A Matter of Life and Breath

MacKenzie Carpenter of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has written an interesting article on one of life's little concerns which is a big deal to those affected ...

When you open your mouth these days, be careful. You may be, in the words of an American Dental Association report, emitting "malodorous products of oral bacterial putrefaction."

In other words, bad breath.

In our appearance-obsewssed culture, looking bad is certainly to be avoided, but smelling bad is almost an indictable offense, one that has led to a veritable boom in mouthwashes, breath strips, home kits and clinic treatments -- not to mention fierce competition by dental experts to promote their products.

"Get your breath tested in person by Dr. Katz on Valentine's Day!" crows the Web site of Dr. Harold Katz, a native of Sharon who spent his freshman year at the University of Pittsburgh.

Today, though, as a Los Angeles dentist and founder of California Breath Clinics, he bills himself as "the world's leading bad breath expert." He most recently appeared Feb. 14 at an Eckerd's Pharmacy in Manhattan on behalf of his TheraBreath system, which is described, quite simply, as "the most complete scientific breath control treatment kit available anywhere in the world."

Dr. Mel Rosenberg of SmellWell.com ("Smell Well with Dr. Mel") might beg to differ. A professor of microbiology at Tel Aviv University and sometime musician -- he recently released a romantic jazz album titled "The Aroma of You" -- Dr. Mel, as he's known, is the inventor of Dentyl pH mouthwash, which he says is the second-best-selling mouthwash in the United Kingdom and the only product "that you can actually see working. You shake it and rinse with it and the oil in the mouthwash binds with the bacteria and debris, and when you spit it out in the sink, you can see the junk on the droplets ..."

Hold it right there, Dr. Mel. Your products aren't available in the United States yet, so let's move on to Dr. Israel Kleinberg, distinguished professor of oral biology and pathology at Stony Brook University on Long Island, N.Y. and inventor of the just released "SmartMouth."

This particular mouthwash, which touts 24-hour protection, is actually similar to Dr. Katz's patented Therabreath system although it touts zinc rather than oxygen as its main ingredient. It doesn't kill bacteria -- a no-no in advanced microbiological circles -- but works by "rebalancing the flora" in the mouth, Dr. Kleinberg says. Fine, counters Dr. Katz, but SmartMouth requires mixing two liquids together. His product doesn't.

So what's a sufferer of bad breath -- or oral malodor, as it's commonly known by scientists -- to do?

"For the vast majority of people, it's best to brush and floss properly twice a day," says Betty Onik, an instructor in the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine. While the above-mentioned products work by neutralizing the mouth's bacteria that cause bad breath, they're less effective for someone with advanced gum, or periodontal, disease.

And since 75 percent of the adult population has some form of periodontal disease, the best way to prevent bad breath -- not to mention gum transplants -- is brushing and flossing.

In a small percentage of cases, chronic bad breath is caused by stomach problems, post-nasal drip, diabetes or liver malfunction. Certain drugs may create dry mouth, which can exacerbate the problem. Diet, especially the low-to-no carb approach originally touted by Dr. Atkins, can sometimes be a factor.

"People always want to say, 'My bad breath is from something I ate,' and that is sometimes the case, but 90 percent of the time bad breath is due to poor oral hygiene," Ms. Onik said.

Using a product such as Listerine will help kill bacteria temporarily, she added, "but it won't take the place of floss. After all, you can't get your car clean by spraying it with a hose."

Regent Square dentist Dr. David Sultanov generally frowns on Listerine and other mouthwashes that contains alcohol, which he believes can aggravate bad breath in people with dry mouth problems "because it dries out the tongue even further, allowing more bacteria to grow."

However, he noted, there are other mouthwashes that don't contain alcohol, although he also steers clear of those that contain saccharine, preferring to use alternative products like Tea Tree Oil mouthwash.

"I'm Mr. Organic," he admits. "I don't like a lot of conventional toothpastes and mouthwashes. They have too many chemicals in them."

Still, too many dentists ignore a critical part of the mouth when it comes to bad breath, Dr. Kleinberg believes. It's a ridge along the back of the tongue that he calls "Breath Valley," where up to 70 percent of the bacteria that cause halitosis lurk. They can include such bad actors as hydrogen sulfide, which smells like rotten eggs; methyl mercaptan, which smells like stinky socks: indole and skatole, which smell like feces; and cadaverine, which smells like death.

But if in the course of brushing your teeth and gums, you also brush along "Breath Valley" -- tongue scrapers aren't that effective, he claims -- you'll go a long way toward eliminating these critters.

And for those who have bad breath but are blissfully unaware of it, Therabreath's Dr. Katz has come up with another solution: the "Tell-A-Friend" program, whereby his company will send an e-mail to the odiferous offender that will "very nicely" alert him or her about the problem, all the while protecting the identity of the accuser.

We've come a long way since Lavoris.

Are You an Internet Addict?

You know you're an internet addict if ...

You refer to going to the bathroom as downloading.

Your bookmark list takes 15 minutes to go from top to bottom.

Your nightmares are in HTML and GIFS.

You start introducing yourself as "Jim at net dot com."

Your heart races faster and beats irregularly each time you see a new WWW site address on TV.

You turn on your intercom when leaving the room so you can hear if new e-mail arrives.

All of your friends have an '@' in their names.

Your dog has its own home page.

You don't know the sex of three of your closest friends because they have neutral nicknames and you never bothered to ask.

Your husband tells you that he has had his new beard for over 2 months, and you just noticed.

You wake up at 3am to go to the bathroom and stop and check your e-mail on the way back to bed.

Your spouse makes a new rule: "The computer cannot come to bed."

You ask a plumber how much it would cost to replace the chair in front of your computer with a toilet.

Your wife says communication is important in a marriage... so you buy another computer and install a second phone line so the two of you can chat.

At Last, a Practical Mobile Scanner

The 21st century just got closer to a true portable office suite ...

