Five Moments

2010-05-02T00:47:00.000-04:00

In the 5/10 issue of Esquire photographer Ben Baker has a six page spread titled 5 Moments: A group portrait of five ages in the lives of women. When I looked up Baker I was surprised to recognize his group images from Fortune. You may be able to see the spread here.

Olivia Locher, a 19-year-old New York based photographer from Johnstown, Pennsylvania had this to say about being 18: Being 18 is wild! This year I became an adult. I moved from a small town in Pennsylvania to New York City. Like, I have my own apartment. That's sort of mind-blowing to me.

Luz Pavon, a presumably 18-year-old designer says: I want to become a millionaire. I want to be famous. I want to have my clothing line everywhere.

Of the 18-year-olds I liked Kelley McNutt's answer: Your questions are silly.

The first 27-year-old is Kathryn Allawala, a Research Associate who passed herself off as an Editor: The best thing: 75 percent of doors are open. The worst thing: 25 percent are closed.

The Latest Scam

2010-04-26T20:07:00.004-04:00

So my friend sees this post on Luach.com:

Assistant to the Director Job opening for an assistant to the director, Must be able to use Microsoft application software, must be able to type fast, have good communication skills. **All applicant should forward their resume to mccarthyrich... ** for more information regarding job position. (posted 3/18)

She sent the following response through Luach:

I'd like to submit my attached resume for the Assistant to the Director position. I would greatly appreciate if you could look it over for a possible position available at with your organization. I have a few years of experience working with people on a professional level as a manager in the non-profit setting. I have excellent organizational skills, computer skills, and a desire to help people that I implemented at my most recent position as POSITION TITLE for NON PROFIT, and I have confidence that I can bring my skills and experience to any of the positions listed below. I am a detail oriented person who has demonstrated many capabilities, much patience, and an interest to learn and pick up new skills quickly. Please let me know where I may send my resume over for review. Thank you so much.

NAME

###-###-####

See the email chain below:

From: Richard McCarthy mccarthyrichard@live.com

Date: Fri, Apr 9, 2010 at 7:51 AM

Subject: RE: Assistant to the Director

To: email@gmail.com

Dear Employee,

How are you today and thanks for your prompt response to my job offer. My name is McCarthy Richard, The Manager for Extention Construction Services. I am on a assignment for the company which i am already out of the state and this is why i need someone to do some run around for me and be able to stand for me in case of any urgent message.

Details on Job Offer.

*Stand for me in case of any urgent office assignment

*Handle daily time keeping, weekly payroll close-out, and bi-monthly paycheck distribution.

*Post my acquired and required data for local agent s to utilize, update data online.

*Proficient in PC software, word processing, Micro soft office, ACT.

*Opulent communication skills, and great attention to details.

*Demonstrated planning and organizational skills.

*itinerary planning, calendar management, meeting planning, word processing, writing, typing and editing letters, handling phones, filing,etc. -Event planning. -Poised and confident to speak over the phone or in person.

You will be employed to stand on my behalf by some activities you will be doing for me,

The company used to forward me the details of the outgoing and incoming materials each day but due to my absence in the office i am been sent this details via e-mail, i do have them arranged and have it sent back to them. Furthermore, the company partnership used to send us payment for the granite to be supplied for them, and this is been sent in my name. Now, this is what i want to employ you for. Due to my assignment which makes me travel round the states as at present, I will like to employ you to sometimes arrange the outgoing and incoming materials been used by the company for me. (It is always been arranged via Excel) and also to collect the payment check that is been sent by our partnership. This is check will be in your name. all you will be doing to have it cashed, saved, or wired. I will guide you all through on how to arrange the materials whenever i want you to but most times i will be doing that.

Payment on the Job Offer

However, i am been paid the sum of $1,600/weekly. I will definitely be interested to been paying you the sum of $800/weekly or $35 per hour. which is half pay of my wages. I will like to know your interest and i can be able to forward your name to the company. If you are interested.

*FILL THE FOLLOWING*

Full Name:

Full Address:

City:

State:

Zip:

Home Phone: Number:

Cell phone Number:

Nationality:

Age:

Sex:

Working Experience:

Employment Status:

Are you willing to travel? (YES OR NO)

This information you are providing is to know a little about you and for the company to have your details saved for appropriate contact.

I will await to hear from you if you are indeed interested in the offer so we can get started asap.

Regards

McCarthy Richard.

