Geoff said about 2 hours later

Awesome, thanks! I was able to view my Experian report without a problem, although the others wouldn't show me them online. Of course, I have to pay to see my score. That's a load of garbage.

---

GJ said about 4 hours later

Paying to see your score isn't a load of garbage--it's a product of the credit bureau. You should have access to your report--to verify that your data is recorded accurately. The score isn't your data, it's our interpretation of your data. That means we own it, and you have to pay to see it. Pretty basic business. :)

---

Geoff said about 4 hours later

I don't have to pay to see my social security number, and that is a product of the government. What's the difference?

---

GJ said about 11 hours later

You have the SSN in your pocket, and YOU own it, the government simply assigned it to you. Big difference. Only similarity: both the SSN and credit score are numeric.

So, on what *real* basis do you claim that we must give you this product for free? We're not in business to lose money. :)

---

Geoff said about 12 hours later

Well, my credit score is assigned to me as well and it should belong to me because it only describes me. I think I should have to pay for special monitoring and such, but to see my physcial credit score, I shouldn't have to pay. If this number is so freaking important, why is it so difficult to acquire? You would think creditors would want us to know we are doing well (or not so well) so we can improve our score and use more credit! Perhaps I'm not understanding their perspective.

Not to mention, I have to pay everytime I want to see the my score. I mean, if we had to pay everytime we played a nintendo game, or had to pay to update our computer, we would be pretty ticked. You aren't providing a service to me, you are giving me a number that you use to characterize me. It is a reference number, which they use regardless of whether I pay to view it or not, so why not let me view it. They could make money by providing me tips to improve the score, and how to maintain it. That would be a service. Perhaps then, people wouldn't be so careless with their credit spending...but something tells me that may be part of the reason why they make us pay to see our score anyway.

I think it just reinforces people's perception (or at least mine) that the credit industry is run by a bunch of crooks. As John Stossil would say, "Give me a break!" (and my credit score!)

---

Geoff said about 12 hours later

And the fact they say, get your Free credit report...and I get it, but no credit score, is BS. That's like a teacher handing me back my test with what answers I got right and wrong, but not giving me the final test grade. I guess I should have bribed her with an apple or something.

---

GJ said about 16 hours later

The number is not hard to acquire. Pay for it.

The number is nowhere near as important as the credit report. The score is dictated by the report. This is not rocket science. Pay your bills on time, keep credit cards to a minimum, and have a home mortgage. Presto, great score.

You're right about us not providing a service. The number is a product, not a service. We do a lot of research into those calculations to ensure the score is an accurate portrayal of someone's credit worthiness. So...since we don't work for free, you have to pay to see it.

The credit industry--a bunch of crooks? Har har. Without us, there would be no credit industry. Nobody is forcing you to go get your score--you don't really need to know it. It's been around for a long, long time...and people got by without knowing in the past just fine. You only know of it because the bureaus decided that selling it to customers would be a great new source of income. Turns out, they were right. :)

---

Geoff said about 21 hours later

I wonder how much they make off it anyway

---

Steve said about 21 hours later

They usually charge $10 or less for a credit score. Note, not all credit scores are the same, either.

The only time you really need to know your credit score is when securing financing for your home. Maybe for your car too, but I don't think it's a big deal unless you have a low score.

I agree with GJ, it's a service of the credit industry. It's based on everything in your credit report. The reason credit reports are *now* free, is so that you can monitor them for mistakes as well as identity theft. It's not so we can see how we are doing credit wise. Keep in mind, until a couple of years ago, you had to buy your credit reports too.

---

GJ said about 22 hours later

And we still would be charging for them if it wasn't for you meddling kids. Damn you, Scooby Doo!

Actually, the government stepped in to make us offer them for free because credit reports are wrong rather often, and mistakes on that can cost you a loan. The bureaus were pretty sure they could get an accurate picture from their data sources only...and they actually do a remarkable job, all things considered, but it makes a lot of sense to allow the customer access to their report to both insure it's correct, and monitor for any signs of ID theft.

---

GJ said 2 days later

And lo and behold, Great Google decided to honor us with a Google Alert about Experian with this post. I don't use Google Alerts, but my former boss does and has Experian as an alert. He thought it was pretty funny we got picked up, but based on site traffic that I used to monitor, we'd get googled about once a month for one thing or another. The spikes in volume were funny to watch. I check out our current stats and see if this gave us any kind of a boost.

Really, all of you would be my best men up there and it would be an honor to have you all by my side. I'm not exactly sure when all of you will be back in Syracuse, but I was thinking around July 4th may be a good time to try on some penguin suits if anybody will be around. Let me know if your in, I hear there is a big game of golf for the few good men who help me out! 

