8/17/08 Captain Jack's Repossession Repo Cruise to PC thru TPC #6

[tom31b]

DS7 just got the call - he also made his travel hockey team.
Good golly what did we get ourselves into???

Lots and lots of $$$

 

[KSDisneyDad]

For new people or old newly interested people -
We have a healthy living / weight loss / move more thread over on W.I.S.H. just for us pirates.

16 weeks to TOAL - that is time to realistically and safely lose 10-15 lbs.

Capt. Jack's Wenches (& swabbies) Losing for 8/08 Getting Our Magic Back

Thanks! I'll check it out. Both DW and I set our goals last week to lose about 15 to 20 lbs before the TOAL. We plan to do it through lots of exercise and eating right.

What a hoot!

.... and now for something completely different yet within the same general catagory of finance conservation... or lack of.... I got this bit of PISHER trash in my email this morning... no less it was sent from a claimsagent@yahoo.co.uk adress. Obviously it is a lame attempt at identity fraud - and amazingly they are not asking for as much info as I thought they needed to expoit ones' identity.

The reply email address was promofinancial_dept115@yahoo.com.hk ... so it seems this originated from Hong KONG! Oh well... these punks have along way to go before they get any of us, eh?

So always be wary of emails asking for any of your personal info.

And ANDREW.... I believe I finally have some winning Lotto numbers for ya!

I used to audit banks and one of my former clients told me a story not too long ago about a customer who was questioned about large wire transfers out of the country. This twenty-something unemployed female convinced her parents to take out a home-equity loan for around $10,000 and she wired that money overseas to an "attorney". After this succesful wire, she came back in a few days later to wire another $10,000 but was stopped by one of the bank employees who asked her why she needed to wire more cash overseas.

Being completely sincere, the lady said that she was going to be a millionaire once she got her inheritence from a long lost relative who passed away in England. The relative's "attorney" had sent an email asking to cover the estate tax on her inheritence. She did that and now the attorney was asking for one more to cover remaining expenses before she got the money wired to her. The lady was angry at the bank for not wiring the money as it was hers to do with what she wanted. The bank manager explained to her that this was a fraud, and to contact an attorney. The lady said she had an attorney (her relative's attorney in England), and continued to demand that she be able to wire the money. Finally, the bank manager asked her to go to the local police and if the police said it was okay, she would wire the money. She never returned. I guess all it takes is one naive person every several thousand for these scammers to keep it up.

Andrew -- was that you who received a wire from a small bank in Kansas for $10,000?

 

[pdarrah]

Now that I am caught up (for the moment!) I'm remembering that a lot of us were posting our plans for the various ports. Here is our list...

Cabo - Still unsure. I'm leaning toward joining everyone on the beach and maybe the little boat trip to Los Archos, but I need to discuss with DH and get his thoughts. The ONLY thing that I've seen that might interest me there is the glass factory where you can watch them create art glass - but I'm not sure it is worth the effort to get a taxi an go over there since I don't get the impression it takes that long to "tour" the factory.

Puerto Vallarta - Zip Lining for DH & DS9. I will be staying safely on the ground as an observer. I'm hoping to have some DIS friends to chat with and will have my camera so I can play around with that while I wait.

Acapulco - We are just going to walk over to the Fort and look around there. I LIKE historical stuff. If the fort doesn't take long, then I am thinking of walking down toward the Zocala (central square) and stopping at the "House of Masks" museum on the way.

Cartegena - Hopefully a tour with our Pirate group and mr. Emerald. I really want to see the old walled city. If that doesn't work out, we'll take a DCL tour but it worries me that will be 90% shopping - I've always avoided the cruise line "city tour" type thing. We usually do stuff on our own, but DH isn't comfortable with that in Columbia (and the in-laws think we should stay on the ship!).

