Such a great article and discussion. I do not live in NYC but in 2022 I was helping with a fundraiser musical production In Manhattan . The theatre where it was being presented did not allow people to be admitted without proof of vaccination. Even though I helped with the production I was not allowed to see the show. Compared to what thousands of other unvaccinated individuals have gone through this was nothing. However the true insanity really hit home for me.
I don’t know how the banks work in Canada but here in the US if I need to exchange one denomination of currency for another I go to the auto teller at my bank. I deposit what I have and then withdraw what I want in the denomination of my choosing. Sadly I started doing this when I got the nosy question, too, “where did you get this cash from?” I asked the teller as sincerely and nicely as I could “why do you want to know? I bank here all the time” and suggested she could put down whatever she wanted, I didn’t care. But now here I am, another example of my sneaking around the edges and going to the auto teller so I don’t have to talk to the mean bank employee. Shame on me.
I never use the ATM because most of the time I when I go to the bank I am needing something to do that is too complicated for the ATM. I typically do not withdraw Canadian cash, but do withdraw US because I travel to the US fairly often. Canada allows patrons to have US dollar accounts (unlike in the US). And you can't withdraw USD from an ATM.
Anyway...your method sounds like it might work (deposit 2 $50 bills, withdraw 1 $100 bill)...but I doubt if you can specify the bill denomination at an ATM.
Years ago, when Ancestry.com was big, as well as other companies, I used to wonder why the hell would anyone give a strange “company” their DNA??? I found this QUITE INSANE, and rather dumb.
Then people were putting swabs up their nose…
Something definitely wasn’t legitimate. I lost my job over the swab. A few months later, it would have been the bioweapon, regardless.
Well, yours truly was an idiot that did just that back when. I thought it was so cool. Now I deeply regret it...but again, I am nearly finished with this wild ride and it really doesn't matter to me if they can clone another Todd Hayen...maybe that would be cool to know my doppelganger is walking around the planet after I am dead....
“ Covid “ kicked the privacy door wide open in terms of what personal information folks ( and institutions) feel they are entitled to …..the questions that “ close “ friends and family asked me during Covid and beyond under the guise of safety were astonishing !
Yes for sure but those folks that did so were already long term. #&*#**&*&. Not sure which comes first the chicken or the egg …..or are these folks just the first to fall
It drove my husband nuts when they asked for his social security number as identification. He said that when they passed the law assigning a number to each worker (back then it was only for employment-if you wanted to work you got a number) the law stated that it was never to be used for identification. Of course, by the ‘80’s it was SOP to use a social security number as ID. Because the government can do whatever it wants when people don’t know the law.
I used to read and comment on another substack that was mostly investigating medical matters, including from the past. I found out that my comments on substack belong to and may be used by the owner of the substack. Unpleasant shock, and feeling of exposure. On occasion, the subject matter was something I had experienced. I assumed that my comments would be read by others who read the comments of that substack. But then my comments became part of the next couple of stacks-including my name. It was disconcerting. But I had put personal information out in the public eye! I did it! Why did I not think about that before I posted? Because we feel safe in what we see as “our group” and there’s an assumption of privacy.
We’ve become so used to the invasion of our privacy, and yet we think there are still places where our privacy will be respected. Foolish mortals
The Social Security Number thing IS troublesome...we have a similar number, a Social Insurance Number, where they claim the same thing, "this number should never be used for identification"...but it is used for that ALL of the time here...why don't we just refuse??
Substack using your comments...well, it is funny you say that, I don't think I have ever quoted a reader's comment...if I did, I would never mention their name. I just take it for granted that that would be an unnecessary invasion of privacy...even though it was "legal."
I am planning on sending out my monthly fundraiser email, and want to use nice comments people have made when they signed up for a paid subscription...which I believe I can "legally/ethically" do...but I am going to personally contact everyone that wrote a nice comment and ask permission...hopefully all will say "yes"!!
I worked for a large NJ company years ago and they decided to suddenly start putting our SS numbers on our company I D badges. A fellow employee refused to have this info along with his name and photo on the badge and covered the SS number up. A boss objected and push became shove with a union grievance and threats of a lawsuit. It all finally went away and our employee numbers were used instead, but it does make you wonder who in charge in a large company couldn’t foresee this being an issue?
