Thanks for the Virus.

[Steven Vollom]

Knapp wrote:
> On Tue, Mar 17, 2009 at 8:33 AM, Dotan Cohen <dotancohen at gmail.com> wrote:
>   
>>> I will post and try to repair any damage I may have caused
>>> you by my pause.
>>>       
>> You did not cause me damage.
>>
>>     
>>>  It was not really doubt at all.  I was just shocked by
>>> the amount of negative mail I was getting as the victim.
>>>       
>> You are not a victim of anything unusual. That's what you need to
>> understand for people to get back on "your side". So long as you play
>> victim, and assume that there is a perp to blame on this list, you
>> will generate negative responses. Just formulate an anti-spam policy
>> and get on with your life.
>>
>> --
>> Dotan Cohen
>>     
>
> One time I was a school and good female friend of mine from China came
> up to me in the hall crying. She was upset because of some emails that
> she was getting with horrible images. She could not understand who
> would send her something so evil! I sat down with her and looked at
> it. It was the typical porno spam mails from a few years ago.
>
> We set up a Google Email account, imported her email addresses and
> told everyone about the new email. I then explained how these
> slimeballs work, where they get the email addresses from and how to
> avoid it and she was happy again.
>
> The biggest source of my secret email address getting out is from
> friends going to the, "send an email card" sites and sending me
> something. Never send email to a freind through another site!
>
> BTW, I have had 4 emails in one month make it past Google Emails spam
> filter and into my in box. I get about 100 spams a day in the spam
> box, but of late that has been down to about 100 a week. Nice.
>
>   
I really appreciate your kind reply.  I will take your advice, however 
in my inability to use words well, I was not trying to be victim, I was 
trying to use psychology  to deter whomever from repeating, thinking 
perhaps he or she might avoid some serious negative results in the 
future.  If that doesn't come across, I failed anyway.  That is my true 
motivation even though it seems to be pretty much ingored.  The only 
reason I used the word victim was to try to give an accurate description 
of my part in the problem.

You wouldn't know it, but I have been what is called a recluse for 40 
years.  When I was active as a fine artist, I lived and worked in my 
studio.  When my wife divorced me, I did not want to repeat the process, 
so for 40 years I have been pretty much alone.  I have never had an 
opportunity to talk with so many people before.  My contact with people 
involved selling my work to the public, and a few once a month friend 
who were interested in my art.  I really don't know how to behave in 
public and am always amazed how people misunderstand my words.  I try to 
be so precise, so it won't happen, but everyone remembers the word 
victim and no one seems to believe I worry for the future of whomever 
did this.  I am learning though.

Dotan Cohen apparently got a hit from my words and a couple of others on 
the list.  It very hard for me, because people seem to read into my 
words things that I did not intend or mean.  Because of a current health 
problem I have not been out of my studio but once to get food.  I have 
not seen or talked to a living person except the cashier and the person 
who drove me, except what I write on the list.  It may be an important 
reason why I love the list so much and its people.  I tried to repair 
any damage I may have caused others and have wanted this post to kind 
find it's end.  Many have told me it really may not be an attack other 
than junk mail.  I am inclined to accept that.  However, if I am right, 
and there is a culprit, that person has gotten my best to help that 
person, whether he or she or any other of you understood my motivation.  
GOD knows what my intentions are and I have served HIM in my honest 
effort.  And I don't want this to be a religious event, that would cause 
more problems I believe.  To me it was a duty, and I have done my duty.  
I suspect that that will make several readers laugh a bit, but it is 
very serious business to me.  Again I thank you, and I really really 
mean that.

Steven