Finally!
I have to admit, I've heard of these phishing scams. I've seen the e-mails through newspaper articles and blogs. I've even just recently listened to an NPR podcast where they featured guys who spent hours scamming these scammers (in really cruel ways I might say). But, I myself had never received an e-mail notifying me of the wealth that awaits just a simple reply from me to my Nigerian friends...until today!
From: Mr.Micheal Elton
Sent: Friday, October 24, 2008 6:42:29 AM
Subject: Fund Release Order!!!
Attention,
Get back to me immediately for necessary steps concerning your inheritance, Sequel to your none - reply of my earlier email to you last three (3) weeks. On behalf of the Trustees and Executors to the Will of your deceased relation,
I wish to notify you that your name appeared in the codicil and last statement of the deceased and you entitled to his fund US$10,000,000.00 deposited with a Bank here and the bank here has made me know that the US$10,000,000.00 will be release to you through their paying centre Access Bank of Nigeria,Also you are advised to reconfirm to me your details as required below to enable the Access Bank of Nigeria release of your funds worth of US$10,000,000.00 to your account.
Below information are required to provide for the proceed and process with your payment file.
Your full name
Your address
Your sex
Your age
Telephone number
Fax number
Your occupation:
Regards,
Barrister Micheal Elton
Tel: +234-702 768 2606
michealelton007@googlemail.com
I was beginning to feel a bit left out. Glad I can now say I relate to those people who have been the victim of a Nigerian bank scam. I can see why so many people fall for this. I mean, the mastery of grammar alone makes this so convincing!
The Run
I fly by about halfway through this video. Okay, not "fly". More like slowly jog.
Run, Forrest! Run!!
Check one off the bucket list. Ran with the bulls in Pamplona today. Still alive.
Warriors 103, Mavs 99
War-riors!
Originally uploaded by crazypete04.I'm not a die-hard Warriors fan yet but a few more games like this and I could see myself getting there.
Stand? Lean? In-Between? (Warning: Not lunch time reading)
For as long as I can remember, I've had what some may consider a quirk, an idiosyncrasy, maybe even a problem. No, it's not the fact that I don't know how to swim or that I can distinguish certain shades of red and green. It's that I don't like to do my business in public restrooms. Yes. That kind of business. The kind that some do while reading a magazine and others while talking on the phone. No, I don't talk on the phone but I've seen enough hotels with phones in the bathroom to assume it's fairly common.
Unfortunately, in my lifetime, I've been in several situations where it was unavoidable. And trust me, I've tried my best to avoid it. When I was younger and touring with a drum and bugle corps - sure, band camp if you want to call it that - I once held out for longer than you'd think was humanly possible. I'm not talking one day or even two. I'm talking days! Okay, more information than you'd care to know but the point is, sometimes you can't avoid it. In college, I readjusted my business cycle to drop the kids off either mid-day or late night when I stood the best chance of having the co-ed bathroom to myself. There's good reason to want to avoid the public restroom. Cleanliness is one. The lack of privacy, another. But really, it's just overall not a good experience.
Today I had to break the rule again. I thought I could last through the day but finally, at 5:30pm and no end in sight to my pile of work, I broke down. Luckily, there was only one other person in the restroom at the time and being fairly considerate, I waited until he was done, zipped up, hands washed, and out the door before I started my business. However, and finally to the subject of this entry, I realized another reason to dislike the public toilette...
...the seat liner! What's the deal with this seat liner anyway? Firstly, it's so thin that when you're tearing away the center area, the two connections somehow never tear but the rest of the seat liner does. Today I went through two before I finally got one right. Then, it never fits the seat properly. I realize that not all the seats are universally sized but how many variations can there really be?!? Do these things fit any of them properly?!?
Finally, at the end of your business, I find they just seem to not be fully cooperative for the final tidying up process. And then it dawned on me. Perhaps I'm not doing this correctly. Somewhere along the way, I learned to be a leaner. This means that in order to clean, you must lean. Either left or right, depending on whether you're a southpaw or not. That's how I do it. And this is where the problem lies. The liner is not made for leaners. The tissue paper is slick and you risk injury. It's thin enough that it will float around on you while you're navigating your neatly folded TP to it's destination. And depending on how long that article you've read is, it may decide to line your backside more than the seat and move with you when you do the lean. Really, it's just not cooperative. Or could it be that I'm doing it all wrong??
What's the proper method for this? Are you supposed to lean? Maybe you're supposed to squat in which case the slick paper isn't an issue anymore. Who knows? Maybe some actually stand completely straight (though I find that this can't be the most effective posture). Somewhere along the way, you've learned your method. But is it right? How would you know without comparing techniques? Much in the same way that I now know most people do not fold TP on the dotted lines or that soaping and then shampooing seems to be the preferred shower order, I now open up the forum for the informal, even possibly anonymous poll of "Stand? Lean? Something In-Between?"
Well?
Fancy Cameras...who needs 'em
Golden Gate
Originally uploaded by crazypete04. A few years back, I thought I'd try my hand and some photography. I read a book or two and then went out and bought an entry level Nikon SLR. A few trips, a couple dozen rolls of film, I came to realize that it'd be an expensive hobby if I stayed at the 1 good shot per roll ratio that I was at.
A couple of years ago, on a trip to Asia, I decided to pick up a digital point and shoot. I thought it would be a good way for me to develop that eye for lighting, contrasts, framing...all that good stuff that I read in that book or two...without the expense of the having to develop film at my 1/36 decent picture-to-bad picture ratio.
Last year, before driving back from the East Coast to the West, I decided to splurge on a Digital SLR and a new lens. $1600 towards the idea that I'd managed to capture a couple good shots with that little point and shoot and that maybe I was ready to fiddle with depth-of-field, shutter speed, metering...all that good stuff that I read in that book or two.
This past Monday, I took a quick trip to Point Reyes for a little scenic hike with Terry. On the drive back, we stopped by the lookout point in Marin to catch a shot of the bridge overlooking the city (I'm sure there are at least a million of exactly the same shot taken from this point). After about 20 minutes opening up apertures, maxing out shutter speeds, and bumping up ISO levels...all that good stuff that I read in that book or two...I whipped out that cheap, bonehead, $300 point-and-shoot and, voila(!), the best shot of the day.
The logical person, at this point, would take that book or two, toss it in the fireplace, and post a couple of Craigslist for-sale ads for used camera equipment. Instead, I'm now in the market for a bigger, faster, more expensive lens. I suspect all it takes is a few thousand dollars more and I'll be able to take that big fancy digital SLR and take a picture that looks like....well....the one from this cheap point-and-shoot camera.
