Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Fraser Health Authority Hypocrisy

The recent cuts announced by the Fraser Health Authority are disturbing, but not as much as some of the salaries for administrators and other bigshots connected with this outfit, which range from $200,000 to $400,000 and even more when pension and other benefits are factored in. I don't recall seeing any news about these people offering to take a salary cut. If they collectively reduced their salaries by $25,000, for example (the amount being cut from Cythera Transition House Society, which provides group and individual counselling for victims of violence and adult survivors of sexual abuse), would they not be able to feed their families or live in the manner they are accustomed? If they could not, and the salaries were reduced accordingly, is there no one in the entire world who would be willing to work for this lesser amount?

How to make a lot of money

Park outside a gardening (a.k.a. hydroponic) store.

Write down the license numbers of all the Hummers, BMWs and Range Rovers that park outside.

Report these numbers to CrimeStoppers.

Should I suck up to Google?

I am convinced if you don't have Google ads on your blog here, then your blogs will not show up in Google, or at least not as high up on the pages in Google!

Saturday, August 22, 2009

Spam from a pitiful person

I got this spam this morning from "Michael Stone":

Am in a state of emergency now as i write you this letter,Just wanted to seek your help on something very important,you are the only person i could reach at this point and i hope you come to my aid.Something very terrible is happening to me now,please i need a favor from you now,I had a trip to United Kingdom Unfortunately for me all my money got stolen on my way to the hotel where i lodged along with my bag were my passport was ,And since then i have been without any money i am even owing the hotel here. So i have limited access to emails and calls for now,please i need you to lend me about 1000.00 pounds so i can make arrangements and return back home,i have spoken to the embassy here but they are not responding to the matter effectively, I will refund to you the money to you as soon as i get home,I am so confused right now.
Your faithfully,Michael

[My reply:]
Uh, how do you know me? Furthermore, if you have no money, how can you connect to the Internet?

Let's face it, pal, you are full of shit.

[He replies!!]

i had to plead to some one to allow me use her internet in order to send you this message,Please i am in a state of emergency and i need your help

[I replied again, with more abuse; strangely, he did not follow up]

Saturday, August 15, 2009

Do you reply to spam e-mails?

Did you ever notice that when some crook from a country like Nigeria (or someone trying to pull a Nigerian style scam) sends you an e-mail, the subject line is almost always in capital letters like "VERY IMPORTANT MESSAGE"? Maybe this is like a major clue that something is amiss?

Oh yeah, I'm just curious how many people actually respond to this kind of trash. I do frequently, using lots of bad words. It's a good way to relieve stress. I don't think I ever got a reply ... not that I have checked.

Friday, August 14, 2009

Stupidity in advertising

On a local radio station recently there is a commercial for some car repair place. They are advertising shock absorbers, and if you buy three, you get the fourth one free. The announcer says, "This is like saving twenty-five percent." DUH!!

Monday, August 10, 2009

Another mainstream media news blunder

CTV.CA's WWW site has a story on Charles Manson connected with the 40th anniversary of the murders that he and his followers committed.

The story reads, in part:

Among the victims was Hollywood actress Sharon Tate, who was eight months pregnant at the time, and four of her house guests.

They were killed by Manson and his three followers, all young women, on Aug. 9, 1969.

This is incorrect. Manson was NOT there.

The people responsible for the slaughter were Tex Watson, Susan Atkins, Linda Kasabian, and Patricia Krenwinkel.

It really wouldn't take CTV much effort to get these facts straight.

[UPDATE: After I complained about the above, CTV revised the one sentence to read "They were killed by Manson's followers, including three young women, on Aug. 9, 1969."]