TWO STEPS FORWARD, ONE STEP BACK

It seems that every time we develop something to advance our lives, we have to come up with something else to “balance the benefit.” Case in point today is the new “smart card” credit cards that you only need to wave about near a scanner to pay for your purchases. Very handy, but carrying them around can leave you vulnerable to wireless identity theft, according to a California company called Kenakai. Seems ID thieves now have a way to grab your info right off the card while it’s still in your wallet! That’s why the cards are shipped in foil-lined envelopes, they tell us. What to do? Why, buy one of Kenakai’s DataSafe Wallets, which have high-tech shielding material built right into them. Brilliant! Or, you could do like we do and simply refuse the high-tech card from the credit-card company. That is an option, you know. It also makes you wonder if those folks walking around wearing tinfoil on their heads to stop the radio waves aren’t as crazy as you think they are.