GJ said about 7 hours later

Count me in--I'll also be home that weekend.

---

Steve said about 20 hours later

Man, time flies when you're having fun. I thought the wedding was next year. Ok, scrap plans for labor day weekend!

Hmmm, not sure next time I'll be in New York. So when you say 4th of July weekend, which weekend are you talking about? The 4th is a Wednesday this year :-( I'll likely be in Milwaukee again on July 7-8th. I can probably get sized here and send the sizes to you. Or just tell them to set me up with XXL size everything.

I don't remember you making it to the door - close, but I'm not that good. ;-)

I'm dieing to play some golf, haven't been out yet this year. Need to stop autocrossing so much.

---

Geoff said about 22 hours later

Sounds like a plan, we'll figure it out!

Geoff said 2 minutes later

This posted twice as a result of me getting a "Rails Application Failed to Start properly." If someone could delete this post, that would be great. Also, why in the heck do I get this message, Marc? I get this from Baumblog often, and from our BushServer.net too!

Perhaps Rails isn't as good as we thought, at least not for reliability?

---

Abby said about 1 hour later

I got that "Rails Application" message too-- twice today. Never seen it before, though.

---

Marc said about 4 hours later

The reason we get the error is a result of Site5 not setting things up correctly. They have Rails set to restart every certain time frame, so you're probably catching it at that time.

I've never seen the message on BushServer.net and if you want an example of how reliable Rails is...look at GoSupport, that hasn't gone down since I deployed it.

---

Geoff said about 11 hours later

True, but GoSupport doesn't quite run in the browser the same as regular websites. It may very well be getting that error, but Flash makes a call to the script every 5 seconds so you probably wouldn't know...perhaps that is why we have some totally random disconnects? I just know every rails app we've built, I've seen that error. I'll have to ask Nicoform is they see that message on the new server.

---

GJ said about 12 hours later

Never saw any Rails error messages in my Java based web sites. Go figure. ;)

---

GJ said about 12 hours later

harbor freight tools web sites appears to sell a lot of crappy tools. I'd stick to sears, home depot, and lowes myself.

---

Geoff said about 20 hours later

As would I...I haven't had a problem with most of the tools from the big 3.

---

Steve said 1 day later

As you said, Geoff, you get what you pay for. Consider anything you buy from Harbor Freight disposable.

I do shop Harbor Freight for certain things. Hand tools especially. You can't find wrenches and sockets any cheaper than what they sell. I haven't bought much in the line of power tools from them (I stick with Dewalt for my corded drill and my 1/2" drive battery powered impact wrench - all 300 ft-lbs of it!). Joe has bought tons of power tools there. For the most part, they have worked ok. I think he's had to return one or two things, but he's not had as much bad luck as you.

Both Joe and I consider Harbor Freight power tools "one project only" tools. We only expect them to live through one project. If you are looking to use a tool often, buy higher quality. They have a 7" tile saw that works very well, Joe and I used it to cut tiles for the backsplash in his kitchen, and that's after he used it for retiling the kitchen and dining room in his old house.

Anyway, sorry to hear you've had such bad luck.

I've joined Mom and Dad in their boycott of Sears. They have treated me rudely one too many times. Their tools aren't the highest quality either, particularly their power tools. You can buy better tools elsewhere. Also, don't forget about the internet when shopping for good power tools. I got my 1/2" drive impact from Amazon for $240. Cheapest you could find it in stores was over $300.

---

GJ said 1 day later

Sears may treat you like crap (after all, they pay their people crap, so what do you expect), but there's one reason why I buy things there, especially lawn/garden equipment. No one else gives you part lists / diagrams, and an easy place to order them from. You're dead on about the hand tool quality, though--lifetime guarantee is useless when I have to replace them every 2-3 years, and I don't exactly use them all that often.

Speaking of buying crap from Sears, I bought a reel mower the other day from them. Doing my part for the environment (nah, it actually does a nicer job of cutting the lawn). Also takes a bit more time and a lot more calories. Method to my madness, eh?

---

Geoff said 1 day later

See, that's weird. I've had good experience with Sears. Both people I've talked to about Miter Saws and Tables saws were quite knowledgeable and friendly (granted they were both 50+ years old). The miter saw I bought from sears has really done a great job, and I've used it a few times a week for the past year almost. I will say the laser in it is acting up a little, but it's an easy part to replace.