Aruba - Pirate snorel trip with Jolly Roger! If there is any extra time, this is the one place I want to try and shop a little. We had a great time here over 15 years ago and I bought some inexpensive jewelry and DH bought really cool decorative masks. I'm not big into shopping and definitely don't care for the t-shirts and souveniers type stuff - but 15 years ago we found a lot of interesting and varied shops in Aruba.

Pamela

 

[tom31b]

Cabo - Still unsure. I'm leaning toward joining everyone on the beach and maybe the little boat trip to Los Archos, but I need to discuss with DH and get his thoughts. The ONLY thing that I've seen that might interest me there is the glass factory where you can watch them create art glass - but I'm not sure it is worth the effort to get a taxi an go over there since I don't get the impression it takes that long to "tour" the factory.

You might want to look at some of the links I had on the planning boards in the reviews of Los Arcos options, some of those companies also would take you to glass factory

Puerto Vallarta - Zip Lining for DH & DS9. I will be staying safely on the ground as an observer. I'm hoping to have some DIS friends to chat with and will have my camera so I can play around with that while I wait.

Maybe I can sweet talk you into babysitting my camera..... not sure about leaving it in a locker...

Aruba - Pirate snorel trip with Jolly Roger! If there is any extra time, this is the one place I want to try and shop a little. We had a great time here over 15 years ago and I bought some inexpensive jewelry and DH bought really cool decorative masks. I'm not big into shopping and definitely don't care for the t-shirts and souveniers type stuff - but 15 years ago we found a lot of interesting and varied shops in Aruba.

Pamela

We are there till 11:30 as of now, should be plenty of time.

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

Now that I am caught up (for the moment!) I'm remembering that a lot of us were posting our plans for the various ports. Here is our list...

Cabo - Still unsure. I'm leaning toward joining everyone on the beach and maybe the little boat trip to Los Archos, but I need to discuss with DH and get his thoughts. The ONLY thing that I've seen that might interest me there is the glass factory where you can watch them create art glass - but I'm not sure it is worth the effort to get a taxi an go over there since I don't get the impression it takes that long to "tour" the factory.

Puerto Vallarta - Zip Lining for DH & DS9. I will be staying safely on the ground as an observer. I'm hoping to have some DIS friends to chat with and will have my camera so I can play around with that while I wait.

Acapulco - We are just going to walk over to the Fort and look around there. I LIKE historical stuff. If the fort doesn't take long, then I am thinking of walking down toward the Zocala (central square) and stopping at the "House of Masks" museum on the way.

Cartegena - Hopefully a tour with our Pirate group and mr. Emerald. I really want to see the old walled city. If that doesn't work out, we'll take a DCL tour but it worries me that will be 90% shopping - I've always avoided the cruise line "city tour" type thing. We usually do stuff on our own, but DH isn't comfortable with that in Columbia (and the in-laws think we should stay on the ship!).

Aruba - Pirate snorel trip with Jolly Roger! If there is any extra time, this is the one place I want to try and shop a little. We had a great time here over 15 years ago and I bought some inexpensive jewelry and DH bought really cool decorative masks. I'm not big into shopping and definitely don't care for the t-shirts and souveniers type stuff - but 15 years ago we found a lot of interesting and varied shops in Aruba.

Pamela

Cabo, I have done the glass blowing factory before, with Princess cruises, it is very interesting and nice to view, but its over and done fairly quickly, and then to the shop to purchase glass, good for kids to see, but not a long tour, unless changed.

Acapulco, I think due to the location of the fort and market a lot of people will do this, there both very close indeed, in fact the port side of the ship will look directly into the fort, ( so put your clothes on)

 

[dahuffy]

That sounds nice. I had bought a Blue dress quite awhile ago.........hoping to lose the weight. No such luck and I can't get it made to fit. I probaly will wait till a month before we go.

Just got back from the taylor. First dress,no problem...take in 2" on each side and hem. Second dress(Black and White one) needs more done. It's a 16W and I really needed a 20W,so he has to add in a good size chunk at the sides (the "girls" don't fit ) and hem it up.

