| #: |
From / Date: |
Question / Answer: |
| 2336. |
Wendy
Richardson, TX
Age: 43
Jul 30, 2007
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Erase Your Cell Phone BEFORE Selling/Gifting
I've posted on destroying your old SIM card when you get a new one but the link below shows you how to erase the information on your old cell phone's memory (those web sites you went to, text messages, ringtones, photos you don't want others to see, etc.) before giving it to someone else or selling it online or something. The instructions are provided based on manufacturer so you can get specific info for your phone. Don't forget to erase or else you might see your private photos or text messages on YouTube or MySpace!
Submitted Link #1: http://www.wirelessrecycling.com/home/data_eraser/...
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| 2335. |
George
Pomona, CA
Age: 25
Jul 29, 2007
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Your next e-book
I remember, back on your old site, you had an article about how you keep your house safe. I read it and thought it was pretty creative and had some useful ideas. I wanted more. How about making your next e-book on home security, travel safety, or something of that nature. I've read all of your books and think you're a very gifted mind.
...
If you have read "all" my books, then re-read chapter 2 of "Invisible Money," which covers home security, and "Dirty Tricks for Savvy Chicks," with some tips on travel safety.
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| 2330. |
Bill
New York, NY
Age: 35
Jul 28, 2007
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Car Black Boxes (Event Data Recorders)
Black Boxes - Which Cars Have Them
After much searching I finally found some authoratative information on which cars have black boxes and which do not. This information is hard to find and I think some readers may appreciate it. "General Motors, Ford Isuzu, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Subaru, and Suzuki voluntary equip all of their vehicles with EDRs, according to NHTSA's [National Highway Traffic Safety Administration] estimates. More than half of Toyotas have the devices, too. Other automakers, mostly German and Korean, but some Japanese manufacturers, don't bother with EDRs. Passenger vehicles from BMW, Daewoo, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes, Nissan, Porsche, and Volkswagen don't have **what the NHTSA defines as** EDRs, according to the agency's estimates of 2004 and 2005 models." -- source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, http://www.iihs.org/research/qanda/edr.html , see footnotes 2 & 3 which refer to a primary source "National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 2006. Final regulatory evaluation - event data recorders. Table III-1: Estimate of the number of EDRs in light vehicles with a GVWR of 3,855 kilograms (8,500 pounds) or less. July 2006, p. 27. Washington, DC: US Department of Transportation."
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| 2328. |
Richard
Ferndale, MI
Age: 45
Jul 28, 2007
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Cashing business checks
I've noticed quite a few questions on this site from people getting into trouble using a NM LLC to run a business. Your response is to consistently remind folks to use the NM LLC only for ownership of assets. I have a Michigan LLC that I've used for business but has remained idle for a number of years. I had a checking account for this LLC but closed it 3-4 years ago. I have just signed a rather large 6-month contract under this LLC with a long-standing client and want to follow a process that best protects me, my business and my income -- and doesn't raise any eyebrows with the client. I've always been completely above board with the IRS and will continue to do so. However, now that I'm armed with having read all of your publications, I want to make sure I cover all my bases to minimize my tax liability and best protect the business and the income. Should I open another checking account for this LLC? Should I open it in Canada (it's a 15-minute drive for me)? The name of the business is similar to my real initials. Should I deposit payments into a personal account? Is there a resource you can recommend that would guide me as well as you HTBI publication has done on other issues?
...
The use of LLCs for business, for bank accounts, and for asset protection is another field, somewhat unrelated to privacy. If you have already read my "Invisible Money" e-book, you should be able to answer the questions you pose, on your own. I cannot answer them for you.
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| 2327. |
Wendy
Richardson, TX
Age: 43
Jul 28, 2007
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Re: GC Clarification
Richard, you're right; it's important to conduct due diligence on any service you intend to use to see with whom the provider is affiliated and what their actual intentions are for collecting information about you for the 'privilege' of using their services. As a former investigative reporter, I'm very much into "due diligence" and did mine when it came to Google's services. So, I'm hardly speculating about what Google intends to do with your information. The article I link to my post makes it clear what Google's intentions are and organizations like the Electronic Frontier Foundation (eff.org), Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) and Privacy International (privacy.org) rate Google's privacy policy among the worst in the industry for the very reasons I cited. So, I suggest anyone considering use of Google's services begin their due diligence by researching the Google related articles on that site and "googling" "Google privacy issues" or some similar search phrase. I combine Google services, like Gmail, with other non-Google services and carefully use the Google services I DO use in a way that both protects my privacy AND prevents me from attracting attention by behaving in any inherently suspicious manner (like having multiple email addresses associated with a specific IP address easily traceable to me without having at least one in my true name or a close approximation). Therefore, I support what I posted with this: sometimes "Free" costs you privacy so we should all be careful to understand what "free" (or "easy" or "convenient") actually costs us--ESPECIALLY in the Googlesphere.