There’s too much rebel in me. Most of my life I have been very obedient to authority-the ones I considered legit. Police, taxes, most laws. But when I was young I occasionally broke out into civil disobedience.
I filed a complaint with the union at a sugar mill I worked at and it was dropped in the settlement of another complaint involving someone more important. I knew that was wrong and objected. No dice. So…I decided that if I was just a number to them I would BE a number to them.
At the mall there was a place that would print anything on a t-shirt. I had my employee number printed on several t-shirts and that’s what I wore to work. Others followed suit. I was a persona non grata for a while.
Your situation was risking identity theft. How ridiculous. But most people don’t even think about it
I am utterly astounded that a company would be that f--ing stupid to do what you described here...and then make threats like that when that employee refused to comply!!! I would think the federal government would have a case to sue the company for making employees display their SSN..amazing...
I just looked at my old company ID cards and the one from May 1977 has my SS on it as does another from October 1990. It was sometime in 1994 a coworker raised the stink so they did it for a long time before they were challenged. Amazing indeed
Your secrets can become their weapons. Just like when a long term friendship goes south. I like the Biblical reminder "Put a guard over my lips oh Lord."
Yep. That was my strategy during the normal-level-exploitation times. Feed them happily and voluntarily as much nonsense as possible. Create information chaos. That changed in 2019. In 2021, unlike many of my colleagues who forged their vaxx cards and did not get fired, I realized I could not live with myself if I did the same. I gave them the real information. I wanted to be known as unvaxxed. As my girlfriend puts it: I lost all my filters. Needles to say, I don't have too many "friends" left. Good riddance.
In that case the tracking was of those who did have Vaxx Cards. Still a damned good idea not to provide any of that sort of information lest they come back at you in a year when you want to re-mortgage or some other purchase that requires bank approval which may not be forthcoming because they don’t approve of the cafe that you buy your morning coffee at.
Because faking it and pretending to go along is not acceptable. People who don’t know any better think that if you did it, it must be safe. And then you are partially responsible for them being conned and abused. Just say no and own the consequences
Yeah, there IS something about that that is troublesome. Like people who lied about being Jewish and avoided being gassed while their friends lost their lives. Yet it also seems like something that we should not allow ourselves to succumb to....if we can find a way to avoid complying, we should...tough.
Faking a vaxx card wasn’t a life and death situation. It was a “I don’t want to be ostracized from polite society” decision. Lying about being Jewish to save your family, well that’s somewhat different.
That needs a bit more analysis. e.g., in occupied Denmark, the Nazis ordered every Jew to wear the yellow star. The next day, every Dane wore one, including the king and queen.
But yes, it was not a life and death situation. That said, losing everything you've worked for your entire life in one fell swoop ... well, I'd invite you to try on my shoes.
The curious thing was that the "authorities" could not care less about what card one had— forged or not. What they cared about was obedience. I was not fired for threatening health of my poor vaccinated colleagues (all working remotely). I was fired for refusing to obey.
Personally I feel no animosity toward anyone who faked vax cards...particularly those that did so in order to go back to work. That IS a life threatening situation!
Yes, you are quite correct--that was an insensitive analogy, I am sorry I said it...I do know some people who faked a vaxx card in order to visit a dying family member in the US (or somewhere, not sure). And then others so they could go to the movies...
Such a great article and discussion. I do not live in NYC but in 2022 I was helping with a fundraiser musical production In Manhattan . The theatre where it was being presented did not allow people to be admitted without proof of vaccination. Even though I helped with the production I was not allowed to see the show. Compared to what thousands of other unvaccinated individuals have gone through this was nothing. However the true insanity really hit home for me.
Universities have started asking students about gender identities and sexual interests. It’s a grotesque abuse to ask.
