Monty Python

Did you know that the word SPAM comes from a Monty Python sketch? Yes SPAM: these mails that you receive everyday in your mail box, these mails which promize you a big cash prize in a lottery ( or a purchase for a lottery ticket) or those which ask you the detail of you bank account, or a big winning prize and at last but not the least, the man in some country, who asks you to give him money in order to save funds from some dictators... All this new threats (SCAM or SPAM) are now named according a sketch by Monty Python

Tags: security, Monty Python, winning prize, SCAM, SPAM, lottery

Lottery Scam

Since I received this letter from Euromillones, I made some researches about scams... In fact it was my first but there is not only the Italian Lottery which is used: the british one too. It’s worth noting that there is really a UK national lottery. The National lottery does not run an email campaign at all. As usually in SCAM, you will be asked for a series of charges to get the prize in cash or details of your bank account and it will never arrive! This is a scam so ignore it. Here a copy of this mail:

The National Lottery,
P O Box 1010,
L70 1NL Liverpool,
UNITED KINGDOM
(Customer Services)

Batch: 074/05/ZY369
Ref: UK/9420X2/68





WINNING NOTIFICATION:
We happily announce to you the draw (#963) of the UK NATIONAL LOTTERY,online Sweepstakes International program held on the 21st July, 2006.
Your e-mail address attached to ticket number:56475600545 188 with Serial number 5368/02 drew the lucky numbers:12-18-22-24-32-33(bonus no.), which subsequently won you the lottery in the 2nd category i.ematch 5 plus bonus.You have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of £250,000 (Two hundred and fifty thousand pounds sterling) in cash credited to file KTU/9023118308/03.

This is from a total cash prize of £1,000,000 shared amongst the first four (4) lucky winners in this category i.e Match 5 plus bonus. All participants for the online version were selected randomly from World Wide Web sites through computer draw system and extracted from over 100,000 unions, associations, and corporate bodies that are listed online. This promotion takes place periodically.

Please note that your lucky winning number falls within our European booklet representative office in Europe as indicated in your play coupon.In view of this, your £250,000 (Two hundred and fifty thousand pounds sterling) would be released to you by any of our payment offices in Europe. Our European agent will immediately commence the process to facilitate the release of your funds as soon as you contact him.

For security reasons, you are advised to keep your winning information confidential till your claim is processed and your money remitted to you in whatever manner you deem fit to claim your prize. This is part of our precautionary measure to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program. Please be warned.

The UK NATIONAL LOTTERY Awards is proudly sponsored by the Microsoft Corporation, the Intel Group, Toshiba, Dell computers, Mckintosh and a conglomeration of other international IT companies. The UK NATIONAL LOTTERY internet draw is held once in a year and is so organized to encourage the use of the internet and computers worldwide. We are proud to say that over 200 Million Pounds are won annually in more than 150 countries worldwide.

To file for your claim, please send your details; Age, Sex, Country, Amount Won, Phone Number and Fax to our fudiciary agent
Fudiciary Agent: Mr Jack Collins
Email: jackcollins0001@yahoo.co.uk
Goodluck from me and members of staff of the UK NATIONAL LOTTERY.




Yours faithfully,
Brian Hunt.
Online coordinator
UK NATIONAL LOTTERY,
Sweepstakes International Program.
Open 7 days 7am-7pm.

Tags: scam, spam, prize, lottery, cash

Someone try to steal my bank account number...

