What have I been up to?

I've been Answerbagging since earlier this year. It's an extremely addictive question and answer website, at www.answerbag.com. For the most part, I've been providing advice for relationships, having some fun, and answering Answerbag questions. I've put a page in my Orange Frog Productions FAQ section about "Prettifying Your Answerbag Profile", explaining step-by-step the HTML you can add and modify. (It's a bit like entering a blog... You don't have to do paragraphs, but you do have define the whole page as a DIV and do your styles on IT to do them all.) I'm working on a comprehensive User Guide for it. It will be on OFP soon, I hope!

Meanwhile, my VR counselor was promoted, and I've gone through two more Crossroads job coaches - the last is changing positions soon. AND, I'm STILL looking for a job. I don't understand why 25 years of programming experience doesn't seem to count for anything. Anyway, I'm only looking for entry level (or a little above) for programming, help desk, customer service, office, web design/devel0pment, etc. Sooner or later, someone will take me, I hope! Or, the two people I've been talking with, and I, will start a business tied in with Genealogy. We'll see, I guess.

Speaking of genealogy, I haven't been doing much on it, recently. I WILL be getting back to it when I get that User Guide done, I'm sure.

Also (genealogy/history-related)... Even MORE history was lost recently in the midwest, with the number of homes and towns destroyed and damaged by the floods in Indiana, Iowa, Missouri, etc. It should be a wake-up call to everyone to MAKE SURE you scan and/or otherwise protect your family's photos, documents, and anything else you can, and save copies on multiple CDs/DVDs, sending copies to other family members who are not in the same areas as yourself. While the digital copies will not be LEGAL, at least you have all the information in all of them, can have pictures reprinted, etc. Imagine all the historical records LOST when the downtowns of these places flooded out. This is why THEY should scan all their records to optically store them, and have digital text copies, besides! I hope SOMEONE takes this type of thing into account. Also think about the cemeteries that were lost/damaged by the flooding. It's sad... It's really sad, that all this history is gone forever.

That's enough for today. TTYL

America's Got Talent 2008 - Episode #2

Time for a new show... It comes on... And the phone rings. A friend from Virginia... We talked for three (3!) hours... Obviously right through the show. It's a good thing I recorded it for my wife... We watched it Friday... Here's what I saw...

The Singing Fairy - OMG... Piers "X"ed her right away. The audience is booing... and Sharon let her finish (after she faulterd when Piers buzzed her. No.

Missed a couple of dumps (I think, Thank God!) Then a Polinka something-or-other (with his/her mother - (s)he was strangely made up)... No.

Eli Mattson, 26yo, "Walkin' in Memphis"... Played keyboard to accompany himself... Good job... Hard to understand some of the words, but he made you feel the emotions of the song. Sharon said she couldn't believe that someone like him wasn't already signed. He's in. VEGAS, Baby!

27yo bartender, Miss Pussykatt (Kathy) is next... Cute... Purple hair... A "grinding" act... She uses an "industrial grinder" on steel plates on her chest and ... front... throws sparks while she dances. Interesting, but I don't know if she can sustain it for more than a couple of shows. SHe made it.

Survivors of Hurricaine Katrina from New Orleans, 9th Ward - Lost EVERYTHING in it. Uncle in wheelchair locked himslef in a room, when rescuers came, to save the 2, 3 and 5yo kids that were there. Lil Country & Paige???... Dancers... Break dance... acrobatic dancing. They're the ones in the commercial in the red sweats, where the one guy wheels/slides across the stage on his head. Piers said they've become one of the favorite acts of AGT, this year.

I've noticed, this year as they enter and leave, they've got a LOT of background music.
And, now we're in New York. (Thought they did New York last week!) Ok...

Extreme Percussionist... Drumtaaia... Plans on creating the Greatest Drum Show on Earth! Limo Driver... Noise and smoke... And frantic pounding on almost everything No. Piers: "I think you are a complete and utter looney, and I wish you all success." TG, NO!

Can you IMAGINE the acts they DON'T show on TV? GEEZE! Considering some of those they DO show... OMG! No WONDER they need to take breaks!

Ok... Family boy band (brothers), Next to None ("or N2N for short")... They have the look... They did Bye Bye Bye... They're good! 19, 15, 17, and 23yos. There's no real lead singer, but they have a great look and great style (Sharon). Piers liked them. David liked their attitude... "You're Raw... Good Job!"... And they're IN.

Now a Russian Bar Trio... 13 foot bar with the guys holding the bar on their shoulder, and they toss the girl. Think circus act. She does flips, splits, etc. The finale... A double somersault 180 degree twist. She had to be 20-30 feet in the air, and landed on the bar that couldn't be wider than a balance beam (gymnastics). Good, but again, can they sustain it? They make it to Vegas.

An unemployed guy who's taking the time to become a full-time Ozzy impersonator. He kinda has the look (Piers said he looks BETTER than Ozzy, and Sharon whaps him with her notes), but he can't sing... (at least Ozzy's somewhat on key! LOL) Piers said, yes, but David and Sharon said no... So no Vegas for THIS Ozzy!

Now we have a family - All of them have musical instruments, most strings. The Taubl Family. They do an orchestral arrangement of The Hills are Alive with the Sound of Music. Piers "X"s them... Then they sing. Good harmonies, and they can play, too. As Jerry said, "family entertainment". Piers said he may have buzzed them a bit early, and HATES being a "bit wrong" and having to explain it. They're in. Vagas, here they come

An all volunteer, amatuer dance compnay from Washington, DC, is next. The DC Cowboys. One said, "Think Brokeback meets Broadway". They cowbuy dance to "Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy". About 20 guys, and they're pretty much in unison throughout... Good job! They're in.

Entertainer and Martial Artist... Kevin "Big K" Taylor... Will break 1000lbs of bricks htat are on fire... Six 1" concrete blocks... about 12 stacks of them... And the finale was about 8 of them stacked, 2 stacks, one for each hand... ALL on fire. He had no problem with the 6 counts, except for his hands catching on fire! He put them out fast, then did the finale. (Took a couple of hits for one stack.) David said yes... Sharon didn't want to see him hurt himself, and said No... Piers asked what else he would do... He said his goal is to have bricks DROPPED on him while he's laying down, and breaking them with his fingers before they hit him... Piers said yes... He's in.

