Ask MetaFilter posts tagged with id

What is the procedure for getting a 'certified copy' of my passport for the bank?

Anonymous — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 07:53:56 -0800

What is the procedure for getting a 'certified copy' of my passport for proof of identity for the bank? In the midst of a worldwide financial meltdown, I decided that this would be a good time to invest in the stock market!

Having applied to open a Stocks & Shares ISA (I'm in the UK) with Legal & General, they've asked me for a couple of forms of identification, including my passport - this can be a 'certified copy', i.e. a copy which has been confirmed by a trusted authority as being valid.

They sent a list of officials who are able to certify the copy:
- UK lawyer
- Bank official
- Authorised financial intermediary
- Mortgage broker
- Accountant
- Commisioner of oaths
- Councillor: Local or County
- Justice of the Peace, Magistrate, or Judge
- Commisioner Officer of the Armed Services (Active)
- Police officer

My problem is: I have no idea how to actually go about getting one of these officials to certify my copy. I don't have a lawyer, or an accountant, or any other kind of financial adviser... and I don't feel like I can just flounce into a bank/police station/whatever and ask them to check my identification.

I've dealt with Legal & General entirely online so far, and if they have public-accessible branches I haven't been able to find out about them so far, so it doesn't seem like I can just bring the original passport in, and I'm not willing to send it in the mail.

So what do I do? What's the procedure?

Another movie ID question: Modernized Woman in White?

phoenixy — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 07:34:33 -0800

Movie ID help: old film, a woman in white, escaped mental patient, is hitchhiking.... One day in film studies class back in college the professor showed us a clip from an old movie to illustrate continuity errors. I didn't think much of it but then a year later I read The Woman in White and was struck the similarity between the movie scene and a scene from the book. What is this movie?

The movie, I am pretty sure, is old, black and white. I think the clip is from the very beginning of the film. A guy is driving down the highway and nearly hits a woman in a white nightgown who is standing in the middle of the road trying to flag down his car. He stops and gves her a ride. They get to a tollboth or some kind of police stop, and the officer says that they are looking for a woman who has recently escaped from a mental institution and if this guy has possibly seen her. The guy says the woman who he is giving the ride to is his wife, and no he hasn't seen anyone by that description. The cop lets him go and he starts to drive away. When he turns to the woman to ask her about it, she's gone.

Song ID: 2 am emergency call

whatzit — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 15:20:45 -0800

Another Song ID: I want to be your 2 am emergency phone call Something poppy and sung by a girl, heard last year in Japan (but I'm confident it wasn't a sung-in-English-by-Japanese-group). Had a lot of the same snappy/catchiness as "Potential Break-up Song." The lyrics I remember aren't getting me anywhere, maybe because the words are so common, or I got the hour wrong. Please help me to find it or put it out of my memory for good!

ID this surfboard?

MaudB — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 12:26:44 -0800

I'm looking for the provenance of this old, mid-size ("fun shape") Gordon & Smith surfboard. I bought this used G&S board a while back and have gotten so many compliments on it that I want to learn more about it. One guy who saw it recently said, "I think that's a Skip Frye!" I had to look up who that was.
I want to know what year it was made and anything else about its birth, relatives, etc. I've emailed the company twice but haven't gotten any answer from them.

What's The Story?

sagwalla — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 07:06:55 -0800

Arabic Script ID / Translate: I have two painted pages from what appear to be old Arabic script books (though I am not sure the language). I bought these in Syria in 1992. Can anyone help ID the story from the images, and help with translation of the text? One picture would just appear to have an artist's name, while the other looks to be part of a story. I don't think the two are necessarily from the same book. What isn't clear to me is whether the images were just painted on old pages, or if the story might be related to the image.

ID this teenage wasteland movie...

robotdog — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 13:35:13 -0800

ID this movie? 70s or early 80s. drama about teenagers becoming rebellious... i think it was a story about falling in with the wrong crowd and running wild and then that wildness getting out of control... lots of conflict between teens and parents... i can only remember a few things: -- a group of teenage characters spend the night in a half-constructed house and have sex in sleeping bags. one of them loses their virginity that night, i think. -- at the end of the movie, the kids have either locked their parents in the school (maybe at a PTA mtg?) or the kids hav been locked in the school... can't remember which... i just remember someone trying to get out and realizing the doors are chained shut... and the cops come and there is a mini-riot. that's all i remember... any ideas?

