I've created this blog quite some time ago already, intending to regularly write about whatever interests me; things I notice in the news, things that happen in my life, or things that lend themselves to a nice rant. (Doesn't it feel great to once in a while rant about something and then wonder later what you got all worked up about? Be honest, you've done it too... and if you really haven't you should definitely try it!)
Some future blogs will definitely include Danie Krugel (major rant alert!!!), Jacob and Helen and Julius, the Dutch Cricket team (go Tulips!), paper wasps, crèches and churches, and, and, and.
But back to this first blog, today I found another one of 'those' messages in my inbox. It came from someone I once met on a course and had exchanged email addresses with. Somehow, despite me asking him to desist several times, he keeps including me in these so obviously bogus chain mails and this does annoy me big time. (Anybody feel a rant coming on yet...?)
While some of these need some thought (not a lot, though) to be seen through, many, like the one I got today, are so OBVIOUSLY fake that for the life of me I can not think why people would fall for them and then send them on to the requested 8, 10, 20, or more people on their contact list. Look at this picture that summarises the 'offer':
Ha!, send an email to 8 people and a free laptop is yours, send it to 20 and an even better one will come your way. Never mind that to the T18 and R320 aren't even lap tops, but cell phones, and that the T18 was released almost 10 years ago (almost long enough ago to have fossilised by now), all this giving away is supposedly done to increase sales! Now that's an interesting strategy if I ever saw one!
Picture the board meeting where the junior sales rep pitches this brilliant, revolutionary concept, dazzling the room with tons of colourful Powerpoint slides:
"Let's give a free lap top (cell phone) to everyone that forwards our promotional email to 8 or 20 friends. I'm certain those friends will then not simply send it to 8 or 20 more people to get one for free as well, but they will go out and buy one (or maybe even two)! Sales will go through the roof!" The sales rep out the window more likely!
Do the people that send these messages on, clogging up mail boxes, wasting bandwidth, and generally polluting the 'net (exaggerations are allowed in rants, they're part of the fun!), really believe this is legit, that they will receive a lap top for free? Or do they have doubts, but are just to afraid to miss out in case it is true?
I was very tempted to create an email address, respond from there that they have been selected to receive one and then ask them to send me personal details, like bank account numbers, etc. I'm sure at least some would fall for it hook, line and sinker, with vistas of free lap tops (with Vista?) dancing before their eyes. I decided not too, maybe next time... but for now:
Please people, think before you send, even one halfway critical glance will reveal that it just can not be for real. "If it sounds to good to be true, that's because it is!"
Aaaahhh, that feels better...
Some future blogs will definitely include Danie Krugel (major rant alert!!!), Jacob and Helen and Julius, the Dutch Cricket team (go Tulips!), paper wasps, crèches and churches, and, and, and.
But back to this first blog, today I found another one of 'those' messages in my inbox. It came from someone I once met on a course and had exchanged email addresses with. Somehow, despite me asking him to desist several times, he keeps including me in these so obviously bogus chain mails and this does annoy me big time. (Anybody feel a rant coming on yet...?)
While some of these need some thought (not a lot, though) to be seen through, many, like the one I got today, are so OBVIOUSLY fake that for the life of me I can not think why people would fall for them and then send them on to the requested 8, 10, 20, or more people on their contact list. Look at this picture that summarises the 'offer':
Ha!, send an email to 8 people and a free laptop is yours, send it to 20 and an even better one will come your way. Never mind that to the T18 and R320 aren't even lap tops, but cell phones, and that the T18 was released almost 10 years ago (almost long enough ago to have fossilised by now), all this giving away is supposedly done to increase sales! Now that's an interesting strategy if I ever saw one!
Picture the board meeting where the junior sales rep pitches this brilliant, revolutionary concept, dazzling the room with tons of colourful Powerpoint slides:
"Let's give a free lap top (cell phone) to everyone that forwards our promotional email to 8 or 20 friends. I'm certain those friends will then not simply send it to 8 or 20 more people to get one for free as well, but they will go out and buy one (or maybe even two)! Sales will go through the roof!" The sales rep out the window more likely!
Do the people that send these messages on, clogging up mail boxes, wasting bandwidth, and generally polluting the 'net (exaggerations are allowed in rants, they're part of the fun!), really believe this is legit, that they will receive a lap top for free? Or do they have doubts, but are just to afraid to miss out in case it is true?
I was very tempted to create an email address, respond from there that they have been selected to receive one and then ask them to send me personal details, like bank account numbers, etc. I'm sure at least some would fall for it hook, line and sinker, with vistas of free lap tops (with Vista?) dancing before their eyes. I decided not too, maybe next time... but for now:
Please people, think before you send, even one halfway critical glance will reveal that it just can not be for real. "If it sounds to good to be true, that's because it is!"
Aaaahhh, that feels better...
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