Comments

  3. Nerd of Redhead, OM says

    I could see the spam infiltrating the threads, so I’m not surprised.

    We’ll miss you Patricia. The place isn’t the same without you.

  5. Jadehawk, OM says

    shit. typepad is being mean to me, so I don’t know if I’ll manage to log in. Again. :-(

  6. iamjadehawk says

    nevermind…. google login still seems to work, so that will have to do. y’all will just have to remember that I’m an OM :-p

    *waves to Patricia*

    spammers are evil, because they deprive us of the Pullet Patrol and the Spanking Couch :-(

  7. WhatsOptimalTemp says

    If y ht spmmrs s mch, wht s th Nrdy Rdhd stll dng hr?

    And wht s th dl tmprtr f th plnt nywy?

  8. Zeno says

    sandiseattle: The real question is “Does comment registration lock out OMs?”

    I can personally testify that it does not, although sometimes it takes a couple of attempts for me to sign in.

  9. Nerd of Redhead, OM says

    The real question is “Does comment registration lock out OMs?”

    Only some people, not just OM’s, have trouble. The last time I had trouble, I logged into TypePad from Google, and had to click a radio button in the account information to automatically pass my e-mail to the requester, then I saved the change. Then I had no problem getting the SB link to work.

  10. Brownian, OM says

    I truly, deeply, fervently hate spammers.

    Yeah? Well, some of us are grateful for the service they provide to us and our tiny, flaccid penises.

  11. Nerd of Redhead, OM says

    Idjit loser temperature troll, you are the insipid spammer. I just call you what your are. If you don’t like it, run along. Now be a good little idjiotic anti-social loser troll and never post here again.

  12. WhatIsOptTemp says

    Rdhd prjcts. In thr nws, dg bts mn, th sn wll rs tmrrw, nd th plnt s stll clng.

  15. blf says

    I’ve (to-date) always been able to login using TypoPathetic, but VERY rarely the first time. A certain amount of persistence and reloading, and closing the page and getting some coffee (or something stronger) is needed.

  16. protopod says

    You should probably just leave it on, instead of going through the trouble of switching it off and on all the time. The spammers will always be there, just waiting for it.

  18. Nerd of Redhead, OM says

    For those of you having Mike Wagner’s trouble with TypePad.
    1. Google TypePad.
    2. Go to TypePad from Google.
    3. Log in to TypePad.
    4. Go to account information (menu upper right).
    5. Just under the display name and e-mail is a radio button. The button says to automatically exchange e-mail. Make sure the button is active.
    6. Save the change (vital), you may need to scroll down to see the save icon.
    7. Log out of TypePad.
    8. Come to Pharyngula. You should now be able to sign in, making sure you pick TypePad from the alternatives (don’t use the default sign in).

    If thing are slightly different for TypeKey, somebody publish the info here.

  21. Nerd of Redhead, OM says

    I should add for step 5, that if you have a small display, you may need to scroll down a bit to see the radio button. It is indented from the left margin.

  23. Mike Wagner says

    It was that easy of a fix. Hot damn.
    Thank you Nerd of Redhead! You’re a superhero!
    Can you defend us from zombie Jesus?

  24. Jadehawk, OM says

    ok, so apparently it didn’t like my password. after changing the password, it worked. wtf?

  26. Gyeong Hwa Pak, the Pikachu of Anthropology says

    ok, so apparently it didn’t like my password. after changing the password, it worked. wtf?

    It’s not your password. TypePad hates everyone in general.

  28. Zeno says

    Nerd of Redhead has till April 4 (Easter Sunday) to prepare to battle zombie Jesus. Plan to have popcorn ready.

  29. Menyambal says

    It takes me a few tries to get TypePad to work.

    It only takes me one try to see that WhatIsOptTemp is a goof.

  32. Owlmirror says

    PZ, have you considered closing comments on the older threads? Those are the ones that the spammers appear to really love.

