Sarasota Soundings

Could it be a cyber-indicator that the holidays are upon us? With the economy so shaky, we suspect some under-employed computer hackers may be shopping themselves out as evil elves. Recently we’ve noticed a significant increase in spam messages among the legitimate comments on our three blogs. While the volume of spam hasn’t seriously disrupted our day-to-day operations, like those hard plastic bubble packages enclosing techie accessories, it’s a nuisance.

We’re glad that we chose WordPress as our “blogging platform” because it has a feature that spares you, our readers, this detritus. In order to comment on any WordPress blog posts, the commenter and his comment require our approval.

A sampling of actual comments we’ve received (but did not approve) appears below. We are publishing them to illustrate a shady form of social networking + internet marketing + search-engine optimization. With apologies to our longtime readers, today’s article is for new ones who’d like to join you. Think of this as an an intro-level course. During Blog Participation 101, we’ll show you how to do it right.

When you comment on someone else’s blog, you can sign off and leave a link to your own Web site. Later, when the Google robot comes around, it will note that your own Web site (URL) has been mentioned on someone else’s. The more external “sightings” of your URL, the higher the placement you’ll achieve in future Google searches. For example, this is what happens when (as AlmostItalian.com) we weigh in on a blog where someone is discussing Sicilian pasta shapes.

But if you’re hustling male enhancement drugs or your “comment” is no more than a thinly veiled invitation to your online, offshore Ph.D. mill in Bermuda. you’re not going to “advertise” with us.

We’ve withdrawn from the cacophony of Facebook and Twitter, and thus we particularly appreciate our readers’ thoughtful commentary, to which we always respond. Our writing has earned us friends around the world and we do indeed try to make our blogs into “conversations.”

We’re delighted to hear your theories about Chicken Vesuvio or Fried Ravioli. By all means, please share your nonna’s recipe for googootz. Tell us which pushcart peddles the best Italian Beef Sandwich in Chicago. But when you greet us with vague praise, telling us we’ve made our point brilliantly and that you can’t wait to add our blog to your RSS Feed…we know you’re jive. You won’t get a seat at the tavola. No Sunday Gravy for you!

Below are the sorts of unapproved “comments” that have been clogging our spam filters. Avoid these as you would canned spaghetti (Our responses, in bold type, were not published).

Your comments?