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| 2326. |
Richard
Albuquerque, NM
Age: 40
Jul 28, 2007
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GrandCentral clarification
... Geoff, you can't listen in on someone's phone by placing them in your contact list any more than you can read someone's e-mail simply by placing their address in your list of e-mail contacts or read their postal mail by writing their address in you address book. You're confusion will be cleared up when you try the service out. And please don't call something scary when you haven't even investigated it. That's just fear mongering.
... Elliott, contact numbers are nothing more than that... a list of contacts just like your list of e-mail addresses of your friends. I think your referring to the phone where you have your GC number forward calls to. You're confused as to how this works. Fundamentally GC is nothing more than call forwarding with some bells and whistles. If you forward your cell or land line to a friends number... what happens to your calls? They will ring at your friends number. Is he "eavesdropping" on you? No. You forwarded your calls. You have control over the forwarding. If he picks up his phone to make a call... it functions the way it normally would. His calls don't magically route through you GC account. He CAN access your voice mail without a password though because the system will recognize his number as the one you forwarded you GC calls to but again... you have control (and the responsibility) over that.
... Wendy, you bring up some very valid points. I too am concerned with the continuous compilation of all this data and inevitable sorting and selling of it that will occur. I think we all have to do our due diligence, actually investigate and not speculate and then decide what works for each of us. I encourage users of GC to brainstorm ways to combine it with other non- GC/Google servcies and get creative to make it even more private.
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| 2325. |
Sebastian
Knoxville, TN
Age: 57
Jul 28, 2007
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free temporary phone number
This service may be useful for somebody. It generates a free, temporary phone number somewhat like a pager number that causes another phone number to ring.
Submitted Link #1: http://numbr.com/...
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| 2323. |
Christopher
Rockville Centre, NY
Age: 40
Jul 27, 2007
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PA Title/Registration for NM LLC
Today I registered my car in the state of Pennsylvania under my NM LLC. I could not believe how easy it was. I walked into an authorized DOT agent with my LLC paper work and a company's letterhead, that’s all I needed. They did copy my driver license before handing me my plates. I’m hoping because since I don't live in PA and my driver's license is from NY. JJ I would like to say thank you for your time and info.
...
De nada, Christopher.
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| 2320. |
Diane
Holland, MI
Age: 33
Jul 26, 2007
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Home business
Thank you John and JJ for your answers to my questions. I had purchased the Work from Home book but I lent it out and never got it back. When I read your answer it instantly jogged my memory, so thank you. Also the book recommendation "Cash from Square Foot Gardening" by Mel Bartholomew is wonderful.
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| 2319. |
Wendy
Richardson, TX
Age: 43
Jul 25, 2007
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GrandCentral & Google Franchise
Personally, I'd be concerned about using ANYTHING that's part of the Google-glom(erate) because Google has the goal using its services to personalize user experiences by using its technology to determine 'needs' of consumers based on what they do with Google services. This is not far off from collecting info and selling the data to advertisers as a way to boost its ad dollars and, ultimately becoming the largest provider of consumer dossiers gathered using technology built into their products and services. Then, the first Google service you sign up for that requires a credit card/bank card in your name and address (like Google checkout) creates a verifiable file on you that Google can use to link every activity related to you, your IP address and your activities on any one of the myriad services the company provides that you use. Already, for example, forget to log off your email when you do a search on Google and that search becomes part of that email profile. Use that email address to sign up for another Google service, that information is associated with the other services and searches you've done. Google collects all that info into one file...on you. And guess who, arguing that it benefits you to do so, is going to start handing over and selling information on YOU to law enforcement, the government and, likely PIs? I say be careful with the Googlesphere. Once in, you may not be able to get yourself out (of their evergrowing databases), no matter what they profess about protecting your privacy. That's not paranoia, that Google-ality.
Submitted Link #1: http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20070529/n...
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| 2318. |
Elliott
New Orleans, LA
Age: 19
Jul 25, 2007
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Re: 2316 Grand central/Geoff
Adding a phone number to the listing of contact numbers in Grandcentral causes the number to ring when the number reserved with GC is called. Grandcentral cannot be activated if the call was originally placed to a normal mobile or landline phone, rather than the GC number (which only exists as a virtual number). In actuality, if someone added your number to their contact list, you might be able to eavesdrop on them.