A woman diagnosed a couple of years ago with cervical cancer. Her husband loves her singing. She just celebrated being cancer-free at the end of the year. Chellina... She sings a spiritual... The audience is standing... David: "Amazing voice." Piers: "Good audition... Not great...". Sharon said that, yes, they've put singers through better, but she sings with heart. To Piers, Chellina said, "I won't let you down." Piers... "It's not about letting me down. It's whether I think you can win." Chellina: "I CAN win." Piers likes her spirit and she's in.

Welcome back to the Chicago auditions... I'm not sure when they switched over! GEEZE!

Johnny O; Magician; He bounces a ball, then can't get it to balance on his head... Now a montage of magicians - Dan the Magic Man; tears the head off a dove, then puts it back on (dove flutters)... Missed one... Dennis Keith; Self-flotation; Stretches between two chairs, and when assistant pulls the one from his head, dropped to the ground... A lady doing rings (one stuck to the chair... Bizzaro; Sets himself on fire and shoots flames out his FRONT... NOPE... NONE of them. Most of them screwed up big time.

Now a husband and wife duo, the Pendragons. "Illusionists" and have been doing it for 30 years. A couple of years ago, an arrow went through his heart preparing for an act (never performed it ...) They didn't know whether he'd live or not. They asked to see his scar and he showed it. Their act for tonight is the box switcharoo... He goes in a bag in the box; she locks it up, then stands on top, tosses curtains up, he throws them down, and he gets her out of the box and bag. She comes out of the box in different clothes. All voted yes... They're in.

Apparently, a lot of (bad) impersonators... Rod Stewart (No)... Cindy Lauper (NO!)... George Bush imiator (bad material)... Elton John (messed up)... Dionne Warwick (a GUY! Has the look, but lip-syncs, and voice is low. No...)

An Elvis impersonator... A VERY young Elvis! (23yo Joseph Hall from Lincoln, NE). Leather jumpsuit... He's got the voice... Not bad on the dancing... He does "Hound Dog" ... The audience LOVES him (especially the ladies). They have to quiet the audience. Piers said he normally hates Elvis impersonators - most are Elvis in his last years, fat and balding... But he likes this guy. Sharon said he doesn't need to do anything but "stand there". She said she has shoes older than him, but she'd like to try him on. It's yes all the way... He's in.

He's the last one. If I had to pick, it'd be Chellina, Next to None (N2N), the ones on the Russian bar, and the DC Cowboys. But BOY... There wasn't really a clear-cut in this one, far as I'm concerned... I will have to wait until we see them again to judge.

I hope this helps you all!

America's Got Talent 2008 - Episode #1

I haven't posted for a while... I've been looking for a job and on a site called Answerbag (http://www.answerbag.com/), helping people, and having some fun. Be careful if you go... It's addicting!

Anyway, one of the summer shows I've been anticipating started tonight... and I thought I'd post about it.

America's Got Talent (http://www.nbc.com/Americas_Got_Talent/) is on for a new season. If you remember, last year, Terry Fator (http://www.terryfator.com/) won last year... They JUST said that he JUST signed a $100 Million contract in Vegas, making him the highest paid reality show winner of all time. Wonder who it'll be THIS year... Time to find out!

Ok... We're in New York then Chicago (I'm not sure where it switched over)... We've seen about 5 people or so (they kinda skimmed over a few without showing much of them). One was an 18yo kid who could hook his tongue under his chin, touch his eye with it, etc. He didn't make it (TG!), but I'll bet HE will be getting a lotta calls from girls, which was PROBABLY why he went on. (He COULDN'T have thought that "talent" was worth $1M, except to the right woman! LOL)

And the best one, so far is a guy that "played trombone" to "Bad Girls" and danced like crazy. Sad to say, he's the best they've had, so far!

And now comes Indigo... a pair of Romanian twins who sang "New York New York", and THEY PASSED... Heck, DAVID said "No" and PIERS said "Yes". What's up with that?

Oh... I think I know... They have to have a number of acts who COULD do better to vote off if they don't, so the GOOD acts can stay in another week. Ah... THAT makes sense. Whew! Glad I remembered they did pretty much the same thing last year and the year before. So far... No top winners from MY point of view.

Time for Nuttin' But Stringz, a couple of brothers who play violin. I liked the violin/dancing part... The rap was questionable, but not bad. And they are in.

A quick four going to Vegas before the commercials, and ... I DO hope we see more of them AFTER the commercial... They looked pretty good. GOTTA make up for that first batch, and they haven't, so far! Guess not... Maybe we'll see more of them in Vegas.

An 80yo grandma who tap-dances. Piers and David said "no"... Thank God!

A 4yo (JUST turned 4!) Kaitlin (sp?) singing "Somewhere Out There". She remembered all the words and hit most of the notes. The NY audience was completely quiet for the whole song. And she's IN... All three voted yes.

Slippery Kittens - A burlesque group of mothers doing the Can-Can, trying to show "burlesque with class". They jump-editted a LOT during their act, but we saw enough to know there was a LOTTA underwear being shown, especially at the end, when some of the girls dropped their dresses, leaving them in panties. One of their dreams is to go overseas and perform for the troops. I would think there might be a RIOT if they did! LOL - They made it.

There follows a montage of acts that didn't make it (deservedly so). The audience is getting ugly!

A boy (young man) baton twirler (baton with flaming ends). And he did great. He's in. I hope he's got more to his act. They get upset when the people do the same acts (see Quick Change - BTW: I've seen them a number of times since, and except for a couple of the dresses, they STILL do the same act, and STILL no one can figure out how).

And now we're in LA.

A guy who impersonates Britney Spears. Make up was decent. Voice was high. He just danced to one of her songs. He made it.

Montage - A girl doing hoola-hoop dancing, cloggers, a 15yo who sang, Sick Step (a dance troup) - All in.

A group of Dance Teachers - Dallas Dance Company - No. More dancers... No.

Then, a group from 13-26 people, dancers - Extreme Dance FX - mixing contemporary dance and traditional clogging... The crowd was behind them... Piers didn't like the costumes and said they were a bit boring toward the end... The others liked them (the dancing), and they're in.

