DHS Official Suggests REAL ID Mission Creep

The Register noticed that a senior US Department of Homeland Security official has floated the idea of requiring citizens to produce federally compliant identification before purchasing some over-the-counter medicines — specifically, pseudophedrine. The federal ID standard spelled out by the REAL ID act has been sold as applying only to air travel and entry to federal buildings and nuclear facilities. A blogger on the Center for Democracy and Technology site said, "[The] suggested mission creep pushes the REAL ID program farther down the slippery slope toward a true national ID card." Speaking of federal buildings, CNet has a state-by-state enumeration of what will happen on May 11, when REAL ID comes into effect, to citizens who attempt to enter, say, the Washington DC visitors bureau.

Dear God

[Dunbal]

Won't someone please think of the meth addicts?

Re:Or just show your passport

[Yetihehe]

I accidentally washed it and I don't know if the RFID chip inside is still functional. Externally it looks brand new.

It's probably still working. Stick it in microwave, you will have certainty.

Re:personal identity number

[oyenstikker]

they know deep inside that's a load of shit.

Their brains might be able to figure out that it is a load of shit, but thinking is so 20th century. Now, we know with our guts. And their guts know that they need to track every movement of your and your money, to protect you from yourself.

Drying RFID chip in passport

[Anonymous Coward]

I've been going through a ton of crap recently trying to find out if my passport is valid. I accidentally washed it and I don't know if the RFID chip inside is still functional. Externally it looks brand new. I didn't want to be traveling and have that be a problem, but a new passport would be more money than I want to spend right now - and I just paid for this one.

A good question. If you'd merely dropped it into a puddle, the RFID chip very likely wouldn't have gotten wet, but since you actually washed it, the RFID chip probably has water on it. It is interior to the passport, so it won't dry out easily. With water shorting out the traces, the chip probably won't work at all, and if it does work, it will reply nonsense data.

Unfortunately, since the RFID chip is so embedded, a hair-dryer won't suffice to dry it out, you need a deeper heating. The most certain method is going to be to use a microwave oven. Wrap the passport in a paper towel, and put it in a microwave; about 1.5 minutes at "high" should do the trick, no problem.

Re:Dear God

[rickb928]

You buy your pep pills at a GAS STATION? Are you INSANE?

Next thing, you'll tell us you bought your Rolex from a guy on the street... And it was a really good deal.

Might as well buy your drugs from Puerto Rico [slashdot.org]

Re:Dear God

[spyrochaete]

I'm with you on that one. The last thing I want is to swipe my federal ID card whenever I need rave drugs. :)

Re:Dear God

[ColdWetDog]

Or the parent could calm down and let the grandparent make a joke without wanting them to research how exactly to make Meth.

That's one of the problems with pseudoephedrine. Can't slow down. Bouncy bouncy. Can't take a joke. No fun at all.

Really kids, just go for the caffeine. Despite years of attempted vilification, modern medical science hasn't found too much wrong with it.

Works for me anyway. The perfect life. Sitting in front of the computer screen, drinking coffee, posting on Slashdot.

Oh, wait...