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I was tricked on Facebook into downloading an obfuscated script

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Re: I was tricked on Facebook into downloading an obfuscated script

#41

Post by Zancarius »

a3n wrote: post #39
Zancarius wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Perhaps I'm being unnecessarily charitable in my interpretation of what a3n said, but I gathered from the differentiation between "capital A" atheists and lowercase a atheists as a subtle distinction between individuals who evangelize their beliefs and those who don't.

Yeah, pretty much. I get real embarrassed when Atheists make fun of people for santa clause in the sky and such. Let people believe what they want, it's a hard universe.

I wish more people shared your outlook. Judging by some of the other comments here, in addition to the reply you received, I think we could all learn something from you!

Re: I was tricked on Facebook into downloading an obfuscated script

#42

Post by jerf »

tamana wrote: post #30
criley2 wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Additionally, if you're the emergency contact and I don't answer and you immediately call back, I'll probably pick up. I don't normally block numbers, just let them voicemail me if I don't recognize it, but if a spammer will double-call like that I'll block them, and it means I'll pick up for emergencies.

How can you block them? The whole point is that spammers call from unknown numbers. Double calling is just an annoying arms race.

Has anyone ever been double-called by a spammer? Honest question. I never have.

I suspect they're generally working on some pretty razor-thin margins with these things nowadays [1], and chasing someone who didn't twitch at the bait is probably a losing proposition for them.

[1]: Between all the easy competition and the incurred legal risks. Legal risk is a funny thing because you're basically rolling the dice on being able to collect money without getting in trouble. I wouldn't be surprised a full and honest accounting including legal risks yields a negative net expectation for phone spammers, it's just that even so, some people will get lucky and "win".

Re: I was tricked on Facebook into downloading an obfuscated script

#43

Post by khedoros »

tokenizerrr wrote: post #15
uxp wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Generally, if it's not in my contacts list, then it's unsolicited and flagged spam. I won't answer unknown phone numbers (as I get a large number of spam calls in Spanish for immigration and high interest loans coming from or spoofed to the same area code and CO as my number, so even "local" numbers are suspect to me). If I don't answer, they leave a message, and it is someone or someplace I know about, then I'll add…

It's insane to me that you refuse to pick up the phone for people whose phone number you don't know. Aren't you anyone's emergency contact?

It would be extraordinarily unusual for someone to have my number but not be able to call from the phone storing it. Anyone I'd be an emergency contact for, I have their number(s). There are theoretical problems with not picking up, but no practical ones that I've ever come up with or had suggested to me.

Re: I was tricked on Facebook into downloading an obfuscated script

#44

Post by a3n »

anonbanker wrote: post #38
a3n wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I engage Jehovah's Witnesses, but not in the dick way that capital A Atheists might (I'm a small a atheist). I try to learn what they're about. They're generally nice people.

Or, invite them in, and (politely) try to pitch a conversion to atheism. I usually get sooo close, then you see that programming snap back into place (you'll see their expression change to one of terror), and they suddenly have to leave really fast. Mormons are more fun for this, but Jehovah's Witnesses are a laugh riot.

I haven't seen enough of the universe to feel confident that I'm correct in my atheism, and I haven't felt the hand of Nothing touch my heart and send me out to evangelize It.

Re: I was tricked on Facebook into downloading an obfuscated script

#45

Post by nostrebored »

jacquesm wrote: post #37
Zancarius wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Perhaps I'm being unnecessarily charitable in my interpretation of what a3n said, but I gathered from the differentiation between "capital A" atheists and lowercase a atheists as a subtle distinction between individuals who evangelize their beliefs and those who don't.

I think it is the party coming to your door that does the evangelizing and I've yet to have an atheist ring my doorbell.

Right, but to pretend that it doesn't happen in common conversation is absurd. Atheists frequently evangelize. It is a religious belief.

Re: I was tricked on Facebook into downloading an obfuscated script

#46

Post by nostrebored »

khedoros wrote: post #43
tokenizerrr wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's insane to me that you refuse to pick up the phone for people whose phone number you don't know. Aren't you anyone's emergency contact?

It would be extraordinarily unusual for someone to have my number but not be able to call from the phone storing it. Anyone I'd be an emergency contact for, I have their number(s). There are theoretical problems with not picking up, but no practical ones that I've ever come up with or had suggested to me.

In an emergency situation do you think that everyone will be calling from their own phone? What about people who list you as a medical emergency contact or work emergency contact?

