Phishers use to take pride in their work....

Maybe I'm just getting old.  But Phishers used to take a little pride in their work, writing in actual English and having something plausible in the message.  No more.  I just got this:

Dear Duke webmail User, 
 
There are security check on our Duke webmail database system and have you online access disabled, pending the confirmation of you sign details. 

Click the link below to confirm and type in the confirmation number: 1265-6778-8250 along with various informations in the portal of entry. 

Click here http://****** 

Please ensure you username and password details are correctly, to avoid losing your email account access preturnally. However, your access would be restored after this confirmation.

 Duke Security Department. 

2013® services are provided by Duke.

Seriously? The email is "from" a young woman at Baylor Medical School (not her fault, obviously they are spoofing her email address).  But why would a young woman at Baylor Medical School be sending this out?  Wouldn't you at least take the time to spoof a Duke email address?

The sad part is that I'm sure that some of my...shall we say..."senior" colleagues clicked through on this.

Shady Dealings

A list of email terms, in emails internally that are likely to reveal something is rotten in that company.

The reason that may be a problem is that the FBI can read your emails.

Of course, they don't have to read them, they can just search for those character strings that identify badniks.

Nod to Jay L., in Kenya.

The nonsense math effect

The nonsense math effect

Kimmo Eriksson, Judgment and Decision Making, November 2012, Pages 746–749

Abstract:  Mathematics is a fundamental tool of research. Although potentially applicable in every discipline, the amount of training in mathematics that students typically receive varies greatly between different disciplines. In those disciplines where most researchers do not master mathematics, the use of mathematics may be held in too much awe. To demonstrate this I conducted an online experiment with 200 participants, all of which had experience of reading research reports and a postgraduate degree (in any subject). Participants were presented with the abstracts from two published papers (one in evolutionary anthropology and one in sociology). Based on these abstracts, participants were asked to judge the quality of the research. Either one or the other of the two abstracts was manipulated through the inclusion of an extra sentence taken from a completely unrelated paper and presenting an equation that made no sense in the context. The abstract that
included the meaningless mathematics tended to be judged of higher quality. However, this "nonsense math effect" was not found among participants with degrees in mathematics, science, technology or medicine.

Interesting.  Reminds me of this famous wannabe incident... Though from the other side, in a way.  Sokal was using fake words to fool lit people.  Eriksson is using fake math to fool social scientologists.

Nod to Kevin Lewis

Video Links

1. Free "Pussy Riot." Because PR is in jail for hooliganism. For doing this.
More info from the Nation (Thanks to R. Balko, via Angry Alex)

2. Baby Boomers Born to Be Wild

3. Oddly angry video on "IRS Fraud." Don't see why it's IRS fraud. Congress be writin' them statutes, bud.

Fraud! Fraud most FOUL....

A fraud was perpetrated. A most foul fraud.

It was perpetrated by...ME! How embarrassing.

Convinced that "Curt" was just some troll, whining about being denied his prize, I checked, and....darn.

The following people appear to have qualified to win the prize, but got...nothing.

Scott E.
Susan S.
Christoph B.
Curt G.

So, send me an email to mcmunger at gmail dot com, with a physical address, and I'll immediately send you signed "rubber glove" photo, AND a vintage (long hair) MM4NCGOV bumper sticker, with my apologies.

And, Curt G., way to nurse that (fully justified) grudge for almost two years. Instead of sending a follow up email (Where's my damned shirt!?) you nailed me good. You are right, and I was wrong. Well played.