Seriously, do people REALLY fall for these phishing scams? It looks like Borat wrote this.
From "service.alert@banksofamerica.com":

"Because of unusual number of invalid login attempts on you account, we had to believe that, their might be some security problem on you account.

So we have decided to put an extra verification process to ensure your identity and your account security.

Please click on continue to the verification process and ensure your account security. It is all about your security.

Thank you."

---

Thank goodness those guys at Banks of America are looking out for me account!

 

 

Quid pro quo - an anti-Gore Prickly City strip for my favorite wingnut! :)

Today's "Prickly City":

I've been a loyal Dell customer pretty much since they began offering catalog sales in the mid-90s. I've never had a problem with a Dell computer, and their customer service has always been top-notch.

But now?

Dell seems to have grown too large for its own good. They're having some serious delivery issues with several of their laptop products, including one I ordered as a replacement to my 3-year-old Inspiron which blew out its motherboard early in July. Thanks to the skillz/knowledge of queso, he diagnosed the problem and helped me pick out a replacement Inspiron 1520 from Dell's offerings. I added on a few more bells & whistles that I needed, scoured the web for a good online coupon code, and placed an order on July 17.

Here it is, a month and a half later, and the laptop has yet to appear.

The delay is bordering on ridiculous. Dell has pushed back my delivery date three times already and currently, it's due to ship on September 10. Recent articles I've found suggest it could be up to November for some customers to receive their laptops. Plenty of pissed off customers have been griping to customer support, but most of them have been talking to uncaring reps in India call centers, and the largest compensation I've heard Dell offering is upgrading delivery to next-day. Which won't help me, because I'm out of town Sept 7-14. I'll take advantage of it, though, if... i mean *when* Dell postpones my order yet again.

Dell, why hast thou forsaken me?

Most mornings on my commute, as I cruise through the city, I tend to have to deal with bad drivers, jaywalkers, the odd bicyclist or two...

Today? I stopped in the middle of Golden Gate Park to let a coyote cross the road in front of me.

Now *that's* something you just don't see every day!

Isn't it sad to think that when I hear a report on "increased risk of terrorist attack"... I automatically think, "What news embarrassing to the administration is forthcoming?"
So Chertoff's vague "gut feeling" announcement on Tuesday... oh, yes. Just before today's mixed results announcement on the Iraqi benchmarks.

Keith Olbermann, as always, says it best - from Tuesday's Countdown:

KEITH OLBERMANN: Lastly, Richard, just as the President is trying to defend his strategy in Iraq and invoking people's grandchildren and children and their security, the Homeland Security Secretary Chertoff reveals this "gut feeling" about an increased risk of terrorist activity here this summer. His "gut feeling." How about my gut feeling that Mr. Chertoff said this so that the lead story on the newscast on ABC would not be Iraq or Alberto Gonzales or that USA Today poll, but that it would be this, you know, "gut feeling" of his, plus a vague sky-is-falling story about an al-Qaeda cell, which even the people in Homeland Security say is just nonsense? And this stuff about Mr. Chertoff's guess, am I, is my gut reaction here better than his or as worthwhile as his?

RICHARD WOLFFE, Newsweek: There may be another explanation, which is that he's trying to cover his rear end because he doesn't have real intelligence about what these people are up to, but they're just a vague feeling. Look, we've gone from color coded warnings to the intestinal rumblings of Michael Chertoff. It's amazing what you get for all those billions that they spend on Homeland Security.

OLBERMANN: Yeah, the "gut feeling" has been described as "breaking news." Actually, a "gut feeling" would be closer to "breaking wind."

It's near the end of olallieberry season right now, and I'm jonesing to go to Duarte's in Pescadero for some fresh olallieberry pie before the season ends. Damn it all, I have to work every day! Maybe this coming weekend, I can catch a break and head out to Pescadero. If I can't make it, at least I'm letting you all know, so you have a chance to try some of California's best berries while they're all gone. Mmm!

I'm sorry, but sometimes new technology amazes the crap out of me.

