In article ,
Peter wrote:

Incidentally, for those so-called "birthers" out there ... both
California and Ohio COLBs are facsimiles of the actual original
document, signed by the attending physician, but printed by
photographic means (Ohio) or xerographic means (California) on special
paper which is virtually impossible to counterfeit. Imbedded silk
threads, multi-color printing (intaglio in CA's case) and
micro-printing. The whole nine-yards. Also a raised seal of the state,
over the signature of the official who issued it ... an MD-MPH in CA's
case.

In a very safe place, I keep a certified copy of my birth certificate,
an SSA-issued SSN card, and every passport (including a current one)
ever issued to me. While it has only recently become necessary to carry
a passport for travel to neighboring countries, I found out the hard way
that it was a good idea even decades ago to have the passport along when
crossing borders.

Returning from a diving trip to Cabo some years back, I carried nothing
with me other a simple photocopy of my birth certificate. I was assured
that was all I needed (and in times past didn't even need that for
automobile border crossings) for the air trip to Baja. Upon return, I
was stopped by immigration at the airport of entry back into the US. I
was told that the photocopy wasn't certified (and hence worthless). They
didn't even want to see my CDL.

The most silly round of questioning I have ever experienced ensued. "Who
is favored to go to the 'series'?" How the hell should I know? I'm not a
sports fan. There were all manner of "pop culture" questions. Who cares?
I endured this nonsense for over two hours. Finally, they abruptly said,
"You can go now."

In recent years, I have thought about the possibility that I was being
f*cked with royally. They could have brought up a copy of my passport at
any time with the information I gave them. The picture was unmistakably
me. My spoken English is unaccented and exhibits a good grasp of the
language. I was with a group containing many members who did have
passports. Someone was having a good time at everyone's expense. As a
result, I have zero respect for our immigration authorities.

So even before the regulations demanded it, I made it a practice to go
nowhere near the border of the US without my current passport in hand. I
never wanted to endure that nonsense ever again.

--
John Higdon
+1 408 ANdrews 6-4400
AT&T-Free At Last