New We Are The World video

What Went Wrong?

Lionel Richie (yes, Nicole Richie's adopted father) and Michael Jackson (that recently passed star) teamed up in the mid '80s to write an instant classic tune to help fight world hunger.  Proceeds from sales of the single We Are The World were given to assist Farm Aid in its time of desperation and famines. 

     This beautiful song was broadcast far and wide.  It was also seen on all televisions stations and played in heavy rotation on MTV, which was at that time, still playing music videos.  It featured a varied cast of wonderfully talented singers in a time before auto-tune.

     The world watched in horror as Haiti suffered from one earthquake, then others. Buildings collapsed, people died.  Rescue efforts began immediately as neighbor, injured and scared, helped neighbor.  Rescue workers poured in.  People gave what they could, did what they could to help out those unfortunate souls.  Someone had the bright idea to recreate that once famous song.

    Offers to help poured in.  A cadre of musicians gathered and created what can only be described as the worst produced relief single ever created.  The sound engineer either did a ridiculous job of recording these artists, the artists were singing horribly because of the hurried job necessary to hold that much star power together for even a small amount of time, or T-Pain was brought in to AutoTune everyone except Macy Gray.  

   I was looking forward to the talent that would be showcased in what was to be a tremendous outpouring of love and affection in a collaborative work.  I couldn't even finish watching/listening to the video.  How does this help?   You would think they would have at least practiced the song on the way over.  I'm sure a few of them did... I HOPE they did.

New Online Scam...
Offline, on your PHONE!

I find it interesting that during my tenure at the Beaumont Enterprise, I would feed story ideas with documenting evidence to the editorial department on numerous occasions. Occasionally, a story would be centered around emerging technologies and/or technological fraud.

One of the many examples I can bring to mind is that of the English Bulldog scam. I, like most of my Enterprise constituents, had our email addresses listed prominently on the BeaumontEnterprise.com website. Being a popular online destination, enjoying high Google search engine dominance, Enterprise employees are inundated with high-quality junk mail everyday.

You may ask yourself why a company of such magnitude (it is a Hearst corporation company) would fail at filtering crap emails, and I would say that they did seem to manage to catch the majority of porn. I simply received offers to enlarge my manhood, apply for lucrative sales jobs, can receive a windfall from a Nigerian diplomat, and interesting classified ads. Among these was an ad requesting to place a classified ad for an adorable English Bulldog puppy.

The email supplied only a name (presumably fake), email address (which the 'respond to' address and the 'classified contact' email address were never the same), and puppy descriptions. Look it up.

http://www.champbulldogs.com/scam.htm
http://www.aarp.org/bulletin/consumer/scam_alert_canine_con.html
http://www.scambusters.org/puppyscams.html
http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/features_lifestyle_animal/2006/10/bulldog_scam_pr.html

My point is simply this.

Recently, I have moved into the online world as has my roommate. I am quite aware that several sites may make my phone number (such as a website address registering site like GoDaddy.com) available because it is public information.

I have been receiving strange phone calls from "telemarketing" firms with recorded messages, blocked phone numbers, and/or nonreturnable phone numbers (faked). I am under the understanding that it is possible to display a fake phone number to caller ID systems so the caller is led to believe the call originates from a particular region in the U.S. (This may be possible in other countries but I live in a bubble.... not literally, though). With a system setup like this, the caller could be ANYWHERE there is a high-speed connection (and the U.S. DOES NOT have the fastest internet connection) and can call both home AND cell! Freaky, huh?

The benefit of doing something like this would quite obviously to lead unsuspecting people to give out their personal information to a supposed "trusted" source. Instead of an obvious con, I believe, it must be quite easier to get financial information from someone for a product or service than it would be using the 'now old' Nigerian diplomat money transfer scam.

http://www.peoples-law.org/consumer/scams/nigeria.htm
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3078489/
http://www.fraudaid.com/ScamSpeak/Nigerian/I'veReceivedaNigerianLetter-WhatDo-I-Do.htm
http://www.crimes-of-persuasion.com/Nigerian/asset_transfers.htm

Criminals are patient people. The really smart ones realize they may need days, weeks, months, or even years to successfully pull off a grand scam. Working telemarketers may not even know they are being used as pawns to obtain sensitive information like address, phone numbers, and credit card numbers. To what ends they can use this information, I'm unsure of. All I know is that in the wrong hands, this information can be quite lucrative.

The thing that worries me the most is that in the world of an almost global economy, it will continually seem easier to pretend to be someone from somewhere else residing somewhere new that no one knows. I hope that makes sense.

