Being hacked

No, not my computer, as I use a hack proof Apple Mac!

Just yesterday, I received a message from a very dear friend of mine in a language that I did not understand. I used Google translate and found it was in Portuguese.

The message had as the Subject Fotos. 15/12 and was

Cuidado com essas pessoas falsas.
Salvei essas fotos pra você ver
Olha só o que aconteçeu...

anexo.

219,5Kb Baixar

This translates as

Beware of these fake people.
I saved these pictures for you to see
Look what happened ...

Annex.

Download 219.5 Kb

.

If one clicked on the attachment, the hacker could get into a computer running Windows. On a Mac, as this is an .exe file, I got a warning about it and was able to stop the download. Although, even if I had saved it, the .exe file would not have been able to run on my Mac.

I immediately emailed my friend asking for an explanation.

He replied that the email had not been sent by him.

Exactly as he was sending me that message, I got another email from him with a repeat of the earlier message, which meant the hacker or his software was at that precise moment operating inside his account.

Also, the hacker managed to send 3 messages to our Seventh Heaven Google Group.

The minute I marked those messages as spam, my friend's email ID would have been banned from the Google Group.

I got his alternate email ID, subscribed him and then marked the messages as spam. Within seconds Google had banned the old email ID.

In the Google Gmail, at the bottom of the page you can see a note

Last account activity: 8 hours ago on this computer. Details

When you click on the word "Details" it gives the last 5 log ins along with the IP address from where you have logged in. If it is not from your computer, you know you have a hacker and from where.

I do not know whether other email providers have this facility.

As I use a Mac and have used one for the last 25 years, I do not even have to have virus protection software installed on my computer. It has saved me much hassle, time and money!!!

Now my friend has to change all his sensitive information as the hacker had access to all his emails, passwords, and probably credit card numbers, expiry dates, etc.

Kai Lam's letter to the Chief Justice

60er Kai Lam is representing Sabahuddin Ahmed, one of the accused in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack case.

He has made a representation to the Chief Justice which is contained in a report in the Indian Express.



Interesting?

School Song - West Side Story Version

A couple of Cathedralites have sent me links to this You Tube version of the School Song, made to resemble something out of West Side Story.

Difficult to say whether I approve or disapprove, but the "Let it Rip, Let it Thunder" was a bit feeble! Glad to see initiative by present-day Cathedralites using the New Media.

Page from the Coffee Table Book - Directory of 59er Cathedralites
published in November 2009 as part of our 50th Year Reunion Celebration.
Authored and published by my wife, Annikki, and myself, a 59er.

Given below is the blurb associated with the release of the You Tube Version of the School Song.

A Little about the History of the School Song

These are the words of our school song, originally written for the Cathedral Boys High School, in late 19th century British occupied India. At this time, our school was open only to boys, hence the words of the song emphasise on ‘boys’. This song means a lot to every Cathedralite today, and is sung with great gusto on every major occasion, reiterating the fierce school spirit that we are so well known for. It speaks of everything that this school imbibes in us, that every Cathedralite takes with him or her wherever he or she goes; loyalty, pride, a sense of duty and of course, selflessness above all.

Making of the Video

We've shot a video presenting the school song sung by our Choir. It has candid shots of the choir, Cathedralites beginning marching practice, playing basketball, generally having fun and saying hi to our friends at EUMIND.

Watch it on this link below:

Cathedral and John Connon School Song

The DVD of our 59er 50th Year Reunion may contain the rendition of the School Song in the Cathedral at this year's Founders' Day Service.

The roof of the church lifted at the Rip and Thunder! :-)

Having played cricket, football and hockey with Johnny...

I was so pleased when Naval sent me a link to CricInfo mentioning that there was an article about John Jameson. I did not immediately find the article, but then I entered his name into their search engine. It turned up two Jamesons, one from South Africa and the other JA Jameson from England.

There was a nice short profile about his career and statistical details about his cricketing career in the UK.

Profile

John Jameson was a solidly-built opening batsman with a propensity to attack rather than defend, and who on his day was one of the cleanest hitters in English cricket. Add into that his brisk medium-pace bowling, a good slip fielder and, on occasion, a reliable stand-in wicketkeeper, and it was clear to see why he was so highly regarded at Warwickshire. His international opportunities were limited and were undone by his habit of being run-out - three of his first four innings ended that way, including the first instance of it happening to an England batsman twice in the same match. In the Caribbean in 1973-74 he top-edged the first ball he faced out there for six over the slips. In 1974 he featured in a world-record second-wicket stand of 465 with Rohan Kanhai, and the following summer was included in England's World Cup squad. He retired prematurely in 1976 to coach at Taunton School (his alma mater) before becoming a first-class umpire (1984-87) , Sussex's coach (1988) and then MCC's assistant secretary in 1989. As late as 1994 he was still playing for Warwickshire's Over-50 side, despite bad knees which left him with an increasingly rolling gait.
Martin Williamson
Copyright CricInfo

At the end of the article there was a link to a more recent article From Byculla to The Oval, and back by Nagraj Gollapudi datelined December 3, 2009.