To date, the difficult element to master has been a reliable scanner that operated in a feasible manner for everyday applications. Besides quality of reproduction, the other problem with mobile scanners has been cumbersome operation, ie- line-by-line image capturing that had no solution for input of graphics.

Enter the DocuPen from Planon System Solutions.

Craig Crossman of Knight Ridder Newspapers has provided a comprehensive review:

"Looking much like a quality pen, the RC800 is actually a 24-bit color scanner. With resolution from 100 to 400 dots per inch, this incredible little 1.75-ounce piece of technology lets you take a full-sized page and scan its entire contents into the pen in about 4 seconds.

"Unlike previous pen scanner models that scanned in only one or a few lines at a time via the tip of the pen, the RC800 uses its entire body length to scan in the complete page. Just move the pen from top to bottom, or left to right if it's a bound book.

"As you move the RC800, little multicolored indicator lights tell you if you are moving the pen at the correct speed during the scan as well as indicating battery level, scanning resolution and available memory. The pen's dual roller guiding system ensures you move the pen in a steady direction.

"The RC800 comes with 8 megabytes of flash memory that can store up to 100 pages of text. Images such as color photographs can take up more room. If 8 megabytes is not enough for your needs, you can insert an optional Micro SD Flash memory card into the pen. These tiny memory wafers are available in 128- and 256-megabyte sizes.

"Once the page is captured, you can offload the data into your computer by connecting the RC800 to a computer via its USB port. While connected, the pen recharges its lithium ion batteries for the next time.

"The included PaperPort software lets you display your color images and has the ability to convert any scanned-in text into actual text that you can edit in any word processor. This is known as optical character recognition, or OCR.

"The application offers other features as well, but if you plan to do more sophisticated editing, the images from the RC800 are in a standard format and can be used by almost any other application such as Adobe Photoshop.

"The DocuPen RC800 is an incredible piece of technology that even I find a bit difficult to believe possible. But it is, it's here now and you can have it for $299.99.

"The DocuPen RC800 is available in seven different colors including Blue Streak and Crimson Pearl.

"Currently, it works with Windows only."

Online Purchase Parameters Fortified and Simplified

An interesting ruling was made in the British Court of Appeals recently ...

The justices determined that British customers who use a credit card abroad or on the internet will be given the same protection as those who shop in Britain.

This decision allows purchasers to reclaim funds from their card company if the product they buy is faulty or does not arrive. As is the case in many countries, such a law already exists if goods are bought in Britain.

The plaintiff in the case was the government itself, on behalf of its consumers. The Office of Fair Trading targeted three representative credit card companies --- Lloyds TSB, Tesco Personal Finance and American Express --- in the court action for the purpose of expanding those rights to include purchased goods outside the United Kingdom or in cyberspace.

This decision can make issuers liable for credit card purchases over the internet from fraudulent foreign suppliers who failed to deliver. From their perspective, the original ruling had been expected to add £1billion in profits. However, now they're more accountable, not only to the cardholder, but to the transaction itself.

With this ruling, whether they like it or not, credit card companies operating in the United Kingdom cannot stake a claim to territory already occupied by cybercurrencies such as e-gold and e-Bullion. Payments via those methods are equivalent to tendering cash, ie- there is no way of having transactions reversed, even in case of a legitimate error or an unauthorized spend. Thus, a merchant can't be surprised by a chargeback at some distant point in time after a sale. If a refund or exchange is going to occur, it will be due to mutual agreement between vendor and customer.

The cybercurrencies contend that their services simplify transactions, and they're correct. This point, though, is one reason why anyone making purchases in cyberspace should only do so if they have a satisfactory history with the vendor or if the vendor's contact details are listed on their website.

American credit card companies are already liable for excessive phone service charges, such as those incurred by chat-line operators. They also assume a degree of liability for gambling debts accrued in cyberspace. Thus, many card issuers refuse to even accept such charges.

Obviously, to the informed cyber-consumer, a variety of options is becoming available for online commerce. It's clear that keeping a portfolio of e-currency services and credit cards allows one to be better prepared for the range of purchasing formats currently being offered online.

For merchants, though, the same variety can cost them lost revenues unless they are capable of accommodating every option. Here, again, is where the DXinOne system is presenting a solution. They're offering a program --- with the unwieldy name of DXGlobal Payment Console and the just as unwieldy acronym of DXGPC --- which combines all forms of payments into one processing system. The principle is to allow a vendor the ability to choose his currency of choice and know all payments will be received in that manner, which coincides nicely with DXiO's avowed objective of simplifying cyberspace transactions.

In a world where more efficiency is required to maximize the use of our time and resources, e-commerce simply has to become more reliable and consumer-friendly. The recent British court ruling is a step in the right direction, as is the development of universal payment consoles such as that being deployed by DXinOne.

Surfing Safety Surges Forward

Here's an article well worth any cyber-cruiser's attention ...

Brian Krebs of The Washington Post has found a new innovation in web-surfing safety:

"Security experts have long warned computer users to beware of links that come via instant messenger or e-mail, the most common ways for adware, spyware and other bad stuff to get into your PC.

"But few people think twice about the unfamiliar links that turn up after a Google, MSN or Yahoo! search and how those sites might also expose users to security risks.

"For the past few weeks, I've been surfing the Web with the help of SiteAdvisor, a beta-version browser add-on for Internet Explorer and Firefox that attempts to interpret the relative safety of Web sites that show up in search results.

"With SiteAdvisor installed, search listings are accompanied by color-coded icons, such as a red "X" that comes up next to sites that have had reports of suspicious or malicious activity. If you use Explorer and click on the link for one of those questionable sites, the program redirects you to a SiteAdvisor page that offers more information on the threat.

"Hover over the red "X" with your cursor arrow and a small window appears urging you to exercise "extreme caution" in visiting the site. If you then visit the site, a red dialogue box emerges that offers a brief description of why SiteAdvisor doesn't like it.

