Dating and Romance Scams

Posted on July 17, 2013 by Kneeknee

Dating and Romance Scams

What are dating and romance scams?
Dating and romance scams try to lower your defences by appealing to your romantic or compassionate side. They play on emotional triggers to get you to provide money, gifts or personal details.

Scammers target victims by creating fake profiles on legitimate internet dating services. Once you are in contact with a scammer, they will express strong emotions for you in a relatively short period of time and will suggest you move the relationship away from the website, to phone, email and/or instant messaging. Scammers often claim to be from Australia, but travelling or working overseas.

They will go to great lengths to gain your interest and trust, such as sharing personal information and even sending you gifts. Scammers may take months, to build what seems like the romance of a lifetime and may even pretend to book flights to visit you, but never actually come. Once they have gained your trust they will ask you (either subtly or directly) for money, gifts or your banking/credit card details. They will pretend to need these for a variety of reasons.

For example, they may claim to be in the depths of despair due to financial hardship or an ill family member.

In other cases, the scammer might start off by sending you flowers or other small gifts then will tell you about a large amount of money they need to transfer out of their country or that they want to share with you. They will then ask for your banking details or money to cover administrative fees or taxes to free up the money. WARNING – This may be money laundering which is a criminal offence: never agree to transfer money for someone else.

Alternatively scammers may claim to have fallen ill or been involved in a serious accident. They will then ask you for money to pay medical bills or travel expenses to visit you. In some instances you may even be contacted by someone claiming to be their doctor.

Regardless of how you are scammed, you could end up losing a lot of money. Online dating and romance scams cheat Australians out of millions every year. The money you send to scammers is almost always impossible to recover and in addition, you may feel long-lasting emotional betrayal at the hands of someone who you thought loved you and was trustworthy.

Warning signs

You meet someone on an internet dating website and their profile picture or photograph looks different to their description or like it’s from a magazine.
After just a few contacts they profess strong feelings for you and suggest moving the conversation away from the website preferring email, instant messaging and/or phone instead.
After gaining your trust, they tell you an elaborate story and ask for money, gifts or your bank account/credit card details.
They continue to ask you for money, but never actually visit you.
If you don’t send money straightaway, their emails and calls will often become more desperate, persistent or direct.
The email is poorly written, vague or contains specific information taken directly from news articles, repeats itself, you are addressed by the wrong name, or the email is not personally addressed at all.

Protect yourself from dating and romance scams

ALWAYS consider the possibility that the approach may be a scam, particularly if the warning signs listed above appear. Try to remove the emotion from your decision making no matter how caring or persistent they seem.
Talk to an independent friend, relative or fair trading agency before you send any money. THINK TWICE before sending money to someone you have only recently met online or haven’t met in person.
NEVER give credit card or online account details to anyone by email.
Be very careful about how much personal information you share on social network sites. Scammers can use your information and pictures to create a fake identity or to target you with a scam.
If you agree to meet in person, tell family and friends where you are going. If this includes overseas travel, consider carefully the advice on www.smarttraveller.gov.au before making any plans.
Where possible, avoid any arrangement with a stranger that asks for up-front payment via money order, wire transfer or international funds transfer. It is rare to recover money sent this way.
If you think you have provided your account details to a scammer, contact your bank or financial institution immediately.
Money laundering is a criminal offence: do not agree to transfer money for someone else.

As well as following these specific tips, find out how to protect yourself from all sorts of other scams.

Report scams

If you think you’ve spotted a scam, report a scam to SCAMwatch or contact the ACCC on 1300 795 995. You should also spread the word to your friends and family to protect them.

Info source…..www.scamwatch.gov.au

Chocolate and Raspberry Brownies

Posted on July 17, 2013 by Kneeknee

Chocolate and Raspberry Brownies

Ingredients

caster sugar, 2 cups
margarine, 1 cup
eggs, 4
vanilla, 1 teaspoon
plain flour, 1 cup
cocoa, ¾ cup
frozen raspberries, 1 cup
choc chips, 1 cup
walnuts, chopped, 1 cup
icing sugar, to dust (optional)

Preparation method

MAKES 20

Preheat oven to moderate, 180°C. Lightly grease and line a 20cm x 30cm slice pan with baking paper.

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat sugar, margarine, eggs and vanilla together. Mix in combined sifted flour and cocoa.

