Spam from homeless guy who wants to be on MeFi

January 4, 2003 3:11 PM

Anyone else getting spammed by some homeless guy to post his site as a mefi link? "I'd do it myself, but matt isn't taking new members right now."

If they guy had bothered to cut-and-paste more detail, I might have considered it ... maybe.

Anyone else?
posted by KiloHeavy to Etiquette/Policy at 3:11 PM (17 comments total)

"the guy," not "they guy." I need more coffee. Or a sign that says, "Will post for coffee -- god bless."
posted by KiloHeavy at 3:12 PM on January 4, 2003

Yeap - I came here wondering about the same spam:

Date: Sat, 4 Jan 2003 14:55:45 -0800 (PST)
From: Thank You Very Much <[e-mail]>

If you think this site removed is worthy, could you link it to metafilter, i would do it, but matt isnt taking new members right now.

Thanks!
posted by adamsc at 3:16 PM on January 4, 2003

That's really bad ettiquete on his part. He emailed me, and his site was interesting, but nothing meaty enough to post about. I considered putting it up at blogroots.

But going around following everyone's URLs to find their contact info, then emailing them is really bad form. I'll email him to let him know it should stop.
posted by mathowie (staff) at 3:52 PM on January 4, 2003

Also, does the guy's story seem real to you? I guess it's the big flash file on the front page, and wacky layout/colors, but it comes off a little bit less than 100% honest (speaking as someone that has been duped many times before over web hoaxes).
posted by mathowie (staff) at 3:56 PM on January 4, 2003

could somebody email me the name of this site?

thanks in advance.
posted by sgt.serenity at 4:34 PM on January 4, 2003

Anyone else getting spammed by some homeless guy...

*imagines explaining this to my mom without head exploding*
posted by machaus at 5:03 PM on January 4, 2003

I got it too, and he's just trying to do an end run around the rule about linking to your own site as a post. MeFi Spam! The hell with him. Boo hiss.
posted by Scoo at 5:17 PM on January 4, 2003

Yeah, I got it too; I was wondering how he found my email address until I realized it was on my page, so the guy was certainly doing his homework.
posted by The Michael The at 7:21 PM on January 4, 2003

Having no idea what the site is, could you also suggest he buy a text ad?
On the other hand, KiloHeavy is implying that he was going to use membership to self-link.
posted by G_Ask at 9:01 PM on January 4, 2003

I've exchanged some email with him, and asked him to stop the email. He doesn't really get metafilter, but really wants his site linked here because he thinks it'll be like savekaryn and he'll be ok.

When I told him in the nicest way possible that his site wasn't quite worthy of posting yet and gave him tips on what to do to make the site more interesting he went a little nuts.
posted by mathowie (staff) at 9:49 PM on January 4, 2003

... he went a little nuts.

Do tell.

*cough*cut/paste*cough*
posted by KiloHeavy at 10:17 PM on January 4, 2003

Seriously, Matt, you've always tried to be even handed and decent, but this time, I'm with KiloHeavy. Cut/Paste! What'd the guy say??
posted by jonson at 10:36 PM on January 4, 2003

Interestingly enough, SaveKaryn knockoffs is the lead post right now on Memepool.
posted by jonson at 10:37 PM on January 4, 2003

I'll just say he sort of ignored anything I had to say constructive and would say "I don't care" then email again to ask about his site, then say that metafilter blows and every site on here blows and every members site blows and that he again, didn't care.

It just got pointless real quick.
posted by mathowie (staff) at 11:27 PM on January 4, 2003

Yeah, if you do any reading on the asshat's site, it becomes fairly obvious that he's a real deprivational thinker ("poor me, poor me," that sort of thing), evidently has some pretty severe persecution issues, and if he is actually homeless (with a digital camera? there are other inconsistencies in his story), it sounds like he's been at least somewhat complicit in getting himself there.

He also relates these stories about being not being hired because he's overqualified for every job he applies for, and how temp agencies didn't work out because he couldn't call them every morning to let them know he was available (guess he couldn't get together the thirty cents or whatever it is for a payphone call?). I just ain't buying it--it's not that hard to find a job. A good job, yes. A decent job, sure. But a job, any job? No sale, sorry.
posted by KiloHeavy at 11:59 PM on January 4, 2003

aw come on guys .......let me find out this guys site!
posted by sgt.serenity at 4:28 AM on January 6, 2003

Yeah, I'm with Sgt. Serenity. Sure, this guy doesn't warrant publicity, but his site's starting to sound interesting in that train-wreck kind of way. It's all between friends on MeTa, right?
posted by mkultra at 8:51 AM on January 6, 2003