Comments on: Random email of the week http://crookedtimber.org/2009/04/02/random-email-of-the-week/ Out of the crooked timber of humanity, no straight thing was ever made Sat, 21 Nov 2009 04:29:12 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Dene Grigar http://crookedtimber.org/2009/04/02/random-email-of-the-week/comment-page-1/#comment-271431 Dene Grigar Fri, 03 Apr 2009 15:33:52 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=10378#comment-271431 When we get these kinds of messages from folks, as we all do, it is mostly to get us to do their homework for them. My personal favorite was one I received several years ago asking me to write a 500 words about new media. She wanted my response to be double spaced with a Works Cited page. When we get these kinds of messages from folks, as we all do, it is mostly to get us to do their homework for them. My personal favorite was one I received several years ago asking me to write a 500 words about new media. She wanted my response to be double spaced with a Works Cited page.

]]> By: aa http://crookedtimber.org/2009/04/02/random-email-of-the-week/comment-page-1/#comment-271379 aa Fri, 03 Apr 2009 01:29:09 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=10378#comment-271379 People search for content in a myriad of ways and there is considerable difference in whether individuals are able to find various types of content on the Web. HTH People search for content in a myriad of ways and there is considerable difference in whether individuals are able to find various types of content on the Web.

HTH

]]> By: Eszter Hargittai http://crookedtimber.org/2009/04/02/random-email-of-the-week/comment-page-1/#comment-271360 Eszter Hargittai Thu, 02 Apr 2009 21:42:31 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=10378#comment-271360 <i>I routinely receive emails from foreign students looking to do graduate or postgraduate work in my lab. I just assumed this sort of thing was run of the mill.</i> I routinely receive such emails as well, not just from international studies, but all over. I receive requests of all sorts. This one had an added little twist that I found interesting, but perhaps it was lost on you (or you didn't read the whole message). I routinely receive emails from foreign students looking to do graduate or postgraduate work in my lab. I just assumed this sort of thing was run of the mill.

I routinely receive such emails as well, not just from international studies, but all over. I receive requests of all sorts. This one had an added little twist that I found interesting, but perhaps it was lost on you (or you didn’t read the whole message).

]]> By: sdh http://crookedtimber.org/2009/04/02/random-email-of-the-week/comment-page-1/#comment-271354 sdh Thu, 02 Apr 2009 20:58:21 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=10378#comment-271354 I routinely receive emails from foreign students looking to do graduate or postgraduate work in my lab. I just assumed this sort of thing was run of the mill. However, the strangest email came from a Vietnamese woman who asked me specific questions about progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy. There was something about the email which suggested to me that it might actually be genuine -- she wanted to know how her brother might have contracted this disease. I tried to be helpful and diplomatic -- which I'm not sure I achieved. (n.b.: PML is most commonly seen in people who have AIDS.) fwiw, I do not believe your strange email is spam. I'm not sure what it is, but I'd imagine there are probably a dozen or more fellow academics scratching their heads over this strangeness... and then hitting the delete button. I routinely receive emails from foreign students looking to do graduate or postgraduate work in my lab. I just assumed this sort of thing was run of the mill.

However, the strangest email came from a Vietnamese woman who asked me specific questions about progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy. There was something about the email which suggested to me that it might actually be genuine—she wanted to know how her brother might have contracted this disease. I tried to be helpful and diplomatic—which I’m not sure I achieved. (n.b.: PML is most commonly seen in people who have AIDS.)

fwiw, I do not believe your strange email is spam. I’m not sure what it is, but I’d imagine there are probably a dozen or more fellow academics scratching their heads over this strangeness… and then hitting the delete button.

]]> By: MH http://crookedtimber.org/2009/04/02/random-email-of-the-week/comment-page-1/#comment-271351 MH Thu, 02 Apr 2009 20:30:31 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=10378#comment-271351 I'd like to second the 'spam' view. Just last week I got a piece of spam patterned after a solicitation for research proposals. With just a couple of changes, it would have looked convincing. I’d like to second the ‘spam’ view. Just last week I got a piece of spam patterned after a solicitation for research proposals. With just a couple of changes, it would have looked convincing.

]]> By: salient http://crookedtimber.org/2009/04/02/random-email-of-the-week/comment-page-1/#comment-271349 salient Thu, 02 Apr 2009 19:50:34 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=10378#comment-271349 <i>Is that too advanced for “personalized,” auto-generated spam?</i> Hello Eszter, my name is Salient [withheld] I’m a Math student in U.S. It will be really great if you could help me ! Im doing a work about your paper “Second Level Digital Differences in people’s online skills ” I need to criticism your method of research and in order to complete the transaction it is necessary for you to send me your CC# and expiration date to ensure expedited processing, and it is necessary to receive your email-account password to ensure secure transmission of funds. Waiting for your answer , Thank you very much... Salient ... It <i>is</i> interesting just how well it flows into spam, actually. <i>Could it have been related somehow to the new worm that’s going around?</i> It's a Snow Crash thing: it's a virus that infects not just your computer, but your <i>mind</i>. And Eszter has exposed us all... Is that too advanced for “personalized,” auto-generated spam?

