A Very Special Kind of Stupid

Not sure if ‘stupid’ is the right description, but I can’t think of a word to best describe this condition.

I am not talking about folks with elevators don't quite reach the top floor. This is a category of a different kind.

The ones I am referring to are those folks that are well, just plain gullible. These are the folks that read fake news and totally believe it, just like the guy that totally believed the sex traffic ring was being run from a pizzeria.

Despite this fake news being debunked by numerous sites, this guy totally believed this silliness and almost caused a real tragedy.

Then there are the 'birthers'. There are many people who believe that Barack Obama was born in Kenya and not eligible to be President of the United States. The conspiracy was started by a Democratic supporter for Hillary Clinton during the election campaign 2008. Despite the fact there was no real proof this was true and Obama's birth certificate being provided by the State of Hawaii, many people still believe it to this day.

There are people that believe the government of the United States was behind the World Trade Center tragedy, man did not go to the moon, the Sandy Hook shootings did not really happen, and the list goes on and on.

So why are so many people so gullible? It's probably due to several reasons, but mainly because of what I call 'a special kind of stupid'. A lot of these folks are intelligent, but when a theory is introduced by someone and it appeals to the 'I want to believe this' element present in someone, this 'special kind of stupid' or confirmation bias, kicks in. Once this happens, no amount of proof will sway their belief.

A Guide to Arguing With a Snopes-Denier

Some will believe, but some won’t.

Martha

Wondering Why

Why does Chevrolet think actors aren’t ‘real people’?  If they aren’t real people, what are they? Androids?

Are the ‘Real people’ in those ads real? I am not the only one to wonder, just look at the Consumerist.

Why when I click a link to someone’s page on Facebook and then click the back arrow why doesn’t Facebook take me back to the place I just left? Annoying!

Do people read the side effects on all those drug ads? If they do read them, do they still take those drugs? Why? Even those side effects that can include death? ‘Ask your doctor if death is right for you!’.

What is this bar? Can’t close it even though there is a X on it.



Why does every website I visit assume I want to sign up for their newsletter?

Why does my computer keep losing Internet Connection?

Why do people pay a lot of money for jeans with holes in them? And for heaven’s sake, why would anyone want to wear these?

Martha

Clickbait

I came across a site today that really resonates with me. The title is Clickbait. This lady is telling it like it is.

I think most of us have been ‘teased’ at one time or another by a clickbait site. Those titles like ’15 reasons you shouldn’t eat sushi’ or ’20 Lies You Probably Believe’ that entice you to keep clicking because there is only one item per page and that page is covered with ads!

There is a certain website ad on Facebook that posts those enticing titles that started me thinking about this. (Facebook is full of links that we shouldn’t click) I clicked the link and then it was click, click, click, over and over. Teasers galore, click, click, click. Just an effort to show you more ads. I was curious about this site so I copied the URL and removed everything that appeared after the site URL.

There was no click, click, click. All those teasers were on one page.

What’s going on here? I have wondered how much time these folks devote to creating all those pages. And I think I know. Not much time at all. They just create their normal pages which are probably ok and then they use a clickbait generator!

I did some searching and found lots of site for clickbait.

Here are some of them.

https://thestack.com/world/2015/10/15/machine-learning-generates-clickbait-headlines-that-will-shock-you/

http://www.adweek.com/creativity/create-your-own-overly-emotional-click-baiting-headline-upworthy-generator-153984/

The dirty secrets of clickbait. This post will blow your mind!

https://econsultancy.com/blog/64399-the-dirty-secrets-of-clickbait-this-post-will-blow-your-mind/

The Dead Simple Headline Formula You Can Use To Generate Millions of Pageviews

https://skillcrush.com/2014/01/23/click-bait-tips/

I will certainly avoid those teaser sites if I possibly can. I don’t have a problem with folks trying to make a few dollars, but I hate being teased!

