Most technology followers know the theory behind copying the swipe code from traditional magnetic credit cards, but few people swiping their cards at the gas pump realize that the “skimming device” is installed by criminals is installed out of site “inside” the gas pump.
Q: If you can’t see it, how do you know your card is stolen?
A: You don’t until it is too late. It’s a growing problem.
The theft starts with a universal gasoline pump key that unlocks the majority of the nation’s dispensers. With a $111 credit card skimmer purchased on the Internet, a criminal can set up an enterprise to steal credit and debit card information from unsuspecting motorists fueling their cars.
First, the thief installs a skimming device as small as a matchbox inside the dispenser cabinet. The card data can be downloaded and sold on the Internet. Or, with a $359 card embosser and some blank magnetic cards, fraudulent cards can be made using the stolen numbers.
Either way, with their new “crowbars,” thieves are stealing millions of dollars. Some are using more expensive Bluetooth-equipped skimmers so they can do their dirty work without having to retrieve the skimmer.
The problem of criminals, many of them organized crime rings, placing skimming devices inside gas pumps has come to the forefront recently as Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services inspectors uncovered 107 illegally placed devices in a statewide sweep.
Looks probable. Should have removed the Bimini on Encore this summer … thankfully the sails are down and stowed safely away. Lines are doubled, but no longer as new and stretchy as they once were. Hm … as my buddy Mark would say, “that why we pay for insurance.”
In 2008 the TDIClub gifted me a VW travel thermos and I’ve used it everyday since then. I use it primarily an insulated water bottle, but it does did a great job with coffee too. It doesn’t sweat when things are cold and with just 2 ice cubes this little stainless steel Alfi Vacuum Bottle would keep water cold all day … and fits in a cupholder!
Unfortunately I dropped it a couple months ago and it must have lost whatever inert gas or vacuum because it is no longer doing its job. Now … what do I replace it with???
It is the time of year when the tropical weather in the Atlantic tracks across the Caribbean Sea and Leeward Islands. These tropical storms can grow into hurricanes and blast the US east coast or continue on into the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico. The previous tropical storm turn hurricane for a very short while was Danny, but the new one called Erika east of the Leeward Islands may have a little more potential to grow. Time will tell what happens with this storm as currently Erika is confirmed to have only 40 mph winds and is moving west at 20 mph. Hurricane watchers have the current track and cone targeting the Bahama Islands and southeast coast of Florida and growing in intensity.
After getting a chance to play with a quad copter last week, I’ve been a little more intrigued with the advancements in “drones.” Who knows, this innovation may find its way into the first realistic personal transportation device someday?
Sony’sAerosense drone that takes off and lands vertically but during flight gets most of its lift from wings for more efficient and faster flight. I like the concept. Check it out.
It has been 25 days since surgery and about a month since my wife’s fall off a ladder. The rehabilitation is actually going well when observing the healing from the outside — the incision is relatively clean. Brenda isn’t ready for photos … so I’ll just include the last photo (right) of her are pre-injury from July 2015. The incision photos from yesterday look pretty good although there is a sign that some internal sutures are coming to the surface and causing a little seepage. We are watching for infection (see below).
Unfortunately the internal healing will be much slower as the pelvis fractures and new “bionic” part (composite part) in her arm will take longer to heal property before she can use or put any weight it. Still the “passive” motion of her arm by the physical therapist and “pivoting” on Brenda’s right foot until the pelvis heals (weight off left) at least has her able to inch around the house a little bit without being stuck in a recliner or wheelchair. We do take too many things for granted as I walk back and forth “speedily” taking care of things. It is all very frustrating to someone as active as her.
Thankfully the pain meds keep her comfortable for the most part and she can tolerate the working of her arm through a pretty impressive range of motion. The surgeon was skeptical after not being able to save her bone and replacing with a half shoulder. He commented that his goal is to save the shoulder when possible as it give the fullest range of motion after rehab. Second is the “hemi” since the scapulla is still the natural material and we re hopeful it will be in position to permit the new part a full range of motion — that is something not even possible with a full shoulder replacement. Brenda is working hard and intends to give the rehab 100% … so if it is possible to regain, she will do it.
The trading day is not over yet, but the moves on Wall Street and with individual stocks or indices have been unprecedented today. We are currently down 600 points on the Dow Jones Industrial average with an hour left in the day, but that almost seems mild compared to the onslaught of sell ordering in the early morning. At 9:30 when the opening bell rang, the DJIA plummeted 1089 points marking it all time largest move. It was a hair off the NYSE 7% halt trigger, but the impact to portfolios was huge. Those holding stocks of nearly any kind felt the pain.
Those of us brave enough to make a few trades were rewarded as markets rose off the floor and even went positive with a few stock before the selling in the afternoon resumed. Who knows what the end of the day or when the end of this sell off will end?
Those who remember October 1987 are seeing some similarities, but commonsense is all that is needed to realized that the stock market has risen but the economy is not equally as robust. The economy and financial health of banks, companies, housing and individuals is far better than before the 2008 recession, but no where near the pace to justify the market return since that time.
It is not one of the better quality photos, but my brother Ron (right) sent me a “guess who this is” photo from a trip he took this past weekend. At first I didn’t know who was in the photo with him, but after a close look at the background I deduced that it was a neighbor “boy” who we lived next to up on Lake Erie some 40-plus years ago. Yes, it was “Moose” … or our summer time neighbor Jim Raab. What great memories we had when Jim (and late brother Tom) and their family would move into their cottage next door to us for the summer. Ron and I could not have had a more idyllic childhood … and obviously the same must have been the case for Jim since the cottage is still in his family … and they still escape there to this day!
One final comment Ron left with me by text message … and I too remembered “cupping my hands” like it was yesterday.
Jim even took me inside their cottage. As I stepped in through the door I said I can’t forget how we’d come up to the screen door and ask if Tom and Jim could come out. He cupped his hands up by his face as if to put them up to screen to see in! We laughed!
Chuckled at the CNBC post on “Iconic Cars that are no longer around” and remembering our couple of our very functional “woodie-look” wagons of old as well as my father-in-laws’ wagons. Neither of us had the extinct Buick Roadmaster (above), but he had several Chevrolet station wagons … the last being the “White Whale” up until he bought the 2008 Chevy Trailblazer … and I had both the fake wood on a Chevy and an Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser wagon. On the Chevy I had to wire the rear bumper on (rusted off) and the Olds was traded in on my first of two Toyota 4-Runner (1994) with a 5 speed manual — still one of my favorite cars.
Buick Roadmaster Estate Wagon
Mourn the death of the beloved American family station wagon, complete with fake wood paneling. First, Chrysler eliminated its classic wood-paneled wagon in favor of a bland suburban minivan. Then, Buick killed its Roadmaster Estate Wagon in 1996.
