Phone fraud in Taipei

I copy this from my friend Ron's blog, based on a phone call he received. He lives in Taipei. Sounds like ID fraud is even worse there than it is here.

Case #2018
Phone rang
man: "are you XXX?"
me: "yes"
man: "this is the police department criminal investigation, section 165"
man: "we are investigating a case involving your home phone number"
man: "apparently the criminal had hijacked your phone number and used in a fraud scheme"
me: "ok"
man: "can you appear to the court in Kaohsung today?"
me: "not really" (Kaohsung city is about 4 hours drive from Taipei, and it was around 2:00PM)
man: "are you sure? this is last day of this court, we need your presence"
me: "sorry, I will go if I have been notified earlier"
man: "we have notified you on the phone twice already"
me: "sorry, I didn't get it. No messages left on the answering machine"
man: "ok, I can take your statement over the phone, can I record the conversation?"
me: "o...o..k..k.." (thinking)
man: "state your name"
me: "XXX"
man: "date of birth"
me: "...." (ding! red light came on in my head, I can't give this guy whom I have no ideas who he is any personal information)
me: "sorry, I can't give you anymore info over the phone, how would I know this is not the fraudulent calls we get so often?"
man: "are you insulting the police department?"
me: "no, but if you still want my statement, I can go to the court tomorrow"
man: "ok, no need to come, just wait for the summon in the mail"...(hung up)
I get all kinds of fraudulent calls at least once a week. Some tries to swindle for money, but this was the first. I even got a call from my "son" telling me that he was in a trouble, needed money to pay the bail. I told him to go to hell.

Jellyfish in the marina

We were up at the marina last weekend and as I strolled along the dock I spotted a beautiful little jellyfish pulsating up out of the depths, possibly to get some sunlight. At least that's what the jellyfish in Jellyfish Lake in Palau like to do. Anyway, I ran back to the boat, grabbed my camera, and here's what the little creature looked like:

At first I thought I'd lost it but nope, there it is...




And here's a closer shot...



Turn out it's a common species of bell jellies that like to hang out in harbors, bays and estuaries called Polyorchis penicillatus.

Just goes to show you, there's plenty to see if you care to look.

Cool Co-worker George and his Rice Cooker Cuisine

I've ranted about a couple of co-workers, The Perv (previous post) and the extremely annoying Katherine who, by the way, continues to torture my boss and me with her relentless complaints and suggestions.

However today I have only have kudos for odd, original and wonderful George. George is easy to overlook, nerdy engineer, overweight, pants too short, in fact he rather looks like a Tweedle Dee of the new millenium. George doesn't talk, he expounds, usually stroking his scraggly beard and staring off into space as if speaking to an invisible alien audience.


George first got my attention when, in a discussion of our favorite beers, he let slip that he once entered a national home-brew beer contest and his stout won first place, beating even Guinness which was entered as a baseline. I knew then that still waters ran deep with this man.


Recently we started a book club at work, our first book being Hot, Flat, and Crowded by Thomas Friedman. When we announced the title at the company meeting George exclaimed, "Hot, Flat and Crowded, that would be biography of Paris Hilton I assume. Count me in."


Last week it started to feel like Autumn in the SF Bay Area and George announced that it was rice cooker time. OK, I was interested. On Monday an hour before lunch he proudly carried his rice-cooker into the lunchroom and began his conconction of miso soup, smoked tofu, and squid. He was delighted when I admitted to fishing out all the tentacles for myself. "First come first served and let the devil take the hind end" was his response.

Every day George creates a new dish, usually distinctly Asian, but sometimes a veritable mixed-metaphor of cuisines such as his miso soup with mussels, shrimp, seaweed and tortellini. Sounds weird but it was quite tasty. On Friday he made brown basmati rice with shrimp balls, scallions and bok choy.


George says his wife doesn't like his cooking. She thinks it's too weird. I think he's rather ingenious.

The Cotati Accordion Festival - All Accordions All Day Long!

One of the absolute coolest festivals in California is the Cotati Accordion Festival held every year the weekend before the Labor Day weekend. It's not too big, not too crowded, and you can hear accordions ALL DAY LONG! Bonus.

Welcome to the festa!!

Shortly after we arrived The Great Morgani, both he and accordion covered in yellow feathers, got the crowd going.

