Between the Lines discussion

I hate the email spams I get from publishers & writers on GR. I got two today both from publishers. I just had to vent!

Oh I should.

You could send them some of Fiona's semi-dirty pictures. They wouldn't know what to make of that;)

The "hands in pants, bathroom" shot for one:) That could be taken a few different ways out of context.

Richard, I watch movies instantly through Netflix all the time and get no SPAM.

Same here, Richard. I've watched a few Netflix movies on my computer and didn't get any SPAM.

I don't watch NetFlix, but think your idea of hook-ups between the two groups is great! They deserve each other, obviously.

I bet it's a Fiona-ism. She's full of them!

I do netflix and didn't have a problem with spam emails but when I tried to get the converter box coupon our lovely goverment kept spamming me. I think I finally took care of that.

Oh and snail mail junk mail from the credit cards I open them put everything back in with a note to take me off there list. They have to pay the postage. When I keep getting it I put everything but my name in then put little rocks as it makes the envelope heavier and they get to pay more postage! My kids love helping me with that one!

That's a good idea Emilee. I wish I would have known about it when I got the mailing from the NRA! I have no idea where they got MY name from. I sent it back with a note to take my name off THAT list. That was two years ago and I haven't heard from them since.

My complaint is not as colorful as others; I just keep geting glittery blinking notices I am the 100,000th or 1 millionth person and have won a laptop. At least twice a day. Sure. The telephone lately has been ringing with "last chances" to continue warranty on car or for some important message about my credit card. I have a friend who just leaves phone on and does her housework for an hour or so. Also I understand now when some soliciters call they claim you were so generous with your contribution last year --- when it is no one you have ever heard of, let alone contributed to.

Thanks, this is not strictly span or is it? My pet peeve is when a cheery voice says Hello .......then pauses while he/she glances down list to see where he /she is then adds last name. A friend with a good sense of humor when they say How are you today? lets loose with a full organ recital - an unending list of physical complaints. She says that works, too.

When my son was very little like 2-4 years old when I would pick up the phone and it was a telemarketer (always while I was making dinner or trying to feed my children) I would tell my son it was Grandpa and give the phone to him. They would hang up when they realized that it was a little kid.

Now we just burp in the phone until they hang up.

Emilee, you can burp on command? My sister-in-law can do that!

I've gotten some pretty nasty phishing spam through my college email address, but my regular one stays clean for the most part. I guess I'm not cool enough to be hassled. :)

You have to suck in air. Mine are very quite, but one of my daughter's is very loud so she usually gets the phone.

That's so funny. I'll have to ask Jacob to do that for me.

He will get a kick out of it! It is very funny.

I have also used the line, it's dinner at my house please give me your home phone number and I'll call you at 2 am when I can't sleep then we can discuss it.

You guys are very funny. I usually hang up on them but I think next time I'm going to play a little bit!

Beth: you got to make it fun! I mean they call and intruppt you so hey make a joke out of it! I should tape the calls!

You could probably sell those tapes. Now I can't wait for one of those idiots to call!

I should so do that I need extra money!

I know they are only doing there job. We get tons of calls. I sometimes just turn the ringer off on my phone. I can get up to 6 calls a night. After working all day and being on the phone 70% of the time at work it's the last thing I want to deal with. I use to be nice but these people just don't understand No I'm not interested!

Well said, Emilee. Harry and David have been bugging me from all sides. I ordered some stuff from them for Christmas gifts and now they won't leave me alone. I get catalogs in the mail constantly, I get multiple emails and they call me a couple of times a week to ask if I want to order anything. Comcast also calls me several times a week, asking if I want to upgrade my cable. One call is understandable but multiple calls, after firmly (and nicely) saying "no", is when I start to get angry.

On your emails if you got to your mailing options you will be given an option of blocked addresses you can block all the addresses of the spamers and their domain. I do it all the time it has helped cut out the junk emails.

I wish I could do that with junk mail and phone calls. The do not call list doesn't work to great!

I'll have to try and block Harry and David from my email. We're on the Do Not Call list too but the problem with that is that companies you do business with are allowed to call. We get tons of calls from our mortgage company (who would love to put us in deep debt, apparently, since they're always offering us loans)and Comcast. These people are clueless. When you say "No" you'd think they would scratch you off their list.

I just simply put the phone down on the table and walk away. Sooner or later they realise they are talking to themselves and hang up. I usually give them five mins and have never had one still on the phone.

That's a good one, too!

Petra that is a good one.

Since I'm going through a divroce I changed our home voice mail to say you've reached "my maiden name". So I get a ton of hang ups. They think they called the wrong number.

So i did a stupid thing. We went to the Bulls game about 2 weeks ago. And they had a contest to win a free cruise to jamica. I though sounds like fun. I filled one out last year at the zoo for Australia but didn't win it. So when I did the one at the zoo. Never got junk mail, or phone calls.

This one from the Bulls. I can't get the damn company to stop calling!!!!! They asked for a phone number to call to tell you that you won. So I of course put that down. Damn they won't stop calling and they go off on this long script. So I'm at work, third call since last week. I put the girl on mute until she asked me a question. It told her that I can't get calls at work that i didn't expect so many calls from their company. She said sorry she would leave a message at the home phon.

Oh guess I'm unplugging the home phone for a while. (I do that when I get too many junk calls). At least I know there number so when they call at my job they can listen to my 2 minute long voice message.

