Luckiest Girl Alive!
Wow! It really must be my lucky week, two notifications of lottery winnings in one week! Yep, that's right, folks, I just got the mail today and there is yet another prize notification! This time my prize could be as much as $1,100,000!!! Man, and that other one only offered me a piddly $50,000 -- that's chump change compared to what I could win if I call this toll-free number and give them my prize entry ID number...
Funny thing is...they claim it's my second notice...I don't recall ever receiving a first notice...but hey! It's over 1 millllllion dollars so who cares if I only got one stinkin' notice, obviously this is the important one! Never mind that I never actually entered this sweepstakes (or the other one, for that matter...must have been my evil twin).
Funny thing is...they claim it's my second notice...I don't recall ever receiving a first notice...but hey! It's over 1 millllllion dollars so who cares if I only got one stinkin' notice, obviously this is the important one! Never mind that I never actually entered this sweepstakes (or the other one, for that matter...must have been my evil twin).
So, a brief scan of the internet has confirmed that yes, this is also a scam. But I give these fellows much better marks for delivery; although the envelope and front of the letter give absolutely no indication of who the hell it's from, the back tells you it's Strike It Rich VII Sweepstakes. These fellows did it much better with the presentation; the paper is much higher quality, the letter looks official and the envelope has a cellophane strip. Much better delivery, I give them 8.5 out of 10 (the yahoo's from Friday only get a 2/10...and they should consider themselves lucky they got that much!). The point and a half they missed was for the fact that, upon first glance, I thought it was a collection notice...So they lose a full point for scaring the hell out of me and half a point for lack of identification. Had they made it look more like Publishers Clearing House (you know, friendlier) then I would have given them 9.5/10...they still lose half a point for not having their name on the envelope or the front of the letter.
Interesting days ahead...can't wait to see what tomorrows post brings me...I have contacted the people being ripped off with the first scam but have not heard back from them yet. I will keep you posted on that and any further mailings from slimy schemers.
The Joke's On You!
So, I received a check in the mail today. It was not something I was expecting but the figure was certainly a nice one -- $2,900.25! Woohoo! Apparently, I have won some lottery called De-Lotto North American and European Sweepstakes Lottery (which was allegedly held on the 28th of October, 2010...and I'm only just now receiving my notification?! Geez...).
According to the fancy letter I received, I am entitled to $50,000! Damn! Man, I sure could use that money...But there are a few issues I have with this whole thing.
1) The quality of paper it's printed on is...well...crummy. It's not business paper, it's the same stuff I use at home. In fact, the stuff I use at home may actually be better quality.
2) The photo of the $25.5 million winner is in black and white...and the quality is worse than the paper it's printed on.
3) Speaking of the photo...in the letter it states the total prize money is "$4 Million US dollars that was shared among the other 80 declared winners." If the total moneys only equaled $4 million then why does the check in the photo show $25.5 million?
4) There are spelling/grammar/formatting errors. No self-respecting business would send out a notification with spelling/grammar/formatting errors.
5) The phone number. It's a Montréal cell phone (I know because I Googled it) but the letterhead is for a New York address (I suppose it's possible that someone in a New York office would have a Montréal cell phone, but I somehow doubt they would use it to receive business-related calls).
6) The check. The letterhead is from RMD Securities, Inc of New York, NY, but the check is drawn on the Omaha State Bank and is from the account of Consolidated Water Solutions, Inc, of Omaha, Nebraska...erm...okay. I checked up on this Consolidated blah blah blah, and it turns out they are a legit company -- selling water softening equipment. Um...what? Why would this company be sending me a check for $2,900.25 in conjunction with this lottery?
7) The check. I found an article called, Spotting The Foreign Lottery Scam, in which the author, Mary Finn, explains what to look for in a fraudulent check...and everything she says to look for is present on this check.
So, maybe you're wondering how this all works. Well, this scam is run in the following manner:
The scammers send you a letter informing you that you are entitled to "X" amount of money, and, oh yeah, here's a check to help cover the "clearance fee" (or taxes on the amount you are to be paid), which you must send to them in order for them to finish processing your claim and send you the entitlement. *smirk* In order to do this, you must call "Y" number and speak to "Z" individual in order to verify your file. Once your file is verified, then you must deposit the check and then send them back the "clearance fee," after which time they will send your award to you.
