The Funniest Damn Thing Happened to me tonight

...  I was working on my computer, shifted to an alternate website, and when I tried to navigate on that website the connection didn't work.

Damn.  I hate that when that happens!

I tried alternate websites ... I couldn't go there, either.

Eventually, when I realized that I couldn't go ANYWHERE other than where I was when I locked up, I began to explore other possibilities.

Checked my internet connection.   Yes, it was all in the green (modem indicator lights).

Checked my mouse; yes it would move the icon from one part of the current webpage to another.

Checked ... oh, well ... HELL!  I checked every-damn-thing!  I even ran some tests on my keyboard;  I could navigate up/down, left/right on the current active page, but not much more.

(Yes, before you ask .. I DID reboot.  Cold boot, in fact; the computer came up just fine, but internet and other connections?  Not accessible!

By my notes, it took me from 2018 to 2030 to check the least logical obvious problem:  my mouse.

I replaced the AA batteries in my mouse about 3 months ago, it seemed unreasonable for them to have died so soon.  Looking at the indicator light at the base of the mouse, it still glowed green (as an indication that there was power in the batteries).

So what the hell!  I replaced the damn batteries "anyway", and kiss my sweet patootie if the connection from the mouse to the computer didn't start working,  EURECA!

 I So Smart!  (okay; slow ....)

My diagnostic process was all back-assward;  as a (retired) Computer Systems Analyst, I expected the problem to be in the most complicated link in the chain; the CPU.

Dumb ass me, I forgot the Number One Rule of Systems Analysis:

Look for the easy solutions FIRST! (Don't Mess with my Coffee Break!)

After  (check the log) 23 minutes of chasing the rabbit down the wrong warren-hole, I finally (FINALLY!) remembered my training and looked at the simplest possible solution:

That's right, it was the mouse.

Specifically ... even though the mouse had never done me no wrong, and the indicator light was shining bright green ... when I replaced the two AA batteries everything started working again!

Lesson Learned (again):  Don't trust indicator lights.

Don't trust "I replaced the batteries 3 months ago; how can they be dead???"

The batteries in the mouse were dead DEAD DEAD!!!    well, dead enough to count.

Yeah, yeah,  I hear you;  "Geek, you of ALL people ought to know better!"

Give me a break.  I'm old, I've been retired for (TooCloseTo) ten years.  So it took me 22 minutes to analyze the problem, find the problem, and fix the problem.  Does it help if I mention that (in the words of The Hobo Brasser) "Alcoholic Beverages Were Involved"?

The Good News is that I don't have to dismantle my roll-top desk so I need not drag the computer innards out and pay the Professional Geek Down The Street a hundred dollars to tell the Ex-Post Facto Geek that he's stupid and the problem isn't in the software, but in the hardware!

This started out being a really negative article; "How I Screwed Up My System In One Easy Step"
-- but instead it turned out to be a reasonable "don't go there" article;  check the cheap shit first!

Gene Wilder would have appreciated my situation.
He also had some small issues with mechanisms.

In fact, he made me look good by comparison with his *(Young Frankenstein)* movie, and I'm grateful.

Cheeze and Rice ... computers are more complicated than the Texas Star !

I tried to respond to a 'tutorial' about "how to shoot the Texas Star" a few minutes ago, and I was looking for a video among the dozens I've saved ... and it took only a moment for me to get so swamped with the latest version of "look up your video files" thingies that I just bailed out.

I KNOW how to shoot the Texas Star.  Start at the top and shoot the top descending plate.  That's all there is to it, and done correctly (which I COULD have demonstrated) it's so easy that a child do it.
(I might even can do it faster than HE can!)

And somewhere in my complex file structure, I have a few (several) videos which show exactly how to most efficiently knock the top-falling plates off to get the star out of my way so I can go on to shoot the rest of the stage.

But my current computer software version won't just show me what I have in each folder.  Oh no, it wants to second guess me.  It wants to help me.

It wants to "Help me" to find my files .. but it doesn't want to let me make my own decisions. It no longer wants to show me exemplars of what I have in each volume, so I can decide which folder I want to access.

(Even while I type, it corrects my spelling because it thinks it knows better than I do, what I want to say!)

Is there anyway I can revert back to .. oh, I don't know .. DOS V5?

Is this what I have been relegated to?  Am I doomed to spending my mornings out on the patio, listening to the disgustingly cheerful birds tweeting Good Morning! to the sun?

Is it no longer sufficient that I spend all night blogging about things which are important to ME?

Do I have to spend the rest of my life, in a world which is defined by ...
Chirp! Chirp!

I HATE "Chipper"!

And my buddy Barney feels the same way!

