The Old Phishing Hole

Posted on by The Old Wolf

Thieves want your information and your money. They’ll take it any way they can get it. Eastern Europe is a hotbed of cyber-crime but, sensing the opportunity for profit, other nations are getting into the act, and the same old techniques resurface.

Here’s a typical phishing scam email which landed in my inbox today. Protect yourself, be aware, exercise safe computing, and warn your loved ones. This stands to be repeated often and loudly.

From: service@chase.com<gpwtnf@admin.net>
To: admin@chase.com

Subject: NOTICE ID : DXEUWSPLNT
Dear Chase Bank Customer
It has come to our attention that your Chase Bank account information needs to be
updated as part of our continuing commitment to protect your account and to
reduce the instance of fraud on our website. If you could please take 5-10 minutes
out of your online experience and update your personal records you will not run into
any future problems with the online service.
To update your Chase records click on the following link:
http://secureaccess.chase.glchzprjo.%5BLink Obfuscated]-wi.com/chs/chk/index.php?email_login=comcast.net/
Thank you for your patience in this matter.
Sincerely,
Ammy Smith,
Chase Bank Security Departament.
Please do not reply to this e-mail as this is only a notification. Mail sent to this address cannot be answered.
Copyright 2012, CHASE BANK SERVICE, INC. All Rights Reserved.

NICHMOKENLWJJFLDBVSKYXRCHQRWEFILLLKYSO

Right. First off, look at anything that’s green in the email above. These are red flags.

1) Garbage text. Any email that contains strings of junk or random English words strung together is trying to thwart Bayesian spam filtering. It’s a complex algorithgm that is employed by service providers and email clients to try to keep Spam from ever getting to you.

2) Mis-spellings. While human error is possible, most legitimate companies (especially large financial institutions like Chase) are pretty careful about the quality of messages they send out. Bad English, strange punctuation, odd collocations and mis-spellings are all red flags for fraudulent activity (which includes most spam, by the way).

3) Garbage or misdirected links. Just because a web address has the word “Chase” in it doesn’t mean that it’s from Chase. URL’s that contain alphabet soup are to be regarded very suspiciously. Never click on links from an email, especially if the word “money” or “finances” enters into the equation. If you have an account with Wells Fargo, for example, go directly to wellsfargo.com with your browser.

As it turns out, the link above redirects you to this URL:

http://[Link Removed].endoftheinternet.org/chs/chk/index1.php
?source=chase&customer=CrazvSTcCtTvoOIhYiLNI1bplxauXFAqWAQijzkM

(I obfuscated the link to make sure nobody actually clicks on this and goes there.) If you did, what you would see is this:

It looks very, very authentic – except for that garbage URL. In fact, the scammers copied the actual http://chase.com website exactly. If you enter your UserID and password, bingo! You’ve just given Russian cyber-criminals access to all your accounts.

Again: Never click on links inside an email. Always type addresses directly into your browser window to make sure you’re going to the real company’s website.

These particular drones aren’t through with you yet, though. If you enter your information (I put in some really insulting stuff which I can’t repeat here), you’ll be taken to this URL:

http://%5BLink Removed].chaseonline.chase.com.crazvstccttvooihyilni1bplxauxfaqwaqijzkm.
csqifywdn.endoftheinternet.org/chs/chk/email.php

which gives you this page:

So these scumsuckers not only want your financial data, they want access to your email account as well, so they can scam all your friends and send messages from your account.

If you’re aware of these antics, they seem pretty transparent. Unfortunately, a huge percentage of our population is working with computers and the Internet at a “cookbook” level, without any more than a superficial understanding of what they are doing. There’s no judgement around that – it’s great that they’re learning new skills. But if you have loved ones, especially elderly family members who fall into that category, please make sure they are watched over and educated.

