My deliverability blog Spam Resource got about 398,000 visits in 2023. Is that good or bad? It feels good. It's been fun blogging about email, deliverability, mailbox providers, marketing best practices, and all that kind of stuff. Near the end of 2021, I slowly started to overhaul the blog with the hope of increasing visibility and traffic.
Showing posts with label spam. Show all posts
Showing posts with label spam. Show all posts
Blogger Lookin' All Fancy 'n Stuff
Check out my fancy new Blogger template. After I re-skinned Spam Resource last week, I figured it was about time to update this blog, as well. I can't remember which tempate this is, but I got it from btemplates.com. It wasn't too hard to drop into place, and wow, it looks so much better than any of the default Blogger templates. It took a bit of time to add-in all the widgets I wanted, and to re-add any links that fell off when I swapped out the template, but that was no big deal.
If anybody out there wants help reskinning their Blogger-hosted blog to make it look a little better, don't hesitate to reach out. I'd be happy to help. I'm looking at you, Toni!
If anybody out there wants help reskinning their Blogger-hosted blog to make it look a little better, don't hesitate to reach out. I'd be happy to help. I'm looking at you, Toni!
Spam from Randolph Wine Cellars
As I mentioned here previously, an email address I gave only to Uncommon Ground ended up in the hands of Randolph Wine Cellars. How Randolph Wine Cellars got hold of my address, how they got hold of this list, I'm still not sure, and I'm continuing to investigate.
But I can tell you, I don't think Uncommon Ground is to blame here. I think they were a victim. I think this was done without their knowledge or consent.
This is a developing story, so I don't yet have all the answers. In the mean time, there are two things you can do:
But I can tell you, I don't think Uncommon Ground is to blame here. I think they were a victim. I think this was done without their knowledge or consent.
This is a developing story, so I don't yet have all the answers. In the mean time, there are two things you can do:
- Read this update from me, over on my SpamResource blog, with more information.
- Frequent Uncommon Ground over on Devon and Glenwood. Their food is awesome, it's close by, and I think you'll love the vibe. My girlfriend and I love the place. If you haven't checked it out, I think you really need to. Helen's chicken sandwich is yummy. As is the buffalo skirt steak, pork "t-bone," pumpkin ravioli, and more.
Labels:
chicago,
randolph wine cellars,
restaurants,
rogers park,
spam,
uncommon ground
Making the Calls Stop
In June, I got a new phone from RCN. It didn't take long for the phone calls to start. The solicitations started coming within a couple days of hookup.
I've been doing my best to diligently address this problem. Registered the new number with the do-not-call registry. Politely asked callers to add me to their do not call list. For every automated call, I pushed the right button, or called the right number, to get a hold of a human. Waste a couple minutes of their time, as they've done to me. Just to politely let them know I am not interested, and could they please cease calling me?
Most were polite. One place, though, in particular, was not: World Data Systems.
They called repeatedly, and were abusive and rude when I asked them to stop calling. I would cut off their sales pitch, tell them I'm not interested, and they'd say things like, "Not interested in what? HAW HAW HAW" and then they'd hang up.
Then they or some other person would call me again the next day or the day after. Rinse, lather repeat.
The last person from World Data Systems who called me on July 18th called the wrong place at the wrong time. I let her have it. No, I am not interested in taking credit cards, because I do not run a business. I tried to tell your company this on every previous occasion, and yet you keep calling. What exactly does it take to get you to put this number on your do not call list? She just said, "Thank you" and hung up.
A bit of online research revealed various email addresses, contacts at the company. I emailed everyone I could find on July 18th and posed that same question. What exactly does it take to get your company to stop calling me? Nobody responded, but the calls seem to have ceased.
Here's the date and times of the calls, for the record.
7/18 11:08 am from 708-763-0861
7/17 12:56 pm from 708-763-0494
7/15 at 9:04 am from 708-763-0835
7/11 at 3:34 pm from 708-763-0617
Also, for the record, this company is one I will NEVER do business with. I am already put off by unsolicited telemarketing, and the fact that this company's employees are jerks when you try to get them to stop shows them to be unprofessional.
I've been doing my best to diligently address this problem. Registered the new number with the do-not-call registry. Politely asked callers to add me to their do not call list. For every automated call, I pushed the right button, or called the right number, to get a hold of a human. Waste a couple minutes of their time, as they've done to me. Just to politely let them know I am not interested, and could they please cease calling me?
Most were polite. One place, though, in particular, was not: World Data Systems.
They called repeatedly, and were abusive and rude when I asked them to stop calling. I would cut off their sales pitch, tell them I'm not interested, and they'd say things like, "Not interested in what? HAW HAW HAW" and then they'd hang up.
Then they or some other person would call me again the next day or the day after. Rinse, lather repeat.
The last person from World Data Systems who called me on July 18th called the wrong place at the wrong time. I let her have it. No, I am not interested in taking credit cards, because I do not run a business. I tried to tell your company this on every previous occasion, and yet you keep calling. What exactly does it take to get you to put this number on your do not call list? She just said, "Thank you" and hung up.
A bit of online research revealed various email addresses, contacts at the company. I emailed everyone I could find on July 18th and posed that same question. What exactly does it take to get your company to stop calling me? Nobody responded, but the calls seem to have ceased.
Here's the date and times of the calls, for the record.
7/18 11:08 am from 708-763-0861
7/17 12:56 pm from 708-763-0494
7/15 at 9:04 am from 708-763-0835
7/11 at 3:34 pm from 708-763-0617
Also, for the record, this company is one I will NEVER do business with. I am already put off by unsolicited telemarketing, and the fact that this company's employees are jerks when you try to get them to stop shows them to be unprofessional.
Spam in Rogers Park
Teaching people how to deal with spam, preventing spam, sanctioning spammers, is pretty much my full time job. So, I find it particularly disappointing that one of my neighbors seems to be spamming people with this DFA "open letter to Don Gordon," trying to get him to back off from his election challenge.
I'm reserving judgment on the whole Don Gordon aldermanic election challenge itself, for now. This isn't about the merits of the argument. This is about forcing your views on people who didn't ask for them.
Spam is wrong. It's the online equivalent of the unwanted garbage that litters our sidewalks. Why would somebody knowingly send spam?
I'm reserving judgment on the whole Don Gordon aldermanic election challenge itself, for now. This isn't about the merits of the argument. This is about forcing your views on people who didn't ask for them.
Spam is wrong. It's the online equivalent of the unwanted garbage that litters our sidewalks. Why would somebody knowingly send spam?
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