Consider Microsoft's Photosynth project as shown in this 7:42 demo video from the TED conference in March of this year.

In the example, Photosynth compiles images from thousands of Flickr postings of Notre Dame Cathedral. From this, a 3D, scalable model is built by analyzing the angles and common features of the images. In itself, that's amazing enough, but then the software allows you to fly/zoom/scale in this construct to view the smallest details, or to see where the building can be seen in a Paris city skyline.

Damn. Amazing.

Demo of Photosynth found here.

I know many people on my friends list like taking quizzes. And many of you have political bents. Normally, I don't post memes, but I think this is interesting enough and short enough for even gopackgo  to complete on a coffee break. And it seems pretty legit, too. No tween-inspired questions such as "which person on your friends list do you have a secret crush on?" (like, omg!!!1!1one!!eleven)

 World's Smallest Political Quiz

There's no goofy gif to post on your LJ after you're done. The quiz says I'm a left-leaning centrist. Which is pretty smack-dab accurate.

So yesterday, I got that mailer from the Social Security Office. You know, the one that tells you what your benefits will be when you retire (yeah, right!)

My income has varied so widely over the past few years, and I wanted to get a visual, so I plotted out my net earnings since I began earning taxable income, 20 years ago. With a little help from the National Center for Education Statistics, of all places, I conjured up this graph of relative value.

I'm not the kind of guy who cares to keep his earnings private, but regardless... I've removed all the dollar amounts. But you can see how much I'm earning now, relative to when I was unemployed for much of 2002, following the dot-com bust and my company going bankrupt... and how much less I'm earning than my first job out of college (waiting tables in Austin!)

Fascinating!

Current view from the office:


Mauna Lani Resort, Hawai'i

Well, the good news came in the form of an email from Tom Stienstra this morning. Evidently, he had quite a holiday vacation and is now enjoying his windfall.


As for the bad news, I'm sad to report that Manka's Inverness Lodge caught fire this morning and burned to the ground. This was where I shot the pilot of my travel show in March of 2004 (gathering oysters and adding them to a grilled skate dish), and where we shot our second "Great Outdoors" show in April of 2005. It was a gorgeous 90-year-old hunting lodge, restyled in the arts-and-crafts movement with a fantastic kitchen.


Gone to cinders.

Let me introduce you to my new favorite search engine!

(For kicks, try typing in phrases such as President Bush, Dick Cheney, or Howard Stern)

I'm looking to get a pro-sumer type digital camera, and I need some assistance from those who have knowledge in this area. Yes, I'm looking at you, queso, gopackgo and honeywoney!

I figure with online retailers offering good incentives/prices for the holiday season, now is the time to buy. That, and I just found out I'm getting a Christmas bonus from my boss (competely unexpected).

Here are my criteria:
1) Professional quality - SLR-type digital camera with high megapixel count that takes really nice pictures and interfaces well with PC and Mac.
2) Ease of use - While I can take a good photo, and know how to work aperture/focus rings, I'm not a "technical" photographer - so I'm not looking for a ton of menu options, nor do I need a camera where I have to bring five different lenses and 20 filters. I'm not going to be in the field primarily to obtain photographs (this is a secondary consideration for my TV job) - so quick n' easy is the key, here.
3) Works well without a flash - don't get me wrong, I will use a flash when I can... but I'll be taking photos on location while our video camera is rolling, so flashes will disrupt (ruin) any footage we're getting. So I'm looking for "image stabilization" technology and the like to assist in taking good photos in low-light settings
4) Affordable - I need an "entry-level" price on this model. But one that doesn't sacrifice quality or reputation.
5) Portable - this will be coming with me on TV shoots, in remote areas in the field, so less bulky (i.e. not a ton of accessories) is optimal. SLR style is fine, and this is a smaller consideration, but I need to know that carrying it in a duffel won't ruin it (packed carefully, of course). Some durability is needed.
6) Resistant - pending weather conditions, and due to the nature of my job, having weather resistance and shockproofing is a good consideration

Use: I'm primary taking this camera into the field to obtain digital stills for my TV shows' support websites, marketing use... and yes, to take great pictures for my own memories & to share with others. I'm more "artistic" than "technical" when it comes to photographs, and often, I need to be quick on the draw (i.e. not a lot of "setup" time or "get the tripod out" time)

Can anybody help me with some recommendations? Links to good deals? I'd be most grateful!