Practice Safe Computing

1) Be afraid of any email that includes the words

  • “Verify your account.”
  • “Update your account.”
  • “During regular account maintenance…”
  • “Failure to update your records will result in account suspension.”

or similar things. Legitimate organizations will never ask for your ID or sensitive information by email or telephone

2) Do not click on links inside an email. Always go directly to your financial institution’s website from your browser.

3)Never send sensitive information to anyone in an email. Even if it’s legitimate, emails can be intercepted and read by the bad guys.

Be careful out there, it’s a jungle.

The Old Wolf has spoken.

New York Eateries: Gone But Not Forgotten

Posted on by The Old Wolf

Nedick’s was the Starbucks of the 50’s. Orange drink, doughnuts and hot dogs with a signature mustard relish. They were everywhere, even in little hole-in-the-wall joints down in the subways. I confess I like the fresh-squeezed places better down there, with the machines that would cut and squeeze oranges automatically, but Nedick’s is a treasured memory also.

nedicks

Nedick’s in Newark

Nedick’s at Macy’s (Found at The Paper Collector)

Then there was Prexy’s. A local concern with just a few outlets in and around New York, they made hamburgers that were to die for. Little is known about the recipe that made them so good, but I remember eating there a number of times. Oh, those prices.

Prexy’s Matchbook

Prexy’s Logo from a China Plate

Last but not least, there was the Horn and Hardart Automat

 

gwKkl

 

The Automat, 1942, by J. Baylor Roberts

For a kid in the 50’s, nothing was more fun than getting pie or drinks or that incredible macaroni and cheese at the Automat; you’d get your nickels at the booth from a nickel-thrower, ladies with rubber tips on their fingers who could fling out a dollar’s worth of nickels without blinking. I could stand there for hours watching the lazy susans rotate around when they were empty, only to reappear magically refilled with new offerings.

I scored a copy of this book which gives a fascinating history of the chain, including lots of recipes.

Now I’m hungry.

The Old Wolf has spoken.

Home Repair in China

Posted on by The Old Wolf

Newser reports that Home Depot is giving up in China; they have discovered that the Chinese prefer “do it for me” rather than “do it yourself.” Most Chinese live in apartments in urban areas, and have access to cheap labor.

However, I have often wondered if the quality of the work one gets done is not of the best, as illustrated in the following Lao Fu Zi strips (remember to read these from top to bottom, and from right to left):

If you’re not familiar with Lao Fu Zi (known as Old Master Q in English), you can become better acquainted here. Most of these are constructed to be funny even if you don’t read Chinese – the website provides translations as an added touch.

The Old Wolf has spoken.

The Gospel According to St. Sabrett

Posted on by The Old Wolf

  1. Only beneath the blue and yellow umbrella shall you eat.
  2. A hot dog shall be eaten on the street, no matter what your Nonna said.
  3. You shall garnish your hot dog with mustard, or with relish, or with onions, or with kraut, or All the Way.
  4. Ketchup shall be an abomination unto you, ye shall not eat of it.
  5. You shall not complain about the price: it is New York.
  6. The water is not dirty, it is hot dog juice.
  7. The skin of a hot dog has a pleasing snap, but ask not what lies beneath.
  8. You shall never visit a hot dog factory, lest you lift up your heel against hot dogs forevermore. You do not want to know how they are made.
  9. Remember St. Papalexis, for he is holy.
  10. A hot dog tastes best at Yankee Stadium, even if it is Nathan’s Famous and not Sabrett. But then, anything tastes good after 10 beers.

Stolen shamelessly from the Huffington Post:

Sabrett-style Onion Sauce Recipe

Makes. 4 hot dogs
Preparation time. 1 hour

Onion Sauce Ingredients
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon cornstarch or arrowroot
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon inexpensive balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1 pinch of cinnamon

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 large red onions, peeled thoroughly and sliced thin
1/4 teapoon table salt
2 cloves of pressed or minced garlic

About the onions. Red onions often have an extra layer of tough paper under the outer layer. Make sure you remove it.