 

[dahuffy]

That's not fluff, it's burgers.

Here's some real "Fluff"!!!

 

[dahuffy]

Sorry if discussed & discussed.......... will we have an idea on theme nights and such before we book on line next week on the 19th?? TIA

doubt it

 

[captaincrash]

...[ed]...

I used to audit banks and one of my former clients told me a story not too long ago about a customer who was questioned about large wire transfers out of the country. This twenty-something unemployed female convinced her parents to take out a home-equity loan for around $10,000 and she wired that money overseas to an "attorney". After this succesful wire, she came back in a few days later to wire another $10,000 but was stopped by one of the bank employees who asked her why she needed to wire more cash overseas.

Being completely sincere, the lady said that she was going to be a millionaire once she got her inheritence from a long lost relative who passed away in England. The relative's "attorney" had sent an email asking to cover the estate tax on her inheritence. She did that and now the attorney was asking for one more to cover remaining expenses before she got the money wired to her. The lady was angry at the bank for not wiring the money as it was hers to do with what she wanted. The bank manager explained to her that this was a fraud, and to contact an attorney. The lady said she had an attorney (her relative's attorney in England), and continued to demand that she be able to wire the money. Finally, the bank manager asked her to go to the local police and if the police said it was okay, she would wire the money. She never returned. I guess all it takes is one naive person every several thousand for these scammers to keep it up.

Andrew -- was that you who received a wire from a small bank in Kansas for $10,000?

Kind of a bad day in some ways - and maybe a good day at the same time. Yesterday I had a very busy day as I had several calls from folks I do business with and they were either asking odd questions until finally I uncovered that they were asking indirect questions related to someone I had business dealings with about 7 years ago. It seems this "person" was approaching several colleauges with some kind of "business" proposal of amazing merit.

Well... I severed my relatonship 7+ years ago because I had unconvered that this "person" had a very very dark and desperate heart - and in brief was deemed to be a litigation hazard in the extreme. Sometimes, it takes a little while to fully reveal / uncover what seems to be the truth about someone.

OK... so I did some research on current activity for this "person"... and I discovered without being surprised - but at the same time I was deeply saddened to uncover the details. So I found that this "person" has had litigation begun against him for his dealings in a Ponzi scheme that has defrauded individuals of an estimated $300 million. The chief behind this operation is already behind bars with the FBI awaiting final court proceedings - but the "person" I'm talking about is still free and named as a harming party. One of two leading sales people in the deals evidently. I wonder why these dummies didn't have the good sense to change thier names?

So, one specific example cited a senior resident in his 80s who was led to obtain a mortgage on his home to invest the proceeds in this Ponzi scheme. The poor fellow lost $275,000 and is struggling to make mortgage payments in his 80s!!! How can anyone do something like that to someone in his 80s?!?!? And the data I've seen cites that these ponzi scheme sales people were primarily targeting senior citizens. This is really bad despicable stuff.

It burns me up to see things like this - and to think that the people behind this do it ... for WHAT!? Because they NEED the money? No... as I understand it they just pile it up and blow it on silly material escapades. It's not as if someone were building a self perpetuating scholarship or helping someone terminally ill. Of course - my suggestion that anyone would prey upon others to actually HELP anyone is preposterous... I know. I've sort of always thought that beyond a certain level of wealth - any excess is superfulous.

At any rate - it almost gives me a headache to think about how I'm going to deal with this info with regard to my colleauges - except to simply pass along those elements that are FACTS in this matter - and remind everyone that we have no need to involve ourselves with someone whos' been tainted for near a decade (or longer) - and now appears to be clearly neck deep in the filthy muck of their own creation.

