Of Interest in the News
and
a PayPal E-mail Scam?




I actually had time to catch up on some news this morning after the kiddo's had left for school and found some stories worth reading, for a giggle if nothing else.

Remember my Alien post? Well, here is a new story about the government's very late response:


FORT WORTH, Texas - U.S. military officials said Wednesday that fighter jets were training in a rural area the night of Jan. 8 when dozens of people reported seeing a UFO.

Although officials at the Naval Air Station Reserve Base in Fort Worth initially said none of their planes were in the area of the UFO reports, they changed their story Wednesday, saying that 10 F-16 fighter jets built by Lockheed Martin Corp. were training near Stephenville, about 70 miles (112 kilometers) southwest of Fort Worth, about the time of the sightings.


The people aren't buying it though and thier responses are worth reading.

As a parent this story was terrifying. Many people driving to work called the police to report a hitchhiker. What prompted the calls? She was only 5 years old!

Police are still shaking their heads about an enterprising Orem 5-year-old who gave them and her parents a major scare Tuesday.
Lt. Keldon Brown said dispatch started receiving calls around 8 a.m. about a little girl hitchhiking on the side of the street in the area of 800 North and 1150 West.
At the same time, they received calls from a frantic mother who couldn't find her daughter. She was going to take the little girl half a block away to catch the school bus to Aspen Elementary School, but couldn't find her. When she checked the bus stop, the girl wasn't there.


And if I 5 year old hitchhiking doesn't make you sick, according to this report on CNN, the movie Cloverfield just might:

ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- "Cloverfield" is the first adrenaline-pumping monster hit of the year, bringing in more than $40 million dollars on its opening weekend. The thriller is told from the point of view of five young New Yorkers using their handheld camera. But for some viewers, being "part" of the movie is making them sick -- literally.

One blogger on the popular movie database IMDB.com said, "I had to get up and leave the theater for nearly 20 minutes just to keep from hurling." Other moviegoers have reported being nauseated and dizzy.


And although this CNN article really is kind of boring, it did contain some interesting US laws pertaining to driving:

The ridiculous

An assortment of seemingly crazy state driving laws exists and can be found easily across the Internet. Most of these examples are sourced from newspapers and come from the site www.dumblaws.com, whose editors did not respond to a call for comment. Here goes:

In California, no vehicle without a driver may exceed 60 miles per hour.

In Florida, if an elephant, goat or alligator is left tied to a parking meter, the parking fee has to be paid just as it would for a vehicle.

In Montana, it is illegal to have a sheep in the cab of your truck without a chaperone.

In Oregon, a door on a car may not be left open longer than necessary.

In Tennessee, it is illegal shoot any game other than whales from a moving automobile.


Whales? In Tennessee? I would love to find out the history behind that one! And although I've never met anyone who has had a sheep in the cab of their truck (chaperoned or otherwise) my MIL did once call to tell me she had to calves in the backseat of her car. She did not receive a ticket as far as I know.

That was really the best of the 'giggle worthy' or 'off the beaten path' stories this morning.

On another note, I received and e-mail this morning from "Pay-Pal" informing me that my account had been locked out. When I clicked on the link as instructed to find out more information I was taken to this site. Please note when you click it that it does NOT take you to www.paypal.com as it should, but takes you to http://www.juniorek.com.pl/images/www-paypall.com, instead. If you click on any of the links you remain on the same page. I am pretty sure this is a scam and will be sending it to the appropriate people, but I thought I should put it out here in the Blogosphere in case anyone else receives this e-mail. Here is a copy of the e-mail :

PayPal to serendipitymine
show details 9:36 AM (3 hours ago)

Reply



PayPal has been receiving complaints from our customers for unauthorised use of the PayPal Online accounts. As a result we periodically review PayPal Online Accounts and temporarily restrict access of those accounts which we think are vunerable to the unauthorised use.

This message has been sent to you from PayPal because we have noticed invalid login attempts into your account, due to this we are temporarily limiting and restricting your account access until we confirm your identity.


To confirm your identity and remove your account limitation please following the link below.



Click Here


PayPal is committed to ensure the safeguard of each customer's personal information, making sure only authorised individuals have access to their accounts. It is all about your security.

Accounts Management As outlined in our User Agreement, PayPal will
periodically send you information about site changes and enhancements.

Visit our Privacy Policy and User Agreement if you have any questions.
http://www.PayPal.com/

8 comments:

Bee said...

Since Andy went with me to 27 Dresses, now I have to go see Cloverfield. :o(
I asked a blog friend who had seen it, if it was scary and she basically said don't be a pansy and go see it! Now I have to worry about hurling? ::sigh::

Anonymous said...

Bee - Nothing says romance like a hubby covered in upchucked popcorn. That, my dear, is a true measure of love ;-)

Bee said...

HEY! Great idea! I never thought to aim at him! :o)

Thanks for the paypal thing, I got something similar for my eBay account and duped! >:o[

Anonymous said...

Bee (I wanted you to know I was speaking to you 'cause I just have soo many others commenting today! LOL)- Well, duh! Where else would you aim it! It wouldn't be polite to throw up in the pimply 13 year old's hair sitting in front of you! Geesh ;-)

Sherry said...

I've had emails like that too. I have even gotten them about bank accounts that I don't have at banks that I have never heard of! Its called "phishing". They're trying to get you to enter your account information so they can use it.
Don't EVER enter personal info when you get these. Be careful!!

Tracy Rambles On And On said...

What I would like to know it this...If I happen to be in California and my car does happen to go over sixty miles per hour without me in it, do I get the ticket or does my car?

Brian o vretanos said...

Nauseated:

It's probably the same deal as the Blair Witch Project - the film people spread (throw, chuck, hurl, spew) these stories to get people to go and see it.

Years ago here (like in the 60's - I read this in a book) a council attempted to prosecute a taxi driver for "leaving his hackney carriage unattended without proper provision of hay to feed the horses". His petrol-powered hackney carriage. The courts threw it out.

Anonymous said...

Sherry - Great advice :-) Thanks!

Tracy - Hmm. Interesting question. I would assume that you do as owner, unless maybe you have Kit from Knight Rider (btw, did anyone see they are doing a remake of this show??) and then I would think the car would receive the ticket ;-)

Brian - You read the most interesting things in your books. I am very impressed by you. It is truly hilarious that he got a ticket like that!