On Junk Email

(Not the IQ Test in Question)

Several months ago I clicked on a link that promised a free IQ test - just for fun.  I know what my IQ is, having sat a proper exam, and thought it would be interesting to compare the result.

BEFORE I did the test I had to enter some details: my name, my email address.  This of course rang an alarm bell - so I put my dog's name (Oscar) and a made-up email address (oscar@... a domain I own) especially for the purpose.  This address would work, but it's not one I use.  Nor does Oscar: he's a dog, after all.

The test was rubbish. I didn't even both completing it. My suspicion that this was a (not terribly) cunning ruse to get my email address was correct.  The mail started tumbling in and on every occasion Oscar wagged his tail, presumably because he thought someone new loved him.

Clearly not really a person

In these months Oscar (he's a dog, remember) has received:

• Offers of pre-approved credit cards ("Oscar, you can have a credit card if you want one")
• Home loan offers ("Oscar, unlock the equity in your home")
• Gambling offers (using his pre-approved card?)
• Free legal advice ("Oscar, have you been injured and it wasn't your fault?")
• Debt help (to deal with his loans and gambling debts) 

He has also received other marketing "offers" but I'm guessing it won't take much imagination to guess what they are, or need to spell them out. I cover his little brown eyes when they arrive.

How can he have been pre-approved for a credit card?! Either it's total garbage (most likely) or irresponsible sub-prime and shark lenders haven't learned a thing from the credit crisis and are still offering loans to people that don't exist.. and to dogs that do.  Not that great all said and done.

He's won an iPad2 !!

This week Oscar was really happy to receive "Congratulations Oscar, an iPad2 for you!"

His name was clearly set out, and if I clicked on (yet another suspect) link we might win.

He soon lost interest when I offered him a doggy biscuit instead though and took him for a walk.

Each time I carefully click on the "unsubscribe" link at the bottom of the email.  It is the law (Article 13 of EU Directive 2002/58 as well as within the Code of Conduct for Email Marketing) that such an option has to be offered.  Frequently I'm told that I actually opted IN to receive marketing emails.  I didn't. Nor did Oscar. He's a dog... !

Away from his computer

However: what I suspect here, with good reason, is this is like a lawn full of moles.  I bash one on the head, another pops up.  The email address is being sold, illegally, without my consent, and passed round one junk mail agency after the other.  The emails keep coming.  And all of it can be traced back to a single visit to a single crap IQ test site, where I absolutely did not consent for the email address to be used for any purpose.

The Information Commissioner is supposed to regulate this type of stuff, but how do I prove it, and is his office really that bothered? There are big issues like Freedom of Information requests that fall under his remit which are also not dealt with terribly efficiently either.

That said, it is estimated there are 62 trillion junk emails sent every year (nine for every one legitimate email).  An average ISP server spends 90% of its time supposedly detecting these, causing 17 millions of tonnes of CO2 to be emitted - which is the equivalent of powering 2.4 million homes or taking 2.2 million cars of the road. Each and every year.

Is there a moral to this story? Well, not really: junk mail is annoying, damaging to the environment, and even if we're careful, we still receive it.  I just really used this blog as an excuse to put some pictures up of Oscar. He is a very cute dog, don't you think? :)

Oscar, being a dog.

PS Oscar *does* actually have a twitter account.  The irony is not entirely lost on me.

L to R: @EnglishSpaniel @LassieOscar @PME200

IBS

Found an article that was pretty informative on IBS.
IBS article

Álftanes

GUEST PHOTOGRAPHER: Guðmann þór Bjargmundsson

This gorgeous seaside scene was taken by filmmaker and photographer Guðmann Þór, known as Mummi, out at Álftanes, a small district of about 1800 people just southwest of Reykjavik. Be sure to check out his website where you'll find many more stunning images of our lovely land.

Álftanes is an amazing place for nature walks, and has a very rich and colorful history starting from the Settlement era twelve hundred years ago. There is actually a very nice book highlighting easy nature walks in the Capital region which I was asked to translate into English called 25 Beautiful Walks - Walking Trails of the Greater Reykjavík Area (if you click on the red "Smelltu hér"link under the large image of the book, you will get a PDF preview. The book can be purchased here.)

I agree with this Iceland Review book review that additional info could have been added for non-locals, but I also agree that it is overall a very informative and enjoyable trail guide for just about anyone, local or intrepid guest.

If it's ICESAVE info you're looking for, here's a video recap from 2010 and here is a statement from the Government of Iceland to the world.

p.s. I'm really happy with the big new photo size on Iceland Eyes! Unfortunately, I can't increase the sizes of past posts without losing comments readers have made, unless someone at Flickr (ahem! Kevin : ) finds a way to make it so.

Happiness..

is when I get to do everything I have wanted to...

Darts tomorrow :)

Historischer Keller Restaurant

On Day 1, I had my first lunch in Trier Germany in a restaurant serving German food. Im letting the pics do the talking this time.

A moose

Plenty of wildboar heads hanging around the restaurant given that their specialty was wildboar meat

The specials which I cant read but I think I order the first special on the list

The name of the restaurant

The drink I was recommended to try - apple soda

meet my aunt and uncle - the cheerful duo

My meal - wildboar meat with white asparagus and fried mashed potatoes covered with white sauce. it was delicious.

My aunt had salad

Fish and chips

Rice with bolognaise chicken

The interior of the restaurant

My cousin

its customary for European ppl to have a cup of coffee after their meal. 

Their theory for drinking cofee was so that the caffeine kicks in and they dont feel so sleepy after lunch.

McD

McDonalds is still called McDonalds regardless of which part of the world we are in :)

McRibs found in Trier, Germany. A favourite of many people here.

Mouth-watering pork ribs from McDonalds in Trier, Germany and they eat their french fries with  Mayonaise

Trier, Germany - The area

I was brought to Trier in Germany after arriving at Luxembourg. Trier is an older part of Germany. It was a 30minute drive from Luxembourg Airport. It has a University located so high up in the mountains that the people up there hardly needed to travel to other areas as it was like their own little town up there.

I was told that Trier was a shopping haven for most from Luxembourg and surrounding areas as there were plenty to buy and most importantly, reasonably priced. I visited this historic building called Porta Nigra.

Porta Nigra behind me

We also went on a train ride tour around Trier. I fell asleep while sitting in the train as it was really hot. Also, the tour guide was repating everything in three languages - German, Dutch and English. The English explanation was last, so yea.. I had a good nap. Took some pictures which were n ot very good given that the train had really horrible glass windows...

More to come in the next post....