Ramblings and Travels » News

Verizon Wireless wants to sell your personally identifiable data: here’s how you can stop this

Bill — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 17:01:32 +0000

One more reason I will probably drop Verizon in a few months, when my contract is up. Verizon is now requiring it’s customers to Â» Opt Out in order to have your personal data not be sold! They claim that by sending you a little flyer with your bill, that most people will throw away, that you are approving of their plan, unless you call their telephone number. 1-800-333-9956.

It was relatively painless to Opt Out, but the point is that Federal Law already requires them not to sell the information without permission. One should have to Opt In, in order to allow the permission directly, as opposed to them assuming permission.

Not that any of the other mobile providers are any better, but this is one more reason to leave Verizon. Customers vote with their feet, and I almost certainly will.

The Next Bioweapon: Chili!

Bill — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 19:02:04 +0000

I’m not the type of person that likes spicy foods. Not in the least. However, I’d never consider thatÂ chilli sparks terror fear. Sure, it’s hot, spicy, and smells strange. Particularly when burnt. But really? a terror weapon? Just give them a C grade on the health inspection and move on.

Aurigid Meteor shower

Bill — Sat, 01 Sep 2007 03:38:11 +0000

First picture of the Aurigid meteor shower, a whole day early!Â Chumack1_lab.jpg 800Ã—600 pixelsÂ I’m heading out to the desert early this upcoming morning, and will be back in town around 7 am I think.Â Early to bed, early to rise…..Â Â [update 8:10pm]Saw many good meteors, but I didn’t get a single picture. The meteors were not coming out of a single location like I hoped, and some in fact were going east to west, and others were west to east! Most were pretty fast, at 1 to 3 seconds in length, but there were a few with 4 or 5 second long tails, and one big explosion. I didn’t see the meteor that exploded, nor the explosion, as it was blocked by my truck, but I did see the sky around it glow for a second.

Tuesday Morning’s Lunar Eclipse

Bill — Sat, 25 Aug 2007 21:55:09 +0000

Monday night is the second lunar eclipse of the year, and this is one that we can see on the west coast. According toÂ SPACE.com, the eclipse will best viewed starting at about 2am PDT, and the totality will end about 4:30am.Â Â I figure I’ll get up around midnight, and drive up to either Mt. Wilson, or maybe just along sunset ridge in Altadena, if the marine layer isn’t around. Usually in August, there is enough high pressure and Santa Ana conditions to keep the marine layer at bay, but this year we’ve had clouds each morning for the past few weeks. It’s kept things cool, but it will hurt any sky watching at night.Â Â Anyone interested in waking up around midnight to drive 50 or 100 miles?Â

Maui High falls to California team in preseason game

Bill — Sat, 25 Aug 2007 03:08:35 +0000

The Los Angeles Unified School District thought it was a good idea to send a few high school students to Hawaii on vacation. TheÂ football team from the relatively new South East High School was sent over, and were invited to play againstÂ theÂ local Maui team. Seems that it was a worthwhile vacation, asÂ “Maui High falls to California team in preseason game“.

Your Papers, Please.

Bill — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 04:35:29 +0000

The Federal Government may start requiring passports for domestic airfares, and to visit Federal areas, like National Parks.Â Federal ID plan raises privacy concerns – CNN.comÂ At a time when American travellers to Europe can’t get a passport stamped whenÂ travelingÂ inside the European Union. I’m sure Park Rangers checking ID to enter Yosemite and Yellowstone will keep terrorists out of the country. Afterall, Yosemite is only an 8 hour drive from the Mexican border, and it’d be a great place to hide if you can get through the border, the inspection points and the big cities.

Coffee Overdose

Bill — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 04:19:29 +0000

First time I’ve heard aÂ Girl overdoses on espresso coffeeÂ though, I’ve known a few people I would suspect of that happening to.Â Josh, I’m looking at you. You and yourÂ thermosÂ of coffee each day before school. Coffee and nothing else all day long.

A little rain!

Bill — Mon, 23 Jul 2007 02:50:22 +0000

It’s raining! It’s…. not pouring. Just a quick little drizzle from a cloud. Almost a thunderstorm, but no lightening, no thunder. It has the right smell though, but that’s also just the water evaporating off of hot concrete.Â Â I think this is the first rainfall since… March? Not even enough to really dampen the ground, not worth mentioning almost any other year. Still, it’s nice to have.

He was arrested for holding a sign?

Bill — Sat, 09 Jun 2007 17:38:24 +0000

If there’s a protest in your town, and you decide to go and make fun of it, what’s the worst that can happen to you? Thisguy got arrested. For intending to â€œAlarm or Annoy the public”. Huh? He’s just holding a sign there. I really hope that if he is convicted, the police then decide to go after costumed individuals holding signs encouraging people to buy pizza or cell phones. They are standing on street corners, and certainly annoy me as I drive by. Maybe even to the point of distraction for some drivers.

Wait. Am I attempting to “Alarm or Annoy the public” with this post?

edit: Here’s the account in the first person.

Well, at least my day isn’t that bad usually

Bill — Thu, 12 Apr 2007 15:50:14 +0000

Warning, this story is not safe for anyone who is squirmish.

Croc bites hand off of Vet

At least I’ve never had a bad day at work like that.

Pictures of the crocodile with the hand are below this link…. *NOT FOR THOSE WHO DON’T LIKE MUTILATED BODY PARTS*