Public Service Announcement - Opt Out From Online Ads

I found this site as I was browsing around the net yesterday:

http://www.aboutads.info/choices/

It allows you to opt-out of "interest based" or "online behavioral" advertising. Have you ever searched for something at a web site, and then for weeks afterwards, you see ads that feature the search results you clicked on? I once searched for the availability of a domain name at a registrar-I-won't-name and then for a month afterwards, I'd see ads from that registrar telling me my desired domain name was still available. It was very embarrassing, because my husband can see my computer screen just fine, and I never told him I was thinking of starting such a project. My browser told him before I ever got a chance to do so! This type of advertising is just creepy to begin with, and then it has to go and betray me like that!

The web app says it will take a few moments. It's not kidding. It will eventually come up with a list of 100+ advertisers that do interest-based advertising. You can pick and choose which you'd like to disable, or, you can do the easy thing and pick the Select All button. Click on Submit Your Choices, then be prepared to wait for a lot more moments. The process will place opt-out cookies on your computer for the advertisers you've selected. You'll need to visit this web page and complete the process on each device you use to access the Internet.

I've noticed one nice side effect on top of losing the spooky "I know what you searched for" ads. One particular site I visit often displays video ads that crash my browser on a regular basis. Now that I've done this, I haven't seen one video ad on that site. My browser is more stable now!

In The Forest

My dad likes to vacation in the High Sierras. I wonder if that's where he saw this sign. And, if it's why he likes to go there.

Missing wife

My dad's latest emailed joke follows. I think he got it from a British person.

A husband went to police station to file a report about his missing wife: 

Husband :-I lost my wife, she went shopping and has not returned.

Inspector:-What is her height ?        

Husband:-I'm not too sure.

Inspector:-Slim or heavy?

          Husband:-Not exactly slim.

Inspector:-Colour of eyes ? 

Husband:-Never noticed. 

Inspector:-Colour of hair ? 

Husband:-Changes according to season. 

Inspector:-What was she wearing? 

Husband :-Jeans/suit/I don't remember exactly 

Inspector:-Was she in a car? 

Husband:-yes. 

Inspector:-tell me the number, name and colour of the car ? 

Husband :-Black Audi A8 with super charged 3.0 litre V6 engine generating 333 horse power teamed with an eight-speed tip-tronic automatic transmission with manual mode. And it has full LED headlights, which use light emitting diodes for all light functions and has a very thin scratch on the front left door.My new Custom fit golf clubs, Powacaddy electric trolley are in the boot..   (and then the husband started crying............)

Inspector:-Don't worry sir...We'll find your car.

A letter from the Post Office

Here's a letter from the Post Office found in a email from my dad. Who knows if the story is actually true. It does sound cute, though.

A letter from the Post Office...

We don't know who replied, but there is a beautiful soul working in the dead letter office  department who understands LOVE..........................

 

Our 14-year-old dog Abbey died last month.

 

The day after she passed away my 4-year-old daughter Meredith was crying and talking about how much she missed Abbey.

 

She asked if we could write a letter to God so that when Abbey got to heaven, God would recognize her.

 

I told her that I thought that we could, so she dictated these words:

 

Dear God,

Will you please take care of my dog?

Abbey died yesterday and is with you in heaven.

I miss her very much.

 

I 'm happy that you let me have her as my dog even though she got sick.
I hope you will play with her.

She likes to swim and play with balls.

 

I am sending a picture of her so when you see her you will know that she is my dog.

 

I really miss her.

Love, Meredith

 

We put the letter in an envelope with a picture of Abbey & Meredith,
addressed it to God/Heaven.

 

We put our return address on it.

 

Meredith pasted several stamps on the front of the envelope because she
said it would take lots of stamps to get the letter all the way to heaven.

That afternoon she dropped it into the letter box at the post office.

 

A few days later, she asked if God had gotten the letter yet.

I told her that I thought He had.

 

Yesterday, there was a package wrapped in gold paper on our front porch addressed, 'To Meredith' in an unfamiliar hand.

 

Meredith opened it.

Inside was a book by Mr. Rogers called, 'When a Pet Dies.'

 

Taped to the inside front cover was the letter we had written to God in its opened envelope.

 

On the opposite page was the picture of Abbey & Meredith and this note:

 

Dear Meredith,

 

Abbey arrived safely in heaven. Having the picture was a big help and I recognized her right away.

 

Abbey isn't sick anymore.

Her spirit is here with me just like it stays in your heart.

 

Abbey loved being your dog.

 

Since we don't need our bodies in heaven, I don't have any pockets to keep your picture in so I'm sending it back to you in this little book for you to keep and have something to remember Abbey by.

 

Thank you for the beautiful letter and thank your mother for helping you write it and sending it to me.

 

What a wonderful mother you have. I picked her especially for you.

 

I send my blessings every day and remember that I love you very much.

 

By the way, I'm easy to find.

I am wherever there is love.

 

Love,
God

People Are Awesome 2013

My dad commented -- I wonder how many of these people are still alive!

My comment -- I think I've seen the fail for each of these stunts on Tosh.0.

Saying Grace

My dad said: You don't have to know Chinese to understand this.
I say: If only I could train my cats to do this!

Dogs vs. mail - this is one of the reasons why email was invented.

Thus reads the subject line on the latest YouTube video my dad has alerted me to.