This is not the 1st time I've seen sales people turn nasty and predatory with a ponzi scheme or other bad conduct. In both Ponzi scheme instances a recent bypass surgery procedure led the individual I knew to turn extremely bad. It seems when someone who is mildly suspicious to begin with stares their own mortality in the mirror - they figure nows the time to act without ANY regard for their actions.... and in the process destroy as many as they can in pursuit of something I don't really understand. it defies any reasoning I can seriouisly imagine.

This sort of thing really annoys me - just like the idea of the young girl in Kansas who wired $10K to thieves overseas. Good thing the bank people refused to follow her demands to wire more until she spoke to the police.

These scum really are a drag on our culture advancing into a higher (or decent) state for all.

Forgive me for rambling.... it just leaves me in a near indescribable state.

So why is this a good day? Because I caught wind of this activity and I'm going to put a stop to it sucking in anyone I know in business (as best i can).

I need to get some chicken soft tacos.....

 

[dahuffy]

So, I was sitting at my desk and suddenly there was this loud rattling sound - a low vibration and what sounded like wind. I opened the window - big mistake. The lights went out. There was this giant roar. I staggered backwards as a giant funnel cloud entered the room with the force of an F5 tornado and siphoned money from one of my credit cards. I reached forward to grab it, but it was too late - the funds were gone.

Still dizzy, I'm even now struggling to catch my breath. I know I may never recover from the trauma of the experience, but I know that time will heal this. Time, and the sure knowledge that I am now paid in full.....

 

[dahuffy]

LOL!
I went thru the same sort of situation today.. we're paid in full as of today also!

Ofcourse we have to pay the credit card off but we can pay most of it now and if DH keeps getting overtime like he has lately- we'll have it paid off soon. *fingers crossed*

 

[buckifan]

Cabo, I have done the glass blowing factory before, with Princess cruises, it is very interesting and nice to view, but its over and done fairly quickly, and then to the shop to purchase glass, good for kids to see, but not a long tour, unless changed.

I'm just curious, Andrew.....was the factory really HOT? I'm thinking Cabo in August will already be hot, and I took a couple of glass blowing classes in college. I still remember how terribly hot it was near those furnaces. Now, Cheryl would love it.

 

[dahuffy]

I've been finding the same thing - UGLY and way too much black! I already have a black dress - I am trying to find something colorful and fun and maybe even a little "princessy" for the cruise. Of course, it doesn't help that I am only 5'3" and a little overwieght, so many of the dresses designed for tall, thin people look REALLY bad on me.... Also at 43 years old, I don't really feel comfortable in strapless anymore - just looks too young and accents my slightly drooping upper arms!

Pamela

Oh Pamela,you and I could be twins...7 yrs apart! I'm going to see if I can find a "Bolero" style jacket to cover the arms or maybe a shawl.

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

I'm just curious, Andrew.....was the factory really HOT? I'm thinking Cabo in August will already be hot, and I took a couple of glass blowing classes in college. I still remember how terribly hot it was near those furnaces. Now, Cheryl would love it.

Now this a few years back, so from memory and could have changed a bit, Cabo itself was very very hot that day and it was May.

I remember being tendered across ,by the larger boats, that undertake the sea tours, not the little tender boats, they took us over in bulk very quickly.

We picked up our tour bus and there were a few and they all did the sights in different orders to avoid overcrowding, we saw a big church, I think in San Jose del Cabo, very nice, ( maybe a cathedral).

Then we went to the glassblowing factory, I remember it being fairly small, an old factory, you walk in one side, and you are behind a barrier, cant remember if it was behind glass, maybe, and we saw the furness going, and people making the glass mailable to work and turning it into ornaments. They used different colors.

Now I say I remember Cabo very hot and the dry heat, the glassblowing factory was also hot, we walked through and then you basically went into a tourist shop.

After we went to a hotel with views of the Princess ship mored in the waters of Cabo, had a drink and a snack and then went back to the Market of cabo.

