Bnut selling out its members?

Messages
2,774
Reaction score
31
Location
Michigan, USA
USDA Zone
5
Some people, myself included, receive occasional emails from Marco invernizzi, containing some self promotion, some jokes, and funny pictures. They have never bothered me, in fact I often have gotten a good laugh from them. However, someone felt the need to complain publicly about them on another forum instead of just writing Marco and requesting that he remove them from his list.

All in all, no big deal, but then the conspiracy theories started, a couple people wondered how he obtained their email address and before you know it, other forums were targeted for unfounded accusations.

Flybri hinted at such in his post at http://forum.bonsaitalk.com/258326-post16.html

"I can't help but wonder if it has anything to do with which Forums an individual has signed up for... I'm a member of bT, Bonsai Vault, IBC, BonsaiNut and BonsaiChat, yet I haven't received a single slice of Marco's spam. Perhaps I'm reading too much into this, but the registration records for Forums such as this would provide all the email addresses a spammer could possibly want."

Then Irene b said the following at http://forum.bonsaitalk.com/258347-post20.html

"I never was on usenet, so who else does that leave?
Bonsainut,AOB,KNOB,Bonsaisite...
Who would sell out their members?"


I have no idea why anyone would jump to such a baseless conclusion and make the huge assumption that Marco gets email addresses from any forum at all, but I am quite sure this forum has not given out its members information, and I know for a fact AoB and KoB has not, not would they ever.

These baseless and unsubstantiated accusations serve no good and erodes inter-forum relationships.

I often have the job of tracking down email addresses of artists that we want to feature at AoB or who we want to judge a contest. Trust me, if someone wants your email address, it is quite easy to obtain. I am also certain that Marco doesn't randomly send out his emails, he most likely just sends them to everyone his client has saved, which in many cases is anyone who has ever sent him an email, as well as those cc'ed in it.

I would hope that people would simply ask in the future, instead of inventing some grand conspiracy theory that has no foundation. Forums should co-exist, support each other, not attack each other at the slightest whim.

Also, for the record, I like Marco's emails.



Will
 
Last edited:

irene_b

Omono
Messages
1,415
Reaction score
5
Will, why do you try to start trouble everywhere you go?
Are you so unhappy in your life/world that your need to be noticed has to go to such negative implications?
Irene
 
Messages
2,774
Reaction score
31
Location
Michigan, USA
USDA Zone
5
Will, why do you try to start trouble everywhere you go?
Are you so unhappy in your life/world that your need to be noticed has to go to such negative implications?
Irene

Irene,

I simply quoted your words and addressed them, this is hardly starting trouble, instead it is simply heading off such baseless accusations before trouble actually begins. The real question is why you would make such unfounded, negative claims and then accuse me of starting trouble?

You can hardly expect to accuse this forum and others of selling out their members without being challenged.

And I am very happy, healthy, and satisified with my life, thanks for asking. Perhaps you should examine your own life, instead of mine?





"I never was on usenet, so who else does that leave?
Bonsainut,AOB,KNOB,Bonsaisite...
Who would sell out their members?"
- Irene B http://forum.bonsaitalk.com/258347-post20.html

"To wide spread to be club related....Has to be one of the Forums..." - Irene B http://forum.bonsaitalk.com/258350-post22.html

Both from the thread http://forum.bonsaitalk.com/f14/marco-invernizzi-spam-emails-31242.html



Will
 
Last edited:

M.B.

Mame
Messages
105
Reaction score
1
Location
Outside Sacramento, CA
USDA Zone
9
I have never gotten involved in a "Will" discussion or usually argument because I find they become trivial or a pointless impass by the time the mud is done slinging. I am making an exception in this case (God help me) and actually see where Will is coming from. Since Will is an integral part of AOB and KNOB I think he's insulted at the insinuations that e-mail addresses could be obtained (or sold) on his or any other bonsai site. Easily that is, a good hacker can get just about any info. they want. I think he just wants the bonsai world to know, that's all.
Mary B.
 

buddhamonk

Chumono
Messages
748
Reaction score
13
Location
Ptown oregon
awesome thread! I'd love to get spam from Marco. Where do I sign up?
 
Last edited:

irene_b

Omono
Messages
1,415
Reaction score
5
Irene,

I simply quoted your words and addressed them, this is hardly starting trouble, instead it is simply heading off such baseless accusations before trouble actually begins. The real question is why you would make such unfounded, negative claims and then accuse me of starting trouble?

You can hardly expect to accuse this forum and others of selling out their members without being challenged.

And I am very happy, healthy, and satisified with my life, thanks for asking. Perhaps you should examine your own life, instead of mine?





