At first it didn’t bother me. A follower is a follower, ammirite?
They didn’t want me to click anything. They didn’t try to sell me anything. They didn’t ask for state secrets. So what was the big deal? Lots of followers don’t have blogs; they just have email addresses. Right?
(This is not a picture of John. I got it when I googled “quizzical animals.”)
But in the last few months, I’ve gotten a whole bunch of email-only-followers from Russia. Folks with an “.ru” domain.
When I mentioned it to John, he was a little bit concerned. I told him that I just delete those emails that notify me of the new Rusky follower, and not to worry. They’re harmless. What could possibly happen?
“Glad we don’t share a computer,” he said, implying that at least none of his shit would be compromised when the Russian government takes over mine. And I find all my personal emails on WikiLeaks. (Individual computers should be the practice of all married couples with any interest in politics, IMHO.)But you know what? Don’t tell John, but suddenly I’m getting nervous.
You see, I’ve written dozens of posts about Donald Trump. And now I’m afraid that the Russians are behind him. That they want him to become president. That they want to totally fuck up the world.
You’ve noticed all these weird things that are happening with the Russians in the election, haven’t you?
- They are supporting Donald Trump (so obviously, they aren’t pro-America, right)
- They are behind the WikiLeaks
- They are bankrolling Trump
- They are scary no-goodniks
- They are doing lots of other things I don’t have time to look up. (Hey, I have a life, you know. I do this for fun.)
So now I’m concerned that Russians are following me. Lots of them.
I guess I should be flattered. But I’m not. Because I’m not like today’s GOP who seem to believe in party over country (hmmmm, sounds vaguely Russian don’t you think?).
What a relief to find a blogger that’s for Clinton. As I wrote on that other blogger’s post, I can’t figure out how Trump has literally brain washed folks into believing his hype or rhetoric or what ever you want to call it. The man is evil and in collusion with Putin. Plain and simple and the FBI can’t figure it out. I’m astounded that folks seem to have the Stockholm syndrome. What happened to common sense. Even the Bush guys refuse to endorse him. Our country is headed for deep trouble. I worry all the time and then realize that I can do nothing about what happens. I do have a clear conscious because I have already voted for Clinton.
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There are a lot of sane people — hopefully more than enough to elect Hillary!
But there ARE things you can do. You can volunteer. Make calls or knock on doors. Take coffee to poll watchers. Hand out literature.
A professional political blog I follow, the Dailykos.com has links on how to make calls if you don’t live in a swing state.
But of course, you’ve already done the most important thing — you voted!
Welcome to my blog. I don’t know how you found me but I’m glad you did!
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Saw that you had liked my comment on Kate Crimmins blog, I think. I clicked on your name and liked what I saw.
I wish that I could volunteer but I don’t have that kind of time nor the energy. I drive my 50 year old to speech therapy at Baylor U. (had a ATV wreck 1/1/16 and I drive him to ensure that he goes. (depression and lack of motivation from the TBI) He is fortunate have an intact mind and and body. He is a miracle. My sis had a minor stroke 7/27/16 and I go most every day to the care home. She too was lucky to retain a keen mind and memory. Just can’t walk yet but I have hopes.
Keep up the good work with your blog. I hope Clinton wins but I’m very worried that Trump will get the electoral college votes that count to put him in office.
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Well it certainly sounds like you have a very full plate. I’m wishing you strength and smiles.
My boss, a brilliant doctor, went to Baylor Med. If the rest of the doctors there are half as good as my boss, he is in very capable hands indeed!
As for the election, I think the Dems are going to win. It won’t be a blow out, but more like the Cubs win in the 7th game in overtime! Fingers crossed!
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Yes, quite a number of people have gone to school at Baylor U. (in Waco)and then on to Baylor Hospital Medical School which is in Dallas. My son goes to speech therapy at Baylor U. in our home town.
I hope and pray that you are right about the dems winning. I’m very afraid of what will happen to our country if the pubs get in and we’ll be in war right here in the US if “he” can’t use common sense and his party can’t reign him in. I’d like to add a smiley face but this is no laughing matter.
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Fingers crossed!
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Elyse! Omigawd! Omigawd! Omigawd!