  33. aratina cage says

    Looks like Nerd of Redhead saved the day :)

    Nerd of Redhead has till April 4 (Easter Sunday) to prepare to battle zombie Jesus. Plan to have popcorn ready.

    I will! Extra buttery, bacon flavored. I wouldn’t miss this for the world.

  35. Alan B says

    If anyone really doesn’t understand about Nerd of Redhead, OM and WhatsOptimalTemp, have a look at:

    #7, #9, #11, #12, #18, #20, #21, #23

    and ask yourself who of the two is helping on this thread? And who is acting the troll!

    Anything more will be feeding the troll and making Nerd of Redhead embarassed!

  37. 'Tis Himself, OM says

    Whatever it is that lets me log in works fine. It works so well that I don’t even have to go to the log in menu, I just click “sign in” and I’m signed in.

  38. 'Tis Himself, OM says

    It’s Moveable Type that lets me sign in. However, it wouldn’t send the acknowledgment email to my .gmx address but did send it to .gmail.

  39. Nerd of Redhead, OM says

    Oh no, zombie Jebus after my brain? Looks like I’ll have to figure out what kills zombies (Wooden stakes? Silver bullets? Spam? The Pullet Patrol™?).

    I’m glad I was able to help some people out with signing in.

  40. Shatterface says

    I’m technologically illiterate and have no idea how I’m posting this. It just happens.

    Say, do you think this is how religion starts?

  41. Janine, She Wolf Of Pharyngula, OM says

    Speaking as one of the many regulars here, I feel no need to comment on the troll feud. Anyone with a functioning memory and a functioning brain knows who is who. I would like to see the troll give people helpful advise.

  42. blf says

    Looks like I’ll have to figure out what kills zombies

    Doubling over in outrageous laughter and then getting the hiccups.

    p.s. Doesn’t matter if it’s you or the zombie who’s laughing…

  43. Alan B says

    Most zombies burst out laughing when they see me.

    [Ed. Trouble is, all normal people do as well …]

  44. llewelly says

    If you cut spam into strips and deep fry it, it’s very tasty.

    True. However, if you went into the produce section while blindfolded, grabbed a foodstuff at random, took it home, cut it into thin strips, and deep fried it, you’d have a 95% chance of getting something that was not only very tasty, but tastier than spam. And there is about 70% it would be cheaper.

  45. 'Tis Himself, OM says

    Isn’t it shotgun blasts to the head that kills zombies? Or is it that those don’t work?

    Have you tried garlic-soaked silver bullets? Or is that for killing Lone Rangers?

  46. David B says

    Nerd of Redhead, you are the closest thing to an angel that I have ever come upon.

    David B

  47. bastion of sass says

    Nerd of Redhead wrote:

    4. Go to account information (menu upper right).
    5. Just under the display name and e-mail is a radio button. The button says to automatically exchange e-mail. Make sure the button is active.
    6. Save the change (vital), you may need to scroll down to see the save icon.
    7. Log out of TypePad.

    Gaw! Help! What am I doing wrong?!

    I’m logged into Typepad.

    When I go to account info, I get a tabbed “Control Panel” window which has another tab “Account information” which only provides an “Account Overview” saying that I’ve been a member since April 2009. I see nothing about display name or e-mail.

    There are two radio buttons, but neither is about exchanging emails.

    Also, when I click on “Edit Your Profile,” nothing happens.

    Am I just missing the obvious, or does Typepad hate me?

    I hope I have better luck with Movable Type.

  48. Nerd of Redhead, OM says

    Have you tried garlic-soaked silver bullets?

    The Mythies did try silver bullets. Didn’t work as well as lead bullets. Something to do with the density differential and resulting masses of the same sized bullets. As any scientist would say, DUH!

    *Metals for $400 Alex. Answer: The Long Ranger. Question: Who used silver bullets?*

  49. mythusmage says

    I use my LiveJournal account. Yes, I am an attention junkie.

