Poor, poor Truthout. They've run into some technical difficulties. It seems that some of the biggest e-mail providers have been blocking their e-mails. They're crying censorship, saying that they suspect some sort of political bias is behind their being treated like spammers.
I have another theory: they're being treated like spammers because they are spammers.
I've always found the best definition of "spam" to be "unsolicited e-mail." And that's precisely what Truthout does.
For some time now, I've been receiving Truthout's "news" letter every day. I never asked for it, never wanted it, and wouldn't miss it if it (or, for that matter, they) were to go away.
They insist that I either subscribed to it and forgot about it (fat chance there), or someone else signed me up. Either way, it's not their fault that I'm on their list, and it's my responsibility to get myself off that list.
Here's the story, Truthout, in a nutshell: you run an unverified e-mail list. You allow yourself to be used for list-bombing by not requiring "subscribers" to confirm their interest before you start sending out your daily tripe. And it's been no skin off your nose, as more "subscribers" means better numbers to brag about. The only losers are those people who never wanted to be "subscribers," and have to follow your little rules to get taken off a list they never wanted to be on in the first place.
I suspect that more than a few of your unwilling subscribers complained to their internet providers about your practices, and they decided that they simply didn't want to deal with you. So they put up blocks.
It's not about ideology, it's about you being irresponsible assholes. Clean up your act, or live with the logical consequences.
Jay Tea
Unwilling "member" since January 2007
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Comments (17)
Did somebody sign you up fo... (Below threshold)1. Posted by pennywit | September 23, 2007 4:27 PM | Score: -5 (7 votes cast)
Did somebody sign you up for a far-left group's email list? I wish I'd thought to do that ....
--|PW|--
1. Posted by pennywit | September 23, 2007 4:27 PM |
Score: -5 (7 votes cast)
Posted on September 23, 2007 16:27
2. Posted by 89 | September 23, 2007 4:51 PM | Score: 5 (5 votes cast)
1: Log in to admin interface.
2: Locate checkbox for requiring confirmation on sign-up.
3: Check it
I guess they lost their admin password or something, right?
2. Posted by 89 | September 23, 2007 4:51 PM |
Score: 5 (5 votes cast)
Posted on September 23, 2007 16:51
3. Posted by Linoge | September 23, 2007 5:24 PM | Score: 8 (8 votes cast)
What, you are actually asking someone to take personal responsibility for their actions?
Where have you been?
3. Posted by Linoge | September 23, 2007 5:24 PM |
Score: 8 (8 votes cast)
Posted on September 23, 2007 17:24
4. Posted by Scrapiron | September 23, 2007 5:33 PM | Score: 4 (4 votes cast)
J.T. You are being too hard on the learning disabled.
4. Posted by Scrapiron | September 23, 2007 5:33 PM |
Score: 4 (4 votes cast)
Posted on September 23, 2007 17:33
5. Posted by Farmer Joe | September 23, 2007 6:23 PM | Score: 5 (5 votes cast)
Clearly, it's Rove's revenge for the whole "immanent indictment" thing.
5. Posted by Farmer Joe | September 23, 2007 6:23 PM |
Score: 5 (5 votes cast)
Posted on September 23, 2007 18:23
6. Posted by Jo | September 23, 2007 7:33 PM | Score: 5 (5 votes cast)
No wonder the MSM has to continually cover these idiots on the Left's backsides. They are like permanent 5 year olds who need the constant supervision and protection from their mamas & daddies. Glad the MSM provides the idiotic democrats this assurance.
Democrats/Liberals = stupidest.peopl.on.earth.
6. Posted by Jo | September 23, 2007 7:33 PM |
Score: 5 (5 votes cast)
Posted on September 23, 2007 19:33
7. Posted by Jo | September 23, 2007 8:59 PM | Score: 4 (4 votes cast)
Goodie - let Barney get lots of spam. Hey Barney, be sure and donate all your $$ to these people too. lol.
Idiot.
7. Posted by Jo | September 23, 2007 8:59 PM |
Score: 4 (4 votes cast)
Posted on September 23, 2007 20:59
8. Posted by SCSIwuzzy | September 23, 2007 9:55 PM | Score: 4 (4 votes cast)
Jo all money goes to moveon.com.
...And young Taiwanese boys.
8. Posted by SCSIwuzzy | September 23, 2007 9:55 PM |
Score: 4 (4 votes cast)
Posted on September 23, 2007 21:55
9. Posted by Dave W | September 23, 2007 10:19 PM | Score: 5 (5 votes cast)
Barney, once again you missed the point.
