I'm sorry, shrift.

I'm so sorry shrift. I hope drama, or even annoyance, can be kept at bay.

But if he'd been a really good guy, he might offer thousands of pounds, to get something he thinks is valuable, and to help out someone he thinks is in dire straits.

Really? Or wouldn't he more likely say to her "hey, did you know that's really valuable? If you're in dire straights it might be a way out. You should take it to a jeweler."

I mean, it could happen. But it seems like an exceptional enough circumstances that the rule is likely approximately as true as any of these rules.

I would call that a scam rather than a con as it stands, I think, whatever the person offered. The watch is presumably not worth much of anything, I take it?

I'll agree that "you can't con an honest man" is not intrinsically true, but depends on the design of the con. Certainly innocent people can be duped by just not knowing what a reasonable ROI is, rather than by being particularly greedy. And perhaps the degree to which it is ever true is fictional, I don't know.

Thanks, everyone. I'm predicting that the money-grubbing will be spectacular.

My sympathies, shrift. I am glad she is no longer in pain. I do hope that problematic people will take subtle hints and stronger hints if those don't work.

I desperately wanted to lean over and say, "a) I think you'll find that your math is deeply flawed, and b) gross."

His math is ewww and, yes, additional ewww.

I'm sorry, shrift. Relatives~ma to you and your mom.

I bet there are perfectly decent people who are that stupid or clueless that they'll fall for a Ponzi scheme, or whatever.

What's confusing me is what it's called when the elderly, for example, are involved. It's not a con to get them to give you their Social Security number for whatever bullshit reasons you come up with? That's not them wanting something illegal or shady, that's them falling for it.

I think the difference between "con" and "swindle" or similar term is probably semantics at this point.

I think the difference between "con" and "swindle" or similar term is probably semantics at this point.

Yeah, that's probably the big confusing factor.

(And I'm lauging because the ads for White Collar recently have all been Peter and Neal arguing the definition of con.)

Ugh, Sophia. I hate when being polite gets in the way of escaping actual ickiness like that.

Has anyone dealt with an asthmatic cat? We're looking into getting an inhaler/flovent for Kripkat and are looking for an Rx place online, plus just some general advice if appropriate.

New White Collar tonight! Mmmm.