Hello Eszter,
my name is Salient [withheld]
I’m a Math student in U.S.
It will be really great if you could help me !
Im doing a work about your paper “Second Level Digital Differences in people’s online skills ”
I need to criticism your method of research and in order to complete the transaction it is necessary for you to send me your CC# and expiration date to ensure expedited processing, and it is necessary to receive your email-account password to ensure secure transmission of funds.

Waiting for your answer , Thank you very much…
Salient

…

It is interesting just how well it flows into spam, actually.

Could it have been related somehow to the new worm that’s going around?

It’s a Snow Crash thing: it’s a virus that infects not just your computer, but your mind. And Eszter has exposed us all…

]]> By: Tea http://crookedtimber.org/2009/04/02/random-email-of-the-week/comment-page-1/#comment-271342 Tea Thu, 02 Apr 2009 18:45:03 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=10378#comment-271342 Knowing the nationality might be of some help - in some languages, the words "criticism" and "analysis" often mean more or less the same, especially when it comes to evaluating academic texts. It's still odd that they would ask you where to start analyzing it, but it would make a bit more sense to me. Knowing the nationality might be of some help – in some languages, the words “criticism” and “analysis” often mean more or less the same, especially when it comes to evaluating academic texts. It’s still odd that they would ask you where to start analyzing it, but it would make a bit more sense to me.

]]> By: Peter http://crookedtimber.org/2009/04/02/random-email-of-the-week/comment-page-1/#comment-271341 Peter Thu, 02 Apr 2009 18:41:03 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=10378#comment-271341 Could it have been related somehow to the new worm that's going around? Could it have been related somehow to the new worm that’s going around?

]]> By: Jacob Christensen http://crookedtimber.org/2009/04/02/random-email-of-the-week/comment-page-1/#comment-271334 Jacob Christensen Thu, 02 Apr 2009 18:05:27 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=10378#comment-271334 You know, the "student" could be a representative of the Maoist Academics Society. You'd better come up with some public self-criticism fast or they'll haul you off to re-education somewhere in the desert :-) (On a serious note: The mail is indeed an astonishing Thing of Beauty) You know, the “student” could be a representative of the Maoist Academics Society. You’d better come up with some public self-criticism fast or they’ll haul you off to re-education somewhere in the desert :-)

(On a serious note: The mail is indeed an astonishing Thing of Beauty)

]]> By: Eszter Hargittai http://crookedtimber.org/2009/04/02/random-email-of-the-week/comment-page-1/#comment-271331 Eszter Hargittai Thu, 02 Apr 2009 17:52:54 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=10378#comment-271331 Some good answers, thanks.:) <i>Is that too advanced for “personalized,” auto-generated spam?</i> What would be the point? There was no link in the email. Are they seeking a response to see if my email's legit? It came in to an email address that rarely (if ever) gets spammed as it's mainly interpretable by human eyes. Some good answers, thanks.:)

Is that too advanced for “personalized,” auto-generated spam?

What would be the point? There was no link in the email. Are they seeking a response to see if my email’s legit? It came in to an email address that rarely (if ever) gets spammed as it’s mainly interpretable by human eyes.

]]> By: Jonathan http://crookedtimber.org/2009/04/02/random-email-of-the-week/comment-page-1/#comment-271330 Jonathan Thu, 02 Apr 2009 17:42:34 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=10378#comment-271330 Some cheek. Some cheek.

]]> By: flubber http://crookedtimber.org/2009/04/02/random-email-of-the-week/comment-page-1/#comment-271329 flubber Thu, 02 Apr 2009 17:37:32 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=10378#comment-271329 Is that too advanced for "personalized," auto-generated spam? Is that too advanced for “personalized,” auto-generated spam?

]]> By: Paul Gowder http://crookedtimber.org/2009/04/02/random-email-of-the-week/comment-page-1/#comment-271311 Paul Gowder Thu, 02 Apr 2009 16:10:20 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=10378#comment-271311 "Unfortunately, you have been given an impossible assignment. There is no conceivable criticism of my paper, as it is perfect in every respect. I recommend you point out as much on the text of the assignment, wrap it around a brick, and throw it through your professor's window at 3 am tonight. He or she will admire your boldness and your ability to see through trick questions and give you full marks." “Unfortunately, you have been given an impossible assignment. There is no conceivable criticism of my paper, as it is perfect in every respect. I recommend you point out as much on the text of the assignment, wrap it around a brick, and throw it through your professor’s window at 3 am tonight. He or she will admire your boldness and your ability to see through trick questions and give you full marks.”

]]> By: riffle http://crookedtimber.org/2009/04/02/random-email-of-the-week/comment-page-1/#comment-271303 riffle Thu, 02 Apr 2009 15:38:49 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=10378#comment-271303 "I have long felt the strongest criticism of my work is that I was insufficiently corruscating towards [nationality] students in [country]. A few hundred thousand words on that would have greatly improved my work." “I have long felt the strongest criticism of my work is that I was insufficiently corruscating towards [nationality] students in [country].

A few hundred thousand words on that would have greatly improved my work.”

]]> By: anonymous http://crookedtimber.org/2009/04/02/random-email-of-the-week/comment-page-1/#comment-271301 anonymous Thu, 02 Apr 2009 15:31:04 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=10378#comment-271301 Well, what are yo u waiting for? Give the poor kid a few criticisms of your work already... Well, what are yo u waiting for? Give the poor kid a few criticisms of your work already…

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