Spammer

I got the following comment from a spammer recently:

 

Bianca Andreescu latest info 0 approved techband.me/question_app/node/4331x [email protected] 45.12.223.183

Hello, i read your blog occasionally and i own a similar one and i was just wondering if you get a lot of spam remarks? If so how do you stop it, any plugin or anything you can recommend? I get so much lately it’s driving me mad so any support is very much appreciated.

 

This one caught my eye for a couple of reasons. First, I hate spam.  And I had recently asked my webmaster (thanks, Ben!) the same question. So, he tinkered with the settings on the Akismet package we use for security and filtering here at dewconsulting.net and we decided to set it to completely reject – rather than merely segregate – obvious spam. And, voila! The volume of stuff landing in my spam folder dropped from about a-dozen-a-day down to one-or-two-a-week. Great, I thought! Now I won’t have to delete that 14-page bible-verse screed that regularly comes from Gog-of-Magog, you know, the one warning me to assiduously avoid 666-Mark-of-the-Beast. Or, the one from Hairstyles – “short-long-medium… we do it all!” – that doesn’t realize I don’t have any hair to style. But somehow this particular piece of probable-spam sneaked past whatever algorithm Askimet uses to figure out what’s clearly garbage and what’s commentary gold.  Interesting.  Note to self: Whenever sending spam in future, ask spammee to help figure out how to avoid spam.  Genius!

 

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In any case, here’s a seasonal holiday blessing from me – your intrepid blogger – to all my faithful bloggees:  May your days be 100% spam-free.  But, if any spam does slip through, may it be creative enough to make you shake your head in wonder  at the fact that someone has gone to that much trouble just to post a comment.

 

<shakes head in amazement>

 

Oh, and “Bianca,” in case you’re really reading this. The final answer is:

“Akismet.”