I’ve noticed that spammers once in a while pick up a word or two from my Web site to insert into their subject lines:“Kerry Islamofascism, buy viagra on-line”, etc. My latest experience hints at further spambot evolution, though it conceivably may be a coincidence.
A few days ago, I animadverted to a silly left-wing claim that the U.S. government made up the moniker “al-Qa’eda” in 2001. As evidence to the contrary, I quoted a book written in 1999, which stated that Osama bin Laden had founded the an organization of that name in 1988. To add weight to that refutation, I quoted my source in its original language, French. (Luckily, the couple of sentences were simple enough that I could translate them.) That was the first French to appear on Stromata Blog beyond the occasional brief phrase.
Today, I received an e-mail of a familiar type, but the subject line was not “BUSINESS PARTNER NEEDED” or “IN STRICTEST CONFIDENCE”, but “A Votre Attention”, and it began –
Cher Ami,
Recevez mes salutations. Mon nom est Abdulati al-Abaidi. Je suis depuis fort longtemps le le secrétaire personnel et confidentiel de l'ingénieur Saif Al Islam Muammar al Gaddafi le fils ainé du colonel Muammar Gaddafi de la Libye. Les informations que je m'en vais vous divulguer sont des secrets d'Etats, et devrais par conséquent être gardés dans le plus grand secret et la plus haute confidentialité. Etant donné mes compétences, j'étais important dans l'industrie secrète de pétrole. Secrète parcequ'avant que la décision et l'annonce de l'arret de nos programmes nucléaires ne soit prise en décembre dernier 2003 par notre leader absolu, la vente et l'achat du pétrole Libyen était sous embargo.
Continuing with the expected promise of 25 percent of $30,000,000. (Haven’t these guys ever heard of euros, or Swiss francs?)
I must watch my tongue more carefully.
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