suggestion for subscriptions, junk mail

[Guest guest]

> I'm conduting several experiments involving the sale of personal

> information. Utne Reader sold my name to several

> database companies, most of which turn around and

> sell my name to even more database companies. I'm

> certain that Heifer was in the loop.

 

This is one of my pet peeves! When I lived in the East Bay, after many

years of donating to various non-profit animal/environmental groups,

subscribing to different magazines, etc., I was receiving way too many

solicitations for donations from non-profits or advertisements for products.

(You know it's reached a problem point when you have more junk mail than

real money) When I moved, I didn't put in a forwarding address and I only

gave the new address to groups/companies whose mail I was expecting.

 

For magazine subscriptions, I started subscribing under a unique pseudonym.

For example, for a subscription to Vegetarian Times, my first name became

" V.T " .... For Animal People, it became " A.P " ..... This way, if any of these

magazines sold my name, I would know who did it.

 

And if any company or group happens to send me unsolicited mail, and they

are so kind as to include one of those prepaid return mailing envelopes, I

always try to return the favor and send them something back.

 

Tammy

 

P.S: If you EVER sign any petitions, always ask them if they will add your

name to a mailing list. Despite my asking, and marking my name/signature

with the comment " no mailing list " , one environmental group (from SF Earth

Day a few years ago) still added me to a mailing list.

 

 

 

 

_______

 

Get your free @ address at

[Guest guest]

See:

 

http://www.obviously.com/junkmail/

 

for tips on stopping junk mail. At least write the DMA and call OPTOUT and your

credit card companies... these don't take much effort, and, even alone, make a

big difference.

 

And, of course, you get even better results with eternal vigilance about giving

out your address, and demanding no-redistribution when you do (which, of course,

involves an act of trust).

 

Some dream legislation of mine: making it illegal to sell or distribute an

address or phone number without the _explicit_ permission of the owner. Ahhh...

[Guest guest]

Coincidentally, I just received this email from a

friend of mine about a day ago on just what to do with

all that junk and solicited/unsolicited mail.

 

Caitanya

 

Note: forwarded message attached.

 

 

 

 

Great stuff seeing new owners in Auctions!

http://auctions.

 

 

[Guest guest]

I'm not sure why my last email didn't come out, so I'm

cutting & pasting the email so that it WILL come out

:-)

 

C

 

 

BEST IDEA I'VE HEARD OF IN A WHILE

 

When you get ads in your phone or utility bill,

include them with the payment. Let them throw it

away.

 

When you get those pre approved letters in the mail

for everything from credit cards to 2nd mortgages and

junk like that, most of them come with postage paid

return envelopes, right? Well, why not get rid of

some of your other junk mail and put it in these cool

little envelopes!

 

Send an ad for your local dry cleaner to American

Express. Or a pizza coupon to Citibank. (I especially

liked this!) If you didn't get anything else that day,

then just send them their application back! If you

want to remain anonymous, just make sure your name

isn't on anything you send them. You can Send it back

empty if you want to just to keep them guessing!

Eventually, the banks and credit card companies will

begin getting all their junk back in the mail.

 

Let's let them know what it's like to get junk mail,

and best of all THEY'RE paying for it! Twice! Let's

help keep our postal service busy since they say

e-mail is cutting into their business, and that's why

they need to increase postage again!

 

Send this to a friend or two or three...or fifty....

 

 

 

Great stuff seeing new owners in Auctions!

http://auctions.