The blog of Steve Root

  • A quick review of WordPress comment and trackback spam

    One down side of running a blog has got to be the amount of comment spam.  I’m going to have to put in place better systems to stop it but before then, here’s a brief unscientific analysis of the last 23 spam comments (they all get held until I approve them) and what I think the spammers are trying to do:

    1) Trying to flog fakes

    Brand name sunglasses are popular. Rayban and Oakley frequently appear.  Also hand bagsThe destination sites appear to like Western Union money transfer and a good number are based in China.

    Sometimes the link(s) they include point to another site which then links to their site

    They comment with phrases like

    “Have a good day!I’m very pleased when see your post.I quite approve of your point of view.I will continue to following on your blog.I believe that the future I will see more about your wonderful views….”

    “If you thinkI do not care to set eyes on this article, the next time I am concerned about your article, I think I will never again careless. Do you be satisfied of yourself, you do not know your article can make people so obsessed with….”

    One of my recent favourites, several appear to have an error in their code,

    Have a {great|good|excellent|fantastic} day!I’m very {happy|glad|pleased} when see your post.I quite {agree with|endorse|approve of} your {point of view|viewpoint|standpoint|views on politics|opinion on public affairs}.I will continue to {focus|atte…

    My web server is in Paris. A fair number of spammers appear to recognise this fact, spamming with French phrases like “longchamp pas cher”

    2) … actually, it appears they all want to sell fakes

    All the spam was trying to sell fakes and it was all priced in US dollars.  My really simple anti spam question commenters have to answer stops a lot of the robots.  Here’s an extract from the logs which shows one persistant robot being refused.

    www.steveroot.co.uk 175.42.80.130 - - [28/Apr/2013:18:21:37 +0200] "POST /wp-comments-post.php HTTP/1.1" 500 4132
www.steveroot.co.uk 175.42.80.130 - - [28/Apr/2013:18:21:44 +0200] "POST /wp-comments-post.php HTTP/1.1" 500 4132
www.steveroot.co.uk 175.42.80.130 - - [28/Apr/2013:18:21:47 +0200] "POST /wp-comments-post.php HTTP/1.1" 500 4132
www.steveroot.co.uk 175.42.80.130 - - [28/Apr/2013:18:21:52 +0200] "POST /wp-comments-post.php HTTP/1.1" 500 4132
www.steveroot.co.uk 175.42.80.130 - - [28/Apr/2013:18:21:58 +0200] "POST /wp-comments-post.php HTTP/1.1" 500 4132
www.steveroot.co.uk 91.121.64.168 - - [28/Apr/2013:18:31:23 +0200] "POST /wp-comments-post.php HTTP/1.0" 500 4130
www.steveroot.co.uk 175.42.80.130 - - [28/Apr/2013:18:32:02 +0200] "POST /wp-comments-post.php HTTP/1.1" 500 4132
www.steveroot.co.uk 175.42.80.130 - - [28/Apr/2013:18:32:07 +0200] "POST /wp-comments-post.php HTTP/1.1" 500 4132
www.steveroot.co.uk 175.42.80.130 - - [28/Apr/2013:18:32:12 +0200] "POST /wp-comments-post.php HTTP/1.1" 500 4132
www.steveroot.co.uk 175.42.80.130 - - [28/Apr/2013:18:32:15 +0200] "POST /wp-comments-post.php HTTP/1.1" 500 4132
www.steveroot.co.uk 175.42.80.130 - - [28/Apr/2013:18:32:25 +0200] "POST /wp-comments-post.php HTTP/1.1" 500 4132
www.steveroot.co.uk 175.42.80.130 - - [28/Apr/2013:18:32:29 +0200] "POST /wp-comments-post.php HTTP/1.1" 500 4132
www.steveroot.co.uk 142.4.209.47 - - [28/Apr/2013:18:32:36 +0200] "POST /wp-comments-post.php HTTP/1.0" 500 4130

     

  • How to get noticed on LinkedIn (before LinkedIn existed)

    What a pleasant surprise!  I had a contact through LinkedIn (which, to be honest, I don’t really use very much) from Hannah Skerritt of Qube Recruitment Ltd saying

    Hi Steve
    you just popped up on my “people you my know” screen and for the first time I think I do!! I think we studied together for a very short while many many years ago… Did you study software engineering at Mid Kent?

    Whilst I didn’t study Software engineering, I did do a business studies course there as part of a training scheme with GEC Avionics in Rochester.  So a short email conversation with Hannah later she explained she remember me from the induction training week we both did there.  There were about 40 of us starting different training schemes that week.  So having met me for that short period of time she remembered me because of the way I introduced myself.  She says that I said:

    I’m Steve Root, that’s Steve with a V and Root like a tree

    Wow! I remember using that in the past but didn’t realise it had such an effect. It’s impressive and humbling to be remembered for that long simply because of a few words of introduction. Maybe I’ll need to start future presentations with that phrase.

    Also worth noting is how lucky it was that LinkedIn made the connection. I’ve not put on linked in that I worked at GEC or that I studied at Mid Kent College so I think the only connection it could have had to work on was that I’m also in the ME postcode area. We have no other links in common.

  • Email from a new business that want's to supply my business

    Hoorah! Matthew actually took the time to visit our web site, read the page about supplying to us and use the special email address.  Sure, the video wasn’t really just for our company but effort was there.  So, we don’t need a video right now but maybe if I share this here google will notice him quicker and help this new business become an established business.

    Hi my name is Matthew Jones, I have started a new business called Blue Dot Media offering promotional videos as well as graphic design, since this is my first week in business I have made a video for your company please find below. The reason for this email is I am offering you a promotional video with your own photos for only £65.00.

    Click to view the video on Youtube

    • A professionally designed video adds value to your website and credibility to your business, you can put it right on your homepage to be viewed as soon as a visitor hits your site.
    •  Another bonus is YouTube videos have a habit of coming close to page one faster than your website does sometimes.
    • You’re also able to submit the video to the top video sharing websites, creating a network of back links and potential traffic sources to your business. You can post it on your Facebook page, it gives you something to Tweet about, send out to your mailing list etc.

    Thanks Matthew Jones
    Blue Dot Media My Website

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