GeZi World - my universe and thoughts I have about it

 

 Hail Paypal12 comments
14 Mar 2006 @ 08:24, by Ge Zi

I got an e-mail from Paypal a while ago asking me to click here to log in because if I would not agree to the new conditions then my account would be in some kind of trouble.

Did not react to that because it was obviously a phishing attempt. But today I got another e-mail that now told me that I had only eight days to state my agreement - or else...

It was a bit strange. I looked at the source of the e-mail to see where the link actually would go to, I was sure it was not paypal - but it was. There was not hidden stuff whatsoever in that e-mail that would give it away as a phishing attempt.

So, I got even more curious and logged into paypal - not not from the link - I typed paypal into the browser. It was not quite obvious that I really had to agree to something new (mostly restricting me more) before I could continue using that account, but I finally found something that looked like new conditions for the contract - If you don't like it, leave!

Diligent as I am I read the damn thing - at least they were nice enough to tell me what was new, so I did not have to read the whole thing. But that bit I read was bad enough. Here a little taste:

FIREARMS
You may not use PayPal in the purchase or sale of any firearm. This includes all rifles, shotguns, and handguns, whether for use in sporting, as collectibles, or curio and relic (C&R) firearms, and regardless of their present working order. Furthermore, PayPal defines "firearm" consistent with the U.S. Code and, as such, prohibits frames, receivers, or any other serialized firearm components. For more information, please refer to U.S. Code Title 18, Section 921

What is that?! This is only one example, it goes on and on with what they don't allow to be paid through their service. And I thought they were a payment processor - not the gestapo?

That got me wondering - again. Why do some people and most companies have to be holier than thou. It's not that these people/entities follow the law, they follow what they are told by some pencil-pushers the law is. Obviously if somebody had an IQ above the middle two-digit range, he would not be a pencil pusher, would be able to read - and comprehend, and then see that it might not be quite right what his boss-pencil-pusher had communicated to him. Who might sit at the top of the pyramid of pencil pusher - a super pencil-pusher or the evil genius?

So, what makes us submit to someone we deeply loathe? Without all those levels of minions, what would that pencil pusher - or evil genius - do? - - - - NOTHING!

But now let's think about it - the world IS as we SEE it. Now - we just have to see it differently, right?

No, not right!

I! have to see it differently.



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12 comments

14 Mar 2006 @ 19:27 by Ed Dawson @66.245.205.35 : monopoly power
One comment: Paypal would likely be a lot less restrictive if there were any viable alternatives to using its sort of services. Like Ebay, they operate effectively as a monopoly in their sphere of activity. Or if there are any viable alternatives to Paypal, I have not heard of them...

cheers
Ed  

14 Mar 2006 @ 20:47 by Ge Zi @24.126.93.187 : alternative
yeah, an alternative would be good, and the one that might be on the horizon is - - - google?
I mean they got lots of bad press for their support of censorship in China, but on the other hand they stand up to the Feds withholding search data - which is a good sign - maybe, just maybe - there is somebody there who heard something about that thing called - - - constitution?
Would be nice to get somebody of the bigger players to see the signs of the times that change is in the air.
One of them seems to be Aaron Russo with his new film America: From Freedom to Fascism. - heard many good things about it.  

14 Mar 2006 @ 21:20 by vibrani : Another view
You don't have to use Paypal at all. It's a service, a private company, and can do whatever it likes as long as it's not breaking the law. They're not breaking the law by refusing to be a middleman for the sales of weapons. You still have your right to own a gun and I'm sure there are plenty of places besides Paypal where you can do so. If you had your own company, let's say, would you want your profits going to something that went against your morals, values, beliefs? Don't you choose, to the best of your ability, where you want your money to go and with whom you do business?  

14 Mar 2006 @ 21:32 by ming : Paypal
Damn, I was just going to order another M60 tank and pay by PayPal. Now I have to send a check.  

15 Mar 2006 @ 00:00 by Ed Dawson @66.245.206.193 : to Vibrani
I agree that Paypal is a private service and can do as they please. I lament the apparent lack of any alternative...
(sigh)
Ed  

15 Mar 2006 @ 00:22 by vibrani : Oh well
it's time there are more alternatives, agreed. There is still cash and checks, money orders perhaps.  

15 Mar 2006 @ 07:28 by Ge Zi @24.126.93.187 : escrow
Hold on Flemming, you should use an escrow service! Send your check to gezi escrow services - they are the best.  

15 Mar 2006 @ 07:32 by Ge Zi @24.126.93.187 : public use private space
Vibrani, generally I would agree with you - that everybody should be able to do with his property however he deems fit. But with public companies it's legally a bit differently handled, generally. There is the concept of public use private property, like when you go to target - they can't just say we don't like asians, so stay out. Once you choose to make your property public use you are not the god any more to make your own laws - and that might be reasonable.  

15 Mar 2006 @ 07:37 by vibrani : I don't think so
E-Bay stopped selling Nazi memoriabilia due to pressure from the public, in order NOT to make a profit off of the horrors of the Nazis. I haven't checked lately, but I think they're still not selling that stuff. I don't think Paypal is discriminating against a race, religion, gender, and so on. They might be edging the line with the right to bear arms, BUT they are not saying you can't have or buy guns. Just not from them. The Constitution doesn't say a company HAS to sell guns.  

16 Mar 2006 @ 19:47 by mx @84.138.222.27 : me NOT!
Dude,
I was logging in into my paypal account and it didn´t say anything like that for me... is that just you that has to do sign this new one? Sure it´s no phishing zing?

mx  

17 Mar 2006 @ 08:06 by Ge Zi @24.126.93.187 : ne not anymore
I really don't know - I mean I did not log into paypal through the link in the email - obviously, but diretly from the browser. I had to look for the link with the new agreement, and when I got into paypal the next time that link was gone. also my premium (business) account did not have the link in there.
But the stranges of all is that paypal does not answer to my inquiry.  

17 Mar 2006 @ 13:53 by jmarc : alternative
E_GOLD also e platinum... e silver...e palladium.  

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