Starting a weblog came with rapid positive reinforcement: new comments! I was so excited when I got my first couple of comments; they serve as an affirmation that people actually are reading. I was so caught up in getting comments that I gave my mother-in-law and my dad specific instructions on how to leave a comment when they tried to make a web-log related remark to me directly (over the phone - gasp!). But then the bubble burst ... I got my first blog spam: coolbob wanted to let me know about my on-line poker options.
From there the spam went up exponentially, mostly pushing on-line poker and popular prescription drugs like propecia, prozac and prevacid. On Monday when I was hit by 15 new spam messages, I was ready for war. Instead of invading an oil-rich nation, I had Mac teach me the ins and outs of IP blocking and I quickly black-listed three addresses. I have now gone four days without a single piece of spam! I admit I am a little disappointed that the spammer doesn't get a pop-up window saying, "your banned, mother-f#$%er!" (possibly followed by a large dose of genital radiation to prevent reproduction), but for now I'll be content with my little triumph ... until the next spam wave hits.
I've always said you were a geek at heart. If banning IP addresses doesn't work, I'll show you how to install MT-Blacklist, which also doesn't work, but at least doesn't work in a different way. :/
ReplyDeleteYeah, you were right, JD. Who knows, I might even learn to burn CD's by the end of the year.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE MT blacklist. It makes me very happy.
ReplyDeleteI got my first comment from a complete stranger recently. Fortunately, she complimented us on a handsome boy, so I'm all for it.
Don't you think you should invade an oil-rich nation as well? Just to be on the safe side?
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