My driver's license is from another state which I keep because it's many years before it expires. And I don't have a utility bill since I'm living with a friend until I get my own house.

Is there a way to get my credit report while living in FL but having an out of state license and not having a utility bill? I can't believe how difficult these agencies have made it for consumers to get copies of their own reports.

Thanks for your help.

The positional error for civilian GPS units can be that large, but this is a feature of the hardware and software of the unit, not a matter of inherent accuracy of the GPS system. It's unknown whether or not the handheld units used by Census workers are military grade or not. I suspect they are near military grade and that the error is more likely on the order of a couple of feet, if not less. It also depends on whether they are using differential GPS systems, which uses a radio signal transmitted from a known benchmark location to improve the accuracy. Surveying-grade GPS with differential transmitters have a spherical error distance smaller than a marble.

There are also post-processing techniques that use the known skewing of the system and other factors, based on the precise instant of measurement in comparison with other measurements at known locations that can lend greater accuracy to one-time readings.

I expect that the TIGER database processing that makes use of this data is quite sophisticated and I'm guessing that the error is less than a meter in most cases.

"Besides in a lot of the country, wandering around property is trespassing and can get you shot and the district attorney wouldn’t even brother to file charges."

Well, that is an issue, and I do wonder where the authority lies for census workers to trespass for anything other than the actual enumeration. I'll have to look into it.

They do have the authority to come to your door for the enumeration however, even if you have a fence and a locked gate, though they usually won't scale fences to get to you. They will, however, wait outside and catch you as you leave to question you.

Shoot one and the FBI will come calling, because they are federal employees.

Whether you are compelled to answer the questions is another matter. The law says you are, but the penalty is a 100 dollar fine, and it's been levied only twice in the history of the census.

They will undertake a 90 day series of carefully programmed steps to get to you and get answers, and will badger you with supervisors and make threats to prosecute you, but it's mostly an idle threat.

DO NOT LIE TO THEM, which is a separate federal crime that the FBI can arrest you for. While the law requires you to answer their questions truthfully, IF YOU ANSWER, if you never give them the opportunity to ask the questions, they cannot sanction you, and if you simply remain silent, the worst they can possibly do is fine you 100 bucks, which is highly unlikely.

My plan, when they show up, is simply not to answer the door. If they approach me outside, my plan is to say "one person lives here" and then walk away. I will NOT answer any of the other intrusive personal questions they ask, including my name. My privacy is certainly worth a hundred bucks.

I purchased Invisible Money when it first came out. A friend was in trouble with the IRS and could not deposit his money in his own bank until he could work out a payment plan with the IRS.

In Invisible Money Mr Luna discusses older bank accounts. We brainstormed and came up with several ways to acquire an old bank account. My friend started looking for businesses for sale at dirt cheap prices. He really did not want the business, he wanted the business bank account. He found a one man lawn service business looking to sell his client list. He purchased the business (client list) for appx $3000. Included in the purchase. The business bank accounts which were opened in 1966. No social security number attached. Just a tax ID number.

He sold the business client list for his purchased price minus the bank accounts.

Most prepaid cards are beginning to require Social Security numbers. Vanilla Visa and American Express are being rejected right and left by any company which retain your information for future billings. You need to test the various cards in your area.

When PrivaCash began asking for SS numbers I discovered any numbers I put in worked. I'm discovering each prepaid card is different. For instance, I discovered Walgreens prepaid cards are accepted on websites which will reject Vanilla Visa and AMex prepaid. If you can afford to do so test different prepaid cards.

Just a note about nominees in New York. My friend used a non-American to open a bank account which was not associated with a SS#. The nominee was from Italy. Turn out they had a very common name. The agency which collects back child support took all monies from the account and will not return any funds until the person who opened the account prove they are not the person who owes back child support. My friend walked away from the account.

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?