Stir in raspberries, choc chips and walnuts. Spoon into pan, smoothing surface. Bake 25-30 minutes. Allow to cool in pan.
Slice into squares to serve. Dust with icing sugar, if liked.

TOP TIP

Store in an airtight container, layered between baking paper.

Recipe source…..food.ninemsn.com.au

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The History of Some of Today’s Most Common Phrases

Posted on July 17, 2013 by Kneeknee

The History of Some of Today’s Most Common Phrases

Why Do We Say It?

Some of our most common phrases were once thought to be low, vulgar and base. The rise of the criminal class as a vital piece of Elizabethan society prompted, among other things, the introduction of a new language. While the words remained English, the phraseology changed, and so did the meaning. Thus, a cove became a man rather than a secluded beach, flash meant the appearance of high society or wealth (a flash cove therefore was a rich man), and so on and so forth. But as time drew on, some of the phrases lost the stigma of criminal use and were accepted into the language of everyday people.

In 1785, etymologist Francis Grose produced The Vulgar Tongue, a dictionary of slang, sea-terms, thieves’ cant and other less-savory phrases. His point, in doing so, was to educate those in higher society as to what some of the phrases heard at cock-fights and bear-baiting really meant. The result, however, is a wonderful snapshot in linguistic time, a resource unequalled in its richness and history. From his work we can draw the history of some of our most common phrases today.

Check out these Phrases at…..voices.yahoo.com

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Lets Just Kiss And Say Goodbye – The Manhattans

Posted on July 17, 2013 by Kneeknee

Lets just kiss and say goodbye – The Manhattans

Lets Just Kiss And Say Goodbye - The Manhattans

The Manhattans were formed in the early 60s in New Jersey as a quintet led by writer/bass vocalist Winfred “Blue” Lovett and emotive lead singer George Smith, along with Edward “Sonny” Bivins, Richard “Ricky” Taylor and Kenneth “Wally” Kelly, all of whom had just returned from service in the armed forces.

The group was popular regionally and had minor national success on the strength of some solid recordings for Carnival Records (their version of the country tune “From Atlanta to Goodbye” was a gem) in the late 60s before gaining the attention of Columbia Records in 1970. Unfortunately, their Columbia signing coincided with the sudden illness and untimely death of lead singer Smith. During a tour through North Carolina, the Manhattans came upon a college student with an amazing Sam Cooke-like voice. Recognizing the incredible talent of this 21 year old, the group invited Gerald Alston to join, and he became the lead singer who would bring stardom to the quintet.

After “Kiss and Say Goodbye,” the Manhattans spent the remainder of the decade scoring almost exclusively on the R&B charts. Then in 1980, they again surprised the Pop world, crossing over for a Pop top 10 hit with their loping 1980 ballad, “Shining Star.” The group continued to record through the 80s, hitting on the Soul charts with such hits as “Crazy” and “Honey Honey.” Their last album for Columbia records was the wonderful but overlooked 1986 disc, Back To Basics, produced in part by Bobby Womack and featuring a young Regina Belle singing background vocals. Unfortunately, the Manhattans’ smooth, adult soul style seemed out of place in the frenetic, electric funk sounds dominating late 80s music, and they were dropped by Columbia records in 1987.

Read more…..www.soultracks.com

Picture source…..garycape.com

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Rule of Thumb – Common Sayings

Posted on July 15, 2013 by Kneeknee

Rule of Thumb – Common Sayings

Meaning:

A common or ubiquitous benchmark. As in, “The rule of thumb is one part tonic to four parts gin.”

Most say it came from …

17th century English Judge Sir Francis Buller, who allegedly ruled that it was A-OK for a husband to beat his wife with a stick, given that said stick was no wider then his thumb.

This is the stuff that white trash dreams are made of.

So is that true?

As it turns out there isn’t any record of Buller actually making this ruling, though he was known to be a big powdered wig-wearing dickhead to everyone around him regardless of sex. Still, roughly a year after the supposed ruling, British satirist James Gillray called out Buller in this cartoon, selling his thumb-width wife beating sticks:

So why would Gillray create this poster if the ruling it referenced didn’t exist? Who knows. Maybe it was already an urban legend back then. The truth of the phrase is that it likely just refers to carpenters and tailors who, without a ruler handy, would just measure things in thumb-lengths. We tried digging up evidence that they were using actual severed thumbs for the task, but even that turned out to be too awesome to be true.

