This morning my mother asked me if she should start having her soc. sec. check direct deposited. I think that at some point it will be a requirement. But I told her I just didn't know. Right now, I do have my paycheck direct deposited. And I have gone round on this issue as to whether or not to continue having it direct deposited.

I'm trying to get up to speed on the water, heat, food stuff, and so quite frankly, the decision about to direct dep. or not to DD has been lower on my priority list.

What I have "gone round" on this is that I have trouble believing that my taking a paper check in hand to my small (and unfortunately [or not] out of the way bank) will have a better chance of resulting in me getting my check cashed than would DD. Not that I expect to be able to access anything DD, necessarily, either.

At the same time, I will admit that while trying to get up to speed in the water, heat, food areas, I really haven't taken the time to study this-- so any insights from those who have had opportunity to consider this would be most appreciated.

Thanks,

-- winter wondering (winterwondering@yahoo.com), September 29, 1999

Answers

Winter...I had to make the same decision with my SS check. After reading up on the post office and its y2k problems, I bet on the electric grid and telecommunications and have it DD. Also, many of the banks say they will honor up to 3 months of SS if you have DD, EVEN IF IT DOESN'T COME INTO THE BANK FROM THE GUBMINT. So there you have it..Lots and lots of ifs!

Taz

-- Taz (Taz@aol.com), September 29, 1999.

Hi, Winter Wondering and Taz,

Many years ago, when I was computer paranoid, and first saw the computers reading the "Uniform Price Codes", I became even more computer paranoid. Although I love what my computer can do for me, I'm still computer paranoid, insofar as the ability for the "Powers that Be" to control me, you and everyone else.

I predicted at that time, and stand by my prediction, that SOMEBODY (I don't know who, but somebody--whoever has the power, computers, whatever) would eventually use the power of the computer and the UPC to eliminate the use of cash in our society.

So far, I have seen the PARTIAL elimination of cash by the use of direct deposit, electronic filing of income taxes, automatic tellers, cybershopping, and, especially, "debit cards".

I predict that eventually, if we continue on the road to a "cashless society", we will be asked to "punch in" our destination when we buy gasoline (through a debit card at the pump). We will then be told whether the gasoline sale is approved, or we may read a message on the machine which says, "Sorry, Los Angeles is having air quality problems. Request denied. Thank you for using Auto Pump" Or, "Sorry, you went to Los Angeles on xx/xx/2000 when you were told not to go to L.A due to air quality problems. Now your gasoline credit has been cut off for one week." Or, "Sorry, your gasoline credit is cut of for one year, because of the letter to the editor you wrote on xx/xx/2000. Or, the probably the worst, "Sorry, your gasoline credit has been temporarily cut off (reason unknown)"

This scenario may be visualized in other areas of society as well.

So my advice, in fact my request, is PLEASE stop using direct deposit, debit cards, etc.

Al

-- Al K. Lloyd (all@ready.now), September 29, 1999.

Al,

You bring up an interesting point. And as an aside to this, let me tell you what else my mom happened to mention when we talked this am. She recently bought gas where they scanned her check through and-- okay, I wasn't there, I'm not good at describing it, but basically they treated the check as if it was a debit card, and she had to sign a slip just like for a debit or credit card. Her physical check was marked 'cancelled' and all that rot, and handed back to her. She was told the transaction would clear in a couple of days. She didn't like it. I didn't like it. But she likes the station because she doesn't have to walk a far distance or step up and down curbs. I suggested she draw out cash for future gas purchases if she wanted to keep buying there...

Maybe this is old hat in varying places around the country, but it was a new one on me.

-- winter wondering (winterwondering@yahoo.com), September 29, 1999.

WW Whoa! I've NEVER heard of such a thing! Weird.

Are you familiar with the "magnetic strips" in all the US Federal Reserve Notes bigger than $1? I wonder what tricks "they" can do with those?

Jeez, what next?

Al

-- Al K. Lloyd (all@ready.now), September 29, 1999.

Al, Someone said the magnetic stripe thing isn't true.

What next? More of the same...they use PR to make you believe the shared belief, whatever that is. Then they coerce you emotionally to agree with the rest of them.

-- Mara Wayne (MaraWayne@aol.com), September 29, 1999.

Mara, Mara, don't tell me that "someone said it isn't true". Take a look at a bill, fer chrissakes! Hold it up to the light. You'll see a 1/16" wide strip running parallel to the small dimension, bottom to top, about an inch in from the end to the left of the face on the bill (except it's only three quarters of an inch on the funny money twenties. You can pull the damn things out with your fingernails, if you just make a TINY little nick in the edge of the bill (but don't try to spend the bill afterwards in a foreign country; some won't take damaged bills, I found out, and had to carry a couple of twenties for three months, 'till returning to the US of A.

They are in every bill I've seen since at least 1993, except the ones.

See it yet? :)

Al

-- Al K. Lloyd (all@ready.now), September 29, 1999.

There is a thread in the archives with important information about this. Look for it.

-- A (A@AisA.com), September 30, 1999.