There were a number of food booths but the best and yummiest deal of the day was Dad and Son's BBQ Pork Sandwich and Garlic Fries. I could kick myself for not taking a picture of the godmother of pulled porkwiches, but here's Dad...

Chanteuse Jessica Fichot had a beautiful voice:

Meanwhile impromptu jam sessions took place all around the square:

Accordion Apocolypse:

Dick Contino - the guy is 78 friggin' years old! Rock on old dude.

It was a good day to sell CDs, Synthia bought this band's CD..."Vagabond Opera" from Portland.

Final band of the day was Brian Jack and the Zydeco Gamblers from Texas.

These guys rocked the house!

You said it sister!!

More pics on my Picasa Web album.

California is burning

In the past month there have been over 2000 fires in my state of California! One of the worst is in Butte County where many of my relatives live.

Last weekend sis and I travelled to Butte County to go to my cousin's wedding celebration. We almost didn't go but we feared the wrath of my aunt Rosemary more than the idea of burning up or dying of smoke inhalation. We didn't burn, couldn't even see a fire (it was too smoky) but we definitely nearly died of smoke inhlation.

This is what lake Oroville looked like:

It is supposed to look like this:

Even though it looks like fog it's actually smoke. We could hardly sleep because it was difficult to breathe. The next morning it was smoky all the way down the mountain:

As we ventured down the mountain we saw the fire crews driving up to do their work for the day:

They had to truck water up the mountain in big tank trucks:

The town of Oroville was where people got evacuated and was a staging ground for the out-of-town fire crews who arrived to help:

I heard on the radio that the cost for the Butte County fire is currently at about 46 million dollars! About 80 homes have been lost. Luckily my cousins, aunt and uncle still have their houses...so far. Thank you fire crews for saving their homes!

Monkey Dichos

In honor of Erik's birthday I offer some of my favorite Mexican words and dichos (proverbs or sayings) featuring monkeys...

Changito = Small monkey (Playful)

Aunque la mona se vista de seda, mona se queda = Even though the monkey is dressed in silk it's still a monkey (You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear)

Cada chango en su mecate y yo con mi mecatito = Each monkey on his string and I on mine (Each of us should be in our own place minding our own business)

Chango estreñido = Constipated monkey (Cranky, one unhappy camper)

Con dinero hasta la mona baila = With money, even the monkey dances (Money talks)

¿Tengo monos en la cara o que?" = Do I have monkeys on my face or what? (Do I look funny or something?)

¡ Toma chango tu banano! = Monkey, take your banana! (Meaning "if the fruit's available the monkey's going to grab it", AKA When the cat’s away the mouse will play)

Happy Birthday Erik!!

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Saves Journalist in Baghdad

I listened to a fascinating interview on NPR today. Journalist Jamie Tarabay has been covering Iraq for two years. What has saved her sanity? Watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer DVDs and identifying with the slayer. What are the comparisons? According to Tarabay there are several...

*Both she and Buffy are slight females who live on the hellmouth.

* Sometimes they would rather buy shoes than deal with the "big bad", but there is no time for a girl to shop.

*They are always under pressure and facing death.

*Buffy asks the questions Jamie would like to ask: Does it ever get easy?

*Who are the bad guys? Sometimes the lines are blurred.

*Sometimes one's job is a lonesome gig.

*They both make a lot of mistakes in a big, bad, scary world.

Listen to the 6.5 minute interview here: Vampire Slayer Buffy Saves Iraq Reporter's Soul

BtVS

Jamie Tarabay:

BtVS is my most favorite show ever! Rock on Buffy, and be safe Jamie...

An Annoying Co-worker (or I'd like to lose my Temper)

Oh the petty annoyances that come with getting used to a new job and new people...

I work with an engineer I will call Katherine Temper. This alias is a nickname my boss and I conferred upon her - it is close to her real name and she does have a temper. At the risk of sounding racist I will say is a typical Eastern European, very blunt, not subtle, and she holds onto her ideas like terrier with a smelly sock. But the worst thing about her is she seems to think I should solve all the problems that fall into the category of "other".

Yesterday she drove me crazy. As soon as I arrived to work she approached me with her first complaint of the day... "Something smells bad in the hallway." I answered, "Well Katherine, do you have any idea what it is?" "I think it comes from Bindu's office." I asked, "Katherine did you look in Bindu's office?" "No, Bindu's not there." I was starting to get annoyed, "Katherine there are no doors on the offices, did you look inside?" "No, Bindu's not there but I think the smell comes from her wastebasket." Clearly this pest wasn't going away so I grabbed her arm, walked to Bindu's office, pulled out the wastebasket, we walked to the lunchroom, emptied it, returned to Bindu's office, where I said, "Katherine, do you think the problem is solved?" "Yes thank you very much," she answered.