About the tomato paste. If you want, you can substitute a 2 tablespoons of ketchup or a sweet tomato based Kansas City style barbecue sauce for the tomato paste.

The hot dog
4 all-beef frankfurters, preferably Sabretts
4 buns
Sauerkraut from the refrigerator section, not the can
Spicy brown Dijon-style mustard

Do this

  1. Combine the water and cornstarch in a bowl and whisk it until there are no more lumps. whisk in the tomato paste, balsamic, mustard, brown sugar, hot sauce, and cinnamon.
  2. Warm the oil in a large skillet, not a non-stick, over medium high heat. Add the onions and sprinkle with the salt. This helps pull the moisture out. Move them around occasionally with a wooden spoon so they don’t burn. Cook until the edges start to brown. Whatever you do, do not let them burn. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
  3. Add the liquid, stir, and rub the pan with the wooden spoon to scrape up all the flavorful fond, the brown bits on the bottom. Turn the stove to low and simmer with the lid on for 1 hour. Check frequently to make sure it is not burning and the water has not evaporated. Add water if needed. The final result should be thick, not runny, but not pasty. After an hour, taste and adjust salt and other flavors as you wish.
  4. While the onions are simmering, warm the kraut in a pan or for 15 seconds in the microwave, cook the franks, and prepare the buns. The franks can be cooked on a griddle, on a grill, but most pushcarts make “dirty water dogs” by simmering them in water that has become a rich flavorful soup after holding scores of franks over the course of a day. And don’t worry, the franks are precooked so they are pasteurized, and the dirty water is hot enough that nothing can survive. As for the buns, some are toasted on a griddle, but most pushcarts store them in a bin where the steam from the dirty water keeps them warm and moist.
  5. Lovingly place the frank on the bun, squirt on the mustard, add the onions, and then the kraut. Hum quietly, I’ll take Manhattan…

The Old Wolf has spoken.

Stuck in my head

Posted on by The Old Wolf

This is what I get for growing up in New York in the 50’s.

♫ My beer is Rheingold, the dry beer
Think of Rheingold whenever you buy beer
It’s not bitter not sweet
Extra dry flavored treat,
Won’t you try extra dry Rheingold Beer! ♫

♫ Who’s the first to conquer space
It’s incontrovertible!
That the first to conquer living space
It’s a Castro convertible!
Who conquered space with fine design
Who saves you money all the time?
Who’s tops in the convertible line?
Castro convertible! ♫

(Castro was the first popular hide-a-bed company).

♫ Eat too much, drink too much,
Take Brioschi, take Brioschi!
Eat too much, drink too much,
Mild Brioschi, just for you! ♫

So many others… can’t… get them… to shut UP!

The Old Wolf has spoken.

Classics Illustrated

Posted on by The Old Wolf

These were comics.

Yeah, I loved Superman and all the others. Don’t let me think too hard about what my comic collection looked like – Since I started reading them in the 50’s, I could have sent all of my kids through Harvard if I had kept them all.

But I loved the Classics. It may be part of the reason that I enjoyed reading the real things later… I think I read every book whose Classics Illustrated version I had encountered. These things were great – almost like Cliff’s Notes in graphic novel format. Over time I’ve been able to reassemble a fair percentage of the ones I had as a kid – fortunately for me, they’re not highly sought-after and so I can usually find bargains in used bookstores (but not at ComicCon, where the dealers charge ten prices.)

They were even popular in other languages – here a sample of Theseus and the Minotaur in Greek (I noticed with interest that this one was printed in katharevousa, with polytonic instead of monotonic accents, so that’s a good clue that it was published earlier than 1976 when dimotiki became the official Greek standard.)

There appears to be no date information anywhere in the comic, so I can’t tell you when this was printed, but the Greek series began publication in 1951.

Classics Illustrated Junior

These were funny, often silly, but educational nonetheless. I learned a lot from these when I was very young.