Top 25 Most-Stolen Passwords of 2015

See the Top 25 Most-Stolen Passwords of 2015 | TheBlaze.com:

Here’s DataSplash’s top 25 stolen passwords of 2015 (change from 2014 noted in parentheses):

1. 123456 (Unchanged)
2. password (Unchanged)
3. 12345678 (Up 1)
4. qwerty (Up 1)
5. 12345 (Down 2)
6. 123456789 (Unchanged)
7. football (Up 3)
8. 1234 (Down 1)
9. 1234567 (Up 2)
10. baseball (Down 2)
11. welcome (New)
12. 1234567890 (New)
13. abc123 (Up 1)
14. 111111 (Up 1)
15. 1qaz2wsx (New)
16. dragon (Down 7)
17. master (Up 2)
18. monkey (Down 6)
19. letmein (Down 6)
20. login (New)
21. princess (New)
22. qwertyuiop (New)
23. solo (New)
24. passw0rd (New)
25. starwars (New)

 (H/T: New York Post)

WIN-7 & WIN-8 due for intrusive updates

Windows 10 Worst Feature Installed On Windows 7 And Windows 8 - Forbes:

 Laughing at Microsoft MSFT 0.00%’s controversial data mining and privacy invasions within Windows 10? Well Windows 7 and Windows 8 users should laugh no longer as this most hated spying is now headed your way… Software specialist site gHacks has discovered that Microsoft has pushed four new updates to both Windows 7 and Windows 8 which introduce new data collecting and user behaviour tracking features.

Damn!  I had settled into the smug satisfaction that I won't be installing Win-10 in the near future.  Now, what difference does it make?

I hate new operating systems; they're only installed when the old ones finally get all the bugs out of them.  Now they're adding new bugs!

I've Been Phished .. again

I recently received a 'confirmation of subscription' email from an online website (never mind their content), but I did not subscribe to them.

The confirmation was sent to an email address which I do not connect to my blog, to business accounts, or to my family correspondence; this address is used for 'general' purposes, which includes USPSA/IPSC and related issues.

I can only assume that someone with whom I have recently corresponded in relation to 'non-personal' issues has used my public email account -- which is available on 'some' websites -- to enter this subscription (which includes assumption of a minor charge).

Of course, I immediately wrote to the business involved, using the same email address, to disavow the charges and the subscription.  It's too soon to determine whether the charges will be debited to me.  Although I can't imagine how they would connect my email address and my credit/debit accounts (which do not use the same identity),

Database: Police equipment search by state/county

Database: How many grenade launchers did Michigan police departments receive? | Detroit Free Press | freep.com

 More than $43 million worth of property has been transferred to law enforcement in Michigan from January 2006 through April 23 of this year. Nationally, more than $4.3 billion worth of property has been transferred to law enforcement since the program’s inception in fiscal year 1997, according to Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), which oversees the Law Enforcement Support Office (or 1033) program out of its office in Battle Creek. More than 8,000 agencies participate nationwide. • Related: Do police need grenade launchers, other military weapons? Officers say yes Use this database to see where the military equipment is going by state and county and the type of items being received, The listed value of the items is what it would cost to buy them if they had not been donated.

According to this, (#) County in my state has received X M4 rifles valued at $449 each, and Y 7.62mm rifles valued at $138 each.  (The scopes, though, are in the $10,000 range.)

Lane County has two 'vehicles' valued at about $200,000 each.   Must be pretty nice RVs, huh?

(Hat Tip: Gun Free Zone)

NORTON: The Ultimate Geek

Everybody needs friend; geeks need online friends.  And my best, truest online friend is NORTON 360 Software.

Virus protection, virus profile updates on a regular basis, virus removal, protection against 'untrusted websites', auto-backup to protected websitesd ... woof woof, what Geek could want more.

This geek wants technical back-up that's reliable, on-call 24/7, and can fix what ails ya when something goes wrong.

And the thing about software is ... something ALWAYS goes wrong!

Norton 360 did the job on me today.  It decided that my other friends (all my browsers, including Firefox, Chrome, Explorer) were no longer "trusted sites".  As a consequence, when I started my nightly browsing, I had only "INTERNET CONNECTION NOT FOUND" responses.

I got on my new laptop (the old XP laptop was too antiquated to be functional under the old "XP" protocols, so I had to buy one that would run "MS 7 Professional) and I had Internet connections up the ying-yang.  Since the LAPTOP hadn't had Norton loaded yet, that proved that the problem wasn't with the modem. I called the Symantec Hotline and talked to Jiquad who had me uninstall NORTON, and when I had done so I called the next guy with the funny accent to tweak it so that my browsers were 'trusted'.

Perhaps I could have done all that by myself ... it's not that hard, because NORTON has web-based utilities to do all that stuff for me.

But what else did I spend $49 a year for, but efficient customer support?

Now I've got all my computer things working again, I still have no viruses, and I've learned the value of cultivating an air of incompetence.

Why should I do all the work?  I figure I'm maintaining a viable economy in India, and I can tell them about my ingrown toenail while they're trying to work.

I was technical support for decades.    Call it Payback.

Nigeria provides such INTERESTING email correspondents!

Most of us receive 'goofy' emails from total strangers, now and then.  I know I do, and I bet you get junk mail from surprising sources, too.

Today I received the most innovative junk mail (note that I am carefully ignoring the "S-word" indicative of tins of spicy meat from questionable sources).

Supposedly, a U.S. Army General .. a lady, no less!  has chosen me as her newest and most favorite Pen Pal.  Nothing new in the concept, but the approach is unique.