Who cares what their message is (besides you).
They are an organization that sends unsolicited email. It could be Limbaugh, O'Reilly or some other rightwinger and it would have gotten the same treatment if it were unsolicited email.
The fact is that truthout uses their "email list number" as some kind of banner that they have x amount of readers, although a vast majority were signed up illegitimately and do not read their newsletters. They are spam plain and simple. They might as well include information on mortgages and how to increase your penis or bust size.
They are spam plain and simple.
9. Posted by Dave W | September 23, 2007 10:19 PM |
Score: 5 (5 votes cast)
Posted on September 23, 2007 22:19
10. Posted by marc | September 23, 2007 10:52 PM | Score: 2 (4 votes cast)
Baghdad barney:
Jay, thank you for turning me on to TO. I read several very thoughtful treads about how the Republicans are screwing us over.
Yeah I bet you did. You'll fit right in over there.
Make sure you read all of Jason Leopold's stuff. Especially how he had TWO verified sources that Rove would be indicted and do the perp walk in 24 hours.
Good stuff, as I said you'll fit right in. You and the fantastical seem to go hand-in-hand.
10. Posted by marc | September 23, 2007 10:52 PM |
Score: 2 (4 votes cast)
Posted on September 23, 2007 22:52
11. Posted by Brian | September 23, 2007 11:46 PM | Score: -8 (8 votes cast)
I've always found the best definition of "spam" to be "unsolicited e-mail." And that's precisely what Truthout does.
And then you link to a site with many subscribers stating that they aren't getting what they signed up for.
Oh please, Jay, not another one of your "someone else signed me up for a mailing list and I'm too indignant to remove myself so I'm going to just let the emails keep coming and then complain about it" posts.
Yes, some idiot signed you up for a mailing list that stupidly doesn't require confirmation. Stop acting like a child, and just click that "unsubscribe" link. Then those awful emails will magically stop!
By the way, GOP.com doesn't require confirmation for their email list, nor do the campaign web sites of Thompson, Giuliani, and Romney (and in fact, Romney's asks for your friends' email addresses so they can be spammed too).
I just signed you up for all of them*, and I look forward to your many rants about how the right is spamming you.
(* No I didn't).
11. Posted by Brian | September 23, 2007 11:46 PM |
Score: -8 (8 votes cast)
Posted on September 23, 2007 23:46
12. Posted by marc | September 24, 2007 1:35 AM | Score: 4 (4 votes cast)
Baghdad barney:
Jay, what post was it that you said you were glad that 9-11 happened? Why don't you link to it so all your fans can read how I am taking your words out of context? Please include the text follow-up where you wished someone would kill me.
What was I saying about Baghdad barney having a close connection to the fantastical?
Jay doesn't need me to "stand up" for him, he can utterly destroy your childish BS just as quick as a number of commenters here.
12. Posted by marc | September 24, 2007 1:35 AM |
Score: 4 (4 votes cast)
Posted on September 24, 2007 01:35
13. Posted by SPQR | September 24, 2007 2:43 AM | Score: 4 (4 votes cast)
And have done so repeatedly, but Barney just ignores how often he's been embarrassed.
13. Posted by SPQR | September 24, 2007 2:43 AM |
Score: 4 (4 votes cast)
Posted on September 24, 2007 02:43
14. Posted by kim | September 24, 2007 9:16 AM | Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Typical, Jason screws up and infers it's a conspiracy against him.
=====================================
14. Posted by kim | September 24, 2007 9:16 AM |
Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Posted on September 24, 2007 09:16
15. Posted by Fred | September 24, 2007 9:54 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Irresponsible assholes? Use sendahole.com.
15. Posted by Fred | September 24, 2007 9:54 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on September 24, 2007 09:54
16. Posted by epador | September 24, 2007 10:31 AM | Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
You who I will not name, I think you are under the mistaken impression that JT is a Republican. Kinda like the way you are under a mistaken impression your rants are intelligent and profound.
16. Posted by epador | September 24, 2007 10:31 AM |
Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Posted on September 24, 2007 10:31
17. Posted by Larry | September 25, 2007 4:33 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Just click the unsubscribe link? The more you click those unsubscribe links, the more junk email you get. It's turns into a feeding frenzy for all of the other spammers as they realize they have a "live" email address.
17. Posted by Larry | September 25, 2007 4:33 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on September 25, 2007 16:33