Neal E. Boyd, insurance salesman - Opera Singer - This is the guy we see in the commercials. He's doing it for his mother, and her sacrifices. VERY emotional when he talks about his mother. He starts, and the audience applauds. He goes on... The audience stands... The judges and audience give him a standing ovation. Of COURSE, he goes.

Neal E. Boyd - He's the front-runner at this point, far as I'm concerned.

Aren't You Done Yet?

My wife noticed me working on my genealogy the other day, looking for more people. She asked, "Aren't you done looking for people, yet?"

I created a graphic for her to show how many ancestors each person could have, and she seemed to understand. But, I know others that are confused, as she was, about genealogy and those of us who research our ancestors.

So, I wrote an article for my website around that graphic. Check out "Aren't You Done, Yet?" at Orange Frog Productions.

Scammers Out in Force

Over the past couple of months, I've received probably at least 100 emails offering jobs (work-at-home scams), lottery winnings (lottery scams), inheritance that is based only on last name (inheritance scams), and plenty of Nigerian Scams.

The latter have changed tactics (which means the others might, soon, too), saying they've done what I asked and deposited the money somewhere, which will (of course) require money to get it out.

Remember, folks... Spam is Crap! And MANY of the more recent spam are scams or attempts to send viruses.

DO NOT ANSWER ANY SPAM WITHOUT CHECKING THEM OR THE MAIN DOMAIN OUT ON THE INTERNET, FIRST.

While I've gotten all those, I have not added them all to my site as I got them. However, I do have fairly recent ones there. Be sure to check out http://www.orangefrogproductions.com/ofp2s_scams_home.shtml, my scams home page, and its links.

While you're there, check out http://www.orangefrogproductions.com/ofp2s_home.shtml and its links. I cover Scams, Shams (Infomercials), and More Flim-Flams (Rumors/Urban Legends/Trivia Lists), most all of which I've received in emails.

Alpha-Bits

My wife tried to eat a little generic lightly sweetened cereal with marshmallow bits, and didn't like them. The marshmallow bits were too sweet for her, and the cereal not quite sweet enough. She asked "Where are the Alpha-Bits?" I started looking online to find out if I could find some place that sold it regularly. Well, apparently, Kraft Foods pulled them, after trying a no-sugar variety.

I know there are others out there who can't believe that Alpha-Bits Cereal, by Post, now owned by Kraft Foods, but being sold shortly, are no longer regularly available at any grocery store. Apparently, they will still do occassional "special editions" - We found them at a Super Wal-Mart a few weeks ago), but 1) you never know how long they will remain "on the shelves", and 2) you never know how FAST they will leave the shelves!

I know that one of the reasons many mention is the reason they are no longer available has to do with the fact that American kids are becoming obese. HOWEVER, how can they use this excuse to get rid of whole-grain Alpha-Bits (not the crappy NO SUGAR variety, either - That didn't work at all), but NOT get rid of "Golden Crisp", formerly known as Super Sugar Crisp, whose commercials starred Sugar Bear; Cocoa and Fruity Pebbles, which SURELY has more sugar in them than Alpha-Bits, and that melt into a gooey mass the second you pour milk on them; Honey Comb, a "poor-man's" Alpha-Bits, that has the same problem with melting, albeit slower, as Pebbles, and tastes like a light, air-filled Alpha-Bits; Frosted Shredded Wheat, which OBVIOUSLY has more sugar ON it than regular Alpha-Bits (but probably not Frosted Alpha-Bits)?

Kids are becoming obese because of video-games, television, working parents who buy fast-food and pizza all the time for lunch and supper, lack of "playing outside" (usually for safety concerns), being driven EVERYWHERE (even down the block), etc. Not because they had a bowl of sweetened cereal in the morning!

While Post may be number three in the cereal battle, and apparently stagnent in sales, it seems to me that they could raise some of their bottom line by putting cereals that everyone knows and loves (Alpha-Bits for sure) back on the shelves. I would also venture to say that they could sell quite well in larger batches, online, etc. Well, if and when the RalCorp sale goes through, hopefully it will make them enough money to bring Alpha-Bits back as a regular. (And no screwing around with the recipe, coating, whatever. You can try out different versions after you get the real stuff going! ;-) )

And, while I know the slower-selling products get removed from grocery shelves, it would seem that, say, an online grocery or specialty shop could sell them, still relatively inexpensively, and still make a profit.

Anyway, that's my take on the Alpha-Bit thing. (My wife and I love those things for snacks - with and without milk!)

Watch for Work-At-Home Scams

Over the past two-to-three weeks I've received about 30 work-at-home and job scams, with more coming in daily. I'm putting them on my website at OFPv2/SSFF - Scams - Work-At-Home Scams Home, Examples. It takes a little while to do the research on them, so it's going MUCH slower than I'd prefer. Still, please be sure to check them out so you know which job offers YOU receive are scams ... And check back regularly, as I am trying to enter new examples as fast as I can.

Strange Creature in Our Yard

I saw the strangest bug today. I'd seen a couple around here before, but hadn't had the wherewithall or energy to grab the camera and take some shots. Besides, if I remember right, one of them landed on my arm, and it freaked me right out... I brushed it right off and it disappeared.

I spent most of the afternoon, after downloading the pix trying to find information on it on the net. I figured it was unique enough that some of the words I used would bring it right up. NOPE! So, I continued to search. My wife thought it was funny that 3-4 hours later I was still searching for it. Well, I finally found it. (WAY too many hours later to mention here!)

That creature is a Wheel Bug aka an Assassin Bug aka a True Bug. It's called a Wheel Bug because of that ... "wheel" on it's back. Actually, when I was searching, I started looking for dinosaurs, because it reminded me of the one with the rounded "fin" on it's back, but I gave up looking for the specific name. It was on the rail of the ramp out our front door. I'd watched it walk part way up the rail and across the porch rail before I got the camera and this shot. (I have a Kodak DC3400 Zoom Digital Camera. The picture was center-weighted, and I was trying to use the close-up capabilities. They failed for most shots but for the ones I'm displaying here. I really HAVE to read the instructions, sometime!)

