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The evil truth: what really sizzles the Internet’s most powerful computer’s chips

February 26, 2008 By rjamestaylor

I'm reading Clive Cussler's Atlantis Found which has an AI computer named Max (female, though) who (!) is able to reason and think with her creator/peer. In the story, while "she" crunches data she tells her creator/peer: "Go home Hiram [the creator/peer]. Take your wife and daughters to a movie. Get a good night's sleep while I sizzle my chips. Then, when you sit down in the morning, I'll really have information that will curl your ponytail." She, Max, the AI computer progeny of Hiram the Ponytailed Geek, is referring to crunching the mysteries of a pre-historical intelligent race of mankind that pre-dates the Egyptians and Summerians.

But as I read this I am disgusted by the truth. The truth is while people sleep the world's most powerful Internet-connected computers process not mystery-solving data but spam. Spam in email, spam in blog postings, spam in every conceivable venue that will attract people's attention. /|Ag4A, Cia|1s, pre-approved credit cards, "The occasion of my letter may be a surprise to you" windfalls, lost money found, and promises of larger, more erect manhood are the things that keep the most advanced and powerful systems generating Earth Destroying heat in every Internet-facing datacenter in the world.

Spam is the subject of Hal and Max. Not mysteries of other worlds, races, peoples. Not the futures of our civilization. No. Your credit score / penis size; this is the focus of modern technology.

Welcome to the real world, red pill or not, Copper-top.

Filed Under: Tech, import, robotterror.com

SPAM: Robot Terror’s Selection Into Princeton Premier

February 20, 2008 By rjamestaylor

Flattery may get you nowhere but it sure can help build your “double opt-in” spam list. Taking a page from long-term vanity publisher Who's Who, some outfit calling itself “Princeton Premier” is looking to flatter people into divulging their contact information including “the best time to contact.” Let me make this perfectly clear: the reason a company asks for the best time to contact you is that they intend to contact you. Yes, that is the Monty Python “Spam, spam, spam, spam” theme song playing in your subconscious right now. Princeton Premier hopes your personal vanity drowns out your better judgement, however, with claims like “Inclusion is considered by many as the single highest mark of achievement.”

Just remember this: if they are including “Robot Terror” how prestigious is this registry, anyway?

Robot Terror,  

It is my pleasure to inform you that you are being considered for inclusion into the 2008-2009 Princeton
Premier Business Leaders and Professionals "Honors Edition" section of the Registry.

The 2008-2009 edition of the Registry will include biographies of the world's most accomplished
individuals. Recognition of this kind is an honor shared by thousands of executives and professionals
throughout the world each year. Inclusion is considered by many as the single highest mark of
achievement.

Upon final confirmation, you will be listed among thousands of accomplished individuals in the Princeton
Premier Registry. 

For accuracy and publication deadlines, please complete your application form and return it to us within
five business days. 

You may access the application form using the following link:

http://app.formassembly.com/forms/view/3366

On behalf of the Managing Director, we wish you continued success.

Sincerely, 

Jason Harris 

Managing Director
Princeton Premier

This email was sent to redacted@robotterror.com, by
Princeton Premier

23-35a Steinway Street
Astoria, NY 11105 United States 

If you do not wish to receive future e-mail
from Princeton Premier, please use the link below.

http://rm.resultsmail.com/unsubscribe.cfm?uid=[redacted]

Powered by ResultsMail (http://www.resultsmail.com/)

ResultsMail Privacy Policy: http://www.resultsmail.com/privacy
ResultsMail Permission Email Policy: http://www.resultsmail.com/permission

At the hosted mail form page (how lame!) are the following fields to be filled out by the honorees:

     First Name: *
     Last Name:  *
     Job Title:  *
     Company Name:
     Phone Number:  *
     Email:  *
     Full Address:
     Country:
     Personal Specialty:
     Best Time To Contact: Morning Afternoon Evening

Thankfully this appears to simply be a mailing list building ruse and not a full-fledged phishing scam. However, there is not a big jump from connecting the requested information with other data sources to provide con-artists what they need to steal your identity. I wonder what the follow-up questions are going to be — will the bio have a standard format that includes your parents' names? With the above information and your mother's maiden name I have most of what I need to get access to your bank accounts. Scary.

RECOMMENDATION: Junk this solicitation!


Update: I filled out the form and visited the site. It is a social networking site built on phpFox. (They've not even turned off the “Safari warning pop-up” … lame.) Yeah. It's an attempt to make another LinkedIn. Guess what? FAIL.

Filed Under: import, robotterror.com, scams

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