It's An Animal's Life

What part of quiet didn't you understand????

from email - first of weekly series

My Points

Just wanted to let you guys in on a little secret. My Points is a program that by visiting sponsor pages you earn points. Five points for reading the email and visitng the sponsor page. You can earn many more points by accepting the offer.

I've been a member for several years and used my earned points to purchase gift cards that I've either given as gifts or used myself. The cards can be purchased from major merchants and restaurants such as Home Depot, Office Depot, Gap, Barnes and Noble, Macy's, Old Navy, Applebee's, Starbucks, Kmart, Red Lobster, Hallmark Flowers, and the list goes on. You can even donate points to the American Red Cross.

As a member, you can earn points by reading and responding to emails, or by doing the MyPoints and shopping at the retailers and merchants they have partnered with. You're going to shop, so why not get points for it? I think it's a great deal.

I had decided I wanted to join NetFlix, so I waited until I got an email from MyPoints with NetFlix as the sponsor. Clicked on the link, signed up, and earned 500 points. I bought our cell phones through MyPoints also (and got a better deal than I would have through a certain nationally known retired persons association that is known for it's member benefits). You don't even have to wait for the email, you can go to MyPoints, find the merchant you're interested in and get the points right there.

I needed a gift for my nephew for Christmas a year or so ago, and didn't know what to get him, so I ordered a gift card for Applebee's. One thing, you do have to order well in advance because it does take awhile to get the cards, but if you're not in a huge hurry, this is great. I never spent a penny on the cards. MyPoints paid for them. I promise you, if I didn't like the program, I would not be a member, and I wouldn't be saying anything nice about MyPoints. So I spend a few minutes giving you my opinion and I get points. What could be better?

Spend a minute or two (or less) looking at an email, get points and use the points to buy stuff. How great is that?

Happy Shopping!

In Honor of Stupid People . . . Part 1

In case you needed further proof that the human race is doomed through stupidity, here are some actual label instructions on consumer goods.

On a Sears hairdryer -- Do not use while sleeping.

(That's the only time I have to work on my hair.)

On a bag of Fritos --
You could be a winner! No purchase necessary. Details inside.

(the shoplifter special?)

More to follow...

New Credit Card Scam

At least new to me. Apparently, someone from "Visa" or "Mastercard" will call and tell you that they are investigating an unusal pattern in spending and ask if you charged $497.99 for an item. Beware, the amount or item may change.

The people calling will give you information such as your address. At some point, they will ask if you have your card available and ask for the security numbers on the back of the card. They may ask for other numbers as well, but

DO NOT GIVE THEM YOUR THREE DIGIT SECURITY NUMBER!

Can I make it any plainer?

The scammers need that 3 digit code in order to charge items to your card. Again, do not give these numbers out to anyone! If you do get a call, instead of giving the number out, tell the caller you will call Visa or Mastercard or whatever card they are calling about directly. Call the number on your statement or on the back of the card. If it is a legitimate call, the caller will agree that this is a wise move. If they ofer a number to call, it is probably a scam and do not call that number.

Now, I received this warning in email, and have not checked out the truthfulness of this report, but it only makes sense to be cautious and to not give out that information.

Be smart and be safe. If you do get a call like this, call the credit card company yourself. If it's legit, they will appreciate your caution. If it's not, they will appreciate your information.

Nigerian Scams

You've heard of the Nigerian email scams. Someone sends you an email telling you that a relative has died in a plane crash along with wife and only child. You have been deemed to be the closest relative and entitled to their estate worth millions. All you have to do is send name, address, phone, Social Security number, passport numbers, and bank information. Once they have verified that you are the heir to the estate, they will send the money to your bank account.

There are other variations on the theme. One is the widow of a high ranking government or banking official. Sometimes she is dying and wants her money (again in the millions) to be distributed to the poor, but she's afraid that her greedy relatives won't carry out her wishes.

Another is a mid or upper level banking or government official has uncovered an account worth millions - sometimes overpayments made an oil or construction company - that is about to be found out by corrupt officials who will seize the money for their own benefit.

There are other variations, but they are all the same. They have found your name through a registry or other vaguely described place. They want to get the money out of their country (usually Nigeria, but Russia, Saudi Arabia and South American countries are being used also) and want you to be their agent on this end. You will be well compensated, of course.