    I’m also waiting for the day when the Web collapses because it’s gotten too rickety and we’re forced to rebuild from the ground up. Nothing like panic, chaos, and terror to force corrective measures. :)

  50. blf says

    Ok, so zombies, normal people, and possibly even Ed., agree Alan B is laugh-at-able, but what about the trolls? And spammers? Not to mention Little Poopyhead Pee Zed (and it’s best not to mention him† at all!)?

     †  Little Poopyhead Pee Zed, that is. Not the one who shall not be named.

  51. SEF says

    Oddly enough, I was having a conversation a couple of weeks ago, with a random stranger on a train, about not knowing the best way to deal with the zombie apocalypse – whereas anti-vampire techniques are highly publicised. Of the tools available where I was about to be, I reckoned the flame-thrower might be quite effective though (albeit only a limited scope one, intended for zapping weeds on paths).

  52. Andy Allen says

    Hmm… well, if you can see this not only has typepad worked, it means I’ve remembered a long-unused password (I don’t comment very often).

    Two such coincident things is not quite enough to claim a miracle, though.

  54. Patricia, OM says

    Wheeee! Schoolgirl squeals and bosomy bounces!!! It worked – No thanks to gawd.

  55. Rox says

    This is just a test post. I’ve been gone for a couple of weeks so I just want to make sure I can still sign in and post.

  57. 'Tis Himself, OM says

    I really wish natural selection worked better on spammers…

    It does when the environment gets changed to registration required.

  58. https://www.google.com/accounts/o8/id?id=AItOawkZra46lduf0zN2DdfGYiE6OxNw8EpsKbw says

    What the hell is the matter with TypePad. Fuck.

  59. The Tim Channel says

    Housekeeping: logged in thru Movable Type as always. No problems. Prefer keeping registration active because I think it helps thwart the terrorists.

    About to shut down my European household for the night. Here’s a bit religious and political blasphemy to help ease yourselves into the new week:

    http://thetimchannel.wordpress.com/2010/01/03/compare-and-contrast/

    Concluding thought for the week: Too much of our best atheist media is low resolution with bad audio. That concerns me.

    Enjoy.

  60. 6-bleen-7 says

    If you can see this comment, I successfully logged in via Movable Type using my LiveJournal account.

  61. Antiochus Epiphanes says

    Oh no, zombie Jebus after my brain? Looks like I’ll have to figure out what kills zombies (Wooden stakes? Silver bullets? Spam? The Pullet Patrol™?)

    Crucifixion isn’t a long-term solution, but it will give you about 36 hours.

  63. efrique says

    Google has worked for me.

    The implementation via google is less than ideal, but it seems to at least work.

  64. Andreas Johansson says

    Now, is there any way we can blackmail Google into allowing people to change their handles?

  66. Owlmirror says

    Oddly enough, I was having a conversation a couple of weeks ago, with a random stranger on a train, about not knowing the best way to deal with the zombie apocalypse

    You need to read World War Z.

    I reckoned the flame-thrower might be quite effective though

    Great. So now you have the undead lurching towards you ON FIRE.

  67. kausik.datta says

    Typepad is – I swear – the most annoying thing ever! Every time I try to sign in, after submitting the form I get a page full of gobbledygook. Google works much better, but I can’t get fancy handles like Janine or others… Ah, well.

  69. kaessa.com says

    Odd.. it uses my domain name instead of my identity (Kaessa). I swear, TypePad has the most screwed up login system I have ever used.

    *bangs head against wall*

  70. WowbaggerOM says

    My moveable type seems to be working okay – the only bugger is I have to remember my login and password after being out of the office for 10 (or so) days.

  71. Frank Lovell says

    Typepad has never failed me or given me any trouble in signing-in to post commentary here; I must be living a blessed life — the FSM is Great!

  72. Nerd of Redhead, OM says

    I’ve found if TypePad gives me the gobbletygoop page, exiting the browser and starting it up again seems to work the next time I try to sign in. Or signing in under a new tab. Just had to do that from home (OSX 10.6.2 and Foxfire 3.5.6).