In closing, be vigilant in all you do. The mail can be exploited. Our phone lines are not perfect and are only as good as the flow of data they receive. In this millennium, con artist don't even need to go through your garbage. They can just give you a call and be as friendly as possible. "Thank you very much for your order, and you should be receiving it soon." And then you wonder why the number they called you from says 'This number does not exist. Try your call again,' when you try and redial it.

Oops.

Cop On The Web

Cheesy? Yeah, I know. Despite being tied to the bathroom all day with a digestional issue, I still had to write about this.

I know we as Americans really like to voice our opinions. It is, after all, one of the best freedoms we have. No matter what you think of America as a whole, the president, or anything else you care to gripe about, our freedom of speech is a powerful tool.

In communist China, this freedom continues to elude them. It is totally amazing that a contingent of people such as theirs with their intelligence fails to realize the power they have as a people. Our country did that hundreds of years ago. Man should be ruled only by himself and God. Man has the right to make laws, but these should never be an absolute. Even Christianity itself is distorted because of the views of men that have infiltrated it. But, I digress.

Beijing police recently announced plans to remind citizens that they are actively patrolling the web to catch anyone engaged in civil disobedience (my words, not theirs. They actually state the alerts "remind them that authorities closely monitor Web activity."). The way they plan to do this is by having cute little police men and women avatars randomly (every 30 minutes, according to the report) scroll across user's screens in a car, on bike, or on foot and remind them they are being watched & monitored!

Scary stuff, huh? Looks like Big Brother has REALLY happened in China. Let's make sure it never happens here. I'll DEFINATELY be in jail. I just can't keep my big mouth shut!

CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE

Put Down That Soda & LOSE WEIGHT!

Apparently, scientists have now discovered what millions of thin people already know.... It seems that sodas can make you fat! Who knew?

Well, I did. I've been telling people that for years. There is a reason I drink water, lemon sweetened tea, or 100% juice. I don't want to be fat.

I don't care what your momma done tole you. I don't care what advertisers want you to think. Fat IS NOT SEXY!

Don't you find it kind of strange when they show those weight loss commercials and the customer goes from an overweight, out-of-shape, can't climb two flights of stairs without sweating profusely tub-of-lard to a svelte, toned, hard-bodied beauty? I don't. In shape is SEXY!

Overeating is not a disease. Its a lack of self-control. Eating too many sugary things is not good for your body or your teeth. Change your diet today, and perhaps you won't have to have a limb amputated and be confined to a motorized wheelchair when you get older because you caused yourself to have diabetes.

Remember, proteins like steak, chicken & pork turn into muscle. Soft squishy things like cupcakes and sugary drinks turns you into the blob (see below). Do the right thing. Put down the Twinky.

Let Me Talk To A PERSON!!!

Are you tired of the ENDLESS phone tree systems that seem only designed to waste your time keeping you from talking to a real live person?

I know I am!

There's good news on the horizon!

Someone with more time to waste than you, has put together a list (that MAY or MAY NOT be correct) of the numbers you will have to press just to be able to speak to a live person.

You know how sometimes those phone trees like to tell you, "Please listen carefully, as our menu options have changed." ? It's probably because of websites like this.

I hope the numbers work for you. I don't know how long its been since this list was updated. The website itself, GetHuman.com also lets readers rate individual companies, although I'm not sure how well this feature works or what in particular you are rating. You may never use it, but now at least you know!

The Blob!!!

Science Fiction becomes Science Fact

Okay, so I'm still keeping with the Simpson's thing. Cut me a little slack.

This little tidbit comes to us from the hallowed halls of <<TRUMPETS - da da dah DAHH!>> THE ANNALS OF SCIENCE!

Apparently, those CRAZY scientist are still up to their old tricks. Seems like they're trying to prove that they can create their own "synthetic" life by manipulating genetics sequences to form new organisms that can be used in a unique and different way.

I think I've seen this one...
B movie... remade several times... funny in black & white....

Scary to think we could be on the cusp of.... <<TRUMPETS - da da dah DAHH!>> The BLOB 2.0!

I may just have an overactive imagination, but am I alone when I think this isn't necessarily a good idea. Isn't it kind of cocky to think that if God ain't got it right, that WE CAN?!? WTF!?!?

C'mon people! Just because we CAN, doesn't mean we SHOULD! I CAN shoot someone. SHOULD I?

No!!

When that mutant virus created in Wyoming escapes its glass enclosure and starts growing astronomically after it eats a few people, don't come crying to me! I already voiced my opinion on the subject. Doubt it'll do any good, though.

Just like you can't stop people from being a jerk, you can't take away other's rights to screw everything up for the rest of us.

Thanks guys! (that's in advance)

Click here to read the article about Artificial Life engineering.