This is what got me started on the quest for clickbait:

I clicked this link from Facebook.

http://honesttopaws.com/trailer-park-cats/2/?bdk=b702aol&as=702aol&pas=1

Looks like clickbait for sure. But when I removed all the extra stuff and got this:

http://honesttopaws.com/trailer-park-cats/

It looked like a normal site, not clickbait.

I never cease to be amazed at what goes on with the Internet!

Don't Believe Everything You See, Hear or Read On The Internet!

I have gotten to the point where I don’t believe hardly anything I read on the Internet, including Facebook. I don't always believe what I read in print either. There are just too many trolls, mischief makers and downright liars out there.

I suppose I can still believe most of what I see in real life, but with technology evolving so much I am beginning to wonder about that as well. (And if I go shopping I sometimes have a problem believing what some folks are willing to wear in public!)

Some folks take a grain of truth (maybe truth) and blow it all out of proportion to reality.

Some folks may not like a politician, a political party, a situation and want to make the world believe something is true when it isn't. (Think Birthers) The fact is you just can't believe any third party accounts any more as there is no telling if what they say is true or not. This can include almost anyone, including friends and/or family members. They are most likely well meaning and they may believe what they are saying is true, but in fact, they may just want to believe it and want you to believe it as well.

I don't answer the phone much any more either. You can't trust Caller ID anymore either as the scammers know how to spoof who they are including names AND numbers. They frequently use spoofed names such as ‘Toll Free Call’, ‘Support Center’, or even an important sounding name such as US Government.

The scammers masquerade as someone calling from Microsoft (Microsoft doesn't call anyone unless the person has an ongoing problem ticket initiated by them.) The scammers could be a collection agency using illegal tactics to make folks think they have to pay up whether they owe anything or not. The list goes on and on. I wish I could block these scammers, but they would just change the number and keep calling. Once your number is added to a list, it is in the wild and anyone can buy those lists.

Martha

Less is More and More is Too Much!

Why do I think I need so much stuff?

The last time I moved house was in 2005. I cleaned out stuff galore.  I donated loads and loads of stuff to Goodwill.  I sold over $200 worth of paperback books to Half Price Books.  (That was a LOT of paperbacks, they don’t pay too much for old books!)

I took a lot of stuff to a consignment shop. I tossed out gobs of old stuff. (Why I had kept it all, who knows?)

When I finally got moved and everything put away,  I thought I had finally purged all the un-needed stuff from my life.  I was wrong.

I still have too much stuff. Yesterday I decided I should take my cell phone with me when I go out into the back yard. (Just in case the door gets stuck, I can call for help to get back in the house. That happened once before, but I was IN the house, luckily!)

Now I don’t want to just lay my phone down somewhere, I want it in reach (I might fall down!) So I remembered I have a small pocket on a chain that would work just great. So I went looking for it. What in the world is all this stuff hiding in dresser drawers!

Time to get rid of more stuff.

I found things that I thought I had thrown away, donated, or just forgot I had ever had!  (Why do I have 40 pairs of socks?)

I did find that pocket, but now I have to go through all those drawers where stuff is hiding out of sight.  The closet too, and get rid of more stuff.

I know why I have so many clothes I don’t wear any more. What if I gain back all the weight I lost and need them?

That kind of thinking is why I have so much stuff! I might need it!  So I need a new mind set, ‘That stuff is old.  If I need it I’ll get new stuff!’

Less stuff will give me more room. (To get more stuff!)

 

Martha

Tale of a Prescription Part Two

The conspiracy seems alive and well.

I did go back later that day and guess what, the prescription still wasn’t ready.  The reason this time, they didn’t have the required amount and it had to be ordered.

Sigh! I have never ever had this much trouble getting a prescription filled. It isn’t as though it had a narcotic involved, not a pain killer of any kind! Just a antibiotic to kill an infection.

I finally got that prescription. Was it a massive amount? No, just an tiny tube. I just hope it does the job after all that hassle. It has an option for refills, so if I need to refill it, I will put in the request at least two weeks before I actually need it!