Okay, that's how it's supposed to work...but here's what actually happens:
You call their number to let them know they have a live one, you then deposit the check in your account and send them the fee, which gives them access to your account, which they are then free to drain at some later date, and the check they sent you bounces and they leave you paying the price.
Well, that's nice.
I have no doubt that there are people who aren't as cynical as I am and wouldn't do the finger work in order to determine the legality of this thing. I admit, when I saw that check for nearly $3,000 my mind went cha-ching! And I thought about all the bills I could pay off with $50,000. But then I came to my senses and did some "verifying" of my own...
And then I got the phone number for the water filtration company, which I intend to call tomorrow and let them know there are some dirt-bag scammers using their bank account. So, while these guys think they're getting one over on someone else, they have picked the wrong chica!
So, Whatever-you-name-is Scammer, the joke is firmly on you.
According to the fancy letter I received, I am entitled to $50,000! Damn! Man, I sure could use that money...But there are a few issues I have with this whole thing.
1) The quality of paper it's printed on is...well...crummy. It's not business paper, it's the same stuff I use at home. In fact, the stuff I use at home may actually be better quality.
2) The photo of the $25.5 million winner is in black and white...and the quality is worse than the paper it's printed on.
3) Speaking of the photo...in the letter it states the total prize money is "$4 Million US dollars that was shared among the other 80 declared winners." If the total moneys only equaled $4 million then why does the check in the photo show $25.5 million?
4) There are spelling/grammar/formatting errors. No self-respecting business would send out a notification with spelling/grammar/formatting errors.
5) The phone number. It's a Montréal cell phone (I know because I Googled it) but the letterhead is for a New York address (I suppose it's possible that someone in a New York office would have a Montréal cell phone, but I somehow doubt they would use it to receive business-related calls).
6) The check. The letterhead is from RMD Securities, Inc of New York, NY, but the check is drawn on the Omaha State Bank and is from the account of Consolidated Water Solutions, Inc, of Omaha, Nebraska...erm...okay. I checked up on this Consolidated blah blah blah, and it turns out they are a legit company -- selling water softening equipment. Um...what? Why would this company be sending me a check for $2,900.25 in conjunction with this lottery?
7) The check. I found an article called, Spotting The Foreign Lottery Scam, in which the author, Mary Finn, explains what to look for in a fraudulent check...and everything she says to look for is present on this check.
So, maybe you're wondering how this all works. Well, this scam is run in the following manner:
The scammers send you a letter informing you that you are entitled to "X" amount of money, and, oh yeah, here's a check to help cover the "clearance fee" (or taxes on the amount you are to be paid), which you must send to them in order for them to finish processing your claim and send you the entitlement. *smirk* In order to do this, you must call "Y" number and speak to "Z" individual in order to verify your file. Once your file is verified, then you must deposit the check and then send them back the "clearance fee," after which time they will send your award to you.
Okay, that's how it's supposed to work...but here's what actually happens:
You call their number to let them know they have a live one, you then deposit the check in your account and send them the fee, which gives them access to your account, which they are then free to drain at some later date, and the check they sent you bounces and they leave you paying the price.
Well, that's nice.
I have no doubt that there are people who aren't as cynical as I am and wouldn't do the finger work in order to determine the legality of this thing. I admit, when I saw that check for nearly $3,000 my mind went cha-ching! And I thought about all the bills I could pay off with $50,000. But then I came to my senses and did some "verifying" of my own...
And then I got the phone number for the water filtration company, which I intend to call tomorrow and let them know there are some dirt-bag scammers using their bank account. So, while these guys think they're getting one over on someone else, they have picked the wrong chica!
So, Whatever-you-name-is Scammer, the joke is firmly on you.
BELOW: The letter of notification of winnings.
Mummy Dearest
I'm always on the lookout for fun and educational games and I found the following one while rummaging around on Facebook.
