Today at another forum, I received a communication from someone here, using a different handle. The communication requires an answer, but I have no idea who the person is, since I only know that individual at all by his or her AWDAtlk handle. In the circumstances, it could be that an AWADtalk rose is smelling decidedly fishy simply because of using a different name. Do others think that this sort of situation gives the lie to the whole Shacarlowian rant about flowers and odors? And would that person care to let me know how they are yclept at AWADtalk? sau.... thanks

Ya kin tell it's a rose by the thorns.

I may be off the mark, but if you enjoy talking (typing) to this person (let's call her "flowergirl") here on AWAD, don't be too put off if her screenname is "Fishface" on your other forum. I'm sure she is still the same lovely person but maybe the screenname she really wanted was already taken. Or maybe she just uses different forums for different sides of her personality?

No, I'm sorry I did not make myself clearer, Tross. This person sent me a private message consisting of just a name. That name was not one I've seen here, but I know that the person who used it is a poster here - and that is all I know. I do not know the sex of the person, or anything else about them, although googling the name offered has suggested a possible identity.

My question was, does the suspicion aroused by seeing an unfamilar name, even when one knows that it must belong to someone with whom one is already acquainted, challenge the validity of the whole "that which we call a rose By any other name would smell as sweet" business?

We have had some members using more than one screen name in order to make mischief. I do not think AWADtalk is the place for that.

Not really, because that's all you know, the name. You have no idea what the name refers to. If you know that your new acquaintance fishface is the person you have hitherto known as flowergirl, would your feelings about her change? If no, Shakespeare's observation stands. If yes, then you can safely ignore him.

Bingley

Not really, because that's all you know, the name. You have no idea what the name refers to. If you know that your new acquaintance fishface is the person you have hitherto known as flowergirl, would your feelings about her change? If no, Shakespeare's observation stands. If yes, then you can safely ignore him.

Thanks, Bingley, I guess Chris, Frankie and Bill are off the hook on this one.

...challenge the validity of the whole "that which we call a rose By any other name would smell as sweet" business?...

If the evidence - the smell of the rose - is consistent across both incarnations then it is a rose whatever it calls itself. But if the second incarnation has a less sweet smell than the first then it wasn't a rose after all, just pretended to be.

This person sent me a private message consisting of just a name.

Wow... how mysterious is that?? Sounds like someone wanted to send you on a wild google chase...

Talking about screen names though, this brings to mind the countless spam mails I receive from "hotbecky18" or the like. Now, I am a woman, so of course I delete these unopened, but do men who get these actually open them under the assumption that some hot girl is writing them personally an email?? I have to doubt that. I always wonder how these spammers make any money because who would be foolish enough or that gullible?

wonder how these spammers make any money

It only takes one in a thousand. I would say that no one opens these things on the assumption that they are personal in any way but some guys seem to need porn.

some guys seem to need porn.


I was taken in a several times early on - not by the ones that were sent by hotbecky18, for example, but by the ones that had reasonable names and subject lines that started like they were continuing a conversation we had started on the net somewhere.

First, anyone who sends out unsolicited emails trying to sell anything is vermin. Second, anyone who acts like they know you in this way deserves an ass-whooping.

I tell ya, we made a serious misstep has a society when we did away with the public asswhoopin.

When I feel like porn, I just go to the damned site. I don't need constant invitations.

k

Some of them don't even bother looking for existing email addresses. They have programs that generate possible addresses and just spray that stuff out indiscriminately. If you click on the link that offers to take your name off the list, it may indeed take your name off the list. However that means they have found live address and they'll sell it to spammners that aren't quite as indiscriminate.

One thing that really bothers me is the likelihood of porn on the Internet increasing the number of girls who are somehow persuaded to participate.

i have a real problem with porn spam.. my son used to run a site that had a free X rated component, (he archived the erotica newsgroup BB) some cookie i got some time tracked where i went, and when it was recorded that i went to an X rated site, i just got bombarded with porn mail.

lately, there has been a slight improvement, some spammers are starting there subject with ADV.- (and there are laws being comtimplated to require that in all unsolicited email advertizement..) most of us don't fall for junk mail, no matter how much they dress up the envelopes, we know if it is 'bulk delivery' rate, its junk.

but, i still open some 'junk mail'- i buy my checks from large print houses that advertize in 'valpack coupons', and often find coupons for services i use in those same valpacks. but its easy for me to tell whats what..

unfortunately, spam ads are here to stay. but if they were required to say ADV it would be easy to sort, and discard them.. and obviously, porn sites are very profitable.. they are not going to go away.. but if they were also required to say 'porn', again i could easily sort and discard (or save if i was interested!) Some body is interested...

i think what i hate most is the deception. (no body likes junk snail mail, but it doesn't seem to anger people as much as junk email.)

the ADV prefix would be a great thing to make law.

See I agree people have the right to speak. But I don't think they have the right to make me listen or even to make special effort to ignore them.

I shouldn't HAVE to screen telephone calls. I shouldn't HAVE to think twice before opening an email.

The entire thing wouldn't bother me that much if the criminals in congress would get off their asses and at the VERY LEAST make it perfectly legal to track these cretins down and take down their servers. (If they can screw with us, we can screw with them.) As it is, they can do damned near anything they want with impunity.

k

See I agree people have the right to speak. But I don't think they have the right to make me listen.

So true! I have had no less than 7 calls today, that when I answered, it was a recording selling something. "Hi this is Kelly from Prefered Travel Club, I'm sorry to bother you but I just wanted to let you know about the..." What does she mean "I'm sorry"??? She wasn't even on the phone! Do you folks across the pond have to go through this nonsense?

NY State now has a manditory 'do not call list" get your name on it, and the caller can be fined thousand of dollars for solicitation calls! (alas, now my phone never rings!)

We got caller ID and an answering machine. If they really wanna talk to us they can leave a message. Or we'll pick up, maybe.

We had a voice mail message that consisted of nothing but background noise from the office of the junk mailers. It would've been pretty funny if we could've made out anything they were saying.

Do you folks across the pond have to go through this nonsense?

It is so bad that we bought a couple of 'caller display' 'phones - one upstairs one down so you don't break your neck trying to reach the 'phone - and the answer machine is permanently on. The cold calling nearly always comes from a call centre and shows up as 'number withheld' on the 'phone's screen, so we don't pick up the 'phone. They don't leave a message either; in fact they are cute enough so they can usually time it to cut the connection before the answer machine clicks in and costs them some money. There is the added advantage of being able to answer inconvenient callers at our leisure!