An hour later she was back..."The light is out in the office supplies closet." "Katherine, are you telling me we are out of bulbs and need to order more?" "No," she answered solemnly, "the spares are in the closet." "Katherine, in the time it took you to tell me about this you could have changed the bulb yourself. You are an engineer." "Well I thought you might like to know," she answered, "You're on the safety committee and it could be a hazard." I sighed, went to the closet and changed the bulb.

After lunch she approached me again, this time she trembled slightly as if agitated. "I just read a magazine article that says all of America's recycling is being shipped to the poorest regions of Africa and the toxic waste is slowly killing impoverished children." "Yes Katherine," I replied, "I heard something about that. I don't think it's ALL recycling, but rather much of the electronics recycling. It is a very big problem I agree." She stood there staring at me, waiting for me to get onto her careening train of thought..."How can you be certain that our company's recycling isn't going to Africa?" "Katherine, Tri-Ced does all its recycling on-site, but if you wish to research it further, as an exempt employee you are free to take the afternoon off with full pay." This statement was followed by a stare-off between the two of us. She finally turned around and stalked to her office.

I thought I was an underpaid Human Resources professional, but clearly I am an overpaid babysitter.

This morning just after I arrived to work (late due to traffic) Katherine approached me. We made eye contact and there was no escaping her..."Did you see that terrible traffic jam on the way to work? I was stuck in it." "Good lord Katherine," I asked, exasperated, "what on earth could I have done to alleviate the traffic jam for you?" She looked surprised at my answer, "Do? What could you do? I was just worried that you were stuck in it too. Here, I made you a cup of tea."

Katherine is my new friend. Is it a blessing or a curse?

Stanley the Rooster

The place where I have been working since August was founded by an unusual couple. They are vegans, which isn't so weird here in California, but once I accidently showed a picture of a prime rib to the founders wife and she started crying. Note to self...

There is a company cat named Squeakers and once there was a company rooster named Stanley.

Stanley wandered into the warehouse one day when he was still a chick. They hoped it would be a Stella, but the chick grew into a Stanley which meant constant crowing and ocassionally aggresive behavior. Stanley was tolerated, nay revered, and he lived in an old cargo container in the warehouse. Stanley had a tendency to try to peck people on the legs. Some people used the broom to try to swoosh him away; they also kept a spray bottle handy that emitted a strong stream of water that Stanley didn't care for. One guy always wore chaps (he worked with a long upright saw) and he just let Stanley peck away, basically ignoring him. Last summer the warehouse caught fire and Stanley got roasted. In memory we have a Stanley award for the person who demonstrates the qualities of goal-oriented perseverence and tenacity that Stanley embodied. Have I mentioned we are insane in California?

Sailing from Santa Barbara to San Francisco

It turned out that the weekend following our trip from Ensenada to Santa Barbara would be another good weather window for leg two of our journey, SB to San Francisco. The weather gods told us Saturday would be lovely and Sunday would be less so. We figured if we could at least get around Point Conception that would be a good thing, so we rendezvoused at our house Friday after work, drove the rental car down to Santa Barbara, and loaded ourselves onto the boat. The only SNAFU this night was that Nick dropped the bottle of rum and broke it. Gah! We would have to rough it with vodka and tequila only.

Doogie checks weather and navigation.

We left beautiful SB harbor around 1:00 a.m. on a calm and clear night and rounded Pt. Conception before sunrise. Pt. Conception is notoriously nasty and difficult to round but we were blessed with perfect conditions.

Dan-O enjoys the sunrise:

Later on as we were off San Simeon the wind picked up a little and Nick and Tom hoisted the mainsail...

...while Dan-O enjoyed watching:

Dan-O enjoys a beer after the exhausting job of watching the others work.

Saturday was calm and flat as we motor-sailed up the coast.

Dan-O enjoys doing something other than just enjoying himself:

Tom and Doogie on watch just after sunset Saturday night:

We knew the weather was going to start getting rough that night but we hoped to be able to make it at least to Monterey by Sunday morning. We rounded Point Sur about 2:00 a.m. and sailed by Monterey around 6:00 a.m.

