From an Associated Press report this morning we learn:
Junk e-mail continued to land in mailboxes around the world Thursday, despite the arrest a day earlier of a man described as one of the world’s most prolific spammers.
If you’re suspecting that perhaps the writer was being sarcastic, here’s the headline: “Spam flows despite high-profile arrest.” (And after this commercial break we’ll bring you details of planes landing safely at Kennedy Airport.)
Although I would consider it a day for hiding under the covers if my byline ever appeared under such a headline or over that “despite the arrest” sentence, not all of the shame can be heaped upon this single reporter or the AP editors. After all, the story was merely reacting to an enormous pile of earlier ones that contained an enormous pile of, um, nonsense from the “authorities” who arrested spammer Robert Alan Soloway.
For example, there was, “Man’s arrest could reduce spam, authorities say.”
A 27-year-old man described as one of the world’s most prolific spammers was arrested Wednesday in the U.S., and federal authorities said Internet users could notice a decrease in the amount of junk e-mail.
Federal authorities say the darnedest things.
Back in my newspaper days we used to see this type of authority-speak all the time in press conferences about drug busts. Invariably, you’d be able to scan a story about such arrests and find the “put a dent in” quote, as in: “This arrest is going to put a dent in the trafficking of (fill in the blank) in our community.”
Such claims were always worth a good giggle.
Just like the idea that arresting one spammer would make a difference that you and I might notice.
Heck, if Soloway isn’t out on bail already he’s probably sending spam from his cell.
