February 2010

There were 34 posts published in February 2010 (this is page 2 of 4).

Tuscany Industries calling again?

Judging by the huge spike in Internet searches bringing people to my website, it looks as if the scammers hiding behind the fake “Tuscany Industries” Caller ID are back in action. I chronicled my experience with them two years ago in a number of posts, which have now bubbled up to the top of the Google search for Tuscany Industries.

Since the calls for me personally have stopped, I’m not sure what scam is being run now. Is it the “lower your credit card debt” or “OMG your car’s warranty is expiring!!11!” Either way, it doesn’t matter: it serves as a wake up call to me to proceed with my lawsuit against these scumbags.

Yes, I have a good idea where they are. And yes, I’m pissed enough to get a piece of them. Let’s get going.

If you’ve gotten a call from “Tuscany Industries” and interacted with the lowlifes on the other end, drop me a comment here and let me know the scoop. The more info I can gather for the lawsuit, the better.

Week of meetings and sickness

It’s been a very busy week for us all. First is the weather, with this past weekend’s snow it’s been tough to get outside for any meaningful exercise. Plus it’s my meeting week, with the East CAC, RCAC, and Parks Board. To top it off, Hallie got sick this week, followed shortly by Travis (and our dog, Rocket, too). There have been a few nights with shallow sleeping, listening for the sound of kids in need of assistance.

The weekend’s approaching, though, and it might be a nice one with sun and temperatures close to 60. Just in time to save the day!

Human trafficking in Haiti

The story of the ten Americans arrested in Haiti on charges of child trafficking is very, very disturbing. There is a huge story here. Now news comes that lawyer Jorge Puello who volunteered to represent them is wanted on child trafficking charges himself – in multiple countries.

I know the whole innocent-until-proven-guilty thing, but the evidence here isn’t looking good. Some of the kids who the group tried to “rescue” were not even orphans. It sounds to me that at the very least the alleged ringleader, Laura Silsby, had some mental problems, crying when no orphanage would give her kids. Perhaps a bit fanatical?

Regardless of this groups guilt or innocence, I hope this case shines a light on the underworld of child trafficking and causes some real changes in how kids in these poor countries are treated.

Bonus: Salon’s Glenn Greenwald has some commentary on the hypocrisy of those who decry the group’s Haiti detention but who had no problem with the U.S. jailing Muslims in squalid, hidden prisons without charges or representation.

Snowbraham Lincoln

Snowbraham Lincoln

Snowbraham Lincoln

We got about 2.5 inches of wet, fluffy snow overnight. Unlike the last snow and-sleet combination which made for good sledding but not much else, this one was the perfect consistency for snowballs and snowmen (and left the streets untouched, I might add)! To build our snowmen all we needed to do was get a football-sized snowball rolling in the yard. It would roll up all the snow underneath it. It was like rolling up a snow rug it was so easy!

The snow began on Friday, Abraham Lincoln’s birthday. Hallie’s working on a school project about Honest Abe, so I joked this morning that I’d build a “Snowbraham Lincoln,” rather than the usual plain snowman. When one of my friends on Facebook requested pictures of this feat, I was on the hook to do it. So above, I present Snowbraham Lincoln: a 1/4 scale replica of the Lincoln Memorial, rendered in snow. The model is Hallie Turner.

Quiet morning

It was eerily quiet when I went on my morning walk today. There were no buses lumbering by and few cars on the road. I had to check my watch to make sure that I either didn’t get up too early or that it wasn’t Saturday!

I’m not sure why it was so quiet. It was a little unusual.

Beverly Hills

Beverly Hills
Weezer (get a Snuggie with their new CD!)

Where I come from isn’t all that great
My automobile is a piece of crap
My fashion sense is a little whack
And my friends are just as screwy as me

I didn’t go to boarding schools
Preppy girls never looked at me
Why should they, I ain’t nobody
Got nothing in my pocket
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Google Fiber in WaPo

The announcement today of Google Fiber to the home was covered in today’s Washington Post:

The company said it will build fiber-to-the-home connections to a small number of locations across the country that will deliver Internet access speeds of 1 gigabit per second. It will take bids from municipalities beginning through late March to determine what areas would be part of its experiment. Google said access prices for consumers would competitive and that its network would reach at least 50,000 and potentially up to 500,000 people. A source who spoke on the condition of anonymity said the company doesn’t currently have plans to expand beyond the initial tests but will evaluate as the tests progress.

Having one’s city wired for blazing-fast Internet access would be a huge shot in the arm for a municipality. I sure hope it comes to Raleigh!