One of the downsides of running a blog is dealing with the spam comments – the ones promoting online casinos, car insurance, dodgy meds and women with no clothes on. A plug-in called Akismet gets most of them (94,176 spam comments since I installed it) but some slip through and I have to delete them manually.
Lately I’ve been getting some comments from cheeky chaps trying to promote their own travel websites. Yeah, that’s right Bjørn Christian Tørrissen and Andy the Hobo Traveller. You thought I didn’t notice, didn’t you?
I could have used my omnipotent power to delete them but I didn’t. To be honest, I admire their chutzpah. And to be fair to both of them they did make salient, well-informed comments before slipping in a little bit of shameless self-promotion.
I remember how hard it was when I was first starting out. I did all kinds of things to get noticed, to build my profile. So so if a comment here can get a few visitors to their web sites and help support their endeavours, all power to them.
In fact, Andy and Bjorn have inspired me to start up a new section on PeterMoore.net to highlight travel websites set up by my readers. You’ll find it here and if you want your website featured email me the URL and a pithy one-line summary of what it’s all about.
Before I go though I’d just like to congratulate Bjørn Christian Tørrissen on his URL, Bjorn Free.com. Quite simply the best EVER name for a Scando travel site.
This is where you'll find everything you need to know about me and my books.
http://www.londonleadlight.com
What cheeky tactics by those two lads. Of course, here at London Lead Light, the finest in Stained Glass windows since 2007 in all of East London, we would never shamelessly plug our stained glass window company, despite it being the finest Hackney based, Australian run window company running since 2007.
http://www.londonleadlight.com
We TRAVEL all over the world, I went to North London twice last year.
Find us at http://www.londonleadlight.com , just a short walk from this cinema. Walking is travelling.
http://www.londonleadlight.com
Actually, I was rather _hoping_ you would notice. #8D)
As for shameless self-promoting, please note that my site is not so much about that as about inspiring others to travel. There are no ads on my pages, and I literally give away my writing. There are no income-inducing elements for me in this picture whatsoever.
Besides, I remain confident that I’ve sold more books for you than you have for me, so I don’t feel too guilty about this. Yet. #;D)
Anyway, well played, and thank you so much for the link. Much obliged.
Bjørn, mostly harmless
Hi Pete,
I currently have outlaws visiting from the North of England for the first time and recently caved in to their request for a visit to Australia Zoo. Whilst there, I remembered your father working there but could not recall his name, otherwise I might have asked around. Just a few little questions which may provide blog fodder for you…a) I hope that your family is all well (I have been lacking in my blog reading for many months now), Does your father still work at Australia Zoo ?
Zoo ? b) If so, has he shared an opinion on the recent events regarding Bob Irwin ? c) Does he have an opinion on what my 14 year old niece referred to as “Bindi-World”….d) Hope all is well for you and yours….
Sadly I don’t have enough time for reading these days due to the pressures of mortgaged life and a personal decision to take on a part time job to finance an escape to Vietnam’s Halong Bay and a hilltribe trek….
Take Care
regards
Hugh
BTW FA brand personal hygiene products are no longer available here….disappointing as I had always held out some hope that they would release a “sweet” version and so that I would be able to roll on a little “Sweet FA”