Car warranty phishers get back to work

Thanksgiving is over now and the crooks at Automotive Warranty Solutions have wasted no time in dialing for dollars again. This morning’s call came from 208-844-6519, a number not yet listed on 800notes.com (it is now…heh). I was betting the number was a fake CallerID and I was right.

I’m thinking of calling Automotive Warranty Solutions’s CEO, Ralph Mancusco, at his home number (561) 865-2294 and giving him a piece of my mind. That wouldn’t be right, though.

During a related search, I found a nice writeup in this month’s AARP Bulletin discussing this sleazy company.

Turkey Day time off ticking away

The final minutes of my Thanksgiving holiday are ticking away. I have thoroughly enjoyed the four day weekend and the time with my family. I am grateful to have had the days off as a paid employee, as I have been a full-timer for a mere six weeks now. Though I won’t be climbing into a car tomorrow for a commute, I will still miss the “home” time I’ve had.
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I think I found my sweater

I got tired of having to fiddle with our clothes dryer’s lint filter just to get it to fit, so I unscrewed the filter cover and took a peek in. A few scoops later and I had a pile of lint as big as a cantaloupe! The ill-fitting filter’s centimeter-sized crack was enough to pass a virtual mountain of lint in the three years we’ve had the dryer.
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Cheap Thoughts: Police Flashers

On our way to the lake today we passed a police officer conducting a traffic stop. It reminded me of a thought I’d been meaning to blog about. When police pull people over, they fire up every light they have. Blue lights and high-beam flashers are going crazy. While the blue lights do convey authority and make the traffic stop visible to other motorists, I think the rapidly flashing high-beams are counterproductive. Such a fast-paced flashing can’t help but make the motorist nervous.
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Turkey Day track walk

I hope everyone’s enjoying their Thanksgiving today. I know I am. The breezy, sunny, mid-70s day certainly doesn’t hurt.

We awoke after 8 AM (!), had a fun, leisurely breakfast, dawdled a bit and then set out for a nature hike around Durant Nature Park. We got to the corner of our street when we heard what sounded like a train horn, at which point we turned towards the tracks to see the train.
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Q+E Software Photos

I was rummaging through my bookshelf this weekend when I discovered four photographs from my first software company, at times called Pioneer Software, then Q+E Software, then Intersolv. These shots are from around 1994 during the Intersolv days. Carolyn Sparano, director of technical support, asked me to take photos of the department to include in our customer newsletter. I don’t think I ever really looked at the shots until now. Look closely and you can see Jeff and Scott, as well as see what I looked like with a full head of hair.

That company was a wonderful one to work with. It set the standard for me for all the startup companies to follow. Someday I shall write a nice long post about my time there.

Ted Turner to speak at UNC

This afternoon at 4, broadcasting magnate Ted Turner speaks at UNC at a free public event. Growing up in Atlanta in the 1970s, I remember watching shows like Gilligan’s Island on WTBS Channel 17. At school I would jokingly refer to him as “Uncle Ted” whenever my friends would ask if we were related.

I’m going to see if my schedule allows me to hear what Turner has to say today. I hope to ask him about his new venture, DT Solar, and what he thinks about the outrageous campaign finance requirements presidential candidates have as a result of not freeing the airwaves.

Dyin’ Man

Dyin’ Man
Widespread Panic

So long, baby since you’ve been gone
I’m a dyin’ man, I’m a dyin’ man

Don’t ever tell a dyin’ man
You never meant to shoot him down
Yeah, don’t do no good to tell a dyin’ man
You never meant to shoot him down
Now, all my friends and relatives, they’ve been tellin’ me
Don’t come around, don’t come around, don’t come around no more
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