Note to Self: Don\’t Pack Tech When Flying

Benjamin Schollnick1 Comment

This is just another reason to not fly, if possible. Or to keep your valuables, and expensive items, on your person (or in Carry on luggage).
But it\’s also another example of \”we don\’t take responsibility\” for anything from companies.
How many times do you see a sign saying:
\”Not responsible for lost items\”
In many cases, especially when there is a staff member, in charge of the area, the company there is liability. The sign is there to point to, and try to convince people that they are not…. But legally there is some degree of liability.. The classic example is a coat check area.
If you hang it up, and no one is monitoring, you are probable responsible. If there is a staff member that is there hanging up the coats, then the company is liable.
See Note to Self: Don’t Pack Tech When Flying | Technologizer for an article on airplane restrictions…

\”In the story, reported by the Cincinnati Enquirer, a US Airways spokeswoman said the airline isn’t responsible because ‘publicly available baggage policies specifically exclude liability for electronics checked in luggage.’
Is this common knowledge? I know most people understand that fragile items may not survive the rigors of baggage handling — we’ve all seen luggage carelessly tossed about the tarmac — but the idea that airlines take no responsibility whatsoever, even if the item magically disappears from a suitcase, seems pretty wild to me.\”

Homeowner\’s Property Tax Reduction Kit Arms You Against Bad Assessments

Benjamin SchollnickNo Comments

Homeowner\’s Property Tax Reduction Kit Arms You Against Bad Assessments [Taxes]: \”

Feel in your gut that you\’re paying too much property tax? Add the Homeowner\’s Property Tax Reduction Kit (direct PDF link, 1.4MB) to your reading list. The 86-page guide from the American Homeowner\’s Association helps you look for common assessment errors, and compiles state-by-state tips on laws and appeal procedures. [Consumerist]

(Via Lifehacker.)

Free programs to open any file extension!

Benjamin SchollnickNo Comments

Ever run into the problem of not being able to open a file?
The \”Openwith.org\” site, is like filext.com, but at least a little bit more user friendly….  Both sites will tell you what a particular extension on a file means…  FileXt gets several bonus points since it explains what the file is, and gives information on how identify the file….
But the \”Openwith.org\” site, gives links directly to software that can be used to open the file…  But loses several significant points since each entry contains \”Fix <file extension> Errors\”, and links that to an advert for a registry fixing application…
Free programs to open any file extension!.

Big Evernote for Mac Update

Benjamin SchollnickNo Comments

Evernote has just released a update to the Macintosh version of Evernote. I can\’t recommend Evernote enough!
I have it syncing between my work, & home computer, and even the iPhone & ipod Touches….
I keep most of the day to day information I need for work, home, and even recreation on Evernote!
Although the best feature listed is preliminary Safari 4 support…
This is a small clip, please pop over to the Evernote blog for the full details.

Big Evernote for Mac Update: \”

We just released a new version of Evernote for Mac (version 1.3), brimming with more-features-and-less-bugs goodness. Here are the highlights:

New Safari Clipper

Evernote for Mac now has a speedy clipper built right into Safari 3 and 4. Activate it from the ‘Clipping’ tab in the Evernote preferences window and you’ll see a handsome new elephant button in your Safari toolbar. You can do three things with the Safari clipper:

(Via Evernote Blog.)

Star Wars TV series??

Benjamin SchollnickNo Comments

JoBlo is claiming that there is a Live Action  in the works, according to MTV…

George Lucas has revealed that he and his team are about to write material for a live-action STAR WARS show. According to Lucas, the show will center around minor characters from the mythology between REVENGE OF THE SITH and the original STAR WARS. We will follow the Rebel Alliance as it slowly gains strength against the Empire. There will be no storm troopers nor Jedi.
When reached for a comment about his motivation for developing the series, Lucas said \”CHA-CHING, BITCHES!!\”, set a fist-full of hundred dollar bills on fire and then rolled off down a hill into a huge mountain of ice cream.
via Star Wars TV series.

I don\’t quite buy it…  But of course, I haven\’t like the prequels, nor the CGI based series….  So who am I to judge?

Make a Phone Call that Lowers Your Credit Card Rate

Benjamin SchollnickNo Comments

Make a Phone Call that Lowers Your Credit Card Rate [Credit Cards]: \”
If you\’re carrying a credit card balance these days, you have to lower your interest rates. The Simple Dollar blog can help you prepare for, and talk through, the phone call that can do that.

Photo by Jason Cartwright.

Trent at TSD, and pretty much any financial advisor, will always tell you to first try and get out of a carrying a card balance. If that\’s not possible at the moment, and you\’re paying an interest rate over 8 percent, or especially more than 13 percent, you\’ll want to follow along.

The plan, outlined in full at the link below, involves compiling all the rate offers your card issuer makes on its web site, as well as those offered through your junk mail pitches, and coming up with a target rate to shoot for. Get calm, get on the horn, ask if the person you\’re speaking to has authority to change your rate. When you get to that person (finally), try on this script outline:

\’Hello. Lately, I\’ve been really having to stretch my finances to make the monthly payments on this credit card, and I need to reduce the interest rate somehow. It would be convenient to keep the balance on this card, but I have some other options that could really save me some money – a zero interest balance transfer offer is sitting right here, for one. Could you reduce the interest rate on my account to, say, 9.9%?\’

There are plenty of other routes to take if your call gets you nowhere good, like transferring your balance to a new card. But let\’s hear from our readers what you\’ve done get yourselves a better credit card interest rate—maybe just by asking? Tell us your tactics in the comments.

A Step-by-Step Guide to Getting Your Credit Card Interest Rates Reduced [The Simple Dollar]

(Via Lifehacker.)

Saturday Night Live – How to spot an Alien..

Benjamin SchollnickNo Comments

Okay, I admit, I haven\’t been watch SNL for a long time, but this clip is actually funny! Maybe not a 9 out of 10… But certainly above the typical level of poor humor that I have seen off TV lately…
Greg Is Not An Alien: SNL Teaches You How To Spot An Alien: \”
Not only was this weekend\’s Saturday Night Live sketch \”Game Time With Dave and Greg\” surprisingly funny, but it gives some pretty spot-on tips on how to pick out the aliens in our midst.

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