And arranging it so that you cannot become a member of this site except by writing a letter to me. My addy can be found herein. But every time I toss off five RU hucksters, I get 10 in their place. I can easily add someone, or un-add them. But I’m of a mind just to remove the signup page from view and put in an instruction to write to me, which you have to do to be here anyway.
Considering ending registration as it now exists…
by CJ | Nov 17, 2018 | Journal | 56 comments
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Go for it, lady. Your house, your rules.
If it makes less hassle for you, then I’m for it, too.
Setup an email dedicated to site registration, so not to clog up your actual account too much.
We may go two weeks before actually getting a bonafide membership app. But I get at least five Russian bots a day, sometimes 10, and it costs me time disposing of them.
But will it not just shift the burden to your email, which IMO is much more of an annoyance? A different account does nothing.
Are you up to date with your WP versions and patches? I occasionally run into notices of WP vulneratilities.
IMO, what we are seeing, and your issue is only a manifestation of a general problem, is simply that the “Internet” as we know it escaped from an essentially academic environment embodying a strong sense of mutual trust and purpose, and is “unfit for purpose” in this wider environment of today. It’s technological flaws for this environment are “bad to the bone”, or as they also say “to be ripped out root and branch”. Which is to say nothing of the social engineering that was never considered, considering the environment that birthed it. Others are oblivious. Utopian Zuk refuses to see the evidence that all “contact” is not good, and in combination with the money involved, I see no remedy for this sort of problem.
I don’t get mail from the Russian bots. I do get applications on this site.
Interesting analysis, Paul. Your point that the original base/design of the internet was set in academia and based on mutual trust makes sense. However, the internet is certainly here to stay for the foreseeable future and, yes, likely to get even more commercialized. I think CJ’s idea a good, immediate solution.
What became the Internet was developed by/as the ARPANET, as a DOD Advanced Research Projects Agency supported project to provide “robust” decentrailized communications in case of an attack on the US, as understood in the ’60’s. See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ARPANET
In the ’70’s I worked for UCLA’s Campus Computing Network, one of the ARPANET’s major servers. Back in the day, it had one of four dozen or so biggest, baddest super-computers in the world (all (cough) 4MB of it). See: https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc90
When I was a student at the University of Edinburgh in the early 80’s (and, incidentally, the first person in the Celtic Department to write my thesis on a computer/using work processing), one of my fellow, American grad student friends was over from Stamford for the year. She had Californian computer friends who must have been developing/using ARPANET because I remember the name. However, we used it as a form of email (which didn’t exist then) and swapped messages and files with recipes. Out of it came a cookbook that we put together. I still use a number of the recipes.
If that keeps the botiin out, go for it.
I think that is a very effective way to solve automated harassment.
I hope that the letter approach would save you time and consternation.
You might also consider using your Facebook account as a screening mechanism. In order to get an account one would have to go to Facebook/Messenger and request an account. That way you can see the public face of the person requesting the account. If the page isn’t anything but click-bait, and hot Russian models, you can decline to issue an account.
Bad idea. I wouldn’t stand a chance getting in then, as I ain’t got no facebook account.
Yeah. I deleted mine when it became known how FB misuses personal information, and nothing since has inclined me to reopen it. Comment
Yep, I’ve never had a Facebook account, never will…
I wouldn’t have passed the sniff check then either. 🙁
Me too! Never did, never will.
Facebook has been the subject of some investigations lately. Zuk refuses to see the ways it has/can be used destructively, in spite of the evidence. “We’re not responsible for that.” As with the internet, it was built with fatal flaws about human nature. It should go away, but there’s too much money involved–albeit less than yesterday which was less than the day before, etc.
Surdumil’s “automated harassment” is a perfect description. Definitely go for it! How hard is it for a human to write a sentence or two proving they’re not a ‘bot? And it will save you the aggravation of dealing with these unhuman nuisances. They can concentrate their efforts on telephones on land lines instead. We must have been getting eight calls a day minimum from them during the pre-election period. Thank heaven for Caller ID!
I’m not on Facebook or Twitter. I’ve resisted Twitter and don’t like the privacy concerns and baloney I hear too often about Facebook. Just IMHO, your mileage may vary. 🙂
I think the idea of a page instructing people to write to an email address — and setup a dedicated, separate email address as Aja Jin suggested — sounds good, worth a test run for a while. If it doesn’t work out, it should be easy enough to go back.
