The FTC has set up a registry to block telemarketing calls. Sign up at DoNotCall.gov. The server might be slammed right now, though. Apparently they’re getting hundreds of registrations every minute. As of 5PM ET, they had 735,000 registrations. You can read more about the Do Not Call Registry at the FTC site.
You can also take steps to stop receiving junk mail at home: Junkbusters provides information and form letters to do this.
Another way to prevent telemarketing calls and junk mail is to send in those opt-out notices that your financial institutions provide. They often allow opt-outs by telephone, too. Credit card offers usually also provide a telephone number to opt-out of credit reporting agency spam lists. One phone call will take you off the lists of Experian, TransUnion, and the rest for two years. They’ll send you a form that you need to return if you want to make this permanent. So annoying, but worth it.
Now if I could only get the ACLU and ActForChange to stop sending me junk mail…
I checked the next lane over and was starting to move over when the SUV that had been in front of me in the far left lane suddenly moved over. I turned my wheel more aggressively and continued to change lanes. The space between our cars was probably no more than ten inches–I wouldn’t want to be parked next to an SUV with only this much space, let alone drive next to one at 70 mph.
I replaced the spark plugs over the weekend, though I’m not sure that it was necessary to deal with the Check Engine Light problem. The light had gone out when I’d finished, but since I had to disconnect the battery before messing with the plugs, I’m willing to bet that the new plugs weren’t responsible for correcting the problem. Either way, the service manual recommends replacement at 60 months or 60,000 miles, so it was probably a good idea to do it, especially if I intend to sell it.
This weekend marks the summer solstice (for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere), the longest day of summer. It also marks the beginning of a summer-long