I'm not listening to the same radio stations you are...
If it's not a weekday, I tend to listen to oldies music.
If it's a weekday morning, I listen to Jamie and Danny because
they're addictive and sometimes they're unbelieveable, as in Danny wondering aloud how come his wife didn't
"squirm or complain" when he first attempted "the back door" - they were MUCH MORE explicit about this
than I am, because I'm chicken...
Sunday, April 14, 2002
I have accepted your invitation to the blog, Punjab. As you might have said in a former day, some days you eat the cheesesteak, now days you dream of it while stuck in traffic as the cheesesteak eats your arteries. I am happy to hear that your son, Gunga Din Mulcahy returned safely from his journey to the mysterious Islands. I'm becomming convinced that the local radio stations' employees are taking days off while replaying old middle eastern news from 30 years ago. It's difficult to hear any difference and the names are the same.
Saturday, April 13, 2002
Friday, April 12, 2002
Company lures piracy whistle blowers
If I wanted an "F" on my browser, it wouldn't stand for "Fast"...
Thursday, April 11, 2002
Monday, April 08, 2002
Friday, April 05, 2002
Thursday, April 04, 2002
Big manufacturing company is outsourcing some programming jobs to overseas coding shops, reports a programmer pilot fish at the manufacturer.
But the company is taking it slowly. "We've been giving them sample projects to work on and increasing the complexity of the tasks involved, to gauge what they could handle and what was beyond their expertise," fish says.
The latest effort: Converting code from several old Digital Equipment VAX programs to run on IBM machines.
"Their programmers had been working on this project for six months," says fish. "In the weekly status meetings, we regularly asked, 'What problems are you having with the Digital to IBM sales report conversions?' or 'How's the VAX-to-IBM conversion going on those Phase 2 financial programs?'"
No problems, no problems, never any problems to report.
Until the day, six months into the project, when one outsourcer programmer finally does have an issue to raise.
"Can you tell me again," outsourcer says politely, "What is a VAX?"
Computerworld Shark Tank
But the company is taking it slowly. "We've been giving them sample projects to work on and increasing the complexity of the tasks involved, to gauge what they could handle and what was beyond their expertise," fish says.
The latest effort: Converting code from several old Digital Equipment VAX programs to run on IBM machines.
"Their programmers had been working on this project for six months," says fish. "In the weekly status meetings, we regularly asked, 'What problems are you having with the Digital to IBM sales report conversions?' or 'How's the VAX-to-IBM conversion going on those Phase 2 financial programs?'"
No problems, no problems, never any problems to report.
Until the day, six months into the project, when one outsourcer programmer finally does have an issue to raise.
"Can you tell me again," outsourcer says politely, "What is a VAX?"
Computerworld Shark Tank
Wednesday, April 03, 2002
Uh, maybe it CRASHED???
This is too perfect...
Anti-Unix Web site goes off-line after switch to Windows 2000 | Computerworld News & Features Story
This is too perfect...
Anti-Unix Web site goes off-line after switch to Windows 2000 | Computerworld News & Features Story
Tuesday, April 02, 2002
Monday, April 01, 2002
Saturday, March 30, 2002
Thursday, March 28, 2002
This is GREAT... maybe they'll also be able to afford some bandwidth!!!
ADVERTISING AGE ACQUIRES ADCRITIC.COM
ADVERTISING AGE ACQUIRES ADCRITIC.COM
Wednesday, March 27, 2002
Tuesday, March 26, 2002
Saturday, March 23, 2002
Friday, March 22, 2002
Wednesday, March 20, 2002
System admin gets censured for using the worm to notify the bozos...Hey Mack, be careful of the worm that turned: [it.mycareer.com.au], General
I like this guy's sense of humor...
Mercury News | 03/20/2002 | Accused eBay hacker makes bizarre court appearance
Mercury News | 03/20/2002 | Accused eBay hacker makes bizarre court appearance
Tuesday, March 19, 2002
Monday, March 18, 2002
I think they now have a way to pay for all this new technology.
