Email Identity Check

Got this email from Michelle Bostock.

Hello Goh!

I came across your blog while looking for rockstars and was wondering if you would be interested in chatting about openings we have here at Facebook. You do have 15 minutes to spare, right? Tell me this is my lucky day! Time for a change!!! Come work for us in Palo Alto, CA!

Michelle Bostock | Facebook Recruiting |
1601 S. California ave. | Palo Alto, Ca | 94304
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2011/01/18/businessinsider-facebook-engineers-get-incredible-freedom-in-their-jobs-2011-1.DTL

So, I wondered whether this is a valid email or spam. Here's what I did (and how you should do too!) to check the email sources.

Step 1: Quick check on Google for similar email

Just do a quick check on the contents of the email, see whether anyone got the same email or not. The search returned zero result, except my own post by the time you clicked this link.

(: Passed.

Step 2: Email Sender Check

The sender appears to be from @fb.com domain. Did a whois check and found out that fb.com is indeed owned by Facebook, Inc.

(: Passed.

Step 3: Profile Identity Check

Did a quick Google and found out that there actually a Facebook employee named "Michelle Bostock". And the FB account is affiliated with FB, and Google & Linked-In too.

(: Passed. (Not that important).

Step 4: Email Header Check

Did a check on the email header/source, its from "SC-MBX01-5.TheFacebook.com". The domain is indeed from Facebook, Inc.

(: Passed.


Conclusion

The email content looks like one of the spam email template. But the sources seems to suggest that its from valid sources. The possibilities are:

1. Its a valid email, or
2. Sender (FB employee) account got hacked, or
3. Facebook mailing system security breach.

I've email back. So, lets wait and see the reply :)


UPDATE (April 02): The email is indeed valid :)

What if Plan A fails

if "PLAN A" doesn't work out, don't worry.. u still have 25 letters left!

Saw this on friend's FB wall, so sharing it here. To remind myself, and those of you who encounter difficulties in life.

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Was working on my own web application lately, but faced a lot of issues, even with simple user account/authentication. Nvm, one step at a time. Its still something that I architec-ed out on my own.

加油!　がんばって！

Great Power come Great Responsibility

Was working on a new server of one of the client, and got this interesting system message.

We trust you have received the usual lecture from the local System
Administrator. It usually boils down to these three things:

    #1) Respect the privacy of others.
    #2) Think before you type.
    #3) With great power comes great responsibility.

[sudo] password for admin:
admin is not in the sudoers file.  This incident will be reported.

The server engineers sure have great sense of humour.

Update: Just realize this is the default message shown :)

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Quick update for my day:

Very mafan to work on other people's server. Got connection, firewall, account privilege, all kinds of issues. Just feel so unproductive today! argh!

Shokudo @ Raffles City Shopping Complex

Went Shokudo @ Raffles City Shopping Centre for lunch with YC, KaiJian, WaiKin and SinYing. The main reason we go there is because KaiJian received a $50 discount coupon as member.

Price

We spent about $130 in total, but minus off the discount, so about $16 per person. Pretty good deal.

Review

Overall, I think the food there "still eat-able". So so, nothing fantastic.

The only dish I think is nice is Okonomiyaki (大阪烧). I ordered seafood flavour, which is $10.80. Actually I manage to check the review on Foursquare before order, and most people recommended Okonomiyaki too!

Ramen! I didn't try this, because my friend warned me before we go there. And Foursquare review for ramen is also a big thumb-down!

Photos

Sidenote

When we leave the restaurant, the cashier gave us another $50 discount coupon agian. Erm... not sure when we will go there again... Haha.

Usavich 监狱兔 の Soft-toy

SiowChuen bought this Usavich soft-toy and keychain back from her internship in China. The keychain is for me, the soft-toy is for Simin. Loves it! :)