Homestead mailing list

[EarthNSky <erthnsky AT bellsouth.net>]

Lynn Wigglesworth wrote:

> Who is 'they'? How do they 'pay attention' unless you have to 
> register to buy fertilizer (which you don't)? How could they track 
> cash sales to anonymous buyers?

When I made my Walmart post, I was trying to make a point that was
apparently lost.
You may think you are anonymous, but you are not.  Cameras catch your
activities.  I used to think "so what, I'm not doing anything wrong",
but now, I have a different opinion.  But to answer your question about
cash sales and anonymous buyers...If you are suspected to be involved in
a crime, 'they' can confiscate the security video, which is time linked,
and match that with register receipts.  Even in the old days, when I was
a grocery store cashier, on a punch key register, there was a recorded
receipt of purchases, so even non-digital, non-computerized registers
can link your face/time/location/purchase.  Then, simple face
recognition software is used to match your facial features with those of
your license.  To confirm, parking lot cameras capture tag numbers as
well as general descriptions of the driver.  Also, cash sales themselves
are acted upon with suspicion these days.  My stepfather went to the
bank to cash in some savings bonds(a LOT of them, more than 10K) and he
was practically patted down...cop stood right there next to him while he
signed them, then walked him to his car as a courtesy<g>.  Later, at the
car dealership, the cash transaction raised eyebrows and one guy even
asked why he was buying the truck in cash.  He was able to defuse the
situation by joking, but it goes to show that cash sales draw attention.

"They" could be anyone who has a court order, and a warrant is not
difficult to get.   "They" could be your local police, state police, the
FBI, BATF, CIA, Interpol, a foreign government, a large corporation,
etc.   Since 9/11, many industries are 'monitored', including
agricultural industries.  Look at this...
http://tinyurl.com/58c4nj
It's from Clemson, and I found it on a quick google search....fertilizer
sales, pesticide sales, cropdusters...all reporting for legitimate
reasons, but reported to the FBI nonetheless.  You may not have to be
registered to buy fertilizer, but the person who sold it to you is
registered, and they have a limited sales area probably more mandated by
the DOT rules than geography.

 For years now, people with certain 'assets' were logged so that in the
event of 'need', those assets could be confiscated.  Those who sell
fertilizer, veterinary supplies, medical supplies, ammunition,
batteries, kerosene, you name it.  I may be wrong, but I believe that
fell under FEMA and homeland security.  FEMA is another agency that is
very, very powerful.

The problem is, as I see it, if you look at any one thing, you can
certainly justify the reporting or the monitoring or whathaveyou.
However, the big picture boils down to one thing, a loss of privacy.
Databases get cross-linked and combined...you mentioned BiLo..you go
into BiLo, grab some Kraft Mac and Cheese, Hot dogs, and some potato
chips...Bilo may sell their data to another company, which in turn sells
 to another...and the next thing you know, your insurance rates have
gone up because the last time you went to the doc your blood pressure
was a bit elevated and some computer somewhere associated that rise with
all the high fat foods you've been buying.  The "they" may not be a
person or an agency at all: it may be a computer.  We are closer to that
reality that you think.
Your kids are in public schools aren't they?   How do they pay for their
lunch?

Bev


. Again, how could they track cash sales?
> Lynn Wigglesworth

--
“Fear is the path to the Dark Side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to
hate. Hate leads to suffering.”        Yoda
http://www.myspace.com/tervetuloa13