They can *charge* people to look at the xray scans as people walk through.
-- also they can put up web sites, featuring the 100 best xrays at LAX...
CNN.com - New security devices shown at Orlando - March 15, 2002
They can *charge* people to look at the xray scans as people walk through.
-- also they can put up web sites, featuring the 100 best xrays at LAX...
CNN.com - New security devices shown at Orlando - March 15, 2002
Wednesday, March 13, 2002
Tuesday, March 12, 2002
An important part of my childhood....
Here it is...
Here is a Review (with some background) of They're Coming to Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa! by Napoleon XIV
Here it is...
Here is a Review (with some background) of They're Coming to Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa! by Napoleon XIV
Wednesday, March 06, 2002
Tuesday, March 05, 2002
Monday, March 04, 2002
Sunday, March 03, 2002
Somebody done hacked them... if you get a 404 error, they
finally figured it out.
Memepool had this link, saying
"Yes, Microsoft is Secure... " HAH!!!! .
finally figured it out.
Memepool had this link, saying
"Yes, Microsoft is Secure... " HAH!!!! .
We're BACK!!!
Interesting - I finally realized that yeah, it's probably not a great thing that AT&T set up new ftp servers which won't allow uploading
from Blogger- but hey, at least Ev and co. will let me set up here on BlogSpot... this is really excellent!
memo to self: kick some $$ in as soon as possible...
Interesting - I finally realized that yeah, it's probably not a great thing that AT&T set up new ftp servers which won't allow uploading
from Blogger- but hey, at least Ev and co. will let me set up here on BlogSpot... this is really excellent!
memo to self: kick some $$ in as soon as possible...
Tuesday, February 12, 2002
Friday, February 08, 2002
Thursday, February 07, 2002
Wednesday, February 06, 2002
Tuesday, February 05, 2002
Thursday, January 31, 2002
Wednesday, January 30, 2002
Tuesday, January 29, 2002
Monday, January 28, 2002
Sun's Scott McNealy has a great positive perspective on things...
See the Spencer F. Katt article (EWEEK):
Down Economy Has Upside for Some
See the Spencer F. Katt article (EWEEK):
Down Economy Has Upside for Some
Saturday, January 26, 2002
Wednesday, January 23, 2002
Friday, January 18, 2002
Thursday, January 17, 2002
Wednesday, January 16, 2002
Saturday, January 12, 2002
Friday, January 11, 2002
Thursday, January 10, 2002
You are on your own, and there is nothing to understand. Miles O' Smiles Crack Soda wishes to thank all its friends and customers
for the unbeliveable response we've had to our Afghan campaign.
See Miles O' Smiles in Somalia, the Philippines and our secret test marketing
campaign in the Bekka Valley and Iraq. Yes, it's true - if you see our
Miles O' Smiles Crack Soda in Baghdad, contact us for a free case!
Miles O' Smiles is also the drink of chice for Al Queda prisoners on Air Raghead
flights to Gitmo
"Miles O'Smiles es mi soda de crack favorita" exclaimed Fidel Castro, in a
recent interview.
for the unbeliveable response we've had to our Afghan campaign.
See Miles O' Smiles in Somalia, the Philippines and our secret test marketing
campaign in the Bekka Valley and Iraq. Yes, it's true - if you see our
Miles O' Smiles Crack Soda in Baghdad, contact us for a free case!
Miles O' Smiles is also the drink of chice for Al Queda prisoners on Air Raghead
flights to Gitmo
"Miles O'Smiles es mi soda de crack favorita" exclaimed Fidel Castro, in a
recent interview.
Tuesday, January 08, 2002
Monday, January 07, 2002
Friday, January 04, 2002
Thursday, January 03, 2002
this came up in my "fortune cookie" ... what timing!
"Verily and forsooth," replied Goodgulf darkly. "In the past year
strange and fearful wonders I have seen. Fields sown with barley reap
crabgrass and fungus, and even small gardens reject their artichoke hearts.