Behold!

 Hi dear friend,

Hi dear friend, I'M LIEUTENANT GENERAL SUSAN J. HELMS. I am a UNITED STATE ARMY GENERAL. From united state of America. Am supportive and caring, looking forward to get a nice friend. I read your profile and pick interest on you. I will like to establish mutual friendship with you. Please let continue our conversation through my private email box. Here is my email adders (xxxxx.xxxxx25@yahoo.com) I will introduce myself better and send you my picture as soon as i receive your mail.

Thanks and regards.
Gen. SUSAN J. HELMS.

Never mind the actual email address ... I don't want to encourage "her".

Yes, the "Hi dear friend" phrase was the salutation, and immediately repeated in the body of the letter.  The inconsistent grammar, adolescent structure and awkward phrasing of the text are indicative of someone to whom English is not their native language.

Certainly, it is not the kind of letter that one expects to receive from a total stranger.  I am tempted to create a throw-away email address and reply, just to see how far the sender is willing to go in an obvious attempt to extort money from strangers.

I just wanted to provide another example of the strange letters one receives from Nigerian s* p* a* m* e* r* s; as a warning.  (As an example of how little it takes to pique my interest, perhaps.)

It probably doesn't need to be said, but I'll say it anyway.  If you receive a letter from such an unexpected source, do not reply to it.  These emails are typically created by a software program which inputs random email addresses.  If they receive a reply, that is their cue that they have found an active email account, and they will inundate you with requests for personal information (including bank account numbers) in an attempt to defraud you of your life savings.

Just .. be careful out there.

XP? Stop using Internet Explorer right now

This is why you should stop using Internet Explorer right now | KDVR.com - Denver, Colorado News, Weather, Sports and more: DENVER —

A warning for Internet users: this is a serious enough security flaw that the Department of Homeland Security is warning you to not use Internet Explorer until a fix is found. The problem could put your personal information at risk, and give hackers access to private things like your email accounts. With so many computer bugs out there, Internet users rely heavily on anti-virus software and patches to keep up with each new virus. This time, that’s not good enough.

From Forbes: (April 28, 2014)

A few days ago a new zero day exploit for Internet Explorer made the headlines (for the uninitiated a zero day is a new exploit that is made public before the security or technology community have patched against it). In another blow for Internet security and trust after the recent Heartbleed issues this exploit allows cyber criminals to deploy malicious code to your computer silently, without your permission as you visit any given web page with the nasty code on it. 

This exploit is particularly nasty as it impacts 6 different versions of Internet Explorer ranging from 6 to 11 (you can see more details on the impact here if you are interested) and allows fairly reliable distribution of malicious code that could do anything from stealing your data to turning on your webcam. This exploit is perfect for a drive by download where you visit a web page and the nasty code silently loads.

(from an unattributed source ...)

A newly discovered security hole in Microsoft Corp.'s Internet Explorer—the default Web browser for many users—could be particularly troubling for those still running Windows XP.

 

Personally, I'm only running XP on my laptop ... and that's due to be updated this summer.   And I don't use Internet Explorer any more.   I was a big fan of Mozilla (FireFox) but that has so much 'overhead' that it uses 80% of available (2GB) memory just to start up.  So I've been using Google Chrome lately, and it's much more economical of resources.

Not to mention that it seems to have fewer "holes".

Most of us already know that Explorer has historically been one of the most vulnerable software applications in the world.  It's virtue is that you can run ANYTHING on it; the problem is that the same structure which makes it "universally" applicable also seems to allow Junior High School students to hack it.

Just saying; full disclosure - I'm not a software engineer so don't take my word for anything I say about computers.

Thieves sell YOUR account numbers on underground black markets

Debit and credit cards stolen in Target breach reportedly for sale in underground black markets | Fox News:

Credit and debit card accounts stolen during a security breach involving retailer Target have reportedly flooded underground black markets, going on sale in batches of one million cards.
The cards are being sold from around $20 to more than $100 each, KrebsOnSecurity reports. The security news site said it spoke to a fraud analyst at a major bank who said his team was able to buy a portion of the bank’s accounts from an online store advertised in cybercrime forums as a place where thieves can buy stolen cards.
The analyst was not identified, but said the purchase was made before Target admitted Thursday that data connected to about 40 million credit and debit card accounts was stolen as part of a breach that began over the Thanksgiving weekend.

(We first reported this here on December 19, 2014)

Fortunately, I don't do my Christmas shopping at Target.

No, that's misleading ... I don't do Christmas shopping at all.  I'm less prudent than I am a curmudgeon, but apparently it's an Unexpected Consequence (or benefit?) of Curmudgeonlihood!

CHASE bank responded by putting temporary "restrictions" on the 10% of their accounts which may have been affected.  About 2 million of them, apparently. 

As expected, Target customers had trouble reaching the national chain's call center.  Many refused to shop at Target stores.  It's obvious that as much as it affected consumers, it affected the chain's profitability even more.  During this, the most frantic shopping period of the year, that could sound the death knell for Target.