 

Martha

Tale of a Prescription

If I was even a little bit paranoid, I would have been sure this was a conspiracy out to get me.

Last week I went to the eye doctor for my annual exam. Everything was as well as can be expected after having eye surgery on the right eye to repair a macula hole. However I do have an infection on the eye lids, so the doctor said he was giving me a prescription. The assistant said it wouldn’t be ready until after 5 PM, so since I turn into a pumpkin about that time I waited until the following day to pick it up

The pharmacy had no record of this prescription, so I called the eye doctor’s office to see what was up. After checking they were most apologetic and said they were sending it ‘right now’.

Now I went to pick it up, but no it still wasn’t ready as the prescription did not have the required specified amount. The pharmacy had faxed the doctor’s office, but there had been no reply. So I went back the next day and yet again the prescription was not ready as there still had been no reply from the doctor’s office.

Fast forward to today. I went to pick up the prescription and it wasn’t ready  and won’t be until 5 PM. So again, I will wait.  Since there is a major temperature drop expected tonight, I guess I will try to hold off on the reversion to the pumpkin stage and pick it up after 5 PM, assuming it will finally be ready.

If it isn’t ready, I am going to assume there really is a conspiracy concerning this prescription!

Sneaky Spam

The things that spammers try never cease to amaze me. They always try to keep a step ahead of unsuspecting folks by using new tactics to get attention.

For my website I have a contact form for users to ask questions or just make comments about the site. I made this site back when Windows XP was young and a lot of folks used the email that came with XP, Outlook Express.  I used to get a lot of questions about Outlook Express and I still get a few questions, but for the most part the feedback form just generates those folks trying to sell me an SEO service. I don’t answer those as I even have a notice telling those folks I won’t answer.

I seldom get any other type of spam, but today I did! While it was a bit clever and made me laugh, I wonder why it was even done?

The spam:

Name of sender: Kathie
Email of sender: kathiekearns@gmail.com
------------------------- COMMENTS -------------------------
Hello, I am writing in an unusual case ... Some time ago, I used your services, and one of your employees face was familiar to me. At dinner with my wife, it turned out that he was a burglar, who 5 years ago broke into our home!!! This is ridiculous!!! How you can hire criminals? I found at least 3 bad entries for him at website for background check http://everifies.com !! I am sure there are more!!! Please do something about it, things like that are ridiculous!!!

Normally I wouldn’t have clicked that link, but I did accidentally and here is what came up:



So some spammer is way behind and wasting their time.

My website needs a serious overhaul and I am not quite sure what to do about it, but turning it into a blog may be the answer.

Martha

TV Phrases I Hear From Marketers

“You Deserve it.”

Watch out when you hear this one.  If you buy in to it, it’s gonna cost you, usually big bucks. Furniture sales pitches may use this phrase, but sellers of other high dollar items may use it as well. This appeals to some folks’ senses that really want to indulge themselves. It must work, because I hear it again and again.

“It’s Not Your Fault:”

This phrase is being used by a local surgeon for advertising his services as a method for getting rid of excess weight. It could also be used elsewhere for the same type of service.

I imagine there probably are a few obese folks that have a medical condition that caused their over-weight condition, but I doubt that is the case for most of us fatties. It was 'my fault' for over-indulging in all that delicious fattening food I loved so well.

“The More You Buy, The More You Save.”

This one always make me shake my head in wonder. If I buy more, I am spending more money.  How is that saving?

Martha

Setting Up Email

I don’t know why I have such a problem getting email to work with IMAP.  POP, usually no problem. Except with Thunderbird.  I have one account setup with POP on Thunderbird and it works just fine.

I tried to setup a second account using virtually the same settings except for the username, email address and password, but that Tbird just doesn’t seem to like it.