We felt we were on our home turf and barring any surprisingly nasty weather could probably make it all the way to SF.

Nick suits up with PFD and tether for the winds and waves to come:

This is what Saturday looked like from our galley window:

This is what Sunday looked like:

The view inside, heeled over, but not too bad:

After a day of bashing upwind we entered the San Francisco shipping channel and sighted the Golden Gate Bridge:

The channel is notorious for its big swells and we weren't disappointed that day:

Yee haw!! Let's surf home:

Things calmed down just outside the Golden Gate and we calmly sailed under just before sunset.

We made it! We're inside the bay and pass Alcatraz on our way to South Beach Harbor. Home sweet home...

Sailing from Ensenada to Santa Barbara - We meet a few obstacles but finally overcome.

The Red Boat syndicate (Tom, Rich and I) decided to bring our beloved Schumacher back to the SF bay area from Ensenada. We'll take her back down to Mexico when we have more time to vacation there. We didn't want to take time off from work so we decided to try to bring her up in 2-3 weekends. It worked out pretty well. First step, Ensenada to Santa Barbara or somewhere in-between depending upon our speed and the weather. The first weekend in January had nasty weather all along the coast. We checked with Commander's Weather for the following weekend and it looked like it would be worth a try...

Our plan: Tom, Rich, Synthia and Sylvia would fly to San Diego Friday night and rendezvous with Nick (flying down from SF) at 7:30 p.m. Our driver Sergio would pick us up and take us to Ensenada, arriving there by 10:30 p.m. We would unpickle the boat and leave the harbor by 12:30 a.m.

Rich's dad was our ride to the airport. We're all there except Tom:

Mati and Terry join us and we're still waiting for Tom:

Tom finally arrived and we caught our plane for San Diego. We arrived and waited for Nick, we waited, we waited some more. Nick finally called and said his flight was cancelled. What a bummer! This meant that if we were one person down our watches for the trip up the coast would be longer. Yuck!

Luckily Nick managed to catch a later flight, (the last one from SF to San Diego) so we treated Sergio and his buddy to dinner while we waited. Nick finally arrived at 9:30 p.m. and we waited for his luggage, and waited, and waited, but it never arrived. Nick was a sport about it, and we decided the rest of us could part out our extra polypro, fleece and foul weather gear so he could be fully dressed for the voyage.

We finally arrived in Ensenada at 12:30 a.m. and it was completely socked in by pea soup fog!! We had a crew meeting, should we leave or wait until morning? We felt we could delay no longer so we decided we could drive with our instruments, i.e. radar, and decided to leave ASAP. Call us crazy but we left the dock at 3:30 a.m:

We drove out of the harbor using our radar and our ears. I stood on the bow and listened for ominous noises such as waves hitting breakwaters (yes, and we had to alter course) and seals barking on half-sunken wrecks.

It was thick fog all night and all the next day. Thank goodness for radar or we wouldn't have been able to avoid that ship, yikes!! A big empty ocean and we were on a direct heading to hit it!

By the way, the fog was freezing ass cold:


Finally at around 4:00 the next afternoon we motored toward San Diego harbor (to go through customs) and the fog cleared:

It was great after a night and day of sailing alone in the dismal fog to see activity once again:


We pulled into the customs dock and waited for the agents. Nick took a taxi to the airport and retrieved his luggage, hoorah!

After going through customs we left San Diego to continue our journey up the coast. We hated to leave the warmth of San Diego but as we left the fog was already rolling over the hills. We had another foggy night to look forward to:








Sometime in the early morning we broke through the fog and were treated by sunrise and a clear sky:






The weather warmed up enough for t-shirts and lunch al fresco. Kippers anyone?











Why yes, I believe I'll have a beer with that!












We made great time up the coast and in the afternoon began to see the oil rigs that signified Santa Barbara was not too far away:











As we approached Santa Barbara harbor we spied the USS Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier:










We finally sailed into Santa Barbara and got a slip.



Nick couldn't wait to get some coffee but ewwww, did they put his coffee in the tip cup?? Gross!!






The Red Boat was happily tied up until our next leg up the coast.




We had a bite to eat, rented a car, and drove back up to San Jose, arriving around midnight. Next step: Leg two from Santa Barbara hopefully all the way to San Francisco.