Nice trip, I enjoyed the glassblowing factory, but its 'satisfactory' to see, nothing special. Away from the sea breeze the hotel was so so hot.

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

- follow up to crash sorry didn't quote,

Andrew -- was that you who received a wire from a small bank in Kansas for $10,000?

I see those so often these spam e.mails take a few people on my Phishing filter knocks most out, I see people taken in often by these, often by greed, long lost relative left you funds, or the usual we are updating our security, tell us all your details.

Its amazing what people will release in information for the chance of getting some money, I have had spam Lottery ones myself asking me to go to a dud website to update my details.

I even had one from a Julie of New York asking me to pay her cruise bills off.

 

[maine_jennifer]

So, I was sitting at my desk and suddenly there was this loud rattling sound - a low vibration and what sounded like wind. I opened the window - big mistake. The lights went out. There was this giant roar. I staggered backwards as a giant funnel cloud entered the room with the force of an F5 tornado and siphoned money from one of my credit cards. I reached forward to grab it, but it was too late - the funds were gone.

Still dizzy, I'm even now struggling to catch my breath. I know I may never recover from the trauma of the experience, but I know that time will heal this. Time, and the sure knowledge that I am now paid in full.....

TMI WARNING!

Strapless it way better than stick on!

My aformentioned princess dress has a halter neckline and corsette lacing up the back, so part of the back is open to the waist (a narrow strip, but open nonetheless). Please pass the duct tape.

I have to say the more I think about it the more I'm looking forward to just heading to the beach at Cabo. <sigh> I live 5 blocks from the Atlantic and a beautiful beach but never go. But get me on a cruise and off to some far away place and I'm all excited for the beach. Go figure.

 

[sk8ingmom]

I'm just curious, Andrew.....was the factory really HOT? I'm thinking Cabo in August will already be hot, and I took a couple of glass blowing classes in college. I still remember how terribly hot it was near those furnaces. Now, Cheryl would love it.

Glass blowing! What? Was Underwater Basket Weaving already closed out?

OK, I'll admit - I took 3 sailing classes in college.

I even had one from a Julie of New York asking me to pay her cruise bills off.

So did my solicitation for contributions to the Sk8ingboys Hockey Training Fund escape your spam filter???

 

[Michelle2]

- follow up to crash sorry didn't quote,

I see those so often these spam e.mails take a few people on my Phishing filter knocks most out, I see people taken in often by these, often by greed, long lost relative left you funds, or the usual we are updating our security, tell us all your details.

Its amazing what people will release in information for the chance of getting some money, I have had spam Lottery ones myself asking me to go to a dud website to update my details.

I even had one from a Julie of New York asking me to pay her cruise bills off.

Wow...that's awful!

 

[bellelinus]

- follow up to crash sorry didn't quote,

I see those so often these spam e.mails take a few people on my Phishing filter knocks most out, I see people taken in often by these, often by greed, long lost relative left you funds, or the usual we are updating our security, tell us all your details.

Its amazing what people will release in information for the chance of getting some money, I have had spam Lottery ones myself asking me to go to a dud website to update my details.

I even had one from a Julie of New York asking me to pay her cruise bills off.

I really appreciated you doing so, as well, Andrew . . . just don't get taken in by the real scammers . . .

 

[A Litle Pixie Dust]

Ok..here is what we have currently:

Cabo - Currently booked on Lands End tour - I have been looking at this excursion for over 6 years from various cruises we have taken and each time - we cancel!) So..we have booked again and am seriously considering it. Then over to Cabo Wabo.

PV - Nothing scheduled..been there done that several times..will just walk around.

Acapulco - Cliff Divers and City Tour

Panama Canal - Drinking Games

Cartagena - Deluxe Cartagena (I know what you mean about the shopping - but unfortunately - we don't want to do this port on our own)

Aruba - renting a car and booked the Atlantis Submarines on our own.


Ta Dah!


Just home from the school advisor...DD doing well and right on track...