Back to the bug... He stopped on the corner of the porch rail, and appeared to be weighing his options. For some attempted shots, I raised the camera up in front of him, and he backed up a touch, like you would when something appeared out of nowhere in front of you... (and you'd go "Whoa!!!) But, even so, he didn't seem too intimidated. Then, he turned and walked back down the rail, dodging the camera by slipping off the top to walk on the side a bit. I watched him walk all the way (about 15-20 feet or so) to the end, and stop to "weigh his options". He was walking back up to the corner of the porch when I came in to start searching.

I tried:

• insect indiana leaf
• insect serrated thorax
• indiana bug brown "2 inches" wings
• insect indiana serrated leaf gray
• bugs indiana leaf

and various other combinations, including dropping "indiana". I looked mostly in Google's images, though I probably should have just used Google and pulled up a few of the first pages. Oh, well... I can be tenacious when I want to be.

I found quite a few pages on the thing, which I knew I would, once I knew the actual name. If you're interested, check out. What's That Bug, Assassin Bugs, Bug Guide: Wheel Bugs, and Wikipedia: Wheel Bug, among MANY others. (Like I said... Once you know the name, you can find BUNCHES of them.)

I just thought some of you might be interested because...

• It is a strange creature - Looks like something out of Space Troopers(?) and various other sci-fi movies
• It's considered an Assassin Bug (kills soft PEST bugs by grabbing them with the front legs, stabbing its long probiscus into them, exuding some type of enzyme that turns their insides to mush, and sucks 'em dry)
• It's bite while not exactly poisonous (it shouldn't kill you), can be quite painful, take weeks to heal, and can leave a scar
• The "wheel" doesn't appear until they are adults, after 4-5 moltings.

Strange what you can find in your own back yard, huh?

Marion Jones

In case you missed it, Marion Jones, 3-time gold and 2-time silver medalist in the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, has pled guilty to two counts of lying twice to federal officials about doping (steroid use). (See LA Times - Marion Jones pleads guilty to lying about steroid use.) Both these times were after she won the medals, and, apparently, after she found out that she had been doping. (She says her trainer gave her "the Clear", beginning in September 2000 to July 2001, telling her it was flax-seed oil from 1999, and she didn't find out until November 2003. (See The Guardian (online newspaper from the UK) Jones may lose Olympic medals.)

Now, while I haven't been paying attention the Barry Bonds thing, apparently, this is the same excuse that Bonds used (that his trainer told him it was flaxseed oil).

Ya know... Trainers are responsible for the atheletes they train (be it team trainers, personal trainers, whatever). They and the atheletes know what's legal and what's not legal. There have been plenty of cases (seems in the last few Olympics), where atheletes have failed their "pee test", and banned substances were found.

The majority of atheletes really want to win (they don't do it for the experience or parties or whatever). They are competitive. And they all know the rules - If caught taking banned substances they will be kicked out of the Games, most will be stripped of any medals they won, and they will serve at least a few year ban. Most atheletes, especially in the Olympics, have just a few years when they are in their "prime" to win medals. And, I choose to believe that most will NOT take anything that runs the risks listed above. I DID say MOST, because there are SOME who will, and SOME whose parents will push them to, and SOME who are just trying to "pull the wool" over people's eyes.

I have much less trust in the individuals' trainers, though. How easy would it be to train a teenager for the Olympics and, if they don't perform to their expectations, convince them that the drug you are asking them to take is NOT a banned substance, though they know it is? I recall a young girl given some kind of cold or allergy medicine that apparently had a banned steroid in it. Whether the trainer knew or not, s/he should have checked. The athelete was dismissed from the games, and accused of doping. Did the Olympic committee whose responsibility is checking for doping CARE that the girl was young? I hope so. Did they then check to find out what she was given and by whom? I believe so. Was the amount of the banned substance found in the blood/urine enough to REALLY give her a performance advantage, or a high? I doubt it very much. And there are MANY OTC medicines which contain at least ONE of the banned substances. If an athelete has a headache or muscle-ache, what can they take? Ibuprophin (Motrin)? Acetemetiphone (Tylenol)? Naproxin (Alieve)? Asperin (Asperin)? And if they ARE told that's what they're taking, why would they disbelieve the trainer who spent the last few months or years with them? What if they get an OTC from their parents? Or are they just supposed to suffer?

Now that they can test for banned substances, they need to be able to test for the LEVEL, and before a person gets banned... from the individual game, the full Games, and the sport they grew up loving. 14yo kids should NOT be BANNED for years or life because they simply had a banned substance in their systems if they didn't know. (Lie detector tests can verify this.) The Olympics committee knows how long substances remain the bloodstream and urine. THAT'S how long they should be banned. If a trainer gave an athelete something and the athelete didn't know, that trainer should be banned for LIFE from the games in which they were caught.

Ok... What does this say about Pete Rose? Bonds? McGuire? and others? - Steroids in baseball is only going to give that athelete strength. It is NOT going to improve his eyesight, eye-hand-coordination, or timeing. Ok... it might help his speed a little, but to get a home run, you still have to hit that 9 to 9-1/2 inch circumference (see rule 1.09 - BTW: That's 2.86" to 3.04" diameter), 5 to 5-1/4 ounce sphere with a "smooth, round stick not more than 23/4 inches in diameter at the thickest part and not more than 42 inches in length" (see rule 1.10). Should Rose be banned from the Hall of Fame? No... I don't think so. Enhanced or not, he set records doing something that while almost everyone can play, few can do as well. (From my understanding, he even bet on the games he played, FOR HIS TEAM. If he'd bet on the other team and his lost, that would be a different story, wouldn't it?

Ok... Let's give Marion Jones (remember her?) the benefit of the doubt, and she didn't know she was taking steroids when she won. What she DID do was lie about it after she DID find out. Now, think about this: If you were an athelete, and found out after the fact that you won those medals while on performance-enhancing drugs, would YOU want to tell ANYONE?

And what about that 14yo who had a banned substance in her system, not her fault, and only because she took an OTC for a cold or aches?