"SiteAdvisor also may assign a green check mark (all clear), a yellow exclamation point (some odd behavior found) or a gray question mark (not enough information to assign a rating). Regardless of the rating, hovering over a rating will produce a dialogue box that offers a "more info" link.

"I ran my test by searching for lyrics in Google. The result: two "X" listings, including one next to www.lyricsplanet.com.

"SiteAdvisor warned me that the site would try to install a plug-in that ranked high on SiteAdvisor's "nuisance score." Below the scoring meter, the site offers a link to a warning by anti-spyware vendor Pest Patrol that flags the plug-in as adware that will bombard the user with pop-up ads and track online activities.

"I decided to test SiteAdvisor's claims by allowing the plug-in to be installed. Almost immediately, the pop-ups appeared.

"Clicking on the "X" next to the other suspicious listing in my "lyrics" search results in Google -- a "sponsored link" paid for by www.rewardsgetaway.com -- I learned the site had been flagged because users who sign up can expect to receive no fewer than 134 e-mails a week as a result.

"SiteAdvisor knows this because it uses a unique e-mail address to register for sites that require e-mail addresses for registration and tracks the subsequent e-mails that arrive.

"SiteAdvisor also provides a graphic that shows which other sites have an advertising relationship with the Web site you're visiting. For example, SiteAdvisor says www.lyricsplanet.com is linked via advertising to a site the software had flagged as deceptive or fraudulent.

"Overall, SiteAdvisor does a good job. Still, its extensive database is not necessarily authoritative. I found a handful of Internet addresses that have been flagged by anti-virus and anti-spyware firms as serving up malicious software, or malware, that were marked "safe" by SiteAdvisor.

Cashing the Czech

Whether Robert Maxwell committed suicide or was murdered may never be known to the public ...

Suffice it to say the disgraced publishing magnate cheated so many people and financial institutions to such an extent that there wouldn't be a paucity of suspects if it was the latter. Born in Slatinske Dòly to poor parents as Jan Ludvick Hoch and Anglicizing his name when he migrated to Great Britain during World War II, Maxwell used the fog of combat to his advantage, picking off a scientific journal distributorship at a bargain rate. He soon parlayed that into more literary acquisitions and doing so with such aplomb, he even gained election to Parliament.

However, a trail of deceit began soon thereafter, which led to a High Court censorship, then to possible war crime allegations and, ultimately, to an amazing web of falsified balance sheets and deceptive bank loan collateral which masked Maxwell's mass looting of his own publishing empire's coffers. When all was about to come crashing down upon him, Maxwell was reported to have fallen overboard while yachting along the Canary Islands. His extensive double-dealing earned him the posthumous title of The Bouncing Czech.

Maxwell's bombastic ego, though, was authentic. He ached to be larger than life and to outdo any perceived rival, such as Australian billionaire Rupert Murdoch, whose own publishing empire spans the globe. Ironically, Maxwell tried to seize any opportunity to portray Murdoch as a low-life, casting himself as a higher-minded alternative to the conscientious consumer. Thus, to counter Murdoch's titillation-themed, Tory-leaning tabloid, the Sun, Maxwell ran his Daily Mirror as a seemingly kinder, gentler, Labour-oriented purveyor of similar stories.

Maxwell always ran a distant second in the United Kingdom's tabloid wars, so he was constantly looking for an edge with which to tweak Murdoch's operations and further convey the image --- however cynical --- of his holding the higher social and ethical ground. I can attest that, at least once, a blend of this obsession and his blowhard personality got the better of him.

It was a summer day in the mid-80s, and the prospects of secondary smoke being a health issue in the workplace were beginning to be accepted as fact. It was surely noble for Cap'n Bob --- as Maxwell was derisively known --- to be among the first to attempt an office-wide smoking ban. The Mirror's headquarters was no doubt better served, but it was clear his motives were for self-promotion rather than a genuine concern for his employees' welfare.

The first clue that this was the case was the boisterous manner by which Maxwell arbitrarily enforced the policy. Specifically, he loved to make a scene if it showed him in an authoritarian and positive light. Thus, when Cap'n Bob proclaimed a ban, he did it for maximum effect. In this instance, he decreed that anyone caught smoking in his building would be fired on the spot.

On this day, Maxwell was holding court for visitors of some dignified nature. He was guiding them through the Mirror facilities when a man hunched over a nearby photocopy machine caught his attention. The man had a cigarette dangling from his lips.

Cap'n Bob summoned his guests to follow him over there. Puffing his chest as he approached the man puffing away, Maxwell began his diatribe within steps of his quarry and gained decibels with each successive step.

"Sir!" he exclaimed, "How much do you make a month?"

The target of his wrath was caught off-guard. It took him a moment to confirm that Maxwell was speaking to him; actually, 'at him' would be more accurate.

"I asked you a question," Maxwell pressed, making sure that his guests totally understood who was in charge of the moment, "And I expect a prompt answer. How much do you make a month!"

"2000 quid," was the nervous response. "Why do you ask?"

"You're smoking!" was the roared retort. Cap'n Bob then reached into his pocket in preparation for the coup de grace. He pulled out a wad of bills, quickly sifted through £2000 and jammed it into the surprised man's shirt pocket.

"There's a month's wage! You're fired! Now, get out!"

Maxwell then stormed away, his cotillion of impressed guests following dutifully behind. A strong boss had surely made a firm point.

Left in the wake, the stunned man retrieved the stash of cash from his pocket, looked at it and then shook his head in amazement.

"I was just called here to repair the copier," he shrugged. He put the money in his pants pocket, flicked a few ashes to the ground, headed toward the front door and proceeded to his van. Perhaps he had more calls to make that day, but he probably opted to cancel them and make his way to a pub, instead.