My sister and I went to a Hillary rally this afternoon. Afterwards, we went to see my dad, who lives in an assisted living facility. We got there right before it was time for him to have dinner. We took him down to the dining room and sat with him. Everything seemed normal until…..are you ready for this? The first course was borscht!! There is was, as red as that bastard Putin! They haven’t only infiltrated our blogs; they are following us when we visit our daddies!!! 😥
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I how you ran. Or sang the second verse of the Star Spangled Banner. Or proclaimed yourself for Trump!
Save yourself, Nonnie!
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I don’t like it, but I find it helps if you call everyone Comrade. It does confuse the dog, but he’ll have to get use to it.
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You are a hoot!
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Lady you made me laugh about the beets and Putin. My sis in her care place which is nice but it is the pits, often has beets on her supper tray and she will not eat them because they are tough and taste awful.
By the way, how was Clinton’s rally? I saw on the news that the newly discovered “emails”are really noting new but, by George that Comrey fella should did Trump a favor. Trump is still bringing them up and playing his puppets an ill informed to the hilt.
For the record, people often get my name mixed up. I’m Yvonne with an (e sound). 🙂 But hey, I’ll answer to just about anything. 🙂
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Nice to meet you, Yvonne. I hope you will understand (as explained above) that I have to call you Comrade now.
Clinton’s rally was so much fun. There were lots and lots of people, even though it started pouring. There were 2 big tents near area where the stage and bleachers were set up. When it started pouring the first time, the smart people held their ground, because they had umbrellas (I didn’t think they would allow them, so we left ours in the car). The rest of us ran stampede-style to one of the tents. Unlike what you see at Trumpelthinskin rallies, everyone was helping the next person. Everyone was smiling and making sure the little kids were under the tent and staying dry. Eventually it stopped raining. I hit one of the Port-A-Potties, and when I was just about…let’s call it drained, I heard Hillary’s voice. I jumped up, put my clothes back in place and ran out. I saw my sister with the rest of the crowd and ran over to join her. We took pictures of the crowd. Everyone was so enthusiastic. Hillary had spoken for just a few minutes when the skies opened again. We were all getting soaked, including her. Someone had thought to bring a roll of garbage bags, so a lot of us grabbed one and used them as ersatz raincaps. Hillary saw us all getting soaked, so she cut her remarks short. She, along with the rest of us, laughed at our situation. When Hillary got done, we ran to the nearest tent. There was plenty of room. Unfortunately, it was the press tent, and they were very territorial. They chased all of us out back into the pouring rain, and we ran to the other tent where everyone was more welcoming. We stayed there until the rain let up and went back to the car. It actually took longer to get out of the parking lot than the entire rally lasted, but everyone was still in good spirits. I never saw any pushing or arguments, and people were allowing cars to pull out in front of them in a very orderly fashion. When you let someone in, you got a friendly wave, It’s amazing how quickly you can bond with people of every shape, size, color and age when you have a common goal and mutual respect.
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That is a great story! Fingers crossed!
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The story could have taken a very dark ominous turn, but I didn’t want to talk about how my hair looked after,
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Stay you, stay true. If we are important enough to be followed we must be pretty darn good bloggers lol
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Awww. And you never know what state secrets I might have!
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Lol, exactly, LOL
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I am building a wall around my computer.
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A firewall?
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I guess
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Actually, Elyse, I suspect the Russian hackers’ real motivation is amusement. Shaking up American politics, roiling it, is probably more fun than any computer game. I mean, you just couldn’t make this shit up. Emails (drip, drip, drip), 2,000 mile walls, deporting millions, etc., etc. We are Russia’s ant farm. Look at ’em run when we poke the pile! BuHaHa!
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I’m not sure if you made me feel better, Jim. You did make me laugh though, so …
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Yeah, I’m with Carrie–it’s the poop posts.
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Good thing I have no shame, ain’t it?
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I’m sitting here nibbling on my Russian pumpernickel, feasting on my borscht and washing it all down with vodka as I think about how I never, ever say anything bad about the Russians, that adorable shirtless Putin or his little puppet….I mean pal, no really, his little pal Trump. There is no reason for anyone to go to my blog. Nope, no reason whatsoever.
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You’re goin’ to the gulag too, missy.
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In Soviet Russia, blog follow you!
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Ah HA. So you’re one of them. 😬
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Da.
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Don’t act so shocked – a guy who won’t show his face and pretends to be an American, what else could you expect?
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Da.
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Love the title!
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Thanks. It was inspired by Julian Estrange.
