Well if Identity Theft, Internet Sock Puppets, Badgers and “Look at My Cooter” invites weren’t enough... Haiti Earthquake relief is now spawning fake scams to take advantage of those that want to help.
I was called the other night by a young sounding woman with a rather strong Russian accent (and a crying baby in the background). She was trying to sell me circus tickets. The circus she informed me would be in my town (although she had no idea where I lived...or what the venue was) over my children’s spring break... or was that my grandchildren? ... It was a great circus with lions and animals, trapeze artists and everything....
“No Thank you!” I said.
“But it’s such a great experience for young children” she insisted.
“Sweetie my youngest are teenagers and we don’t support circuses that use animal acts.”
“But we don’t have animal acts” she says
“But you just said you did.”
“No, I didn’t”
“Fine I’m still not interested. Good Bye.”
“WAIT!!! Would you like to donate to the fund the earthquake in Haiti fund?”
“No, they’ve already had a bad earthquake" I said, "they don’t need another one.”
*click*
*eye roll*
My Aunt was scammed a couple of weeks ago, right after her husband died. Poor dear is almost 89, partially deaf, and medicated with stuff that makes her kind of groggy at night... in the middle of the night a hysterically crying female who addressed her a “Grandma” (which should have tipped her off right away... cuz none of her grandkids call her that) called with a tale of woe – Stranded in a small town, car broke down, need money for towing, repairs, and hotel – my credit card isn’t working Grandma! Please wire me some money...
Sadly Aunty did send money and it wasn’t until the morning that she realized she’d been scammed.
I was channel surfing on the radio this morning when one of the morning shows was talking about this very scam – Police have been warning older people about this scam in particular. It’s apparently widely spread over North America – in the middle of the night a senior receives an urgent call from a desperate grandchild (usually a distraught female)asking them to wire money.
The radio announcer said that someone had called his mother-in-law and tried that scam. Unfortunately for the caller (a female) his Mother-in-law only has grandsons (all of whom were at her house that night) AND none of them would ever make the mistake of calling Nonna ‘grandma’.
I also have been getting those annoying “This is an Urgent call about your credit card” automated calls... arrrrgh.
If I have the time I mess with them...
“Thank you for staying on the line Ma’am! We’ve noticed some unusual activity on your card. Please confirm your full name, address, card number, and PIN number so that we can verify that this last purchase was yours...”
“Ummmm... what does it say was the last purchase?”
“Can you verify that information please?”
“Not unless you tell me what the purchase was...”
“Are you currently in Thailand? And staying at the Grand Hotel?”
“Yes”
“How can you be ma’am? I’m talking to you on the phone.”
“Thailand has phones - Heyyyyyyy... If you’re REALLY from the bank then you have all that information in your trusty little computer... I don’t need to confirm anything.”
*click*
Or the car insurance one.
“Hi! We’re calling to offer you an extension on the service warranty you have with us for your car.”
“Oh... okay”
“What kind of car do you have?”
“It’s still the same car.”
“What kind of car is it? And what year?”
“I dunno... the same car you’ve already got covered... we haven’t got a new one.”
“I know but I need the make and model...”
“Isn’t that already on the old warranty papers? ... I thought you were extending the coverage I already have?”
*click*
This idea was shamelessly pilfered from another blog cuz I don't have the time or energy this week to be original. Within each of there is a well of energy that must be regularly replenished. When we act as if this well is bottomless, scheduling a long list of activities that fit like puzzle pieces into every minute of every day, it becomes depleted and we feel exhausted, disconnected, and weak. Refilling this well is a matter of finding time to focus on, nurture, and care for ourselves, or "you time." Most of us are, at different times throughout the day, a spouse, a friend, a relative, an employee, a parent, or a volunteer, which means that down time, however relaxing in nature, is not necessarily "you time." Though some people will inevitably look upon "you time" as being selfish, it is actually the polar opposite of selfishness. We can only excel where our outer world affairs are concerned when our own spiritual, physical, and intellectual needs are fulfilled.