Re: I was tricked on Facebook into downloading an obfuscated script

#47

Post by MaulingMonkey »

jerf wrote: post #42
tamana wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How can you block them? The whole point is that spammers call from unknown numbers. Double calling is just an annoying arms race.

Has anyone ever been double-called by a spammer? Honest question. I never have. I suspect they're generally working on some pretty razor-thin margins with these things nowadays [1], and chasing someone who didn't twitch at the bait is probably a losing proposition for them. [1]: Between all the easy competition and the incurred legal risks. Legal risk is a funny thing because you're basically rolling the dice on bein…

> Has anyone ever been double-called by a spammer? Honest question. I never have.

I have. Most of my spam calls have been of the "Rachel from Cardholder Services" variety - and while they usually dial from different numbers to give me the same damn spiel, a few times I have been double-dialed from the same number.

Re: I was tricked on Facebook into downloading an obfuscated script

#48

Post by type0 »

nostrebored wrote: post #45
jacquesm wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think it is the party coming to your door that does the evangelizing and I've yet to have an atheist ring my doorbell.

Right, but to pretend that it doesn't happen in common conversation is absurd. Atheists frequently evangelize. It is a religious belief.

> Atheists frequently evangelize. It is a religious belief.

They evangelize, but its more of ideology that concerns religion rather than just a belief. The main problem with atheism is the definition: absence of religion, this is such a derogatory word as if believing in deities should be the norm. Agnostic is even worse seat: declaring that you have no clue but probably are somewhat spiritual. If you don't like religion say proudly that you are antitheist!

Re: I was tricked on Facebook into downloading an obfuscated script

#49

Post by ldehaan »

a3n wrote: post #10
Aelinsaar wrote: post #2

I treat any attempt to download like an attempt to call my phone, or ring my doorbell when I'm not expecting someone. Instant suspicion which is, 99% of the time, unfounded. Still, I've never had to deal with the Jehovah's Witnesses.

I engage Jehovah's Witnesses, but not in the dick way that capital A Atheists might (I'm a small a atheist). I try to learn what they're about. They're generally nice people.

what do you hope to gain by talking to them?

I'm assuming that by capital A, versus lowercase a; atheists, you are trying to underscore the differences between people who understand that religion is a hoax but it doesn't affect me right now so I'll let it pass, and those who have been directly affected by religion and it's evils and see no other way but to fight it as hard as they push it?

I will try to explain why this is bad: engaging the mentally ill in their delusions is not only mean (you don't believe their crazy stories, so why listen to them?) it's bad for society as a whole, because this is a untreated mental illness that is totally treatable and it's being spread because people refuse to treat it as a mental illness and instead say, believe what you want.

why is it bad to allow the masses to remain ignorant?

you (hopefully) wouldn't teach your children that the world is flat, because you were educated against such teachings.

you wouldn't teach a medical student about the human body without allowing them to learn about the human body by cutting it open and studying it.

you wouldn't let your neighbor spray your yard with ddt (hopefully) because a higher being told him it was safe.

you wouldn't take advice from someone on the Internet without first researching the topic (we all do)

yet we'll freely entertain the insanity of religion because why? so many people believe it?

we all thought the world was flat, the human body was designed by God and shouldn't be examined, sprayed ddt right in our children's faces, and still take advice from strangers on the Internet without doing research because, we're sheep (hanlons razor).

it's all stupidity, and fear. we're all alone, there is no guidebook and we're so painfully self aware.

when you have No explanation, any explanation seems possible.

the world is not flat, but knowing we knew, was comforting.

anyways, what was I trying to get at?

don't let them in. keep them very far away from you.

if you want to help change the world, be proactive. openly challenge religious beliefs any time they are presented. it could get you killed. it will get you beaten.

but we all have a duty to further the human species, and putting us second to imaginary beings is not exactly the way to go about it IMO.

Re: I was tricked on Facebook into downloading an obfuscated script

#50

Post by cbd1984 »

nostrebored wrote: post #45
jacquesm wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think it is the party coming to your door that does the evangelizing and I've yet to have an atheist ring my doorbell.

Right, but to pretend that it doesn't happen in common conversation is absurd. Atheists frequently evangelize. It is a religious belief.

> Atheists frequently evangelize. It is a religious belief.

It isn't, and it's insulting to say so: You're imposing a category on people based on deliberately misunderstanding their worldview. Atheists say their lack of belief isn't a belief, and saying otherwise is insulting.

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