« November 2005 | Main | January 2006 »
December 30, 2005
Merideth's 2nd Reply to Dr Oil
Dr Sule,
Wow! This relationship sounds like it will be more than just fruitful, it sounds positively exciting.
I don't know if you've ever seen Dallas over in Nigeria but this reminds me of the episode where Pamela finds out about Bobby is using family money for an investment and in order to keep her quiet he adds her as his partner, but it turns out he really needs her. I mean, it's almost exactly like us, except we don't need to replace money back in Daddy's account before he finds out.
Perhaps you've seen that episode. I heard that there was even a woman in Transylvania that killed herself after Dallas went off the air. I think it was even a rerun.
It's a very well acted and powerful show and I don't doubt that you may have seen a bit of it.
Though, judging by your picture you are rather young. I wasn't able to see the date on your IDs or I would be able to tell for sure.
It was very thoughtful of you to send your pictures to me. You must have known I was a little hesitant about doing this kind of business with someone I've never met. Let alone seen!
I don't have one of those digital cameras, so I can't get one of me sent to you right away, but I should have one coming soon.
I got Geoff, my only son, to bring some film down to the wal-mart for me and he tells me that they can take and put the film onto the computer for you there. DON"T WORRY! I didn't tell him what it was for. I devised a sneaky little plan. I took a bunch of pictures of him and Donald during christmas and when they weren't looking I snapped a couple shots of my driver's license. I hope that's ok. I don't have a passport.
They've been swarming around me for days and that's why I haven't been able to write back to you for so long. I hope everything is still "going as planned." I really hope so.
My guys have just been bothering me like crazy devouring my sugar cookies. I tell you, Geoff would eat me out of house and home if he still lived at home.
He just moved out recently to live with his girlfriend. He met her through the Internet and that is probably the reason he swears by it. He tells me I can get anything I want through it. And if everything between us works I think I might!
Oh, no! Geoff is coming upstairs. I have to cut this short.
Merideth
Posted by calculatoronfire at 09:56 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
December 26, 2005
2nd from the good Doc
I was worried Dr Goobly, or whatever, was never going to write back to me. I figured I might have scared him off with the mention of a "Bank." But as usual, the Nigerian Email Scammer ignores everything to write back again.
This time he even attached a copy of "his passport" when he sent me this message.
Hello Merideth,
Hmm, what do I say now. This is somewhat a tale of fate or would I say chance meeting (but what a fortunate meet for you if I may say). On seeing your mail days ago and realizing that my mail has not been received by its intended recipient, I frantically tried to re-send to the correct e-mail address but the mail keeps bouncing back to me undelivered with a note that email is no longer in use.
My colleagues and I have now resolved now and have come to a conclusion of moving this project ahead with you as our foreign partner. I hope you know what this means and can brace up to the financial status this will bring to you. I have read your reply mail carefully and yes a lot of the contents of my mail would be confusing to you because you obviously may not be conversant with the terms contained. However, if you are truly prepared and indeed capable of handling this from your end, then you need not bother yourself too much about the intricacies involved as I shall be guiding you all the way through.
Now there are two very important things you must know at this point and must adhere to for the success of our transaction. First is that no other individual (not even your son or any other relative or friend) must be told about this, at least not for now. You must realise that we are still in active civil service here and cannot afford to compromise our own security and that of this project. When the time is right, which is such a time that we might have safely processed everything and funds are safely secured with you, then you can inform your son.
Second is that there are obviously some financial implications/commitments on this deal from both sides (locally here in my country and also from your side in the United States). I am saying this now in order to avert a sorry situation whereby the payment/transfer of the funds to you would be stalled for one reason or the other from your side. Fortunately for you, any financial commitment from your end would be very minimal (probably not up to $5,000) compared to our side where we are expected to expend far above $60,000 to $70,000 to secure the relevant documents and offset taxes to get approvals of the payment in your name and favour. After that, you shall be handling from your end and expected to settle what needs to, which is something within the region I have told you or maybe less.
If you understand all I have said and are certain you can do this, then write back to me with you address and telephone numbers. This deal is already 90% completed and a win win situation for all parties involved. Can you cope with the enormous wealth and fortune to come your way?