Help me get my little brother back!

mhz — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 15:49:01 -0800

What's the best way to get my little brother (16) home (NYC) this weekend, from Street, MD? My brother is in summer camp in Street, MD. I need to get him home by Thursday afternoon, and he'll leave again Sunday morning. The closest and seemingly best option I've found is a Megabus leaving from the Park n Ride at White Marsh, MD.

So assuming that is the best option:

-I've narrowed down the White Marsh Park n Ride (at the White Marsh mall) on Google Maps, but is there an address I can give him, so he can be driven by an inexperienced counselor who is unfamiliar with the area? On the same note, are there signs etc. nearby that will help the counselor find the area?

-About Megabus:

--Are there prices likely to rise in the next couple of days while I figure al of this out? Currently they're at $18 on the 7/31 (MD-NY) leg, and $17 for the 8/3 (NY-MD) leg.
--Is the code really all he'll need? No ID, no credit card? I ask only because of Greyhound wanting to fleece me $15 EACH WAY for booking a ticket for a kid without his own card.
--Will a (pretty street-smart) 16 y/o kid have a problem? It's a direct bus, but is there anything I should have him look out for?

And of course, if there are any options better than this Megabus, what are they?

Thanks!!

Replacing (quickly) lost California ID?

Pontius Pilate — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 14:10:18 -0800

Replacing (quickly) lost California ID? Resolving-friend's-freakout-filter: a friend of mine is currently in New York and will be there for another 2-3 weeks before going back to California. He just lost his California ID, which is the only form of identification he has. He does not have his passport (long story), so that's not an option. I am in California now, so I can send him whatever documents he may need (birth certificate?).

Google says that he needs to fill out Form DL 44 to replace his ID, but the catch is that he cannot do it online. The web site also doesn't say whether it is something that he'll need to appear in person for, or if it can be completed and mailed from another state.

What can he do to get a new replacement ID in time to return back to California? Bonus points if there is a way to get an actual photo ID rather than a temporary one.

I can('t) name that tune in 9 seconds!

shakobe — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 22:40:50 -0800

I heard this snippet of a song between scenes of a recent tv show. I really like the song, but I can't figure out the artist. I have tried googling the lyrics and I've looked at various "songs on tv shows" sites, as well as forums for the show ("Unhitched" episode 1).

I figured if anyone can solve it--metafilter can! :)

Link to mystery song clip

Traveling tommorow and have lost my photo id. What to do?

jeremias — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 15:45:43 -0800

I have likely lost my drivers license and am traveling tomorrow morning. I'm with the family and am planning on contacting the airline and arriving early. But need some advice on what else to do to make sure I make it home. I have all my other id (credit cards, etc., although the only photo id I have is for a Costco card. Unfortunately, no other "govt. issued" id.). It's likely that my license was put into another bag and is thousands of miles away, so I'm not filing a police report which some online articles have suggested.

I'm flying on American from California to Boston and there's a transfer in Dallas (it's possible I will have to go through security here again, as we did this on the beginning trip).

Besides showing up early and being real nice, any advice on how to manage this?

Who's the woman speaking on NWA's "Gangsta Gangsta"?

redteam — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 19:50:00 -0800

Who is the woman sampled speaking on NWA's "Gangsta Gangsta"? She says "hopin' you sophisticated motherfuckers here what I have to say", "he'll fuck up you and yours - and anything that gets in his way", and "he'll just call you a lowlife motherfucker and talk about your funky ways." I've checked http://www.the-breaks.com/ and the samples section on "Straight Outta Compton's" Wikipedia page.

I remember at Lollapalooza '93 in Los Angeles, the sound guys played the source of those samples in between bands. It was like a series of speeches by a woman. I'd really like to hear it in its entirety but I've never been able to find it.

Le song is driving me Le bonkers

stavx — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 16:48:47 -0800

Song I.D. filter for the song at the end credits of french film The Grocer's Son Music for the film is credited to Christophe Boutin, but they are the few instrumental pieces featured throughout the movie.
The song playing at the end was english language.
My best guess is something in the vein of My Morning Jacket or Ray Lamontagne.
I've googled the hell out of this, but alas a lot of the sites that have reviews are french. I even tried amazon france but they only feature the upcoming DVD release. Looking for any help all on this, I was all ready to buy the soundtrack just for the one song but the lack of info is c-blocking me from getting rid of $15 to buy it.

Awesome online dogtag recommendation?