So my neighbor. Don't see him much. He's got a wife, couple of kids, an extremely noisy dog and a white SUV. Never gave him much thought until I got back from vacation.

You see, when I was away, he came INTO OUR YARD AND CUT DOWN A 40-FOOT REDWOOD TREE ON OUR PROPERTY.

MUTHAF----!!!!

One of my roommates was home at the time, and approached him in the backyard, as he was down to the last 1/3 of the tree with his chainsaw. "What are you doing?" she asked.

"This tree is ruining my garage, and yours," was the reply.

Stunned, and not wanting to further the confrontation, my roommate retreated. The next day, my other roommate filed a complaint with the Redwood City arborist. Not only is it illegal to cut down any "heritage tree" - of which this redwood certainly fit the bill, there was no permit on record. Not that there would be one, as the guy would have had to go through our property owner to obtain one. Not to mention the illegal trespass and willful destruction of property. An inspector came out and surveyed the remaining stump, said the guy would likely have to pay a minimum $500 fine, but that a maximum penalty can involve jail time.

WHAT A COCKSUCKER!!!!

Today, I called our property manager, so that they could inform the property owner what the neighbor had done. She's coming out to see the damage tomorrow.

God, I want this guy to PAY. As a renter, could I call the cops on him? I mean, I'm not the property owner, but if somebody broke into our house and stole something (of the owner's property - not mine) - I'm pretty sure I would call the cops. But I didn't own the tree. I just admired it. It was a real beauty. Gone forever, now.

The tallest tree behind my house - that's the one that's missing.

I'm no fan of Terrell Owens. But I do feel saddened - as I would towards anybody - when I read about his recent "suicide attempt."

And while I'd like to believe the spin his publicist is putting on the incident (saying it was an allergic reaction to medication, vs. the official police report that lists evidence of a suicide attempt), I had to pause over one of her statements:

Etheredge also appeared at Owens' news conference, saying she "did not take anything out of his mouth."
"This is sad," she said. "Terrell had a reaction to different pills, and just to state he was trying to commit suicide it was unfair."
"Terrell has 25 million reasons why he should be alive," she added, referring to the $25 million, three-year contract he signed in March with the Cowboys.

Yeah, I imagine if Terrell had just those "25 million reasons," and maybe no other reasons in his self-centered life (such as truly close friends, being a role model to thousands of kids who look up to him, a feeling of giving back something to the world, etc.) - maybe he could have felt empty and alone enough to fuel his depression.

What does this say about people who pursue wealth or fame as a means to happiness? Can he learn from this? Can WE learn from this? Or should we still glorify the lifestyle he exemplifies... and pass that on to our children?

Is it bad that I had a Starbucks in my dream last night? I mean, not as a setting or as an integral part of my dream storyline... but just as part of the surrounding landscape? That's creepy.

You know what rocks more than a weekend backpacking trip?

Backpacking on Sunday night. NOBODY is around!

It's only an hour's drive from my house to Butano State Park on the San Mateo Coast. I hiked 5.5 miles up to the park's trail camp yesterday and had the whole ridgetop to myself. It was perfect. The fog muffled all the woodland noises... except for the steady drip of condensation under the redwoods. It sounded like a light rain shower.

In the morning, the haze burned off and the damp earth vented steam wherever the sun filtered its way through the canopy in concentrated beams. So pretty.

Campsite #8 is by far the best. There are only seven sites up there (Campsite #4 was smashed by a tree some time ago). Now it looks like six sites remain. A huge tree slammed through Campsite #2 at some point over the winter/spring. Too bad, it was a nice site. Made me a little wary at night whenever I heard a tree creaking outside the tent...