Posted by Brian Robertson on 12/26/07 01:21

Beauregard T. Shagnasty wrote:
> Halloway wrote:
>
>> cwdjrxyz carefully considered the situation and wrote:
>>> I suspect that M15 posts have been made by many different spammers in
>>> the past. Thus getting a spammer blocked is likely just a temporary
>>> fix.
>> It's very likely to be a single psychotic individual. ...
>
> It is one man. Google for "Mike Corley".
>

I heard a strange, but plausible, explanation for the MI5 posts. I say
plausible because it explains some curious features about them.

First off, notice that all links to Mike Corley's site have been
removed. (It's actually at http://www.five.org.uk. Would he have removed
his own links?)

Next, notice that most of them (For some reason, excepting these latest
ones) have a date on the subject line which shows them to be pretty
ancient. Surely someone with paranoid delusions could invent some new
delusions from time to time!

Lastly, there is always a number on the subject line. This, I was told,
is the number of people who are tricked into replying to each post. The
suggestion is that Corley might have been behind the original posts, but
that they are now passed around usenet by trolls looking for a reaction.
It works!

It reminds me of the man looking over the edge of a cliff and saying 74,
74, 74, over and over again. A passer-by stops and asks what he is
doing, but the man continues to go 74, 74, 74..... Eventually the
passer-by finds that his curiosity gets the better of him and he looks
over the edge to see what the man is staring at, whereupon the
mysterious counter pushed him into the sea and goes, 75, 75, 75, 75......

Remember, just because you're paranoid doesn't mean that they aren't out
to get you!

Brian.

PS I don't actually let the MI5 posts bother me. Try posting on
uk.transport and mention that you think speeding is dangerous or
uk.rec.cycling and mention that you think helmets are a good idea.
You'll soon find the MI5 posts refreshingly sane by comparison. ;-)

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