The incident capsulized Cap'n Bob's act in a nutshell. He was all show, with little attention to detail. It was a harbinger that whenever someone paid close heed to his affairs, he'd be sunk.

I just didn't think it would happen so literally.

DXRegulation Format

I'm going to spend more time exploring the manner by which DXinOne intends to ensure the regulation of those DXMerchants who will operate their e-currency exchange system ...

GDT Inc --- the proprietors of DXinOne ('DXiO'), which is featured on the Opportunity page at the Longer Life website --- will soon require that anyone desiring to be a DXMerchant in their system establishes an International Business Corporation ('IBC') in Vanuatu. The basic premise of the IBC is accountability.

That the IBC is being domiciled in a tax haven is a fringe benefit.

The checks and balances of international financial compliance and legal treaties provides the basis of the regulatory system. Vanuatu is obviously a participant, or their licensed entities would have difficulty operating in other soverign states. Even though it's a smaller tax haven, it is very aware that the reach of greater powers' authority encompasses them. If you want an example of this point, look to the Turks & Caicos in the mid-80s, when the FBI swooped on their prime minister and other public officials for drug-running and money-laundering. That tax haven has never been the same since, costing it billions in lost business.

Survivable entities such as corporations and trusts are the vehicles best suited for operating in such a regulatory system. This is surely a concept that needs no further detail. Frankly, their chief officers are faceless unless there is an unusual personal dynamic they bring to the package. Otherwise, it is the corporate profile --- assets, activities and results --- which commands attention in the financial sector.

Thus, it is only logical that GDT wants any franchisees in DXiO to assume a corporate visage. It cements their accountability within an existing, enforceable regulatory system.

No assumptions are necessary.

When their public rollout begins in earnest, they'll be marketing their corporate image and related products. In a multi-million-dollar enterprise, what else would one expect? More to the point, the vital product they'll be marketing is a currency exchange verification system which practially eliminates the personal idiosyncracies of private financial transactions.

The premise of DXiO's institutional format providing comfort to the potential marketplace renders ironic any point regarding corporate personalization being a signficant factor in their acceptance and success.

As a consumer, your protection will come from the regulatory system. As a franchisee, your ultimate responsibility will be to the regulatory system. If any franchisee runs afoul of that system, he'll soon find himself in front of the authorities and held sternly accountable as much as the violators in other companies have been. If GDT runs afoul of that system, you will see other substantial parties --- as I've stated previously --- who are more than willing to replace them as proprietors of DXiO, an eventuality for the which legal process most certainly provides.

It remains a secondary point, but I'll repeat again that the DXiO website contains a text which confirms phone support and administrative details will ultimately be announced. As GDT has, to date, ultimately performed on their previous proclamations, I don't know why this one would be any different.

DXRegulation

Two e-currency services based in Texas have been suspended recently ...

INT Gold was raided by the FBI over allegations of missing depositors' funds. EMO ('Electronic Money Orders') had their assets seized by the state authorities for roughly the same thing. It seems both operations were functioning without affording proper attention to their appropriate regulatory bodies. In Texas, for example, they needed a 'money services license' granted by the state. I'm not sure about INT Gold, which held deposits in bullion form, but EMO clearly didn't.

If an e-currency service is going to succeed, it needs the public's trust. The key to doing so is to become incorporated into an acceptable and verifiable means of regulation.

This point seems to be well understood by the most thorough e-currency accounting system, DXinOne, which is featured on the Opportunity page at the Longer Life website. Their approach regarding the regulation to which I'm referring is solely that of their setting parameters for the franchisees. The regulation of DXiO is already in place.

I'm accustomed to offshore operations. As such, I'm comfortable with the DXiO proprietors' --- Global Digital Transfers Inc ('GDT') --- filings and sanctions. They are subject to the laws of Vanuatu, and as they allow dollar-based transactions in their jurisdiction, they have a measure of legal accountability to the American government (among others) as to the legitimacy of entities and operations they license. That is evident in abundance, from extradition treaties to correspondent banking agreements and the internal account monitoring inherent therein.

I'm impressed with the DXiO model. It is an idea whose time --- if it isn't now --- will soon be at hand. I'm not particularly concerned whether or not it succeeds under the stewardship of GDT. Should they falter (which I doubt, incidentally), there will be another solid entity or syndicate to pick up the gauntlet and continue the DXiO operations. Why? Because there is intrinsic value in the proprietary cyber-accounting system they have created and deployed. I don't know if you've checked the markets for operative cyber-products lately, but there is a veritable plethora of funds available from a number of sources who are aggressively looking to acquire the type of system that GDT possesses.

So, from my perspective, the long-term prospects of DXiO are sound.

The beta-test phase of their development has been interesting. One of my earliest postings here made note of their egalitarian format. It's a noble ideal, but virtually every flaw encountered has seemingly been due to that ideal. GDT's low-balling of its communications budget --- they need to hire proficient wordsmiths, among other things --- didn't help the matter, but having said that, a look into their five-year body of work would have given ample indications as to their long-term objectives. That it has survived the beta foibles almost completely intact is noteworthy.

Correspondingly, the prudent manner of franchisee operation has always been there, as well. I noted in a posting a few months ago that a review of their first year's screenshots made very clear the 'credit and storage system' format of the DXiO portfolio facility. Thus, the very nature of rational credit management was quickly established by GDT as a key factor in portfolio husbandry. All anyone had to do was take heed, note the hybrid variables of stock margin fundamentals which have been included in their formula and then comply.