My opinion, not fact ... but Watch This Space.

Personally, I tend to use debit cards rather than debit cards for purchases.  I don't keep enough in my bank account to cause fiscal ruin if I'm hacked.

On the other hand, my single credit card account does have protection plans.

Last year I reported that my credit card had been hacked.  Some $1500 had been used for what seemed to be "charitable contributions"   (presumably accounts set up by the hackers to accept stolen funds).  When I noticed the charges the day after they occurred, I notified my Credit Card Vendor and they cancelled the account, deleted the charges, and sent me a new credit card.  It was upsetting, and inconvenient ... but didn't cost me a penny after I reported and challenged the charges.

Unfortunately, not all bank debit cards offer the same kind of protection.

TARGET was responsible in reporting the problem immediately after they discovered the deception, and they are presumably taking steps to prevent its recurrance.

On Friday, Target reiterated that the stolen data included customer names, credit and debit card numbers, card expiration dates and the embedded code on the magnetic strip found on the backs of cards, Target said.
There was no indication the three- or four-digit security numbers visible on the back of the card were affected, Target said. It also said Friday there was no indication that the stolen data included a customer's birth date or social security number. The data breach did not affect online purchases, the company said.
Target also said it didn't believe that PIN numbers to customers' debit cards have been compromised.

 That's a single ray of hope for consumers whose card numbers have been compromised.

My credit card company offers a 'notification service'; when they see a charge which does not seem to match their customers' normal shopping patterns ... they hold the transaction and contact me personally to confirm that the transaction is legitimate.  That's a responsible way to manage an account, if you're a credit card company.  So far, all of the transactions which they have notified me about have been legitimate.  I can only assume that the two "bogus" transactions had not yet tripped their BS-ometer before it tripped mine.  (Considering that the two charges totaled over $1,200, it's a good argument for credit card holders to regularly monitor their own account!)

And yes, I did check my credit card account ... my only charges since my last payment are only purchases which I recognize.

Can you say the same about your own credit account?  May I suggest that you check it ..... now?


x
x
x

Geek Humor

 "Sorry, your password has not been in use for 30 days and has expired

 - you must register a new one."

roses

"Sorry, too few characters."

pretty roses

"Sorry, you must use at least one numerical character."

1 pretty rose

"Sorry, you cannot use blank spaces."

1prettyrose

"Sorry, you must use at least 10 different characters."

1stupidprettyrose

"Sorry, you must use at least one upper case character."

1STUPIDprettyrose

"Sorry, you cannot use more than one upper case character

 consecutively."

1StupidPrettyRose

"Sorry, you must use no fewer than 20 total characters."

1StupidPrettyRoseShovedUpYourAssIfYouDon'tGiveMeAccessRightNow!

"Sorry, you cannot use punctuation."

1StupidPrettyRoseShovedUpYourAssIfYouDontGiveMeAccessRightNow

"Sorry, that password is already in use."

 ________________________________

Hat Tip from The G-Man

"Linked" text

It has come to my attention that recently sometimes text is red-highlited and, when it is clicked on it leads to some pop-up comment or explanation of the individual word.

You will recall that I mentioned a while back that I inadvertently (read: "stupidly") allowed some unwanted software was loaded on my computer.  This is one of them.  I'm still searching for that, and other "features" so I can delete them.    So far I haven't found all of them.  I can't even find the vendor on this one, so I can't do an "UNINSTALL".

Yes, I have gone through the control panel looking for recent installs;  Also, I've looked through my huge list of 'cookies', and everything else I can think of.

I'll continue to work on the problem.  If you have any suggestions, I'll be pleased to see if there's anything I've overlooked.

In the meantime, I beg your patience and forbearance.

This is embarasing!

Stoopid Computer Things!

A few days ago I decided to re-install a piece of software which I had used for (literally) years with no problems .. but had not previously installed on my recently-purchased computer.

Doesn't matter what it was .. I had full confidence.

But the links lead to an unfamiliar link.  Doesn't matter what that was, either.

The point is ... it lead me to a website named something like "download.com" and the sequence of accept/reject questions managed to sneak in a few questions which were formatted in the EXACT same way without making it clear that they were suggesting that I accept software which I had not ever heard of before.

Fool that I was, I accepted a couple of them before I realized what was going on.  And I have had nothing but problems with "pop-ups" and inadvertant sidetracks in the days since I made my unwise decisions.

So, here's a few (hopefully) helpful suggestions for you:

• When you decide to download/install software online .. be really careful that you read EACH page of text,
• If the test seems the same as your original "OKAY" page , it's not something that you entered incorrectly .. it's a subtly different test sequence which commits you to accepting software that you've never heard of before.
• Any software which begins with "SWEET" or "TIDY" .. unless you have already made the fully informed decision to download that software ... should be definitively rejected!
• You may think that anything you  download can be uninstalled using the Microsoft UNINSTALL protocols (for example).  Here's a tip:  it doesn't always completely delete/uninstall the software that you may 'suspect' is causing you problems.
• the stuff you realize .. belatedly .. that is is f*cking up your system?  It is.  And you let it in, because you didn't pay attention to the original questions when you were trying to install a perfectly benign software package.
• STOP!  You're ignoring this!  I am telling you, this sh*t can f*ck you up seriously .. and if you're ignoring it, you're more of a dumb-ass than I was!  (Don't say I didn't warn you!) 
• When you try to uninstall this bogus software .. don't expect the usual Windows (?) software to deal with it.  It's sneakier than that.

