I feel like things are becoming more and more accessible these days. Buffalo chicken used to be only available in restaurants; now we can buy the sauce and pre-made wings at the store! Certain extras only applied when wealthy groups bought in bulk; now the average can get those benefits no matter how small their order!

I just found out that a company is offering a service where they’ll customize Visa Gift Cards with the logo of your small or medium business. This company is called GiftCardLab.

It used to be that only Fortune 500 companies could buy Visa Gift Cards that came customized. They’d order a ton, slap their logo on there, and the provide all their employees with a corporate incentive. But the small and medium business guys couldn’t do that. Well now you can!

Why would you want a customized gift card for your business? Because it’s a highly appropriate corporate gift. And it’s great for the holidays, employee anniversaries, contests, golf tournaments for charity, referrals, customer thank you’s, and for providing that extra push of motivation for your sales associates.

The best part about GiftCardLab? There’s no minimum that you have to buy! I wonder what the world has in store for us next…

Back in February I posted my thoughts on a certain spam message and a copy of the email in question. A few days later, someone said they were interested in the opportunity! So, I made it clear I was just commenting on the situation, and not participating in it.

Early this morning, someone posted a new comment sharing their story about what happened when they responded to a similar email and went along for the ride. Here's what they wrote:

Hmm… Instead of telling me I'm going to be rich, this email is telling me to buy watches online… Hmm…

From: "LanaGoodspeed588514" <LanaGoodspeed588514@hotmail.com>
Subject: FWD: March Specials
Date: Fri, 28 Mar 2008 15:26:08 -0400

Buy Replica Watches Online!

At our watch shop, we have been supplying top-quality, high-grade
replica watches to satisfied customers for close to 8 years now. We provide
our customers with an extremely reliable, affordable and accessible
source to these quality items, which provide the same attention-grabbing
benefits of the genuine articles that cost many times more. We are
constantly seeking to better understand the needs of our customers, and to
update our product selection so as to better serve our customers.

http://www.pirrafe.com

[End Email]

I cautiously visited the site, and what do you know, it looks like any ordinary business. But what kind of name is pirrafe? Like giraffe?

A Google search for pirrafe.com brings up one result, for parafe.com. Looks like some kind of vacation site.

A Google search for piraffe.com brings up one result, for praffe.com. "24kt Genuine Italian Snakeskin Bracelets and Leather Cuffs."

Weird. I guess some computer somewhere went crazy!

Here's a completely unrelated thought. Today it occurred to me that each time I post one of these spam messages, I am also posting the email of the supposed sender. Email addresses in plain sight on the web are often harvested by bots for spam purposes. So, am I facilitating an influx of spam for the spammers?

They probably have better spam protection than the rest, seeing as how they're the perpetrators!

When are we going to colonize the moon? The earth is doomed. Let’s move on.

J/k. I love the earth. Let’s fix it! First, we need to solve hunger, war, thirst…and the housing crisis! Lot’s of people are hopping on the bandwagon and moving out of their expensive homes into cheaper, more affordable housing. With so many people moving, it must be a fantastic time for the moving industry! Such an influx of customers would probably create a need for more companies. And with an ever-widening pool of “professional” help, the chances are greater that you could end up with the lamest of the lame. You know, some company that just started up and doesn’t know what it’s doing? They offer low, low rates because that’s the only way they can sucker you in. And then they go and break your piano! How can we avoid this?

MovingOrbit.com allows you to quickly and easily sort among a bunch of professional moving companies. The real pros have their own moving trucks, and MovingOrbit.com can tell you who’s who. You can compare and see which company will offer the best protection for your personal items, and which will offer superior pricing. Basically, you’ll be able to get multiple estimates for both local and interstate companies.

The only way to avoid an unpleasant hiring situation is to get in the know. With MovingOrbit.com, you can.

A little while ago I wrote about learning online. That’s cool, especially because it makes the task of learning so much simpler. But sometimes when you’re in charge, you’ll tell someone to go learn, and then wonder about it later. I mean, how can you judge whether someone has learned what they were supposed to? Sure, through testing, but when you’re the boss, you don’t have time to say, “Pop quiz, hot shot.” So what do you do?

Track them! Did you know there is software for training administration in a business or company, and that same software can track each “student’s” progress? It’s like having an extra set of eyes in your employee’s computer! Well, not as creepy as that. It’s like having a kindly butler to update you every time your “student” completes a lesson.

I found out about training administration through ConductIt.com. You can track employees as they receive new educational training, and as they work toward any sort of licensing. So like if you had someone working for you and they needed to be certified in something, you’d get the right program and then be able to watch and see how long it takes them to finish it. That would ensure that your workforce is kept up to date and cutting-edge at all times.

And if someone plays hooky, you’d know enough to justify giving them an F!

I'm going to be rich. You do not understand. I've found the answer! The solution to all my financial woes! Finally I can get that new toaster…

[Begin Email]

Date: Mon, 18 Feb 2008 13:25:18 -0600 (CST)
Subject: JOB OFFER!!! WORK FROM HOME!!!.
From: "COSTA COFFEE COMPANY PLC"

JOB OFFER!!! WORK FROM HOME!!!.

DATE:18th February,2008
FROM:COSTA COFFEE COMPANY PLC.

Dear Sir/Madam,

Would you like to Work Online from home and get paid
Weekly without leaving or affecting your present Job?
COSTA COFFEE COMPANY PLC.Needs a Book-Keeper in USA.
We have Customers that we supply weekly around the world.Our
Customers make payments for our supplies every week in form of
Money Orders,Bankers Draft and Cashier's Checks,Checks which are
not readily Cashable Outside the United States and the country of
issuance.

All you Need to do is to Receive payment from Customers.
Get it Cashed at your Bank or any Financial
institution that does such tasks, then
Forward balance after deduction of percentage/pay to any
of the offices you will be contacted to send
payment to.(Payment is to forwarded either by Money Gram or
Western Union Money Transfer).
For example you've got 4000.00USD
You take your income: 400.00 USD (10%)
Send to us: 3600.00 USD

You'll have a lot of free time doing another job,you'll get good
income and regular job.
N/B: IF INTERESTED PLEASE REPLY TO MR FRANK JAMES AT
costa.coffee5687@googlemail.com WITH THE DETAILS BELOW :
=======================================
APPLICATION FORM FOR COSTA COFFEE COMPANY PLC.
FULL NAMES:_________________________________
GENDER:_________________________________
DATE OF BIRTH:_________________________________
NATIONALITY:_________________________________
COUNTRY OF RESIDENCE:_________________________________
MARITAL STATUS:_________________________________
HOME ADDRESS (Where payment will be sent to{NO P.O BOX ADDRESS})
STREET:_________________________________
CITY:_________________________________
STATE:_________________________________
ZIP CODE:_________________________________
PRIVATE TELEPHONE NUMBER:_________________________________

Thank you for your time.
I Await your Urgent Response.

Mr.Frank James,
DIRECTOR,INTERNATIONAL TRANSACTION.
COSTA COFFEE COMPANY PLC HEAD OFFICE
996 RAMA 9 RD,BANGKAPI..BANGKOK…THAILAND

[End Email]

So, great! They have me deposit a bogus check, and I feel a tad wealthier. Then I pay my own good money to a third party. Soon after, their original check bounces, and I've lost the money I paid out. So who makes money? Only their "offices."