Category: misc

Bypass the bank for lower APR

A while back I read a post on Lifehacker about social network Prosper.com.
The website allows people to post their financial need and people can bid on the option to loan the money out.
So let’s say you’re paying 29% on a $2000 credit card debt. You’d like to stop paying bank interest and get your debt paid off quicker.
Sign up for Prosper, post your needs ($2000) and see how low you can get your interest rate. People wanting to make money (who doesn’t) and willing to take a risk on you and your credit will offer you a lower rate. Your interest rate could drop substantially.
Multiple people may bid on your debt and once you meet your goal your monthly payment is deducted from your bank account and distributed to the people bidding on your debt.
Lifehacker posted an update today on a less risky means to borrowing and lending money – try a family member.
Blogger Clayton Cramer paid down a charged up credit card with an interest rate of 18% by paying a family member instead of the bank. His sister gave him a loan at 14.5% APR and he was able to double his payments, paying his debt off in half the time and his sister was able to make some substantial money.
Not a bad idea for either party. Just don’t lend out your cash to anyone and don’t let it ruin your relationships with family or friends.

Fighting crime with the sound of music

Safer Dallas Better Dallas is hoping to fight crime in the Big D with the sound of music.
Their website, www.saferdallas.net, features “We’re in the Fight Together,” Words and Music By Spencer Michlin and Johnny Marshall.
I’m not sure how it’s supposed to change the crime stats in Dallas but maybe it will drive all the criminals away if they hear it enough.
Who knows?
Apparently the song will be featured in PSA’s online.
Together we can win…

We will win (for our families)
We will win (for us all)
We will win (for Dallas)
We will win!

I don’t know if it would have the same catch, but maybe Ellis County Police Departments can adopt the song with a few changes.

The mission of Safer Dallas Better Dallas is:

The mission of Safer Dallas Better Dallas is to be a communicator and direct conduit to assist the Dallas Police Department (DPD) by:

  • Acquiring new equipment for the DPD
  • Improving recruiting results of the DPD
  • Motivating the Dallas City Council to provide more resources toward crime prevention by offering matching resources
  • Lowering the rate of recidivism of parolees

Inspiring Public Safety Personnel and Dallas citizens to embrace the basic concept that a safer life for any individual is a better life for that individual, and hence a Safer Dallas will be a Better Dallas.

Red Oak News

News from Red Oak is that the city council fired the city manager and city attorney last night.
They fired the police chief a couple months ago after an alleged ticket quota system.
It’s also rumored that the mayor of Red Oak resigned today as well.
Sounds like the Red Oak fire chief may be the most powerful man in the city right now.

Firefox plugin protects children

From Lifehacker:

New Firefox extension Glubble whitelists parent-approved web sites for kids and locks down the browser to create a child-friendly, safe browsing environment.
Once Glubble’s installed, you create your own “Glubble world” and add yourself as a “controller.” Then you add individual usernames and passwords for each of your kids. From there you approve web sites that are ok for the children to visit. Essentially Glubble sets up an extra login to get into Firefox. When the kids log in, they’ll see a bright and colorful Firefox skin with lots of graphics and access only to approved destinations. If the child happens upon a site that’s not whitelisted, a request is sent to the controller. Then, next time you (the parent controller) log on, you can approve or deny the requested site.

From Glubble:

Glubble gives you the peace of mind to know your child can only see web sites that you trust for them. Think of Glubble as being better than sitting next to your child all the time because the software lets your loved ones see what you already approve and blocks everything else, even on search engine results from Google or Yahoo!

Laurie and I were just talking about how we definitely plan to limit our (FUTURE) kid’s Internet use. This looks like a great way to do it. And you’re still using Internet Explorer? Why?

Chet Edwards to challenge Cornyn

Right of Texas has heard word that Rep. Chet Edwards, D-Waco, is possibly planning to challenge Republican Sen. John Cornyn in 2008.
Edwards was the U.S. Rep for the Belton, Temple, Killeen area as well before the Republicans took their shot at redistricting in 2004.
Edwards is a nice guy and tries real hard to play the moderate card most of the time.
I’ve met him a couple times but our associate editor in Belton always said Edwards only came to Belton if it involved Fort Hood somehow. Otherwise he didn’t care about the city or area.
In other Cornyn news, Capital Annex is joining other progressive Democrat blogs and hoping to encourage Texas State Rep. Rick Noriega, D-Houston, to run for Cornyn’s seat.
Should be interesting to see who all the Democratic challenges end up being.