"But I don't like spam..."

Okay, I've had it. I just spent close to 20 minutes deleting comments from this blog that were really advertisements. For some reason or other, the spam killer didn't stop them. My blog gets between 10 and 20 pieces of spam on a slow day. Sometimes as many as five in an hour. I get email notifications of everything. And the Blogger spam filters take out most of it, this is just what is left.


Years ago, I was one of the people running radio free brattleboro, an unlicensed radio station. One day, the agency in charge of regulating the airwaves, the FCC, came knocking on our door. As I handled most of the station's email, and was one of the three people who could speak for the station, my personal email was given out as a press contact. This was done without consultation with me - I would have created another email account for such a purpose. Within the space of a couple of months, my personal email account was a constant spam target.

The sound file which notifies me that a new email has arrived just did it's thing. I have just gotten the third piece of spam as a comment to this blog since I started this message.

I just told the Democrats to take me off their mailing lists - even though the election is over, I am still getting about 10 emails a day asking me to support the President. I just sent "remove" emails to a number of other activist organizations; I did not sign up for most of them. I can't take the constant need, the constant trumpeting of despair. I have problems too, and I can not solve all the world's by spending a couple of hours a day reading, becoming informed, and signing petitions.

The WVEW radio station's email is forwarded to me. I get their spam, too.
I also have emails flying back and forth between myself and other Board members over running the station. I also get emails from station participants and people who want to get involved or get their own show. And public service announcements. And people from as far away as Texas who want to either submit shows or have us interview them about their self published books.

The upshot is that since 8:30am this morning, over 150 pieces of email made it past the spam filters and into my inbox. This is not an unusual amount.

And it's not as bad as it used to be! At one point, I had my ISP put my personal email address on hold and all the spammers (300 pieces a day at that point) got their mail bounced. It actually helped, for awhile.

But for now, I've had enough. I'm unsubscribing from as many things as I can.
It's time to get control of my inbox again.

Therefore, because of the spam problem with this blog, although I really do not wish to do it, I am installing comment moderation and one of those horrible match the word things until the mess comes under control.

My apologies.

p.s. I belong to a mail list which is a local "free cycle" program in which people post things they wish to get rid of which still have life left in them. I decided to unsubscribe. After clicking on the "unsubscribe" button, I got an email form to use. I clicked "unsubscribe" again. Then I got an email which sought to make sure that I had sent the request, and another button to click to unsubscribe. I clicked. A few minutes later, I got an email confirming that I had unsubscribed. Really now. I am not making this up.

These wounds I have...

This morning is one of those mornings.
Blogger is acting up.
Today already feels like it is going to be one of those days.
Every time I web surf or see a political poll, I find myself feeling extremely pessimistic.
Halloween is approaching, and the world is frightening - not in a good way.
I do not wish to go off to work, but I must. Earning a living is still my necessary duty.
And so off to the battles with management and the battles with the teenage slacker staff, and the battles with the customers.

We who actually do the work shall proudly bear our wounds from this day to the ending of the world.
We shall be remembered- we few, we happy few, we band of workers
And those still now-a-bed Shall think themselves accurs'd they were not there,
 And hold their persons cheap whiles any speaks that worked with us upon Saint Crispin's day.

 (with apologies to Will S.)

Monday today, all day.

If you work in retail, you rarely get weekends.

But one still hates Mondays.

...and that's the kind of day it is shaping up to be.

Found on the web today

Before going off to work

Another before I go off to work note: Found on the web this morning:

The following would have been posted yesterday, but I just couldn't post it considering the story I was telling. This has got to be one of my favorite headlines of all time. I didn't purchase a copy of the paper back when because I thought the headline pandered to the worst in all of us, and was too far over the top. Now I wish I had it (I still cherish my copy of the New York Times'  "Nixon Resigns" - I kept the whole paper. I used to have the Kennedy assassination, but it went missing over the years, I think my father threw it out.) Anyway, this bizarre story is back in the news because the murderer involved was seeking parole (Charles Dingle's parole was, thankfully, denied.).

