Tom Benjey's Weblog

Facebook Security – Part 3 – Don’t ID.me

February 24, 2024

Four days after receiving the previous message from what I’m not 100% sure is Facebook, the following message arrived at 2:58 a.m. I had never heard of ID.me prior to this and could not have responded by clicking on the link because it expired 15 minutes later, hours before I got out of bed. That was only the first thing that caused me to be skeptical about this particular message. The second thing was that it thanked me for requesting ID.me verification. The third thing was text in the message: “A one time auto ID.me.” I didn’t consider the message further because of the poor grammar that a major corporation would not have used. I can’t say with certainty this is the end of the story or not because I can’t predict what whoever it is that is messaging me might do next, if anything.

After writing, but not yet posting, this installment, my wife handed me an article from the February 6, 2024 edition of the Wall Street Journal. Buried in Jay Starkman’s “Beware of E-Filing Your Tax Return” is this little nugget: “I advise my clients not to use ID.me because it is a private database of personal information. My clients have no control over it and must trust that it won’t be hacked.”

Tags: e-filing, Facebook security, ID.me, Jay Starkman, Wall Street Journal
Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

Facebook Security Issues – Part 2

February 21, 2024

After posting the information contained in Part 1, I received the following advice in an email message from someone I don’t know: “Reach out to Facebook.sec@mail.com”

I sent the message string from Part 1 to the address above. Follows is the message string that resulted.

From: Facebook.sec@mail.com <Facebook.sec@mail.com>
Sent: Friday, February 09, 2024 12:05 AM
To: tom@tuxedo-press.com
Subject: Re: Facebook security problem

Hello welcome dear, we got your complaint and we plead for the inconveniences this may have caused, we will get this in progress and get a review may we know when did this happened?

I responded with the following:

This happened between December 14, 2023 to February 3, 2024.

From: Facebook.sec@mail.com <Facebook.sec@mail.com>
Sent: Friday, February 09, 2024 12:52 AM
To: tom@tuxedo-press.com
Subject: Re: RE: Facebook security problem

OK kindly send the necessary information linked to the account

Username /email address linked to the account and also the URL link of the affected profile

I responded with the following:

It doesn’t look like you have read my initial email. My account was linked to the email I’ve been communicating to you with. Because Facebook canceled me I cannot logon and get the URL link for the profile. I’m beginning to think Facebook doesn’t take security seriously.

From: Facebook.sec@mail.com <Facebook.sec@mail.com>
Sent: Friday, February 09, 2024 8:06 AM
To: tom@tuxedo-press.com
Subject: Re: RE: RE: Facebook security problem

Okay you will have to purchase an access account ownership pass for $200 which is fully refundable after you have gotten access to your account…

I responded with the following:

You’ve got to be kidding me. I have given you the email address associated with my account. Your technicians shouldn’t need anything else. I’m not going to give Facebook a nickel because of their incompetence.

From: Facebook.sec@mail.com <Facebook.sec@mail.com>
Sent: Friday, February 09, 2024 9:29 AM
To: tom@tuxedo-press.com
Subject: Re: RE: RE: RE: Facebook security problem

It’s refundable after your access

Sent using the mail.com mail app

I responded with the following:

I do not trust Facebook to do that after the treatment they have given me. This security problem is of their own creation, probably through incompetence. My money isn’t needed to unlock my account and I have doubts that unlocking it is even necessary.

Tags: Facebook, security
Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments »

Facebook Security Issues – Part 1

February 18, 2024

Facebook appears to have a security problem – Part 1

I received an email from a friend earlier this month that included a conversation I supposedly had with this friend over Facebook (included below). The friend, whose name I replaced with XXX for privacy, thought the exchange was odd, especially since the friend knew Facebook had canceled me in October. I don’t know exactly why—they never tell you—but suspect it was because I posted something positive about Carlisle Indian School just hours before the cancellation. I formatted the conversation to make it easier for a reader to follow. Facebook identified my supposed part of the conversation under “Tom Benjey” and my friend’s supposed part under “You said.” None of what was said makes any sense to either of us. The friend suspects that the conversation was intended for another person having the same name. To the best of my knowledge, I’m the only person with my name. There are few Benjeys in the country.

