[extropy-chat] re: The Economist 14-page special on oil

[Amara Graps]

(Mike Lorrey about why he doesn't subscribe to The Economist)
>I don't subscribe for the simple reason that under the Patriot Act it
>is well nigh impossible for a United States Serf to keep a bank
>account, even an online one, without divulging a Socialist Slavery
>Number, thus, I don't bank, anymore, not until my next secret project
>bears fruit. Even PayPal demands an SSN now.

Probably Italy is following the US, in this respect, or else the US
is looking to Italy, but the codice fiscale, the Italian version of
the social security number, is all pervasive here, for a number of
reasons (tax being the obvious one, but other odd reasons include
the way that vendors, by state law, provide insurance for their
customers for their purchased electronics). The codice fiscale is
generated from one's  full name, their birthplace and then a letter
at the end that adds a "random" element.

The codice fiscale is even used (without the tourists needing to
know) to perform the accounting for tourists staying in hotels. Did
you ever wonder why the Italian hotel deskclerk asked you for your
passport? They are usually not so nosy (and in fact there are much
stronger privacy laws here than in the US), but it is for their
money management: to extract a birthdate/birth country so that
their accounting software can generate the codice fiscale and then
calculate a tax for your room. I haven't started to be concerned
about it (yet) because the databases are not connected (yet), and
the public servants I've met are generally squeamish about
technology and computers.  Even though most of my transactions are
with cash, my banks have full information about me, and it is
impossible for me to perform my job (travel especially), without my
credit card. For me this is sad, especially, since I worked very
hard to remove credit cards from my life (I don't have debt with
the exception of the long cycle of paying my work travel and
getting reimbursed).

>That being said, I do work for GoldGrams (http://www.goldmoney.com).
>Coding, writing, graphic design, swimsuit modelling, you name it.

Is this Anthony Hargis' work? If so, it's been years since I met
someone living/working for gold. My housemate 20 years ago did all
of his banking with Anthony Hargis and his gold banking. I didn't
know it still existed. This is interesting.

Amara


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Amara Graps, PhD          email: amara at amara.com
Computational Physics     vita:  ftp://ftp.amara.com/pub/resume.txt
Multiplex Answers         URL:   http://www.amara.com/
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"Whenever I see an adult on a bicycle, I do not despair for the
future of the human race."   -- H. G. Wells