So, do you feel like becoming anyone's online pet today? No? Neither do I, but that's exactly what someone (who really should have known better) tried to turn me into. This gaffe was attempted through the unnamed individual adding a CommentCherry.com  application called Own Everyone to his MySpace page. This OpenSocial app is yet another piece of internet detritus spawned by CherryTap.com.

Now, I don't know which aspect I find more offensive:

    
1. that people would believe pimping out their friends under the mistakenly assumed guise of "harmless fun" is anything but anti-social, not to mention downright insulting!
    
2. that any app with OpenSocial's clawmarks anywhere near it can be trusted as benign

Sure, these kinds of insidious bullshit are rife throughout many social networking sites. Also rampant is the degree in which participation - especially where 3rd party apps are concerned - poses a ripple-down security risk.

If you've got a social network contact who's fond of such insipid cattle-mentality nonsense and/or who's chronically clueless, do yourself and the rest of your contacts a public service. Delete the hapless wonder before they cause you and your friends unimaginable grief. Internet privacy and security is everyone's concern.

As for the rest of the idiots, freaks and trolls... Let the bodies hit the floor!

It still never ceases to amaze me how so many people don't learn from their misadventures. When these gaffes develop into a pattern with no tangible proactive measures implemented on the part of the hapless afflicted, these situations qualify under the new definition of insanity:

insanity - repeating the same dysfunctional behaviors over and over,
yet each time expecting a different positive result

Case in point, a PM recieved from an individual whom I've helped - and attempted to educate - on various internet related personal matters for longer than I probably should have...

"Hi Honey, long time no hear from. I hate to ask you but I desperately need your help. I will even give you my phone number so we don't have to type back and forth. This is kind of urgent because someone is putting mine and [a close relative's] name all over the internet and I need to know the legalities, ramifications and if there is anything we could do about it."

I'm not going to waste my time with lengthy explorations of this individual's systematic self-sabotage. All I will say is that I've developed a mercenary attitude where such pleas are concerned. Want my skills? Fucking pay me. Guess what? Damned few could afford my fees to investigate, let alone clean up what boils down to other's he said/she said bullshit.

One can't seriously expect to consistently invite or perpetuate havoc-rich interactions online without putting themselves and others at risk, now can they? It's time some people got a major reality check. I'll break out my trusty clue-by-four pro bono. Otherwise, take the drama elsewhere.

Interesting overall concept. Could be useful for realistic assessment of prioritizing goals, amongst other things. This post will likely be edited as I delve further into the interconnected 43 networks: People, Places, Things.

Dang- Discussion sure has been lively over at Yahoo 360 Refugees. It seems that someone (who will remain nameless) posted an unverified statement that Yahell is not going to execute its financial flop, 360º. I'll beat this dead horse one last time to put forth the following:

Verify your source.

Rumors, disinformation, and idle speculations are simply those and nothing more. Wait- They are something more. These types of postings are overabundant.

While it's impossible to exterminate such behaviors which breed with parasitic zeal, it is quite simple (and greatly appreciated) to include at least one reference/link to a credible source. Do this consistently and you'll save yourself from becoming just more spamtastic internet flamebait, honest! And if a verified source isn't readily available, please learn to use post tags accordingly. Some good tag examples for unverified information are "rumors", "rumor mill", "gossip", "scuttlebutt", "murmurings", "chatter" and "buzz". Of course, tags can be suited to an individual's liking.

Have fun. Play. Explore. Learn.

Thanks to vivalabama for saving me the trouble of hunting for that Y! 360º blog entry.

© fugitive247

Loyd Blankenship is NOT +++The Mentor+++

[backstory]

For anyone who might want/need to contact me over the next few days, please see the notice in my guestbook, thanks. Now, before last night's pain shot from the ER completely wears off... The following is an exerpt of my reply re: my participation and/or personal interactions here in Cyberia. Word to the wise... Attempting to back-stab me or mine is never a good idea. ;oD

"Baby, you nailed it. I don't have time for petty vindictive bullshit, either. I'm not mentioning ANY names. But suffice it to say that you're not one of them. Never were. Doubt you ever could be, hon. Just watch your back, please? Some folks aren't who/what they'd like to think they pass themselves off as, ya know? "If your gut instincts go into lockdown mode where any individual/group is concerned, trust that feeling. Our gut instincts are seldom wrong. It's our hearts (sentimental & sometimes too lenient/forgiving) and our brains (will over-analyze anything into unproductive & dangerous circles) that tend to trip us up, big time."

Well, my friends... That's about all the computer time my pain tolerance will allow this morning. Starting to get shooting pains down my legs again, and that ain't the half of it. Looks like I'm going to be doing a lot of knitting this weekend. Gentle {{{hugs}}} for those who want 'em. Ciao for now...