There has been a hot day in December and a blue moon. Calendars are made with
a month of Sundays and a blue-ribbon Holstein bore alive two insurance
salesmen. The earth splits and the entrails of a goat were found tied in
square knots. The face of the sun blackens and the skies have rained down
soggy potato chips."
"But what do all these things mean?" gasped Frito.
"Beats me," said Goodgulf with a shrug, "but I thought it made good
copy."
-- Harvard Lampoon, "Bored of the Rings"
Wednesday, January 02, 2002
Friday, December 28, 2001
Thursday, December 27, 2001
Sunday, December 23, 2001
Saturday, December 22, 2001
I got this today....
Date: Sat, 22 Dec 2001 01:53:34 -0800 (PST)
From: "Sani Usman"
Subject: Urgent And Confidential
To: saniusman2001@{MAILBOXDELETED}
FROM DR. SANI USMAN
TEL/FAX: (DELETED)
PRIVATE EMAIL: {DELETED}
Dear sir,
First, I must solicit your confidence in this transaction, this
is by virtue if its nature as being utterly CONFIDENTIAL and TOP
SECRET. Though I know that a transaction of this magnitude will
make any one apprehensive and worried, but I am assuring you that
all will be well at the end of the day. We have decided to contact
you due to the urgency of this transaction, as we have been reliably
informed of your discreteness and ability in transactions of this nature.
Let me start by first introducing myself properly to you. DR. SANI
USMAN,a manager with the EQUITORIAL TRUST BANK LTD
Lagos. I came to know of you in my private search for a
reliable and reputable person to handle this confidential transaction which
involves the transfer of a huge sum of money to a foreign account
requiring maximum confidence.
THE PROPOSITION:
A foreigner, Late Engineer Johnson Creek, an Oil Merchant/Contractor
with the Federal Government of Nigeria, until his death five years
ago in a ghastly air crash, banked with us here at EQUITORIAL TRUST
BANK LTD. Lagos, and had a closing balance of US$9.260M (Nine Million,
Two Hundred and Sixty Thousand United States Dollars) which the
bank now unquestionably expects it to be claimed by any available
foreign next-of-kin of the Late beneficiary or alternatively be
donated to a discredited trust fund for arms and ammunition at a
military war college here in Nigeria. Fervent valuable efforts are
being made by the EQUITORIAL TRUST BANK LTD to get in
touch with any of the Creek family or relatives but proved to no
avail.
It is because of the perceived possibility of not being able to
locate any of Late Engr. Johnson Creeks next-of-kin (he had no known
wife and children) that the management under the influence of our
chairman and member of the board of directors, retired Major General
Kalu Uke Kalu, that an arrangement be made for the funds to be declared
UNCLAIMABLE and subsequently be donated to the Trust Fund for Arms
and Ammunition to further enhance the course of war in Africa and the world in general.
In order to avert this negative development, some of my trusted
colleagues and I now seek your permission to have you stand as a
next-of-kin to Late Engr. Johnson Creek so that the funds US$9.260M
would be released and paid into your bank account as the beneficiary
next-of-kin. All documents and proves to enable you get this fund
will be carefully worked out and more so we are assuring you of
a 100% risk free involvement. Your share stays while the rest would
be for myself and my colleagues for investment purposes in your country.
We have agreed that, the funds will be shared thus, after it has
been transferred into your account
1. 15% of the money will go to you for acting as the
beneficiary of the funds.
2. 5% will be set aside for reimbursement to both
parties for any incidental expenses that may be incurred in the course
of the transfer.
3. 80% to us the originators of the transaction.
If this proposal is OK by you and you do not wish to take undue
advantage of the trust, we hope to bestow on you and your company,
then kindly get to me immediately via my private Email:saniusman@{MAILBOXDELETED}
or fax No. {DELETED} for security reason. Furnishing me with
your most confidential telephone, fax number and
exclusive bank particulars so that I can use these information to
apply for the release and subsequent transfer of the funds in your
favour.
Thank you in advance for your anticipated
co-operation.
