and told them that I run a personal consulting business (DBA), and that I am the only employee. I said I wanted a more "professional" appearance, and asked if I could get a credit card under my account with only my "company" name on it. After saying "umm.. I think we can do that", she agreed.

I then went to Vistaprint and ordered some professional looking business cards with my "company" name and first initial of my middle name + last name on them. If I get any hesitation from a merchant when using the card, I can show them a business card. If that doesn't work, I can show them the same credit card with my actual name on it as proof, though the charge will go under the company name.

I'm not sure how much extra privacy this will achieve or if I'll run into any resistance from merchants, but I think it's definitely a step in the right direction for those rare times that I actually need to use a credit card (auto rental, hotel, etc).

Since it can plug into any DSL, cable or broadband connection, and it is portable, it couod be anomymous... unless it reports back to ooma with your IP address. Any thoughts on this topic?

If you were to go with an electronic medium like PDF, you could resonably protect the document from being printed and having text extracted from it (via AES encryption and a long password). However, you couldn't protect the document and it's view/open password from being shared amongst individuals wishing to gain access to it.

With a hardcopy, there is nothing you can do to physically stop someone from photocopying or scanning the document into a tradeable PDF file. However, I would highly suggest customizing EACH copy of the document you send to your customers with multiple identifying factors, and keeping a copy of each under their file. These customizations can include watermarks, borders, fonts, footnotes, paragraph spacing/order, etc. This way, if the document does happen to leak, you can trace it to a specific individual.

Good luck...

Does any better technology exist today to secure and protect a document than a simple paper copy sent via the mail straight to the customer?

... No.

The maps prepared every ten years for the census, unlike those prepared by private companies, are made available to the public at very minimal fees, and anyone can copy them without paying a royalty to the copyright owner (the U.S. government). They are the first, cheapest, source of data for the digital street maps used in all those GPS navigation devices that people carry around in their cars.

Any errors in those Census maps (called TIGER files) will persist for years and years as errors in the digital maps in people's GPS navigators. The rural subdivision where my parents built their retirement home on the Oregon coast has many of these errors, especially in the naming of the streets. I hope that after the 2010 census, the updated digital maps will have corrected those errors.

The census workers are trying to find out where all the houses (and apartments, and other dwellings) are located. Then on Census Day, they will attempt to learn who lives there.

Yup. Big Brother is mapping you.

Line at post office short, the counter clerk greets the customer by first name and while fulfilling this gents needs, the man asks the employee to check the activity of a tennants P.O. Box. This task was done with no further questions and small chit-chat followed as to why this information was needed.

Research needs found me at the library and need to use a computer. My card, seldom used, was at home. Informing the circulation person of my woe they asked for my last name. They then said "C". Thinking they had said "gee" was no issue and I proceeded to log on, having been given my card number. It was rejected. Returned to the circulation desk and clarification with staff found they gave me someone elses log in information. This incorret number was crossed off and mine was added. What is scary is no ID was asked for. The next week I went to another location, used this wayward password and found the person had placed e-mail setting to automatic. Had full access to their account.

In seldon used village park my '07 two-seat car is parked and I'm on the shaded side of large B-B-Q pit, with roof, sitting in foldable chair I carry. Reading a magazine, with small radio and volume low, a van slowly pulls up and a gentleman stops, proclaiming he was checking on my safety and thought I had automobile issues. Stating all was fine and things were under warranty he then headed for a shady spot at far end of the parking lot, window rolled down and motor running. Noticed him placing a magnetic antenna on his roof.

About five minutes later it occured to me what he was doing. As I loaded up and prepared to escape he approached with his police ID in hand. He had ran a tag check and was stuck when the LLC, "no name," popped up. Instantly removed my cell phone, set in vibrate mode, so I said and excused myself. Talking and walking then made haste to the car. Said I'd like to chat but there was a business emergency and I needed to leave immediately.

Realized this was an off duty policeman who was being a snoop. His picture was in the newspaper recently and this is why I recognized him. Privancy does come at a cost and these examples show how lax things can be!

Also, another feature I was given is a Custom Ringing phone number. I give this number only to trusted friends or family, and it has a distinctive ring. Other normal ring calls (going to the original phone number on my account) I do not answer and go to my voice mailbox (which I never identify myself by name).

I'd like to let you all know that it is still possible to achieve anonymous web hosting.

First, CVS stores still sell prepaid AMEX cards in $200 denominations (at least here in Southern California).

Second, I signed up with a well known web hosting provider, using a ghost address (ANY address will work, BTW) and a VALID cell phone number (no K7 or auto voicemail stuff will work). I paid with the prepaid AMEX. The next day, I received a phone call to verify the signup, and successfully confirmed the account. I could then purchase any number of domains anonymously with additional AMEX cards. Adding on domain privacy makes the setup even more secure.

As long as you don't access the account in any way from an Internet connection somehow tied to you, you and your website/blog/whatever can remain truly anonymous.

A reader recently asked about anonymous iTunes access. I believe using a prepaid AMEX will work, but I never recommend using iTunes, due to the fact that the MP4 files have DRM and also embed the iTunes account info them. Instead, purchase the MP3 files from Amazon.com with a prepaid AMEX. The files are DRM free, and no address verification is needed since nothing is shipped.

Good luck...