I understand that we want our atheletes "clean and sober". I'm from Indiana, near Indianapolis, and any time a Pacers or Colts player is in the news, I hate it when it's something negative they did. Do I blame them? Not all the time. I try to find out what happened... What "spin" EVERYONE is putting on the story. If I believe the athelete, then I don't care. If not, get them off the team, they're only ruining it for those who are following the rules.

As for Marion... Should she lose her medals? Well, I'm not sure as far as the steroids are concerned, and the fact that they would have to give one of her gold medals to 2nd place, who I understand is coming off a two-year ban for steroid use, kinda makes it seem hypocritical, doesn't it?

Should she lose her medals because she lied to the feds about it? NO. Atheletes are just people who's job is a sport. They get in trouble in various ways, just like "regular" people do. Should she pay for lying? YES. And it shouldn't be any more than any other celebrities get for lying to the feds. But if that's the only reason for taking the medals away, she SHOULD NOT lose them.

What do you think?
-wds

WARNING - Work-at-Home Scam

I recently published a page on OFP about a Work-at-Home scam I got recently.

Apparently, either my "job coach" or I applied to a position on CareerBuilder for a part-time job. (This is questionable, since I'm looking for full-time work, but we have applied to some that are supposed to be part-time leading to full-time... It's also questionable, since I can't find any sent email message, any notification, or anything else that would "prove" I applied. Be that as it may...) I received an email saying that job was no longer available, but they had another one, and to link "to their clients'" careers page.

What? I know of NO recruiters who will link you directly to a client's webpage. How would the client know who referred you to them?

Going to the site, everything looked pretty good. The site was a "full" site (multiple pages, all with pertinent info on them), names were named, a group picture was displayed, etc. The job looked pretty good, until I hit the "process" part. Then it it me that I'd seen the same job scams offered through spam emails.

The idea is you work as an "independent contractor", meaning you handle your reporting and paying of your own taxes. They will send you checks, which they want you to deposit into your account, and cash out 95% (The 0ther 5% is your "compensation"/"commission"). You will then take the cash to Western Union (or some other company that wires money), and wire it to another location. You will then call them, let them know it's there, give them pertinent info to retrieve the cash, and that's it. The amounts are under what is required to be reported immediately to the IRS, and they promise you will receive a 1099 to help report it as an independent contractor. Sounds easy doesn't it?

The amounts are what a paycheck or contract would be so they don't look suspicious. Problem is they are bad or forged checks. This will leave YOU on the hook for the amounts the bank paid out (and you probably already spent), and if you don't pay it back into the account, you could be arrested, prosecuted. and jailed for passing bad checks.

If you want more information, on the email, the site, and what I found, check out my page at http://www.orangefrogproductions.com/ofp2s_scams_workathome_20070925(AdvantageGlobal)_example.shtml.

For more on this and other Work-at-Home scams (Assembly work at home, Chain Letter, Envelope Stuffing, MLM (Multi-Level Marking), Online Business, Processing Medical Insurance Claims, and Processing Bank Transactions for Overseas (and Domestic!) Businesses, and links for even MORE information, see http://www.orangefrogproductions.com/ofp2s_scams_workathome_home.shtml.

And, for more on VARIOUS scams (email, snail-mail, phone, fraud and phishing, etc.), see http://www.orangefrogproductions.com/ofp2s_scams_home.shtml.

And BE CAREFUL out there!

-wds

Be Careful Answering Work-At-Home Ads

I received an email on my OFP account, this weekend:

From: [removed email address to protect privacy]
To: [see Orange Frog Productions or leave a comment here]
Sent: Saturday, September 22, 2007 3:41 PM
Subject: Incomeathome.com

I heard a commercial on Sirius Satellite radio about something called "incomeathome.com". Have you heard of it and do you know if it is another scam?

Greg, NY

Now, I don't normally reply to requests like this, because it doesn't have to do specifically with a page on my site. But, because I DO have a Scams page dealing with Work-At-Home scams, because I've seen so many commercials on TV for Work-at-Home jobs, and there are so many ads in other media, I "took a quick look", and replied:

from BBBOnline.org

Online Business Systems
http://www.incomeathome.com/
www.theonlinebusiness.com/contact.php

GlobalNet Marketing Solutions, Inc. is an advertising company that sells
Herbalife products and utilizes Online Business Systems as a marketing tool

The business appears to be based on an Amway/Quixtar model, and since the original founders of Amway have retired or died, Amway seems to be more interested in selling the business than their products, which makes them more of a pyramid scheme.

Amway PRODUCTS used to be very good products (and I assume still are). It is and was possible for entrepreneurs to make money (though, from my understanding and experience, not in the amount always dangled in front of distributors). It's also a way to learn about the complexities of business.

As with many other distributorships and in-home sales opps (Mary Kay, Amway, Quixtar, Avon come to mind), it depends on a number of things how much money you can make:

• how many friends you have
• how willing you are to sell them product and the business
• how willing the friends are to refer you to their other friends
• how outgoing and how good of a salesman you are (to recruit and sell to non-friends)
• etc.

The costs of joining are noramlly relatively inexpensive. The cost of seminars promoting the business aspect are also not normally too expensive, compared to many others. However, those costs can add up quickly. The seminars are meant to keep you "pumped up" to keep selling, and to attempt to achieve what the speakers have. And the speakers are GOOD and motivational.

However, in my own and my parents' experiences with Amway, many years ago, while becoming a distributor means you can buy product at reduced cost (and the product almost always costs more than a comparable product would in a retail store), and this seems to be the only way you can GET the product for that price, that's not really a good reason to join.

Be VERY CAREFUL with any work-at-home offers. If it comes in spam emails, ignore them. If it's advertised on TV/Radio, in newspapers, magazines, on the internet, or any other media, search the internet for them. (Go to Google, and enter the name of the company in quotes, or their website) before signing up for anything associated.

Pay attention to scam and rip-off reports. While they may be disgruntled associates, former employees, etc., they also may give you an indication of what you may have to deal with. Read OFPv2 - Scams - Work-at-Home Scams Home and its links.

For more information, check out OFPv2 - Scams Home, OFPv2 - Shams (Infomercial Info) Home and OFPv2 - Shams - Business Opps Home and their links.

Bill Sanders

PS: I am going to post this on my blog (Me, Myself and I, not OFP), to help warn others. I will remove your email address.

