Come Monday...The Poop on Poop and Spam

“Come Monday…” is a weekly series that will involve a review of, or commentary about,  websites, movies, documentaries, television shows, sports, music, and whatever else may tickle my fancy at the time.  Be assured that these reviews will be generally positive, as in accordance to the Jimmy Buffett song “Come Monday.”  This is subject to change, however.  In fact, I would be most derelict in my duties to neglect going on a rant every once in a while.  For rants promote change, and change can be good—right?  Therefore, since good is generally considered as being a positive force in 99.3% of the parallel universes that I am aware of, even a rant could be considered as being something positive, and a genuine hissy-fit would be even better (so I’m told).

First of all, I would like to clear the air concerning any confusion over this being about pooping spam.  Although, one might wonder with all of it coming my way lately.

Hey, there have been some days when a total of over a hundred spam comments were left on several of my pieces on all three of my sites, and over 70% of them were getting through the Blogger spam filter.  Hence, the reason why I have started moderating comments after keeping the door wide open since the beginning of my online odyssey six years ago tomorrow.

Be assured that the door is still open to all legitimate comments.  It is arguable that anyone who would be critical of my “stuff” has to be illegitimate, though.

Alas, I was so excited the first time I saw where I had received a comment on one of my endeavors to persevere.  Nonetheless, I was somewhat confused about what selling T-shirts out of Portugal had to do with the theological matter being addressed in the article.

Hopefully, that clears the air of any lingering concerns over the spam issue.  So, let us get to the poop on poop—posthaste!

Yeah, I realize that many are of the opinion that it is an untouchable subject.  However, a big part of the intrepid reporter job description is to have a willingness to wade through the muck and mire until a story can be found.

Be assured that I hope I am not dumping too much upon you at once, but the poop on poop is that proper pooping really is an essential part of maintaining good health—especially for those suffering from cirrhosis of the liver.  For dangerous levels of ammonia can build up in the bloodstream if one does not watch what they doing.

Ironically, one often does not have a clue about what they are doing when those ammonia levels become too high.  For they slip into what appears to be a drunken stupor, and taking [Lactulose] helps to bring my beloved wife back to me.

Of course, there have been times when I have watered down her medicine in order to keep her being sweet, but that is another topic for another day.  (Yes, I am just kidding about watering down her medicine…kinda.)

Thankfully, she was finally approved for Medicaid.  For we were having to spend almost a $100.00 a week on just Lactulose, and that should now be down to less than $10.00!

She keeps insisting that I need to start taking the stuff.  Be assured that I have no idea why, but I have met several out here in cyberspace in desperate need of a good poop.

So, let me end this with a question that can now be heard being asked around mid-morning of most days in our home.  Have you pooped yet?

Please Also Visit:

[FishHawk Droppings]

and

[The Tribulation Times Herald-Exhorter]

Come Monday...Content vs. Comments

“Come Monday…” is a weekly series that will involve a review of, or commentary about,  websites, movies, documentaries, television shows, sports, music, and whatever else may tickle my fancy at the time.  Be assured that these reviews will be generally positive, as in accordance to the Jimmy Buffett song “Come Monday.”  This is subject to change, however.  In fact, I would be most derelict in my duties to neglect going on a rant every once in a while.  For rants promote change, and change can be good—right?  Therefore, since good is generally considered as being a positive force in 99.3% of the parallel universes that I am aware of, even a rant could be considered as being something positive, and a genuine hissy-fit would be even better (so I’m told).

This started out to be When Spam Splatters.  Hence, the reason for that image, but I have been wanting to go on another semi-rant over comment treatment in general for a while now.  Hence, the title of Content vs. Comments.

Okay, let us to start off with splattering spam, and what I am referring to is when spam comments hit the wall put up by Blogger’s automatic spam filter.  Yeah, I can imagine it looking rather similar to what is depicted in that image.

To be quite honest about it, I was beginning to feel rather foolish over the stand I have taken against having the word verification spam filter engaged.  For aside from making it much more difficult for some to leave legitimate comments, my main argument has been that it is unnecessary because of the automatic spam filter blocking 90% or more spam comments to start with, and that percentage had dropped to around 70% on my sites the last 2-3 weeks.

