Author: Olly

Personal URL Shortner using WordPress

I figured after snapping up such an awesome short domain name (0lly.uk heh) i should make the best use of it, so i looked into running my own URL shortner, and went straight to a product i saw the other olly using on his 0l.ly domain name.

Its called YOURLS and the installation etc was easy, fast, and in fact within 20 mins it was up and working.

Then after also installing the wordpress plugin, i registered my blog as a twitter application, whacked the settings in and bingo!

I had fun doing this, its been a while since i stayed up messing about with cool shit online 🙂

27 October 2010
Recast for Season 2 of Spartacus Blood & Sand

It upsets me to write this, but it appears that season 2 of the totally awesome Spartacus Blood and Sand (or Vengance as its apparently being called) will not star Andy Whitfield as “Spartacus”

I wrote a while back about the leading man Andy, and how he had been diagnosed with a form of blood cancer that meant the production of series two had to be postponed.

However, he was initially given a clean bill of health by the doctors. Im sad to write that the cancer has in fact returned and he is back undergoing “aggressive cancer treatment” to once again try and remove it.

Its totally sad news, he was amazing in the role and its even more heatbreaking to know that they have no choice but to recast his role, or shut down the show – and as quite rightly stated on TVSquad.com;

“I know people who work on the show, and if you’ve been reading the news lately you should know it’s not the best time to be out of work in the film/TV industry in New Zealand.

I’m sure Andy has more than enough {insert expletive] to deal with, physically and mentally, without feeling as if his cancer has put hundreds of other people out of work”

They are right, so as they say in show business – the show must go on.

Im sure i speak for many when i say i hope Andy makes a speedy recovery, and that all his fans are thinking of him 🙂

We will be seeing andy a couple more times though apparently in a series called “Spartacus: Gods of the Arena” as he filmed the first and last episode, but you never know – they may reshoot if the find a replacment suddenly 🙁

I look forward to seeing the new episodes as they will most definitely be awesome, its just a shame Andy wont be along for the ride.

27 October 2010
Its faster than the speed of light

.. or at least it feels like how fast time is going for me right now.

It seemed like a month or so ago it was snowing, and now we are on the run up to Christmas AGAIN. Im not quite sure where my days are going at the moment.

We’ve moved into our large swanky office, it has two main office’s in it, and a store room. Its epic, but one of the rooms is very empty at the moment as we haven’t had time to find some suitable boardroom furniture.

Our new company (removed) is doing really well, the plan’s are all on budget and its amazing to see a brand new business, complete with cashflow projection fit so closely to our projections. If it was any closer to our estimated cashflow, it would fit PERFECTLY.

Work has gone through some changes, we have sacked the “media” word off the end of the company name, and renamed the company “work.com” this is to make the name reflect the wide range of services we offer, and the fact we offer them to the whole world.

In more personal news, Gem and I have booked our next trip – we are heading to Amsterdam for my birthday 😀 I’m so excited!

We booked the flights ages ago, and booked the hotel a week or so ago… and what a blinder it is!

Its called CitizenM Amsterdam City and it was actually our second choice! The one we really wanted was called the Conscious Hotel and its for tree huggers like myself, it was fully booked and despite them building another one in dam that would have been open by the time we went, we opted for one we could actually book and that actually existed!

We’ve also decided to go somewhere spectacular next year, we want sun, white sand and crystal clear water and preferably our own private beach. I hear Tobago is nice 🙂

Both Gem and I have been to quite a few places now so we wanted to push to boat out a bit next year – will keep thee posted on that one 🙂

13 October 2010
Email Scams Evolving

I hadn’t received one of those awesome 419 spammy, scammy emails for AGES – i looked in my scams folder, and the last one is dated 2008! I thought to myself “there must have been some sent in the last two years!” so i visited my Gmail spam box and hey presto – 12 minutes ago this beauty arrived;

Attn:
An Iraqi made a fixed deposit of $18.5m usd in my bank branch and he died with his entire family leaving behind no next of kin, am ready to share 50/50 with you if you choose to stand as my deceased client next of kin. Pls indicate your interest to my below secured private email for further details: jianguozha66@yahoo.com.hk
Waiting for your kind response.
Sincerely,
Jianguo Zhang.
NOTE: Once again to confirm your full interest, kindly respond to this email address for further details; jianguozha66@yahoo.com.hk

Now lets look at this one in comparison to the normal “essays” you get sent.

The first thing that i noticed was obviously the length of the email – like i stated they are normally a massive email with some sob story in them about how the person is ill, or how they are the only person left alive in their family or that they are trying to do the work of God (or some other storybook character) and cant because of dictators or something like the inability to draw the money out because of some made-up bullshit reason.