Now, there is consternation from those who have been operating as DXMerchants, handling the exchanging of funds into and out of the DXiO system, about a $950 fee being implemented to maintain a form of DXiO franchise. I do not understand that reaction. Let's set aside, for the moment, the inference that anyone who has been active in the DXiO system for over a year and who has entertained long-term visions of involvement has had ample opportunity to draw an inference that the 'storage' portion of the program was most likely there to accrue resources for the purpose of eventually absorbing increased operations costs. Instead, let's focus on two objectives that such a requirement addresses:

1. Each franchisee will come under the authority of a bona fidé government, encompassing its legal adherence to international standards and its accompanying rules of conduct; and so,

2. Each franchisee will be more attuned to a higher level of accountability within the DXiO system.

In colloquial terms, this will be the start of separating the players from the pretenders. The beta phase has never been about lighting cigars, it's been about seizing opportunity while a system was being refined. Those few who have done so will likely benefit when the bigger investors and clients finally enter the scene. As I also noted in another posting months ago, that will be a time when any sentimentality DXiO had for their beta participants will be well and truly a thing of the past.

If there is any doubt that such investors and clients are on the horizon, all one needs to do is consider the costs involved in DXCafé and LDX franchises and then take note of the announcement that their rollout is imminent.

In summary, the issue of legitimacy has never been about GDT or DXiO. The signs have been there all along as to where the system was going. The opportunity to be well-placed for that occasion has had, to date, a five-year term. The remaining key issue has been, and still is, implementing accountability of the franchisees. The real world will want a timely service package from reliable providers and they will demand recourse in the event of discrepancy. It isn't just GDT that realizes this; we all surely do.

None of us should be fazed, then, that such accountability will be manifest in franchisee regulation.

More to the point, none of us should be in any doubt as to where the true scrutiny is directed.

Disorder in the Court

Sometimes, you wonder what they do in law school ...

The classic film from the 70s, 'Paper Chase,' gave a student's version of a highbrow scenario for the process of learning an attorney's craft. I highly recommend it, if you haven't seen it.

However, not every graduate's diploma is a result of sterling marks on his transcript. As if you needed any reinforcement of this point, Charles M Sevilla has compiled a dossier of court records in his new book, 'Disorder in the Court,' which makes one wonder just how some of those lawyer's got their licenses, much less diplomas.

The chapters are sprinkled not only with inept questioning of witnesses from seemingly incompetent attorneys, but with equally inept responses from some witnesses who probably should have been either screened or prepared better than they were. Anyway, they make hilarious reading. Here are a few choice examples:

ATTORNEY: Are you sexually active?
WITNESS: No, I just lie there.
______________________________

ATTORNEY: What is your date of birth?
WITNESS: July 18Th.
ATTORNEY: What year?
WITNESS: Every year.
_____________________________________

ATTORNEY: What gear were you in at the moment of the impact?
WITNESS: Gucci sweats and Reeboks.
______________________________________

ATTORNEY: This myasthenia gravis, does it affect your memory at all?
WITNESS: Yes.
ATTORNEY: And in what ways does it affect your memory?
WITNESS: I forget.
ATTORNEY: You forget? Can you give us an example of something you forgot?
_____________________________________

ATTORNEY: How old is your son, the one living with you?
WITNESS: Thirty-eight or thirty-five, I can't remember which.
ATTORNEY: How long has he lived with you?
WITNESS: Forty-five years.
_____________________________________

ATTORNEY: What was the first thing your husband said to you that morning?
WITNESS: He said, "Where am I, Cathy?"
ATTORNEY: And why did that upset you?
WITNESS: My name is Susan.
______________________________________

ATTORNEY: Do you know if your daughter has ever been involved in voodoo?

WITNESS: We both do.
ATTORNEY: Voodoo?
WITNESS: We do.
ATTORNEY: You do?
WITNESS: Yes, voodoo.
______________________________________

ATTORNEY: Now doctor, isn't it true that when a person dies in his
sleep, he doesn't know about it until the next morning?
WITNESS: Did you actually pass the bar exam?
___________________________________

ATTORNEY: The youngest son, the twenty-year-old, how old is he?
WITNESS: Uh, he's twenty.
________________________________________

ATTORNEY: Were you present when your picture was taken?
WITNESS: Would you repeat the question?
______________________________________

ATTORNEY: So the date of conception (of the baby) was August 8th?
WITNESS: Yes.
ATTORNEY: And what were you doing at that time?
WITNESS: Uh....?!
______________________________________

ATTORNEY: She had three children, right?
WITNESS: Yes.
ATTORNEY: How many were boys?
WITNESS: None.
ATTORNEY: Were there any girls?
______________________________________

ATTORNEY: How was your first marriage terminated?
WITNESS: By death.
ATTORNEY: And by whose death was it terminated?
______________________________________

ATTORNEY: Can you describe the individual?
WITNESS: He was about medium height and had a beard.
ATTORNEY: Was this a male or a female?
______________________________________

ATTORNEY: Is your appearance here this morning pursuant to a
deposition notice which I sent to your attorney?
WITNESS: No, this is how I dress when I go to work.
______________________________________

ATTORNEY: Doctor, how many of your autopsies have you performed on
dead people?
WITNESS: All my autopsies are performed on dead people.
______________________________________

ATTORNEY: ALL your responses MUST be oral, OK? What school did you go to?
WITNESS: Oral.
______________________________________

ATTORNEY: Do you recall the time that you examined the body?
WITNESS: The autopsy started around 8:30 p.m.
ATTORNEY: And Mr. Denton was dead at the time?
WITNESS: No, he was sitting on the table wondering why I was doing an
autopsy on him!
______________________________________

ATTORNEY: Are you qualified to give a urine sample?
WITNESS: Huh?
______________________________________

ATTORNEY: Doctor, before you performed the autopsy, did you check for a pulse?
WITNESS: No.
ATTORNEY: Did you check for blood pressure?
WITNESS: No.
ATTORNEY: Did you check for breathing?
WITNESS: No.
ATTORNEY: So, then it is possible that the patient was alive when you
began the autopsy?
WITNESS: No.
ATTORNEY: How can you be so sure, Doctor?
WITNESS: Because his brain was sitting on my desk in a jar.
ATTORNEY: But could the patient have still been alive, nevertheless?
WITNESS: Yes, it is possible that he could have been alive and
practicing law.

