A real name and State ?

[OS OK]

I would imagine that the NSA along with a number of other 'Alphabet Agencies' already knows every one of us, bank account numbers, DOB's, job histories, arrest reports, traffic citations, court decisions, religious and or political affiliations, the number of marriages and our aliases here.

"What's the problem?"

[Col4570]

I have problems with the abbreviations for Your States,Cities and Towns.Living across the Big Pond it does not come easy to work out what and where are you discussing.This is not a criticism it is a plea from a confused Brit.Regards.

[RogerDat]

I would imagine that the NSA along with a number of other 'Alphabet Agencies' already knows every one of us, bank account numbers, DOB's, job histories, arrest reports, traffic citations, court decisions, religious and or political affiliations, the number of marriages and our aliases here.

"What's the problem?"

yeah but they probably lost or will lose the file and would have to look it up on Wiki Leaks a month after they gathered it. People say they want an efficient government but I'm not so sure efficiency is always desirable.

People get scammed because the internet makes it easier to gather enough information about your social connections to seem legit. It's not just that the email looks like it is from someone you know, it mentions mutual friend or recent activity too. Not only does putting too much out there make you a target, it allows more accurate targeting of people you know or are close to. Had a friend who's grandfather was ripped off because the scammers knew all about the grandson and his family. Able to convince the grandfather that the grandson in his x model car had been in an accident, and that the great grand kids billy and sally were fine but grandson needed cash transfer to pay for hospital treatment.

What we put out there lets others better insert themselves into the lives of our family and friends not always with good intentions.

[OS OK]

yeah but they probably lost or will lose the file and would have to look it up on Wiki Leaks a month after they gathered it. People say they want an efficient government but I'm not so sure efficiency is always desirable.

People get scammed because the internet makes it easier to gather enough information about your social connections to seem legit. It's not just that the email looks like it is from someone you know, it mentions mutual friend or recent activity too. Not only does putting too much out there make you a target, it allows more accurate targeting of people you know or are close to. Had a friend who's grandfather was ripped off because the scammers knew all about the grandson and his family. Able to convince the grandfather that the grandson in his x model car had been in an accident, and that the great grand kids billy and sally were fine but grandson needed cash transfer to pay for hospital treatment.

What we put out there lets others better insert themselves into the lives of our family and friends not always with good intentions.

Well...I wouldn't know about all that as I'm quite sure your info is accurate. This forum and one other, The Art and Science of Casting' are the only social type media I am involved in. I guess I just don't trust too many anymore. When I get an E-Mail unsolicited, I delete it before even opening it, when I get a phone call from a computer voice...I hang up immediately. Not much more I can do besides throwing my computer and iPhone away.

In short..."It's a wee little bit too late to think about herding this bunch of cats!"

I stay involved with this forum because I love the informative posts...well, some of them...and the drama ain't that bad either!

[dragon813gt]

I have problems with the abbreviations for Your States,Cities and Towns.Living across the Big Pond it does not come easy to work out what and where are you discussing.This is not a criticism it is a plea from a confused Brit.Regards.

The state abbreviations are postal codes. One fact, more of an observation, about them only seems to apply to residents of Pennsylvania. When asked what state you live in a lot of people will reply PA. We use the abbreviation. You don't find residents of South Carolina saying they live in SC. Haven't had people from other states ask what PA meant so I guess they know what state it is

City and town abbreviations are different. But that's what Google is for. Type Philly into it and Philadelphia comes up. I have to look up places where I'm being sent to work all the time so searching them out is second nature.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I know many of the members here by name.
[I could name half the guys above me]
I'm still hesitant to use it on the open forum, but if I drop a little note in a PM I will use my name to sign the end of it.
half the membership knows it anyway, but most just shorten the Avatar name to Run or Run5.

anyway for many of us a first name and a city would be enough to get you to our house.
if someone rolled up here and asked for my place using my name or one of the kids names there is a better than 50% chance someone would tell you exactly how to get here.

I get a phone call from a stranger.

he asks, "is this Jon?"

I say, "yes."