Article source…..www.cracked.com

Picture source…..lowres-picturecabinet.com

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Garlic Lemon Chicken Kebabs

Posted on July 15, 2013 by Kneeknee

Garlic Lemon Chicken Kebabs

Ingredients:

3 Tbs. plus 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Zest of 1 lemon
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbs. minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tsp. kosher salt, plus more, to taste
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper, plus more,
to taste
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut
into 3/4-inch pieces
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 large red onion, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch
chunks

Directions:

In a bowl, whisk together the 3 Tbs. olive oil, the lemon zest, garlic, parsley, the 1 tsp. salt and the 1/2 tsp. pepper. Add the chicken and stir to combine. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 8 hours.

Soak a cedar plank in water according to the package instructions. Prepare a medium fire in a grill and heat the plank. If using wooden skewers, soak them in water to cover for at least 20 minutes.

In a small bowl, whisk together the 1/2 cup olive oil, the lemon juice, salt and pepper. Set aside.

Thread the onion and bell pepper onto the skewers, alternating the pieces and dividing them equally. Remove the chicken from the marinade; discard the marinade. Thread the chicken onto separate skewers, taking care not to pack the pieces too tightly.

Lay the skewers on the plank. Brush the vegetables with the olive oil-lemon juice mixture. Close the lid and cook until the chicken is opaque throughout and the vegetables are soft and beginning to brown, 8 to 12 minutes. Transfer the skewers to a warmed platter and serve immediately. Serves 2.

Recipe source…..www.williams-sonoma.com

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Oh You Are A Mucky Kid – Danny Doyle

Posted on July 15, 2013 by Kneeknee

Oh You Are A Mucky Kid – Danny Doyle

Oh You Are A Mucky Kid - Danny Doyle

Leaving school at fourteen years of age, he started doing odd jobs, including general factotum in Dublin’s Pike Theatre, where he began to pick up, from the travelling players, songs from the Irish countryside.

During the 1960s and 1970s, he was one of the top Irish singers, regularly featuring in the Irish charts and scoring three No.1 singles (notably displacing ABBA’s “Take a Chance on Me” after just one week at the top). He has recorded 25 albums, including Emigrant Eyes, a collaboration with his sister Geraldine, a comedienne popular in Australia. He is probably best known for his 1967 Number One hit “Whiskey on a Sunday”.

He has appeared in concert throughout the world, including Carnegie Hall, New York and the Albert Hall, London.

Although retired from performing, he joined numerous musicians on stage at the end of the 2010 Milwaukee Irish Fest, in what is known as the Scattering.

Biography Source…..en.wikipedia.org

Picture source…..www.allmusic.com

Lemon and Yogurt Marinated Grilled Chicken

Posted on July 14, 2013 by Kneeknee

Lemon and Yogurt Marinated Grilled Chicken

Lemon and yogurt have been used as a marinade for grilled chicken recipes for centuries. This grilled chicken recipe is very simple and the yogurt marinade keeps the chicken tender and moist. The marinade also adds a subtly tangy, and delicious flavor.

Makes 4 Portions of Lemon and Yogurt Marinated Grilled Chicken

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt (any plain yogurt will work)
1 lemon, juiced
1 tbsp lemon zest
1 tbsp paprika
1 tsp dried Italian herb blend
1 tsp salt
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large chicken, cut into sections

Preparation:

Whisk together all the ingredients in a large bowl and add the chicken pieces. Toss very well to completely coat the chicken with the yogurt marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, up to overnight.

Preheat grill. Remove chicken from the marinade, wiping off any excess. Season with additional salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste, if desired. Brush hot grates lightly with oil, and grill over medium heat until the chicken is cooked through.

Recipe source…..americanfood.about.com

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Woman, Woman – Gary Puckett And The Union Gap

Posted on July 14, 2013 by Kneeknee

Woman, Woman – Gary Puckett And The Union Gap

Young Girl - Gary Puckett & The Union Gap

Gary Puckett & The Union Gap (initially credited as The Union Gap featuring Gary Puckett) was an American pop rock group operating in the late 1960s.

Their biggest hits were “Woman, Woman,” “Young Girl,” and “Lady Willpower.” Singer Gary Puckett (born October 17, 1942, Hibbing, Minnesota) grew up in Yakima, Washington – close to the city of Union Gap – and Twin Falls, Idaho.