WTF?

Okay, all I'm sayng is that .. I consider myself a fairly 'savvy' computer guy, but I discovered (too late) that I had been cleverly lolled into complacency because I became impatient while downloading "trusted" softwar .. and I mindlessly hit  the "accept" button because it looked to me as if the computer was slow in responding, and I was bored.

These folks are smarter than I am.  Maybe they're even smarter than you!

So, just in case: when you EVER accept an online download, do NOT do what I did!

Don't click on "ACCEPT" or even hit ENTER when you are already downloading software.  Download-dot-com may  be a legitimate website; but it only takes ONE  broken link in the admittedly  fault chain of internet access to be "dirtied" to the effect that you are sucked into giving them  information  (or access permissions) which are inappropriate. Happened to me, but I don 't think I sent out TOO much information  before I caught on to them.

No, that's not honest.  I was Totally taken by surprise, and I provided a LOT of private information before I discovered that these guys were ,,,

,,, CROOKED!

It won't help me, but it may help you if you decide to stand up to the  Corporate Greed which has led us to this juncture.

I don't believe. I just type these words;  hopefully next year when I will "BRILLIANTLY" think it out  to its logical conclusion, I can fix it.  In the meantime.. just do the best you can, okay?

  These guys are .....      

ignore all of the above text.  the person you think wrote it was a mindless bot.  we have only your best interests in mind.  we know what you need better than you do.  nothing can possibly go wrong.
nothing can go wrong. nothing can go wrong. nothing can go wrong.
nothing can go wrong. nothing can go wrong. nothing can go wrong.  nothing can go wrong. nothing can go wrong. nothing can go wrong. nothing can go wrong. nothing can go wrong. nothing can go wrong.  nothing can go wrong. nothing can go wrong. nothing can go wrong. nothing can go wrong. nothing can go wrong. nothing can go wrong.  nothing can go wrong. nothing can go wrong. nothing can go wrong. nothing can go wrong. nothing can go wrong. nothing can go wrong.  nothing can go wrong. nothing can go wrong. nothing can go wrong. nothing can go wrong. nothing can go wrong. nothing can go wrong.

... In my GOOGLE-full Balloon

Google launches Internet-beaming balloons | General Headlines | Comcast:

CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand (AP) —

Wrinkled and skinny at first, the translucent, jellyfish-shaped balloons that Google released this week from a frozen field in the heart of New Zealand's South Island hardened into shiny pumpkins as they rose into the blue winter skies above Lake Tekapo, passing the first big test of a lofty goal to get the entire planet online. 

 It was the culmination of 18 months' work on what Google calls Project Loon, in recognition of how whacky the idea may sound. Developed in the secretive X lab that came up with a driverless car and web-surfing eyeglasses, the flimsy helium-filled inflatables beam the Internet down to earth as they sail past on the wind. 

 Still in their experimental stage, the balloons were the first of thousands that Google's leaders eventually hope to launch 20 kilometers (12 miles) into the stratosphere in order to bridge the gaping digital divide between the world's 4.8 billion unwired people and their 2.2 billion plugged-in counterparts. 

 If successful, the technology might allow countries to leapfrog the expense of laying fiber cable, dramatically increasing Internet usage in places such as Africa and Southeast Asia.

 It may never replace Cable Connections, and who knows what the data transfer speed is, but ...
WOW!  What a concept!

Cable Internet connections are expensive even if we live in a major metropolitan area.  But if you are a sheep-herder in New Zealand (for example), that's an option which may not be available.

Now Internet Giant GOOGLE is experimenting with a way to bring internet connectivity to the mosr remote regions on earth.

Is this a good thing or a bad thing?  It rather depends on how many Pigmy Bantus establish Facebook pages, I guess.

One thing is for sure .. even though it's a "concept project", nobody will be able to say that it will never get off the ground.

Step aside, Wright Brothers; you've just been pwned.

Another Fishing Scam

Hello,

I'm writing this with great grievance, My family and I came down here to Manila, Philippines on a short vacation to visit  resort. unfortunately we were mugged at the park of the hotel where we stayed,all cash and  credit card including cell phone were stolen away but luckily for us we still have our passports with us. My credit card can't be charged by the hotel as I already reported it as a stolen card and the card company had  canceled it, so I can only get a new one when we make it back home safely.

   We’ve been to the Embassy and the Police here but they’re not helping issues at all and our return flight leaves soonest but we’re having problems settling the hotel bills and the hotel manager  won’t let us leave until we settle the bills.Now am freaked out, I will really need your financial assistance I promise to pay back as soon as we get back. Please let me know what you can do so i can proceed to give you all the details on how to get the funds to me here.