I remember being on a camping trip with my youngest son once – we were trying to get a fire started, or a Coleman stove, or something, and the matches were damp. At one point he came out with “What a dreadful match! It has gone completely out!” and I just about needed a change of trousers from laughing so hard. It was good to know that some of my early culture had rubbed off on the next generation.

The Old Wolf has spoken.

Old Time Radio: Margaret Draper and The Brighter Day

Posted on by The Old Wolf

From 1948 to 1954, Margaret Draper played the part of Liz Dennis on The Brighter Day. It was one of her first significant breakout rôles, and led to a successful career in radio and later television, mostly in the advertising world.

Radio-TV Mirror, May 1949 – Papa and Liz Dennis

Radio-TV Mirror, May 1949 – The Cast of the Brighter Day

Radio-TV Mirror, June 1950

Radio-TV Mirror, October 1952

Radio-TV Mirror, October 1952

From Radio-TV Mirror, not certain which issue

Margaret Draper, Joe DeSantis and their son

In 1999, the Friends of Old Time Radio convention featured a reunion of the Dennis girls, who with others put on a reader’s theatre featuring The Brighter Day, followed by a Q&A session.

Cast

Patsy – Pat Hosley
Althea – Jay Merideth
Liz – Margaret Draper
Papa – Leslie Pagan
Jerry – George Ansbrough
Narrator – Bill Owen

Sound Effects – Lynn Nadelle and Bart Curtis
Music – Ed Klute
Producer – David Segal
Director – Bill Nadell
Engineering – Bill Sudamack

You can listen to the original episode that this performance was based on.

The following two posters were displayed outside the convention room:

Pat Hosley

Jay Merideth

Radio stars at a “Ma Perkins” party. Brighter Day cast on the right.

Cast of The Brighter Day asks the audience to be kind.

A later photo of the Brighter Day cast, looks like around 1960.

Margaret Draper, front row, Left.

Trade magazine advert for Brighter Day

Trade magazine advert for Brighter Day

The writer of Brighter Day for many years, Orin Tovrov, had a special fondness for Margaret, and vice versa. Here’s a letter Orin wrote to Maggie on the occasion of his leaving Brighter Day in 1950:

A very gracious letter. A further indication of the Tovrovs’ respect and appreciation for Margaret’s work as Liz Dennis is found in this beautiful felt book made for “Liz” at Christmas, 1949. It must have taken many hours to create. I loved this book as a child – I could look at it for hours, and it almost acted as a sort of “quiet book” if memory serves.

Front Cover

Attending Church (The missing piece is the Hymn Board; Daily Food and chores.

Liz dreams of her Knight in Shining Armor

Which one will it be?  Finally married! Notice the reference to older sister Marcia, who had married and left the family before the show began. She never appeared on-air.

More home life; Christmas label

Back Cover

More about The Brighter Day can be seen in the following Links:

Old Radio Times, 5 May 2006

The Brighter Day at Wikipedia

The Old Wolf has spoken.

Le Robinson Farm

Posted on by The Old Wolf

Le Robinson Restaurant and Boarding House

Update: Click through for some aerial photos of the resort in the 50’s.

In the 1940’s, 1950’s and to some extent into the 1960’s, the Catskill mountains of New York were home to a conglomeration of hotels, bungalows and cabin communities that became known as the Borscht Belt. After my father’s first marriage dissolved, his ex-wife married a Frenchman, Andre Lavielle, and opened a resort in Patterson, NY modeled on the same idea and called it Le Robinson. Miriam was the descendant of Russian Jewish immigrants; it’s unclear whether the clientele came from the same Ashkenazi Jewish population of New York that made the Catskill resorts so popular, or whether they catered to an Italian clientele (the resort featured bocce courts), but the general idea was the same – a place to get away from the City and relax.