Yes, the internet had academic research origins, and the idea of championing freedom of information and access, as Paul knows. But until/unless they create a new layer or a new architecture entirely and move to that, well, we’re stuck with annoying spam issues (etc.).
Anonymity can be a true blessing for some people to get to reach past their imposed limits to participate in the outside world of ideas and information and socializing. — Anonymity can be an opportunity for others to stir up trouble and distrust and doubt. I’ve never gotten why some people feed off that. I’d much rather that people who need it have an equal chance to expand their horizons. And in a time when large groups are too prone to try to cut off the freedom of ideas, there needs to be some good way to ensure the free exchange. — But also some way to weed out spam and, ah, people and groups intent on causing trouble for others.
My cell phone and my email are fine things. The internet is a fine thing. But oh, I could do without the amount of spam phone calls and emails. Ick.
Have an e-mail account JUST for applications. When you look at it, just look for legitimate applications, then purge everything else. Having someone sign up via snail mail is also a possibility. IF the bots send you snail mail it will at least help the Post Office.
But always remember when dealing with bots, the statement by HAL: Sorry Dave, I Can’t do that.
How does a separate account help? She’d still have to wade through all the trash looking for someone worth rescuing.
Well yes, but it could be set up to require a certain topic and the mail client may filter away any message that doesn’t follow that rule.
In my thinking, keeping this stuff separate means you don’t have it cluttering up your “real” email, so you only look at it (and deal with it) when you want to.
Well, as long as you can’t place some Kif guards at the gates, a membership inquiry by mail sounds like a good idea imo.
Or have an Atevi aishid, along with the means to File on the worst offenders.
I would be pleased to have access to an aishid, for some purposes.
There are times when purging an airlock is a very good thing. The botiin are a perfect exemplar.
This made me consider as a philosophical question something I’d never seriously thought about before: If presented with any given person (or creature or machine or lifeform) in an airlock, who or what would I let in and who or what would make me purge the airlock?
At first, I thought this was an easy question until I considered a few edge cases. Not counting the obvious science fiction villains and Very Bad Things that most of us would agree instantly, purge and fire up the blast thrusters.
I concluded there are friends and former friends and acquaintances who would be quite welcome.
Guests are assumed welcome until and unless proven not. But tossing a former guest out an airlock seems, ah, extremist.
There are people who are no longer friends (my choice or theirs) but whom I would not consider enemies. Most such, it was not serious enough to merit any further bothering about it. A few, the trouble to person or principles was such I would want no further association ever, but that too would not be a good enough reason to purge an airlock, in those cases. In a true emergency, if they needed shelter or food or medical care, I don’t think I could turn them away, unless there was a better alternative elsewhere they could get to. And then, ahem, the road goes thataway, now git, you.
Only a handful of cases did such wrong to person or principle that I’d have to think seriously about whether to push that button. I still do not understand people like that and don’t want to. — I did not expect to come to the conclusion I’d have a hard time deciding in those cases. However, I don’t expect to ever run into any of those few people again, so thankfully, I wouldn’t have to make such a decision pro or con pushing a button to purge an airlock or let someone in.
That puts the science fiction point in a new light. — I’m reminded of the scene in Firefly where there’s a person in the airlock and Mal is deciding what to do; or the villain and the engine turbine scene. I’m also reminded of the two seasons of Jericho. (Nuts, man.)
Er, so no one needs to worry. Apparently, I have a very high “airlock purge” threshold. :-/
I think I’ve weirded myself out thinking of the problem. — Sure puts several science fiction scenes and characters in a new light. — But also, sometimes the hero needs to push that button and sometimes they don’t, and that choice does determine a lot. Occasionally, that’s a real dilemma and their solution another real dilemma. But that’s what storytelling is about, seeing why and how things might go one way or another, and what happens from it. (OK, fine, yes, I also like the funky music and the special effects and the illustrations, but hey, I generally prefer something to make me wonder past the end credits or the last page, particularly if I’m still inclined to think about it some extended time later.)