Skater Slam '08!

If you haven't seen this yet, let me prepare you... This is almost a little disturbing. Let me assure you that he does get up and appears to be quite all right.

That said, NEVER try this at home (of course if you can build something this monstrously cool, then ignore my advise).



(Apparently this was removed from YouTube... Sorry... Go find it yourself.)

Simponsize ME!

I'm sure that you've already seen the commercials. Burger King and The Simpsons Movie are relentless in their advertising and "guerilla marketing". Just like Snakes on a Plane did, the Simpsons are riding a tidal wave of online movie marketing popularity as millions turn to www.simpsonizeme.com to transform themselves into a Simpsons character.

You may ask yourself why a cartoon character would want to be a Simpsons cartoon. That's easy... Everyone does. Even now, I can feel you itching to begin. Plus, its really cool when the aliens zap you and turn you into a Simpon's character!

Let me just tell you... be patient, and read the instructions. It'll make it easier. It may help to have a nerdy friend help you.

BTW, that's me as Simpson character Kavien the photographer. He pulls mad tail, yo.

Good Luck!

A Blow To Feminism

Finally, some scientists got tired of hearing that stupid quote that women are smarter because they use 20,000 words a day and men only use 7,000. After seeing this "fact" perpetuated in a magazine recently, researchers at the University of Arizona set out to find out if this was really true.

Using modern techniques (making this experiment more likely to have a realistic outcome as opposed to either: a.) Following subjects around and counting their words b.) Having subjects carry bulky tape recorders that they can know when they are being recorded c.) Getting an estimate from the subject) and digital recorders that sampled words being spoken at random times throughout the day, these researchers made an amazing discovery....

Women speak about 500 more words a day than men. Of course, we men know that of these extra words, barely 1/4 of them were actually heard.

You see, a man speaks because he has something to say. A woman speaks because

Microsoft Surface: Truth In Advertising

I try not to blog about videos. There are so many out there and so many good (& bad) ones that I would waste FAR too much valuable time with that subject. Whew!

This video happens to reference one of my earlier posts and I almost wet myself watching it.

If you are a regular here (Hi Mom!), you already know about Microsoft Surface. If you don't, scroll down to that story first. Read the story. Visit the website. Come back up here and watch this video. Wow.

Oh yeah. This video DOES CONTAIN ADULT LANGUAGE (meant potty words). Don't blame me. I'm just the messenger.


Microsoft Surface Technology Parody - Watch more free videos

Go Green With The Michelin Man

Before you get all happy and just click on the link or photo, let me warn you here. If you have a wireless or dial-up connection, this is going to take longer to view than you may be used to.

I'm not usually a big fan of commercials just for commercial's sake and this appears to be one of those things. It's really freakin' cool, though and shows just what technology can accomplish today and in the future.


The site is completely flash and you gotta have it installed to take advantage of the technology.

Click here to see the Michelin Man and his new "green" plan.

Jericho RETURNS!

Screw Paris! This is much more important.

From my earlier post, I was quite upset at the cancellation of one of my favorite shows, Jericho. Now, it seems I was not alone in this travesty.

According to THIS ARTICLE on yahoo news today, Jericho has been revived and given another extension on life. YAAAAAY!

It seems that bloggers and fans everywhere have created such a stir that the network executives have decided to order seven more mid-season episodes.

While I feel that they are still undervaluing their product, its definitely a start. Of course, they lost a lot of their audience last year because they allowed their core audience to drift when the show went on a three-month hiatus.

Low ratings were sited as the reason for the cancellation and the stir of controversy afterward was responsible for the renewed interest in this under rated gem.

I remember Fox executives reviving another cancelled show called Family Guy after DVD sales went through the roof. They simply assumed people weren't watching.

I rarely have time to catch shows at their regularly scheduled times. I typically watch them before bed on my lap top via the internet: My Name Is Earl, Scrubs, Jericho, & Heroes.

BTW, Heroes producers have promised to introduce four new characters over the summer and allow viewers to select who they like best. Knowing what I know about marketing, I'm sure they will find a way to introduce all four new characters into the storyline at some point. Either way, I'll be happy. BRING IT ON!

Send & Receive Large Files

Have a digital video, photo, program, song, etc you want to send someone, but it's too big to send through your 10MB limit G-mail or Yahoo account?

I know I do.

Maybe I'm behind on the times, but I just learned about a really easy way to send it.

You don't even have to sign up, just go to www.YouSendIt.com and your file will be uploaded to their website!

YouSendIt.com will send an email to whoever you want the file to go to and they simply go to the website and download it.

