This is a summary of articles found during cursory Internet searches regarding impulse buying and ecommerce.

A more attractive printable version is posted here at Docstoc.

Most of these are “newbie” articles because I lack marketing experience. This list has been filtered in based on quality. Star ratings ranging from 1 to 3 indicate perceived quality.

Credit card late payment fees suck. They suck out $25 to $35 from your wallet every time you forget to mail in the payment. Here's how to avoid the fees. Also, if you're in debt, this will help you get out of debt and start saving!

Aspergers Quiz is a test that measures how Asperger-ish you might be. I got 36, but it was probably influenced by reading an article about the Aspergers Syndrome.

Clayton Holton is going to die without pot. He's going to each of the candidates and putting them on the hot seat, then posting videos.

Huffpost has a thing about him.

He even laid down some insight into pain and anger, and oxycontin. He said oxycontin (aka, hillbilly heroin) got him angry for no reason at all. Thing is, regular pain also gets you angry and depressed, and your body releases natural "drugs" to ease the pain, and these drugs are similar to heroin. There might be a connection.

This is a set of templates for creating Hipster PDA cards. The OTT files are blanks, and the ODT files are templates with information.

The "hipster pda" (I hate that name) is just a small stack of index cards held together by a steel clip or steel ring. It's basically a 50 cent notepad, but made of more durable paper.

To use the template, print a blank onto regular paper. Take some clear packing tape, and tape over the top line of each card, so the entire line is covered. Take two smaller bits of tape, around 2/3" long, and tape down a blank index card by the corners. Don't tape over the whole corner - just try to get maybe 1/4" of it. Now, feed this whole thing back into the printer.

Fill up a card with some information, and then print it. Here's my current template. It's a little grungy.

A year ago, an article about longitudinal testing of teaching exposed me to some new ideas. Recent web searching has turned up other articles. These generally refute the value of assesment tests like those mandated by No Child Left Behind, and point to a more effective use of testing to improve teaching.

Helping to collect petition signatures to put the Wal-Mart referendum on the Rosemead ballot is getting me to wonder about how people make the little decisions in life. The little decision here is signing this petition when a JA and a Mexican American come by to request a signature. It seems like Asians like to sign petitions for other Asians. Whites seem a bit averse, or maybe they just get their guard up when minorities come around. (Around here, whites are a real minority, so some probably feel extra defensive, as some are wont to do.) Chicanos are a mixed bag, but it sometimes seems to help if one person is of that group.

Then again, it could also be reactions to entirely different, nonracial issues, like clothing, or posture, or verbal delivery. You never really know, and it's not like anyone's going to ask, or admit anything to your face.

There is a weird flipside to being JA here, though. Mexicans will shit talk about whites to you. Asians will shit talk about Mexicans to you. And some whites will shit talk about Chinese to you. It's weird, but the racism is almost like a bonding thing. (Don't worry, I know that all these people are talking smack about Japanese all the time. I'm sure JAs are also talking bad about me out there.) The funny thing is, odds are, they've got one of "them" or "us" or someone in their family somewhere.

Stroke is what happens when blood flow to the brain is disrupted, leading to damage to brain tissue. Its common causes high blood pressure, blood clots, and head injuries.

Where to get rid of stuff.

Books - donate to the library.

Paint - some cities have a free paint exchange. You can drop off or get paint for free.

Oil - auto parts stores recycle oil and brake fluid.

Monitors and electronics - cities have a hazardous waste disposal day. Ask city hall.

Cel phones - donate to groups that recycle them and give them to people who need to make emergency calls.

Building materials - there are building material exchanges online.

Metals and plastics - take them to recycling centers. Industrial ones will buy aluminum, brass and copper at premium prices.

Magazines - give them to community centers, convalescent homes, laundromats, battered women's shelters, etc. Do it before they get old.

Medical equipment - in Southern Cal, the Convalescent Aid Society takes it away for you.

Freecycle is a "want ads" for people who are giving stuff away. There may be one in your city.

Peter Parker, OCD sufferer.