Public Service Links

Help The World

• Lots of nice recycling resources can be found at:
  www.GreenAdviser.com. as of 2002 Nov 5

• Do Good with a click of the Mouse
  • http://www.hungersite.com Give free food with a click
  • http://www.ecologyfund.com Save & protect nature for free
  • http://www.freedonation.com Click to donate to many worthy causes
  • http://www.givedaily.org Donate free to the arts, medicine and more
  • http://www.webreleaf.com Plant trees
  • http://www.redjellyfish.com Click-to-give for rain forests
  • http://www.tree4life.com Rainforest reforesting
  • http://www.worldwidemedicalsupport.org Provide medical supplies
  • http://www.teacherswithoutborders.org Support global education!
  (The list was passed to me via email on 2002 April 5, apparently originally from Eric Limbach)

• In the fall of 1999 the world reached 6 billion people! In itself this is not the problem, the problem is that we increase exponentially. This means that disaster can overtake us very quickly. The gentlest way that we can avert the biggest catastrophy ever is to support groups like Planned Parenthood! as of 2000 April 23.

• What is the major cause at the root of the environmental crime and other world wide problems? Support:
  Zero Population Growth

• As a stopgap measure that by itself will make our problems worse, a simple click will help feed the world! as of 2000 Feb 21.

• Environmental Defense: What Can I do?

• The National center for Missing and Exploited Children www.missingkids.com
  

• Have you got local pollution problems?

  comeclean.org is the website for Coming Clean, a campaign which is aimed at putting the spotlight on the chemical industry and exposing unacceptable acts of corporate irresponsibility that have left communities with polluted environments, citizens and workers with severe health problems, and our children with a legacy of polluted air, water, land and food.

• Crimes
  • Would you torture a child for life?

    www.nocirc.org

    Imagine a world of blind people, who feel that there is no problem with plucking out the eyes of their children!
  • Sex offence Registry of Maryland
  • Saving Our Schools from Hate and Violence is an exceellent video progrm!

• Back from the Brink A campaign to take nuclear weapons off hair-trigger alert

Self Help

• The FTC has a National Do Not Call Registry which is very effective!!

• To block commercial calls and emails write to:
  
  

  Direct Marketing Association
  Telephone Preference Service
  P. O. Box 9014
  Farmingdale, NY 11735-9014
  

  Give them your name, home address and telephone number. It takes 90 days!

  Direct Marketing Association phone number: (212) 768-7277
  

• AAA Exchange has a video on gas pump safety (requires windows media player).

• Emergency Form

• Lifespring: transform your life.

• According to Joseph Banister, a former IRS Criminal Investigation Division Special Agent filing one's income tax is voluntary! as of 1999 July 4.

• The company Image Data LLC (web site under construction as of 1999 Feb 24) has paid South Carolina, Colorado and Florida to get the images from drivers licenses. They could be used to identify you. To be removed:
  Email: info@imagedatallc.com
  phone: 888-887-8343
  (Source: U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT March 1, 1999, Page 71.

• Is private information about you online?

• Eliminating Junk Mail

  • How to Reduce Junk Mail and how to get free credit reports

  • ING DIRECT Identity Theft Toolkit (new as of 2007 May 12)
    • Eliminating the receipt of pre-approved offers of credit by calling
      1-888-5-OPT-OUT = 1-888-5-678-688. It works for 5 years.
    • Go to the Direct Marketing Association's website (www.the-dma.org) to get your name removed from direct mail lists. DMA Consumer Assistance
      • Getting off commercial E-mail lists
      • Getting Off Mailing Lists
      
      1-888-5-OPT-OUT = 1-888-5-678-688. It works for 5 years.

  • Opt out of junk mail.

  • Creative Ways to Thwart Junk Mail and other methods.

  • http://www.the-dma.org/consumers/consumerassistance.html Direct Marketing Association will also remove you from email lists.

  • According to U. S. News & World Report, December 9, 2002 page 34: "Opt out of pre-aproved offers of credit by calling 1-888-567-8688."

• Remove your name from pre-approved offers of credit: 1-888-5OPTOUT.
  sources:
  • http://www.movingnightmares.com/cra.html
  • http://www.macrofinancial.com/credit/

• 

• As of 1998 Feb 26

  Maryland DMV & Bell Atlantic Objectionable Services

  In Maryland, a new law was recently enacted whereby ANYONE can pay $2.00 to the DMV and get all the information in your file based on your automobile license tag number. The DMV is selling this info for profit to private interests and commercial organizations, and the new law makes it completely legal. In order to stop your info (address, DOB, SSN, driving record, etc.) from being sold you can call 1-888-682-3772 and privatize this information.

  It's all done by touch tone and you only need your driver's license number, date of birth, and social security number.

  Think about it--someone you accidentally cut off can now find out where you live for two dollars and a phone call. I called the number and removed my name. For your own safety and privacy, I would recommend you do the same and also consider getting your spouse and driving-aged children to do so.

  Please forward this message to anyone in Maryland who may be concerned about their personal information being made to the public.

• Bell Atlantic is starting a service called "Star 54" in Jan 1998. It will allow anybody to call 1-301-555-5454 and input your home telephone number, and for 75 cents the computer will give the person your name and complete address.

  To get this service blocked on your phone number all you need to do is call 1-888-579-0323 and tell them you want "Star 54" blocked from your phone. You have until Feb 7, 1998 to do this free of charge.

• Opt out to keep your financial data safe information made available by the The Privacy Rights Clearinghouse as of 2001 Mar 25.

• www.thetruth.com (the truth about smoking) as of 2001 Mar 27.

Help the Internet

• Long Term Storage of Electronic Data and Documents

• Word Processors: Stupid and Inefficient by Allin Cottrell

• Why Avoid Microsoft?

• SpamCop "SpamCop helps you punish spammers for sending you their junk mail."

• Free Speech Online: Blue Ribbon Campaign

• Online Private Communications Golden Key Campaign

Safety

• Will your safety belt become undone during a car crash?? "Inertial unlatching can easily be demonstrated using an RCF 67 buckle, tongue and belt by fully latching, and than pulling on each end while slapping the back of the buckle firmly against a solid surface. The tongue will instantaneously separate from the buckle." --- http://www.seatbeltlaw.com/the_story.html
• Driving with a cell phone IS dangerous!

Education

• Darwin Fish (tm) Evolution Design, Inc.

• Robot Block for misbehaving robots.

• The Y10K Problem

Tools

• The PL-1 laser pointer from LaserDevices is the best laser pointer design I have ever seen:

  • It uses standard AAA batteries. These can be rechargable so one always knows that the pointer is fully charged and ready to go.
  • It has a bright red ON button that one can't miss - no fumbling around to find the ON button!
  • Rather than being round, it is smoothly oblong. It fits nicely into the palm.
  • It will not roll away when put down!
  • The PL-1 has a timer, though I don't use it much (I never remember to look at it, but it would be quite useful if one did).
  • I also like the sleek design ... :-)
  • They took it oof the market. Darn. If you write to them maybe they will reconsider!! broken link to laser pointer :-(

Tom Schneider's Home Page
origin: 1997 September 1
updated: 2007 May 12