In the "if it walks, talks and quacks like a . ." department

Congratulations to all of those "employers" who showed all manner of restraint in not sending e-mail direct to me offering me a "too good to be true" type of job for the past eight days.

I'll reward you by posting the one I received today from Jennifer Simmons (it doesn't really matter what the name is, btw):

For an administrative job, which would pay between $10 and $18 an hour (depending on experience, type of industry, location, etc.), an offer for a job that starts at $40.00 sounds just so amazing.

So amazing, in fact, because it is most likely a scam. Yeah, these sorts of things can be reported to authorities, I suppose, but this post is really for those who are unsure about whether this sort of e-mail is legitimate or not.

If it walks, talks and quacks like a duck, it is a duck. Quack!!

Job search: a few pointers to potential employers

I received this e-mail earlier today:

It seems that ZEOXMark LLC has a website. These folks also have the unfortunate distinction of being sniffed out as a scam. Click here for the report of this scam and user comments on the scam.

As a service to job seekers and legitimate employers, here are some things to review before e-mailing potential new hires:

1) Send the e-mail from your company's website, not a third-party server:

2) If the e-mail's composer does not speak English as a first language and speaks with a heavy accent, review that composer's e-mail for grammar, syntax, etc. The e-mail is an extension of your company's image. The more egregious the errors, the more the e-mail reeks of "scam".

From the main page, there is no request for a Social Security Number and/or bank account number. Good for you for having a little restraint.

As unemployment continues to be high, these sorts of train wrecks will continue. While finding, arresting and prosecuting scam artists of this sort is pretty unlikely, if we assume e-mails like this are scams before we provide private information, we can cut down the number of hits and dry up the supply of suckers.

Big story of the day somewhere that isn't the U.S.

Not too surprising that news websites based in the U.S. tend to talk about news in the U.S. more often than news happening outside our borders. While it's tempting to focus inward and ignore what happens outside of our front door, it's usually benefits us to be aware of what happens outside the front door to our house/apartment because, sometimes, those outside events begin to affect what happens inside our homes.

Here's what tops one news site now in southeast Asia:



and what tops another site's southeast Asia page. You'll have to trust that the screen grabs were done within 2 minutes of each other:

One site leads the lists with how the Asian markets are performing while the other leads with what is being said is needed to help those affected by ongoing flooding in Pakistan. It's not that difficult to tell whose website leans toward the conservative end and which leans liberal.

I've even tried going outside my figurative front door to see what is truly an important news story. I now know I am not immune

to the trivial and inconsequential in a news site. Be that as it may, I think the third site with the silly story gets closer to what the truth of what we all should know as we go about our day-to-day:

first lieutenant part two

Quite a moving moment. This is where Choi's and my paths begin to part, I suppose. Choi stands to be the face of a movement, while I try to write about it by relating it to my own experiences.

I have submitted my first resume. Not quite the same as handing my proverbial "you're fired" papers over to a U.S. Senator, but a journey of a thousand miles . .

Transitions

The long gap between posts is mostly the fault of BBC America and a good haircut. If you haven't caught any of the Torchwood:Children of Earth, there's likely time to do so or maybe find it on demand if your cable provider does that sort of thing. It's killing me to wait until tomorrow to catch up!

Tomorrow also marks a last day for a certain West Coast Governor (sadly, we'll have to wait until next year here for Mayor Awesome to be Governor. O.K., he's not perfect, but at least CA will finally have a full marriage equality advocate in Sacramento).

Yesterday was a transitional day for one of my favorite bloggers. She joined Brad Friedman who was subbing for Malloy. I still can't think of her by her everyday name, but it was so cool to hear her voice and realize there was little difference between her written and speak-out-loud selves.

As for me, I've just typed this post up on an iPhone. Crackberry, schmackberry!

(well except for the sourcing .. and this postscript. Some things are slow to transition)

So much info in such a small space!

Hang on -- here we go!

I'd believe this site to have the most accurate count of participants from today's Tea Parties.  Afraid it doesn't really capture the spirit, though.

If they grab a bunch of all of our e-mails, texts, phone calls -- oopsie!  Accidently do so to someone in the Legislature? Noooooo!!!

Hmm . . a member of Congress going on the radio and talking about things that she either recalled incorrectly or purposely made up / shaded / contorted.  This isn't her first time in front of a mic and/or camera -- isn't there someone or some 21st century device she could carry so she always has the facts with her?

Feeling dizzy and not able to process any of this craziness?  I have two of these at home.  Their play makes way more sense to me, so I've gotten down on the floor and played along with them, especially on the more challenging days.

And still more silliness!!

To close out a dizzying week of big gay news, this big gay blogger will cede to this not-gay blogger to deliver a counter-point to the "we straight folks are a'feared of teh gays getting married!" video/advertisement released this week.

HRC does a very thorough job of dissecting the advertisement.  A shame the "behind the scenes audition" for that commercial is no longer available for viewing.  I will say that it does a good job showing not too terribly good "actors" mauling the lines (aren't they supposed to learn the script before coming in to audition?  Please correct me if my assumption is incorrect).

To be fair, I'd imagine actors are used for all sorts of political ads on all points of the political scale.  So, perhaps these "political PSAs" should also come with a "I'm MetalHead39 and I approve this message" tag at the end like we hear in ads for political candidates.  Or maybe a "the views expressed in this advertisement do not reflect the views of the people in this advertisment"?

Or have I gone well past the point of silly in all of this?

I have returned

I was booted out of Facebook twice during Tuesday's Inauguration and, after the second boot at 8:45 am Pacific, decided to give up on the grand experiment.

Then, my DSL modem crapped out on me.  I got a new modem and had to call for support a second time when the installation software didn't work as planned.  So, I've been off the internet for a little more than two days.

I cried  three times Tuesday morning.  I cannot count the number of times I broke out in a goofy grin when I heard "President Obama" or "former President Bush" spoken.  It still has not gotten old.

I've taken a survey of my favorite blogs and have the advantage of two days off from the 'net.  So, I've noticed some things, I hope, others have not:

Why is the fact that Palin put the clothes she got from the RNC into garbage bags making news in the Huffington Post?  I went to The Mudflats and, surprise, this was not even noted.  Much more interesting stories about the fuel shortages to remote villages in Alaska and their new senior U.S Senator.

Two of my favorite sites have stories on a famous right wing talk show host and statements he's made about President Obama in recent days.  Check out Raw Story's version, which is really more about The Daily Show's take on what happened.  And here I was was actually worried that Jon Stewart would all of a sudden have to result to jugglers or something to keep the funny going after the Inauguration -- need not have worried !

I'm spending the rest of today going through more job postings and trying to catch up with friends on-line.  With any luck, I can hold off on watching more political goings-on until this evening.