Manager, extention Services.

---------- original message ----------

From: NAME

Date: Fri, Apr 9, 2010 at 10:43 AM

Subject: Re: Assistant to the Director

To: Richard McCarthy mccarthyrichard@live.com

Thank you for your response with the job details. However, I would like to clarify the salary and hours being offered. As per your offer of $800/weekly or $35 per hour, this totals only 23 hours per week (for the amounts to be the same). Is this the correct amount of hours for the job? What are the hours each day? Also, can you clarify where the office is located?

Thank you so much,

NAME

---------- original message ----------

From: Richard McCarthy mccarthyrichard@live.com

Date: Mon, Apr 12, 2010 at 6:22 AM

Subject: RE: Assistant to the Director

To: email@gmail.com

Hello NAME,

I will need you to fill the form in the last message and reply with it, you will be working for only 2 hours daily which is 10 hours Monday to Friday, You are only required to work with your computer.

Kindly reply back.

Regards.

At this point my friend sends him the information figuring it’s not her social security number or anything and it’s all public information anyway. And the emails continue:

From: Richard McCarthy mccarthyrichard@live.com

Date: Tue, Apr 13, 2010 at 12:42 PM

Subject: RE: Assistant to the Director

To: email@gmail.com

Hello,

I will get you update, you tomorrow with your payment details, the payment will be used for your mobilization fee.

Regards.

---------- original message ----------

From: Richard McCarthy mccarthyrichard@live.com

Date: Sat, Apr 24, 2010 at 10:44 AM

Subject: Payment update.

To: email@gmail.com

Hello,

How are you doing today? I would like to inform you that your payment has been mailed by the company's payroll officer. You are advised to get the payment deposited for clearing at your bank, then you contact me back for more details. Here is the details, ($2,500. USPS mail, Account name:Spencer Lee )

You are required to deduct your $300 for mobilization fee immediately the check clears and reply back to me so i can give you details of the store manager to send the excess funds to in order to get the materials and granites for work delivered.

I await your response ASAP.

Regards.

Today she received a check made out to her in the amount of $2500. The envelope has no return address and is postmarked in Michigan. The check draws from the account of NAME, STREET ADDRESS, San Jaun Capistrano, CA 92675 (no Street View available). It is drawn against an account at Bank of America, 31902 Del Obispo St, San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675.

I called BofA and apparently they were already aware of the fraud using this legitimate account and asked me to drop off the check at BofA location...

Now the way I see it, he is hoping she will deposit the check and quickly spend $2200 on his behalf. By the time the check he sent comes back as fraudulent, she’ll be out the $2200. I wonder how many people actually fall for this…

Wig Illusions & Mastectomy Boutique

2010-04-23T16:19:00.002-04:00

Situated right next to Sal's Meats in Manalapan, NJ lies the Wig Illusions & Mastectomy Boutique. Based on the window display I am guessing that they sell wigs for cancer patients. What I fail to understand is the second part of the name. Do they preform mastectomies on location? What service does one in expect in a mastectomy boutique vs. a regular mastectomy joint?

Based on the sign's lettering, the wigs are the key part of their business. I wonder if they do the mastectomy while the customer waits for the wig to be styled...

I really shouldn't be using anything with the word mastectomy in it as funny fodder for my blog but I just couldn't pass this one up. Is it in bad taste?

Self-Avoiding Walk

2010-04-16T17:28:00.004-04:00

A little about the name of the blog.

I was browsing the interwebz looking for random phrases (my favorite random phrase generator was down) when I came across the mathematical concept of Random walk, which led me to the self-avoiding walk.

Imagine walking all your life and never visiting the same spot twice...

If you have $45 to spare you can buy the book by Madras and Slade.

(Photo by TW Collins)

Seinfeld

2010-04-16T10:35:00.005-04:00

Seinfeld gave us a show about nothing. I present to you a blog about nothing. I'll be writing about things I care about but mostly about things I don't care about. Books I'm reading, random news and analysis and so on.

This may be just another ignored blog among millions, but it's mine.

I do not plan on actively promoting this blog, so how did you find it?

Due to the irregularity in posting, I strongly recommend that you subscribe to this feed using Google Reader or another RSS reader.

(Photo by WildVanilla (Rob))

Self Avoiding

Five Moments

The Latest Scam

Wig Illusions & Mastectomy Boutique

Self-Avoiding Walk

Seinfeld