BigDog Speaks

Chances are you have already heard of a multitude of mistakes made by computer users/operators, and it is no surprise that these things happen. When it gets interesting is when a government agency tries to upgrade a mailing list and somehow manages to send bulk emails to EVERYBODY.

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For the last two days my email has been flooded with these mistake emails. Right off the bat, it should have never happened and hopefully, whoever is responsible will get cured or fired. However, it DID happen and the results were sad but predictable. When I read the first email, I KNEW what had happened and knew that my answering or complaining about the mistake would only compound it. I am very experienced with 'delete' and handled the matter as it should have been dealt with. The next wave of email was from folks who were dazed and confused about getting email from this unexpected source, and they were complaining. The next batch came in from some equally ignorant people who now allowed their bad manners to show as they complained and made rude remarks. Well, OBVIOUSLY, those complaints and rude remarks triggered even MORE complaints and rude remarks, and so on, and so forth, ad nauseum. My fingers continued to apply 'delete' as I hoped the problem would get fixed. This morning, I have ANOTHER batch of this stuff, more people complaining about the complaints and rude comments. It is my unofficial, official, opinion that more folks should learn to work 'delete' rather than their mouths/fingers when all that does is make matters worse. NO, I am NOT a government employee and NO, I should not have gotten these emails. The only explanation I have for it is the fact that I am an amateur radio operator and somehow the email list included all hams based on an emcomm list. That may NOT be correct, it is the only thing I can come up with. The mistake emails have slowed down so I will ASSUME they are getting a handle on it. I would imagine their is a batch of folks will get some real mileage out of this fiasco. I just hope it ends soon, and has no repeats. DELETE is an under-used accessory when it comes to email! Go out and delete something!!!!