This is a bit advanced for many here but some day you will be on your regional board and see an “In Search Of” (ISO) post by a fellow hobbyist. We ALL want to help each other by sharing info and that is what TER is all about. Unfortunately even the enemy(LE) has access to these boards and they use our altruism against both the providers and us alike. Below are THREE simple steps in protecting our favorite ladies from LE espionage while aiding your brethren in their quest.
1. Always look for the review history in parentheses to the right of the ISO posters name as a preliminary screening method. IE: ( AtoZ261 has 12 reviews )
If the poster has NO reviews then it is best err on the side of caution and offer no assistance.
2. If they have some reviews PM them with “cursory” info to share.(DON'T openly post it to the board for lurking LE to see)
3. Don't provide much more than the name and link of the lady you're referring in the PM. Let the provider give him the more specific info after she has screened him to her personal satisfaction.
Am I being overly cautious, protective, paranoid?; perhaps; then again how would you feel if you were to learn you sent a vice cop to a favorite providers door by your good intentioned exuberance.
The life you save could be your ATF's
-- Modified on 2/3/2006 9:35:43 PM
Good advice; but, why use an alias?
The above poster, while an alias, is a recognized name here. Don't think he's looking to hide.
"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure"
I'd pay more attention to his message than the splitting of hairs.
I am always amazed at the type of damaging and uneeded information that get put into posts and reviews. Your suggestions are wise.
How, exactly, are ISO posts going to help LE when they can look through all the reviews?
If they want a target, there's even a nice "search" function to find ones in their area, and doesn't require convincing hobbiests to help them.
Which can be a stretch if they have no other supporting evidence. My issue is when hobbyits give too much information in posts to inquiries. I pound fist to head when I see ladies and hobbyists naming locations in posts.
Quite often in a members enthusiasm to be helpful to both his ISO brother AND his favorite lady(s) he may possibly offer the poster his name or handle as a reference. The ISO poster mentions this to the provider and she assumes he is safe and neglects certain screening safeguards that she otherwise would have used to protect herself.
During WWII there was a common advisory that “Loose lips sink ships” meaning that even the most innocuous comment to a friend or acquaintance could have a tiny bit of info contained that could be used too horrible consequences. In a microcosm we are in the same situation.
-- Modified on 2/6/2006 9:48:31 PM
Well, the TER handle is stamped on every review. So responding to an ISO post with it isn't going to give LE any additional information.
Also, you'd have to be quite foolish to act as a reference to someone you never met. You're putting the lady at an enormous risk and being exceptionally stupid. Perhaps providing this moronic reference is what you should be blasting, but a response to an ISO request isn't going to reveal any new information to LE. (assuming the responder isn't exceptionally dumb, like providing a home address).
