Y'know, all of this is an excellent argument for living in a much simpler place, like Trinidad, Guiana, or some such place, with a warm climate and people in the country living the old style village life, and actually growing a lot of their own food, and helping each other out. Things like debit cards, credit cards, and all the other regulated stuff are FAR less vital in such a society, and you can get by entirely without them, and no one can keep track of who you are or where you are because the electronic means to do it simply isn't there.

I am keeping this well in mind.

Interestingly enough, WalMart gives me the creeps, and I have never ever bought one single thing from them. I went to look at the store twice, and that was it. I avoid that place.

I received a letter today from my Canadian bank advising that in order to keep track of "money laundering", FINTRAC, a government agency, now requires that the Bank report all cash transactions on behalf of a single customer that aggregate to C$10,000 equivalent or greater within a 24 hour period. FINTRAC means the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada.

It's brand new legislation effective January 31st, 2003. The public was not consulted beforehand, naturally, but they are being so informed after the fact.

It's well known already that there is not nearly enough actual cash in the sytem to match the supposed deposits in people's accounts (probably not even 5% of it). If there should be a panic for cash, the banks will all have to shut their doors and freeze deposits. If that happens and you are in debt, you're screwed. Most people ARE in debt, as that is the norm in this society. I hope you are not.

All cross border transfers of C$10,000 or more will now be monitored as well. That amounts to about US$6,600 a day. That's effective Mar 31/03.

People are very vulnerable in western society, because they do not live a real "community" life (as I experienced recently in the Ashram in Trinidad), but are on their own, protected only by their money, their credit card, and their debit card. The system can simply shut them down overnight if it wants to and render them helpless. They don't have cows, chickens, vegetable gardens, or any way of surviving without money.

People are far less vulnerable in a traditional simple village lifestyle in a warm climate with an extended family around them, as is the case in the rural areas of the 3rd World, unless, of course, the big fat machine decides to turn their country into a bombing range or start a civil war there.

If the banks close their doors, you won't be able to get into your safety deposit box either. Keep it in mind.

- LH