This morning, I received a strange mail from the Euromillones lottery primitiva s.a. This is surprising because I never buy a ticket... Moreover this mail come from Spain... But what is very annoying is that the name on the letter, has the same error as the name I gave to BT! In fact, when I opened my BT line, they miswrite my name and this is exactly the same error which appears on the letter I received: this is probably not a coincidence! BT leaks information about its customers, which could give the possibility to someone to send me a letter or even try to steal my identity! In fact in the letter it is written (I will copy this letter, so you will be able to compare if you received the same) that I won 615 810 euros... but I must give them my bank account number so they will be able to transfer the money to my account: THIS IS PHISHING. Sorry man I am not dumb. I will probably try to contact BT and explain them the situation... For the moment I will copy the letter here, so you can compare, if you receive the same letter:

FROM: THE DESK OF THE VICE PRESIDENT
INTERNATIONAL PROMOTION/PRICE AWARD
ATTN:STAKE WINNER

RE: AWARD FINAL NOTIFICATION

This is to inform you on the release of the Euromillones loteria internaltional program held on the 23th DEC. 2005. Due to mix up of some numbers and names, the results were released on the 23th OCT. 2006. Your name attached to ticket number ...................... with serial number ......... drew the lucky numbers of ............... which consequently won the lottery in the 3rd category.

You have therefore been approved for a lump sum payout of 615,810.00 euros in cash credited to file with REF NO ....... This is from a total cash price of 5,600,000.00 euros. Shared among the twelve international winners in there respective categories. CONGRATULATIONS!!!
Your fund is now deposited with a security company and insured in your name. Due to mix up of some numbers and name, we ask that you keep this award from public notice until your claim has been processed and money remitted to your account as this part of our security protocol to avoid double claiming or unwarranted taking advantage of this program by participants.

All participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from 25,000 names from Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Europe, America and North America as part of our International promotions program which we conduct once every year. We hope your lucky name will draw a bigger cash prize in the next year's program.
To begin your lottery claim, please contact your claims agent DR. RAUL GOMEZ the Foreign operations manager of GROUPAMA SEGUROS S.A On Tel: 0034 658 520 602. Fax: 0034 911 814 182 for the processing and remittance of your winning prize money to a destignation of your choice.

Remember, all price money must be claimed not later than, 27th NOV 2006. After this date all funds will be returned to the MINISTERIO DE ECONOMICO Y HACIENDA as unclaimed. And also be informed that 10% of your lottery Winning belongs to GROUPAMA SEGUROS S.A. because they are your claims agent. This is 10% will be remitted after you have received your winnings because the money is insured in your name already.

.... bla bla.....

place of the letter now: bin

Tags: phishing, groupama seguro, letter, BT

The best killer: Golgo13

I am currently reading this manga. In fact I am reading the best 13 stories of Golgo13, and I try to read only one episode per day. From Wikipédia: "

Golgo 13 has been called a Japanese counterpart to James Bond, except with a darker character, a much more hardcore attitude towards sex, and a complete lack of morality. Golgo 13 is described as a mystery man of undetermined origin, possibility being at least part Japanese, who takes any assignment for any employer (it has been said he has worked for the CIA and the KGB) as long as the right price is given (usually around 1 million dollars for a hit) and will always fulfill his contracts, even if he has two or more opposing contracts at the same time. He is an uncanny sharpshooter, with near 100% accuracy (with only one missed shot) and capable of lethal trick shooting, and regularly uses a customized, scoped M-16 rifle in his assassinations. He also is a heavy smoker of cigars."
That is a real killer not one of the James Bond or other hero from Hollywood: Goglo13 never does something randomly. He is well trained and is a bit like a killer machine.

Tags: killer, golgo13, James Bond, M-16, CIA, KGB

Müller Advertising

one of my prefered ads: I like the music

Tags: mülller, publicite, ads

Fast Food Nation

This is the spookiest book I have ever read! Do you know E.coli 0157:H7? This is a bacteria, a stain of Escherichia coli. Everyone has some non pathogenic stain of Escherichia coli. But if you have E.coli 0157:H7, you should got to the hospital as soon as possible. Actually this stain can be lethal, it leads to kidneys disease... Why I speak about E.coli 0157:H7? Because I am reading the excellent book of Eric Schlosser: "Fast Food Nation". In this book you learn how big firms jeopardize the health of all the American nation... They try to make as much money as possible and the easiest way to do that is to give money to Congress in order it forgets to control what Fast Food are doing and what happens in slaughterhouse. You will never eat an hamburger after this book:

A best seller!

