Opt-Out Bonanza Link

Don't you just hate the junk mail offering pre-approved credit cards? I know I do. Talk about a personal risk. I shred all mine to little tiny bits in an industrial shredder. Even though I do this, I still don't like getting them in the first place.

Want to reduce the volume? Along with other anoyances? The Federal Trade Commission has a web page for information. You can call a number and an easy to use automated system opts you out of the four major credit reporting bureaus where a lot of the companies verify your credit prior to sending you the little nasties. Just go here, and you can do that along with lot of other things to reduce the daily bother. The web site says it lasts for two years, but on the phone you are offered a 5-year and a permanent option. If you just want the number:

Taken from the "Unsolicited Mail, Telemarketing and Email: Where to Go To “Just Say No”" web site:

The credit bureaus offer a toll-free number that enables you to “opt-out” of having pre-approved credit offers sent to you for two years. Call 1-888-5-OPTOUT (567-8688) for more information. When you call, you’ll be asked for personal information, including your home telephone number, your name and your Social Security number. The information you provide is confidential and will be used only to process your request to opt out of receiving pre-screened offers of credit.

I coulda been killed

From the image above, I am certain the reader can understand my close brush with killers. All in a seemingly safe neighborhood, with covenents no less. Some killers have no respect for the law…

In all seriousness, I was in my yard, trimming the hedges when I noticed a swarm of yellow-jackets hovering over my clippings. Luckily, they did not seem to be irritated at me. After carefully removing the clippings, I discovered their nest. Kind of neat.

Strange impositions on the world

This link is about the record of one woman's grandfather's photos series in WWII representing his experience in the Asian theater. As I watched the link with the Flickr slideshow option, I happened to be listening to a set of comfortable songs from my iTunes collection. It kind of brought a new sense of how we view or influence the world around us. As the camera captured scenes from 1945-1947, I am sure the photographer was not aware of the influence western societies would exert on their cultures.
I got a sense of our approach to the rest of the world, at least from my perspective. I felt as an encroacher, even though I obviously have no influence due to the separation of time. Spooky. Now put time as a lens between this photo series and our current experiences. Influence stands out very starkly, not entirely to benefit, from a world perspective or from even an Americo(is that making sense? I know it is a word I probably just made up…) view. What does that say? I am not sure.

My apologies to this company

In the past, I have spoken and thought very poorly about corporations in general.

After reading this article about a man saved by his co-workers from a tumor growing at the base of brain, I am very pleasantly proven wrong about this company at least. At the end of the story is the main thing that makes me happy to see. The workers donated to pay for a scan that saved his life, but then the manager is kind enough to repay them through the payroll even though the manager clearly did not have to.

Macbook Pro 17″

As I said earlier, I purchased a MacBookPro 17" to upgrade my options for OS X and (shudder) Windows XP. Like it or not (not), there is a need for the flexibility offered by this machine. I hate it, but it is true. Corporate borgs, where I may be employed in the near future, have a tendency to require adherence to the other OS. I know, but it is what it is.

Now the new journey begins with the new machine. Been with it a total of 7 hours, and I love it. No real big earth shattering differences so far, but I also have not installed XP yet. Real soon now.

Things I do like so far:
Magnetic Power cord.
Apple 23" Cinema HD display.
Super convenient migration utility.

On the migration from my older Powerbook, it was really dead simple, turn on the new MacBook Pro, asked whether I needed to migrate, I said yes, followed the instructions, and in about 1.5 hours, I was using my new machine, with all my old applications, and all my settings intact. It could not have been easier. Apple, you certainly kept the user in mind when you did this. More companies should pay attention to the details as you do.

More on the migration and the new MacBook Pro as it happens…..