After being informed of this conversation, I attempted to sign onto Facebook and was blocked. I am still canceled. So, some hacker must have figured out how to get into a canceled account somehow. Who knows what mischief the hacker is doing?

Tom Benjey

Facebook

You’re friends on Facebook

December 14, 2023

12/14/23, 6:40 AM

Tom

Hello XXX

December 19, 2023

12/19/23, 10:57 AM

You sent

A foot in the door!

December 19, 2023

12/19/23, 2:32 PM

Tom

How have you been?

December 21, 2023

12/21/23, 12:32 AM

You sent

I have a small toe problem. How about you?

January 26 at 3:18 PM

Jan 26, 2024, 3:18 PM

Tom

What is that

You sent

Broken small toe. Now healed.

January 31 at 10:49 AM

Wed 10:49 AM

Tom

Enjoy your happy moments of life… … I saw your in DHHS winners have you heard anything about them yet !!?

Yesterday at 4:59 PM

Fri 4:59 PM

You sent

Don’t know anything about DHHS winners. Must be another XXX

Today at 10:31 AM

10:31 AM

Tom

It’s Department Human of health services they are helping people all over the world like workers,, young, students, widowed, Retired and people with disabled to benefit from their financially to maintain the good standard of living 2023/2024, Have you received any money from them?

Tags: Facebook, security
Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments »

John Two Guns White Calf

February 8, 2024

Kerry Byrnes has written a most interesting article about how John Two Guns White Calf, whose image adorned Washington Redskins helmets and logos starting in 1972 before being canceled in 2020. The entire article can be found here:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/canceled-tribal-chief-white-calf-face-of-the-redskins-generates-new-support-nationwide/ar-BB1hQwhC

One thing I learned was that NCAI, the organization that got the Redskins name canceled, is funded by George Soros. Soros is the person who funded numerous candidates for Attorney General and District Attorney offices. Those people are the ones who have created havoc in their cities and states by refusing to charge criminals with serious crimes and to release them without bail if they get arrested.

I enjoyed reading Byrnes’ article because, on the whole, it is accurate where most pieces on the Redskins or Carlisle Indian School are not. However, one sentence is incorrect: “The franchise changed its name to the Boston Redskins as a tribute to their hosts and to maintain their Tammany identity and uniforms.” This error regarding the uniforms was previously promulgated in a Boston newspaper (the Globe if I recall correctly) in an attempt to smear owner George Preston Marshall for being cheap.

The 1932 Boston Braves wore plain blue jerseys with gold numerals. The 1933 Boston Redskins sported maroon uniforms with an Indian head on the front with gold stripes on the collar and wrists. Because the new team colors were so similar to those of Carlisle Indian School (red and old gold) and that Head Coach Lone Star Dietz was also an artist, he may have designed the new uniforms. He borrowed the idea of putting an Indian head on the front of the jerseys from the Chicago Blackhawks ice hockey team. He probably used the same Tammany image as had been used on the Braves letterhead (but not on their uniforms). The Redskins were forced to wear the old Braves uniforms the first week of the season because their new ones hadn’t arrived yet.

Posted in Carlisle Indian School, Football, Lone Star Dietz, Pop Warner, Uncategorized, Washington Redskins | Leave a Comment »

Discount on Gridiron Gypsies

February 4, 2024

One of the printers that print my books now offers the ability to purchase books they print directly from them rather that from the publisher or a reseller. The advantage to the buyer is that books can be bought at a discount and with a reduced shipping charge. The disadvantage is that personal inscriptions aren’t available. As an experiment, Gridiron Gypsies has been enrolled in this program. To order a book this way, either take a photo of the QR Code above with your cellphone camera and follow the link or click on the book cover below.

Either way, Gridiron Gypsies only costs $19.79 plus $3.00 shipping.

