Category: Annoyances

Some links: 17

Via kottke.org, Wikigroaning is the dubious pastime of comparing the length and quality of a Wikipedia article on a general-interest topic (say, Knight) to a similarly-titled one on some wisp of useless fanfluff (Jedi Knight). For instance, while the article on Trail of Tears runs to 7 screens, the one for Tears for Fears runs to 13.

Extra points, I suppose, if you’ve never even heard of the pop-culture half of your article pair.

Old junk in new bottles

A new variant of Spanish prisoner/Nigerian 419 scam spam showed up today:

Hello,
Good day to you, my name is Bill Jeffers, I am an artist with my wife Susan
Jeffers, and we are the owner of PORTFOLIO ARTWORKS INC I am from London,
United Kingdom with my two kids, four cats, one dog and the love of my life my
wife. It is definitely a full house. I have been doing artwork since i was a
small child.

* * *

…I’ve been
selling my Art and Craft works for over 3 years now and have had my works
featured on trading cards, prints and magazines.
I’m always facing serious difficulties when it comes to PAYMENTS, This is
because most of my customers in AMERICA are always offering to pay me with U.S
POSTAL MONEY ORDERS OR CASHER’S CHEQUE, and it is very difficult for me to cash
U.S POSTAL MONEY ORDERS OR CASHER’S CHEQUE HERE in LONDON.

* * *

I am looking for a reliable commission agent who can help me receive payments
from my esteemed customers that I supply goods to in America.Your tasks are;
1. Receive payment from Customers
2. Cash Payment at your Bank
3. Deduct 7% which will be your percentage/pay on
Payment processed
4. Forward balance after deduction of percentage/pay
to any of the offices you will be contacted to send
payment to.(Payment is to be forwarded either by Money Grame or Western Union
Money Transfer).

It seems to me that if Bill doesn’t want to deal with a pesky CASHER’S CHEQUE, he could make arrangements with American Express. I even think they charge less than 7%.