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Followed by Russians? Yippee, new friends in a different country! I had a Russian doctor friend who would shake her finger at me and say “I will tell you something” (the same way we might say “Let me tell you something…”). She invited us to dinner at her house, a traditional Russian meal, and when I asked what kind of wine I should bring, she replied, “Vodka.” 🙂
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Joan, you are so wise. In fact, I love being in international groups, although I haven’t met many Russians in my time/travels.
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Following.
Sounds so much nicer than stalking… 😉
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GUAP! So great to see you. And I know you’ll hide me if I need it when these folks come following me … right????
Hope you’re well!
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It’s been nice knowing you … you’re toast.
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I’m going to name you as a co-conspirator, Frank.
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Not me … after all, I’m a nonpartisan.
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I will lie.
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I expected that.
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😈
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I’ve never really thought much about the non-blog followers. I guess I will start paying attention. I’m not aware of any Russian ones. I would think anyone from that country (or any other for that matter) would hide their tracks better. But what I know about hacking amounts to really nothing. Safe blogging to you!
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I’m not really all that worried — it was just that these followers seemed to fit in with the news!
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Exactly how many Russian email followers do you have?
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I’d say nearly 20, but I’m really not sure. When I get an email of new follower, I check out their blog. Unless they have no blog and only an email — then I just hit delete. I really didn’t think much about it until ….
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Yikes. If you go silent, we’ll know where to go looking for you…
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If I go silent, there are soooooo many possibilities!
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Siberia.
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But I think the Good Greatsby will be there with me. So I have that going for me.
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I’m beginning to think I should be worried as well. I’ve been writing Trump satire pieces for years. Even worse, I’ve also written my fair share of Putin satire. I’m reviewing my email follows even as we speak.
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Hopefully we’ll be housed within shouting distance at the gulag.
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This is what happens when people are uneducated. Holy fuck. It is surprising what people will believe.
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I had to reapprove you — you one of my oldest blogging buddies! Hope you’re not ending up in folks’ spam.
Yeah, it is scary how stupid we are. Especially when the cost of that stupidity might just be The Donald.
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I changed my name back to TD. That’s probably why you had to approve it.
That Russian girl is right, though. Nothing they do would matter if the Americans over here didn’t stupidly fall for it.
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Oh. Ok.
And yeah. Stupid us. 😬
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I think they’re just in it for the pics of Duncan. And maybe the poop posts. Definitely the poop posts.
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Well, the poop posts are worth their weight in gold. Or something. 😉
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You will be the next WikiLeaks download. Wow! Is that an honor? Or should you get one the devices that starts your car without you in it?
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WikiLeaks is dying to put out information on poops and farts. They just can’t figure that out without me!
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I wonder how much money the Ruskys are spending on this. What a waste of taxpayers’ rubles.
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You know, I’d like to get paid to read and follow blogs
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Those lucky Rusky dogs. I hate ’em.
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I am rather new at this. This “.ru following” business is rather unsettling. But I am normally not political in my blogs, either. And now they see me too….
I don’t care. You’re funny and interesting, so I am still going to enjoy your blogs! Good luck with that!
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Elyse to Earth (sorry, I couldn’t resist).
If you’re not political, I wouldn’t worry about it. In fact, I DO write political stuff a lot (in between stories about poop and farts so I guess there is a common thread here). And I’m not really worried. I just couldn’t help writing about the Russian connection (even though I DO have lots of .ru followers).
Thanks for your nice comments about my blog!
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building a wall across the Mexican border, dismissing women readily, dividing opinion, grabbing attention at everyone’s expense, i don’t think Donald is doing that well with support from abroad!
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Except from the Russians. They are the only ones who seem to like him.
I lived in Switzerland from 1997-2002. I thought George W was bad. I’m sooooooo glad I don’t have to explain Trump!
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it’s a strange world out there, thanks for the comments
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No Russian followers, but a few views………………
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I never check my stats, so I guess I will have to look now and then. And every 10 minutes if Trump wins!
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Interesting…if I even bother to check I seem to have most new followers from places like India and Pakistan…and they come in bunches then nothing – but then again, my blog is very inactive right now…
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You’re also not very political, so that helps … They’re just looking for folks to silence when they take over.
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We have your back Elyse–they won’t get you without a fight 😉
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You’re the best, Deb!
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That is interesting. I don’t see any recent email followers with .ru
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Then you can probably sleep well in your bed at night. I can’t 😉
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Hmm, now that you mention it, I think I’ve gotten a few new .ru followers.
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Infiltrators!
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