Of course, you can always pay for longer and larger storage, but if you need that, you probably already knew about this.

As always, do not send personal information or financial information over unsecured networks or connections.

Introducing Microsoft Surface

Ever seen that movie with Tom Cruise that is set in the future and he's a pre-crime law enforcement officer with a drug addiction brought on after the death of his son? You know, Minority Report?

Since that movie came out, I've been fascinated by the idea of pieces of glass that can transfer memory/video/photos, etc. Now it seems that Microsoft was also quite fascinated by this as well.

Welcome to the future! It's Microsoft Surface.

This smooth looking piece of art resembles the table style video games of the eighties. The only difference is that this is a computer screen that seems like it has a future generation of bluetooth inside. It is also touch screen and can manage multiple points at the same time.

Poor Apple...

Microsoft's webpage for surface is really cool and has a few videos and other things that look like some kind of sci-fi offering. If you like technology, you've GOT to check this out!

Non-Flying Air Car

I want an Air Car. Really bad. This cute little sucker only costs two bucks to fill up (think pumping up your tire) and can run over 150 miles! Imagine the possibilities!

This lightweight production car, I'm assuming, runs on principles similar to older steam engines but uses modern compression technologies.

It looks as though it won't be rated for the roads in the U.S. We drive too many monster vehicles to make this little guy safe for our roads. I see no reason why you couldn't use the same technology for four wheelers, motorcycles, or boats, though.

Imagine a world where wind is used to turn the turbines that help in compressing the air that we put in our cars. A greener world awaits and is right around the corner.

If you want to read more about this fascinating machinery, click here.

The Fall of Jericho

I made a mistake. I didn't let CBS know how much I came to like Jericho.

I think I may have liked it so much because I was able to watch all the episodes online. I would curl up with my laptop in my uber-soft and luxurious Land & Sky waterbed and fall asleep watching those poor Jericho people in their struggle. I viewed it as a reminder of what we as a civilization are capable of.

Now CBS has killed it. Axed it, if you will. This bothers me.

Just days before, I had been looking forward to finding out how the war plays out. I want to know how the government restructured itself. I want to see some hope!

So damn you CBS! You have left a dangling participle that no one can correct. You have started a book that no one can finish. You have infuriated me.

Oh well. At least Heroes will be back. YAY!

More Reasons To Love Firefox

Can I just say how much I love Firefox? This web browser has been my main browser for almost two years now and I love it. Okay, so not every website is optimized for Firefox and some plug-ins don't work like you would expect but I gotta tell you...

I have not had a virus problem on my computer since I started using Firefox. I don't get pop-ups or malicious content or anything like that! Once I upgraded to Firefox 2.0, I've learned it will even warn you if it suspects a phishing site (see photo above). Awesome!

Do yourself a favor and download Mozilla Firefox now for free. You can thank me later.

I am juiced!
I'm not steroid raging juiced, but I have been accepted as a Beta tester for Joost.com. If you haven't heard about it (which is why I'm telling you here), Joost has set up the first (as far as I know) internet cable provider. You can watch programming from all over the world on your schedule. Screw Tivo and DVR's, I'm totally JOOSTED!

With Joost, I will have instant access to tons of TV programming all full-screen and hi-quality. With my PC connector, which enables me to connect to my digital projector, I have all of that content in Hi-Def glory! I'm not sure if its broadcast in stereo, dolby, or hi-def sound yet.

Did I mention its FREE? I LOVE the future!

You can get Joosted too by clicking here or going to www.joost.com

I just bought my own radio station!

Okay, so maybe I'm not really cool or rich enough to buy my own radio station, but for only $2.99 a month (paid for full year), I get 12 months of digital quality radio piped straight into my laptop and to my ears. You can get it for free if you don't mind a commercial every five songs. The payed subscription kills the ads.

Big deal, you may say. That is only if you haven't experienced Yahoo's music player. You start off by rating music genres and artists based on music YOU like. From this, Yahoo will stream music to your computer using your selections as a guideline. The more stuff you rate, the better your radio station is. If you happen to stop liking something, or a song gets too played out, you can decrease its rating or simply never play it again!

The only thing that keeps the free player from being well worthwhile is the limit imposed by Yahoo on how often a month you can use it. I feel that for $2.99 a month for me to listen to ONLY music I like, it is well worth the money.

There are several limitations to the free service, though.

Here's an example of gratitude for you.

So, Saturday night, I turned in early. My friend Chris had come by the house and was watching TV as I was crashed on the couch.

All of a sudden, I'm awakened by a loud banging and wailing at the door. I jolt awake, stand up, take 2 steps (6 feet) toward the door and see this guy running toward my door with this wild look on his face. Needless to say, I wedge my big boot in the door and locked the deadbolt.