Posted in Carlisle Indian School, Football, Jim Thorpe, Pop Warner, Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »

My Washington

January 30, 2024

A commenter informed me of a Lone Star Dietz painting that had been sold for a high price at auction in 2022. That Dietz produced this particular painting while he was living in Reading, Pennsylvania is not a problem. Dietz attended the 40^th anniversary celebration of Washington State’s victory over Brown in the 1916 Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. While on the West Coast he traveled to Pullman, where he discussed the open coaching position. He likely did this painting on that visit. The minimum bid allowed by the auction was $2,000. The only bid received was for $2,400. One suspects that a family member or local institution was the purchaser. I’d appreciate hearing if the painting is seen hanging somewhere. The auction site included the following write-up, which is surprisingly accurate, about the painting:

Original oil on canvas painting by Lone Star Dietz, College Football Hall of Fame coach and second coach of the Washington Redskins. Following his coaching career, Dietz became a noted painter and had an exhibition of his works at Lehigh University in 1955. The offered painting is especially noteworthy, because it was produced for one of Dietz’s former players at Washington State, Ralph Boone, who was a key contributor in the club’s 1916 Rose Bowl victory.

The colorful painting (44×36”), titled “My Washington” pictures the sprawling Yakima Valley, Washington state’s agricultural center, noted for its wine, apple, and hops production. Dietz has signed and dated the painting, “Lone Star Dietz Jan. ’56,” in the lower right corner. Dietz has added a lengthy dedication on the reverse of the canvas. In full: “’My Washington’ – From the Yakima Valley to the Palouse – It is a country of roving clouds – endless hills of growing wheat – Delicious apples – tall timber and fields of blooming hops/As painted for Ralph R. Boone a great football player, a fine gentleman and a warm personal friend – by his former coach – Lone Star Dietz – 1956.” The painting, which is stretched on board, remains in Excellent to Mint condition.

Ralph Boone was a running back who played under Dietz at Washington State. Boone scored the first touchdown of the game in Washington State’s 14-0 win over Brown in the 1916 Rose Bowl, which was just the second Rose Bowl game ever played, and the one that began the annual New Year’s Day tradition. Obviously, the ties between player and coach remained strong throughout the years, with the two forming a close friendship in later life, as the dedication of this painting will attest.

Lone Star Dietz was one of the most interesting figures in the history of both college and professional football. His heritage as a Native American was always questioned throughout his life, but he was a star football player at the Carlisle Indian School (1909-1912) under Pop Warner and a teammate of Jim Thorpe. Washington State marked his first college head coaching position, which he held from 1915 to 1917. (Dietz’s win in the 1916 Rose Bowl is still the school’s only Rose Bowl win.). Dietz eventually coached at seven other colleges, including Purdue, Louisiana Tech, and Wyoming. In 1933 he became the second head coach of the Washington Redskins in what was the club’s second season in NFL franchise history. While the story has never been confirmed, it was often said that team owner Preston Marshall named the club the “Redskins” in honor of Dietz’s heritage (the team was known as the Braves during its inaugural 1932 campaign). Dietz coached the Redskins for two seasons before returning to the college ranks. He retired from coaching in 1942, spending the remainder of his life as a painter right up until the time of his death in 1964. Dietz was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2012. Please note: the size and/or weight of this lot will necessitate an increased shipping charge.

Tags: Rose Bowl
Posted in Carlisle Indian School, Football, Lone Star Dietz, Washington State University | 2 Comments »

Disinformation About Jim Thorpe (revised)

January 26, 2024

University of Oklahoma Press has announced the upcoming release of the updated edition of Robert W. Wheeler’s definitive biography Jim Thorpe: World’s Greatest Athlete. Written a half century ago, Wheeler has much to add to the story of Jim Thorpe’s legacy since he and his wife, Florence Ridlon, have worked tirelessly for decades to get the Olympic medals and records restored. More information can be found at: https://www.oupress.com/9780806194240/jim-thorpe/

