The Spammer Strikes Back

It was a long time since I heard from my perennial spammer. And suddenly out of the blue, she stroke back with a vengeance, with THREE comments in 24 hours, prompting me to wonder if she did not have anything better to do on New Year's day. Anyway, since she is getting behind the anonymity cloak, she will not be able to get an automatic alert to my responses. Therefore,  since, for some weird masochistic reason (it is beyond me why she keeps reading my stuff if she hates it so much), she continues to read my posts, the safest bet to ensure she sees my responses is to write yet another open letter:

She first responded to my New Year's message. After wishing me a Happy New Year, she shares with me a New Year's resolution of hers of direct relevance to me:

FYI; one of my resolutions for the New Year is to continue criticizing you until you realize that your so-called economics blog HAS to become just that and not a space where you take advantage of readers' time and patience to satisfy your highly inflated ego.

Here's a slightly edited version of my answer to her, posted as comment below hers:

Thanks for stopping by; I was starting to miss you:)! And I am glad that I was not able to trick you into believing that I do not have an inflated ego by calling myself a "sore loser":)


BTW, one of MY resolutions for the New Year is to continue not to take your criticisms seriously as long as you continue not to provide any backing/substance to your critiques/claims. Especially because nobody (I hope) is putting a gun to your (or anyone else's for that matter) head to read my posts/columns:)


So I guess we'll have another year where you'll sometimes drop by and say I have an inflated ego and/or no analysis, and I will have to laugh it off.


I am saying "have to" because joking aside, I would have responded to your critiques if I knew how to. But I still don't see why you think I have an inflated ego and why even technical columns such as those on monetary policy, have, according to your "expert opinion", no analysis.


I have had very constructive critiques from friends and readers, but unfortunately not even one from you. Actually it is not that difficult: All you'd have to do would be to add a because: "You have an inflated ego because..." or "You have no analysis because..."


I have always been an over-optimistic person, so despite no logical reason for me to do so, and every indication that I should not, I am still hoping for one constructive critique from you. So why don't you make another New Year's resolution: To provide me with at least one "useful" critique this year...

Then, she responded to my book/TV program recommendation:

Stop telling the world what you think of Atilla Yeşilada's "pretty co-host". Keep your fantasies -- in which no one except you is interested -- to yourself and concentrate on economics, for a change!.

Now, now, now, we are not getting jealous, are we:):):).... I see more of the pent-up sexual aggression here. But if you really have nothing better to do, you are more than welcome to go through all of my 774 posts (including this one) and see how many are economic analyses, and how many "fantasies". And it is the first time I am hearing that calling someone pretty would be fantasy:)

Finally, she has something to say to my bright idea as well:

What a bright idea for those who have plenty of time to play little games, but not enough strong economics background to produce economic analyses of high caliber.


BTW, I am profoundly impressed to learn that you have spent 10+ years in the US. WOW!.. I myself have spent some 17 years doing an MA, a Ph.D.and working as a finance professional in several European countries. But not once-- until I read your latest rambling-- did it occur to me to use it as PR material on a public website. A free and friendly advice to you: BEING MODEST IS ALWAYS BEST!

Hmm, as I made it clear later on, this is not for me; the only time I  will be spending will be with setting up the blog and a few minutes each day for administering it. So in fact, your words are targeted, although unintentionally, at the potential blog contributors, who will be the ones to play what you deem as silly games, rather than me.

And just like above, where you turned a compliment into fantasy, you seem so obsessed with small details. I just mentioned having spent time in the U.S. as a way to note that despite that, I don't see the details expats are seeing. And I am not sure how having spent the U.S. is PR material. And while you are at it, could you tell me which countries would qualify as PR material? Say, if I spent 10+ years in Zimbabwe, would it qualify as PR? And how do you discount what has been done? For example, could you tell me which is better: 1 year in Papua New Guinea producing economic analyses of high caliber or 17 years in Europe, but still not knowing what economic analysis is after an M.A., Ph.D. and several years of work experience in the finance profession?

There is also one thing I am really wondering: First, you tell me that one of your New Year's resolutions is to continue criticizing me until I produce economic analyses, but then you say above that I do not have the background to produce economic analyses of high caliber. So if it is the latter, then wouldn't you be the one wasting her time "playing little games"?

But don't despair, you have at least one admirer: One friend, in an email aptly titled "PUHAHAHAHAHA", has this to say:

agzina sicmis, kim yazmissa, cok hosuma gitti :) expat arkadaslarin arasinda bekar kari var mi

I am pretty much sure my spammer knows Turkish, but for those of you who don't, he is saying: "Whoever wrote it f--ked you up big time, I loved it. Do you have any single females among your expat friends?"

Yep, my dear civciv (I call him civciv, i.e. chick as in babe-chicken, in reference to his being an ezikbahce fan), she really has nailed it!!! Wow!!!!! And to answer your question: Yes, I have many single female expat friends, but I don't think I am introducing you to any of them:) But I could introduce you my perennial spammer if I learn who she is. After all, she has a M.A., Ph.D. and experience as finance professional in several countries. I am pretty much sure it is a she, from the pent-up sexual aggression, but in case it is a he, you could still get married and live happily ever after, and even have a baby, like Elton and his hubby:)....

Coming back to my perennial spammer: I really enjoy these little conversations, especially after having spent three days doing forecasts for tomorrow's Hurriyet column- it took so long because I don't  have enough strong economics background to produce economic analyses of high caliber, I am sure you would have done it in three hours. So all I'll say it, as Zeki Muren would say, "please don't leave me". You and the real azize are the spice of my life:)...