One of the glorious benefits of writing a blog for anyone who cares to read it is that sometimes your open access leads to being slimed and spammed by gutless anonymous web wankers. I'm getting so tired of it that I'm considering drastic measures. Maybe drinking a lot more red wine so that I can't even bother to care about the recent groundswell of trash, I'll be too busy thrashing out medical problems. Or perhaps the best approach is spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to hunt down the physical location of the spammers and then drop in with Mitch Rapp, Court Gentry and Dominic Caruso (all of their "
heads on a swivel" ---swear to God, I've read that line in every action novel out there) and laying waste to their homes and offices with heavy weapons and even heavier action text and dialog. (reference to action heroes from three different novel/thriller franchises).
But mostly I think I'll just use this space to ask the spammer nicely, "Please Stop." Go and spam someone else. Maybe Tony Northrup or Jared Polin. They probably have staff that have time to read your stuff...
If it continues (and seriously, I'm getting from dozens to massive dozens per day) I'll just shut down the comments for a while and you sweet and loyal VSL readers can call me on my land line and give me your comments and thoughts directly.
I hope it doesn't come to that. Not that I don't want to hear from you but I'd be chained to my desk. And I'd have to presume the spammers will start calling too..... grrrrr.
Have any of you ever, ever had your e-mail spammed (big cynical smiley face implied)?
7 comments:
I was being hounded to death by spam and I finally discovered ti was being sent to me by Suddenlink, my beloved internet provider. The person I talked to said it was a "service" they provided to offer product info and special deals to their customers. You bet. Like I really need all the offers of Russian and Asian women escorts.... Once I got them to stop is has been like a weight lifted. You might check your provider to see it they too are being helpful.
Hi Kirk,
Quick line to pass on a thought or two - how about the occasional blog about writing blogs? In doing so is it possible to mine the unwanted comments for satirical / public shaming purposes?
Just trying to think of alternatives to a susoension of comments, but if needed, so be it.
Cheers,
Not THAT Ross Cameron
Spam to blogs is a nightmare. If it is bot driven then a good Captcha will help, if it is just douchebags then nothing will save you.
Web spam-wise, using googles email helps sort out at least the absolute garbage spam for me, then I just have to deal with the time wasters.
Most spamming is done by bots. I suspect your post about the workshop might have triggered their filters.
Eric
Were the spammers "anonymous?" Perhaps screen out all without identification? I see you've already added the Captcha, which would have been my next suggestion.
btw - "head on a swivel" - as a pilot, one hears that a lot, and reads it often in member mags like AOPA Pilot, and EAA's Sport Pilot. It's useful advice - stay alert for things that go bump in the sky.
I hope this spam problem resolves itself without the need for drastic measures, such as putting a link to Monty Python's "Spam" sketch.
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=monty+python+spam&qpvt=monty+python+spam&view=detail&mid=A255939AA6F18FE36BB9A255939AA6F18FE36BB9&&FORM=VRDGAR
Cheers
Jack
Here's a typical comment on my blog from Mr. Anonymous:
"great put up. very informative. I wonder why the experts of this sector do not understand this."
Deleted as spam, of course. And yes, on the increase. I assume that these are part of a SEO strategy.
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We Moderate Comments, Yours might not appear right after you hit return. Be patient; I'm usually pretty quick on getting comments up there. Try not to hit return again and again.... If you disagree with something I've written please do so civilly. Be nice or see your comments fly into the void. Anonymous posters are not given special privileges or dispensation. If technology alone requires you to be anonymous your comments will likely pass through moderation if you "sign" them. A new note: Don't tell me how to write or how to blog! I can't make you comment but I don't want to wade through spam!
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