Thanks.

xxx

This is the context of another email I have received, obviously an attempt to either get me to send case to a bogus address (yet to be named), or to offer personal information.

Please, don't respond to these kind of emails.  In this case, there are certain details which are not consistent with my friend's personal life.   It's easy for me to ignore this ... we all want to help our friends and family when they are trouble; these people rely on our humanity to bilk us out of billions of dollars a year.

I just want you to be aware that the email address from which you receive similar emails may be valid (as this was), but the person sending the email is not your friend, not your family.

If you receive a similar email, be very careful about how you respond.  Above all, do not reveal personal information which may lead to you being robbed.  You're not helping anyone, other than the people who are too greedy to appreciate how they victimize nice people.

Hooray! I'm a MILLIONAIRE!

I just received an email from  the "Storage Officer" at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport, Mr. John Munez.   He tells me that a box containing over five million dollars is waiting for me to claim it:

In view of your inability to receive your package with registration # UK8100AF from National UK Lottery London united kingdom,originally scheduled to be delivered to you by an agency, city express delivery (c.e.d). This package in a golden metal box valued $5,316,000 USD (five million three hundred and sixteen thousand dollars mistakenly arrived at Chicago O'Hare International Airport terminal 5 via British airways flight no.BA297 from Heathrow airport London sometime ago. The package with registration no, UK8100AF has been cleared by the USA customs and is 100% legitimate. The agency, attached to the airport, city express delivery (c.e.d) who delivered your package to your address have just return the package to our storage facility at the Chicago Airport, due to incomplete address.

Please reconfirm these information's;

 The letter goes on asking for my full name, Internet address, phone number, the airport nearest to my location, and my occupation.    It concludes:

Therefore, writing to inform you that the days of grace has elapsed and we shall begin to charge the daily storage fee of $25usd. Please call Golden Williams on (773) 455-7017 Extension 21 terminal 5 or  contact Email address: (chicagoairport92@yahoo.co.uk) to release this package directly to you.

Note that this notice serves as our last recovery notice to you as our department will be compelled to shortlist your package as an unclaimed consignment, and maybe forfeited.

Note: Delivery of your package from the airport to your residential address is free.

I thought that last part was a nice touch.  They're going to deliver my five million dollar gold box for free!

Full contact information was included, of course ... including a yahoo.co.uk email address (which was NOT the gmail.com address from which the email was sent).

(What, you think I don't look at the header details?)

Now, I sure don't want to miss my chance to pick up an easy five mill ... and take advantage of that tasty "Free Delivery" offer!   But I'm a little uncomfortable replying to either email address, or calling any of the phone numbers which were included in the contact information.   So I did what I always do.

I reported it to the FBI.

There's a division of the Feebies called IC3 (Internet Crime Complaint Center) which accepts reports of larcenous attempts to either phish us or otherwise separate us from our hard earned dollars.  I filled out a long report (online) with much of the information "Mr Munez" was hoping I would send him.  Let the FEDS call the phone numbers, reply to the various email addresses, and talk to the REAL "Storage Office" at Terminal 5, Extension 11, located at 10000 West O'Hare.

It was a very impressive letter, but there are still some telling characteristics which cast doubt on the authenticity of this letter:

• They didn't include my name
• There were grammatical errors in the letter ("Please reconfirm these information's;")
• The "yahoo.co.uk" email address doesn't seem a reasonable place to reply to the Chicago Airport
• No security arrangements were expressed nor implied .. to send me five million dollars?
• They were careful to mention that this box "has been cleared by the USA customs and is 100% legitimate"!
•  ????? !
• They needed my internet address (email), presumably because they sent this to so many people they couldn't be sure which one had self-identified as a greedy, larcenous sucker.

All of this ignores the most obvious twist.  I know I don't have any dead rich uncles in England who would have sent me a buncha boddle ina box of bullion.  (Sorry, couldn't resist the iteration.)   They know I know that.  This is a patent effort to encourage my participation in larceny.

In short, it's just another attempt to phish out my personal information.   It's Identity Theft.

I have to admit, it's a slick twist, from their point of view.  They don't ask for bank account or credit card information (although, it's a "first contact" ... and there is a mention of $25/day storage fees, which would probably be required from me 'before the item is released from storage').

And even if I balk at actually sending them money after step 2 or 3 or 4 in the scheme ... they might still have enough information to open bank or credit card accounts in my name.


In a quick search of the internet, I haven't been able to find reports of similar attempts.   But   if you receive an email like this, I encourage you (and tell your family and friends) that before they reply to ANY "out of the blue" emails, they might want to spend a minute and look at the FBI's "Looks Too Good To Be True" website.

If it looks too good to be true ... it probably isn't.

I'm an Idiot!!

It probably comes as no surprise to most of us, to hear that I'm an Idiot.  but perhaps the fact that I acknowledge my idiocy is a new twist.

The fact is, I managed to not only break my gun, but in the same month I broke my computer.


Now I am faced with a new, and very special computer.  One in which not only is the keyboard "different" (I can see the letters on the keys .. I have been touch-typing for years now and the letters confuse me!), but also a computer whose entire operating system sucksl

Windows 8!
Explorer 10!