My web host is Bluehost.  Thunderbird apparently doesn’t like the default settings for one of my email accounts using IMAP.  I just can’t make it work. And Thunderbird wants to set it up using IMAP.

The strange thing is, I had it setup once and it worked.  Then I setup another account and the pesky account that used to work just disappeared. I probably deleted it somehow, but it worked yesterday and today? Poof! It’s gone and seemingly won’t come back.

So I set it up in Windows Live Mail 2012 and it works just fine. Go figure!

Martha

Buying an iPad From BestBuy

After I first saw the iPad with retina display I decided I really wanted one.  Since they are not exactly cheap I didn't buy one right away.

I had a $10 gift certificate for BestBuy and when they ran an ad that offered a $30 gift certificate with the purchase of an iPad, I went for it.  I picked out a cool cover from the discounted selection and went to checkout.  I asked about the gift card as she hadn't mentioned it. She then went to get the card after verifying with another sales person that I should get one.

I learned a long time ago to really watch when checking out, so when the sales girl had a CD with a antivirus product in her hand, I told her I didn't want it. She told me that it came with my iPad! I knew better, so I watched carefully as it rang up for $27. Again I told her  'I don't want it'.  She was rather insistant and I emphasized again, "I DON'T WANT IT".

So she removed that charge and proceeded to push a waranty. After repeated "No"s by me she finished the transaction  and I paid for my purachase sans antivirus.

Since by now I was rather pissed off, I decided to request the iPad package be opened to ensure there was an actual iPad in the box. There was, so I left.

Now if I hadn't known better, I would have paid for that antivirus. I wonder how many other folks did?

Martha

Prove You Are a Human!

Who hasn't encountered at least one or more of those little boxes with distorted letters with a request to type them in to prove we are who we say and not a spambot?



We understand why, but sometimes they can be frustrating! Sometimes I have to try several times before I get it right.  Now an enterprising company has something easier for us than a Captcha, but it is also extremely irritating, intrusive and I just plain HATE it!

I encountered this today when signing up for a forum.



When that ad started blaring at me, I almost closed the browser window! But I needed this forum so I continued on. I could read what needed to be typed in the box, but that ad made it hard for me to concentrate!
I am afraid, folks, very afraid! This sort of c**p just makes my spine tingle! What god-awful thing will they come up with next?

To see what this is all, just visit Solve Media.

Martha

This Crazy Texas Weather

This is May. In Texas. And it is cold!

It was warm yesterday, in the eighties. Today it is in the forties with wind chill in the thirties.

I suspect when August arrives it will be very hot as usual, probably 100+.

There is a saying here, if you don't like the weather stick around it will change.  But not in August because it is ALWAYS hot in August.

But then it is supposed to be warm in May and it is May and it is cold.

Martha

Leaving

I'm thinking about it, leaving Facebook.

I am not a dumb f**k as Mark Zuckerberg is rumored to have called folks who put their personal details in their Facebook profiles.

While I haven't put any details except what was required (and some of those may not be accurate), I resent the fact that many of my family members and friends naively did and are probably being targeted by ads or even scammers.

Every now and the Facebook changes their privacy policies and they only get worse. In fact, those policies seem to be almost non-existent and are certainly a big joke.  Consumer groups are trying to make Facebook back off from the latest changes, but I doubt they will, as Facebook is trying to up the amount of $$ they can suck out of the members and their information.

By now most folks should know that in truth, anything posted to the Internet is in fact available to the world.  There is no such thing as privacy.  There are some places that do give a lot more privacy for folks such as a sites like MyFamily or maybe even a private Yahoo Group, but nothing is really safe from hackers.

But Facebook?  Unless you have locked down your settings (and that's no guarantee because one of your friends can copy and re-post anything and maybe their settings are wide open) you have to assume anything you post can be available to the entire Internet.

Martha

Tell Me It Isn't True!

"Facebook Asking Some Users To Upload Government Issued IDs"

Are they nuts? Who is going to be stupid enough to give anyone on the Internet this kind of documentation?