I am attaching scanned copies of my international passport as well as my id card so you get to know me much better. Kindly reciprocate by sending yours also so we too would know you better and be rest assured.
Awaiting your timely respense as time is off the essence.
Bless you.
Dr. Gidado
Posted by calculatoronfire at 09:39 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
December 20, 2005
Nigerian Oil
The other day while drinking beer at Jessica's reading Max told me that she enjoyed reading my correspondence with Cliffon the Nigerian Email Scammer (NES). And that got me thinking. I really miss Clifford, or whatever his name is. I had a lot of fun writing to him.
So, this morning when I got another email from a NES, Dr. Sule Gidado this time, I wrote back. This time as Merideth Zdenka, a computer illiterate retiree with financial problems:
- Dr. Gidado
I'm not sure you meant for me to get this e. mail message. It seems like something sent to one of your business partners, for in truth I barely understood it. If you meant for it to come to me, Merideth Zdenka, please let me know.
My son just set me up with this computer. He said he got it used from an investment bank in Charlotte, North Carolina (that's where he lives) and it may still be linked to their system somehow. So if you intended to send it to someone at the bank, I'm sorry. I'll try to make sure the right person gets the message, but that might take a while since I don't know what bank Geoff got the computer from yet.
If it was for me I must admit that I am a little confused with all the economics jargon. I think I understood most of what you wrote, however. You work for the Nigerian government and have possession of $29.6 million.
I am not sure what you are asking me to do, that's why I think you must be writing to someone at the bank. That and the fact you ask for my company name and I'm retired. I'm not affiliated with any company. My husband teases me that I knit like a whole factory, but that's as close as I come to any business.
It's actually because of him that I'm writing back to you, even though I'm not sure if you intended this message for me. I noticed that you are offering 20% of your $29.6 million to the person that helps you -- and Donald and I certainly are in need of money. While the money you are proposing is way more than we have ever dreamed of we are in horrible financial shape due in large part to an unexpected emergency surgery Donald needed and I am very worried about our situation.
If it would be possible for me to help in any way please let me know. I don't mean to sound greedy, but whatever I can do to get money to pay the bills is welcome at this point.
Please write back
Merideth Zdenka
>From: "Sule Gidado"
>Subject: IN GOOD FAITH
>Date: Tue, 20 Dec 2005 14:58:16 +0000
>From: Dr. Sule Gidado.
>E-mail:dr_sulegidado111@excite.com.
>
>A very pleasant day to you.
>It is my great pleasure writing you this letter on behalf of my
>colleagues. I have decided to seek a confidential co-operation with
>you in the execution of a deal hereunder for the mutual benefit of all
>parties, and would urge you to keep it confidential because of its sensitive
>nature.
>
>Dr. Sule Gidado is my name, 52 years old and a renowned economist,
>happily married with 2 lovely children. Special Adviser on petroleum affairs
>to the former Military Head of State and presently, Chairman of the
>Contract Review Panel (C.R.P) appointed by the new Civilian administration, with the
>mandate to re-evaluate, scrutinize, approve and recommend for payment all
>previously awarded and executed contracts for the Petroleum Trust Fund (P.T.F).
>With the co-operation of two other top officials, we have in our
>possession an overdue payment in US funds totaling $29.6million US.
>
>The said funds represent certain percentage of the contract value
>executed on behalf of the Petroleum Ministry by a consortium of foreign
>contracting firms (ABB Lummus J.G.C of Japan, Julius Berger of Germany and
>Fouguerolle of France) for Engineering and procurement work in Rivers and Delta
>State of Nigeria in 2002, which was over-invoiced. Though the actual contract
>cost (US$500 M) has been paid to the original contractor, leaving this
>excess balance unclaimed.
>
>The Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria under the able
>leadership of President Olusegun Obansanjo believes that private
>investment in general, and foreign direct investment in particular, are the
>real engines for sustainable economic development, for which reason it
>has continued to encourage investments in the key growth-oriented sector
>of Petroleum/Crude Oil with sincere determination to pay foreign
>contractors all debts owed to them, so as to continue to enjoy close
>relationships and a mutually beneficial co-operation with foreign governments and
>non-governmental financial agencies. As a result we included our
>bills for approvals with the co-operation of some officials at the Ministry of
>Finance and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
>
>Due to the fact that we are still in active Government service and
>are not allowed to own/operate foreign accounts while in service in
>accordance with the laws of my country, we were compelled to contact you and more
>so, owing to the fact that the contract was done by foreign contractors and
>payments made in foreign currency (United State Dollars), the more reason we
>urgently need your assistance to receive and secure this fund for us.