  73. SEF says

    So now you have the undead lurching towards you ON FIRE.

    Yes, that aspect did concern me at the time. But I thought I probably wouldn’t be using a flame-thrower indoors – and zombie stuff is usually associated with dark dank graveyards (much of the UK tends to be wet much of the time). So it would increase their visibility (for purposes of dodging them), with less danger of setting the whole neighbourhood on fire than is apparently the case in California; and it does at least then set a timer on how long an asthmatic and variably disabled newt/snail like me has to be able to outpace them before they’re reduced to ash. I don’t suppose they’d think of stopping to put themselves out somehow.

  75. vreejack says

    So Microsoft’s “Live” thing works when nothing else did. Go figure. Bit of overkill, though, creating a Live account.

  77. SEF says

    You need to read World War Z.

    That wiki page doesn’t really give enough detail. How much does the brain have to be destroyed? Eg are people with severe Alzheimers very unthreatening as zombies? Would my microwave gun from university be adequate for brain-frying; or does the zombie’s brain need to be completely liquified (eg with acid); or just stomped into jelly on the ground; or is mere decapitation sufficient?

  79. God says

    I hate spammers, too. Do all those peddlers of Godhood Enhancers think I need their pills to pick up another virgin or something? I don’t, and I’ve never ordered any! Besides, they don’t deliver the products and they don’t work.

  80. David Marjanović says

    Patricia, why don’t you pretend you want to create a Vox blog? Has been working for me without a single problem <span style=”Homer”>so far</span>.

    Of the tools available where I was about to be

    Awww. No liquid nitrogen? I like boiling stuff in nitrogen. Then I suggest pulverizing at leisure and… mixing the powder with an explosive… :-)

    Of course, a lot might depend on whether you’re dealing with Romero zombies or Russo zombies.

  81. MikeG says

    Please ignore, this is only a sign-in test.
    Monkey squid *tap* *tap*
    MONKEY SQUID *TAP*

  82. Rorschach says

    Gone off typepad, too buggy.
    Movable type, never any login trouble, at least not for a while now.

    As to Owlmirrir’s suggestion, if we closed older threads, they would probably then just spam the newer ones, which would be really annoying !

    Of course a simple captcha might stop most of them in their tracks, but SB would have to have someone to implement that.

  84. DominEditrix says

    Jeebus, people, it’s salt that kills zombies. So you either pepper them with rock salt [or kosher salt], or supersoak them with seawater. [Supersoakers available at Toys R Armory] Then, when they’re weak, you slam some salt into their mouths and sew their lips together. I believe super glue will work, as well.

    Re: Spam. I have a friend who actually likes the stuff. We’re trying to have him sectioned.

    It would be fun if there were a separate thread that spammers/concern trolls could be relegated to. Kinda like Dooce’s [albeit short-lived] Monetizing the Hate for her insane hate mail. There is some amusement in watching them if they’re in the zoo.

  85. wichita says

    OriGuy at #25, that is a lovely outrage.

    Does anyone know: was Brit Hume always like this? I thought he was a respectable journalist. Is this new to him being on FOX?

    Where does this put him on the douche – whore spectrum.

  87. 'Tis Himself, OM says

    Jeebus, people, it’s salt that kills zombies.

    You’re thinking of slugs and snails.

  88. egaeus says

    I’ve never had any problems signing in. Are you sure you guys are not just technotards? :)

    Seriously though, it’s good that it’s at least reasonably sorted out. Spammers suck, but non-working registration systems suck even more.

  89. otrame says

    In case anyone is still having sign-in issues, I’ve been coming in though my Live Journal account. Never had any trouble at all.

  91. DominEditrix says

    You’re thinking of slugs and snails.

    Clearly, you’ve never chatted with a voudon priest in Haiti.

    OT:rubber cement thinner works really well on slugs.

    And why are so many people having trouble signing in? I don’t even remember what I’m using [something from an earlier sign in requirement here]. I just hit “sign in” and there I am.