Insane
I don’t know how the banks work in Canada but here in the US if I need to exchange one denomination of currency for another I go to the auto teller at my bank. I deposit what I have and then withdraw what I want in the denomination of my choosing. Sadly I started doing this when I got the nosy question, too, “where did you get this cash from?” I asked the teller as sincerely and nicely as I could “why do you want to know? I bank here all the time” and suggested she could put down whatever she wanted, I didn’t care. But now here I am, another example of my sneaking around the edges and going to the auto teller so I don’t have to talk to the mean bank employee. Shame on me.
I never use the ATM because most of the time I when I go to the bank I am needing something to do that is too complicated for the ATM. I typically do not withdraw Canadian cash, but do withdraw US because I travel to the US fairly often. Canada allows patrons to have US dollar accounts (unlike in the US). And you can't withdraw USD from an ATM.
Anyway...your method sounds like it might work (deposit 2 $50 bills, withdraw 1 $100 bill)...but I doubt if you can specify the bill denomination at an ATM.
Todd, actually you can specify the bill denomination at the ATM's. I do it all the time.
At BMO? I have NEVER used an ATM there...did a lot when I was in California...never here.
A lot of CIBC atms give US dollars but the exchange rate is usurious.
I don't think BMO does, but it has been a while since I checked...maybe they do now...
Actually here in NJ at Bank of America you can select $10s, $20s, $100s or “pick for me” at the ATM. It’s like Burger King, “have it your way.”
Wow. Here you get $20’s. Only $20’s
Nice!!
Years ago, when Ancestry.com was big, as well as other companies, I used to wonder why the hell would anyone give a strange “company” their DNA??? I found this QUITE INSANE, and rather dumb.
Then people were putting swabs up their nose…
Something definitely wasn’t legitimate. I lost my job over the swab. A few months later, it would have been the bioweapon, regardless.
Well, yours truly was an idiot that did just that back when. I thought it was so cool. Now I deeply regret it...but again, I am nearly finished with this wild ride and it really doesn't matter to me if they can clone another Todd Hayen...maybe that would be cool to know my doppelganger is walking around the planet after I am dead....
Hey, they’ll “get us” one way or another, LOL!😉😂 But, many of us definitely fight back-it’s a spiritual thing!
I've given a fake birthday so often I'm in danger of forgetting my real one 😂
You have balls Bettina...good for you....
“ Covid “ kicked the privacy door wide open in terms of what personal information folks ( and institutions) feel they are entitled to …..the questions that “ close “ friends and family asked me during Covid and beyond under the guise of safety were astonishing !
Don't you think that was one of the intentions (among many) of the plandemic? To kick the privacy door wide open?
Yes for sure but those folks that did so were already long term. #&*#**&*&. Not sure which comes first the chicken or the egg …..or are these folks just the first to fall
It drove my husband nuts when they asked for his social security number as identification. He said that when they passed the law assigning a number to each worker (back then it was only for employment-if you wanted to work you got a number) the law stated that it was never to be used for identification. Of course, by the ‘80’s it was SOP to use a social security number as ID. Because the government can do whatever it wants when people don’t know the law.
I used to read and comment on another substack that was mostly investigating medical matters, including from the past. I found out that my comments on substack belong to and may be used by the owner of the substack. Unpleasant shock, and feeling of exposure. On occasion, the subject matter was something I had experienced. I assumed that my comments would be read by others who read the comments of that substack. But then my comments became part of the next couple of stacks-including my name. It was disconcerting. But I had put personal information out in the public eye! I did it! Why did I not think about that before I posted? Because we feel safe in what we see as “our group” and there’s an assumption of privacy.
We’ve become so used to the invasion of our privacy, and yet we think there are still places where our privacy will be respected. Foolish mortals
The Social Security Number thing IS troublesome...we have a similar number, a Social Insurance Number, where they claim the same thing, "this number should never be used for identification"...but it is used for that ALL of the time here...why don't we just refuse??
Substack using your comments...well, it is funny you say that, I don't think I have ever quoted a reader's comment...if I did, I would never mention their name. I just take it for granted that that would be an unnecessary invasion of privacy...even though it was "legal."
I am planning on sending out my monthly fundraiser email, and want to use nice comments people have made when they signed up for a paid subscription...which I believe I can "legally/ethically" do...but I am going to personally contact everyone that wrote a nice comment and ask permission...hopefully all will say "yes"!!