A lot of the information provided was from personal experience and the links I suggested Greg read are to pages on my main site. However, for more about this specific ... "opportunity", check out the Google search results for incomeathome.com, yourself.

I hope this helps others looking for Work-at-Home businesses.

-wds

Biggest Loser 2007

Interesting...

Some of the commercials shown during the two hour Biggest Loser season premier, this year were:

Domino's new Oreo Dessert Pizza

Arby's 5 Pepper-Jack Roast Beef sandwich deal

Buffalo Wild Wings Grill & Bar

I probably missed a few, because I've gotten used to turning to my computer for the commercials.

These commercials may have been local, which means the network shows may not have control over them.

Yes, they had "diet" and healthy foods commercials, too, but don't you think the Biggest Loser (NBC), Fat March (ABC) and other weight-loss shows (including Montel, Dr Phil, Oprah, and other talk shows who run "specials" on weight loss) should pay attention to who is advertising during their time-slots? If they can't, don't you think the local stations should pay attention?

I know they can't control everything, necessarily, but I've seen this way too many times, and commented to my wife, my kids, and anyone else with whom we're watching, even over the internet (IM). I think it's strange ...

• when "natural" proponents on a talk show have fast-food advertising...
• when Dr Oz on Oprah talking about how fat is formed and what you SHOULD eat has fast-food and snack commercials ...
• when someone's talking about how drinking ruined their life, and a beer or wine commercials is shown ...
• when ... you get the idea

Local or national ads ... Ironic, ain't it.

-wds

Terry Fator

Well... I blew it... I didn't realize that Terry (Winner of America's Got Talent, this year) was going to be on Jerry's Telethon, and missed it. Heck... I forgot all about the telethon, itself. First time in YEARS I didn't watch at least part of it!

But, if you hit here first, and want to find out about Terry (and if you missed America's Got Talent, you missed a BUNCH - check out my other blogs about that), here's his website: http://www.terryfator.com/and, and here's his MySpace page: http://www.myspace.com/terryfator. Be sure to see his corporate entertainer video (probably a little better at MySpace, though, if you're looking to hire him, you might want to go through his website.

Congratulations, again, Terry. Good Luck. Hope to see you on TV again, soon.

-wds

Michael Vick

Should Michael Vick be banned from NFL Football? Not necessarily. In case you missed it, he's the NFL quarterback who pled guilty to funding and providing property for dog fights, and being present as those dogs who didn't perform well in the fights were put to death.

So, he has pled guilty, and stated in a press conference, that he did it - He's admitted his culpability. That's more than many politicians are willing to do. He said it was "immature" of him to do so... Cut the crap, Vick... You did it. Maturity had nothing to do with it. You knew it was wrong, you knew it was illegal, and yet you still funded, provided a place, and at least watched it, and the deaths of dogs. This may be ok in other nations, but in the US, canines (wild and domestic) are friends. We see them on TV all the time (How many dog-food commercials have you seen TODAY? Many "family" shows have pet dogs in them, too.) We make movies about them (Incredible Journey, Benji, Beethovan, Old Yeller, The Shaggy Dog, to name a few). They are our babies (Leona Hemsley just left $12M to her lap dog, because he provided "unconditional love", and when he dies, wants him buried in the vault with her; Many celebrities are seldom seen without their dogs, and Paris Hilton is now starting a clothing line for dogs. Chicken fights would be bad enough, but DOG fights? GEEZE! Immature? That's crap. Vick's old enough to know better (but to young to resist? GEEZE!). Just say you're guilty and want to redeem yourself.

Can he redeem himself?

Think about this, people.

• We have professional sports players accused of starting bar fights, driving drunk (some causing accidents), shooting guns in the air (or at people), taking drugs, and we let them try to redeem themselves.
• We have players accused of taking steroids (oh, boy!) in their early careers, before steroids were banned; accused of taking steroids, now, and we let them try to redeem themselves.
• We have race drivers (and others) who drive drunk, sometimes causing accidents and we let them try to redeem themselves.
• We have popular, some not-so-popular, famous and infamous celebrities, especially those our children like, who take drugs, drive drunk, hurt people, do stupid shit (and because of paparazzi, it's all caught on camera), and we let them try to redeem themselves.
• We have rappers and their entourages carrying guns and knives, beating and shooting each other and others, and we STILL allow them to become popular - and when they do, most redeem themselves, at least to a point.
• We have referees, umpires, etc., gambling on games they call. I guess in this case, we'll see if they can redeem themselves...

Now, why can't we let Vick?

How can he redeem himself?

First, why throw him in jail? If it's a mandatory sentence, he should pay it, but otherwise, it's not going to help. Fine him big time. AND, the judge could/should make community service be working in a humane society and/or rescue shelter. Not in the office or doing commercials only, but dealing with the cruelty that some idiots and others inflict on animals, especially dogs. Vick's national... He should work in some of those places shown on the Animal Planet's Animal Cops shows.

Second, Vick has made and still makes lots of money with and FOR the NFL, so should NOT be thrown out. When the community service is complete, Vick himself (if he wants the world to believe in his redemption spirit), or maybe the NFL should restructure his contract, and require that the majority of his salary (at least for a time) be used to build and/or fund humane societies, rescue groups, animal rescue hosptials, scholarships for veterinarians, dog parks, etc. After the initial period, and even before, he should speak to children, young adults, and others about the reasons he got into the dog fighting (some sports guys think it was more his "friends" than him), and why they should pick friends with good values. He should then donate a majority (if not all) of the speaking fees to the same types of places listed above.

Third, He should probably make PSAs about animal cruely and (for the young and young adults, alike) picking the right kinds of friends.

If Vick would even do PART of the above, especially voluntarily, I think it would go a long way toward redeeming him in the eyes of many people.

What do you think?

-wds

Garden Bar Free (Say it fast three times!)

To All Television and Radio Advertisers: Be VERY careful about word placement in your commercials.

I don't know how widespread the commercial is, but in Indianapolis, Ruby Tuesdays is advertising a meal where you get a "Garden Bar Free". This is repeated at least three times during the commercial and I swear to God, all I can here is the nonsensical phrase "Gard 'n' Barf Free".