Ufez Jones — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 10:01:01 -0800

Recommendation for a tried and true online dog ID tag merchant? So I've recently moved and need to update Coya's ID tag. There's precious little chance that she'll get out, but the peace of mind is worth the money to me.

However, she wears a total of 4 tags on her collar: ID tag, rabies vaccination, city license, and the rubbery microchip tag. Ideally, what I'd like is a thin stainless steel tag that has relatively deep engraving. I ordered a tag for her with our previous address on it and after a little bit of wear and tear, it became obvious that the engraving was a bit too shallow and had kind of worn away, making it difficult to read what was on there.

I prefer to have 5 lines available for customization (her name, my name, my phone number, street address, city-state-zip), although 4 is acceptable.

Does anyone have a remarkably badass recommendation?

Ipecac?

spork — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 10:03:34 -0800

Are these berries edible? The bush/tree has bark and is about 10 or 15 feet tall. The berries are blue with purple juice, have no pit and are sweet. Yeah, I tasted them. Will I die?

My photo is an homage to High Times' reader submission pics.

How can a bartender verify a Military ID?

SeanMac — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 22:53:07 -0800

Where can I find a good 1-sheet FAQ for verifying various types of US Military ID, for use in a bar or restaurant? My significant other is a bartender, and they have a 'no-military-ID policy' where she works, in the U.S., simply because they don't know what to look for to verify a US Military ID (active duty, dependent, or otherwise).

Can anyone help with a good 1-pager for this? I'm active duty myself, and I've seen a good poster they have at the gates at base here in Korea, but I can't find it online at all. Thanks for your help!

What is this song with the sample from "39 Steps"?

churl — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 01:48:20 -0800

I would love to know what song this is. [Direct Link to 4.7 MB mp3] [Caution at work, song gets louder] Google tells me that the words of the lyrics/voiceover narration are from the opening of 39 Steps, but I don't know which version (if any). It doesn't sound exactly like the Hitchcock version, but that's the only version I could find to watch online and compare it against.

It came to me on an unlabeled mix CD from a friend. However, by the time I listened to and asked him to identify this song, he had forgotten it. Pressed, he thought that the song might be called "Oregon Grinder" -- he definitely specified "Oregon" and not "Organ" -- and the band called "Fear of Little Men".

However, the only "Oregon Grinder" I could find was by Hank Jones (obviously wrong), and I listened through both albums by Fear of Little Men and it did not appear on either of them.

He gave me the CD about two years ago, so the song must be pre-2006. That is everything I know.

Can I start using my new name now?

hazelshade — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 04:57:07 -0800

I want to start using a new last name, but it's likely going to be several months before I can officially change it. What problems could come up if I start using my new name now? I'm planning on changing my name when I become a U.S. citizen, but due to the DHS application backlog it could be several months before I'm able to change my name officially through that process. I don't want to change my name through other legal means while I'm waiting for my application to process for fear of anything getting screwed up.

But I want to start using my new last name now, professionally and personally.

As long as I use my old last name to book any plane tickets and make any purchases requiring ID, would I run into any problems if I begin using my new last name now -- before it's officially my new name?

I can't really think of any huge problems that would come up if I did this, but I'm worried I'm not thinking of something.

Basically, I'm asking the reverse of this question.

Thanks!

What's this song I vaguely remember?

flatluigi — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 23:49:36 -0800

Can you help me identify this song? Whenever I listen to Message In A Bottle by The Police, the intro strongly reminds me of another song that I remember hearing in the past. Unfortunately, I can't remember any of the lyrics except for a single piece. It's a female vocalist, perhaps sounding like Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders singing "oh my-my, oh my-my, Oh My-Myyy." I want to say that what immediately follows sounds like "myst'ry dreamer," but I might be wrong.

I'm probably being too vague about this to get any leads, but any help in identification would be strongly welcomed.

What sci-fi book is this?

flatluigi — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 22:37:14 -0800

I remember reading this sci-fi book a long while ago, but I can't remember anything easily googleable. Can anyone help identify it? I don't remember any of the character names, but I do remember some shadows of the plot. The main character, a big blue ox-like alien (with backstory parallels to the Paul Bunyan tales, yes) comes to this city, gathers friends which each represent the sleeping 'services' of the city, and reawakens the ancient services.

I remember that the blue ox's friend and the ancient inhabitants of the city were amorphous aliens called "toolies," perhaps. They used anything as 'bones' to provide structure to their bodies to move around. A female toolie who put on an elaborate human outfit to interact with humans at her job (as people were racist against toolies) was also a character. She had a part-time job as an archaeologist.