Be advised that purging the airlock or the ship to vent an infestation of bugs of one kind or another does not cause me such intellectual or emotional hesitations. Oh, if I could put myself and the cats in EVA spacesuits and purge the apartment against insect problems, oh, absolutely, this does not trouble me. (There are plenty of the little rotters elsewhere, so they do not need to be tolerated where my cats and I live.) Higher lifeforms such as mammals and birds would, of course, need to be transported elsewhere, not purged. One does have principles on such things.
I still like Ker Pyanfar’s opinion on (1) not putting all one’s species’ eggs in one basket; and (2) that other spacefaring species and non-sentient lifeforms generally, ought to have the right to live and let live, that a potential species extinction was not an option that ought to be pursued, and that ought to be prevented for others.
Geez, I really almost painted myself into a philosophical corner there.
Happy Thamksgiving, Salads.
Indeed, with or without the turkey. We have friends coming over for the feast this afternoon, so I have to get off dead center and start getting the bird ready.
Happy Thanksgiving, to all my salads.
Likewise, a Happy Thanksgiving to thise who celebrate it… and — simply, Happy Day to all in all. It’s a brisk, record-setting cold here in New England, the house smells of pumpkin and of custard pies baking… and of the Parker House rolls I pulled out of the oven about an hour or so ago. We’re about to go off to good friends for the meal itself, bearing our baked goods as offerings. Wahoo!
Hope all at the salad bar had a Turkey Day that was all they hoped it would be. Mom and I spent ours with dear friends. Only bad thing about that is I had to provide my own leftovers! Luckily, there’s a business hereabouts (Prater’s) that does great food and freezes it, including cornbread dressing. Nums.
I was never one for cottage cheese, but this past year, I have been on such a cottage cheese kick — like wanting to eat it every day! They tell me it’s high-protein, low fat, and rich in B vitamins and A. Food cravings are funny things.
I’ve been knitting Xmas balls (as in tree decorations). It’s two-color knitting and a bit tricky, but addictive! Supposedly cat friendly in that they’re unbreakable, but I could envision a lively game of cat hockey with one as the puck.
I was hoping to get a new knee for Xmas, but my cardiologist won’t let me off Plavix til March, so maybe I’ll get one for my birthday — if everybody gives me the OK, that is.
WOL, do you have a photo and/or pattern for the XMas Balls? They sound fun to do as ornaments and/or little gifts and I’m almost finished the entrelac scarf I started a bit ago.
I’ve seen instructions for knitted balls elseweb.
(I crocheted a ball as a cat toy. No instructions, I was winging it. I can guarantee that it works on some cats. Usually I knit mice – and some cats enjoy those greatly. Instructions were in Knitters – they were by either EZ or by Meg Swansen. I can e-mail my text version….)
Indeed, one of the reasons I want to knit a ball is as a cat toy for our cat, Mousie (Mao Tse-Tung officially) who loves to carry around small knit objects… and also skeins of light, lace-weight yarn when he can nab my yarn —The yarn he then creates art installations with, winding it in and around; up, over & through table and chair legs and rungs… to the great amusement of my spouse and my curses.
“Knitters” I am not familiar with… but will check out. I’ll also check on Ravelry. For the many of you who are not knitters or crocheter: Ravelry is a huuuuge web-gathering of knitters/crocheters, patterns free and for sale, yarn reviews. I am hoping Knitters is something similar. Thanks for the suggestions, PJ.
Ravelry has patterns, indeed. Loads of them, mostly for sale (I’ve bought several that way).
You can certainly get it from Schoolhouse Press:
https://www.schoolhousepress.com/patterns/catnip-mouse-spp68.html
The page has a short video of two cats “field testing” several mice. By the end of the video, they’re thoroughly high….
The balls are knitted in two color work, which is tricky if you’ve never done it.
The pattern is free on the internet. There’s a link in their blog post to get the pattern. https://arnecarlos.com/finally-on-youtube/
And there are videos where they show you stuff about knitting them. They’re quick and very, very addictive. I’m about to start in on numbers 9 and 10.
WOL, thanks for posting that link! I’ve sent it on to my neighbor lady, who is a accomplished knitter of socks, and she likes it very much.
I’ve never knitted anything on four needles yet, so I’ll just admire her, and your, handywork in this.
