The 99 Club: Neither Happy nor Content...

Once upon a time, there lived a King who, despite his luxurious lifestyle, was neither happy nor content. One day, the King came upon a servant who was singing happily while he worked.

This fascinated the King; why was he, the Supreme Ruler of the Land, unhappy and gloomy, while a lowly servant had so much. The King asked the servant, "Why are you so happy?"

The man replied, "Your Majesty, I am nothing but a servant, but my family and I don't need too much - just a roof over our heads and warm food to fill our tummies."

The king was not satisfied with that reply. Later in the day, he sought the advice of his most trusted advisor. After hearing the King's woes and the servant's story, the advisor said, "Your Majesty, I believe that the servant has not been made part of The 99 Club."

"The 99 Club? And what exactly is that?" the King inquired. The advisor replied, "Your Majesty, to truly know what The 99 Club is, place 99 Gold coins in a bag and leave it at this servant's doorstep."

When the servant saw the bag, he took it into his house. When he opened the bag, he let out a great shout of joy... so many gold coins!

He began to count them. After several counts, he was at last convinced that there were 99 coins. He wondered, "What could've happened to that last gold coin? Surely, no one would leave 99 coins!" He looked everywhere he could, but that final coin was elusive. Finally, exhausted, he decided that he was going to have to work harder than ever to earn that gold coin and complete his collection.

From that day, the servant's life was changed. He was overworked, horribly grumpy, and castigated his family for not helping him make that 100th gold coin. He stopped singing while he worked. Witnessing this drastic transformation, the King was puzzled. When he sought his advisor's help, the advisor said, "Your Majesty, the servant has now officially joined The 99 Club."

He continued,

"The 99 Club is a name given to those people who have enough to be happy but are never contented, because they're always yearning and striving for that extra 1 telling to themselves: "Let me get that one final thing and then I will be happy for life." We can be happy, even with very little in our lives, but the minute we're given something bigger and better, we want even more! We lose our sleep, our happiness, we hurt the people around us; all these as a price for our growing needs and desires."

That's what joining "The 99 Club" is all about.

Millionaire Mail I - Interesting Phisher Reply

This is the follow up or the Part 2 of the Millionaire Mail blog I post 2 days ago. Check it out if you missed it,

http://houstonvijai.sulekha.com/blog/post/2007/04/millionaire-mail-i.htm

As I mentioned in my previous post, I think I got reeled in the Phishing boat now. Here is the interesting reply from the scammer.

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From:"humphrey lama" humphrey_lama1@yahoo.com
Subject:What to do....read carefully
To:helpindia2007@yahoo.com

My Dear,


Thanks for your mail.Before we proceed l would like you to have an insight of what this transaction is all about.It all about a transfer of fund which belong to one of our foreign custormer in the Bank.The deceased customer died in a plane crash together with his family. (Sure, I can understand)

Based on my personal banking experience, it had happened in the past, when a customer died and after several years the fund automatically transferred to the bank treasury as unclaimed fund, that experience ignited my thought to this deal.

It is my pleasure to inform you that this transaction is also 100% risk free, you should not entertain any atom of fear because I’m here to feed you with the whole information that might be required during the period of this transaction, in as much as you obey my instruction, success will be ours sooner than your expected.I cannot make this claim alone except with a foreigner.

I am just an average civil servant here in the bank and wouldn't like to miss this Golden opportunity.I want you to tell me more about your status because we are now partners.I would like to know more about your self.We have to develop our friendship strongly so that our partnership will be a successful one.I promise I will not let you down.

I want you to know that this transaction is going to join our families together because I will quit my job after the money has been successfully transferred to your account and I make sure I delete all necessary information’s regarding this transaction in the banks file to avoid any trace. (Yeah, we will have barbacue party in bahamas)

I will join you once the fund is credited into your account.I don’t want you to leak this secret to outsiders so that our secret will be forever to avoid any body knowing how we made our fortune.In all your correspondences with the bank,you don't let the bank know that you have any contact with me as that may create room for suspicion.

I hope you will continue in your honesty while I promise to do my best to see that we are victorious. We don't need to delay so much because the bank has already made it clear that this fund will be transferred to the reserve bank of Burkina Faso by the end of this fiscal year auditing.

This transaction will not last more than two to three weeks once you follow my instructions.I pray we will invest wisely once this fund is remitted.

