TreasuryDirect.gov

I'd noticed on my pay statements that there was now a new way to sign up for US Savings Bonds.  Naturally curious, I took a peek.

It's Treasury Direct and it's where you can buy savings bonds and apparently, judging from the intensely overpopulated home page, a whole bunch of other things.

I started the sign up process which, like many Government signups involves waiting for a code to come in the mail.

I'm in no particular hurry to buy a savings bond, so... is cool, I can wait.

Today, the code arrived.  I was a tad confused at first, as it was a credit card sized piece of plastic with a code grid on it.  Lots of warnings about "Don't lose the card" because I'll need it EACH AND EVERY TIME I log in.  No saving passwords here!

Folks, I looked at this and my first thought was... I'm not wanting to launch the nuclear missiles, for crying out loud... I just thought I'd consider buying a savings bond (I hear-tell the government is in a bit of debt, and could use some funds).

Here's the login process:
Find the login starting spot...  There is NO item saying "Login here" or handy-dandy login button... After some scrutiny, I discovered it.

Enter my Account code... oh yes, this 10-character combination emailed to me a ways back.  Found it.  Glad I didn't delete that!

Enter your password.  The government has also fallen in love with the "Virtual Keyboard".  This little annoyance is so keyloggers won't know your password.  It also slows you down a few seconds.  No matter, I moused my way around.

New screen.  New security procedure...

Enter my serial number for my launch code card.  Got it.

Now, Mr. President, I need you to look up the codes for the following grid squares... it asks for 3.  Success!  I'm in... I'm ready to nuke Moscow or... consider buying a savings bond.

Here's the deal, Mr. and or Ms. Bureaucracy... security is a good thing.  Hey, I'm all for it.  Pretty great concept.  This website is merely one step away from asking for a retinal scan!  If you make something too difficult or annoying, people will not use it.

I'm going to lose my launch codes... I just know it.  So, the next time I get the urge to dabble in savings bonds or other treasury instruments, I'm going to have to wait a couple of weeks for another code-card to be mailed to me.  Or, I can go buy stocks and mutual funds online rather instantly, or should the paranoia kick in too deeply, my mattress is in the next room.  (Here's my security steps for the mattress:  1) I'm not telling you which mattress.  2) There's an alarm on the house.  3) The guns are loaded.  4) I may or may not have a ferocious attack animal.  5) I'm fairly low on the financial totem-pole; really, look for a McMansion and try their mattress!)

So, now that I know that I, too, could read the codes should I ever get chosen to launch nuclear missiles, my dabbling in the wonderful world of US Debt instruments is brought to an end.  Really, it's just not worth the hassle for something that won't fully mature for 30 more years anyway (before the angry emails pour in, yes, I know... there are other options - I'm making a point.)

Hack away, evil-doers!  I'll even give you some hints.  One of the characters of the account code is a "6".  And one of the grid squares is a T.