Scammer seeks the helpful

The following was reported to the police but I've added a few more thoughts in ( ) as well since the submission.

To: Anne Arundel Police Department
Eastern District : 3700 Mountain Road
Pasadena, Maryland 21122
Phone: (410) 222-6145




Subject: Scammer in the Jumpers Hole area.

Sirs,
This is to inform you of a suspected scammer operating in the Jumper Hole and Rt 2 area. White male about 5'7" 150lbs, light build, short light brown hair, 18-23 years. See attached picture. (could be just about anybody since white males that age and build are common, this one in particular was bright peppy with a nasally raspy voice, made you want to clear your own throat or blow your nose or something)

On Sept 28th at about 5:30pm, the young man (in the photo) approached me as I was filling my car with gas at BJs Warehouse gas station near Jumpers Hole and Rt 2. The young man said he needed money to by a gas can and get gas for his mother's car stranded and out of gas (didn't say where). His mother was supposedly talking to him on his cell phone "they" seemed to be in a hurry. He sounded frantic almost to tears because he said no one at the station would help him, he only needed 7 dollars. He sounded very convincing. (in a mournfully frantic sort of way) I gave him $20 (in pity) to cover the can and some gas, feeling I had done a good deed (silly me).

The young man proceeded to leave the station but instead of going into BJs to buy a gas can he crossed the parking lot heading North beyond the Weis grocery store (WTF over?). I drove over to him and asked him were he was going with the money. He said the car and his mom were at the Shell station at the corner of Jumpers Hole and Mountain Rd. He asked if he could have a lift. (great 'tap dance') I felt no threat, I agreed. (hook line and sinker) During the drive over, he proceeds to tell me his story of how they pushed the car into a parking lot. (insert mournful violins) The Shell station was closed so he bought a jug of milk at BJs and poured it out thinking he could fill it up with gas, but the attendant at BJs said no (well duh). As we approached the intersection of Jumpers Hole and Mountain Rd, he pulls his (heart skips a beat) cell phone out of his pocket as if it were vibrating, then said his mother was at the Rite Aid across the street where she found a cheaper gas can.

I dropped him of at the Rite Aid and watch him go in. Suspecting foul play but hoping for the best, (little angel Credence on one shoulder, devil Credence on the other, yak, yak) I pulled off to the side and waited for a few minutes then drove back to Rite Aid to find him walking North across the shopping center towards the Sun Valley Liquor store. (devil Credence vindicated)

It was only then that I believed my suspicions were true and I became convenienced he had scammed me. ( with a tear in little angel Credence's eye) I drove over to him and at that moment, (with power and rage, I fumble with my camera, almost dropped it) I took the attached picture of him with my phone camera and told him I would remember him (I know, I should have said something like "I'll be back" w/Arnold accent) he did not respond, he didn't try to defend his action, (he cocked his head a little and) just gave me a thumbs up (huh? Cornered, I guess he was just as much at a loss of what to do as I was, one of those pregnant moments). There were several other young men there and feeling uncomfortable I then drove out of the area and home (with tail between my legs, nursing my dignity).

'Hind-sight is 20/20.' Thinking about it, his story was full of holes (well double duh) but he was a pro. Very polite, non-threatening. (Oscar material) He works on your pity. I can only imagine I am one of many victims who have been scammed by him as he cases BJs and other public areas to hustle his money. I realized I have been ripped off, and that there is nothing I could do about. Given this episode I suspect he may have a record with his picture on file. (The police have the un-doctored version)

I just thought this might somehow be useful to you.

Lesson Learned!

very respectfully

(Credence)

The Internet and Ouija Board

So what about that Ouija Board? Common belief is that it’s an occult thing. Two people placing their hands on a ‘hockey puck’ like device on top of a cardboard place mat with a bunch of numbers and letters. They ask a question and the hockey puck suddenly moves around the board to spell out the answer with both participants adamantly claiming not to be moving it. Occult? What if its something else? The subconscious minds of the players coming together to form a third distinct subconscious mind. A Spock mind meld so to speak, but as a third and distinct consciousness. Extrapolate that to the Internet. So, what if the Internet could become a third consciousness as a result of all its participants?

Could the Internet be a collective interactive mind of the masses? Is Facebook but one portal through the key board - like placing your hands on the Ouija hockey puck? What will happen when the collective mind becomes sentient?

Mathematical Formula for Credence Theorem (CT)

by Alec Slayden March 16 at 4:36pm

CT = Story +/- Truth

or


for Subject = abs(Truth) + 1
CT = Story * Subject

Written in a single line as:

CT = Story * (abs(Truth) + 1)

which means if the truth is zero it will not affect the story, and if it is not zero, it will amplify the story whether it is positive or negative. abs() is a function for the absolute value of a number, effectively making negative numbers positive, and we add 1 to make sure we don't multiply the story by zero.

This is also defining CT as being equal to the amplified story. If you wanted you could define it as a function USED on a story

CT(Story) = Story * (abs(Truth) + 1)

This would be a little more accurate in context, but it would not be as easily received since some aren't familiar with functions F(x), and might mistake the left-hand side as being CT * Story, which wouldn't necessarily make much sense.

Because of this, it would probably be a little more hypocritical to choose this option over the previous one, since it would be letting accuracy get in the way of the expression.

So I suggest
CT = Story * (abs(Truth) + 1)

There may be a better way using something other than basic algebra, but I don't remember much in the ways of mathematics.

GERMANY UPDATE: beer, beer, beer.. bought new suitcase-not worth it-EURO/Dollar; Heidelberg to Frankfurt, missed train transfer, no snow, yah!, rain dout! Suitcase wheel broke too, heavy, no escalators, damn! . Frankfurt to Washington, airport parking lot"where's my @#$% car?!" hour, @#$% suitcase; traffic, 3 hours; Dulcaw pub-hi sweetie; beer beer, beer..home

Highlights of week so far in Germany: Left home for airport; snow; Washington to Frankfurt-turbulent no sleep; Frankfurt to Heidelberg, missed train; wheels on suitcase broke- had to carry-heavy; walked to hotel, snow; walked to conference; snow; jetlag sleepy; presented briefing; network failure, ruined demo-presentation on stag in front of hundreds- tap dance; walked back to hotel; snow; beer; beer; beer; beer...

So, little Caroline and her brother little Jerry are sitting at the dinner table and Mrs. Ellis (their mother) is serving up dinner and plops a spoon full of peas on each plate. Caroline not liking peas, pushes them around a bit and when Jerry and mother aren’t looking, scoops up a handful and places it on Jerry’s plate. This went on for years, unbeknown to either Jerry or mother. One day years later, Caroline, now in her 50s, confesses to her brother… “Jerry, when we were young I’d coop my peas onto your plate when you weren’t looking. I’m sorry I did that, “ She said. Jerry also in his late 50s, being the older wiser brother and all, gazed out the window for a moment and then laughed, That’s why my pockets always got so full! [Credence]