Oh, but at around 4:00 p.m. CT last Friday, which was the 5^th of April to those living in and around Essex, England, Great Britain, United Kingdom, over 100 spam comments were attempted to be left on various posts here in a matter of minutes.  NONE of them made it through the Blogger automatic spam filter.  In the spirit of full disclosure, a couple did make it through later on that day, but I can live with that.

Yeah, I could probably eliminate having to actually deal with any spam if I would ban “Anonymous” from leaving comments, but I do not want to make it harder for those who do not want to register a screen name somewhere.  Oh, and there is no doubt in my mind that this would have kept me from receiving several very pertinent (and very satisfying) comments from people familiar with the real story behind some of the segments on [Big Rig Bounty Hunters].

Speaking of receiving very pertinent (and very satisfying) comments, I just don’t understand the detachment so many bloggers have with their audience.  For they keep cranking out content while ignoring dozens upon dozens of comments that have been left on their previous pieces.

Okay, it may not be that they are ignoring them, but to me, failing to at least acknowledge seeing a comment is like seeing someone wave at you in public and you just turning away without waving back.  No, you don’t have to spend time that you may not have to spare always leaving lengthy replies, but you just might be surprised at just how far a little common courtesy goes with some readers.

There are, of course, the visitors who leave comments and do not expect any acknowledgement—let alone an actual reply.  Quite sadly, far too many of them are just leaving comments to get their name out there, which happens a lot to celebrities.

Yes, I suppose it could be argued that I am doing the same thing when I leave a comment to check if someone has word verification engaged before adding a site to the list for a future Sites To See and then leaving notice of it actually being included later on, but I look at that as trying to do something nice for someone else.  Of course, if I can gain another friend along the way—GOOD FOR ME!

Alas, many bloggers are trying to juggle family obligations with a desire to express themselves, but what would you think of a store where the owners acted like they could not care less if you shopped there or not and made it clear that they expected their workers to keep busy stocking shelves—not help customers find what they are looking for, nor make them feel like they are delighted to have them as a customer?  Yeah, when one really needs something, customer service is not as important, but with there being tens of thousands of sites on the internet all offering basically the same kind of content, what is going to keep your true readers coming back?  Come on now, can you really believe that your images, cute family stories, political commentary, craft projects and whatever else you may have to offer is just plain too good for the masses to pass up?

Yeah, I have made a dedicated effort to show how delighted I am when someone leaves a comment on one of my pieces without seeing much of benefit, but Arlynda would tell you that my “stuff” just plain stinks.  Sigh.

Please Also Visit:

[FishHawk Droppings]

and

[The Tribulation Times Herald-Exhorter]

Splatter Spam and CAPTCHA Hate

Evidently, there are some huge fans of [Charlie Daniels], [Sawyer Brown] and [roosters] at Splatter Spam Central.  For up to five spam comments a day on each of those three posts have attempted to slip past the [Blogger spam filter] over a course of 3-4 months now.

Did you catch the significance of attempted to slip past the Blogger spam filter?  For not one did.

Hence, one of the reasons why I am calling these barrages splatter spam.  For I figure that the reason why so many are attempted within a span of just a few seconds is to overwhelm the Blogger spam filter, and I have this image in my head of those spam comments splattering against the wall that has remained intact.

Since the Blogger spam filter has proven to be so trustworthy so far, why are there still so many who have not disabled the [CAPTCHA] option?  If it is simply a case of not knowing how, [this] video tutorial should prove very helpful.

In most cases, however, the reason why the CAPTCHA option is still employed is quite simply just on account of the owner of the blog not caring if they ever receive any legitimate comments or not.  Subsequently, why would I want to help drive traffic their way by including them in a [Sites To See]?

In all fairness, the CAPTCHAs were merely a mild irritation to me before my eyesight went downhill in a hurry, but they are a nightmare now—even when using [page zoom]!  Of course, adding insult to injury is that the comment is still subject to moderation even after jumping through the CAPTCH hoop.

Therefore, I will no longer be including sites with a CAPTCHA form in a Sites To See after the [Thinking of Christmas Gifts in July] series ends this coming Sunday.  Be assured that I would like to put this new policy into effect immediately, but that would be unfair to the remaining ones.

Please Also Visit:

[FishHawk Droppings]

and

[The Tribulation Times Herald-Exhorter]