Tags: E.coli 0157:H7, bacteria, Escherichia coli, slaughterhouse, Eric Schlosser, Fast Food, book, USA, MacDonald, KFC

Greasemonkey and Technorati Tags

I have just discovered Greasemonkey: a little extension for Firefox to modify web pages dybamically... Install this extension and then find the good javascript. For example, I am currently using one of this script, which permit you to add technorati tags while you are writing your post. Possibility of Greasemonkey seems to be limitless: so enjoy

Tags: greasemonkey, blogger, beta, web 2.0

How to verify the root user id on SUN?

If you program sometimes on Sun Solaris, you have probably noticed that the syntax is not always the same as the one of Linux, or HP-Unix... This time, before running my script I had to verify that it is root, who runs the script: after 30 minutes of headhache, I finally find a way: enjoy the aspirin

WHO=`id | cut -f1 -d" "`
if [ ! "$WHO" = "uid=0(root)" ]
then
echo "You must be super-user to run this script."
exit 1
fi

How to get rid of output of your scripts?

Just add at the end of your command line: >/dev/null 2>&1 so you redirect fd1 to /dev/null, then dump it onto fd2:

Normally: fd1 -> stdout fd2 -> stderr

>/dev/null: fd1 -> /dev/null fd2 -> stdout

2>&1: fd1 -> /dev/null fd2 -> /dev/null

Now no more output, it is very interessant espscially for cronjob.

Residents urged to leave homes over asbestos risk

I have just read this article... In one hand, you can consider that it is a good thing that those people have to leave this houses full of asbestos... Actually asbestos can lead to disease as mesothelioma (mesothelioma is a rare cancer, usually found in those exposed to asbetos). In the other hand, at the end of the article, it is claim that it is only a way to get rid of these houses to build something new... One more time this is a bit spooky... Do our leader only think to money and not to our welfare. But I am for The Imperative of Responsibility (Hans Jonas), if people can die of mesothelioma, they should move to another house. So I agree with the decision. Nevertheless if some clues show that it was only to feed the greed of some politics... These men deserve a good trial.

Enviga or the size zero

Coca cola is cheating you with its next product: Enviga. With Nestlé, they developped a new drink, which comes in three flavours (green tea, berry and peach). What is at stake is that Coca Cola is claiming its latest product could burn off calories just by drinking it. Consuming three 350ml is said to make you lose 60 to 100 calories. But if you read this blog during 10 minutes make you lose more calories. Shame of Coca Cola, because it is clear that Coca Cola is targetting teenage girls and was trying to cash in on the "size zero" phenomenon.

Google Groups Beta

Google has a new beta: Google Groups Beta . You probably remember the old one, more in the google spirit: simplistic... Today with javascript and Ajax, this application enter in the pantheon of the web 2.0. Have a look, it is always the same system but more good looking.

Google sceptical

I am wondering why Google keep all its application in beta stage? How many people have today a gmail account, how many people have today a blogger account... A lot... What happen if you ask money, even a little, for this services? People will pay because they have too much things on their blog and too much mail in Gmail (2,7Go)... Don't forget that Microsoft permit you to use its beta version of Office, but after you have to pay to use it... I don't know what is in the mind of Eric Shmidt but if someone a bit more greedy come at the head of google he could make huge profit... So be careful with all this new applications of the Web 2.0, and keep copy on your computer of your mails and posts.

Le Louvre

How green it is!!!

Normal it is raining all the day in England

Dinosaure Skeleton

Feynman's lessons

Have you ever heard of Feynman? Feynman is one of the youngest Nobel Price in physics. He is the father of the quantum computer. Instead of being a boring teacher, Feynman is certainly the greatest teacher of physics, who has ever lived. If you want to understand something to the quantum mechanics with a book which do not begin with a math formula read the book below. Every good teacher has ever read Feynman's lessons or should! All student in physics shoul read this book, each chapter is like a novel, you read a book of Feynman like an Harry Pother.