He began playing guitar in his teens, and graduated from Twin Falls High School before attending college in San Diego, California. There, he quit college and played in several local bands before joining the Outcasts, a local hard rock group comprising bassist Kerry Chater (born August 7, 1945, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada),[1] keyboardist Gary ‘Mutha’ Withem (born August 22, 1946, San Diego), tenor saxophonist Dwight Bement (born December 28, 1945, San Diego), and drummer Paul Wheatbread (born February 8, 1946, San Diego).
In 1966, the band toured the Pacific Northwest without Wheatbread, who was recruited as the house drummer on the television series, Where the Action Is; he later rejoined the line-up. Under manager Dick Badger, the band were renamed The Union Gap in early 1967, and fitted themselves out with Union Army-style Civil War uniforms as a visual gimmick. They then recorded a demo, which was heard by CBS record producer and songwriter Jerry Fuller. Impressed by Puckett’s baritone voice and the band’s soft rock leanings, Fuller signed them to a recording contract with Columbia Records.

Biography source…..www.last.fm

Picture source…..www.last.fm

Star Trek Voyager – Chakotay

Posted on July 13, 2013 by Kneeknee

Star Trek Voyager – Chakotay

Full Name: Chakotay
Species: Human
Year of birth: 2329
Parents: Son of Kolopak
Education: Starfleet Academy, 2344-48
Marital status: Single

A Native American descendant, this onetime Starfleet lieutenant commander resigned from his position as an instructor in Starfleet’s Advanced Tactical Training in 2370 to join the Maquis, sparked by his father’s death fighting Cardassians on the tribe’s homeworld along the Demilitarized Zone. Chakotay is a gentle man but resolute, and is one of the Maquis who are truly in the fight for principle, not mercenary gain or violent outlet — as was one of his students, Lt. Ro Laren.
Today Chakotay looks to his spiritual Mayan background for inner comfort — and doesn’t mind sharing that belief with others when asked, or even enduring some good-natured ribbing about it from Torres and Paris, among others. He uses a spirit guide summoned by his medicine bundle, prays to speak with his father for guidance, and uses a Mayan-descended medicine wheel for self-healing. With a mother suffering from ongoing neck muscle spasms, he is also reportedly an excellent masseuse.

However, he didn’t always have such reverence for his ancestors’ ways. His father, Kolopak, was insistent upon finding their peoples’ ancestral home and did so in the Central American jungle in 2344, when Chakotay was 15. But the young man had already been casting his lot with Starfleet crews patrolling the border, and stunned his father on that trip with the news he’d be leaving the tribe to attend Starfleet Academy, after his newfound aquaintance Captain Sulu agreed to sponsor him, even at his young age. Despite that resistance, Chakotay did learn many survival skills from his father, such as building log cabins and fire-starting.

Chakotay’s piloting skills trace back to extensive and early Starfleet Academy training. From a freshman course over adjacent North America, he went to Venus to master atmospheric storms and had yet another semester dealing with asteroids in the Sol asteroid belt.
The virtual estrangement between father and son lasted until 2371, when Kolopak died defending his home in the early days of Cardassian harassment, even as the final border treaty was being signed. Chakotay took to wearing his tattoo, a symbol of those jungle descendants, to honor his father, who wore it also; even his own name is a cherished gift from his tribe. Later, Chakotay reported considering archeology as a second occupation, either in the field or in academics.
Chakotay’s people, tracing their lineage back past Mayans to the Rubber Tree People of Central America, resisted the intrusion of more technological societies until the devleopment of warp drive in the 21st century allowed them to leave Earth and find their own home for good. One 20th century forebear he knows of was a schoolteacher in Arizona.
Even today, its members avoid modern devices such as transporters wherever they can, and he was taught that nothing is personally owned, save the courage and loyalty in one’s own heart. Despite his tribe’s move, the adult Chakotay means Earth when he thinks of “home” — from the Arizona desert and the Baja California peninsula over to the Gulf of Mexico.
Known members of Chakotay’s Maquis crew include B’Elanna Torres, Lon Suder, Kurt Bendera, Kenneth Dalby, Mariah Henley, (First Name Unknown) Ayala, (FNU) Hogan, (FNU) Jackson; Bajoran nationals Seska, Gerron and Jarvin; and a Bolian, Chell.
With an undercover agent from the crew of Captain Kathryn Janeway aboard, Chakotay’s craft disappeared in the Badlands a week before Janeway’s new U.S.S. Voyager itself was lost on SD 48307.5 and presumed destroyed.

Info source…..www.startrek.com

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Dating and Romance Scams