Damn I hate this crap. I am done filling out contest forms!!!!!!!!

Only thing to equal it is those darned flashing pop-ups. I am lucky, don't get much spam.

Pop ups suck!

O.k., I have to admit - what is spam? Are they commercials? Email from strangers? What is it? I know I have a spam filter set up on the computer; but to be honest, I don't really know what it is. Thanks and I am so sorry for being dumb. Oh, and I have a pop up blocker so I don't get those ever.

Spam is like telemarketing for computers. The pop ups and in GR when an author jumps into a group and PUshes their booke without meeting the group or making sure it's a genre that the group might read.

I also think that the telemarketing calls & junk mail falls under spam.

Emilee wrote: "Spam is like telemarketing for computers. The pop ups and in GR when an author jumps into a group and PUshes their booke without meeting the group or making sure it's a genre that the group might r..."

Oh, thank you, Emilee. I have always wondered what exactly spam is and now I know. I did not authors were allowed to jump into groups and push their books either. I have seen announcements from authors for books but they were relevant to the group in the two cases I noticed. I learn something new every day.

Your Welcome Wanda!

Richard wrote: "i have only had this macbook for nine months-and take weekly one hour lessons-because of adhd they have had to teach me copy and paste about ten times-and i still mess it up-when i ask about such t..."

Richard, what is the operating system for your Macbook? For example, on the Dell I own, my operating system is Windows Vista. Once I know your operating system, maybe I can help you set up your pop-up blocker, your spam/anti-spyware, and crack the cookies - all of which by the way are a matter of "ticking" and "unticking" little boxes. The geniuses about whom you speak only treat people in the condescending manner in which they do because it makes them feel good about themselves - sad, but true. Oh, how I loathe those individuals who make themselves feel better about themselves at the suffering, belittling, and humiliation of others. There is a special place in Dante's inferno for them and I only wish they would go there now (quickly!). Even though I am unfamiliar with Apple and Mac, I will try to help you as best I can.

And, multiple email addresses are easy - I have them for my mother who is 64 - and she has never been near a computer in her entire life. She has one for junk stuff and one for her beloved children and grandchildren and best friends to send her love letters!

And, just so you know, I do not do the work for Mom. I sit with her and tell her what buttons to push and what to look for and where to look - that way she is used to doing the work and she does the thinking.

Richard wrote: "HEY-it just occurred to me -is it o.k. to put all that information on the internet or is it fuel for these fabled hackers i keep being warned about-should i delete any of it??just want to be safe-a..."

No, Richard, the fabled hackers already know all of this about and more - just kidding. I will cut/copy and paste the information and take it along with me to work tomorrow and between typing wills, trusts, banking/financial documents, and letters, I will determine if, in fact, your operating system is listed in the above. At first blush, I don't see it - the iworks08 is simply what you use to type letters/documents -- like I use Word, you use iworks08. Don't worry about the software being 09. You are fine with 08. Save your money. But, as I am more familiar with Windows/Word and Microsoft, I will just have to look very carefully at your Mac. So, hang on and I will try very hard to get you some answers.

Understand completely, Richard. Here, however, is how to set up your pop-up blocker and it is something you can and should do yourself quite easily.

Block Internet Ads
Tired of seeing pop-ads when you visit websites? You can eliminate the vast majority of them quickly and easily in Safari. Here’s how:

Open Safari.
Choose Block Pop-Up Windows from the Safari menu

These instructions were found on the Apple - Find Out How portion of the Apple website. Apple/Mac/Mac Basics.

Soon, you will be whizzing around the internet and setting up your computer like nobody's business - you CAN do this!

Richard wrote: "Wanda-done-that was simple enough-they only told me not to open hard drive-(is that freudian?) or to open any new folders without their help-choosing from a menu seems harmless enough-"junk" and "h..."

Oh, that - the hard drive. Yes, Richard, even I try very hard to stay away from the hard drive. But, you are right - junk email and opening/adding new folders are appropriate questions and they should help you with those. Condescending brats! I am sorry you are going through hard times for what should be an enjoyable learning experience. If only you were closer, my son and I could come help. Mac is what the schools teach the children and he'd be happy to help and he is very polite and well-mannered. Do not hesitate to ask!

My yahoo email gets tons of spam as a matter of fact I basically stopped using it.

My hotmail no problems.

I did however discover that in your email no matter what server you will have under email options, block sender. You can block a particular address or you can block a group address. Since I started doing this my spams have gone down a lot.

Richard: it also helps to delete your cookies. I do this every other day. Under tools, go to internet options then click delete cookies, I also delete files as they are just temperay internet files then clear your history. The cookies are the dangerous thing because they attach to you and your email friends. That is how they spread part of the spam.

I also do a disk clean up on the hard drive usually once a week that is found under programs then you go to accessories then click system tools then click clean desk top. This also makes your computer run better in general- at least the IT guys at my work tell me that. I have noticed a difference when I do this myself.

Emilee wrote: " The cookies are the dangerous thing because they attach to you and your email friends. That is how they spread part of the spam..."

I have to correct this. Cookies are just small text files and can only be read/written to by the website that set them. They can't attach to emails or anything else. It's cookies that (if you wan them to) help you stay logged into sites like GoodReads so that you don't have to log in again every time you visit. You may still want to clear them out for privacy reasons, especially if you share a computer with anyone else. But they don't have any effect on the amount of spam you get.