   | | Discussion involving leisure activities: books, travel, hobbies, sports, Internet fun and more. Please read Msg #1 before posting. |
| | | Msg #37983
13 replies | The 20+ Billion/yr.scam-you-never-heard-about | By Lee/AR on 12/25/25 2:20pm
And I'm in the middle of it and have learned many things you should learn & share...because 'they' aren't telling you.
I do check my Bank, credit cards accounts online frequently. Late Thanksgiving day, I discovered that a nearly 5K check had been cashed/withdrawn from my Money Market/Savings Acct. Called Bank's Fraud Dept. They closed this Acct & transferred REMAINING BALANCE only to a new Acct. & told me they'd send a 'Fraud Packet' via USPS that Ishould complete & return quickly. Did tell me Payee, Amount & Check #--said couldn't provide a copy to me. More likely--Wouldn't. This is a national bank, btw.
Rec'd packet 12/3, returned 12/4--and haven't heard another word from bank, but have called them/no help, gone to branch/no help. The packet's questionnaire didn't seem to apply to my case; and mostly seemed to imply that I did 'something stupid' to bring this on (Shared passwords, gave someone a blank check, some family member did it, etc., etc.) None of which applied to this.
Here's the scam (yes, I've been researching...and THIS is what you need to know): First, it's BIG, well-funded, involves really good BATCHES of counterfeit checks on the same Acct,, mules (folks who 'cash the check & send money back to scam Operation)--and ARE LEFT HOLDING THE BAG! Why? Couple reasons: Scammer is smart enough to know to keep the amount under 5K because it won't trigger 'suspicious activity' or 'mandated reporting'. The bank will eat it as each investigation will cost more than eating it. Bank will trace it back to mule--blame mule/who is now in a world of hurt = case closed. (According to my research, this costs banks about 21 billion a year, so they are motivated to pin it on victim.) UNLESS Bank can pin it on you! Which they try real hard to do.
Second: You have to report it FAST. The longer you wait, the more likely they can blame you. Then they drag their feet & hope you miss state-mandated deadlines. KEEP RECORDS OF EVERYTHING!
It has been nearly a month since this happened. My money has NOT been returned. Bank sent me a letter 12/15 claiming I had not included Page 2 & should complete & return attached P2 (which wasn't included). Cute--huh? But I had a SCAN to prove it. As this 12/15 letter (received 12/22) was the VERY FIRST TIME they provided an e-mail addy, I sent the scan that way. NOTE: The original Fraud Packet said I could complete & FAX it...and the small print said if I faxed it, I still MUST return original or claim would be ignored. When I e-mailed whole packet again, I also told them 'P2 was not with 12/15 letter' and asked if they wanted it mailed and, as it wasn't in letter...exactly which page do they want as nothing in packet has page numbers...(and that could be a 'gotcha'): 'Complainant did not return P2 = case closed". Granted, it's Christmas...but I haven't even received an acknowledgement of receipt.
It is now 1 month since the counterfeit check was cashed--other than 12/15 letter saying I screwed up, I have had NO communication with bank besides those I initiated. I believe that EVENTUALLY I will get my money back. ONLY because I'm really working at it AND asking money be returned AND documenting EVERYTHING....and, I also can prove I had no culpability in this.
BECAUSE..(it gets crazier) I got lucky. The day after I mailed the Fraud Packet, I received an envelope from a CA post office with a rubber-stamped 'Found loose in mail' message on envelope. Inside was yet another counterfeit check, with a sequential number, made payable to a person in near-same amount and check was signed by 'nowhere near my name' person; not endorsed by Payee. This is a 'smoking gun' type proof of BIG scam operation.
.
*
|
| Msg #37978
3 replies | How to make yourself smarter | By Bear900/CA on 12/24/25 10:38am
Maybe just a little bit smarter, or a lot smarter? It's entirely up to you, and there is nothing artificial about it. Here is a means to crank up your smart power.
http://youtu.be/Mxy6MVbpNhg?si=vFpKx5WVaUAefVGX
Using ChatGPT is not a replacement for the brain, as some are doing (entirely up to you) but can be a way to learn faster and work smarter.
Where to find the cheapest paper? What is the best printer? What is the correct notary procedure in my state?
How about, where in my county can I find the best (state your type) of real estate? What and where can I find the best financing?
What's the best way to learn a new language? Teach me.
Show me a fun way to learn the Pythagorean theorem. Yes, I did.
http://youtu.be/Mxy6MVbpNhg?si=vFpKx5WVaUAefVGX
|
| Msg #37975
1 replies | "Keep locker rooms safe." | By Mike Goodey on 12/20/25 7:24pm
For years, critics of "trans-inclusive" and " gender-neutral" policies for bathroom and locker rooms rightly argued that lax rules put the safety of women and girls at risk. Any predator could simply "identify" as a woman to gain access to these spaces.
And, as usual, stories pop up. In Virginia, sex offender Richard Cox use " trans-identity"to gain access to female locker rooms, where he repeatedly exposed himself to women and girls! Only after an outcry was Cox charged with numerous crimes, including indecent exposure, sex offender violations, child pornography possession and indecent liberties with children. In Maryland, a man was busted for using Planet Fitness' gender-neutral locker room policies to film women in the gym's locker room.
