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The Rice Thresher
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Houston, TX 77005-1892

Phone:
(713) 348-4801
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ONLINE
17-NOV-00



Rob Gaddi/THRESHER
eata burrito too: Members of the Rice chapter of Eta Kappa Nu (the honor society for electrical engineering majors) enjoy burritos while chatting about the challenging task of EE scheduling.

Reducing Junk Mail

by Blair Payson

Every online purchase and every magazine order represent another bit of information being sent to marketing firms.

But this doesn't mean we have to resign ourselves to wading through a mailbox full of catalogs and grocery store coupons everyday. With some vigilance, it is easy to stop the flow of junk mail to your address. But for lists you are already on or could be added to, the following contacts offer a good start:

* To stop receiving the MBNA affinity card mailings (these are advertisements for the credit card with Lovett Hall in the background), contact Rice Alumni Director Ann Greene and ask to be removed from the list. The MBNA affinity card contract represents the only agreement Rice has to share database information.

* To stop getting national direct advertising mail such as catalogs, magazine subscription offers and fundraising solicitations, write to:

	
	Mail Preference Services 
	c/o Direct Marketing Association 
	P.O. Box 9008, Farmingdale 
	NY 11735-9008

Ask to have your name removed from the direct mail marketing list. This request will keep you from receiving junk mail for the next five years.

* Many local nonprofit organizations and businesses do not use direct marketing services. As a result, you will have to directly call or write these solicitors individually.

* To keep your name from getting on additional lists, send postcards to the companies that send mail to you and ask that your name not be shared with other companies. Usually, it is a good idea to send the label from the catalog/mailing.

* Some credit bureaus subscribe to Mail Preference Services, so you will stop receiving applications if you send them a postcard. To get off other credit bureau mailing lists, send a postcard to:

	Trans Union 
	Transmark, Inc. 
	555 West Adams St. 
	Chicago, IL 60601.
To stop getting packets of coupons, ads and product samples addressed to Resident or Occupant, write to these companies and ask that your name be deleted from any mailing lists:

	Advo, Inc. 
	List Service Supervisor
	239 W. Service Rd.
	Hartford, CT 06120

	Carol Wright Gifts
	Customer Service
	P.O. Box 8502
	Lincoln, NE 68544

	Val-pack Direct Marketing Systems, Inc.
	Postal Affairs
	1840 Aerojet Way North
	Las Vegas, NV 89030
	(include a label from one of their mailings)

	Harte Hanks Direct Marketing
	List Maintenance
	100 Alco Place
	Baltimore, MD 21277-2090
	(include a label from one of their mailings)


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