Tag: PSA

With your oversized bifocals and pocket protector firmly in place, please to point your Internet browser here to view the “Top 10 Windows XP Tips Of All Time.”

I come across lists like these all the time which tend to simply advertise for third party software or restate the obvious. However, this particular one really addresses some issues you may be facing with your XP machine. Whether it’s Tip 10 (Halt background services to improve performance), Tip 8 (Scrub your hard drive clean) or the CoolDMZ favorite Tip 7 (Run two displays on the same PC), there’s something for everyone…and by “everyone” I mean like 4 or 5 of you Sac Rag readers that understand what a Registry is.

And no, Runnergirl, it’s not THAT kind of registry.

If you’re like me, you’ve got random outdated equipment that you’d rather not have in your house, so here’s your chance to dump it safely and free of charge. This ad was in the Bee recently; although this is not snarky or gossipy news, it’s valuable info.

When: Friday, April 21st noon-5pm / Saturday, April 22nd 9am-3pm / Sunday, April 23rd 9am-3pm
Where: Cal Expo, Lot A RAIN OR SHINE

Drop off is free. Eligible items: TVs, VCRs, DVD players, computers, monitors, mouses (mice?), keyboards, fax machines, printers, toner cartridges, cell phones, telephone equipment, video game systems and more. DO NOT BRING: copiers, appliances, microwaves, batteries, or smoke detectors.

For more info, call 1-866-335-3373 or go to http://www.noewaste.com

One of my proudest moments as a Sac Rag contributor was realized last week. And I had nothing to do with it.

RonTopofIt reported a couple of months ago on a failed pedestrian light in midtown that was causing all kinds of ruckus – mostly to said TopofIt and myself. Despite the pleasant experience in reporting this problem to the City, after several weeks, we were wondering if they’d ever fix this light.

Last week, and two months later, they finally fixed it. A beacon to pedestrians walking on L Street, this walk signal shines brighter than ever. Thanks City of Sacramento, for finally fixing and restoring some order back into our lives.

When you shutter yourself in from Sunday’s storms, be sure to tune into UPN Channel 31 between 3pm-5pm to catch the Sacramento SPCA’s 2nd Annual Pet Telethon.

I was at the shelter earlier this week, and they were setting up to film segments that will be shown on Sunday, including a red carpet walk with some of the animals (going for that whole OscarsTM theme.) There will be heartwarming tales of people who have adopted furry friends from the SPCA, and of course a plea to the public to donate funds to this extremely worthy cause.

My beloved fluffy kitty spent some time at the shelter before I adopted him, and it was obvious that he was very well cared for during his stay. For more info on the telethon, about the SPCA in general, and to view adoptable pets, please visit their website. Until there are none, adopt one!

There has been a malfunctioning pedestrian signal at the southeast corner of L and 30th Street for at least a week. It’s rather dangerous if you don’t pay close attention to the status of the light. Today, an older woman was having difficulty making sense of the faded, flickering hand icon. So I decided to see about reporting this to the appropriate party. Well, I spoke to a very nice gentleman today with the City of Sacramento Department of Transportation. The number is (916) 808-6313. Thought it might come in handy sometime.

News10.net reports that “the City of Sacramento will collect e-waste for disposal beginning Thursday. Residents will be able to dispose of computers, computer monitors and televisions on Neighborhood Clean-up Program pick-up days.”

As a recent LCD monitor purchaser I was interested to learn more about this program. Did you know that you’ve been paying a CRT disposal fee since 2003? And have been charged to dispose of these items at your local landfill? Well, with a little know how and some handy links from your friends at the Sac Rag you can recycle those oversized remnants of 90’s computer use for free AND help the environment at the same time.

Your best bet is to start with a company that specializes in recycled computer equipment. Appliance Distribution, Inc. (916-930-5240), for example, offers free pick up within 10 miles of their facility. Cell phones are a real pain, too, and can easily be recycled in several ways. You can print a free mailing label or find a drop-off location near you by visiting this site. Earth911.org has some great information, too, on all things environmentally friendly including where to take your old batteries, both big and small.

Update: Sacramento County has a great page answering the question “How Do I Recycle or Dispose of…“

More and more, I’m starting to become convinced of the evil that is oil.

Did you know that when you use your debit card to buy gas at Arco gas stations, they put a hold on your account for an amount between $70 to $100, for a week?

Most people don’t realize this because most of us have more than $70-100 in available cash in our accounts at any one time. But a friend, who is a branch manager at a local bank, recently described to me several instances where people who had less than $100 available in their accounts were not able to withdraw money. The crime perpetrated by these people? They bought $20 worth of gas using a debit card at Arco, and Arco put a $70-100 hold on the account attached to that card.

Why this gas station would do this, and how they could get away with it, no one knows for sure. But, not to mention the debit card fees that Arco charges that negate any savings you get from buying their gas, this further goes to show that the savings you think you’re getting at Arco doesn’t come without a price.

UPDATE: Turns out that this behavior isn’t specific to Arco, but to most gas stations in varying degrees. Thanks RonTopofIt, for digging up this link.

I’ve always maintained that the coolest thing about the Internet is having the ability to interact with business accounts without having to interact with human beings. I think we can all agree that the less we deal with people the better. Or maybe only I can agree. At any rate, businesses have recognized this, too, and have implemented the IVR ( interactive voice response ) system in an attempt to satisfy the needs of the consumer. It simply doesn’t work. 9.5 times out of 10 we all wish we could just hit a button that would bypass the automation and send us to a real person. In the past simply pressing “0” did the trick. Today, however, it is next to impossible to figure out the special number combination that will free us from the IVR hell that we created. That is, until I was sent this link the other day. Some tricks are simple ( press “0” twice) while others are bit time consuming ( Say “I don’t know it” then “technician” ).

With this in mind, I think I am going to start my own 916 IVR Cheat Sheet (Surewest, Comcast, SMUD, etc.) Feel free to comment with any local business IVR system shortcuts you may have. We can do this Sacramento, one #, 0, 0, *, * at a time.