Operation Teardrop - Part II

In my previous posting, I related the contents of a mysterious letter I received ...

It was regarding an alleged undercover scheme by former Philippines president, Ferdinand Marcos, who --- once he realized he was going to be ousted from power --- made plans to hide a huge quantity of gold from other governments. This was allegedly part of the legendary hoard orignally stashed by the Japanese Imperial Army's General Yamashita at the end of World War II.

Here is the rest of the story. Again, I have edited its contents for the purposes of intelligibility:

Operation Teardrop (continued)

"Once it got dark, the soldiers began loading the ship. The trucks where going back and forth from the bank. All this happened only at night when very few people were around the base. It took us around three nights to load all the metal. Each bar weighted around 12.5 kilograms. On the fourth night, we loaded waterproofing paint, around 50 1-gallon cans and 24 paintbrushes. This paint was used to preserve wood or metal from corrosion.

"At 1100 hours, we went to sea Mr. Rosales and Dr. Consing at the cabin. I decided to go to the cabin early. They didn't see me yet, and I overheard that they switched coordinates on me. They wanted to come back for the gold themselves at a shallow part of the Philippine waters.

"My orders were for complete radio silence. I went back to the bridge and pulled out the chart and looked for a deep part of the Philippine water where I could drop this metal and tell President Marcos and General Ver when we got back where it was and what these two people had done.

"Mr. Rosales went out of the cabin and told me to have the sailors start painting the metal with the waterproof paint. I gave the orders to several of my men to start and to take shifts at this work. On the way back to the bridge, I stopped by my cabin. I got a compass and my transistor radio. I took out the speaker of the radio, knowing it contained a magnet. I put a small compass in one pocket and the speaker in the other pocket. Most of the time, Mr. Rosales and Dr. Consing remained in the cabin, either sleeping or playing cards. When I rested, it was only four hours at a time. These two individuals stayed in their cabin and sometimes just looked at the sailors painting the metal. They never went up to the bridge at all.

"We had been sailing for about 12 hours (estimated time), which was what it was supposed to take to get to the drop-off point for the metal. Unknown to them, I had been zigzagging and traveling at 75% speed. Instead of getting to the shallow, we got to where I wanted: the deep-end. We dropped anchor and began unloading. It took us four days around clock to do so, including the waterproofing of the rest of the metal. The crew was listening to the radio news when we heard the Ramos and Enrile rebellion was taking place.

"By the time we got back to port at Navy Headquarters, it was all over for President Marcos. He had departed the country already. Mr. Rosales and Dr. Consing handed each sailor Php 100,000.00 and one 12.5-kilogram bar of gold. Then they gave me Php 500,000.00 and two 12.5-kilogram bars of gold. As I exited, I heard Dr. Consing say "Well, Ed, looks like we have to split the other 10 bars of gold and the rest of the 5 million pesos." Then the both laughed aloud.

"Six months passed. I have kept a low profile. I did not sell any of the metal or bought anything expensive. I do not dare try to contact President Marcos or General Ver in fear of the current state and the ways of President Aquino and the Central Intelligence Agency of the United States. An aide of Mrs. Aquino, who happens to be a very good friend told me that they killed all military personnel that was involved in the operation. These orders were given to a group of people in the Philippine Intelligence Unit and the Central Intelligence Agency of the United States of America. I immediately got out of the Philippines that same evening.

"Since then, I have been living outside of the Philippines in fear of my life. I am the only one who knows the coordinates where the metal is located. All the sailors under my command are now dead."

This isn't the first time I had heard that a large quantity of gold was spirited out of the Philippines by President Marcos and hidden in the sea. A very good friend of mine was a confidante of a former Miss Philippines who became the trophy wife of a rich but irascible New Yorker. Ultimately, he was so irascible that his cook walked into the den one day and blew the guy's brains to kingdom come. That left the former Miss Philippines a very rich widow.

She was a close friend of Imelda Marcos, and one day, confided to my friend that the Marcos' had taken their remaining gold in the Philippines and 'buried' it at sea.

I mention this point because its frame of reference was nothing close to a set-up to request money for a 'hidden secret' that could yield quick riches. In fact, the letter was given to me under similar circumstances. It was shared as a matter of interest as opposed to an invitation to get involved in treasure hunting. The gentleman who gave it to me knew I had more sense than to make such an independent attempt, given its sensitive nature.

I obviously looked for flaws in the letter, and the most prominent was the painting of the bars to 'waterproof' them. Gold doesn't need to be waterproofed. However, given the broken English in the original document, it may have been the author was trying to say that waterproof paint was applied in order to better hide the gold.

It's an investigation I'll pursue when I'm in that region again.

Operation Teardrop - Part I

One of the most puzzling people I ever met lives in the Philippines ...

I independently confirmed that he is the son of a prominent general --- now deceased --- who was a close associate of Ferdinand Marcos during his dictatorship. He has inherited many of his father's 'businesses' in the Manila area and makes his rounds in a bulletproof Mercedes chauffered by an active officer of the police force.

I've ridden with him in the Mercedes, which is complete with a siren and blue lights in the grill. One night, I jokingly questioned his ability to do whatever he wanted on the roads, so he told his driver to run a red light and turn left in the process at a multi-lane intersection, in front of the police who were there. The driver did so and briefly sounded his siren in the process; the police first stared closely, then smiled and waved as we passed them.

This man was well educated in the USA and has many prominent friends due to his heritage. He can be quite charming and intelligent one moment, and then lapse into a childish contortion while giggling the next. He has some amazing stories, some of which I have been able to confirm, but others which I have researched and concluded that the details he provided are fictitious.

Ever since the end of World War II, rumors have abounded about the existence of a large cache of gold that was hoarded by General Yamashita of the Imperial Japanese Army as he swept through China and southeast Asia. Legend has it that he stashed it somewhere in the Philippines. Newspapers as respected as the International Herald Tribune have reported that the American government has since sent agents there in attempts to locate it, but to no avail.