The quality may be better at Lowes and Home Depot...but the people aren't, at least not where I live. Lots of college kids or young folk who haven't a clue about how a tool REALLY works, but they can read the specs off the price tag for me. It's a hit or miss at those places. Sometimes you get knowledgeable people, many times you can't even find someone.

---

GJ said 1 day later

After a while, you know who to look for in these stores. Geoff, you pegged it...males over 50 are almost always the knowledgeable type in any of these environments.

GJ said 15 minutes later

I did the rating for the month of April and we got an R. Imagine that.

---

Marc said about 1 hour later

What is even more interesting is the stats per person. Here's how people rank based on their posts:

Steve - G
Eric - G
Darcy - G
Mom - G
GJ - PG
Marc - PG
Geoff - R
Kristen - NC-17

So it's evident, that Kristen and Geoff are the contributing factors to this blog's nasty ratings. :)

---

Kristen said about 2 hours later

NC-17!! Whoah! Was it something I said? Sorry Abby!

---

Geoff said about 3 hours later

That's what I like to hear baby!

---

Abby said about 3 hours later

I don't mind. Not at all. ^^

---

GJ said about 19 hours later

Kristen, it was your post on the VA Tech Massacre that did you in. And keep in mind, it counts comments, too. So, I just made this month at least an R with this comment. See? Kill. Death. Death. Sex. Sex. Sex. Murder. Gun. Gun. Gun. Gun. :)

---

GJ said about 19 hours later

Yup, confirmed, we're now an overall R. That was easy.

---

Geoff said about 21 hours later

These ratings must not be based on today's standards. It's amazing what you see on a PG-13 movie today...never would have seen the same material back when I was a kid.

---

GJ said about 22 hours later

It's a simple rating based on the words found. Click the image for details.

GJ said about 11 hours later

I heard the ending was ridiculously loud...was that it?

---

Geoff said about 11 hours later

Loud and obnoxiously cool. Remember this is a total action movie, this isn't Harry Potter.

If you're looking for a good action movie, Transformers is it. If you're looking for a story line, great plot, and Shyamalan ending, well this isn't for you. This has a very awesome Camaro chase....the new (2009) vs the old (69). Simply put, this movie rocks loud and hard.

---

GJ said about 13 hours later

Yeah, is Bumblebee supposed to be both versions of the Camaro? (if that's not spoiling too much)

---

Geoff said about 20 hours later

Yes and No :)

Steve said about 5 hours later

Great theory, not going to work in practice. The people (and companies) that buy the most, and would thus fund a significant portion of this tax, would just start buying stuff from outside the country. Outsourcing is bad enough as it is, just wait and see what would happen if this tax legislation were to happen.

---

GJ said about 23 hours later

Holy crap--I find that I totally agree with Steve on yet another topic!

---

GJ said about 23 hours later

I did post that question on their "Ask the Expert" section--we'll see how they spin the response, if they in fact respond at all.

---

Steve said 1 day later

Wow, August is certainly a strange month for us agreeing on things. Thank God there isn't an election this month!

---

GJ said 1 day later

You can thank Him. I'll thank my lucky stars, or whatever it is we infidels believe in. Ah, that's right, it's money. Thanks, Visa!

---

Geoff said 1 day later

...because in Heaven, they don't take American Express!

Marc said about 2 hours later

Thanks for the info, I'm signed up now.

---

GJ said about 2 hours later

Oh, and I erroneously listed cell phones--you can put them on, but cells are automatically blocked from telemarketers today. Even if that changes someday, they won't likely use this list as a suppression.

---

Steve said about 9 hours later

Thanks, got the new number in.

Marc said about 1 hour later

That is a most excellent find. Things you sometimes forget to think about. This should be required reading for all girls, it's good for everyone to know, but girls most especially should learn to recognize the signs and how to avoid these situations. Often their trust can put them in unfortunate circumstances for disaster.

---

Abby said about 4 hours later

That was an interesting read. =)

I think I can keep that in mind, if ever needed.

---

Steve said about 10 hours later

Very good find, thanks!

Marc said about 16 hours later

Wow, that is a nasty abuse of the system. I think I would give money back to a person who did send me something via a cashier's check anyway, but I can imagine situations where it seems perfectly feasible why you would assume that since it's in your account, it must have cleared.

So cashier's checks are possibly more dangerous than a regular check, simply because the victim involved will assume they are perfectly valid.

---

GJ said about 21 hours later

Yeah, on Ebay years ago, people used to take money orders or cashier's checks. Not so much anymore, but you still see it somewhat frequently.

Geoff said about 9 hours later

Nice read