The good:
http://www.oregonlive.com/living/index.ssf/2010/03/portland_girl_makes_pillows_fo.html
Another teen doing a good thing.
The bad:
http://www.identitytheft.com/index.php/article/identity_theft_gas_stations
By some accounts it has been going on for at least three years but now with the economy in the tank it is at epidemic proportions. It is less likely to happen in Oregon or New Jersey because you can't pump your own gas in those two states. It has become such a major problem in Washington that today police are going to several gas stations to warn consumers. Although this wasn't in the above article they advised on the news this morning that if you use a debit or credit card to pay for your gas inside.
The ugly:
I need prayers, positive vibes, good thoughts sent my sister's direction. They put a heart monitor on her Thursday to see how her heart is beating. They think she may have either a heart murmur or an irregular heartbeat. They will take the monitor off Tuesday. I am hoping that she gets a clean report and if not that they can control the problem with medication. Thanks in advance.
Comments about anything on the blog are appreciated!!
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6 comments:
First, lots of good wishes and vibes for your sister to have a good report from her heart monitor. Scary.
The pillow story is very cute. What a good idea!
The identity theft story is just another, "Oh, good grief!" story. I almost always use a Union 76 or a Chevron credit card for gas, neither of which requires a PIN number. They do ask for my Zip code, so I suppose those cards could be stolen, but they'd only be able to get gas with them.
I imagine we're all very concerned about identity theft and try to be cautious, but not using credit cards is awfully inconvenient with prices so high. I don't want to have to carry large amounts of cash wherever I go, so I more or less take my chances. I almost always use cash in restaurants, but otherwise use the card(s) a lot, both online and in stores.
Sending positive vibes and prayers to Sis that all is well with the heart monitor. Please keep us posted.
Neat story about the teen and the pillows. It must be hard for her to have her dad so far away for the second time Kudos to her for dealing with it in a positive way.
Identity theft is becoming a real issue. For the second time in as many years, we've been advised we could be potential "victims" and offered the credit card fraud alert, at no cost, to protect us. Ours have nothing to do with what the article talks about. In the first instance, computers were stolen from the brokerage firm that handles my IRA. In the second case, it's my AK retirement account - seems the fired auditors "lost" data on retirees and no one knows where it may have gotten to.
We use the Walmart credit card for gas at Walmart, since there's a three cent/gal discount. I pay for my gas with cash, since I now use Spinx and take advantage of the "points" I earn at the grocery store, which usually lower the price by 20 cents/gal. It's a pain to go inside, pay, go back and collect change, but what the hey. Like Pat, credit cards are more convenient and I dislike carryhi8ng large amounts of cash. The best one can do is to check statements against receipts and immediately take action if charges don't come out right. Fortunately, our credit card companies are pretty vigilant -- we've gotten more than one call, when we've made a larger-than-normal purchase, verifying whether or not it's legitimate.
Hi Pat
Thanks for the good vibes, she had to wear the monitor for twenty-four hours and then they review the results, she will find out Monday or Tuesday. THANKS FOR YOUR VIBES!!
I have been using my credit card at the pump but now even though the risks are less in Oregon, I will go inside and pay with my credit card. If it is cash I'll go ahead and pay at the pump.
I never buy online.
Bill
Hi DR
THANKS FOR THE VIBES!! I will keep you posted.
That is what I loved about the story, the teen dealing with things in a positive way that will help others.
I've never been advised if I was a potential victim and I just can't imagine how stressufl it would be to hear those words.
Do you still get your Alaska pension? I hope so.
I check every statement bank and credit card statement with a fine tooth comb!
Both American Express and Visa have called me to verify large purchases. I'm glad.
Bill
Yes, the issue doesn't affect payment of retiree benefits, just the fact that our SSN, addresses, phone numbers and direct deposit banking info and such are in some nether region and no one knows if the data has been lost or just stolen. I check receipts against credit statements almost religiously, particularly since Himself does a lot of online purchasing. Still, it's kind of like you wait for the other shoe to drop, even if it's a very long shot, you know?
Hi DR
I'm glad it didn't do anything to your benefits and I hope the numbers were lost instead of stolen.
I do know what you mean, I wait anxiously for my credit card statements every month even though I haven't been advised of a security break. It is just a worry.
Bill
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