I never asked about this gold when I was in the Philippines, but the late general's son felt compelled to give me a copy of a letter regarding it. Edited for intelligibility, here is Part One:

Operation Teardrop

"A few months before the start of the downfall and departure of President Ferdinand E. Marcos from the Philippines, the operation took place. Its codename is 'Teardrop.'

"The President knew that the United States government was really after the gold for their own treasury and blackmailed President Marcos for him to stay in power. But President Marcos, for the good of the Filipino peoples, scuttled the Gold and other assets. (He believed) the United States of America (would) get what it wanted by hook or by crook ... to keep their economy going. The United States of America started the manipulation of the downfall of President Marcos and replaced him with Mrs. Corazon Aquino ... Who (they thought would) get them what they want.

"Right after the failed negotiations with the United States of America for President Marcos to stay in power, he started to hide the wealth of the Philippines that is overseas (ie- gold bullion certificates, gold bullion bearer bonds, and etc). That is why there are a lot of papers that are not valid but really issued by the foreign banks. He also immediately issued an order to take 5000 metric tons of gold out of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (The Central Bank of the Philippines). This metal was already refined but not yet hallmarked for the open market. The metal was scuttled at sea. (Across the street from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas is the General Headquarters of the Philippine Navy.)

"A few weeks before the Ramos and Enrile rebellion at Camp Aguinaldo, the General Headquarters of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, President Marcos called me to Malacañang Palace. This was a great honor for me as an Ensign in the Philippine Navy. There, General Fabian Ver, in front of the President Marcos, told me of this situation. I was to meet a Mr. Eduardo Rosales and Dr. Luis Yulo Consing at the headquarters of the Philippine Navy at 1800 hours to give me the further orders. This was highly irregular.

"At 1800 hours, at the Navy Headquarters, a white Toyota Crown pulled up and an old man in his early to mid 60s came out from the rear passenger side. He had a mole on the right cheek and stood around 5’4” and introduced himself as Mr. Ed Rosales. He told me that he was going along with me and that I was in command of a cargo vessel, which was moored at the pier. Around 1810 hours, another car --- this time a brown Toyota Corona --- pulled up and an old man about the same age as Mr. Ed Rosales came out. He was wearing a wig as if he was bald. Immediately, Mr. Rosales went to him and introduced me to Mr. Luis Consing. Then Mr. Consing went to his car and the driver opened his trunk. He took out a hard briefcase. We went into a conference room and Mr. Consing pulled out a folder with three red stripes from his briefcase, doing it carefully so as no one would see what was inside of his briefcase. He handed me a folder and it contained our orders, a list of several sailors under my command, the coordinates, and was signed by President Marcos and General Ver. These papers had the words "TOP SECRET" stamped across the center in red ink. After reading the paper, Mr. Rosales went to the telephone and called the bank. The gates of the bank opened and 6x6 military trucks came out around 8 and 2 with Philippine Army Scout Rangers. He told me that these men were here to help load the ship."

(To be continued.)

Blue Hippo, Red Flag

People with poor credit constantly pay for it ...

There's a flourishing industry out there which sells them products they need at rates which would make a loan shark blush. However, as opposed to the loan shark, these vendors have veiled their offers in packages with deceptively attractive terms. The fact that they get customers partly explains why those customers have credit problems in the first place.

Here's an article from Mozilla Quest Magazine, a respectable site that reviews computer products and services. Recently, they took aim at BlueHippo, a company which has run extensive television commercials and which maintains a website featuring an offer of Gateway computers and targeting those with poor or no credit:

BlueHippo: A No-Credit, No-Problem, Computer System Rip-Off

by Mike Angelo

"An outfit trading under the name of BlueHippo Funding is advertising heavily what appears to be a great computer system deal. The pitch is a 2005 Gateway Premier computer for $35.99 per week for twelve months with a no-credit, no-problem hook. However, the BlueHippo TV commercial and its Web site clearly are aimed at sucking-in people who do not have credit and/or who cannot afford a computer. Moreover, the BlueHippo, 2005 Gateway Premier offering is a rip-off.

"The final price of the BlueHippo system is nearly $2,000. But, the system is not worth even $500.

The BlueHippo Scam

* The BlueHippo Bait

"The bait is the idea of paying only $35.99 per week for a "premier" computer. Payments of $35.99 sound pretty reasonable until you read the fine print. Even though the advertisement says the payments are weekly, many, if not most, people will be thinking of monthly payments (12 payments or about $430 altogether) rather than 52 weekly payments (nearly $2,000 altogether).

"If you read the fine print, the BlueHippo system comes out to a total purchase price of $1,970.48 when you include the $99 down payment. Moreover, BlueHippo wants the buyer to pay the first three-month's payments up front too. That makes the upfront price $530.88.

"The BlueHippo system claims a 2.5-GHz Intel processor, 128-MB RAM (memory), 40-GB hard disk drive, and a 17" CRT color monitor. Software-wise, it comes with Microsoft Windows XP and six months of AOL. The six months of AOL is worthless in our opinion! Additionally, GNU-Linux is a better operating system than is Microsoft Windows.

"This BlueHippo baited hook system is far from a premier system by today's standards. Matter of fact, it is an el cheapo, cheap, entry-level computer system.

* The BlueHippo Rip-off

"You easily can find comparable or better entry-level computer systems for around $300 to $500 -- that's much less than the $1,970.48 real purchase price of the BlueHippo, Gateway computer system. That alone is bad enough to make the BlueHippo, Gateway system a rip-off. But, that's not all folks.

"The $300 to $500 for a comparable or better PC from other vendors is less than the $530.88 that you would have to pay upfront for the BlueHippo system. Thus BlueHippo rips you off thrice.

