Awesome Job by my Bank Account

My bank account did an amazing job of monitoring suspicious activities on my account. Last week, I bought a wedding present for a friend in the U.K. I rarely buy from overseas, so they sent me this message:




Dear Ms. 007 in Africa;

On regular basis, our Security Department review credit card accounts for activities that may be outside members’ normal purchase patterns. This is done in order to provide protection against the possible unauthorized use of members’ credit card accounts.

They have been unable to contact you to verify a recent transaction appearing in your credit card ending in XXX. Consequently, our Security Department has placed protective restriction on the account until you call or email us to verify the transaction(s) and confirm possession of your credit card. Please reply to this email or call our Security Department immediately at the number (555) 555-5555 (toll-free); if overseas you can call (555) 555-5555 in order to verify the following transactions(s):

05/19/09 $YY.YY “Randomwedding registry.COM” LONDON (GB)

To unblock your account, please provide the last four digits of your social security number and date of birth. Please disregard this email if you have already contacted us. If you have not been engaged in the above transaction(s), please contact our “Lost/Stolen Department” at the number 1-800-555-5555.

Please help us to serve you better letting us know of your travel plans at creditcard@randomaddress.org.

Thank you very much for your assistance. We regret any possible inconvenience caused you by this effort to prevent the unauthorized use of your account.

Sincerely,
Card Services



I have to say, I'm impressed!

OnBeing 2

And here is Gladys Mitchell, remembering Martin Luther King Jr's and his legacy, in 3 minutes 48 seconds.

http://specials.washingtonpost.com/mv/onbeing/53/

OnBeing

Check out this series from Washingtonpost.com where they interview kooky people with interesting points of view: OnBeing.

My favorite so far is an interview with Edward Fahnbulleh, a janitor from Liberia, who works two jobs because "he's not tired yet", and he can give money back to his friend at home to build a school and pay teachers. He seems like he's just having the time of his life!

http://specials.washingtonpost.com/mv/onbeing/69/

Portrait Project

I just learned that some pictures I took from the Congo, and later donated for a Silent Auction, sold at Buy-Out price. OK, so it was for my high school, but still, I'm encouraged to continue taking pictures. I'd really like to start with a portrait idea I have in my head.

I would like to take pictures of my friends. I'm not talking about the kind of pictures that you would put in your yearbook (looking stiff, a little fake, and overdressed), but rather, the ones that display people's personalities subtly, and in a simple and repetitive way.

I'd like my friends to pose against a white sheet against the wall (or on the porch), and a small chair. We'll see how it turns out.

I like how portrait photography can either be highly polished like that of Annie Leibovitz or raw and honest like Diane Arbus.

Source

My Favorite Place by My House

This is the Hi Market right around the corner from my house. It always makes me giggle when I walk by it. True to its name, it sells salty snacks, sports juices, and cigarettes.



This is the basketball court and the super bright kids' park I can see from my barred window. Sadly, a lot of drug deals and shootings happen right there, as it is surrounded by a lot of low income housing, dark street alleys, and has a number of unkempt yards that are ideal for stashing drugs.