Streamlining the 419 scam

In the Spam Inbox:

My name is David Taylor, I work in a bank, I need your assistance in moving the sum of Four Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars {$4.5million} into your country. Funds are ready in account managed by me. On our agreement I will make you next of kin beneficiary of funds and action cash delivery to you. Kindly reply via below email address for further instruction on how to proceed.

That's it? No story about the tragic plane crash, the imprisoned treasury minister, the upheaval in central Africa?

Nothing? All he wants is my "further instruction?"

The 419 scam just isn't so much fun without the apologetic "It may seem to you odd that I am writing to you, but I am Mr. Abad Semeer Ochoa, previously adviser to his excellency..."

Misc

1) In Poker Academy Pro, I outlasted 490 robots from a field of 500, made it to the "Final Table" and then immediately lost to an inside straight draw. I immediately received a congratulatory popup: "You finished in the money with a profit of $39,000!" Not much consolation in that, especially since it's not real money.

2) I've noticed several people blogging about the outer automorphism of S_6. Why? Someone famous mention it or something?

3) Finished Peter Gay's My German Question. Very nice book. Why can't more memoir writers stick to the interesting stuff and skip everything else? It's nothing compared to the Klemperer diaries, but an enjoyable read from front to back.

4) Sirius Satellite radio doesn't work so well in leafy Palo Alto. Driving past the Jobs house it always cuts out. Is it jamming or just big trees? "They should clearcut that street," suggested John. The "channels" on Sirius radio have names "CoffeeHouse", "HardAttack", "Left of Center", etc. Must be fun to make those names up.

iPod Halloween costume