The webmaster of BillKristol.net, who frequents the comments here as Evan, received the following solicitation via email:
Dear Mr. Kristol,
We are pleased to attach herewith a report on our innovative technology “generation of Hydrogen-fuel by catalytic splitting of water,” for your information, kind consideration and perusal. All we need at this time is a few thousand dollars for the next phase, which Is optimization of the process for both as a proof of the concept and to collect data for scale-up purpose.
If you are interested in financing this phase of the project, either from your foundation or from your own private sources, please let us know. We will be pleased to submit a Test Plan along with a budget estimate for your review and approval, ASAP. Attached herewith are my RESUME and a summary of my EXPERIENCE for your information ONLY. For more information about Overseas Consultants, please visit our World Wide Web Site at : http://www.overseasconsultants.us.
If you have any question(s) or need more information, please do not hesitate to call us at 814-262-7489 (Office) or at 814-2701422 (Mobile). Thanking you in anticipation and hoping to hear from you soon.
Sincerely,
M.A. Qazi.NOTE: You could loan us a small amount of money, few thousand dollars, that you can afford, on an interest FREE basis, or as an investment in our company based on mutual trust. We will acknowledge receipt of the same. If our technology takes off, we promise to pay back ten (10) times that amount of money to your good self for your favorite charity, God willing.
Being a man who recognizes both cutting edge technologies and good investment opportunities when he sees them, Evan responded thusly:
Dear Dr. Qazi,
Our webmaster, Mr. Brin, was kind enough to forward me your E-mail. Having read your report, we at billkristol.net are very excited for the new technological breakthroughs. Given that your original message was addressed to Mr. Kristol himself—and given the sensitive nature of this matter—we suggest that you contact him directly. He can be E-mailed through the following web page:
http://www.nytimes.com/gst/emailus.html?author=WILLIAM%20KRISTOL&recipient=reporter
Very truly yours,
H. Yalincak
Head of Accounting
I mean, really…what else does Bill Kristol have to do these days? Maybe this will pan out for him.
gizmo says:
Dear Mr. Kristol,
I am Mr. Peter Wang Executive Director of the Hang Seng Bank Ltd, HONG KONG. An Iraqi named Besem Faruak, a business man made a numbered fixed deposit of (126,336,829.38 hk) for 18 calendar months, this is valued to Eight million United State Dollars only in my branch. Upon maturity several notice was sent to him, even during the war, four years ago (2004). Again after the war another notification was sent and still no response came from him. We later found out that Besem Faruak, and his family had been killed during the war in Gunfire that hit their home at Mukaradeeb where his personal oil well was.
After further investigation it was also discovered that Besem Faruak, did not declare any next of kin in his official papers including the paper work of his bank deposit. And he also confided in me the last time we was at my office that no one except me knew of his deposit in my bank. So, Eight million United State Dollars is still lying in my bank and no one will ever come forward to claim it.
What bothers me is that according to the laws of my country at the expiration five years six months the funds will revert to the ownership of the HONG KONG Government if nobody applies to claim the funds. My proposal, I am prepared to place you as the next of kin in a position to instruct HANG SENG BANK to release the deposit to you as the closest surviving relation. Upon receipt of the deposit, I am prepared to share the money with you in half. That is: I will simply nominate you as the
next of kin and have them release the deposit to you.
We share the percent age 50/50. I would have gone ahead to ask the funds be released to me, but that would have drawn a straight line in my involvement in claiming the deposit. I assure you that I could have the deposit released to you within a few days. I will simply inform the bank of the final closing of the file relating to Besem Faruak, I will then officially communicate with my Bank and instruct them to release the deposit to you. With these, all is done. I am aware of the consequences of this proposal should be interested in executing this with me,indicate your interest by sending me the following:
1. YOUR NAME
2. YOUR RESIDENT ADDRESS
3. YOUR OCCUPATION
4. YOUR PHONE NUMBER
5. DATE OF BIRTH
6. COUNTRY OF RESIDENT
Your response with the requested information should be sent to reach me at my personal email address below: peter.wang46@yahoo.com.hk
I shall then provide you with more details on this operation when I hear from you.