While we’re thinking about Jim Thorpe I want to focus on an article published by James Best of NBC Sports that get about everything about him wrong. https://www.nbcsportschicago.com/nfl/chicago-bears/a-look-at-the-history-of-jim-thorpe-and-native-americans-in-football/186374/

Under the headline Who was the first Native American football player? Best states, “Thorpe was the first Native American to play in the NFL.” If he had glanced at the team roster or a game program he would have noticed that two of Thorpe’s backfield partners were former Carlisle Indian School teammates, Pete Calac and Joe Guyon. Thorpe was late to the professional game relative to other Carlisle players when he joined the Canton Bulldogs in 1915. In fact, it was old Carlisle end William Gardner who Jack Cusack sent to Bloomington Indiana to recruit Thorpe to play for the Bulldogs. An accurate statement would have been that Jim Thorpe was the first Pete Rozelle for the fledgling NFL.

Best’s next sentence began, “Thorpe was born in 1888….” Like many of his contemporaries, Jim Thorpe’s date of birth isn’t known definitively. Yes, he gave 1988 for the year of his birth on his WWII draft papers. Carlisle’s records suggest that he was born in 1887. It is possible he shaved a year off his age to make him appear to be more attractive to the military. His actual birth date won’t likely ever be known. After I first published this, I learned that a Sac and Fox researcher had discovered the tribe’s original 1891 allotment records. It shows that Jim and his twin brother Charley were born in 1887. This is the earliest document discovered so far that lists Jim’s year of birth. The 1892 tribal roll available on Ancestry.com lists their ages as five. That would make their years of birth 1887.

The next sentence states that he attended Carlisle Indian Industrial School in 1907. It would have been clearer if Mr. Best had done a little research and noted that Thorpe arrived at Carlisle in 1904 but his athletic talents hadn’t developed to the point of beating Carlisle track stars until 1907.

Best’s next paragraph begins, “Thorpe decided to try football in 1911….” He neglected to mention that Thorpe cajoled Pop Warned into putting him on the football team in 1907. He mostly rode the bench that year as he learned the game by watching experienced players. The next year he was a starter and performed so well Walter Camp named him to his All-American Third Team for 1908.

Best was correct as far as he went in stating Thorpe “helped Carlisle beat some of the best teams in the nation like Army, Harvard, Syracuse, Pittsburgh and Nebraska.” Carlisle players considered everything about Harvard to be the best and held great post-game celebrations in the evenings after the 1907 and 1911 victories over Harvard. They always enjoyed beating Army but the loved beating the Johnny Harvard. Pop Warner savored the wins over Amos Alonzo Stagg’s 1907 Chicago team and Dartmouth’s 1913 squad, games in which Thorpe wasn’t a factor, more than the others. He considered the 1907 and 1911 squads to be his best at Carlisle.

A later paragraph began, “After completing his final collegiate season, Thorpe participated in the 1912 Olympic Games…” If the author of this article had possessed a calendar, he would have known that the Olympic Games, which were competed in the summer, were over before the start of football season in the fall.

That’s enough for today. I suggest that readers find other sources for information about Jim Thorpe rather than NBC Sports. Wheeler’s book would be my first choice.

Tags: Bob WEheeler, Florence Ridlon, James Best, NBC Sports
Posted in Carlisle Indian School, Football, Jim Thorpe, Joe Guyon, Pete Calac, Pop Warner, Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »

Avoid Disinformation About Jim Thorpe

January 22, 2024

Under the headline, Who was the first Native American football player? Best states, “Thorpe was the first Native American to play in the NFL.” If he had glanced at the team roster or a game program he would have noticed that two of Thorpe’s backfield partners were former Carlisle Indian School teammates, Pete Calac and Joe Guyon. Thorpe was late to the professional game relative to other Carlisle players when he joined the Canton Bulldogs in 1915. In fact, it was old Carlisle end William Gardner who Jack Cusack sent to Bloomington Indiana to recruit Thorpe to play for the Bulldogs. An accurate statement would have been that Jim Thorpe was the first Pete Rozelle for the fledgling NFL.