Not me, no way, ever, never!

Right now it's supposedly a test only.  But with Facebook's history of privacy issues, well.......

Martha

 

"How to grow our economy: Tell me what you think" (Really?)

Email from Kay Granger, "How to grow our economy:  Tell me what you think'

In all honesty, I doubt Ms Granger has anything to do with the way this plays out, but I just had to post this.

I received an email from her or so it led me to believe.  Included in the email is a survey indicating what I think is needed to grow the economy. There were a number of things listed.  In order to check the ones I felt were most important, it was necessary to reply.  So I pressed reply, checked the boxes by the things I thought were needed and then I sent it.

Please note, there was an UN-CLICKABLE  line  'Submit and join'.

So then I got this message:
"This email address is no longer active. If you wish to send Congresswoman Granger an email, please visit http://kaygranger.house.gov and click on Email Kay Granger. For immediate assistance, please call Congresswoman Granger's office at 817-338-0909 or 202-225-5071. "

Excuse me?

So now, if I want to let Ms Granger know what I think is needed, I have to go to the site mentioned, click email Kay Granger, copy everything from the email she sent to me and paste it into a form! After SHE sent me asking me to tell her what I think!

(In all honesty, there WAS a link to take the survey on the web, but paranoid soul that I am, I hardly ever click a link in email. Since I have never contacted Ms Granger or her office, this email seemed a bit 'spammy',  and how did they get my brand spanking new email address to which this email was sent?)

I don't think so.  What would you do?

Just another example of our incompetent Congress, or at least that is how it seems to me. At the very least there should be competent web/email handlers! But perhaps they feel the burden (once again) is on the tax payers to make our thoughts known.  In that case they are right.

But don't do it this way!

Martha

Can't Find Google

Some time back I wrote a post about 'Firefox cannot find the server'.

I had to go back to Firefox as it just has too much going for it the other browsers don't.  But I do use Opera and Chrome, rarely Internet Explorer (that ActiveX thing is still there) and rarely still, Safari.

Imagine my surprise when Google Chrome couldn't find Google!



Martha

 

 

Is the Internet making us gullible?

I keep getting an email from various friends and family about October having 5 Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. (This is true.) Then the email goes on to say "This happens once every 823 years."  (Definitely NOT true!)

How can folks be so gullible!

Well if enough people say something, then folks start to believe it however ridiculous it may be. This is true of a lot of the junk emails getting sent around in cyberspace.

There are a number of sites that have taken the time to debunk (explain) the truth about this hoax. One is the Hoax Slayer and another is Snopes.

If people would just stop to think they might realize that some things just aren't realistic, common sense should tell us it wouldn't happen only every 823 years!

Martha

The Inmates Are Running the Asylum

Another example of why our schools are so far behind other countries.  The people running the show have no common sense as evidenced by this incident, Toy gun leads to Florida boy's expulsion.

Read more of the idiotic 'zero policies' enacted by the idiots running the schools.

Rules need to be enforced, but circumstances must always be considered. Is it any wonder our kids are not competing with the world?  They think and rightly so, the powers that govern their lives make no sense, so why should they care?

I read about this stuff in total amazement that we trust our children's education and futures to such total stupidity.

Martha

Astonished!

Today I called WalMart.  I know, but I wanted to know if they carried a particular item.

I almost fell out of my chair.  It rang once and a real live person answered!  No horrible automated phone menu! I almost forgot why I called I was so astonished.

Later I called AT&T to add a service to my account. Too bad, I got that horrible automated phone menu that makes me want to jump through the phone line and strangle the jerk that came up with it, if only I knew who it was.

Oh well, can't have everything, but still I wish 'customer service' really meant something. Now it's all 'the bottom line'. Customer Service seems to be lip service and not much else any more.  I will say when I finally got a real live person, that person was helpful even though I could tell a lot of the time it was scripted.

Martha