I worked for a large NJ company years ago and they decided to suddenly start putting our SS numbers on our company I D badges. A fellow employee refused to have this info along with his name and photo on the badge and covered the SS number up. A boss objected and push became shove with a union grievance and threats of a lawsuit. It all finally went away and our employee numbers were used instead, but it does make you wonder who in charge in a large company couldn’t foresee this being an issue?
There’s too much rebel in me. Most of my life I have been very obedient to authority-the ones I considered legit. Police, taxes, most laws. But when I was young I occasionally broke out into civil disobedience.
I filed a complaint with the union at a sugar mill I worked at and it was dropped in the settlement of another complaint involving someone more important. I knew that was wrong and objected. No dice. So…I decided that if I was just a number to them I would BE a number to them.
At the mall there was a place that would print anything on a t-shirt. I had my employee number printed on several t-shirts and that’s what I wore to work. Others followed suit. I was a persona non grata for a while.
Your situation was risking identity theft. How ridiculous. But most people don’t even think about it
That is the point, isn't it? To get people to a point where they don't even think about it?
Trust Big Brother. Don’t think
I am utterly astounded that a company would be that f--ing stupid to do what you described here...and then make threats like that when that employee refused to comply!!! I would think the federal government would have a case to sue the company for making employees display their SSN..amazing...
I just looked at my old company ID cards and the one from May 1977 has my SS on it as does another from October 1990. It was sometime in 1994 a coworker raised the stink so they did it for a long time before they were challenged. Amazing indeed
Wow....
Your secrets can become their weapons. Just like when a long term friendship goes south. I like the Biblical reminder "Put a guard over my lips oh Lord."
Yep
Yep give them as close to nothing as you can. And what you do give them, garble it.
Yep. That was my strategy during the normal-level-exploitation times. Feed them happily and voluntarily as much nonsense as possible. Create information chaos. That changed in 2019. In 2021, unlike many of my colleagues who forged their vaxx cards and did not get fired, I realized I could not live with myself if I did the same. I gave them the real information. I wanted to be known as unvaxxed. As my girlfriend puts it: I lost all my filters. Needles to say, I don't have too many "friends" left. Good riddance.
In that case the tracking was of those who did have Vaxx Cards. Still a damned good idea not to provide any of that sort of information lest they come back at you in a year when you want to re-mortgage or some other purchase that requires bank approval which may not be forthcoming because they don’t approve of the cafe that you buy your morning coffee at.
But you do you.
Good for you. I lost respect for people who faked their vax cards.
Because faking it and pretending to go along is not acceptable. People who don’t know any better think that if you did it, it must be safe. And then you are partially responsible for them being conned and abused. Just say no and own the consequences
Yeah, there IS something about that that is troublesome. Like people who lied about being Jewish and avoided being gassed while their friends lost their lives. Yet it also seems like something that we should not allow ourselves to succumb to....if we can find a way to avoid complying, we should...tough.
Faking a vaxx card wasn’t a life and death situation. It was a “I don’t want to be ostracized from polite society” decision. Lying about being Jewish to save your family, well that’s somewhat different.
That needs a bit more analysis. e.g., in occupied Denmark, the Nazis ordered every Jew to wear the yellow star. The next day, every Dane wore one, including the king and queen.
But yes, it was not a life and death situation. That said, losing everything you've worked for your entire life in one fell swoop ... well, I'd invite you to try on my shoes.
The curious thing was that the "authorities" could not care less about what card one had— forged or not. What they cared about was obedience. I was not fired for threatening health of my poor vaccinated colleagues (all working remotely). I was fired for refusing to obey.
Personally I feel no animosity toward anyone who faked vax cards...particularly those that did so in order to go back to work. That IS a life threatening situation!
Yes, you are quite correct--that was an insensitive analogy, I am sorry I said it...I do know some people who faked a vaxx card in order to visit a dying family member in the US (or somewhere, not sure). And then others so they could go to the movies...
I like that.
Apple wouldn’t let me garble a new account today…..
…and there is the noose into which we’re already leaning!