Fromthe2one5ive

I’ve always wondered who actually clicks on those links…is it you?! I want to talk to someone who has actually purchased stuff from a spam email!

Seriously. Its getting a little out of control with the spam. A service that I thought so innocent – Google Alerts – has made me realize how bad it is getting. For those that don’t know, Google Alerts sends you emails when your company name or yours is mentioned anywhere online. Which has been perfect for me since I do PR for my company and need to know what people are saying about us and our products. 

But this week, I got one alert that showed my company’s name & keywords on a blog and I click on it, as I always do. Turns out to be a fake site that tries to install a virus scan software program on my computer. Thank you mac for saving me.  

And then I get another alert this morning and now my favorite spammer has decided to take key words from my latest press release on Reuters and create a fake site with my last name in the address! Keep in mine that my name is definitely not common. And the keywords listed in the description include my company name, and my full name again! The brave (i.e. crazy) IT guy at work clicked on the link and it tried to install the same fake virus software program.

So spammers. Leave me alone. Even though you seem to be the only ones who try to post comments on my site.

To a mosquito, exercise makes you far more appealing than a couch potato. While it may seem like some people taste better to mosquitoes than others, chances are they are simply emitting signals that attract mosquitoes. “The main things are how you smell and how hot you are,” explains Dr. Paskewitz, a University of Wisconsin-Madison entomology professor. I knew there was a reason why I never feel like working out in the summer!

Cues like body temperature, carbon dioxide in the breath and certain skin chemicals like lactic acid all help mosquitoes orient and find their next meal. Exercise boosts the levels of all three signals, making people more vulnerable to mosquito bites during or after exercise. 

Dr. Paskewitz’s website compares the effectiveness of various mosquito-repelling products and home remedies. You can check them out here.

So there is a connection between drinking alcohol and mosquito attraction! I guess that’s why my boyfriend always has so many bites.