Recognizing the importance of "you time" is far easier than finding a place for it in an active, multifaceted lifestyle, however. Even if you find a spot for it in your agenda, you may be dismayed to discover that your thoughts continuously stray into worldly territory. To make the most of "you time," give yourself enough time on either side of the block of time you plan to spend on yourself to ensure that you do not feel rushed. Consider how you would like to pass the time, forgetting for the moment your obligations and embracing the notion of renewal. You may discover that you are energized by creative pursuits, guided meditation, relaxing activities during which your mind can wander, or modes of expression such as writing.
Even if you have achieved a functioning work-life balance, you may still be neglecting the most important part of that equation: you. "You time" prepares you for the next round of daily life, whether you are poised to immerse yourself in a professional project or chores around the home. It also affords you a unique opportunity to learn about yourself, your needs, and your tolerances in a concrete way. As unimportant as "you time" can sometimes seem, it truly is crucial to your wellbeing because it ensures that you are never left without the energy to give of yourself.
Care of DailyOM
The video clip is a 24 hour observation of the movement of all the large aircraft flights in the world, condensed down to about 2 minutes. From space it looks like a bee hive of activity. You can tell it is summer time in the north by the sun's footprint over the planet. You can see that it doesn't quite set in the extreme north and it doesn't quite rise in the extreme south.
I have never seen this before. We are taught about the earth's tilt and how it causes summer and winter in the opposite hemisphere, but to see just what is going on - WOW. With this 24-hour observation of aircraft travel on the earths surface we get to see the daylight pattern change as our timer 'moves' across the planet (and by noting where the 'sun is shining' in the northern hemisphere, across the top of the 'movie', you can estimate the time of day).
Each yellow dot is a plane in the air. Watch the concentration of the dots change as daylight comes and goes. Want to be an air traffic controller?"
Some wine can improve if stored in a carton rather than in a bottle
Although I do agree that a bottle of wine is more “classically” romantic on a picnic or in front of a roaring fire… but what’s more important? How it looks? Or the quality of what’s inside?
Read on. ;)"
… and that would be one of my biggest annoyances… I don’t actually have a current obsession. I want one. My love of, and interest in, Wraeththu has not waned - it is simply not an obsession on the same level as some of my past, and much enjoyed, obsessions.
What's for dinner? … it’s your turn to cook, and I’m in the mood for spicy.
What's the last thing you bought? A mirror to hang in the front hall
What are you listening to right now? Right this second I am listening to the dog snoring… musically my tastes run towards the eclectic – Today alone my playlist includes Guess Who, Van Morrison, Frank Sinatra, Tarkan, Etta James, Holtz, Amon Amarth, PowWow drummers….
If you could go anywhere in the world for the next hour, where would you go? Chicago or London
What's your favorite quote (for now)?
Out beyond ideas of wrong-doing and right-doing, there is a field. I'll meet you there.
~ Rumi
What's your favorite piece of clothing in your own wardrobe? My XXXL Hoodie from UMASS
What's your dream job? Travel writer
What's your worst habit? Procrastination
Do you admire anyone's style? No… I admire different aspects about different people and I only admire “style” if it seems genuine, fresh, and truly unique – I do not admire sheep who will follow any sort of trendy (especially fashion) thing just because some self-appointed fashionista, or style guru, says it's the "new thing".
Describe your personal style. I aim for classic business casual at work. At home my usual style is “on my way from/to workout” or “about to/just finished gardening”… I aspire to Bohemian
What are your favorite movies? Old ones… Thin Man series, Belles of St. Trinian,… HATE war movies, horror movies,…
What inspires you? The everyday world inspires me…
What's your favorite book? I have too many books in too many different genres to pick a favourite…
Do you collect something? Books? I try not to collect things… I have collections of things because some people ::ahem:: have for some reason assumed/decided/thought that I collect things… that I don’t actually collect… so there collections of stuff here that I don’t collect
What do you like most about yourself? I like the fact that I can (and do) find the humour in most every situation – even the bad ones. I like this about me, but it isn’t always appreciated and it sometimes gets me in trouble.