Not much new in the article except it did mention that he had studied at our school.

I remember John very well. He was just two years senior to me and also in Savage House. I remember him playing hockey, football and cricket with me in the House Competitions. He was an absolutely natural sportsman, very much like another Savageite, Roger Cloy, several years younger to us.

I wonder whatever has happened to Roger? 

I had just arrived from Bangalore. Both my brother and I were good sportsmen and very fit as we had had the opportunity of the daily compulsory games at Bishop Cottons school, a school blessed with almost a dozen pitches in the school compound! 

In one football match at the Oval, we Savageites were being given a bit of a rough time against another House, when Johnny called my brother and me at half time and worked out a new strategy. It meant playing the game, holding the ball more to ourselves rather than just kicking it wildly around. 

I seem to remember that whatever he suggested worked and we managed to draw that game.

Johnny had complimented my leg spin bowling during the cricket season. As my brother was Captain of the House team, John had persuaded him to give me rather a lengthy spell in one House match where I did manage to get some important wickets without giving away too many runs.

However, my first love had always been hockey. I do not remember actually playing with Johnny in any match, as I think he had left school to go somewhere else (Sherwood College, Nanital?) during my first serious hockey season in Cathedral.

My links to Johnny were rekindled when the 57ers planned their 50th year reunion. Thanks to the late Budhni, Johnny sent me a couple of pictures of himself and his family. These are available in some earlier blog entry.

I am sure if Johnny had decided to play any sport for India he would have done marvellously as the surroundings always suited him, just like they had suited his dad in that country.

56er Ubi remembers much about Johnny and his family. I do not know whether he has had the opportunity to renew contact with his family friend after all these years!

Founders' Day Church Service

Even with the traffic rush, we managed to reach the Cathedral Church by 16:45.

Our Class photograph session was in progress. This year it was different from previous years where the sessions have been conducted in the school premises with chairs, banners, etc.

I do not know what photographs were taken, but no doubt they will reach me soon. I posed for many.

Then it was inside the church, where there were several rows reserved for us 59ers and we there in full force.

I have never attended a Founders' Day Service ever since I left school but have had many moving descriptions of it. It lived up to my expectations.

Principal Mrs. Merea Isaacs, in her welcome address did mention that previous staff had come from various parts of India, but no one had told her that William Shiri and his wife, Pushpa, had come all the way from Canada and Richard Smith (corrected after Comment) from England. John Billington could not stay for the service, but had attended several of our 59er functions, and he too had come from England. Joe D'Souza in his frail condition, had come from Goa!

We 59ers did get a special mention in her speech as we were celebrating our Golden Reunion.

The Church Service was wonderful. It ended with the rip roaring shout that we as a school are famous for.

The exit from the church was slow and the blistering breathless heat was taking a toll on many. As I headed to the snacks section, Annikki decided that she could not stand the heat. So we left directly.

I will blog the next episode after the Alumni dinner dance at the Blue Sea on Worli Sea Face which starts in about half an hour. Knowing Mumbai time, will it be an hour or two away?

Some pictures from Hasnain

Hasnain has been filling me with some photographs of various reunion events. I am sharing a few with you. 64er Rajiv Ved also submitted a nice picture of me with a couple of dear 64er friends at the "Evening with the Findians".

Ooky, Ratan, Vijay, Frainy (Percy's wife), Armeane, Vikram (Kamdar),
Percy, Naubir and Hasnain kneeling.

Asha, Harmo (Rani), Piloo, Renuka, Parvin, Frahana, Gita and Seeta

Sheryn and Anjula are standing at the back.

John, Armeane, Naubir, Ramesh

Presley brothers - 59ers Shivi and Vicky


Me, and two 64ers, captured by another 64er - Rajiv Ved.

Great pictures - Hasnian and Rajiv. Thanks

What is the mathematical chance of this?

Mumbai is an ENORMOUS City with thousands and thousands of taxis.

I have not been here for 10 years. I found Mumbai taxis to be cheap and efficient.

What are the chances that a taxi driver will pull up on the road, with passengers in the back seat, get out and greet you?

That happened this morning? I felt deeply touched by his actions.

Incredible India, but I have taken note of Ubi's warning - go only where you intend to go in a taxi, never take anything edible from a taxi driver .