PLEASE make sure you read the commercial copy aloud to yourself, and to at least a couple of people who don't know what it says. Yes... This is on TV. Yes... The words appear on the screen. But my TV is set beside me. I look at my computer screen most of the time, especially during commercials. So I HEAR them, rather than see them most of the time.

I swear, the first time I heard the ad, I nearly got whiplash twisting my head to see what was being advertised! If that ever happens, I guess I know some people with deep pockets I can sue for pain, medical and emotional distress, huh? ;-)

-BS

Viva Viagra

If you've not seen the commercial, check it out here...

Ah... You're back. What did you think?

Apparently, others have noted this commercial and hate it - I would guess that most of those would be the ones who don't really watch TV, but have it on as background noise; and those who think Elvis was a god; and those who think that songs cannot be parodied or certain songs or those by certain people should not be used in ANY commercials. I was looking around on the net to figure out 1) who sang the song; and 2) who were the actors in the commercial (and did THEY sing it?) Although there are about 50,000 Google-searched links out there that mention "Viva Viagra", only one place mentioned that it MIGHT be "the Swinging Johnsons/Johnson Brothers" singing it. (And THAT might very well be a tongue-in-cheek reply!) But in leafing through the pages of the Google results and spot-checking a few, I found a lot of people don't like the commercial!

• Some think it's creepy... There are a buncha guys in an old garage or shop, singing about Viagra, and there's not a chick in sight! But they say nothing about all the other garage bands out there, who practice without their girlfriends, wives, kids, etc. And many of them still do sing love songs. Why isn't THAT creepy? LOL
• Some think it's irresponsible of Pfizer to promote Viagra this way - You know... a fun, well-done parody of a popular song, with no mention that Viagra doesn't stop STDs. Well, I like this approach MUCH better than the creepy 50s father with the adoring wife and stupid open-mouth grin on his face because he's FOUND Viagra! GEEZE! Talk about creepy!
• Still others think it promotes the use of Viagra as a "recreational" drug, for those who don't have ED, especially using the Viva Las Vegas song... That except for one or two of the guys in the commercial, most are in the late 40s and early 50s and shouldn't NEED it. (After all... Didn't Bob Dole and a couple of other octagenarians advertise it?) Well, think about this... There are other diseases and treatments that otherwise healthy men of ANY age can "get" and have, that can cause ED - diabetes and high blood-pressure to name two. There are also medical treatments that can cause ED. If Viagra or one of the other ED drugs can be used and help, if YOU had the problem, wouldn't YOU want to use them?
• And there are those that think Viagra is too well-known to advertise. Are you shitting me? What about Aspirin? Doesn't EVERYBODY know that aspirin can help when you're having a stroke or heart attack? Doesn't EVERYBODY know that it helps aches and pains? So why are THEY still advertising? Doesn't EVERYBODY know know that BEEF... is for dinner? That milk does a body good? That Wonder Bread helps build strong bones? That Pork is the "other white meat"? That... So why are we still seeing advertisements for them?

Personally, I like it. I know... I know... I've just blasphemed about the god Elvis and his works, but forget THAT for a moment... and forget for a moment that it's a Viagra commercial - The song is really well-done... The edits in the commercial are well-done... The actors in the commercial (I swear I've seen at least 3-4 of them in SOMETHING (separately, of course)), "fit the part", look like they're really singing the song (if they aren't), and are obviously having a blast being in a band. (All you guys and girls my age who used to play an instrument, or still do, and aren't IN a band... Doesn't it make you want to try to start a band like that? And NO... We would NOT be singing "Viva Viagra"!) And you and those who are CURRENTLY in bands - Don't you wish you had a place out in the boonies where you could practice without the neighbors limiting when you could, and possi-proba-bly calling the cops on you for being loud?

Give it a break and get over it. It's a freaking commercial. If you can't sit through 30-60 seconds of something you don't like... It's almost as bad as those people who change channels on the radio when a song they don't like plays... It's only going to be on for 3-5 minutes. Turn it down enough to just hear when it's over! GEEZE! If you don't like a commercial, when it starts, pick your butt up off the couch and go to the bathroom... Let or take the dog out... Go to the kitchen and get a drink or something to munch on... Read a story in the paper... SOMETHING... And QUICHERBICHIN!

Oh, yeah... Anyone know who sings the song and who the actors in the commercial are? I'd really like to know.

Speaking of drug commercials - Has anyone else noticed the prolifieration of drug dealers on the street? Sure... They're over-the-counter drugs, but they are still drug dealers giving out "free samples", right? The Zantac (FAST) guy? All those people who notice a family member/friend/collegue in distress and say "try this" medicine? Anyone remember the Phillips Milk of Magnesia lady? Why isn't anyone going after them. And no... Those advertising a drug by describing it are not the same. Think about it.

Ok... 'nuff for now.

-wds

America's Got Talent

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAY! Terry Fator won! If you missed it, check out the AGT website and to the two-minute recaps.

I feel sorry for Cas Haley, because if Terry hadn't been in the competition, he'd have won it, hands down.

I still think America was off a little with Butterscotch and Julienne Irwin in the final four instead of the Glamazons and Sideswipe, but I guess America spoke.

But Terry won it! Lets hope we see more of him than we did of Bianca Ryan. I'm sure we'll be seeing more of her, too, but why is it we see more of second-place American Idols than we do of the winners? Why? I mean I know we fall in love with the people we see on TV fairly regularly and like, but why not the winners?

Anyway, Terry's slated to play in Vegas, soon. I'm sure he'll be in demand for some time, now the shows over. Cas will too.

In fact, like I said before, I hope that producers and A&R people ARE paying attention to this show... Butterscotch, Julienne, the Glamazons, Robert Hatcher, Jason Pritchett, and others deserve a chance, and they all have followings from the show. Get on it fast!

-wds

MORE Annoying Commercials

Geiko - The one where the guy laughs and makes weird faces and noises on his webcam (original video that was edited into the commercial)? Then it goes to a mattress joust in a dorm hallway (original video). The voice-over says something about there being a better way to spend time on the internet. It's not that the commercial was annoying to start with... The problem is that they continue to air it, almost as often as they aired the caveman, to start with, before they created different ones. There are plenty of other viral videos out there they could find and use (except, I guess they'd have to pay the owners to use them...) Even so... I CANNOT be the only one who finds this one annoying.