Somewhere out there is a person who wishes me only the WORST in life.  If so .. rest easy, my not-so-friend;  


I am in Hell!

AS a recent emigrate' from XP, not only do I not know how to explore EXPLORER, but I don't even know how to fire up FIREFOX!

The only way I know how to even start either browser is from a shoot-and-spray technique I learned from observing new shooters in my INTRO class: ...

"just .. point it down range and pull the trigger.  You're sure to hit something, even if it's only the berm!".

Well, it works for me, even though it's not very efficient so far.

Email will be curtailed for a while.  Comments to The Blog?  Who kjows?  I can't even read them tonight.

When my computer died, I knew it was going to get ugly.  I just had no idea how 'ugly" that "UGLY' might be!

Comcast Sux: A Retraction

This morning I wrote an irate blog article about Comcast Mail.

Sometimes when I rant, it helps me to let off steam.  Then I can start thinking rationally again.

I know, it's just me.  Nobody else has such a warped personality.

After I vented,  I spent the next couple of hours comparing response time with two different browsers: Firefox 11 and Explorer 8.  I found that it took about 6 minutes to actually read an email, on Explorer; on Firefox, I still wasn't even getting the entire page-load when I wanted to look at my in-basket ... so after 7 minutes I gave up.

I also checked thoroughly on both browsers for the two emails which had been lost; they didn't appear.

And Comcast has a thing with its cable modem.  Sometimes, response time on internet access in general becomes untenably long.  I first ran into this several years ago, and called my local Comcast office.  They suggested that I follow the following procedure:

1. turn off the cable modem
2. UNPLUG the modem!
3. Let it stand for at least 2 minutes (a more recent suggestion on the Comcast "HELP" pages suggested at least 3 minutes)
4. Plug it back in, turn it back on, push the start button, and wait until all the little indicator lights come on.

I had done this a few times, including last week when THAT was bugging me.  I tried that again today, and I found that my internet access times were as fast as I had come to expect except from any URL with the word "Comcast" or XFINITY in it  ... recently.

But the email access was still hosed.

Then I found a link to a Comcast "HELP" resource which allows you to "chat with a technician".

I connected, and Priscilla came on the line.  She had me 'release' my Explorer session after I had reset it, and then I had to reboot my browser session.   When I asked how I would get back to my chat session, she said she would email me the URL but since my problem was that I couldn't reliably get email  she asked me for a non-Comcast email address.   I replied in a very snide manner that I had foolishly failed to provide myself with any other email resources than Comcast.  She agreed to send it to my Comcast email address, and hoped that I could read it.

She did, and I did read the email; so far, so good.

When I rebooted my browser and used the URL to re-initiate the HELP CHAT session, I wasn't talking to Priscilla any more, I was talking to Baby Jane (I swear I'm not making this up!)

Baby Jane worked with me for a while longer, and then suggested that I try sending an email to test the response.

So I sent an email to myself, and it worked.  And I was able to read the email.  Also the page-list of my inbasket loaded immediately.

Problem solved!

I was so elated, that I even agreed to complete their survey form.  I rated "HIGHLY SATISFIED" except for the question about whether I was overall satisfied with COMCAST performance;   I churlishly gave it only a "satisfied" rating;  I was still fuming over lost emails.  (If you've read this blog for long, and especially if I've ever sent an email to you, you're probably aware that I tend to ramble on whether I really have anything to say or not!   So I wasn't about to try to recreate the brilliance of those two lost lambs.)

Then I went about my business, and didn't get back online until this evening.  Checking my blog comments (via COMCAST EMAIL), I found a comment from a person purporting to be:
Mark Casem
Comcast Corp.
National Customer Operations
We_can_help@cable.comcast.com

I'm not revealing any personal information here; he left his message and contact information in the public COMMENTS section of my blog; you can still see it here.

Well, now I'm feeling a little embarassed.  As well I should be.

These people were really nice to me.   And helpful, and polite, and professional ... and technically competent.  They turned this Grumpy Old Man into Bert Lahr ("The Cowardly Lion" in 'Wizard of Oz') with grace and patience.   They never ONCE suggested that it might be my fault, or that I had to update my Explorer from V-8 to V-9.    Which was what I had expected.

And I never had the grace to go back and delete the extremely intemperate statements I made in my original post.

And I'm not going to delete the post, either.  I intend to leave it up both to underline my chagrin, and to provide the context which just might make THIS post understandable.

I am, however, going to leave the comments section in place, and I'll add an UPDATE link to the original post so that anyone who reads it and takes it out of context ... will be able to see that COMCAST may have the occasional technical problem .. but they will not allow it to stand uncorrected.if their customers only use the resources which they HAVE provided.

Thanks, Comcast.  You're a better provider than I am a customer.

But I'm still going to create an alternate non-COMCAST email address.  Just in case, you understand.

Comcast Sux

Well, I've been  having problems with my IP ... COMCAST.NET ... recently.   It takes 'a long time' to send an email.  Like ... NEVER!