>
>All modalities for the successful transfer of this fund including
>legal and administrative requirements in Nigeria as well as that of
>International Arbitration has been worked out. We hope to conclude this
>transaction within ten (10) banking days once you open communication with me to furnish
>me your willingness and by fax reconfirm the following information needed
>for easy transfer of the fund:
>
>(1) Your company or full names
>(2) Company Address
>(3) Phone/Fax Numbers
>(4) Bank Name, Address, Account Name, Number and any other
>information.
>
>I have the authority of my colleagues involved to propose that,
>should you be willing to assist us in this transaction your share as
>compensation will be 20% while my colleagues and I shall receive 75%, and the balance
>of 5% shall be used to reimburse all expenditures, taxes and miscellaneous
>expenses so incurred.
>
>It does not matter whether or not you/your company does projects of
>the nature described here. The assumption is that your company won the
>major contract and subcontracted it to other companies. More often than
>not, big trading companies and firms of unrelated fields win major contracts
>and subcontract same to more specialized firms for execution.
>
>This business itself is 100% safe and risk free, as long as you
>treat it with utmost confidentiality. Also your specialization is not a
>hindrance to the successful execution of this mutually beneficial transaction. I
>am reposing a great deal of confidence in you here and hope that you
>will not betray/disappoint us.
>
>Best regards,
>Dr. Sule Gidado.
>
>NB. Bank Account details would not be necessary, if preferred mode
>of payment is by solar bank draft or telegraphic transfer. Your reply
>to this mail should be sent to: dr_sulegidado111@excite.com
Posted by calculatoronfire at 12:27 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
December 18, 2005
Productive Day
Today was a very productive day. I went out and got a couple new pictures for my bathroom wall.
Then after hanging my pictures I was inspired to build a christmas present. So I went out to one of the abandoned house down the block and grabbed some wood.
I must have interrupted something important -- as I was looking around for just the right piece of wood a junkie came around the corner. Seeing me he stopped suddenly and backed up aroudn the corner. He waited there the entire time I looked for the pieces I'd take. And seeing him there I decided to take much longer than necessary just to find out how long he'd wait.
A few seconds after I left I saw him rush in in my absence.
I guess I should have known better, but quite a lot of the wood in the abandoned house was rotten and falling apart so in order to finish my project I had to go back to get some more wood.
By the time I left for my second load it was dark, but as I left the house with my arms loaded with wood I could just make out who it was calling after me. "Hey. Hey, you."
It was the short little junkie that keeps knocking on my door trying to sell me shit. Saturday morning he woke me up by pounding on my door. He wanted to sell me a level. "USA level. That's some good shit. USA. Not from Hong Kong or no shit like that. USA. It's real tough. Real good American shit. It's even got magnets on it. Three of 'em. And this like rope thing. You can put it on your key chain or whatever. Wha' d'ya say? Ten bucks?"
Somehow I found the strength to resist and shooed him away.
Tonight he chased me down with a light. "It's a real nice one. You can use it when you're fixin' your car. Plugs right into your cigarette lighter 'n shit. Wha' d'ya say?"
Posted by calculatoronfire at 10:18 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
December 14, 2005
Liquid Diet
I recently bought tickets to go visit my parents for Christmas. I know it's supposed to be a joyous happy time for everyone, but I have a bad feeling about the trip. That bad feeling has nothing to do with the flight, even though the last time I heard about a flight from Baltimore to Chicago it was because the plane skidded off the runway and killed some boy riding past the airport in a car.
No. The passengers were safe. So, it's not that.
It has more to do with that fact that last time I was at my parent's house for Christmas my dad pulled a shotgun on my sister's boyfriend.
And that's before the drama started at their house.
These days my mom is calling me up threatening to move next door to me. "Maybe I could just move into the house next door to you for a while." she says.
Meanwhile, my dad goes on and on about his waist size. "Remember those jeans I bought for you?"
"What jeans?"
"The ones I bought for you."