According to police statistics, mixed-sex changing rooms were the location of at least 16 rapes, 80 sexual assaults and 65 acts of voyeurism in England and Wales in 2023. Since then there have been over 465 cases of sexual abuse in these countries.
When are people going to wake up?
|
| Msg #37971
0 replies | Celebrity tragedy | By Mike Goodey on 12/16/25 5:16pm
Sorry to hear of the tragedy reported about Rob Reiner and his wife, victims of stabbing from their son. Apparently Rob and his son were arguing at a Christmas party earlier in the evening and their son stabbed them both to death by slitting their throats.
You hear stories of drug addicts becoming violent but it amazes me people don't believe this could happen. My thoughts and prayers are with the Reiner family. We need to pray for God to comfort and strengthen family and friends.
|
| | | Msg #37932
1 replies | HP 4200 & HP4250 | By Louis Pescarmona on 12/2/25 1:52pm
Leaving the notary signing business, need to sell my 2 printers. Pickup only please- San Clemente. Asking $200 ea., good condition, both units working properly. Both units are dual tray. Please contact by text to 714-319-7423.
|
| Msg #37929
36 replies | Lets talk 2026 PC improvements and Security | By Bear900/CA on 12/2/25 12:44pm
Black Friday deals, New Year's resolutions, what have you, computers and software are always on the upgrade.
It's very hard to keep up with software upgrades, security and what's going on inside new computers, so maybe an open discussion is warranted to share ideas.
Disclaimer: I am not an expert by any means. Like most however, I want to get the best out of my computer and software, and at the same time stay as safe as possible.
I am a Windows PC user. I have long been researching various topics that I can share and would welcome any and all input to help us all make better decisions going forward.
If you have any input, positive or negative, please put comments under the sub threads I will list below. I too, will add information as I obtain it for reference.
Thanks!
|
| | | Msg #37919
1 replies | Christmas advertising | By Art_MD on 11/24/25 9:15am
My yearly observation on whenads actually reference the Christmas season instead of holiday season
First to use CHRISTMAS in ad - Hobbly Lobby nov 2
Second shutterfly nov 10
No one since.
|
| | Msg #37916
0 replies | The Advice We Never Got in School | By Bear900/CA on 11/19/25 10:45am
Shannon Hicks, Editor in Chief of HECM World, and I have had occasion to communicate on matters. He's very likable and very sharp.
These are highlights of his article. I have included the link below for more details on each of his points.
1. Go Meta (Think One Level Above the Problem)
Albert Einstein famously said, “A problem cannot be solved at the same level of thinking in which it was conceived.”
Going meta simply means stepping up one level: instead of wrestling inside the problem, you rise above it. Philosophers call this metacognition. Productivity geeks call it strategic thinking. I call it the pause that prevents panic.
2. Avoid the “Grey Zone” Trap
We don’t live in a black-and-white world, and neither does your attention. As Tony Schwartz explains in The Power of Full Engagement, the “grey zone” is the state where you’re not fully focused but you’re also not truly resting. It’s the mental equivalent of treading water.
The antidote is straightforward: Define your zones.
3. Defeat Decision Fatigue Before It Defeats You
Think of your mental energy as a gas tank. Every decision—big or small—drains it. That’s why Steve Jobs wore the same outfit. It’s why athletes eat predictable and repetitive meals, and why high performers use routines instead of constantly improvising.
4. Energy, Not Time, Is Your Real Currency
This is the modern productivity shift that matters most. Time is fixed; energy is variable. You can’t create more hours, but you can protect and grow the energy you bring to those hours and understand the ebb and flow of your day.
More details of the four steps listed here
http://hecmworld.com/2025/11/18/blog-productivity-advice-we-didnt-get-in-school/
|
| Msg #37915
1 replies | JanetK and SC/CA, how the walking going? | By Bear900/CA on 11/18/25 10:05am
Anyone else?
Frosty morning this morning after all the rain and I had to bundle up but was overheating towards the end.
For several years it seemed like it was just me and a couple of others walking and now there are close to twenty walking and jogging at various times in the morning. Some kept it up in the rain with umbrellas. I get a kick out of three middle-aged women who walk by very early in the morning with flashlights. They keep a fast pace too.
Thanks for the inspiration, and Janet how is the Zoom thing working out?
I was just thinking while out on my walk, that about a month before our trip last month I had planter fasciitis in both feet. That followed by meralgia paresthetica in the right thigh. What the heck? I felt doomed with a trip upcoming.
I bought some Brooks shoes at the Good Feet store, a foot massager and laid low for a couple of weeks. I felt like I had a burning hot dagger stabbing and twisting in my right thigh.
Then I spent two weeks out of the country, and I estimate we walked sixty miles or so. Fasciitis is gone but the meralgia is taking its holy time. Added some special exercises for that and they seem to be working. In fact, I noticed those exercises are working out my core as much as planks do.
