You Can PIN This Push on VISA

Personally, I hate personal identification numbers. Why? Because I'm senile. I can't remember them. I also hate them because I feel ridiculous in that crouch-over, hug-the keypad thing I'm supposed to do in the grocery store so that the woman behind me in line who looks like Molly The Soccer mom... but could be the head of a national identify theft ring... won't steal my massive funds on deposit (this week's paycheck which is soon to be half of this week's paycheck after buying this week's food). Since half the time I can't remember to get the Half and Half, how am I supposed to remember every PIN in life?

I'm a sad case. I admit it. On the back of my cell phone I've taped my cell's phone's phone number. Hey, unless you call yourself a lot, why would you know that number? OK, I know. I should wear one of those "My Name Is..." tags on my clothing that says, "If Found, Return to Loftware, York, Me."

It's so bad that the other day I signed up online for a new press release wire distrubution service and as part of that process, for security reasons, they asked me to select a secret question to which only I would know the answer. I selected the "What's your pet's name." After signing up, I got a call from the service and they talked me through the verification process they may use from time to time to make sure it is me asking them to do what I'm asking them to do. They don't want Joey Donuts issuing press releases over their wire service while impersonating me. Frankly, I don't want him doing that either. Anywho... they said from time to time they'd ask me my secret question.

"Whoa," I said. "You're not going to ask me what the question is are you?" Of course they guy had no idea what I was talking about. "If you ask me the question, I'll know the answer," I said... "but if you ask me to remember what the secret question is, forget it."

Long story short, PINS are going away. Here's just one story that validates this assertion:

The credit card giants say they're moving closer to gaining acceptance in the United States for radio frequency identification-enabled "contactless" payment devices that can be waived near a sensor rather than swiped through a card reader. Visa Thursday even introduced a mini version of its device, about half the size of a conventional credit card.

Better yet: Chase-issued Visa credit accounts and Cingular wireless accounts can make contactless payments... using near-frequency communication-enabled Nokia 3220 cell phones. Pilot testers wave the phone within an inch or two of a radio-frequency reader without the need for a PIN or a signature. In the arena setting, merchants feel they can make more money because their workers can spend more time helping customers and less time handling money.

I just have two questions. One, what if that nasty piece of work Molly at the grocery store steals my credit card phone? And two, has anyone seen my pet dog what's his name ariound here?