What's your go-to nail polish color? O_o …. People have go to nail polish colours??? Really??? Well … okay then – I learned something new today.
If you've gotten this far, you're all tagged! Mwahahahaha.
Do not stand on my grave and weep Let’s recap...
- My laptop just stopped working. Right in the middle of a bubble blasting game there appeared the blue screen of death and an error message; perhaps I exceeded the international maximum bubble destruction quota....
- Why do error messages have numbers instead of names?
o Error message 99849865673876346azh means nothing... and is therefore incredibly unhelpful.
o Your computer has shut down to protect the hard drive because the mother board has detected that you have exceeded the international maximum bubble destruction quota; no sudden moves - The police will be there soon! <= this is useful.
- NEVER clean out the storage room with your significant other. For some reason their keepsakes and important and potential useful things to store stuff are always more important than yours which (obviously) should have been turfed years ago
o Ditto for the garage.
- This weekend was the long Victoria Day Weekend... wherein we celebrate Queen Victoria’s Birthday by setting off fireworks, having BBQs and generally having way more fun than Queen Victoria is having because she’s dead.
o It’s the “unofficial” start summer when people flock to cottage country, and start gardening and planting. Unfortunately we had frost Saturday and Sunday morning... chilly, very chilly.
I thought this was amusing...
Oh what a tangled web we weave,
When first we practice to deceive
But when we've practiced for a while,
How vastly we improve our style! *
I dunno...
I know the economy is bad... but the Canadian economy wasn’t nearly as bad as some other countries who got hit.
However, the media really worked the story... all the gloom and doom news, all the time.
Media: Economy is bad. Businesses are closing! You’re all going to lose your jobs.
Public: ZOMG the economy is bad! We’re going to lose our jobs! *rein in spending*
Media: OK now the economy is in serious trouble people have stopped spending... * throw in dire financial stats and make direct references to soup lines and dust bowls of the Great Depression* you’re all going to lose your jobs and die penniless sleeping in your car
Public: ZOMG the economy is in serious trouble... we’re all going to die *stop spending entirely*
It made me mad that the media really “enjoyed” the story and whipped up a “self-fulfilling” gloom and doom mentality in the public.
There is a difference between 'reporting a story' and 'reporting a story with lurid glee'.
Same thing is happening with the Swine Flu... oh pardon me - the H1N1 flu.
The media has latched onto it with frightening ferocity ... anything to get our minds off the economy.
Now we’re not worried about dying penniless in the streets... we’re actually worried about actually dying.
The swine flu is a serious health threat – no question!
The WHO is increasing the pandemic alert levels alarmingly fast, and that is news, however, I do NOT feel that an hourly update about suspected cases is helpful. People are beginning to panic.
Pandemic alert levels are more “heads ups” to public health agencies, and governments around when to implement their pandemic plans and the mobilization of resources... and not public indicators of how soon we’re all gonna die.
I’m not saying there is no cause for concern – there most definitely is cause...
· Keep in mind that the last global pandemic (Spanish Flu epidemic of 1918) killed between 50 million to 100 million people worldwide – more than did the Black Death.
· And that flu epidemic came in two waves... the original mild form that quickly mutated into a much more virulent, fatal version within weeks....
There is cause for concern and precautions but there are no causes for panic ... However, if you feel you need to panic, please panic constructively.
There is a difference between panic, being cautious, and stupidity; Stupid should be painful.
A radio reporter pointed out to a guy at the airport on his way to Mexico that there was a travel advisory and that WHO and the Government were recommending only emergency travel to Mexico... “Who cares” he said “This is an emergency – I need a vacation”.
Ethical dilemma: Do you have to treat someone that arrogant and cavalier about his own health and the health of those around him?
