Pinky, Are You Pondering What I'm Pondering? (Quote From "Pinky and the Brain")

Well I had been looking for something to blog about because I had hit a dry spell (Writer's Block). I wanted to do something around the storm Sandy (and I probably still will) however, all of my thoughts have not come to me about it yet. There are a few angles to write about concerning what occurred as a result of Sandy. As I was looking to come up with something to blog about in The Critical Thinker, one of my email accounts was hacked and a SPAM message went out to my address book and contact list.  Thankfully not too many of my contacts took the message seriously, however, a few did and called out of concern because it did look legit. I am grateful to know that I have friends and family who would think to call even if they thought the message had an infinitesimally small chance of being real. I am also thankful for those who knew right off of the bat that the message was a fraud.  The message appears below and I decided to write this post for a couple of reasons. First to make everyone aware of the message and what to look out for and secondly to talk a little bit about the ingenuity of the criminal minds out there and how if that intellect were put towards something positive, what a contribution these people could make to the world. 

So my first objective is to put them on blast. Since the hackers felt as if they could compromise my email address, I feel that I can expose their verbiage so that no one will pay attention to the message if they see it again. It’s kind of the “If you can’t beat them, join them” strategy. Upon review of the message, a reader with any modicum of sense would see that the message does not make sense. Ironically most of my contacts knew it was not me because the message was grammatically incorrect and many have shared that observation with me. We had a good laugh about it.

Secondly, think what good these minds could bring to the world, if their ability to create was used in a positive manner. That has even perplexed me with many of our criminals behind bars. Many of them had elaborate master plans and were able to carry these plans out for some time until they were finally caught. Think about how there are some intelligent folks out there plotting evil and mayhem. It takes just as much energy to figure out how to get what someone else has (steal) as it does to figure out how to get what you want or need for yourself.

Thanks to my hackers, I have now changed my password as I am not looking to shut down that email account. I have had it for too long and there is too much associated with it for me to just shut it down because of some idiot low lives who are trying to scam people. Read through the message to make yourself aware of what it says because the likelihood is high that you will see it again under someone else’s email address (this was not the first time that I have seen this message). Do not respond to it no matter how legit or real it looks. Read through it and critically think about it and the other options someone in that situation would really have. I’m sure the person would have been able to make at least one telephone call from the hotel phone to let someone in the states know what was happening to them and to let other loved ones know. Enjoy the hoax message below and know that it is something to critically think about. I welcome your commentary in the comment section and/or your feedback by clicking the red "feedback" button/tab to your right in the blog or on your screen. I also invite you  to follow the Critical Thinker on Twitter @thinkcritical01.

Sent: Monday, November 5, 2012 6:54 AMSubject: My Terrible Trip......Marc A. MedleyI really hope you get this fast. I could not inform anyone about our trip, because it was impromptu. we had to be in London UK for a program. The program was successful, but our journey has turned sour. we misplaced our wallet and cell phone on our way back to the hotel we lodge in after we went for sight seeing. The wallet contained all the valuables we had. Now, our passport is in custody of the hotel management pending when we make payment.  I am sorry if i am inconveniencing you, but i have only very few people to run to now. i will be indeed very grateful if i can get a loan of $1,800 from you. this will enable me sort our hotel bills and get my sorry self back home. I will really appreciate whatever you can afford in assisting me with. I promise to refund it in full as soon as I return. let me know if you can be of any assistance. Please, let me know soonest. Thanks so much.