Other characters in the motley group were a long, worm-like taxi driver, a bouncing dog? that could shape-change, and a drug addict who somehow was transformed into a waste-disposer.

I also remember a chapter that was written especially to include as many sci-fi cliches as possible, including a story that looped around, a crazy hotel and its nonchalant manager, and a woman who wants to personally repopulate the world.

Anyway, I thought it was an interesting story and it's stuck with me. I'd love to read it again, if I could only find it.

Italo / Disco song identification needed!

apetpsychic — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 19:49:48 -0800

Italo / Disco song identification needed! Anyone know who performs the song in THIS video? It sounds like some sort of Italo jam, but I can't be certain. It sounds really familiar, but so many of these artists only have one or two songs...

Thanks!

-Enter your zip code please -Across the street from you

gauchodaspampas — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 10:52:49 -0800

Why was I asked for my zip code when I payed at the pump? ID verification? Any idea why I was asked by the credit card machine at the pump for my zip code the last time I tried to pay with a credit card at the pump? This was at a BP. I payed with a visa. Rather not say the issuing bank, but it's a big one. Are gas stations starting to do this to verify identity since most gas purchases are over $25, which is the limit for purchases without a signature in most other cases?

That is my first guess, because when asked for my zip, I was pretty annoyed, because I thought it was for the station to collect demographic data. So I fed it a false one. Then it told me to see attendant, so either that data went to my bank for verification, and was turned down, the zip I gave it doesn't exists, so the station made me come inside, or the station doesn't want to let people who live far away (the zip I gave it would be from far away) pay at the pump, in case it's a scam. And then I realized that I had just given them my credit card number, so I was probably being ridiculous anyway. But if the station can easily see that information (i.e. if it's for demographics), well, I don't want them to. If it's just going to my bank to verify the card I'm using isn't stolen, I'm all for it.

I called my issuing bank and checked my latest purchases to make sure it wasn't because there was any "suspicious activity" on my account or anything. There wasn't.

Anyhow, the only 3 reasons I can think of are: 1) suspicious activity on my account, so extra verification required - ruled out, 2) Gas stations starting to do this as ID verification, and/or credit card companies asking that they do this, in which case I'm fine with it. They already have my credit card information. Not telling them anything they don't know. 3) Gas station collecting demographic information, which I'd prefer they not do.

So anyone know why? Have you had the same happen for the first time recently?

state ID without proof of address?

sparrows — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 12:36:18 -0800

Is it true that when I get a NY state non-driver ID card, they won't ask me to prove my street address? According to the DMV's list, my passport plus my social security card are enough to get me a state ID. Neither of those two things shows a street address (and I have no proof of my address, and I've never had a driver's license or non-driver ID). Does this mean I could just write my address (or for that matter, any NY state address!) on the form at the DMV?

Caller id woes: no ones knows it's me

jdl — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 08:18:43 -0800

I have terrible cell reception in my house so I have been forwarding my cell calls to my home phone when I'm at home. This has worked great. There's a problem though. I'd really like to continue to make calls FROM my cell number. Is this possible (and legal)? I've seen ads for spoof calling cards, but that seems sketchy to me.

I have Vonage at home, which is another added problem because even if I choose to use it, it doesn't show my name. The whole point is that I want people to know that it is me calling and that typically means that I'm calling from my cell. I'd like that to be my main point of contact.

Am I out of luck or is this possible?

Can I get into America with this ID?

ITheCosmos — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 09:30:49 -0800

Can I, a Canadian citizen, get through the American border, by car, with the following pieces of ID: - Canadian birth certificate
- recently expired Candian passport
- expired Ontario driver's license
- Ontario health card.

I'm in the process of getting a new passport, hence the sketchy ID situation. I've poked around the American customs website to no avail, so I'd like to hear about others' experiences. I know that birth certificate + photo ID works: would a health card, which I know isn't enough to get you across by itself, work? Thanks!

Free valve replacement with every inspection

SemiSophos — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 12:21:47 -0800

What is this tiny valve, and what was it doing in my suitcase? Relevant information:
I just flew from MSP to ATL, and I found this in my checked luggage, which the TSA had opened.

I'm a scuba diver, but don't readily recognize this from anything of mine. Furthermore, I don't recall transporting gear in this bag.

So, what's this guy from, and how'd he hitch a ride in my bag?