I composed an email today, which I had to send to DRAFT because Comcast Infinity "SmartMail" won't send it.  No reason why, except there's a message popping up which says "the server may be down".  It's not the first time I've received that message.

Funny thing, every website that isn't COMCAST works just fine.  And so, since it IS my Internet Provider, there's apparently something up.

And I haven't been able to send email off and on for several days.   Sometimes it works, sometimes if I just leave the room and go do something else (cook and eat a meal ... you know, something that doesn't take more than an hour or two), when I come back the email has been sent.

A couple of days ago I tried to send an email, and it took so long that I just gave up and went to sleep.  When I got up the next morning, the email was gone.   I hadn't even been able to send it to the DRAFT file, so it was just lost.

I'm getting pretty sick of this.  The ultimate problem is that even if I change my IP from Comcast to ... oh, I don't know ... ANYBODY ELSE!  ....  all of my online accounts are tied to my Comcast email addresses.  Banking, Billing, Amazon, utilities, social websites, games, sports (like USPSA) ... everyone that I contact online knows me by my current IP.

They've got me by the short and curlies, and I don't like feeling so powerless.

Oh, I tried to run a speed test this morning?   It failed.   I did the 'reboot' procedure, where I not only turn off my cable modem but physically disconnect it for at least 3 minutes.  (This is the second time this week that I did it.)  Didn't make a bit of difference.

The really funny thing is that ... gee, all of the other websites that I visit) such as Blogger, as you can plainly see) work just fine.  There isn't anything wrong with the Internet Connection ... it's just Comcast, itself?

I know there are a lot of people out there who have Comcast for their IP.  I'm wondering, is there anyone else who is having trouble with the COMCAST FEATURES, or is it just me?

Just because I'm paranoid, that doesn't mean they're not out to get me.

UPDATE:
Since I wrote this, I contacted COMCAST Technical Support, and they resolved the problem to my satisfaction.  Details available here, and I regret that I made public my dissatisfaction BEFORE I gave them a chance to fix it .. online, real time, and with a very professional "problem solving" approach.

I'm Gonna Getcha, Sucka!

Somebody came phishing in our pond here at Geek Central.    I received an email from someone who claimed to be from PayPal Customer Service and Support.  There was a return address on it and everything.  The email started with the salutation to "Dear PayPal Services User".

It was a long email, announcing that PayPal had rewritten "over 60" policies and replaced them with just two, which were shorter and easier to read.  They asked me to download an attached file and .. well, here's the pertinent text:

- How can I read and accept the PayPal policies ?

It's easy:
1. Download the new policies attached to this email.
2. Confirm that you're the owner of the account.
3. Read and accept the Privacy Policy and Merchant Services Agreement by clicking the "I Accept" button.

Please note:
You have to read and accept our new policies within the next 10 working days, however, if you don't comply to accept our new policies, we (PayPal Inc.) will be forced to terminate your account.

[I underlined the part that was the 'kicker' .... it was an attempt to induce me to comply using fear tactics.)

The email had an attached file, which I did NOT open!

Instead, I went to the PAYPAL website, found the page on "SECURITY CONSIDERATIONS", and forwarded the entire message including the attachment to spoof@paypal.com

Later, I received the following message from PAYPAL:

Thanks for forwarding that suspicious-looking email. You're right - it was a phishing attempt, and we're working on stopping the fraud. By reporting the problem, you've made a difference!
Identity thieves try to trick you into revealing your password or other ersonal information through phishing emails and fake websites. To learn more about online safety, click "Security Center" on any PayPal webpage.
Every email counts. When you forward suspicious-looking emails to spoof@paypal.com, you help keep yourself and others safe from identity theft.
Your account security is very important to us, so we appreciate your extra effort.

Four things alerted me to this obvious phishing expedition:

1. The salutation ... if a vendor sends me 'official' email, they use the identity with which I had subscribed to their service.   They don't use some generic salutation.
2. The technique; Download a file to read the policy?   And how would I confirm that I had read it?   It's just bogus ... any legitimate vendor would have a webpage on their official (and Safe/Secure) website.
3. The threat .... no legitimate vendor would cancel a subscription because their customer didn't reply to an email.  Suspend an account, perhaps, under special circumstances.
4. The address .... I DO have a PayPal account, but it's not related to the email account to which this email was sent.  In fact, none of my business accounts reference any of my 'public' email accounts.

So no, I didn't open the attachement.  As soon as I received the confirmation from PayPal, I permanently deleted the original email and the attachment.  They were already in limbo, because the FIRST thing I did was to mark it as S*P*A*H*M (deliberately misspelled) because the domain name was obviously bogus.

Companies like PayPal and EBay all have these kind of security concerns.   But we have to do our part, too.   If YOU ever get an email that you think may be bogus, the first thing to do is to not click on any links, and not open any attachments.  Not all email providers have protocols as safe as they should be, and Microsoft Outlook is just the most obvious example of software which may open files without instructions, if you don't have the highest level of security settings activated.

In the meantime, I'm feeling just a little smug tonite.  Instead of them getting me, I got them!