He says, "it was real difficult finding you, I lost the piece of paper you gave me with your contact info at the local gunshow."

I ask, "How did you get my ph number?"

He says, "I asked at the local gun shop, if they knew of a local guy that casts boolits...your name came right up"

I say, "that doesn't sound too difficult"

he had no response, just started asking about casting boolits.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I have problems with the abbreviations for Your States,Cities and Towns.Living across the Big Pond it does not come easy to work out what and where are you discussing.This is not a criticism it is a plea from a confused Brit.Regards.

I am a member of a UK based internet forum about self-sufficient living. Very few members from the US, so I just chose to use "Minnesota" as a user nick-name...no one else there from Minnesota. Most everyone on that forum post in their profile, their location, problem is, my western Europe geography is weak, LOL. BUT...The biggest problem I have, is the slang words you Brits like to use.

[DerekP Houston]

I gave up trying to think of interesting/exciting usernames a few years ago. Mine is pretty easy to decipher .

[dragon813gt]

Mine is pretty easy to decipher .

First name is Bob, last name begins w/ a D, and you live in Austin. Am I close?

[skeettx]

Yuk, Yuk, he he he
Mike

[smokeywolf]

Any expectation of privacy or anonymity on the internet is ridiculous. However, there's no reason to make things easier for anyone and everyone to know more than they need to know about you or your family. Personal information should be metered out, not put on a billboard.

[dragon813gt]

Any expectation of privacy or anonymity on the internet is ridiculous.

If you go into it from the beginning and don't post personal info it makes it very hard. Especially if you're using VPNs to mask your IP. But any measure you take to hide your identity is like steel thickness on a safe. It buys you time, but the contents will eventually be taken.

[Artful]

If you go into it from the beginning and don't post personal info it makes it very hard. Especially if you're using VPNs to mask your IP. But any measure you take to hide your identity is like steel thickness on a safe. It buys you time, but the contents will eventually be taken.

OH, good analogy - and one of the things I tell people is don't put your safe in the living room by the picture window.

[dragon813gt]

OH, good analogy - and one of the things I tell people is don't put your safe in the living room by the picture window.

Living room = Facebook/Instagram

[lefty o]

if lack of a name being given irritates you, internet forums are not the place for you. chat rooms are a little more personal, usually.

[too many things]

here is another thing couple years back there was post asking how many guns you have. well several posted pics.
ok later the guy wants to sell something . he dont take paypal so sends address. he just told some one where the guns are located.you dont know if the same guy sent the request. I have seen that some say they never got a payment.Ring a bell?
this is internet. same as face book, if you want your info world wide post on facebook

[Col4570]

I am a member of a UK based internet forum about self-sufficient living. Very few members from the US, so I just chose to use "Minnesota" as a user nick-name...no one else there from Minnesota. Most everyone on that forum post in their profile, their location, problem is, my western Europe geography is weak, LOL. BUT...The biggest problem I have, is the slang words you Brits like to use.

Yes here is an example."I am just going to run the Pope of Rome through my Barnet Fair".To run a Comb through ones Hair.One from Derbyshire,"Hey Up Mi Duck",Hello Dear.Or "isitisn"is it his.
On my work travels I came across some areas that where hard to understand.Like folks in Copper Hill Tenesee or those in Baton Rouge.They are all part of the rich and interesting pattern that make up this planet.

[xs11jack]

Dragon what is a VPN?
Ole Jack

[dragon813gt]

Dragon what is a VPN?
Ole Jack

It's a "virtual private network". There are many reasons to use one. Most corporations have them so employees can access files remotely. People use them so services like Netflix think you're in another country giving you access to content that you can't get here. People in China use them to get past the government firewall. You typically have to pay to use one.

I'm assuming you were asking because I mentioned them in regards to hiding your IP. There are many free proxy servers that will allow you to do the same thing. You can actually set up chains so you're going through one proxy into the next. This makes the trail harder to follow but not impossible. Just takes longer to find you.

[JBinMN]

http://www.publicproxyservers.com/proxy/list1.html