There's always something but not stopping!
|
| Msg #37909
3 replies | Deep faking you out, and a freaky AI story? | By Bear900/CA on 11/7/25 6:34pm
Here's an example.
http://youtu.be/wLMqx0xK2rI?si=x59vrX6678hS5U_w
I've passed by this YouTube video a number of times without viewing it. I'll explain later why I finally did. Its about Smart TVs being adaptive and basically tuning into you as much as you're tuning into it. I can't speak to Elon Musk's claims, because they are not from Elon Musk. They are from a channel called Zero To Vision that has over 227k subscribers. I have to say the claims are interesting.
It didn't take more than half a minute for me to notice that Elon's face movements were repetitive and bionic looking. Count the times he shakes his head and the times he nods. Ok, so what?
Now look at the comments and see how many viewers are begging him to save them. But it's not him and the video by itself makes no disclaimer according to YouTubes rules.
So, I went to the main channel and clicked on the 'more' link and found this disclaimer.
"Disclaimer: This is a fan-made channel, and its content is not officially affiliated with Elon Musk or his companies. The videos are inspired by Elon Musk's public statements and ideas for educational and motivational purposes only, using a synthesized voice that does not belong to Elon Musk. Our aim is to share his visionary perspectives in a respectful and inspiring manner without intending to mislead."
I've learned of incidents of famous people popping up in deep fake videos to market products without their knowledge.
I'll leave you to chew on this information for yourself.
So why did I view this video? We all know that YouTube videos insert commercials at the beginning, sometimes in the middle and the end. I don't like it but have to live with it. By the way, I never sign in to YouTube, I watch it as a guest.
Here's what happened. My wife called me during our lunch break. I like to watch YouTube during lunch so had my Samsung smart tv on the channel. I have a Samsung smart phone. My wife briefly tells me about the office and some other employees wanting to put in an order for chicken of some sort for lunch and they invited her to join. She declined but we had about a minute of conversation about this. We hung up and I resumed the YouTube video I had paused. Often, when a video is paused and resumed, a rolling commercial will come on.
Instead of a video commercial, a pop-up ad came on one side of the screen while the video reduced in size on the left side. A first for me. Interested in what it was?
Enter Twilight Zone music...the pop-up ad was for Popeye's Chicken.
|
| Msg #37908
2 replies | We caught the bug | By Bear900/CA on 11/7/25 11:40am
Not Covid, though we are getting our boosters this evening. Another bug....
Imagine waking up in a 50's movie. Life is simple, buildings may be older, but there is a sense of tranquility, safety, and respectfulness. Any of us who grew up in the 50's and 60's can understand those feelings and its senseless nostalgia because you can't go back. Or can you?
Welcome to La Condesa and Roma Norte, two beautiful side-by-side neighborhoods rich in beauty, history, cool cafes, and where there are plenty of people young and old walking and enjoying the lush greenery. There was no trash, no cigarette butts, no dog poop, no homeless or crazed people talking to themselves.
Mrs. Bear and I were fortunate to get a 2 br 2 ba apartment in this neighborhood. We decided on Day 2 to hit the pavement hard before the afternoon rains. We walked the Hippodrome (video below), a couple of beautiful parks, and then decided, "Well, since we made it this far...." Haha! Off we walked down Paseo de la Reforma, modeled after the great boulevards of Europe, such as the Ringstraße in Vienna and the Champs-Élysées in Paris.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paseo_de_la_Reforma
Rain hit us hard walking down the Reforma and we had to hide under cover then finally dropped into a Chinese restaurant where they spoke perfect Spanish. Life is getting weird....lol. I don't know how many miles we walked at this point. We saw a number of large round-abouts with immense fountain statues. Thank you, Google Maps!
We never thought we'd make it this far in a day, but wait a minute, a couple miles ahead is Chapultepec Park. Huge, huge, huge park. The entrance itself was about a half mile walk, then about a mile walk up beautiful road/path lined with trees and flowers surrounded by forest and rock walls with springs of water. Is this heaven? The rain stopped and it was completely dry now. Very similar to Hawaii.
Here's a short video of walking La Condesa with Monica from YouTube's 'In Monica's Shoes'. About Monica: She's cute, huh? (ala My Cousin Vinnie). She and her husband migrated to CDMX from Spain where she taught special education and is probably why she is so animated. I thought she was a bit coo coo at first, but she grew on us.
This walk was part of our 12-mile walk that day. Did we ache from that walk and other long walks? Yes. Do we miss it and ache to return and do more? YES!
Have fun with Monica.
http://youtu.be/UtvrrEC-FHY?si=MAe2_TlxDN2cm2vh
|
| Msg #37905
0 replies | RIP Diane Ladd, our Ojai neighbor and friend | By  Cheryl Elliott on 11/5/25 11:00am
This one hit close to home. Diane and her daughter, Laura Dern, have been our neighbors and friends for many years residing in Ojai where I grew up.
Diane was a wonderful part of the Ojai community. She and Laura were so close. My heart has been heavy since I got the word that Diane passed early Monday am from complications of a heart valve procedure. Diane made movies up until less than a year ago.
All the best to Laura Dern. Diane left an indelible mark on all who had the pleasure to know her and appreciate what a wonderful lady and screen artist she was.
|
|
|