Yours faithfully,
DR. SANI USMAN
(EQUITORIAL TRUST BANK LTD.)
Here's the official Secret Service web page: (http://www.ustreas.gov/usss)
Nigerian Advance Fee Fraud Overview
The perpetrators of Advance Fee Fraud (AFF), known internationally as "4-1-9" fraud after the section of the Nigerian penal code which addresses fraud schemes, are often very creative and innovative.
Unfortunately, there is a perception that no one is prone to enter into such an obviously suspicious relationship. However, a large number of victims are enticed into believing they have been singled out from the masses to share in multi-million dollar windfall profits for doing absolutely nothing. It is also a misconception that the victim's bank account is requested so the culprit can plunder it -- this is not the primary reason for the account request -- merely a signal they have hooked another victim.
In almost every case there is a sense of urgency;
The victim is enticed to travel to Nigeria or a border country;
There are many forged official looking documents;
Most of the correspondence is handled by fax or through the mail;
Blank letterheads and invoices are requested from the victim along with the banking particulars;
Any number of Nigerian fees are requested for processing the transaction with each fee purported to be the last required;
The confidential nature of the transaction is emphasized;
There are usually claims of strong ties to Nigerian officials;
A Nigerian residing in the U.S., London or other foreign venue may claim to be a clearing house bank for the Central Bank of Nigeria;
Offices in legitimate government buildings appear to have been used by impostors posing as the real occupants or officials.
The most common forms of these fraudulent business proposals fall into seven main categories:
Disbursement of money from wills
Contract fraud (C.O.D. of goods or services)
Purchase of real estate
Conversion of hard currency
Transfer of funds from over invoiced contracts
Sale of crude oil at below market prices
The most prevalent and successful cases of Advance Fee Fraud is the fund transfer scam. In this scheme, a company or individual will typically receive an unsolicited letter by mail from a Nigerian claiming to be a senior civil servant. In the letter, the Nigerian will inform the recipient that he is seeking a reputable foreign company or individual into whose account he can deposit funds ranging from $10-$60 million that the Nigerian government overpaid on some procurement contract.
The criminals obtain the names of potential victims from a variety of sources including trade journals, professional directories, newspapers, and commercial libraries. They do not target a single company, but rather send out mailings en masse. The sender declares that he is a senior civil servant in one of the Nigerian Ministries, usually the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). The letters refer to investigations of previous contracts awarded by prior regimes alleging that many contracts were over invoiced. Rather than return the money to the government, they desire to transfer the money to a foreign account. The sums to be transferred average between $10,000,000 to $60,000,000 and the recipient is usually offered a commission up to 30 percent for assisting in the transfer.
Initially, the intended victim is instructed to provide company letterheads and pro forma invoicing that will be used to show completion of the contract. One of the reasons is to use the victim's letterhead to forge letters of recommendation to other victim companies and to seek out a travel visa from the American Embassy in Lagos. The victim is told that the completed contracts will be submitted for approval to the Central Bank of Nigeria. Upon approval, the funds will be remitted to an account supplied by the intended victim.
The goal of the criminal is to delude the target into thinking that he is being drawn into a very lucrative, albeit questionable, arrangement. The intended victim must be reassured and confident of the potential success of the deal. He will become the primary supporter of the scheme and willingly contribute a large amount of money when the deal is threatened. The term "when" is used because the con-within-the-con is the scheme will be threatened in order to persuade the victim to provide a large sum of money to save the venture.
The letter, while appearing transparent and even ridiculous to most, unfortunately is growing in its effectiveness. It sets the stage and is the opening round of a two-layered scheme or scheme within a scheme. The fraudster will eventually reach someone who, while skeptical, desperately wants the deal to be genuine.