Subway Scrabble - I can see at least three people who would and probably SHOULD have the crap beat out of them. 1) The guy walks out the door as a couple is walking in, and shakes wet off his head, all over the girl. Why did the boyfriend just stand there like a dufus? The guy SHOULD have at least been arrested for battery. 2) The guy sitting at the table who peals off the piece and throws his whole drink, TWICE, over the family sitting across the aisle from him ... AND THEY JUST SMILE at him! Their own meal's ruined with the liquid, and they have (most-likely) sugary, therefore STICKY, pop all over them. I REALLY doubt if this happened in real-life, they'd be smiling. 3) Just before they cut away from this scene, a lady in the foreground does the same to another family. These people would be KILLED IMMEDIATELY in some neighborhoods... If not killed outright, they'd have the shit beat out of them. And again, every single one of them should be arrested for battery, if not assault.

Oh... And Mercedes Benz Summer Love event - The song they play is the first part of Sam Cooke's "(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons". Apparently, it was written with all the "I Love You's" in it, but Sam was the only person who recorded it to include it. While a once-in-a-blue-moon things would probably be ok, it's played at least 2-3 times a night... To be honest, that might be on different channels, but still... 1) It's the classic commercial overuse of a certain part of a song, making not only the commercial completely annoying, but simply because of the commercial, many will NOT like the artist - Is this unfair... Yes, but if you buy an album (Remember... I'm old - Ok... CD or DVD) it's on, would you REALLY want to hear the damn commercial every time you listen to it?; 2) Yes... It will help me remember Mercedes, however, it will just be another reason, (besides price) I would never want one!

KIA Spectra's "Save the Greenbacks" commercial is beginning to annoy me, too. Stupid. (click the screens to see short versions of the current commercials).

Enough for now... TTYL
-Bill

America's Got Talent

What the heck happened? They dropped two people from 10 last week, and four from eight this week? I could see dropping two a week, but ...

Cas Haley (Reggae Singer/Musician), Terry Fator (Ventriloquist/Comedian/Mimic), Butterscotch (Beatbox/Singer), and Julienne Irwin (14yo singer).

Those that made it to this show besides them were: Robert Hatcher (Singer), Jason Pritchett (Singer/Musician), The Glamazons (BBW Burlesque singing group), and Sideswipe (Martial Arts Dancers).

I think there are mistakes here, America. While they are good, Butterscotch and Julienne shouldn't have made it over the Glamzaons and Sideswipe. Why? Because they are "just singers". I think that's why Robert and Jason didn't make it into the group.

But why are we even talking about this? Why did they drop half the freakin' group? Why not only two this week, then two next week, THEN the final? I think they put too many shows on at the beginning of the show (the setup before America votes), and had to cut the rest short. Maybe next year we'll see some of these people back, but, then again, maybe we'll only be able to vote once! GEEZE!

And last year, before the final, they had celebrities help the acts chose their songs and what they did. Will they this year for the last show? They are saying this is the finale. It can't be... They have to let us vote one more time and have a results show.

Now one good thing for EVERYONE in the show... It's exposure. Robert said he'd go home and wait for record companies to call him. (Yeah... It MIGHT happen, but...) Hopefully there ARE A&R people watching. Hopefully there ARE producers, and others watching. Because there are those, even in the first shows, that didn't make it, simply because they had to choose a limited number of spaces. Now why they chose SOME of them (the "Ballywood dancer", Leonid, and some others), HAD to be because of the controvery they'd evoke, both with other judges and America, rather than the talent they showed.

But America... VOTE... VOTE for the GOOD ones... Vote for the unique ones. Hell... Even Butterscotch is unique as hell... How many people can do the beatbox and sing at the same time? Still, I liked the Glamazons and Sideswipe better.

Well, I guess we'll find out... Personally, I think Terry Fater should win. Will he? We'll know next week. I think it's between him and Cas Haley. We'll see...

Oh yeah... If you missed some of the episodes, here's a link to the AGT website and to the two-minute recaps.

-wds

America's Got Talent and All-Bran Commercial

America's Got Talent

Thank GAWD the American public did NOT allow through some of those voted through from the early shows: Leonid (*GAK* Yes... He was back), Boy Shakira (*SHUDDER*) / Boy Brittany (*SHIVER*), and the dude they called "Ballywood" (OMG - strange dancing, probably better than I could, but nothing worth a million dollars!).

If you missed some of the episodes, here's a link to the AGT website
and to the two-minute recaps.

Here are my choices for the finals, in order, top pick to bottom:

Terry Fator (Ventriloquist)

• Week 8
• Week 7

Cas Haley (Singer)

• Week 8
• Week 7
• Week 5
• Week 3

The Glamzons (Plus-size singing group - Burlesque-style dress)

• Week 8
• Week 6
• Week 4

Sideswipe (Martial Arts Dancing)

• Week 8 (with kids - not one of their better performances)
• Week 6
• Week 3

Butterscotch (Beat-Box singer)

• Week 8
• Week 7
• Week 6
• Week 3

Calypso Tumblers (uh... Tumblers)

• Week 8
• Week 7

If there were any other videos of them, I missed them.

All-Bran Commercial

OMG! Has anybody else noticed the explicit symbolism in the new All-Bran "10-Day to a Better You Challenge" commercial? (See it HERE). The one where the construction guy on a construction site descibes how it helped his constipation? In case you missed it, there's a beam in a narrow "window slit", and at the right moment, it is pushed through to the ground (our side of the wall). Then, he's standing with one leg up on something, and behind him, a truck dumps 55 gallon drums (or kegs?) ... The thing is, the level of the truck, and the way he's standing, it ... appears ... to be coming out his ass. Then, the finale, he's still extolling the virtures of All-Bran and how it helped, and a dump-truck dumps a load of bricks. This HAS to be one of THE MOST exlicit symbolism in American commercials today! (And I found out today, that it COULD have been WORSE! - Director's Cut (so to speak))

See ya soon.
WDS