Name Sake

I am an artist. Even though it is a self-styled title, I am proud of it and have been working hard trying to make it worhy of its name. However, when people add the prefix con- to it and refer it to the kind of swindlers who try to cheat money out of innocent people, I am very unhappy. It seems as if either we artists are also involved in stealing money from people or those swindlers's craftiness is part of what we call art. I don't mind if people call them con-politicians, con-bankers, con-business people, but the last thing I would relate to them is artists like myself.

When I became an American around 30 years, I heard people talk about creepy business people like car salespeople, especially used car salespeople. Of course, there are good ones in the business and I hope I didn't overgeneralize it. However, my personal experiences with them are not very encouraging. I bought my first brandnew car almost at its stick price and used the bank recommended by the dealer for a loan. Later, I learned that people like car salespeople love new immigrants because they are suckers who don't know the tricks of capitalist business. That was true that before I bid China farewell, every commodity there had only one price nationwide. If people asked about the price, they were only considering whether they could afford it but never doubt otherwise. Since then I learned and rememberd my lesson. When Ford Company sent me a questionnaire on my second car-purchasing experiences, I was very nasty. I responded by saying, "I am not sure whether your salespeople have a highschool diploma or not, but just tell those cockroaches not to play mathematical tricks with customers, especially watch out for Asian customers."

Unfortunately, I suspect, in around 30 years, the experiences have come back to me now: when people notice your name sounds too anglo-sexon like mine, they take it for granted that you are a gullable bird for a good dish. It may have something to do with bad economy, but basically it is human nature, I think. Yesterday, I received a mail form Hong Kong or Singpore. And I took the time to seriously responded as follows:

Re: Urgent reply Needed

TO: 1 More1 recipient

CC: 1 recipientYou 1 More

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FROM:

• weimin mo

TO:

• peterwongtungshun828@yahoo.com.hk

CC:

• disaster@leo.gov

Message flagged

Thursday, October 25, 2012 7:53 AM

Dear Dr. Wong or Thomas or Whatever:

Thank you for your business proposal and you estimation of my IQ, but it is kind of too low for a preson with a Ph.D. I understand, when economy is bad, it is not easy to do any business. It takes great creativity to be a successful con-artist. Chances are people like you who try to be a copycat of stale tricks end up in jail. What is the next thing you want to ask from me, screw loose? My bank account number or social security number?

I am a retire loafer but not retarded. I have some time on hand, so it really amuses me an ignoramus like you to make this kind of proposal to me after a dentist who tried to charge me for a service I never got and a realtor who rent my house and put a sign outside in an attempt to sell my house.

Work harder and come back again.

Weimin Mo

From: Dr Peter WONG Tung Shun <thomas_lkt@singnet.com.sg>
To: info@hsbltd.com
Sent: Thursday, October 25, 2012 6:31 AM
Subject: Urgent reply Needed

Hello

I am Dr Peter WONG Tung Shun, A Chinese, I have a Mutual business proposal I'm proposing to you.
that I would want you to handle from your country, I will like to seek your consent first.

This project involves a huge specific amount which I can't mention here for security reasons.
It involve a transaction from my bank in Hong Kong, Am a Chinese man
and we are bound by laws here and this transaction requires a foreigner.

If you feel you can have this handled, please let me know by contacting me in my private email:peterwongtungshun828@yahoo.com.hk,
so that I send you an attached comprehensive details of this transaction.

Sincerely,
--
Dr Mr Peter WONG Tung Shun
Member of the executive Directors
(Hang Seng Bank Limited HK)