The second thing I noticed is how the people doing these scams SEEM to be originating from the far east now, as opposed to Nigeria and places like that. I wonder if this is a global thing or if i was just lucky to get one of the ones from Hong Kong?

The third thing i noticed was how they are using more modern facts. They mentioned Iraq which is something that will make many more people pay attention to this, probably aimed at Americans.

The last little things i noticed were the use of text style talk – Pls instead of please – and the fact it was actually sent from the email it tells you to reply to – whereas most of them are sent from one email address, but tell you to respond to another.

I have of course baited the little bastard – lets see if I get a bite! 🙂

————-

Update – 09/08/10

He replied!

Dear Friend,
First I wish to thank you for your kind response.
I sincerely appreciate your interest in this transaction, however I would like to be sure of your willingness, trustworthiness and commitment to execute this project with me, I cannot afford to compromise these virtues and none of your personal information will be shared with anybody whatsoever, this is the opportunity i have been waiting for in my Bank,hence the time has come for me to strike to move out the said funds out immediately, and you have to be very serious with me because this not a hoax, I have my principles.
About me and the said funds: I am Zhang Jianguo (President) of China Construction Bank Corporation Hong Kong Branch (“CCBHK”). A customer of our bank who is a national {citizen} of Iraq named Eng. Adil A. Nasir a business Merchant, who unfortunately died in the December 2005 in Iraq, he made a fixed deposit with a value of $18.5M USD with my bank. Upon maturity several notices was sent to him but we did not hear from him or any of his relatives. It was later discovered that he and his family were killed in Iraqi war with NO living witness to this fund. Now, what I want to do is to place you as the legal next of kin to my late client since he had none and have the funds released to you for the both of us to share in the ratio 50/50.
In my search, I got hold of your email through the web directories and I had decided to contact you since I needed a reliable foreigner that can help me pull the funds out of my bank as I cannot do it myself because of my position in my bank and I do not want anyone around me (family, friends and my bank) to be aware that the action is from me.
You should not have anything to worry about, as I want you to know that I have had everything planned out so that we shall come out successful. I have contacted an attorney that will prepare the necessary document that will back you up as the legal next of kin to Eng. Adil A. Nasir, and all that is required from you at this stage is to build up trust and understand between us, If you feel comfortable to work out this transaction with me, hence to enable my lawyer start up the paper work that would place you as the legal beneficiary to my deceased client funds, then it will be necessary you send me the following information;
1.YOUR NAME 2.YOUR RESIDENT ADDRESS 3.YOUR OCCUPATION 4.YOUR PHONE NUMBER/FAX 5.DATE OF BIRTH
*) Furthermore, I would appreciate if you could tell me more about your self diligently and to enable me be sure of your capability to handle the said transaction with me, because I wouldn’t want to jeopardize this opportunity to attain the said funds rather than allowing the funds to be reverted to the hands of our corrupt Hong Kong Government. We are in a corrupt world, if you are in the system you have to do the best you can do to have your way in life.
As soon as confirm the above information from you, hence my attorney will commence his job in perfecting the documents that would place you as the legal beneficiary to the said. The attorney will prepare the Affidavits which shall legally put you in place as next of kin; he will obtain the necessary clearances which will cover all the aspects involved in this transaction from the Hong Kong authorities including the Justice department. This transaction will be 100% risk free and our safety is guarantee.
What you need to understand about this transaction is that I will make sure that it passes through all international banking laws regards to this I will take care of the cost of retaining the service of the Attorney to give the transaction the proper documentation that is required to perfect the finishing of this transaction which is going to cost me alot of funds, all that’s required from your side is to set up an account with my principal Finance firm ABROAD that has same TELEX TYPE with my bank (China Construction Bank Corporation) and the transaction will be seen as an IN-HOUSE transaction which guaranteed the transaction safe and 100% risk free. Please you have to take this transaction seriously because this a great opportunity I have been waiting for to have this funds diverted before it will be turn over the hands of Hong Kong Government that would be shared within the top officials.
What I expect from you is trust and commitment;I want this huge sum of money (Eighteen Million Five Hundred Thousand United State Dollars) transferred with your full coperation. Hence, I want us to act fast and get this funds transferred in our favor and with my position, I know that if we follow up this transaction diligently it would be completed within 12 working days.
I want you to assure me that you will follow up this business seriously and as soon as I hear from you with your confirmation message to move ahead to execute this transaction with me, I shall give the Attorney a go-ahead to start the preparation of the documents in your name. I shall be waiting for your response and assurance in this regards.
I await your response, and I would appreciate your genuine interest with full co-operation to carry out this transaction with me to attain success in this transaction. Kindly keep this transaction strictly confidential to your self for the sake of our safety and i assure you 100% risk free in this transaction.
Sincerely,
Zhang Jianguo

-Once ive managed to read it all – im gonna reply and wind him up abit more 🙂

4 August 2010