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| 2316. |
Geoff
Solvang, CA
Age: 44
Jul 25, 2007
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grand central
Re: previous e-mails.
Grand central sounds like a great idea, I have not used it, but I am working on reserving a number.
Something came to my attention though: what would keep others from adding your phone number to their contact numbers, and then eavesdropping on you when your phone rang? This is really scary if their is no accountability as to phone ownership. Does anyone out their know if this is possible?
P.S. Thanks Mr. Luna for this site, I have gained much from it.
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| 2315. |
Steve
Johnston, IA
Age: 53
Jul 25, 2007
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Harry Potter Photos
U R right on target. I'm producing a documentary movie on biological Real-ID and RFID use. During research I learned: printers print serial # in color dot patterns embedded into all printouts (inperceivable to the naked eye), raw paper produced to be trackable to buyer, digital photos have EXIF with serial #, your PC CMOS has an ID, and much more. With EXIF, one could have deleted the EXIF data, but consider this! Could the camera be embedding pixel IDs into the photo? Printers do it now! Consider this. One example I found: color printer dots in photo, paper had ID, cell phone company records followed a GPS trail and together showed the culprit was at the store where the paper, printer were bought with cash; at the time these items were purchased based on store receipts for the items. Funny that they're doubting his iron clad alibi. Next time, turn off the cell phone...
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| 2314. |
Jack
Beverly Hills, CA
Age: 37
Jul 24, 2007
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Harry Potter and the Serial Number of Doom
... Excerpt: "The EFF took a peek of its own at the leaked photos and did some cursory detective work. They found that the EXIF metadata attached to the photos contains the serial number of the camera used to take the pictures, along with all the other technical details about the settings used to make the image. That unique serial could be the leaker's undoing if Scholastic can find a way to link it up with an individual, and the EFF suggests that (perhaps) they can."
Submitted Link #1: http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070723-harr...
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| 2312. |
Richard
Albuquerque, NM
Age: 40
Jul 23, 2007
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re: 2308 James
[Edited for length] I've been using [GrandCentral] since June 14th. It was designed for productivity rather than privacy but several of the features afford you very strong privacy.
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| 2311. |
John
Santa Monica, CA
Age: 28
Jul 23, 2007
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tax auction - house / land - llc issues
Hello,
I registered for a tax auction - and I didn't realize that I could of registered original as an LLC.
1. If I get a property at the tax auction - can I transfer it from my name to be under a New Mexico LLC?
2. Would that protect me if someone tried to sue me personally?
...
1. I cannot answer that. Ask the representatives of the auction.
... 2. It might or might not. If they did a property search using your name, the property would be hidden. However, if you were deposed, the attorney would ask you for a list of everything you owned or controlled.
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| 2310. |
Suz
Bellingham, WA
Age: 56
Jul 23, 2007
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Internet Business
I have an Internet business where orders are paid online and disbursed to either Pay Pal or through another vender directly to my bank account. Do you have any privacy protection suggestions for this kind of online arrangement? I have purchased and read both HTBI and Invisible Money. Thank you.
...
The only practical solution is to use a nominee for everything, including PayPal and the bank account. The nominee, in turn, should get a small percentage of the gross income.
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| 2309. |
mike
Phoenix, AZ
Age: 34
Jul 23, 2007
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internet tracks
in mr spaulding's opinion what is the best internet "tracks" eraser for macs
...
"For the apple products, I would recommend just using linux based
products that are labeled as 'anti-forensics'.
I have asked several people about this and they say that they use linus
on their Apples and do not use any commercial products, but all
linux-based 'AF' tools."
- - - MS
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| 2308. |
james
Dallas, TX
Age: 33
Jul 23, 2007
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Grandcentral
I'm thinking of using this. They give one number you can give out and will forward calls to what phone number you want. It got bought out by Google a while ago and now need an invite. Wonder what everyone thinks on privacy.
Submitted Link #1: http://www.grandcentral.com...
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| 2302. |
Michael
Omaha, NE
Age: 24
Jul 20, 2007
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Private flying
This is an interesting article laying out exactly how to fly without ID (using the FAA docs and examples as reference.
Submitted Link #1: http://www.lookingglassnews.org/viewstory.php?stor...
...
I pass Michael's comment and submitted link on to you readers as an item of curiosity only. I fail to see any real advantage in putting up a big fight and having your luggage tagged. All for what?
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