i suppose you can mail a money order or cash.

reaslitically you are on the net. if anyone REALLY wants to track you down <.gov> they already know who you are.

Quoted: It is a valid concern. The FBI got my home information from the owners here (I was a paying member at the time) because they wanted to ask about a photo from a Michigan pit shoot that I posted here.

Are you serious?

Quoted: It is a valid concern. The FBI got my home information from the owners here (I was a paying member at the time) because they wanted to ask about a photo from a Michigan pit shoot that I posted here.

i am hoping that was done by a warrant and not just hey can we have this guys info?

i am checking with staff guys. i wouldn't start freaking out just yet. Big ed and the boys are usually pretty concerned about such things.

Quoted: i am checking with staff guys. i wouldn't start freaking out just yet. Big ed and the boys are usually pretty concerned about such things.

I remember it.  The fact is, the site doesn't have home addresses to give out.  The site has IP's--that's it.  I am not involved in it, but I'm quite certain GoatBoy does NOT keep any information from payments--PayPals are processed, checks are cashed, etc.  He only needs to properly credit people's site account--and has NO reason to keep real life information.  If a subpoena is received, it must be honored with whatever information he has--and that means IP numbers.  Those who have asked for someone else's IP knows we do NOT give them out.  I was asked last week--I declined, despite him having a "good" reason for needing/wanting it.  Perhaps the guy will notice this post and confirm it--but I won't even reveal his screen name.   Once a law enforcement agency has your IP, they can obtain your personal information from your ISP (I would hope with a warrant or subpoena, but I'm not knowledgeable about such things).  

If the FBI did obtain the information needed to contact someone and a terrorist or gun thief were apprehended I, for one, would be thrilled (though I am not aware of that happening, including the reference above--I don't know what it was about, or what the end result was).  There is no reason for LEO's to seek someone just for kicks.  Perhaps the archive server would shed light on any further details--I recall a long thread, including posts by GoatBoy, IIRC.  

An ongoing PITA for Staff is one EdAvilaSr.  We occasionally need to talk to him on the phone and he always insists on calling us so it's on his dime (you'd have to know how fanatical he is about always paying for everything) and we ALWAYS have to IM our phone number again--even if he called us earlier in the day.  He WILL NOT retain them--for pure tinfoil hat reasons.  If "anything ever happens" (his words) he doesn't want any links to any of us in his possession.  I have a frigging FFL, am politically active, am a life NRA and ISRA member, write letters to the Editor--which require your real name to be posted (they even check to confirm it)--and work in a very public job, so there is nothing he can do to put me more at risk.  I've explained all that to him--and still have to IM my phone number to him every time we talk on the phone.  


ETA:  ANYTHING and everything you post on the internet is "traceable."  There is NO anonymity here from law enforcement.  To think they GAS though is silly--unless you are doing something you KNOW would draw attention and scrutiny.  If you're just a typical schmuck who goes to work Monday through Friday, church on Sunday, shoots on Saturday, and posts here while drinking beer in your underwear, you are in no danger of anything beyond baldness and spare tire syndrome.  Oh, and BRD.  

Quoted: I suddenly really like EdAvilaSr!!!

He's all right for an old War Hero.  

Quoted: Quoted: ETA:  ANYTHING and everything you post on the internet is "traceable."  There is NO anonymity here from law enforcement.   I wouldn't quite say that. THere are ways to cover your tracks. I've done network security for many years. a subpoena will help in the search, but for someone who truly wants to remain anonymous, and takes the necessary steps, tracking them down can be a real bitch.

Okay.  For someone as compoooooter stooooopid as I am, I just don't care.  I am here, I'm not breaking any laws, and if someone wants to waste time on me, bring it on.  I refuse to live in fear and am not going to tilt windmills.  I'm more worried about figuring out how to fix what I screwed up last weekend on my cabin.  I both glued and nailed some boards that have to come out for a slight alteration.  <sigh>

I only recently removed my real name from the "Site Staff" thing above.  I had long noticed I was the only one who had it there.  After another Staffer had his real life name, address, phone number, cell phone number, and other personal information posted by some asshole (former member here who was banned) on another site.  I guess I should be more concerned about that (and having to hunt the bastard down to settle the matter) than worrying about law enforcement.  

Quoted: The best thing that you can do to support the 2nd is to out yourself to the .gov and the public at large.  They need to know that there are millions who are proud to be American, and not afraid to defend her. The tin foil types who refuse to join the NRA etc because they are afraid to get on the "lists" are creating their very own little self fufilling prophecy. It takes a certain level of courage, but less then it took to sighn a certain document, or cross the Delaware a few years back.  Hell it requires less courage than that displayed by M.L King, N. Mendella, or the average marcher of the annual "Gay Pride" parade. "all that is required for evil to prosper, is for good men to do nothing" "if we do not hang together, then surely we shall all hang seperately"   - B. Franklin <apologies for the slight possible misquotes- It's the thought that counts> I know, I know, I'm going to enlist as a paying member soon, so as to limit the charges of hypocricy

VERY excellent post--and very true.  If you do decide to join the Team--thanks and welcome.  Great post either way.  

Quoted: Quoted: and posts here while drinking beer in your underwear, you are in no danger of anything beyond baldness and spare tire syndrome.  Oh, and BRD.   YOU CAN SEE ME?

Yes--smile and wave at the little gold star by your screen name.  hehe  

Quoted: Quoted: Yes--smile and wave at the little gold star by your screen name.  hehe   flymeaway.net/images/finger.gif

You don't have a gold star, now do you?  

You need to look behind you at your smoke detector.  Please smile and wave.  

A subpoena is the only way any information from the site will be released.
As TBK1 stated..unless you members provide us with the information (which we don't ask for and don't need) we only have IP's anyway.
You would be surprised though at the number of people that provide their information willingly in e-mails to accounts@ when they contact us about a problem.
I save e-mails from accounts@ for 2 months incase I need to refer back to them..then I delete them.
Hell I don't even have GB or Ed's phone numbers anymore!

Quoted: Quoted: It is a valid concern. The FBI got my home information from the owners here (I was a paying member at the time) because they wanted to ask about a photo from a Michigan pit shoot that I posted here. WTF? I never heard about this one.

If you read the rest of the thread, it's explained in detail.  Nothing amiss.