It’s 2020, and companies still don’t know how to send emails that don’t look like spam

I received this email at 1:15 this morning: When I saw it this morning, I was confused. I have never before received an email from “loyaltygateway.com”, and I was asleep at 1:15am, not placing an “order” to be confirmed by this email as its subject implies. It sure looks like spam, right? Well, it turns… Read More: It’s 2020, and companies still don’t know how to send… »

How to fix: Google Chrome on Linux always launches in full-screen mode

UPDATE [2020-07-30]: The current version of Chrome has restored the checkbox allowing people to tell Chrome to launch without prompting, so the hack described below is no longer needed. Executive summary If you’re using Google Chrome on Linux and it’s stuck in a state where every time you launch it, it starts in full-screen mode,… Read More: How to fix: Google Chrome on Linux always launches in… »

Comics Kingdom comics updated in aggregator

I have updated the comics aggregator so that it now supports all available Comics Kingdom comics. Note that you need to pay Comics Kingdom for a subscription if you want to access its comics through the aggregator. See here for details.

Again, our leaders fail us

There’s a strong parallel between how community institutions are treating coronavirus and how they treated Trump’s ascendancy to the presidency. They haven’t learned anything, and as a result the rest of us are, once again, going to suffer. When Trump began his presidential campaign, many of us sounded the alarm early and continued to do… Read More: Again, our leaders fail us »

Here’s how to receive email reminders about City of Boston yard waste pickups

The City of Boston publishes its schedule of curb-side yard waste pickups, but does not provide any mechanism for receiving a reminder before your block’s pickup so you don’t forget to put out your yard waste. I’m here to fix that! If you would like to receive a reminder email the day before and day… Read More: Here’s how to receive email reminders about City of Boston… »

An open letter to Tufts Health Plan: why are you so bad?

[See the update here.] Dear Tufts Health Plan, I am fortunate to have had the privilege of working for more than three decades in white-collar jobs which provided decent employer-sponsored health insurance. I’ve therefore been a member of many different health insurance companies, and I’m not sure any of them has given me so much… Read More: An open letter to Tufts Health Plan: why are you… »

On fleeing the stock market during the Second Great Depression

Cross-posted from: Do you think as the economy spiraled into the toilet in 1929, people were telling investors with money in the stock market, “Just ride it out. You’ll be fine. The fundamentals of the economy are strong. Trying to time the market is a fool’s bet.” That’s what people said when I started saying… Read More: On fleeing the stock market during the Second Great Depression »

Please help other people in need because of COVID-19

Cross-posted from: Listen up! If you are even a little bit financially secure right now, it’s time to #PayItForward and help people who are facing homelessness, starvation, and serious illness because of #COVID19. Here’s a great way to do that. 1) Figure out how much money you can give other people weekly until we’re past… Read More: Please help other people in need because of COVID-19 »