KATU.com adds pop-ups

In the last week or so when visiting KATU.com there is usually a pop up when entering the site or the first time clicking anywhere on the site. It comes out from the middle of the page and my pop up blocker(s) don't catch it, like it's a stealth ad. I called KATU and a web guy said that they (Fisher Communications) did some tweaking up in Seattle on their web sites. He took my feedback on the issue to forward up there including the comment that my stock in the site has dipped since, where it has been my favorite source for local news while surfing the net.

Update (5/4/08): Since posting I haven't encountered a pop-up. Nice!

Update (5/5/08): Great now it's back and worse than ever!

LifeLock whom protects you from identity thieves has a class action filed against them


A class action has been filed against LifeLock, the identity protection company whose CEO is so confident in the credit report fraud alerts it places that CEO Richard "Todd" Davis puts his Social Security Number in the company advertisements) The suit says that Lifelock misrepresents the level of security that the company provides, and its "$1 million guarantee" in case of identity theft is a bunch of hooey. In addition, it says the CEO's personal information is currently being misused by at least 20 different identity thieves. Not surprising coming from a company that was founded based on an idea one of the co-founders had while sitting in a jail cell for an unpaid $16,000 gambling debt.

Found on The Consumerist.

Tiger Direct.com & rebates and CrapUSA (CompUSA)

I got a video card from Tiger Direct.com that included a $20 mail-in rebate. Well the company that deals with the rebates, worldwiderebates.com also deals with CrapUSA and CrapUSA.com in which I hear that people that get merchandise that comes with rebates at CrapUSA get shafted, so i'll see what happens.

My craptacular rebate expereince usually comes from the rebate processing center in El Paso that deals with Trans World Enterprises otherwise known as you local F.Y.E. music chain. I have gotten numerous postcards saying lame stuff like "Invalad UPC" which is weird since it's the one from the package. I think they do it to yank my crank or they hope that i'm gullabule and don't print copes of everything I submit. Same goes with Staples "Easy Rebates"...yeah right! It was anything but "Easy", I did get all those rebates anyways. Though I think they intentionally run a bad customer service ethic hoping customers forget after the 8-10 weeks of processing.

I get other rebates like from Di$ney and TDK that came back in 4 weeks and am pleased with that.

The CrapUSA's in the Portland area are still empty abandoned buildings...good riddance! You were decent in the 90's but sucked since. The one at 82nd and Johnson Creek wasn't even open 2 years before closing.

2008 NBA Playoffs

The playoffs are about to start and I am psyched for the next 40+ days!

Here is my First Round predictions:

Eastern:

(8) Atlanta Hawks vs. (1) Boston Celtics

Easy one...Though I like this Atlanta team with the addition of playoff experienced Bibby, Boston is a powerhouse.
Boston in 4 games. (Got it wrong)

(7) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (2) Detroit Pistons

Mo Cheeks has his team on a roll since the All-Star Break coming into the playoffs, but Detroit is the playoff team in the east, the bread and butter, and they will humiliate Philly.
Detroit in 5 games. (Got it wrong)

(6) Toronto Raptors vs. (3) Orlando Magic

Raptors have stumbled into the post season with the same record as my Blazers (41-41), and this year they won't be as good as last year, especially against Stan Van Gundy's big three whom have been nearly as great as Boston's big three.
Orlando in 5 games. (Got it right)


(5) Washington Wizards vs. (4) Cleveland Cavaliers

Once again in the first round these two teams meet. The Cavs get home court this time thanks to a late whistle in the game against Philly earlier this week. Question is will the new Cavs lineup step up in the post season? They got the experience with the new players, were they just coasting until now? How about injuries on both side?
Cleveland in 6 games. (Got it right)


Western:

(8) Denver Nuggets vs. (1) Los Angeles Lakers

Oh boy here we go, the wild, wild west where ranking is just a number.
Ready of high scoring, octane fueled excitement? Kobe sucks and Carmello just got a DUI, apart from them the rest of the matchups will be entertaining. I hope Denver can repeat 1994.
LA Lakers in 6 games. (Got it wrong)

(7) Dallas Mavericks vs. (2) New Orleans Hornets

This one will be interesting. They just played last night, and will again this weekend. I think home court will prevail in this series for the most part.
New Orleans in 7 games. (Got it wrong)

(6) Phoenix Suns vs. (3) San Antonio Spurs

Gah! It gets worse! Again this year the Western Conference Finals starts too soon. It bites that one of these teams will be elimanted in the first round. Shaq and Amare are playing big, but this is the World Champions they are playing, and the Spurs play it different in the playoffs.
San Antonio in 7 games. (Got it wrong)

(4) Utah Jazz vs. (5) Houston Rockets

Just like 4 & 5 in the East, these two teams meet again in the first round. For Houston it's a different coach, no Yao, and that 22 game wining streak. Utah has the best home record in the regular season. Poor T Mac needs to advance.
Utah in 6 games. (Got it right)

MESSED UP!

Perverts get your camera phones ready!


An Oklahoma court released a 34 year old man who was caught kneeling behind a 16 year old girl at a store in Tulsa, taking an "upskirt" picture of her, ruling upskirt photography in public places a legal practice.

"Oklahoma's Court of Criminal Appeals ruled that taking pictures up someone's skirt in a public place is not a crime. The court voted 4-1 in favor of 34-year-old Riccardo Ferrante who was arrested for putting his camera up an unsuspecting 16-year-old girl’s skirt in a department store, reports the Associated Press."

Why is it when you are placed on hold they play Paula Cole's "I Don't Wanna Wait"?