Water looks interesting. Unfortunately, they seem to charge for the documentation. That does not encourage widespread learning and mastery. Get a clue from the MySQL docs, please.

If I suddenly start jetting across the world, I may just have to get one of these long life batteries for the TiBook. (To answer your question: Yes, I am cleaning out my tabs this morning.)

The silverorange Intranet software is sweet. In fact, try the demo. Everything just works. I’m instantly filled with a burning desire to use it for managing LeanCoder’s projects.

I read a classic Nigerain scam email this morning while cleaning out my spam folder.

I am Mr. Vincent Kawa, a Credit Officer with Oceanic Bank of Nigeria. For the cause of this transaction, I am working in collaboration with Barrister, Ikimi Williams an attorney to a national of your country, Mr. Ailing Lazarus who was a ship Merchant and maintained a bogus account with my bank here. My cordial relationship with him afforded me to be the account supervisor…..

I found a treasure trove of good, hilarious, and occasionaly sad, email conversations with scammers. It definitly confirms the fact that the majority of criminals are stupid.

I am sorry that it has taken me so long to reply. Your original email was sent to my business account. I was on a moose hunting trip to central Iowa and of course there was no way for me check my email from that wilderness. I am pleased to say I bagged several of the viscous beasts with the loss of only two of my bearers (the moose hide quite effectively in the corn fields and pounce upon one with bared fangs). From reading your message I’m convinced this is a matter which requires confidentiality, credulousness, and much sneaking about. Therefore I am replying to you from a more private email account. I ask that all future communcations be sent to me here…. Continued Here.

And the scammer is falling for it. Too funny!

Another good scam counting site.

I read through the 41 page affidavit with the charges listed against Hawash. Very interesting reading. Other people have probably covered the charges in more detail and I don’t know if he is guilty, or not guilty, so here is a typical Daniel post that avoids the main issues, and just points out little side details.

Wow some of those guys are amateurs!

[Slightly Paraphrased Version of a conversation] Terrorist: “I don’t wanna do a suicide attack. I want to see the people I kill. Oh and my computer locks up when it turns on.” Informer: “That’s bad” Terrorist: “What should I do?” Informer: “Let me take that computer, with all your data and emails still on it, and I’ll get you a new for $300” Terrorist: “$300! That’s a deal!”

Lets say you want to go to Afghanistan, and fight the US. Obviously you need to keep as undercover as possible. Do you: A: Continue with your daily routine to keep the neighbors unsuspicious. B: Grow a big beard, begin wearing arab clothing, stop talking to the neighbors, and invite lots of mid-eastern males over to your house.

Hawash apparently choose “B”.

Hawash is noted as traveling as part of the “third group”, however there is no mention of the other members of that group in the Affidavit. The other members of that group are probably really scared right now.

If Hawash is innocent, it’s will be interesting to see how he managed to follow the same itinerary as bunch of terrorists, even down to staying in the same hotels. But if he is guilty, he did a much better job of covering his tracks than the other guys did. Other than a receipt for a backpack and parka, putting the house in his wife’s name, and moving small amount of money to her account, none of the evidence against him has come from him. The other guys left their tracks everywhere.

Just found Fast-CGI. Maybe now I can actually use Ruby for some website projects. (Yay.)

Opinionated Linking.

Joakim Ziegler explains the current state of web programing frameworks. He is right they are a mess. (Link via Shup up and Code).

I needed some filler text for a site design. After a quick bit of googling I found lipsum.com, and I was back to desgin again.

Today, Somehow, somewhere, someone has printed something, asking people to call a “Richard Grimm” - and the phone listed is my cell phone! I’ve gotten as many wrong number calls on the cell phone just today, as I have had in the rest of the time I have had this number. Next guy that calls, I’ll try to get more details about this mysterious Mr. Grimm, so I can google for his real phone number.