For us to proceed I need the following information:(OK, am I an idiot or stupid to send all those info)

YOUR BANK NAME:
YOUR BANK FULL ADDRESS:
THE ACCOUNT NUMBER:
ACCOUNT HOLDER NAME:
YOUR HOME OR OFFICE ADDRESS:
MARRIAGE STATUS(SINGLE OR MARRIED OR DIVORCED)
YOUR PHONE AND FAX NUMBER:
YOUR OCCUPATION:
YOUR AGE:

With this information I will prepare an Application Claim for you.You will in turn send the application claim to the bank once you get it.

Reply me as soon as possible.

Yours Truly,

Humphrey Lama

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WOW! What a sweet little risk free email to get me fried up in the barbacue grill.. I am going to make it more fun out of this one..

Here is my reply to the phisher..

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Hello Mr.Humphrey Lama

Thank you for your kind reply. I went thru your email and I have my own doubts. How did you consider me as the only person for this business proposal? I also like in two way communication. There should always two communication.. How can I believe you ? Is there anyway I can trust your with any of your references or such kind..

Please help me to score an honest opinion about you which will be helpful for both of us..

Thanks

VIJAI

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I hope to receive an confidential proof email to move forward.. Will keep you guys updated...

My Dental Appointment...

Ooh My, Ooh my.. What a weird feeling it was?!! I still couldn't feel a thing in my mouth. Its all numb as a hard brick and seems so different. I feel like my mouth is swollen like Mrs. Doubtfire make up mouth(aavaishanmugi mouth)

Today, it was really a little nervous one for me. It started off really well with morning workout but there was something gonna in the back of my mind.

Its been trying to warn me, "You have a Dental appointment today. There is going to be heavy drilling on your mouth. Its not going to pleasant day".

Actually I was never a penchant to procrastinate things. I always want to get things taken care of immediately and go past it. But when it comes to dental work, I think I am a neophyte and more to say kinda of chicken like anybody else(sorry to include you guys). I been pushing this for too long(more than 9months)and it had to get done now.

I guess I am little nervous but at same time I thought I can do this. So I decided to get it done and fixed the appointment for today.

The man in me tells, "Why do you worry so much, just get it done. You can take that pain". At the same time, I hear a deep kid voice from the corner telling me, " You are afraid aren't you. I know you are."

I took a hour permission and reached the dental office on time for the appointment. I keep telling myself, "Vijai, don't worry. You can do it.. Its not going to hurt bad.."

I was waiting in the room and I hear the assistant voice calling me, "VJ are you ready. Lets go in".

I am like, "Yeah, sure.." That call ticked me off.. My heart beat starting to raise slowly, "lub-DUP ...... lub-DUP ....... lub-DUP ... lub-DUP"

I tried to calm it down by going to the bathroom first and getting to the patient chair. I don't know what to expect.. I never done a dental work in years. I mean years, actually I never done one which I can remember. Its the first time I am ever going to give my mouth for a good drill. (I am pretty good care taker..I guess)

Dr. start to prepare my mouth for some injection. She asked me that "Are you ok with numbing most of your mouth? I have to put too many injections."

I said, "Its ok. Go ahead" (I said to myself, ulla errangiyachu jaan pouna enna mozhum enna) I don't have a big option, its better to do all since I am already in. I asked her with slow voice, "its going to hurt a lot". She is like, "nope I am not going to tell you. You will find out soon"

She is hide something and trying to bring close to my mouth. Its the big injection, I happen to see it finally. A injection with 3-4 inch long needle which I only seen it to used for pets.

I am like "No, no.. Thats going to hurt.." My heart starting to beat fast enough to say STOP, I start to sweat top to bottom and I couldn't control myself. But she just went right ahead and pinched it.. I am like, what.. that wasn't bad..

There is the another one and then the another one.. Totally 3 injections to numb all nerves of the mouth.. I totally didn't expect it.

Alright, they started off to work as soon my mouth is fully out of sense... She kept taking different drills with sharp needles and start to drill away my decay's. She kept asking me to open the mouth full. It such a weird thing that your full mouth is numb and you can't feel a thing. I don't know what the heck I am doing. One point, I even bite her. I couldn't feel a thing except some sensitivity and vibration.

Somehow she got it all figured out and one by one, just completed them drilling and start to fill them up with glues and composites. Then they put a big hair dryer type thig to dry off the glue and composite. Let it dry for a while and finally she gave the touch up to grind the side to make things look better..

After an hour of mechanical work in my mouth. She said "You are all done. It wasn't too bad. You did good. I felt like, "yah thats right. It was pretty ok". I was worried about aftermaths but she said you will be soreness and sensitivity but it won't be too bad..

It wasn't too bad comparing to pulling the teeth out which I think will never opt as an option.. But it was really weird feeling to get dental work done. Do you think I am a chicken or like everybody else when it comes dental work?