  93. Andreas Johansson says

    And why are so many people having trouble signing in?

    Because the login software is ramshackle piece of code from hell whose function depends on the phase of the Moon and what your brother had for breakfast last week.

    (I’m keeping my brother on a starvation diet, so I have no problems. If you don’t have a brother, tough. If you think you don’t have a brother, yet can post, there’s something your parents aren’t/weren’t telling you.)

  94. SEF says

    Yo, PZ, are the SixApart bods still hanging around ScienceBlogs and available to be prodded into fixing things properly?

    Among the many sign-in problems here (eg the MT Forbidden error and fatally missing confirmation email error, the Typepad wall of text error and the silliness over the visible names for some accounts being the URL instead of the name), the missing logo images should be the easiest to fix. Someone just needs to upload them to the correct directory so we don’t get things like “Author Profile Page” alt text instead of a clickable link to those.

    At the moment, the working logos are:

    mt_logo

    typepad_logo (used instead of typekey but has typekey’s design)

    livejournal_logo

    vox_logo

    openid_logo

    Missing logos are:

    google_logo

    yahoo_logo

    aim_logo

    wordpress_logo

    (NB They should magically appear in those currently blank spaces, as well as next to any of their logged-in account user-names, if they ever do get uploaded! Google and WordPress ones would already be visible on this thread if the images were available.)

  95. devnull73.myopenid.com says

    Ive never had a single issue loggin in. I use myopenid on Firefox 3.5.6 on ubuntu linux.

    What are you guys using that causes all these issues?

  96. SEF says

    @ devnull73 #95:

    For most of the problems, it seems to be irrelevant what OS and browser people are using. The problems are still there across different combinations.

    Eg one MovableType issue is where it randomly tells people outright that they are Forbidden to use it. However, that has become a lot less credible as a reason to stop even trying to create an account now that lots more people (of no apparent specialness, such as Sb blog owners or OMs) can be seen using it.

    Another, and even more annoying, MT issue is the mysteriously missing confirmation emails. They aren’t simply being eaten by people’s spam filters. Someone said they’d got their system network managers to check through the logs and verified that the email never came anywhere near arriving at all. Loss of this email is fatal to completing your account creation. You can’t get another copy of it and your favoured login name is then gone forever, locked up in the bowels of ScienceBlogs and wasted.

    The typepad/TypeKey problems include Sb randomly forgetting what it even is. This is manifested in various symptoms. Eg the Sb page generator showing the default anonymous perkin + speech bubble logo in threads instead of the key+keyhole/person one for users logged-in with typepad/TK. However, typically one can’t even get logged in because, having jumped through all the hoops over at typepad itself, the swiss-cheese memory of Sb then throws up a wall of text, full of cascading errors, instead of returning to the original thread as expected when control is returned to Sb.

    The problems with other account types may be mainly limited to the mess they make in showing the URL instead of the intended display name. Eg your own “devnull73.myopenid.com” is hardly neat.

    The LiveJournal ones are looking quite good this time round and the few Vox pseudo-users seem to have theirs under control now.

  97. mmelliott01 says

    I’ve always been able to sign in easily using the NSA Data Mining Operation login.

  103. SEF says

    Having been stuck, locked-out, behind the Sb page of errors for typepad/TypeKey logins this morning, I resorted to MovableType. It doesn’t seem to last very long as a login. And, unlike the TK one, the MT one doesn’t reset itself to being accepted as being signed-in again on merely clicking the sign-in link. Paradoxically, on those occasions Sb actually has a better memory for TK than for its own incarnation of MT.

  104. SEF says

    A new problem (or recurring old one): a blank page after submitting a comment, no warning message, URL left on mt comments one and not bounced back properly to the thread.

    Worse yet, refreshing the thread (eg opening it up again from a link) doesn’t show the post appearing for several minutes (and counting). Though it did eventually appear in the last 10 comments list on the left while still not appearing in the thread itself.