It's from the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago and it's a game (I use the term loosely) about mummification. Yes, that's right, you can embalm your own mummy! To be sure, it's a very simplistic approach (but it's designed for kids, alright, cut 'em some slack) to the process of mummification, but it's instructive none-the-less. It's a pretty quick little adventure, so click the picture to try it out.
It's from the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago and it's a game (I use the term loosely) about mummification. Yes, that's right, you can embalm your own mummy! To be sure, it's a very simplistic approach (but it's designed for kids, alright, cut 'em some slack) to the process of mummification, but it's instructive none-the-less. It's a pretty quick little adventure, so click the picture to try it out.
Pilgrimage
While I was in San Antonio I had the opportunity to travel most of the Spanish Mission Trail. I hadn't know there was one until I went there. I have known about the California Mission Trail for years and wanted to do it. Some day I will. But today I was looking for something to watch on TV and came across Rick Steves' Europe (I like watching this program because I love to travel and he almost always goes somewhere that I have wanted to go for years).
In this episode he was talking about Galicia and the Camino de Santiago de Compostela. I have never heard of this before. It's a pilgrimage trail in the north of Spain. According to Rick Steves, the trail (which is dirt) is 500 miles long and takes about 5 weeks at 15 miles per day with days off. According to the website Camino de Santiago de Compostela, there are numerous starting points for the Camino all over Europe, but the main starting point is St Jean Pied de Port in Frances. As you can see by the map below (taken from a Camino passport), there are multiple routes.
Along the route are some of Spain's best known cities; for example, Pamplona where crazy people run ahead of horned bulls every year. There are also towns between each major city with hostels that cater to the pilgrims. Before going it is important to acquire a "passport" which allows you to stay in an Albergue (pilgrims only hostel). These can be acquired via The Confraternity of St. James or any of the local confraternities (if you're in North America you can go here) or at some of the larger Albergues, but St. Jean de Pied de Port is where the majority of passports are issued. Be aware, that to take advantage of the confraternities, you are likely going to have to join (you can get non-member passports, but seriously, if you're willing to put in the effort to do this, you should consider helping the conservation effort).
Although the trail can be driven (well, not the actual trail, but you can travel by vehicle from town to town), the traditional way (and the only way to get into a pilgrim hostel) is by foot on the dirt track (although you could go by bicycle or even horse if you're a pansy). Therefore, it's important that you pack accordingly -- good footwear is obviously essential. There is a great packing list on the Camino website.
So, if the idea of walking over 1 million steps doesn't dissuade you from trying this...I'm planning for next year -- who's with me?!
In this episode he was talking about Galicia and the Camino de Santiago de Compostela. I have never heard of this before. It's a pilgrimage trail in the north of Spain. According to Rick Steves, the trail (which is dirt) is 500 miles long and takes about 5 weeks at 15 miles per day with days off. According to the website Camino de Santiago de Compostela, there are numerous starting points for the Camino all over Europe, but the main starting point is St Jean Pied de Port in Frances. As you can see by the map below (taken from a Camino passport), there are multiple routes.
Along the route are some of Spain's best known cities; for example, Pamplona where crazy people run ahead of horned bulls every year. There are also towns between each major city with hostels that cater to the pilgrims. Before going it is important to acquire a "passport" which allows you to stay in an Albergue (pilgrims only hostel). These can be acquired via The Confraternity of St. James or any of the local confraternities (if you're in North America you can go here) or at some of the larger Albergues, but St. Jean de Pied de Port is where the majority of passports are issued. Be aware, that to take advantage of the confraternities, you are likely going to have to join (you can get non-member passports, but seriously, if you're willing to put in the effort to do this, you should consider helping the conservation effort).
Although the trail can be driven (well, not the actual trail, but you can travel by vehicle from town to town), the traditional way (and the only way to get into a pilgrim hostel) is by foot on the dirt track (although you could go by bicycle or even horse if you're a pansy). Therefore, it's important that you pack accordingly -- good footwear is obviously essential. There is a great packing list on the Camino website.
