I was just awarded $100,000 from the United Nations Foundation!

I was just awarded $100,000 from the UN Foundation, according to the email I just received. If anyone wants to go collect it for me, you can keep 90% of it for doing the footwork It is a bit strange that they awarded me $100,000 without taking the trouble of knowing whether I'm a man or a woman (see the "Dear Sir/Madam"). Here's the email:

United Nations Foundation Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Suite 400 Washington, D.C. 20036 Dear Sir/Madam, UN Foundation Grant. This is to notify you that you have been chosen by the board of Trustees of the above International (Charity & Human Developmental Organization) as one of the final recipients of a Cash Grant/Donation of $100,000.00 (one Hundred Thousand Dollars) for your personal development. The UN Foundation was created in 1998 with entrepreneur and philanthropist Ted Turners' historic $1 billion gift to support UN activities. The UN Foundation builds and implements public-private partnerships to address the world?s most pressing problems and broaden support for the UN through advocacy and public outreach. The UN Foundation is a public charity. The ITIL Foundation, UK has been appointed to oversee this development affair. You are required to expeditiously contact the Executive Secretary of The ITILFoundation with the details below for documentation and release of your cash aid, your Qualification number is (UNI/ITIL-816-1119G-987-94) quote it in all discussions. Executive Secretary:ITIL Foundation, UK - Barrister STEVEN CARLOS Email:itil.ungrant@yahoo.co.uk, itilfoundation11@gmail.com Phone: +447045769825

On behalf of the Board,

faithfully, Cherryl Oconnor Unit Co-ordinator UN WORLD GRANT DEPT. Maybe it's time to call Paul Kinsella, the guy who excels at scamming the scammers.

Continue ReadingI was just awarded $100,000 from the United Nations Foundation!

My first time getting caught by photo enforcement of a traffic violation.

It didn’t take long to realize what that that "Photo Enforcement Program" letter from the City of St. Louis was all about.   As I opened the letter, the only thing that occurred to me was to make sure whether the letter was for me (as opposed to my wife).  It was for me.  I had gotten nailed by the new photo traffic enforcement system that the City of St. Louis installed near my house.   Over the past 30 years, I've received a total of 2 traffic tickets.  I guess I was due. I was pissed, of course.  This was going to cost me $100 even though I didn’t do anything flagrant.  I had rolled a right turn onto a high entrance ramp through a red light.  This occurred at a traffic light 1/2 mile from my house.  I had done it hundreds of times; hundreds of other safe drivers do it every day.   My crime is that I failed to come to a complete stop before turning right to accelerate down that highway ramp.  I was going about 5 mph around that corner. I remembered the strobe flash going off that day last week; at the time, I wondered whether it was aimed at me.  Sure enough.  I should clarify:  I don't always roll through that right turn.  If ever there is any traffic in the area, or any pedestrians, I always come to a complete stop.

Continue ReadingMy first time getting caught by photo enforcement of a traffic violation.