To many stupid people on the Internet. Here is my guide.

1. Don't wire or western union anyone, ever.
2. Don't use your debit card online. Get an actual (secured if credit is bad) credit card and use it. Credit cards have tough consumer protection laws, you will get your money back (minus 50 bucks at worst), debit does not have those laws. It is possibly the safest way to pay online.
3. Something free does not require a credit card. If a site asks for your card, it is for the purpose to charge you at some point.
4. Paypal is not a bank nor are they under any of the consumer protection laws that apply to banks. Don't use your main bank account with them, get a separate account without overdraft protection. Pay with your credit card - not your account. See 2, trust me, those laws are better then any shiny claims on any web site.
5. Read the Terms of Service. Always.
6. Have a safe password. Think of a phrase or sentence that has personal meaning to you and use the first letter of each word plus a number.
7. You can tell if you have won the lottery by checking the numbers on your game slip. If you have no game slip, you probably didn't play. And that means you didn't win. Not even in Europe. See also 1.
8. If you have never gotten an email from your bank/credit card company/insurance before and you didn't sign up for it, it is probably fake.
9. Learn what the little lock in the bottom corner of your browser means.
10. Nobody wants to send you millions of dollars. See 1.

So I got bored with the normal pumpkin patterns. Tools were a Dremel and a computer for the pattern (basically enhanced contrast, soften the s*** out of it and reduce to 3 colors). 45 mins later I had this. It's supposed to be Rick Astley.

I guess this is one of the more odd items in my collection. A USB powered cold-cathode florescent desk lamp. The price was at $16 bucks a bit more then I usually would spend on a useless item, but the interesting design and the question on how bright 500mA (the max output of an USB port) can be made me buy it.

The light is a bit more solid and heavy then the picture made me expect, but to answer the 500mA question - not that bright. The thin cold cathode tube does look pretty cool tho, but unfortunately so is the light it gives off - cold with a slight blue/purple tint.

Overall I still think this light is pretty cool, especially in connection with my notebook - I can setup my desk anywhere!

So a few days ago we noticed that Quoth's ear was all ballooned up and it turns out that a blood vessel in his ear had ruptured. Not entirely uncommon, but did require some surgery and may still leave his ear permanently disfigured. Luckily, Quoth has to this day not figured out what a mirror is, so I have a feeling he will be just fine.

Anyway, to at least get some fun out of my almost $500 vet bill, here's the Quoth Fail Cat picture (click on the picture & vote for him!):



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