Best’s next sentence began, “Thorpe was born in 1888….” Like many of his contemporaries, Jim Thorpe’s date of birth isn’t known definitively. Yes, he gave 1988 for the year of his birth on his WWII draft papers. It is possible he shaved a year off his age to make him appear to be more attractive to the military. Carlisle’s records suggest that he was born in 1887. His actual birth date won’t likely ever be known.

Best’s next paragraph begins, “Thorpe decided to try football in 1911….” He neglected to mention that Thorpe cajoled Pop Warned into putting him on the football team in 1907 and that he was named to Walter Camp’s All-American Third Team in 1908.

A later paragraph began, “After completing his final collegiate season, Thorpe participated in the 1912 Olympic Games…” If the author of this article had possessed a calendar, he would have known that the Olympic Games were played in the summer, before the start of the football season in the fall.

That’s enough for today. I suggest readers look to other sources for accurate information about Jim Thorpe rather than NBC Sports. Wheeler’s book would be my first choice.

Tags: 1912 Olympics, Oorang Indians, Robert W. Wheeler
Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments »

Susquehannock Logo Reinstated

January 20, 2024

The Associated Press reports that Southern York County School District reinstated Susquehannock High School’s logo and team names back to what they had been prior to April 2021. This caught my attention because York County abuts the county I live in a few miles from my house.

The 2021 board voted 7-2 to cease using the logo but would continue using “Susquehannock” as the Glen Rock, Pennsylvania school’s name and “Warriors” as the teams’ name. Earlier, an on-line survey received 3,300+ responses of which 80% did not want the mascot to change. In a special meeting held the month before the vote, Ian Record of the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) spoke, saying the mascot perpetuated racist stereotypes with war-like depictions. The board waited until the district’s diversity committee returned its research on the matter to vote. Those voting to retire the logo considered it racist.

Last year, five new school board members, who used the retired logo on their campaign literature, were elected to the board in November 2023. The outgoing board president did not run for reelection. The new board immediately dealt with the logo issue when it took over in January 2024 by placing the issue on their meeting agenda. The board debated reinstating the logo for a considerable time before residents voiced their opinions in a two-hour public comment period. The Native American Guardian’s Association (NAGA), whose motto is “Educate NOT Eradicate,” made an hour-long presentation explaining why this group of American Indians lobbies against the removal of Indian mascots.

About four hours after the meeting started, board members voted 7-2 to reinstate the logo. More information about NAGA can be found at: https://www.nagaeducation.org/

Tags: NAGA, Susquehannock
Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

Wrong Think

January 9, 2024

A person, whom I’ve never met and whose name I’m not divulging for fear of reprisal to him, wrote to me about my being banned from Facebook for Wrong Think.

Hi Tom, sorry to hear about being banned from Facebook, for no reason at all, and not being able to dispute it. I will back you up by saying that of the thousands of student files I’ve read, I’d say that well over 90% of the students were appreciative of their time at “Dear Old Carlisle”, and you would be hard pressed to find negative comments in those same records. That being said, there were “runners” for sure, which I understand, Carlisle wasn’t for everyone. These ignorant, on the subject of the Carlisle Indian School, virtue signalers, who just parrot the same old “all Indian schools were evil” narrative, don’t have a clue, and do the Carlisle students a serious misjustice by not learning the good it did. People need to realize that a census done in the late 1890’s, early 1900’s accounted for maybe 225,000 Indigenous folks left, Capt. Pratt was on a mission, not to let their extinction happen.

I haven’t read thousands of student files because my interest lies primarily with the football team. However, I have read hundreds of files of players and their relatives. Families often sent several or all of their children to Carlisle and information on the players’ family histories, particularly with regard the health and deaths, could be found in siblings’ files. I will concede that former students who had unhappy experiences at Carlisle would have been unlikely to respond to requests from the administration about their lives after Carlisle. Also, administrators may have purged negative responses from the files. In spite of that, a huge number of positive responses can still be found in the archives over 100 years after the school closed.

Posted in Carlisle Indian School, Richard Henry Pratt | Leave a Comment »