I hear this woman pleading, "Please call 911! Please call 911!" And I look around for my phone. I find it and dial 911. Then I return to the door and open it.


"911, what's your emergency?" asks the 911 operator.

--background--"Oh, my babys! How they gonna do this to my babies!"
As my house is suddenly flooded with a short young guy, a young woman, a seven-year old boy, a three year old, and the guy cradling a screaming 5 (FIVE) month old baby.--

"These people just crashed outside my house and they look pretty banged up."

Operator: Can you get them to quiet down in the background, I can't hear what your saying. Are you at *&$% U Rd? Officers have been dispatched.

--background--"I'm gonna get that ******. Why he do that? Man, we were trying to get away. You gotta help us, man. "
"My baby! My babies bleedin'!"

At this point, I run to get a towel as this man lays his baby RIGHT ON MY COUCH. I swiftly return and slip the towel under the (thank you Jesus) not bleeding baby. The woman collapses on my Laz Z Boy and starts gasping, cursing, and crying all at the same time.

Now, they were pretty banged up for taking the lumps they did.

According to our neighborhood forensic investigation team who have seen quite a few wipeouts at this curve, the man had to have been going at least 60-100 miles an hour (one neighbor is a little older. This car couldn't DO 0-100 in less than 30 seconds, which is more time than it takes to hit this curve.

When he encountered the curve, he hit his brakes to slow down which caused him to fish-tail. He overcorrected and nailed the mailbox post which was constructed out of two steel girders embed in a 2' x 2' x 2' concrete block.

After colliding with this (pictured above) bohemouth (apparently, someone some time ago got tired of replacing mailboxes and posts from drivers taking the corner too fast), it appears from tire marks at the scene that he was airborne for about 15-20 feet, the front of the car came down first, then the car was on two tires, then all four.

Unfortunately, with two now flat front tires, he was unable to steer and nailed a telephone pole. (You can see the car against the pole in the top photo. You can see the aftermath in the second one.) The impact from this and his possibly lowered front end stance from losing some tires caused the car to swing 90 degrees counter-clockwise and land. I didn't hear a thing.

The tale that began to unravel is one difficult to grasp and even more frightening to imagine. Of course, there are sides to every tale and I'll not point fingers. I do not have the full details that the police would, only what I heard and what I heard was basically this:

"We were in the McDonald's parking lot and this guy came up and started yelling at us. He pulled out a gun and we took off. He followed us. I turned down this road 'cause its a back way to get to my house. Thats not even my car! I was trying to get away and he kept coming. "
--I didn't get all the details of the crash. I'm sure it happened way too fast, but we can see what the aftermath was and draw conclusions from that.

Ending this part of the story is that I let them use my phone to call anyone they could to come take them to the hospital (I didn't volunteer because they all appeared healthy and not too stressed after what they just experienced). You'd think it would be easier to get in touch with someone at 3:30 in the morning (Three-thirty o'clock! AM! (a.m.)).

--What the heck were they doing out at 3:00 in the morning with their whole family hanging out in a McDonald's parking lot? Even their 5 month old!

Finally they leave, I watch a little TV, then slumber land greets me once more.

Today, when I get home from running the computer system at church, my friend tells me the people from last night came by.

According to him, they accused me of taking their police paperwork and telling the cops that they had been drinking (neither of which happened). They DID leave their EMS paperwork here and I put it on the countertop in case they came back. They may have been what they meant. They still shouldn't have accused considering how I opened my home to them as complete strangers.

If I see him again, I'm going to tell him he owes me $300 for repairs to mine & my neighbor's mailboxes.

I cannot believe this idiot had the NERVE to come over to my house and accuse me of STEALING HIS PAPERWORK! It's people like this that continue to perpetuate stereotypes. This stupid bastard has at least one child (he didn't claim the other two as his own) and a direct inability to accept things as being his fault. He lost his paperwork and couldn't even say he may have LEFT IT. He had to accuse ME of stealing! Then, he walked around the outside of my house looking for it! If I had stolen his paperwork, do you think that I with my carefully manicured lawn would have simply tossed it out a window? C'mon.

On a side note, I also hope that maybe someone from the City of Beaumont will see this and decide that something needs to finally be done about this curve. Maybe a sign with blinking yellow lights and reflective tape with those little reflective things that look like tiny skateboard ramps. Or maybe something more.

Truth be told, I think this is actually a really cool t-shirt that I am selling on my other website, but I can't tell you which one. Sorry. You'll have to either email me or leave a comment to be able to buy one. Trust me, it's totally worth it.