Watching People's Habits

The other day we had one of our credit cards compromised twice.   One success and one unsuccessful.  Both happened at the Walmart in Holly Springs, Georgia, only a couple minutes apart.  First the credit card bought $408 worth and the second time $330 worth, but the last one was denied.

The computerize data system knows about our spending habits more than we do ourselves.  The system probably knows I have never bought anything at that Wallmart in Holly Springs and probably it bought something that is not in my mindset.  I wonder what I could be?  Maxwell House Coffee not on sale?  Name-brand clothing?  clothing for a person half my size?

But what did they buy on the first purchase that did not raise red flags?  I need to find out, it might be something I would have bought if I knew it was available. 

It is a scary feeling knowing those who run the show know more about you than thyself.  There is a book I read in the 1950s or 60s called "HIDDEN PERSUADERS" that tell how the advertising industry has studied us and know our every wants and not-wants.  They know what color to make the box to temp you to buy and what kind of picture to have of their product.  

It is like the book 1984  by George Orwell:   "Big Brother is watching you!"

However, in case of clamping down on whoever was using our credit card, that is a good thing to know when a person spends outside of the character the victim has painted of himself.

I try to remember to take a sip of red wine before going to bed every night.  I heard it is good for you.  Maybe the person bought a bottle of red wine that cost over $6 and the system knew it couldn't be Eddie Hunter!