So, if the idea of walking over 1 million steps doesn't dissuade you from trying this...I'm planning for next year -- who's with me?!
A Night At The Movies: Respire And The Rite
So, I watched a couple of good horror movies last night (what is the definition of "horror" anyway?) and now I shall review them for you.
RESPIRE
I started with Respire, a 2011 movie by an unknown (to me) director, featuring unknown (to me) actors. It's about a terminally ill woman who discovers, purely by accident, a way to prolong her life and destroy the disease destroying her. The problem is, there are two other people who want what she's got and only one of them is a good guy. IMDb has only given it a 4/10, but I think it's at least worth a 5 or 6, because it's actually a decent plot and the acting doesn't totally blow. The only bad thing about it is the very end...was a tad disappointed by that, but for the most part a pretty good movie.
THE RITE
RESPIREI started with Respire, a 2011 movie by an unknown (to me) director, featuring unknown (to me) actors. It's about a terminally ill woman who discovers, purely by accident, a way to prolong her life and destroy the disease destroying her. The problem is, there are two other people who want what she's got and only one of them is a good guy. IMDb has only given it a 4/10, but I think it's at least worth a 5 or 6, because it's actually a decent plot and the acting doesn't totally blow. The only bad thing about it is the very end...was a tad disappointed by that, but for the most part a pretty good movie.
THE RITE
With Anthony Hopkins you know it's going to be a great movie; and it is! I had wanted to see this for a while, and so, when I got the chance I was very happy about it, and happy that I did.
The movie is about Michael who is raised in a funeral home (his father is a mortician) and when he is old enough to go off to college he chooses a seminary because his father wouldn't help him with a "regular" school. He thinks he's going to get out of going all the way but his mentor tells him it ain't gonna happen. Sent off to Rome for two months to become an exorcist, the doubting Michael comes not to simply believe, but to know. Through the aid of Jesuit Father Lukas, Michael becomes the Exorcist.
The movie is about Michael who is raised in a funeral home (his father is a mortician) and when he is old enough to go off to college he chooses a seminary because his father wouldn't help him with a "regular" school. He thinks he's going to get out of going all the way but his mentor tells him it ain't gonna happen. Sent off to Rome for two months to become an exorcist, the doubting Michael comes not to simply believe, but to know. Through the aid of Jesuit Father Lukas, Michael becomes the Exorcist.
Beauty Is Only Skin Deep...
Some people have questioned why I don't put more/better pictures of myself on the various sites I frequent on the internet. Well, let me explain it to you like this:
Let's say your significant other gets horribly burned in an auto accident. Are you going to dump him/her because he/she is no longer hot/beautiful? I should certainly hope not!
Looks are not important. Period. End of story. If you don't like someone then looks don't matter and if you do like someone then looks shouldn't matter. If they do, then you should check your motivation for being in a relationship with that person. And if you're not in a relationship then maybe your shallowness is the reason.
Looks should never be the basis for a relationship. How many divorces happen because someone has found someone younger, better looking? And why does this happen? Because society has forgotten that a truly lasting and worthwhile relationship cannot be based on the superficial; and that's what looks are, they're superficial, they can change in an instant.
Stop worrying about the external and start worrying about what's inside, because, when gravity and old age and the vagaries of human existence have taken their toll, that's what's going to be left.
Let's say your significant other gets horribly burned in an auto accident. Are you going to dump him/her because he/she is no longer hot/beautiful? I should certainly hope not!
Looks are not important. Period. End of story. If you don't like someone then looks don't matter and if you do like someone then looks shouldn't matter. If they do, then you should check your motivation for being in a relationship with that person. And if you're not in a relationship then maybe your shallowness is the reason.
Looks should never be the basis for a relationship. How many divorces happen because someone has found someone younger, better looking? And why does this happen? Because society has forgotten that a truly lasting and worthwhile relationship cannot be based on the superficial; and that's what looks are, they're superficial, they can change in an instant.
Stop worrying about the external and start worrying about what's inside, because, when gravity and old age and the vagaries of human existence have taken their toll, that's what's going to be left.
