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FOT Community => General Discussion => Topic started by: slipperyslope on February 25, 2010, 01:46:05 AM

Title: Please Rob Me
Post by: slipperyslope on February 25, 2010, 01:46:05 AM
Has anyone been reading all the buzz in the press about this site or heard of it?

If not, it's worth knowing about.

http://pleaserobme.com/
 (http://pleaserobme.com/)
Please Rob Me highlights the ridiculous oversharing people do on social networking sites, and does so by telling the world when people are not home and most likely left an empty home behind. It's good passive commentary on this whole social internet thing and pretty funny.

Title: Re: Please Rob Me
Post by: mackro on February 25, 2010, 01:09:23 PM
I rip on this site here:
http://mackro.tumblr.com/post/411440993/oh-no-i-wuz-a-next-victim-on-pleaserobme-com-help
Title: Re: Please Rob Me
Post by: gravy boat on February 25, 2010, 01:49:44 PM
Similarly, I've known two people whose recently deceased relatives' home were burglared during the funeral, after the newspaper obituary listed the date and time of the funeral.

Boy, the more things change...wait, that's not right.

Hey, isn't Erika's house in Baltimore empty right now?  Ahh screw it, there's too much snow to burgle.
Title: Re: Please Rob Me
Post by: slipperyslope on February 25, 2010, 03:37:29 PM
I rip on this site here:
http://mackro.tumblr.com/post/411440993/oh-no-i-wuz-a-next-victim-on-pleaserobme-com-help


I read your post. I like the cut of your jib.

I think you're reading too much into things though, and the media attention explosion thing isn't helping. It (the site) is what it is, nothing more, nothing less. And doesn't claim to be.

Title: Re: Please Rob Me
Post by: mackro on February 25, 2010, 03:56:56 PM
I rip on this site here:
http://mackro.tumblr.com/post/411440993/oh-no-i-wuz-a-next-victim-on-pleaserobme-com-help


I read your post. I like the cut of your jib.

I think you're reading too much into things though, and the media attention explosion thing isn't helping. It (the site) is what it is, nothing more, nothing less. And doesn't claim to be.



If you're saying that the site is more of a "wink wink yeah we know" type thing and not a "you suck deal with it" type thing, then I do understand a bit more now. Still, I just didn't like the whole claim to spreading awareness, when the people who need the awareness the most are the ones kept in the dark as a side effect, or lack of effect.

That said (annoying habit of bold/italicing every other word aside that I should stop), I definitely agree with you that the recent media attention has not been productive in any way.  This segues into a whole other kinda depressing topic on media today, insert here.
Title: Re: Please Rob Me
Post by: slipperyslope on February 25, 2010, 04:18:30 PM
I rip on this site here:
http://mackro.tumblr.com/post/411440993/oh-no-i-wuz-a-next-victim-on-pleaserobme-com-help


I read your post. I like the cut of your jib.

I think you're reading too much into things though, and the media attention explosion thing isn't helping. It (the site) is what it is, nothing more, nothing less. And doesn't claim to be.



If you're saying that the site is more of a "wink wink yeah we know" type thing and not a "you suck deal with it" type thing, then I do understand a bit more now. Still, I just didn't like the whole claim to spreading awareness, when the people who need the awareness the most are the ones kept in the dark as a side effect, or lack of effect.

That said (annoying habit of bold/italicing every other word aside that I should stop), I definitely agree with you that the recent media attention has not been productive in any way.  This segues into a whole other kinda depressing topic on media today, insert here.

I think it's a bit of column a and a bit of column b. I read it as a passive toungue-in-cheek commentary on the new status quo, and think it got blown up inadvertantly beyond it's intended viral meme thing. But who knows.

And yeah... media. I think "they" are like gullible chocolate addicts, them news hounds. They'll believe there's chocolate anywhere if you leave enough crumbs. Er...news. And then they have to really sell it, don't they?
There was a time recently, for instance, when a news article about "Bono" saying "file sharing is bad" was on the front page of one of Canada's most important news sites. They went into it with all sorts of fervor as if it was exciting and interesting, and as if it was news. (yes, this was in 2009/2010...not 1997 or whatever)






Title: Re: Please Rob Me
Post by: Sarah on February 25, 2010, 06:10:22 PM
Hey, isn't Erika's house in Baltimore empty right now?  Ahh screw it, there's too much snow to burgle.

Chris L. and Dorvid, don your burgling suits!
Title: Re: Please Rob Me
Post by: erika on February 25, 2010, 06:15:18 PM

Hey, isn't Erika's house in Baltimore empty right now?  Ahh screw it, there's too much snow to burgle.

Ah, but it was *never* empty. House-sitters are a gooood thing.

(Otherwise we never post anywhere when we're going to be away. We even come and go from the back door on big trips because our neighbors are shady.)
Title: Re: Please Rob Me
Post by: Sarah on February 25, 2010, 06:25:20 PM
Uh oh.  I've directed CL and D into a trap.  Sorry, fellas.
Title: Re: Please Rob Me
Post by: erika on February 25, 2010, 06:31:22 PM
That's right! I've set ALL the booby traps!
Title: Re: Please Rob Me
Post by: Chris L on February 25, 2010, 10:57:17 PM
Someday I'll get to burgle.  :'(
Title: Re: Please Rob Me
Post by: samir on February 26, 2010, 07:45:44 AM
Chris, if you ever need counsel, my rates are very reasonable.
Title: Re: Please Rob Me
Post by: Chris L on February 26, 2010, 11:06:38 AM
Chris, if you ever need counsel, my rates are very reasonable.

That's a generous offer, Samir, but thankfully

I WILL NEVER BE CAUGHT! 
Title: Re: Please Rob Me
Post by: Shaggy 2 Grote on February 26, 2010, 12:08:14 PM
So here's what I don't understand and am too lazy to investigate: how do the people on this site know where the Twitterer's home is to begin with?  I tweet when I'm out all the time, but I never put my home address anywhere online, including Facebook.  Do people do this?
Title: Re: Please Rob Me
Post by: erika on February 26, 2010, 03:11:43 PM
Some do. You can also look them up online with first and last name and a few location things.

Stalkers could certainly find out when you're not home. But what would be the point then, eh?
Title: Re: Please Rob Me
Post by: mackro on February 26, 2010, 06:56:16 PM
You know who's not home?  The Olympic Athletes!  Why would they go on national television to advertise the fact that they're not in their respective homes?  What were they thinking??
Title: Re: Please Rob Me
Post by: slipperyslope on February 26, 2010, 07:18:47 PM
You know who's not home?  The Olympic Athletes!  Why would they go on national television to advertise the fact that they're not in their respective homes?  What were they thinking??

For whatever reason,
the "GO HOME! Are you too good for your HOME!?" from that Adam Sandler movie from years ago popped into my head when I read this.