Privacy Issues – Department of HHS

   In late June I received a letter addressed to ‘resident’.  Content of said letter said in part: “To better serve all people across the nation, the United States Public Health Service is conducting a national study on health-related issues.  Your address was randomly chosen along with more than 200,000 others.”  The letter went on for two additional paragraphs. Me?  I’m getting madder with each line I read.

   The letter even told me who was gonna show up… one each Eduardo Vazquez from Research Triangle Institute (RTI).  The letter went on to say they would pay $30.00 U.S. if one participated in an interview.  I’m telling you, by now I am livid.

   So, days go by, then a couple weeks, and low and behold on 15 July 2009 A.D. ole Eduardo rings my bell.  I gave him the opportunity to introduce himself and then told him to HIT THE ROAD!  He was taken aback and wanted to know if I’d gotten their letter, and realized I could benefit by participating.  I told him you bet your sweet cheeks I got it; the letter made me mad, the offer of money made me madder – I didn’t need his fricking money and to HIT THE ROAD! 

   As I watched him go to the next door in the block I also knew they were fricking liars.  Random my hinny. 

   Was it legit?  Dunno, don’t care.