Some assorted stuff.
In which Mary Ann discusses my personal grammar pet peeves.
Those bastards at LA Voice have spilled the beans.
This one is for my mom, and I quote:
Then there’s the mistake I made in my haste to super-secure my data. I assumed that paper transactions must be safer than electronic ones, so I canceled my online bill-pay service. This not only made my husband grouchy, it may have been a waste of time.
“Online bill payments are probably more secure than sending paper bills with a stamp,” said Linda Foley, co-executive director of the Identity Theft Resource Center (www.idtheftcenter.org).
As long as your computer is protected with a firewall and virus software, online banking and bill paying may reduce the risk of data theft by reducing the number of people who handle your transactions. “It’s not computers that steal information, it’s human beings,” Ms. Foley said.
So online bill payment is safer than paper, and you can tell Dad that the New York Times says so. My Dad presciently insisted that my brother and I learn early on how to use computers. Now both his kids are in IT-related jobs and he’s a complete Luddite about online bill payments, ATM cards, etc.
How people found their dream jobs
I am saddened that the iTunes 500 Million contest took place ENTIRELY during the time when I was unable to use my debit card, which is attached to my iTunes account. However, it’s probably best for my finanial health as iTunes is my greatest unbudgeted drain on my bank account.