"What? When?"
"When you were a kid."
"No."
"You don't remember them? The Levi's? 501s with the button fly?"
"Ooohhh. Yeah. I remember them."
"You do?"
"Yeah, sure. They were blue?"
"Those are the ones."
"What about them, dad?"
"What size were they?"
Jesus, Christ "Ummm. Dad. I don't even remember the jeans you're talkign about."
"The blue ones witht he button fly."
Holy shit "Dad, are you drinking again?"
"The dog and I walked down to the liquor store for a second bottle today. She like it becase needed a walk. ... I wore your jeans down there."
"Great. But Are you sure they're mine? I haven't lived there for years."
"These are the ones I bought you. How 'bout that? Your old man fits in your jeans. I'm down to a size 31."
"Wow. You're losing a lot weight."
"I'm on the liquid diet."
"You mean wine?"
"Yeah, pretty much."
Posted by calculatoronfire at 08:48 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
December 12, 2005
Xmas cards
This year I'm actually going to send christmas cards.
I made them myself.
Santa
Jesus
Posted by calculatoronfire at 08:34 PM | Comments (6) | TrackBack
December 07, 2005
Drinking on the Job
Today I had my last class before finals start. Trying to kill two birds with one stone I handed my students each a can of red bull as they left class. (The birds: 1-being a nice guy 2-boosting my rating on ratemyprofessors.com) Today, as usual, a couple students stayed behind to ask a few questions.
The questions are usually something like, "How do I do this...?", "What if I can't get the homework done on time?", etc. Today the question was, "You wanna see who can shotgun this faster? I bet I can shotgun it faster than you."
"Shotgun it?"
"Yeah, that's where you punch a hole in the can and ..."
"I know what shotgunning is. Trust me. Why shotgun it though?"
"It let's the air in so the stuff comes out faster."
"Yeah. Like I said, I know what shotgunning is. Why not just slam it. It spray everywhere then -- and I'll still beat you."
Whether I won or lost is not the point -- we tied. The point is, after an oversized mug of coffee made by some palsied co-worker of mine that poured about half a can of Chock Full o' Nuts into the coffee maker, slamming a can of red bull was the last thing I needed.
Within minutes I was all jittery. Like the first time I was pulled over for speeding. Like the time I smuggled foreign meat into the country when I was 11. Or, I guess, technically, like the time I took a handful of caffeine pills to "help" me study for a test in high school.
At least it wasn't like the time I had my first cigarette.
I woke up in the middle of the night and saw the window, in the room I shared with my brother, was wideopen. I got out of bed and looked out the window. I saw my brother sitting on the porch roof that lay just outside the window. He was leaning back against the house smoking a cigarette.
"What are you doing?" I asked knowing full well that he was smoking.
"Nothing. Mind your own business."
"You're smoking. I'm telling mom and dad." It was back in the day when I finding out that someone else was doing something wrong warranted a call to mom and dad.
"Wimp." It was also the day when wimp was possibly the worst thing we could think not only to call someone, but to be called. "It's no big deal. You're such a tattler."
"You're not supposed to, though -- mom and dad said."
"So what? Grandpa smokes. These are the same he smokes." It was some filterless cigarette. "Try one. It's cool."
"We're not supposed to." I was innocent once.
"Come on, chicken."
With that I climbed out the window and lit up my first cigarette. It was no big deal at first. I couldn't even bring myself to inhale. I didn't know I wasn't, I just wasn't.
But then I did. I felt a strange sensation in my throat. A tingling that went into my lungs. Then I started getting dizzy. I thought I was going to fall over even though I was already sitting.
Being afraid of falling over while sitting doesn't seem too bad, but when you're up on the roof of your house things look different. I plastered myself up against the side of the house to keep myself from falling.
"What's wrong? You're turning green."
"I feel sick. I think I'm gonna throw up."
"Go over the side."
"I can't; I'll fall."
"Wimp."
"I'm really dizzy."
"So, go to the bathroom."
"I can't move."
My brother figured something really was amiss and helped me slide to the window. I fell backwards through the window and promptly puked on the floor.
Falling down and vomitting on the spot would certainly cost me more 'cred than tying in a drinking contest.
Posted by calculatoronfire at 09:08 PM | Comments (4) | TrackBack