National Action Financial Services scams

Oh, here we go again. Just as I’ve stopped getting calls from the fake company “Account Services“, I started getting robot calls from a collection agency called National Action Financial Services. They’re a real company, but they don’t ask for anyone by name on the messages they leave. It turned out they were after the person who had my phone ...Read More

Internet copyright law made simple

Once upon a time, I found a blogger was reposting my entire articles, pictures and all, on her blog, as if they were her own. I couldn’t find a way to contact her, so – assuming she was one of the many “sploggers” who do this intentionally – I talked about it in a new article. It turned out she ...Read More

Sued for divorce and can’t afford a lawyer?

Here’s a situation I wouldn’t wish on anybody. You’re a stay at home mom or dad with a spouse who makes a fantastic living. You don’t actually have any money of your own – it’s all in joint accounts, under your spouse’s control. One day, your spouse announces that he or she has had enough of you and the kids ...Read More

How to break a lease

Leases are one of the few types of contracts that are pretty one-sided. If you violate their terms, you can be evicted. But if your landlord breaks the terms, you may need a lawyer to help you. Landlords are more likely than tenants to have the money to enforce the lease, so it’s really not a fair system.

That said, if ...Read More

6 tips for reducing your caffeine intake

If you’ve ever tried to reduce your caffeine intake, you know it can be really difficult. Caffeine is physically addictive, so quitting it cold turkey can give you withdrawal effects like headaches for several days. You may also feel fatigued or like you can’t wake up, because your body is so used to relying on caffeine for stimulation.

But if you’ve ...Read More

Brussels sprouts: bet you haven’t tried ‘em raw

For decades, I thought brussels sprouts were gross because they had this sulfur taste I couldn’t stand. And they were mushy.

It turned out I’d just never had them cooked properly. Or, more precisely, not cooked at all. I recently tried raw brussels sprouts for the first time, and it’s become my new favorite snack. I’m not joking. And they’re totally ...Read More

My favorite way to store cheese

I love cheese, but I can only eat so much at a time. I especially like some of the moderately pricey ones like smoked gouda (seen here). But I would rarely treat myself because whenever I buy even the smallest wedge or wheel available, it goes off before I can finish it.

Then I figured out why it was going bad: ...Read More