Read this book and you will become better in physics I promise you

Google Word

Google Docs is alive. With Google spreadsheet you can already get rid of Excel... Now the application, which is use by almost everyone, I mean "Word" has been mimic by Google. I have for the moment only have a quick look at it but it seems promising. The only big issue with that is your provider or even Google... What will happen when you won't have network in your office, at home or if the service is disrupted... stop working.... I thinks that the next step of Google will be a software. We will hear soon of the Goobuntu or the OS by Google ;-) go and see http://doc.google.com

Google Calendar && Kontact

I only start to fill my Calendar by Google, but I have also my calendar on my portable with Kontact... The question which often arises in these cases, how to share information between the two (except if you are schizophrenic...) how to synchronize the two calendars??? Mr. Google once again thought to everything: it is simple: settings > calendars > share this calendar > calendar details.... There you will see small squares of color XML, iCal, HTML on the line private addresse. Select iCal and copy the address which is kindly given to you by Google. Now on Kontact: File > Import > Import Calendar... At this time there, instead of seeking on your computer a file, enter the address given by M.Google answer two or three questions... that is it. You finally could be more effective in your work, to optimize your life; -)

Linux:: AmaroK

In the inuits legends, Amarok is the giant wolf which devours the imprudent hunters, who hunt alone the night. In the world of computers, Amarok is the application which could too devour the imprudent users of Windows which use the old old old Itunes... Amarok is an application of the free world which works exclusively under Linux or Unix.

AmaroK allows inter alia:

• to manage advanced playlists
• to develop new functionalities via scripts
• to record statistical data of a song even if this one is renamed or moved
  
• to use K3B (burning software for Kde) for the CD engraving
• to use the data bases to store information of music
• to use your iPod
• to manually configure a generic reader with key format USB
• to benefit from the crossfading
• to use MusicBrainz to recover informations on your music
• to recover the words of the songs
• to recover the covers of albums on the Amazon site
• to recover on Wikipédia the articles on the album, the artist or the song in the course of listening
• to manage the support of radio operator flows of last.fm
  

Unfortunately for the users of Windows, Amarok will never be carried under Windows because of:

• its licence LPG
• KDE-libs (which it uses)
• need somebody to do it...

An easy, personal wiki

I have always wanted to install a wiki on my laptop to write all the tips I find... But to install a wiki, most of the time you need Apache or MySql or PHP running on your personal laptop... It is OK if you want to run a wiki for a community but if you search something more personal, you probably don't want to use all that stuff... This morning, I find the solution: Tiddlywiki . To install it, just go on the web site of Tiddlywiki, go in the download section... And save a page!!! Yes Tiddlywiki consists on only one single HTML file with all you need inside: CSS and Javascript... Now you can write your first "Tiddler" an equivalent of a post in yout brand new wiki.

Granny Pirate

Who said that old people understand nothing to computer science ;-)

In fact they are even born before it ;-)

Google Optimist or Google Pessimist?

Google and the society

"Google is your friend" Everyone knows this simple sentence... Does such sentences exist for Windows? I think that this is the sign of a large approval for Google

Wealth of the World, Poverty of Nations

I have just finished this book again, I say "again" because I have already read it 3 times, over 3 years? It is a small pocket book but all the essential ideas to understand the phenomenon of globalization are there.

it is read almost like a novel. The author Daniel Cohen makes us cross all the currents of thought of economic sciences, from Smith to Ricardo, and Keynes, all the authors of economic sciences are present. This book is full of references? You will find the theory of the O-Ring ring there, the theory of the four quarters of Reich, the reflexions on the marriage of today in this new dynamics. I advise it to you sincerely. You will understand finally the mechanisms of the globalization and why one should not believe the politicians who exploit the fear of the people to try to gain votes. Globalization is a fact and all the nations can benefit from it: if a redistribution of the profits is correctly made inside the country? All this depends on the strength and the integrity of our policies.