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Author: PeacenikPeacenik Date: Jul 11, 2008 10:03
I'm an American living overseas. A few weeks ago I was back in the US,
during which time I activated my new credit card over the phone. For ID
purposes, the person asked me for the "last four of my social."
Now I've heard the term "social" before as an abbreviation for "social
security number", so that gave me no problem. The problem I had was with
"the last four" (without the word "digits" following it).
I know full well that giving the last four digits of your social security
number is a common way to confirm identity. But even given this knowledge, I
was thrown for a loop by the lack of a noun after "four". I asked him to
repeat it, and he said exactly the same thing, without elaborating or
clarifying...it was as if he were saying something absolutely normal and
understandable to the average customer. In the past, I'd never heard anyone
in his position drop the word "digits" in this context. So, to verify, I
asked him, "You mean the last four *digits* of my social security number?"
and he said "Yes" without apology, again as if what he had said were normal.
I thought that this was an anomaly. Then I googled the phrase "last four of
* social" and found it to be quite common.
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Author: Derek TurnerDerek Turner Date: Jul 11, 2008 11:37
On Fri, 11 Jul 2008 16:03:49 +0800, Peacenik wrote:
> I'm an American living overseas.
>
> Now I've heard the term "social" before as an abbreviation for "social
> security number",
Forgive me for asking, but is not a 'social security number' in (The
United States of) America a bit like a 'navy' in Zimbabwe? The word
'oxymoron' springs to mind.
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Author: PeacenikPeacenik Date: Jul 11, 2008 11:54
> On Fri, 11 Jul 2008 16:03:49 +0800, Peacenik wrote:
>
>> I'm an American living overseas.
>>
>> Now I've heard the term "social" before as an abbreviation for "social
>> security number",
>
> Forgive me for asking, but is not a 'social security number' in (The
> United States of) America a bit like a 'navy' in Zimbabwe? The word
> 'oxymoron' springs to mind.
Huh? Please elaborate.
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Author: Derek TurnerDerek Turner Date: Jul 11, 2008 13:27
On Fri, 11 Jul 2008 17:54:26 +0800, Peacenik wrote:
>>
>> Forgive me for asking, but is not a 'social security number' in (The
>> United States of) America a bit like a 'navy' in Zimbabwe? The word
>> 'oxymoron' springs to mind.
>
> Huh? Please elaborate.
Hint: Zimbabwe is land-locked.
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Author: Jeffrey TurnerJeffrey Turner Date: Jul 11, 2008 14:14
Derek Turner wrote:
> On Fri, 11 Jul 2008 16:03:49 +0800, Peacenik wrote:
>
>
>>I'm an American living overseas.
>>
>>Now I've heard the term "social" before as an abbreviation for "social
>>security number",
>
>
> Forgive me for asking, but is not a 'social security number' in (The
> United States of) America a bit like a 'navy' in Zimbabwe? The word
> 'oxymoron' springs to mind.
It isn't much of a social safety net, no. When the rich own the
politicians - with the collaboration of the media to brainwash the
people - I guess it's the best we can expect.
Time is money, I'm surprised more "superfluous" words, like "digits,"
haven't disappeared from commercial transactions.
--Jeff
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Author: Donna RichouxDonna Richoux Date: Jul 11, 2008 15:22
Derek Turner cesmail.net> wrote:
> On Fri, 11 Jul 2008 17:54:26 +0800, Peacenik wrote:
>
>>>
>>> Forgive me for asking, but is not a 'social security number' in (The
>>> United States of) America a bit like a 'navy' in Zimbabwe? The word
>>> 'oxymoron' springs to mind.
>>
>> Huh? Please elaborate.
>
> Hint: Zimbabwe is land-locked.
Oh, that was the easiest part to understand (although other land-locked
countries not in this month's news would have been even easier). What is
oxymoronic about combining "number" with "social security"? Does your
government provide pensions without any ID number to track work history?
--
Donna Richoux
An American living in the Netherlands
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Author: Derek TurnerDerek Turner Date: Jul 11, 2008 15:35
On Fri, 11 Jul 2008 15:22:22 +0200, Donna Richoux wrote:
> Derek Turner cesmail.net> wrote:
> >> On Fri, 11 Jul 2008 17:54:26 +0800, Peacenik wrote:
>>
>>
>>>> Forgive me for asking, but is not a 'social security number' in (The
>>>> United States of) America a bit like a 'navy' in Zimbabwe? The word
>>>> 'oxymoron' springs to mind.
>>>
>>> Huh? Please elaborate.
>>
>> Hint: Zimbabwe is land-locked.
>
> Oh, that was the easiest part to understand (although other land-locked
> countries not in this month's news would have been even easier). What is
> oxymoronic about combining "number" with "social security"? Does your
> government provide pensions without any ID number to track work history?
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Author: mbmb Date: Jul 11, 2008 16:14
On Jul 11, 6:35 am, Derek Turner cesmail.net> wrote:> On Fri, 11 Jul 2008 15:22:22 +0200, Donna Richoux wrote:
>> Derek Turner cesmail.net> wrote:>
>>> On Fri, 11 Jul 2008 17:54:26 +0800, Peacenik wrote:
>
>>>>> Forgive me for asking, but is not a 'social security number' in (The
>>>>> United States of) America a bit like a 'navy' in Zimbabwe? The word
>>>>> 'oxymoron' springs to mind.
>
>>>> Huh? Please elaborate.
>
>>> Hint: Zimbabwe is land-locked.
>
>> Oh, that was the easiest part to understand (although other land-locked
>> countries not in this month's news would have been even easier). What is
>> oxymoronic about combining "number" with "social security"? Does your
>> government provide pensions without any ID number to track work history?
>
> Indeed no. Our number gives us access to free health care, unemployment ...
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Author: tony coopertony cooper Date: Jul 11, 2008 16:41
On Fri, 11 Jul 2008 16:03:49 +0800, "Peacenik"
hotmail.com> wrote:
>When did people start dropping the word "digits"? Have I been living
>overseas too long? You'd think that when conducting impotant business over
>the phone, clarity should be paramount.
Many now drop "social". The request is often "What are the last
four?". So *many* answers come to mind, but it is not appropriate to
jest with drones.
--
Tony Cooper - Orlando, Florida
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Author: tony coopertony cooper Date: Jul 11, 2008 16:44
On 11 Jul 2008 11:27:23 GMT, Derek Turner cesmail.net> wrote:
>On Fri, 11 Jul 2008 17:54:26 +0800, Peacenik wrote:
>
>>>
>>> Forgive me for asking, but is not a 'social security number' in (The
>>> United States of) America a bit like a 'navy' in Zimbabwe? The word
>>> 'oxymoron' springs to mind.
>>
>> Huh? Please elaborate.
>
>Hint: Zimbabwe is land-locked.
We got that. It's the other part that is unmeaningful. If your
intent is to make the point that there is no social security in the
Social Security program, the joke falls flat.
--
Tony Cooper - Orlando, Florida
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