"I never was on usenet, so who else does that leave?
Bonsainut,AOB,KNOB,Bonsaisite...
Who would sell out their members?"
- Irene B http://forum.bonsaitalk.com/258347-post20.html

"To wide spread to be club related....Has to be one of the Forums..." - Irene B http://forum.bonsaitalk.com/258350-post22.html

Both from the thread http://forum.bonsaitalk.com/f14/marco-invernizzi-spam-emails-31242.html



Will


You are taking a discussion from one forum and bringing it here..Why?
Did you post this as well on AOB and KNOB and Bonsaisite as well??
And did I start that thread?
It would not be the first time hackers have used membership lists and the question is a bonifide concern..
Why do you feel I am targeting you???
Do you own all the forums listed?
Irene
 

Vance Wood

Lord Mugo
Messages
14,002
Reaction score
16,911
Location
Michigan
USDA Zone
5-6
You are taking a discussion from one forum and bringing it here..Why?
Irene

You really don't know??? I find that hard to believe.

However; AoB and KoB were listed as possible offending entities, providing personal email addresses, in a forum where he is not allowed to defend himself. It is for this reason that many who have a case of the "Willies" go to BT where they can pretty much say anything mean, nasty, and untrue about Will Heath without having to worry about facing his more than adequate defense.

I might add at this point I have heard a rumor that Will was personally responsible for the mortgage crisis,---see what I mean. It seems that in some people's minds anything and everything that goes wrong in bonsai is Will's fault.
 
Last edited:

Rick Moquin

Omono
Messages
1,241
Reaction score
20
Location
Dartmouth, NS Canada
USDA Zone
6a
Ummmmmmm!
Well I don't belong to BT, BS etc... and yes I have received Marco's spams. I doubt though that Marco as such time on his hands???
 

chansen

Shohin
Messages
361
Reaction score
358
Location
Salt Lake City, UT
USDA Zone
6a
As a member of most, if not all, of the possible sites listed, I haven't received any of the emails. If the sites were compromised, it would seem likely that everyone that had registered would get the email.

From a troubleshooting perspective, what do the emails look like? Do they seem like they are legit? Or is it possible that the sender's email account/computer has been compromised and the email account is only being used as a relay (not trying to make any insinuations, accusations, or anything else with regards to Marco, just trying to troubleshoot)? For those that are receiving the emails (and are trying to figure out how their email address was included), have you ever sent Marco an email? A PM? Participated in a workshop, any other contact? There is probably a common thread to it all...

Just trying to help (for those that were looking for an explanation)

Christian
 

irene_b

Omono
Messages
1,415
Reaction score
5
You really don't know??? I find that hard to believe.

However; AoB and KoB were listed as possible offending entities, providing personal email addresses, in a forum where he is not allowed to defend himself. It is for this reason that many who have a case of the "Willies" go to BT where they can pretty much say anything mean, nasty, and untrue about Will Heath without having to worry about facing his more than adequate defense.

I might add at this point I have heard a rumor that Will was personally responsible for the mortgage crisis,---see what I mean. It seems that in some people's minds anything and everything that goes wrong in bonsai is Will's fault.

I see no useful purpose for spreading stuff to each forum...So why do it? Each site should have different useful postings.
Oh Please, like that has ever stopped him before (he has come in under several names in the past).....And since when does he own those sites?
And lets not go to the poor Willie theme again it really is boring!
Irene
 

subnet_rx

Mame
Messages
219
Reaction score
8
Location
Hattiesburg, MS
USDA Zone
8b
If it's spam, in many cases, a forum was hacked and the email addresses extracted. This forum's software is pretty up-to-date, so statistically at least, this forum is not going to be in the mix of possible candidates for the theft. I would look at the kind of software they use (the free forum software is usually more insecure) and how often they update.
 
Last edited:

bisjoe

Yamadori
Messages
85
Reaction score
0
Location
Sammamish, WA
USDA Zone
8B
In all likelihood, a forum was hacked and the email addresses extracted.
I agree, and it might be worthwhile for administrators to look into it. Bonsaisite has had no reports of this spam and some members getting it are not members there, so it's probably not the source. I will make our administrator aware of it, though.
 

irene_b

Omono
Messages
1,415
Reaction score
5
As a member of most, if not all, of the possible sites listed, I haven't received any of the emails. If the sites were compromised, it would seem likely that everyone that had registered would get the email.

