> With this type of
> data aggregation, the government may not only know when you traveled
> and
> where, they may also know all of the items (i.e. books) that you
> purchased
> on your credit card and what items you bought at the grocery store,
> via your
> loyalty card.
The first thing every progressive person who is concerned about gov't snoopers should do (and I mean today) is cancel all her or his credit cards, or at least use them only for the most innocuous purchases, and ones which absolutely require the cards. Besides being advantageous for security reasons, it also tends to improve one's finances. (And if you live in a part of the country using EZ-Pass, don't use it either.)
As for the gov't getting customers' records from the airlines, it might not be doing it today, but it could demand them from the airlines at any time, and they would no doubt comply immediately. As I have said before, the day is probably coming soon, one way or another, when it will be difficult or impossible for lefties (and probably anyone with an Arabic name) to fly. Sorry, but that's the way the world is going.
Jon Johanning // jjohanning at igc.org __________________________________ Had I been present at the Creation, I would have given some useful hints for the better ordering of the universe. -- Attr. to Alfonso the Wise, King of Castile