Thoughts? what's it like where you are?We discovered a great new artist with a campy, naughty, and brilliant- with a cheeky sense of humour and fabulous talent ... and well-aimed zingers at white European Christian interferences on Native American culture.
Kent Monkman, an artist of Cree ancestry who works with a variety of mediums, including painting, film/video, performance and installation, had several pieces in a AGO retrospective Remix: New Modernities in a Post-Indian World.
WARNING: Not everyone’s taste. NSFW
http://www.canadianart.ca/online/2007/12/20/kentmonkman2.jpg
http://www.artknowledgenews.com/files2008a/Monkman-Triumph-of-Mischief.jpg
http://www.baileyfinearts.com/images/misschief_178small.jpg
http://www.hemisphericinstitute.org/gallery/exhibit2_eng/kent1.html
http://www.pfoac.com/zOLDSITE/images/monkman/photosL.jpg
http://www.stephenfriedman.com/index.php?pid=11&aid=76
http://www.baileyfinearts.com/images/deathofhyacinthus.jpg
http://www.baileyfinearts.com/images/theexamination.jpg
After an orange cloud — formed as a result of a dust storm over the Sahara and caught up by air currents — reached the Philippines and settled there with rain, I understood that we are all sailing in the same boat.
~ Vladimir Kovalyonok (Astronaut)
At least they were NOT talking on their cell phones – cuz that would have been unsafe!!
Police nab Norwegian pair during high-speed sex
To all my fellow yoga enthusiasts:
http://video.gaiam.com/services/player/bcpid1896788996?bctid=15257780001
I’m hiring...
and seriously... at what point does one use the microwave? Am I doing this wrong?
New Year's Eve Scatter confetti Blow up a wish Play a loud tune by Myra Cohn Livingson....  |
and lest someone find that offensive
Best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low stress, non-addictive, gender neutral, winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most joyous traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, but with respect for the religious/secular persuasions and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all.
Additionally,
a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling, and medically uncomplicated recognition of the generally accepted calendar year 2009, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions have helped make our society great , (not to imply that our society is necessarily greater than any other society or is that ours is the only "society" in the western hemisphere or any other hemisphere), without regard to the race, creed, color, age, physical ability, religious faith, sexual orientation, choice of computer platform , or other preferences of the wishee
Disclaimer: By accepting this greeting, you are accepting the following terms this greeting is freely transferable with no alteration to the original greeting. This greeting is subject to clarification or withdrawal. This wish is warranted to perform as expected within the usual application of good tidings for a period of one year, or until the issuance of a subsequent holiday greeting, whichever comes first, and warranty is limited to replacement of this wish or issuance of a new wish at the sole discretion of the wisher, however, it implies no promise by the wisher to actually implement any of the wishes for her/himself or others and no responsibility for any unintended emotional stress these greetings may bring to those not caught up in the holiday spirit. It is void where prohibited by law, and is revocable at the sole discretion of the wisher.
"What is life? It is the flash of a firefly in the
night. It is the breath of a buffalo in the wintertime. It is the
little shadow which runs across the grass and loses itself in the
sunset."
- Crowfoot, Native American, Blackfoot.
Perhaps this is a good time of the year to remember this? non?
Your result for The hey good lookin' whatcha got cookin' test...
Superb result! You must really know your veggies. Either you are already a chef, or perhaps you just love to cook. You seemed to do well with several of the more obscure vegetables. Most of the vegetables used in this test came straight from the garden. They were so much fresher than those that are shipped across the country. For more recipes and pictures feel free to check out my blog "straightfromthefarm.net".
Here's how you did compared to others...
Executive Chef
Sous Chef
Sauté Chef
Vegetable Chef
Fry Cook
Maître D'
Bus Boy
Wendy's Bun Toaster
Please visit my journal if you wish to check your answers.
Take The hey good lookin' whatcha got cookin' test atHelloQuizzy