Victims are almost always requested to travel to Nigeria or a border country to complete a transaction. Individuals are often told that a visa will not be necessary to enter the country. The Nigerian con artists may then bribe airport officials to pass the victims through Immigration and Customs. Because it is a serious offense in Nigeria to enter without a valid visa, the victim's illegal entry may be used by the fraudsters as leverage to coerce the victims into releasing funds. Violence and threats of physical harm may be employed to further pressure victims. In June of 1995, an American was murdered in Lagos, Nigeria, while pursuing a 4-1-9 scam, and numerous other foreign nationals have been reported as missing.
Victims are often convinced of the authenticity of Advance Fee Fraud schemes by the forged or false documents bearing apparently official Nigerian government letterhead, seals, as well as false letters of credit, payment schedules and bank drafts. The fraudster may establish the credibility of his contacts, and thereby his influence, by arranging a meeting between the victim and "government officials" in real or fake government offices.
In the next stage some alleged problem concerning the "inside man" will suddenly arise. An official will demand an up-front bribe or an unforeseen tax or fee to the Nigerian government will have to be paid before the money can be transferred. These can include licensing fees, registration fees, and various forms of taxes and attorney fees. Normally each fee paid is described as the very last fee required. Invariably, oversights and errors in the deal are discovered by the Nigerians, necessitating additional payments and allowing the scheme to be stretched out over many months.
Several reasons have been submitted why Nigerian Advance Fee Fraud has undergone a dramatic increase in recent years. The explanations are as diverse as the types of schemes. The Nigerian Government blames the growing problem on mass unemployment, extended family systems, a get rich quick syndrome, and, especially, the greed of foreigners.
Indications are that Advance Fee Fraud grosses hundreds of millions of dollars annually and the losses are continuing to escalate. In all likelihood, there are victims who do not report their losses to authorities due to either fear or embarrassment.
In response to this growing epidemic, the United States Secret Service established "Operation 4-1-9" designed to target Nigerian Advance Fee Fraud on an international basis. The Financial Crimes Division of the Secret Service receives approximately 100 telephone calls from victims/potential victims and 300-500 pieces of related correspondence per day.
Secret Service agents have been assigned on a temporary basis to the American Embassy in Lagos to address the problem in that arena. Agents have established liaison with Nigerian officials, briefed other embassies on the widespread problem, and have assisted in the extrication of U.S. citizens in distress.
If you have been victimized by one of these schemes, please forward appropriate written documentation to the United States Secret Service, Financial Crimes Division, 950 H Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20001, or telephone (202) 406-5850, or contact by e-mail.
If you have received a letter, but have not lost any monies to this scheme, please fax a copy of that letter to (202) 406-5031.
The Funniest Joke in the World?
Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson are going camping. They pitch their tent under the stars and go to sleep. Sometime in the middle of the night Holmes wakes Watson up.
"Watson, look up at the stars, and tell me what you deduce."
Watson says, "I see millions of stars, and if there are millions of stars, and if even a few of those have planets, it’s quite likely there are some planets like Earth, and if there are a few planets like Earth out there, there might also be life."
Holmes replied: "Watson, you idiot, somebody stole our tent!"
Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson are going camping. They pitch their tent under the stars and go to sleep. Sometime in the middle of the night Holmes wakes Watson up.
"Watson, look up at the stars, and tell me what you deduce."
Watson says, "I see millions of stars, and if there are millions of stars, and if even a few of those have planets, it’s quite likely there are some planets like Earth, and if there are a few planets like Earth out there, there might also be life."
Holmes replied: "Watson, you idiot, somebody stole our tent!"
Friday, December 21, 2001
...And while you're at it, port it to the Atari ST as well. And don't forget to
turn off the light when you leave the room!... and take a bath too!
Holdout States Want Microsoft Office Ported to Linux | Computerworld News & Features Story
turn off the light when you leave the room!... and take a bath too!
Holdout States Want Microsoft Office Ported to Linux | Computerworld News & Features Story
How about SWODNIL? WINDNOT? DIMDOWS? DILBERTOS?.. hey, that's not bad!
Brief: Microsoft sues Lindows.com over name | Computerworld News & Features Story
Brief: Microsoft sues Lindows.com over name | Computerworld News & Features Story
Thursday, December 20, 2001
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