Silly observation of the day: doesn't the woman who heads the IMF (International Monetary Fund) look a lot like actress Tilda Swinton (a stevil fave)?

and last, but not least, one of the reasons this country has gotten so fucked up that it actually entertains the notion of Newt Gingrich emerging from his hidey hole and running for president, this from NYC:

Dream

Image find of the morning while dreading the necessity to get ready to go to work.

  

Perfect for a Sunday morning

As I head off for the 45 minute walk to work, and see that it is -4 (F) out there, this just warms my heart. Thank You, whomever is responsible. Please do Newt and Mitts next, then we'll talk about people in my everyday life...

Well don't that beat all

Found on the web this morning : a story about Hallmark Greeting Cards.
It seems that the company has started a new line, perfect for those moments when you just don't know what to say. It consists of eight cards so far.
The subject?

Inside: "Think of it as a time-out between stupid bosses".

Also seen on the web this morning, a news headline from the Associated Press:
"Vt. to reopen temporary bridges by end of Oct."
How, exactly, does one reopen a newly constructed temporary bridge?

And, a few days back, I found this which I had intended to give my "Pic of the Day" award, but forgot:

 

Earlier this week, I found a series of pics from fashion week - I think it was in Spain, but I can't swear to that.

These are all very nice and everything, but I miss the old glamour shots like these:

Ah, well. Sic transit gloria mundi.

Pic of the Day

Thanks to austanspace!

Some times ya just have to

On the front page of the Brattleboro Reformer the other day, there was this picture of some guy demonstrating a local optical company's new improved 3D glasses.










I didn't need to read the caption, I knew right away who it was. With his wife, he used to own and run a handmade chocolates shoppe downtown.

Now about 16 years  ago, I worked for a science toy store right next door to their shop. He seemed, in my opinion, to spend most of his time being a self-aggrandized  pompous asshole (and I wish I could think of another descriptive word to use, as I feel like I'm devaluating the word 'asshole').

Once, while standing in more than a foot of snow, we got into a screaming match out on the sidewalk of Elliot Street.  I was using a broom to move the snow, and he started yelling at me, hurling insults about my intelligence and so on and so forth (there was no shovel, so I was using the broom). He aggravated me enough that I let him have it. I then announced that I refused to play this game anymore and went inside the store. He followed me in, still screaming. That someone would stand up to his bullying must have sent him into a state of shock as he had stopped mid word with his face in an unbelieving contortion of venomous hatred. I remember it well. He hasn't forgotten, either. There were times when his was the only company hiring in town. I interviewed with Sally at least four or five times. She'd excuse herself after a bit and go to where Tom was sitting. He'd look over at me and scowl. Sally would suddenly remember that the job was already taken. Once, he wasn't there and after a long interview she said she wanted to interview one more person and that she would call. And she did. Same day. Asked me to come in for a second interview. This time Tom was there, saw me from a distance, and scowled and scowled some more. Oops! - he'd already given the job to someone else. Un-huh.

Last year, he and Sally sold the business. One day, about 6 months later, I saw him all dressed up in a bad cheap blue suit.  He was having an interview at my place of work, a grocery store. And now here he is, front page of the paper, practically gritting his teeth, looking uncomfortable, like he'd rather be someplace else, and more than a little humiliated. He'd fallen so far. And you know what? When I saw the picture I involuntarily yelled HOORAY! It's been 16 years, and as far as I'm concerned, it serves the bastard right.

Photo Find of the Day

Chicago, 1949. "Woman standing in office, smoking while modeling undergarments."

An early image from budding photojournalist and nascent filmmaker Stanley Kubrick.

Look Magazine Photo Collection.

Photo find of the day

Okay, so I found this yesterday. ..

I've no idea what it's from.

I just like it.

So there.

Captions invited in comments area