From a troubleshooting perspective, what do the emails look like? Do they seem like they are legit? Or is it possible that the sender's email account/computer has been compromised and the email account is only being used as a relay (not trying to make any insinuations, accusations, or anything else with regards to Marco, just trying to troubleshoot)? For those that are receiving the emails (and are trying to figure out how their email address was included), have you ever sent Marco an email? A PM? Participated in a workshop, any other contact? There is probably a common thread to it all...

Just trying to help (for those that were looking for an explanation)

Christian

It is a legit email.
Nope...
Irene
 

Bonsai Nut

Nuttier than your average Nut
Messages
12,412
Reaction score
27,824
Location
Charlotte area, North Carolina
USDA Zone
8a
Believe it or not, I have not gotten any of his spam either... unless it is being gobbled by my junk email scanner. :)

If I get spam mail from someone, I immediately add that sender to my junkmail list, and the problem is taken care of.
 

irene_b

Omono
Messages
1,415
Reaction score
5
Believe it or not, I have not gotten any of his spam either... unless it is being gobbled by my junk email scanner. :)

If I get spam mail from someone, I immediately add that sender to my junkmail list, and the problem is taken care of.
It does not come in as junk mail.
Only the single email address.
I sent an email to him asking how he got my address....I will post it here as well.
Irene
 

Vance Wood

Lord Mugo
Messages
14,002
Reaction score
16,911
Location
Michigan
USDA Zone
5-6
I see no useful purpose for spreading stuff to each forum...So why do it? Each site should have different useful postings.
Oh Please, like that has ever stopped him before (he has come in under several names in the past).....And since when does he own those sites?
And lets not go to the poor Willie theme again it really is boring!
Irene

Why not ask yourself the same question? I didn't start this I only replied to it.
 
Messages
2,774
Reaction score
31
Location
Michigan, USA
USDA Zone
5
As a member of most, if not all, of the possible sites listed, I haven't received any of the emails. If the sites were compromised, it would seem likely that everyone that had registered would get the email.

From a troubleshooting perspective, what do the emails look like? Do they seem like they are legit? Or is it possible that the sender's email account/computer has been compromised and the email account is only being used as a relay (not trying to make any insinuations, accusations, or anything else with regards to Marco, just trying to troubleshoot)? For those that are receiving the emails (and are trying to figure out how their email address was included), have you ever sent Marco an email? A PM? Participated in a workshop, any other contact? There is probably a common thread to it all...

Just trying to help (for those that were looking for an explanation)

Christian

Marco is a good man, a fun guy, and he never has meant any harm. Below is the evil "spam" he sent out last.

Just sharing a laugh, not trying to sell a thinr, just having fun.

The real laugh is those who think some evil plot, or master hacker, or forum selling out its members was worth just sending out a few laughs.

People, relax....
 

Attachments

  • english3.jpg
    english3.jpg
    66.2 KB · Views: 51
Last edited:

rlist

Shohin
Messages
294
Reaction score
7
Location
Portland, OR
USDA Zone
8a
The only thing Da Nut has done to sell out its members is to continue to allow Will to post anything other than trees or critiques on trees.

Will, you have 3 outlets for non-tree specific opinion pieces, AOB, KOB and BLOG. Use em.

I got the email. I signed up on the mailing list long ago - maybe others did too and forgot about it?

Marco is an infantile narcissist, but tends to make me laugh. I have no problem calling him as such, but what I find shocking is that there are individuals that are openly accusing him of a crime before anything is proven.

If his email list came from a mailing list individuals signed up for, his reputation (and source of income) may be unnecessarily tarnished. If he did hack a site and steal an email listing, well, then he is a criminal and I would make sure I hid all my trees when I knew he was in town.

Let it work itself out and let Marco provide a source for the data before he is crucified any more.

Back to my self imposed exile - i.e. working on trees and ignoring the BS as long as I can.
 
Messages
2,774
Reaction score
31
Location
Michigan, USA
USDA Zone
5
You are taking a discussion from one forum and bringing it here..Why?.......
Why do you feel I am targeting you???
Do you own all the forums listed?

Because you suggested that this forum or other forums may have sold out their members and supplied one of the top artists in the world email addresses so he could send out a few jokes to them.

From your post at http://forum.bonsaitalk.com/258347-post20.html

"I never was on usenet, so who else does that leave?
Bonsainut,AOB,KNOB,Bonsaisite...
Who would sell out their members?"

The answer Irene is that no one would and no one has. Your baseless accusations should not go unchallenged.

Here's a hint for those of you who may have been "bothered" by Marco's emails, just reply and politely ask him to remove you from his list.

I just emailed Marco so that I can tell Irene, Flybri, and the other conspiracy theory people exactly how he gets his email addresses to send out his harmless humor to......before a lynch mob is formed.


Will
 
Top Bottom