StudioGlyphic

I’m tired of these fuckers obstructing my view.

There’s a petition out at Do Not Mail: The Petition that’s intended to convince Congressional leaders of the need for a Do Not Mail Registry that provides a single place from which you can basically unsubscribe from all the crap that ends up in your mailbox. Sounds good to me.

But if you want to take immediate action on the junk mail, try the tips listed here:

Privacy Rights Clearinghouse: Reducing Junk Mail

It’s pretty comprehensive, and includes all the following sources of junk mail:

1. Mailing lists of major national marketers
2. Flyers and advertising supplements
3. Catalog, mail order lists and magazines
4. Pre-approved offers of credit
5. Phone books and reverse directories
6. U.S. Postal Service and change of address data file
7. Charities and nonprofits
8. Sweepstakes and prizes
9. Product registration cards and consumer surveys
10. Supermarket loyalty cards
11. Public records
12. Data compilers and mailing list companies

Even if you’re not particularly keen on going through the hassle of saving paper, fuel, and energy, you should definitely deal with the credit bureaus and your own financial institutions. Those pre-approved offers and balance transfer checks are easy targets for identity theft and can screw up your credit faster than you can fix it. For the credit bureaus, go to https://www.optoutprescreen.com/ to opt out. For your credit card and checking accounts, call the number on the back of your credit/ATM card and tell them to remove you from all mailing and phone lists and not share any information with anyone else permanently.

Kiva’s a non-profit that tries to match people with money with people who need money, typically entrepreneurs in developing countries who need a small loan to buy raw materials or equipment for their business. The default rate on these loans is extremely low since local micro-lending institutions or organizations typically perform a lot of due dilligence into the applicant.

Anyway, I loaned out a few dollars and Kiva suggested I sent this email to my friends. I’ll just post it here instead:

Hi!

I just made a loan to someone in the developing world using a revolutionary new website called Kiva.

You can go to Kiva’s website and lend to someone in the developing world who needs a loan for their business - like raising goats, selling vegetables at market or making bricks. Each loan has a picture of the entrepreneur, a description of their business and how they plan to use the loan so you know exactly how your money is being spent - and you get updates letting you know how the entrepreneur is going.

The best part is, when the entrepreneur pays back their loan you get your money back - and Kiva’s loans are managed by microfinance institutions on the ground who have a lot of experience doing this, so you can trust that your money is being handled responsibly.

I just made a loan to an entrepreneur named Lan Thi Nguyen in Viet Nam. They still need another $500.00 to complete their loan request of $825.00 (you can loan as little as $25.00!). Help me get this entrepreneur off the ground by clicking on the link below to make a loan to Lan Thi Nguyen too:

http://www.kiva.org/app.php?page=businesses&action=about&id=49437

It’s finally easy to actually do something about poverty - using Kiva I know exactly who my money is loaned to and what they’re using it for. And most of all, I know that I’m helping them build a
sustainable business that will provide income to feed, clothe, house and educate their family long after my loan is paid back.

Join me in changing the world - one loan at a time.

Thanks!

———————————————————
What others are saying about www.Kiva.org:

‘Revolutionising how donors and lenders in the US are connecting with small entrepreneurs in developing countries.’
– BBC

‘If you’ve got 25 bucks, a PC and a PayPal account, you’ve now got the wherewithal to be an international financier.’
– CNN Money

‘Smaller investors can make loans of as little as $25 to specific individual entrepreneurs through a service launched last fall by Kiva.org.’
– The Wall Street Journal

‘An inexpensive feel-good investment opportunity…All loaned funds go directly to the applicants, and most loans are repaid in full.’
– Entrepreneur Magazine

I also gave money to this woman, almost based on the name alone:

Dorcas Omokaro

“Dorcas Omokaro is 40 years old, married with 5 children. She sells local gin and palm oil. She hails from Edo State, Nigeria and needs a loan $350 to buy more palm oil to sell. She thanks you.”

Maybe with this loan her children can grow up to be booze-slingers instead of Nigerian scammers.

Via Dinosaurs and Robots

Effective July 1, drivers in California will not be allowed to use their mobile phones while driving, unless they have a hands-free device or are using the walkie-talkie feature.

Things to note:

The fine will be $20 for the first offense, and $50 for subsequent offenses. Penalty assessments can be added on, dramatically increasing the fine.

You can be pulled over for driving and talking.

The city of Beverly Hills already has big signs up warning people about the coming date. I can’t wait to see those people pulled off to the side of the road for this; we might even get some cop-slapping video action. More details at the DMV’s website.

We have a few of these “inconvenient” bags for groceries and other uses. I actually find them more convenient than paper or plastic bags because they’re stronger and have greater capacity. The wider handle is also easier on the hands when loaded down with stuff. But the very best thing about the bags is that they help me maintain the holier-than-thou attitude that wins me so many friends.

MySpaceTV: Iron Man Exclusive Trailer HD

Awesome.

Get the details over at the NASA Eclipse Home Page (I’m guessing they haven’t changed that name in 15 years). They have different images and schedules for different time zones.

The best quote: “I thought I’d bought a home in Pleasantville,” says Talbot, who moved from New York last year. “I never imagined in my wildest dreams that stuff like this would happen.”

Charlotte Observer: New suburbs in fast decay

Foreclosures lead to vacancies and crime

Liz Chandler And Ted Mellnik, Posted on Sun, Dec. 09, 2007

A band of new suburban neighborhoods that held promise for thousands of Charlotte families is now struggling with crime, blight and falling home values.

These neighborhoods were hit hard by the wave of foreclosures rattling the nation. Damage is most visible in starter-home subdivisions across northern Charlotte, and in pockets in the east and southwest.

The best of them show subtle signs: Vacant houses. Overgrown weeds. Trash piled at the curb.

The worst of them already resemble decaying urban neighborhoods that keep police and housing inspectors busy — and cost Charlotte millions to repair.
Read the rest of this entry »

F.W. Hunter, Army test pilot, Douglas Aircraft Company plant at Long Beach, Calif. (LOC), originally uploaded by The Library of Congress.

The Library of Congress has this and thousands of other photos on Flickr, featuring a lot of color photos from the WWII era.