Passwords are all around us, making it easier for us to quickly communicate information to those who are looking for it. For example, CB radio codes aren't entirely mysterious—if you're old enough, you might even remember when they were quite popular—and you probably know that hospitals have several color codes for specific emergencies. Many people use passwords in their daily lives, whether it's to keep their children safe or to find a movie on Netflix.
But there are some passwords that are not well known. They fly under the radar, and unless you know what you're looking for, you've probably encountered them and never even noticed. After all, passwords aren't the only domain of spies and criminal gangs - they are used in all walks of life whenever someone needs to communicate without attracting attention or raising alarms. Here are some passwords you may not know.
Dating app disclosures
In a dating profile, people want to share information about themselves, such as their interests, hobbies, and dating goals. Some people also use coded language to subtly communicate various information about themselves - in this case details about their sexual health. According to The Washington Post, people with herpes sometimes use a simple, discrete password on their dating profiles to alert their potential partners: the number 437737, which spells out herpes virus on a cell phone keypad.
disney prank
Anywhere where a large group of people come together to compete for limited resources, bad behavior will ensue—and Disney theme parks are no exception. However, Disney needs to protect its image and has strict rules on how employees can talk and interact with guests. As you might imagine, calling someone an "entitled asshole" goes against those rules, so Disney has a secret code for referring to assholes in their parks: distinguished guests. This code has wonderful "bless your heart" energy.
Disney also has codes for other accidents - a child peeing on a water ride is called a "code pooh," someone vomiting is called a "protein spill," and when people scatter the ashes of loved ones - it's a Common and forbidden practice - it's called "code spilling". with the ominous-sounding phrase "White Powder Alert."
pirate scientist
You might not think of scientists as particularly rebellious people, but they can become rebellious when they think anything is detrimental to the spread of knowledge—such as when corporate-owned scientific journals lock papers behind paywalls. Not only did this spark an open access movement aimed at making the exchange of papers and articles easier, it also prompted many scientists to become low-key pirates who use passwords to do their dirty work.
Well, it’s a “secret” code because when you see it, you might not know what it means: When a researcher or scientist needs access to a paper, they post a link to social media or a forum and add the phrase "I Can Haz PDF", a reference to the old cheeseburger cat meme. When colleagues with access to the paper see it, they immediately email the PDF.
bar assistance
It's a sad fact of modern life that the very places where you're supposed to kick back, unwind, and have a good time - bars and pubs - are often the very places where women feel unsafe. When an aggressive or creepy guy stalks you at a bar, the result can be a bad night or even a dangerous situation.
However, depending on the location of your local bar, you may be able to use the code in these cases: The Angel Shot or Ask for Angela. They're all secret codes that alert bar staff that you need help without forcing you to point out the person who interrupted you (thereby reminding them that you blamed them) or having to explain a tricky situation. Some bars have posted signs in women's restrooms promoting the guidelines, and some have added additional phrases, such as asking for "Angel Shot on the rock" when you need someone to call you an Uber.
Swing ring
Wedding rings are just like anything else: While most people choose a traditional look, some want to stand out and be more unique. If you see someone wearing a black wedding ring, it might just be a style choice. But it could also be a secret code that tells those in the know that they're a swinger—you know, someone who likes to swap sex partners and have group sexual encounters.
Black rings are not only suitable for married people, unmarried swingers can also wear black rings to show their openness to liaison.
bread code
Every time you buy a bag of bread at the grocery store, a very healthy and useful code is right in front of you. The twist ties or plastic clips used to secure the plastic pieces may be one of five colors, which is a code that tells you what day of the week the bread is baked:
sad monday
Green: Tuesday
Red: Thursday
White: Friday
Yellow: Saturday
Bakers usually don't work on Sundays and Wednesdays, so obviously there's no color code for those days. So if you walk into the store on a Friday and see bread with a yellow label or tie, you know they've been a few days old, so you might want to look for something fresher.
IT warning
If computers and gadgets are a mystery to you, you've undoubtedly experienced the utter disdain from IT professionals (or geeky friends or relatives) when they have to do something extremely simple to solve your computer problems. If you need IT help only to have a whiny nerd reboot your laptop and walk away, you haven't lived at all.
Well, you should know that IT professionals have a whole list of passwords they can recommend to you without triggering you:
ID 10-T error. It sounds technical, but they actually call you an "ID10T."
PEBKAC/Picnic. If your friendly IT professional is talking about your ticket and mentions PICNIC or PEBKAC, they are letting their colleagues know that the problem is with you . PEBKAC = there is a problem between the keyboard and the chair, PICNIC = the problem is with the chair and not the computer.
Code 18. Another technical-sounding phrase suggests the problem is about 18 inches from the computer monitor (pssst, they're talking about you ).
Equal Employment Opportunity. This indicates that the equipment exceeds the operator's capabilities. That's another way of calling you a moron.
IBM error. You might think this is a reference to some part of the setup that IBM has done. No, it stands for "idiot behind the machine."
Central Park Navigation
If you've ever been to New York City's Central Park, you know that it's huge and vast and doesn't follow the same grid-like layout as Midtown. It's not unusual for native New Yorkers to turn around and become disoriented once they lose sight of the street.
But there's an obvious password that makes it nearly impossible to get lost. Every lamppost in the park has a simple four- or five-digit code. The first two or three digits tell you the nearest intersection, and the last two digits indicate west (odd) or east (even). A lamppost with the number 6104 means you are closest to 61st Street on the East Side.
Dangerous Goods Code
You've probably seen tank trucks with hazmat signs on them, and you probably know that these signs mean there's hazardous material inside the tank. But these placards have all kinds of codes on them that tell you exactly what's in the tanker. These codes are called UN numbers and can be found directly on or next to the hazmat symbol.
There are many more codes that can tell you if you are handling explosives, flammable gases, flammable liquids, radioactive materials, poisons, corrosive materials (such as acids), oxidizers, flammable solids, or other substances. The colors used on hazardous materials labels will also tell you what's on them, for example, a blue label indicates that the substance is flammable when in contact with water.
retail help
As you probably know, hospitals, airports, and other public places often use codes on public address systems to alert police or employees without alerting the public. But retail stores and shopping malls do it too, and one of the most common is using the name Nora, which is actually the abbreviation NORA, which stands for "Officer Needed Immediately." If an employee gets into trouble with a violent or disruptive person, or if they want to spread the word that someone is shoplifting without reaching out to help, they can discreetly ask someone to call the police without escalating the situation.
escort code
It's no surprise that escorts and sex workers can be found on a variety of dating apps, after all, many of these apps are pretty much marketed as hookup apps. But of course, no sex worker would simply say that on their profile and list a price list. Instead, some people apparently use the code "rose" or "bring a rose." Roses are in US dollars (the exchange rate is 1:1), so when someone instructs you to bring a rose, they are saying that you should be prepared to pay for it on your date. If they list a specific number of roses, they are actually giving you their price list.