- First, you pay nearly $2,000 for a computer system that is worth less than $500.

- Second even your upfront payment of $530.88 is more than what the BlueHippo PC is worth.

- And third, you have to pay BlueHippo $35.99 per week for nine months (40 payments) after you already have paid upfront more than the BlueHippo, Gateway PC is worth.

"Just to make sure everyone gets the message. If you were to buy a BlueHippo system because you do not have a credit card or cannot get credit, your upfront payment is more than the full price of a better system from an honest vendor. If you have the cash to make the upfront payment for the BlueHippo system, you have the cash to buy a better system outright.

* The BlueHippo Scam Unraveled

"The $530.88 upfront price for the overpriced BlueHippo system is based upon this catch:

"'Instead of checking your credit, all we ask is that you pay just $99 down and make 3 month's worth of payments. Then your computer will be shipped out to your home.'

"Three month's worth of payments amounts to 12 weeks times $35.99 per week or $431.88. Add the $99 down payment to that $431.88 and you get $530.88 for the upfront price. You have to pay BlueHippo $530.88 before it will ship the computer to you!

"For the total system price, take the $35.99 per week times 52 weeks per year and you get $1,871.48. Now add the $99 down payment. The result is a whopping $1,970.48 for a BlueHippo, Gateway computer system that is not even worth $500. What a rip-off!

* Another red flag for BlueHippo

"As a matter of course, we tried to contact the BlueHippo people to afford them an opportunity to respond to this article and expose'. First we called the 800 number listed on the BlueHippo Web site.

"A yellow flag went up when the first thing the woman who answered did was to ask for the caller's first and last name. The reason for the yellow flag is that when you make an 800 number phone call, the person you call can see your phone number. That's because an 800 number call is in effect a collect call. Thus the party called gets to see your phone number in order to decide whether to accept the call.

"Therefore, it appears the first thing the BlueHippo outfit wants to do when you call them is to get some basic identity information, including your full name and phone number, from you before anything else. Such information could be used to develop call lists for telemarketers.

"Nevertheless, the writer introduced himself as Mike Angelo and stated he is a writer for MozillaQuest Magazine and was working on a story about BlueHippo.

"Then the woman that answered the phone told us to call another 800 number to get a response. Apparently the first 800 number is a sales-only line and the second is a customer-service line. Often, sales-only lines go directly to contract telemarketers rather than to the company that sells the product or service.

"The second, customer service, 800 number was dialed and after a wait of well more than 10 minutes for a human, a BlueHippo customer service person, who identified himself as Anthony, answered the phone. Before anyone said anything else, Anthony asked for this writer's social security number.

"That of course sent up an immediate red flag. There is absolutely no honest reason that a computer-vendor customer-service person would need to ask for a caller's social security number -- especially as an initial greeting. Of course this writer did not reveal his social security number to the BlueHippo person.

"Although this request by the BlueHippo representative for the caller's social security number was made on the phone, it sure reminded us of a phishing scam.

"This writer explained to the BlueHippo customer-service person that MozillaQuest Magazine was about to publish a story about BlueHippo and that he was calling to get a response from BlueHippo to the story. Anthony told this writer to call yet another 800 number. Upon a little further discussion with Anthony, it was unveiled that this third 800 number is a fax number to BlueHippo's 'legal department' -- more red flags.

"When a company representative is asked about making a response to an article about that company, a reporter usually is referred to a media-relations person or some other company official with authority to speak for the company -- not to the company's legal department.

"BlueHippo's Anthony was asked to put this writer in contact with a media-relations person or some other BlueHippo official with authority to speak for the company. His response was to refer us to the legal department fax number. Anthony was asked to provide a voice phone number for the BlueHippo legal department and refused to do so. And he refused to put us in contact with any other media-relations person or company official with authority to speak for the company."There are many credit repair services available, from consultancies to do-it-yourself packages --- I see two of the latter are listed on the Longer Life Cyberlinks page: Credit Amenders and 'A Grade' Credit --- that would be a much wiser expenditure of time and resources. Instead of falling prey to installment rip-offs, these are the obvious first steps to building a better life.

Back to the Future

I was scanning my archived files the other day, and came across an interesting item from 2000 ...

The topic featured hi-tech developments for cars. I've got to say, most of the innovations mentioned back then have come to pass, and those that have yet to hit the market have been mentioned as being expected soon:

Hands-free telephony - including voice-activated dialing - that's capable of sending and receiving e-mail and faxes and that will also allow motorists to teleconference in the midst of a traffic jam. Video-conferencing won't be far behind. And night vision, once reserved for nocturnal warfare, is emerging as a visual-safety tool that could prevent highway tragedies.

Map pockets in car seats could disappear, usurped by satellite-guided navigation systems that can lead motorists from one place to another via graphic data on a console-mounted video-display screen. Or a driver could call up a kind of traffic concierge service and get personal directions.

More cars will be equipped with sonar and will beep or send visual warnings of impending collision, as some do now when a motorist is in danger of backing into a wall, another car - or an unseen child.

Sleep monitors could become standard equipment. They are electronically controlled devices designed to detect erratic driver behavior, such as jerky steering or the erroneous entry into a curve, that might stem from driver drowsiness. Detection triggers an audio alert designed to wake the driver and avoid a crash.

Even traditional, lead-acid auto batteries will be "smart." Sears Roebuck, for example, is introducing its new DieHard Security battery, which can be programmed to "die" if a thief attempts to circumvent the car's ignition system.

Cars will use more plastic, aluminum and specialized steels to save weight and fuel, and enhance vehicle recyclability. Ford already is including recycled plastic, carpet --- and denim jeans --- in materials needed to build its 2000-model Focus sedans, hatchbacks and wagons.

In the entertainment realm, new-century cars will offer far more than today's top-of-the-line sound systems. Expect subscriber radio stations that broadcast only the music or subject matter you want to hear, commercial-free.