Ooh, the Arne & Carlos video of knitting the red & white XMass balls was great and had me wanting to start doing some immediately, except I have other work to do right now. Oddly, I couldn’t download a pattern onto my iPad, but I will email the link to my work computer and see about printing out a pattern or two there… and maybe I will design one or two on their pattern designer also. I’ve done two-stranded knitting before so am aware of its perils of tautness. Thanks muchly for this!!
Hey, all — a belated Happy Thanksgiving! — Mine was so-so, but not bad. Friends provided turkey and such, so I didn’t have to cook.
Sunday evening, I get to pack up the cats and myself and head to a La Quinta hotel here for a one or two day stay while my apt. gets deep-cleaned Monday. Hoping all will go well. Ah, I have never attempted a hotel stay with my cats. Heh. this should be “interesting” in that baji-naji sense. Their trial run last Monday did OK, and these are the same two who used to go back and forth (not their choice, hah) between my house and my grandmother’s. So…well, I just hope they don’t yowl like crazy during transport. I think once they get in the room and can be with me, they’ll be OK. I’m packed and ready.
I won’t be bringing my very old laptop, but will bring my Kindle and Spanish textbook and Finity’s End. Undecided if I’ll bring my very old iPad2. (It and the laptop have become Luddites but not yet doorstops.) — I’m trying to avoid buying a new iPad or Windows laptop, but I may do so…may try to delay until my birthday instead.
I’m basically taking it easy today, though I did clean the letterbox and mop the bathroom this morning in self-defense.
Hard to believe Christmas is almost here! Have a great weekend, everyone! I expect I’ll try out the hotel’s interwebz access and a movie or some such while there, so likely I’ll check in with the folks here.
Addendum: I’d mopped this morning. The bathroom was clean, if not perfect. The litter was all sifted, awaiting throwing out the current batch before I exit tomorrow.
This evening, I found one of the terrible two, ah, pooped just outside of the box. Messy. Formerly clean floor. I cleaned up and thought a few unkind thoughts about whichever or both. It’s clean again, but not mopped. Aarrgh. However, it is better than it was. I’d mopped last week and am down to sifting the box daily in an effort to avoid problems. — And I think I’ve convinced myself to sweep and mop in there weekly at least, in self-defense, for hygiene, decorum.
I’ve vowed to get air fresheners, solid and spray and “automatic release plugins” (Glade) and see which works best. Because, dang it, I want to be able to stand living here, going in the bathroom. I love my cats, but this has got to improve. I’ve got to stay on top of it. (I now realize how much I’d let it go.) — So,, well, it should be in halfway decent shape for a deep cleaning. I _think_ there is nothing awful elsewhere that I’ve missed. Sigh. — But once it’s cleaned, I should be able to keep up with it again and not let it get out of hand. I still think it’s mostly OK. My friends are dog owners, and don’t know cat behavior or care.
A couple of hours later, and after I’d partly reorganized my closet — “Meow? Meow!” From the assertive cat (probably the culprit before.) A rattling in the closet above eye level. Huh…?
Mr. Assertive had found a way to jump or climb from the new floor setup, up to the clothes rod, and was standing, walking along, law-dee-dah, over clothes hangers and clean(?) clothes. He had not yet made it to the shelf above.
“Meow? Meow!” (Which, being translated from the cattese, “Hey, look at me what I can do! Such fun! Exploring high up!”
Me: ::groans:: “Oh, kitty….” Hahaha. Well, the new arrangement is likely to stay, but hmm, I may have curious climbing cats for a while. (When I’d first moved in, they both thought it was way cool to get on the top shelf or in the back of the closets and snooze or hide, nice and cozy and quiet, and the feline idea of fun, not hunting, just ‘splurging.
Being cat staff is not an easy thing. I need a raise!
So, ups and downs, not bad, kind of amusing. — Hoping all goes well tomorrow evening for the great kitty hotel stay adventure of the traveling cats. — Anticipating it will go OK, except for possible wild yowling as if all the beasties of elsewhere realms are after them. Heh. I think once we’re in the room and they’re out with me, it’ll be OK. Just hope they are not too loud and crazy, spooking the concièrges or the other guests before then. Ah, well. They are not, however, bigger cats or dogs, just the usual Felis cattus.
Oddly, I don’t recall any ship’s cats being so difficult in traveling among the stars. Perhaps verisimilitude of detail was stretched just a wee bit for spacer-kitty intelligence…. Yeah, right! 😀 — We’ll see how it goes.