Okay, let's say you send them the information they want. You know what you'll get in return? An empty bank account and a stolen identity. You've given them enough, more than enough, actually, information to make your life a living hell for years to come. Do not ever send them any personal information. Don't even send them your telephone number, much less bank account numbers. Actually, I did think of sending them them the Washington FBI address and telephone numbers, but hadn't gotten around to looking them up.

I've somehow managed to get on a mailing list for these scams. I was getting one or two a week, and then one or two a day, and then several in one day. No, I didn't give them information they didn't already have. They had my email, and that's all they had and all they would get. I don't keep much personal information on my computer, so they couldn't find much.

Anyway, I played with a couple of them. Replied, asked questions. Showed I was as greedy as they and asked for money up front. Of course, all I got back was a hard time because I was so greedy. Well, I didn't really have time to play with them, and I'm not sure I was up to playing their games, so I came up with another idea.

I added each of them to my email directory and as I got another email, I forwarded that email to each of the ones in my contacts list. I figured that if they wanted someone who was stupid and greedy, they might as well talk to one of their own.

Since last Thursday when I started this, I haven't received a single email scam. Of course, most of the ones I sent out were bounced back. Their email accounts were closed even before I sent them out. Their ISP's figured out they were scamming, or they closed down on their own, or, I don't know what. But, I haven't gotten any more.

I don't think they like me any more.

::sigh:: I feel so unloved.

Update: They must love me again! I've gotten a couple more! And Jack's Shack reports that "I have been having a most enjoyable time corresponding with a Mr. Shola Rhodes." Jack! Tell us more! Inquiring minds want to know!

A Real Friend Test

A simple friend, when visiting, acts like a guest.
A real friend opens your refrigerator and helps himself.

A simple friend has never seen you cry
A real friend has shoulders soggy from your tears.

A simple friend doesn't know your parents' first names.
A real friend has their phone numbers in his address book.

A simple friend brings a bottle of wine to your party.
A real friend comes early to help you cook and stays late to help you clean.

A simple friend hates it when you call after he has gone to bed. A real friend asks you why you took so long to call.

A simple friend seeks to talk with you about your problems.
A real friend seeks to help you with your problems.

A simple friend wonders about your romantic history.
A real friend could blackmail you with it.

A simple friend thinks the friendship is over when you have an argument.
A real friend calls you after you had a fight.

A simple friend expects you to always be there for them.
A real friend expects to always be there for you!

A Valentine for Osama

Little Thelma comes home from first grade and tells her father that they learned about the history of Valentine's Day. And, "Since Valentine's Day is for a Christian saint and we're Jewish," she asks,"will God get mad at me for giving someone a valentine?"

Thelma's father thinks a bit, then says "No, I don't think God would get mad. Who do you want to give a valentine to?"

"Osama Bin Laden,"she says.

"Why Osama Bin Laden?" her father asks in shock.

"Well," she says, "I thought that if a little American Jewish girl could have enough love to give Osama a valentine, he might start to think that maybe we're not all bad, and maybe start loving people a little bit. And if other kids saw what I did and then they sent valentines to Osama, he'd love everyone a lot. And then he'd start going all over the place telling everyone how much he loved them and how he didn't hate anyone anymore."

Her father's heart swells and he looks at his daughter with newfound pride. "Thelma, that's the most wonderful thing I've ever heard."

"I know,"Thelma says, "and once that gets him out in the open, the Marines could blow him all to Hell."

A girl after my own heart - ed.

From email

Current US Medal Count

Speed Skating

Gold: Chad Hedrick - Speed Skating - 5000m
Gold: Shani Davis - Speed Skating - 1000m
Gold: Joey Cheek - Speed Skating - 500m

Silver: Joey Cheek - Speed Skating - 1000m

Bronze: Apolo Anton Ohno - Speed Skating - Short Track 1000m

Skiing

Gold: Ted Ligety - Alpine Skiing - Men’s Combined
Bronze: Toby Dawson - Freestyle Skiing – Moguls

Snowboarding

Gold: Shaun White - Snowboarding - Halfpipe
Gold: Hannah Teter - Snowboarding – Halfpipe
Gold: Seth Wescott - Snowboarding - Snowboard Cross
Silver: Lindsey Jacobellis - Snowboarding - Snowboard Cross
Silver: Danny Kass - Snowboarding – Halfpipe
Silver: Gretchen Bleiler - Snowboarding – Halfpipe

DID YOU KNOW?

As you sit inside the courtroom, you can see the wall, right above where the Supreme Court judges sit, a display of the Ten Commandments!

Part 3