I still have memories of visiting the place; the library, table-top shuffleboard games (metal pucks lubricated by some sort of sand), the windmill, the boating pond, and sitting on the screened veranda while an early bug-zapper incinerated unwelcome guests.

Sadly, a fire destroyed the main house, and the resort ultimately became a park. I found a description at “Businesses in the Village of Patterson:”

Le Robinson farm was located on Maple Avenue [in Patterson, NY], and was the former home of Jacob Stahl, best known as the owner of the Putnam Cigar Factory and other buildings in the village of Patterson. The house was a four story frame structure that was built in the fall of 1896, and was a showplace in Patterson when it was built. The property had two or three owners after the death of the Stahl family, and in the late 1950s was owned by Miriam M. Lavielle and Andre Lavielle. The Lavielle’s operated the house as a French restaurant and boarding house known as Le Robinson. The house had room for 50 guests, and there were cottages located on the adjoining property.

Mrs. Lavielle was instrumental in the formation of Boys and Girls Scout programs in Patterson in the 1950s, and was a member of the HAGS social club that sponsored many activities that benefited community programs in Patterson. She was also a president of the Parent-Teachers Association. She was born in New York City in 1913, and died after a long illness at the age of 45 on August 5, 1959.

Andre Lavielle continued to run Le Robinson after the death of his wife, and resided in one of the cottages with his stepson. An early morning fire destroyed Le Robinson in February, 1960. The fire was discovered shortly after midnight, and had already spread through the wooden structure. The blaze could be seen for ten miles. The house was unoccupied. The Patterson Fire Department was summoned, and ran hoses to the nearby pond, but had trouble directing the water on the fire as high winds diverted the spray from the hoses. The winds sent sparks in the direction of the cottages, but they did not catch fire. Patterson Supervisor William Millar had a brush with death when he stepped on a live electrical wire that had fallen on the ground. He warned firemen and spectators away from the wire until power could be cut. The property was purchased byt the town of Patterson for use as a park.

Andre Lavielle also owned the Chez Andre Restaurant, located on NYS Route 22.

Among my father’s papers was this brochure, which gives an idea of what the resort looked like:

The Main House
From left: Louise and Walter Schloss, Unknown couple, Abe and Shirley Goldshlag

The boating pond with one of the beaches; in boat at left, Charles Martens who was a counselor there in 1957.

Lounge and Library

The Dining Area

Bocce Court
On the extreme right are Jane Moskowitz and next to her Andre’s mother Angele who was visiting from France. In the back you can see Al Seymann and Nat Rothenberg.

Brochure Cover

Today the property remains, but has been transformed into a memorial park for veterans. It has been well-cared for and is a pleasant and attractive place, still used by families in the neighborhood.

Miriam Lavielle

The Old Wolf has spoken.

WÖK – Wiener Öffentliche Kuchenbetriebsgesellschafft

Posted on by The Old Wolf

The “Vienna Public Feeding GMBH” was established in 1919, with the goal of providing for the nutrition of children and the more vulnerable sections of society. It was renamed the “Viennese public kitchen company” in 1920, and retained that name until the company merged with Wigast. From 1999 to 2001, Wigast was gradually absorbed into the Austrian Tourist Office; at that time it was the largest restaurant umbrella company in Austria and included restaurants such as Rathauskeller, Donauturm and Schloss Wilhelminenberg, as well as the Wienerwald chain. In 2008, the Tourist Office sold off its restaurant holdings to better focus on tourist promotion.

The WÖK above was photographed in the summer of 1976 in the 18th Bezirk of Vienna.

What you got there was cheap and edible, but not much else. It reminded me of the ÖBB Betriebsküche in Villach, where I became acquainted with Beuschel; indeed, when I read Melville’s description of Turkey in “Bartleby the Scrivener” – (his clothes were apt to look oily and smell of eating-houses), WÖK is always what I think of. That said, the memories are indelible, and the WÖKs now belong to history.

The Old Wolf has spoken.