Getting Spam For Cm15K Baht Course, "You Can Read Thai In 20 Hours," Course From One "Gary Orman" ?

[Maejo Man]

Is this you or not? ..genggwaa.com/html/profile.html

No no! It's a coincidence! At least I believe him - after all, he did say he honestly has no idea who that is!

Honestly...

You missed the smilie......

[Gonzo the Face]

Is this you or not? ..genggwaa.com/html/profile.html

No no! It's a coincidence! At least I believe him - after all, he did say he honestly has no idea who that is!

Honestly...

You missed the smilie......

.....Not him........ and he is supposed to be a memory specialist ????/ ....now a short memory specialist with alzheimers

[jamesbrock]

We theoretically shouldn't be hearing from him again.

Rule 26) Not to create multiple accounts. Any member found to have more than one account on the ThaiVisa Forum will be suspended. Suspended or banned members found creating additional accounts will be banned immediately.

[Maejo Man]

We theoretically shouldn't be hearing from him again.

Rule 26) Not to create multiple accounts. Any member found to have more than one account on the ThaiVisa Forum will be suspended. Suspended or banned members found creating additional accounts will be banned immediately.

He's obviously give up posting on this thread, but did suggest on another thread that people should learn Thai. Only a matter of time before he goes

[orang37]

I finally reached a place where I could pause from some intense technical study: to force myself to read all the responses to this post.

Please note the careful use of the word "possible" in the language that follows:

What I find most disturbing is that there is no acknowledgement by the source of this SPAM, that two illegal acts have, possibly, been committed here:

1. possible violation of privacy : the obtaining of personal information without the permission of an individual, when that information is not publicly available, freely disclosed by the individual for public use.

My computer is used for software development (I'm retired, but still stay active technically for the fun of it), and, in terms of security, is protected by multiple levels of security software, handling trojans, malware, viruses, suspicious files, etc., from three different companies. My public behavior on the internet never reveals my private e-mail address.

I use GMail in Chrome, and, yes, the SPAM filter, does trap the usual offers of instant fortune from Nigerians, and raise-your-flag drug offers, etc. So, once upon a time, maybe many years ago, maybe I did inadvertently reveal my currrent e-mail address on some on-line forum ... or (improbable), the hackers making these lists are using a random-name generator that sends millions of e-mails followed by @gmail.com, and then, when the message does not bounce back, enter the name of the valid e-mail address in the list.

2. possible use of an e-mail list, which happens to include many TV CM Members, that, almost certainly, has been either "hacked," or stolen: at the least obtained unethically.

I do not know if these possible violations are illegal under Thai law, but they are universally condemned across the internet, and are illegal under the laws of many countries, as is the act of sending SPAM. You can be sure that the ISP you are using in Thailand has an anti-spam policy, and I suggest you may consider reporting SPAM of this type, generated locally, to your ISP, with a request that the e-mail address of origin of this SPAM be permanently blocked.

I note that the originator of this SPAM has refused, here, to answer direct questions about how he got the addresses he used, as well as denying the absolutely clear connection between himself and gengwaa.com: the e-mail I received was from one e-mail address, whose header included the added information "via gengwaa.com."

Of course it's easy to block any specific e-mail address in any e-mail software, in any browser, these days.

What's sad to me, here, is that this person who sent the SPAM may actually have some useful ideas in teaching language, even though, imho, the "course" is insanely overpriced, and the sales-pitch: "learn to read Thai in twenty hours:" I consider laughably grandiose.

Why couldn't this person have simply become a TV Sponsor, and taken the "high road" ?

nauseously, ~o:37;

[NancyL]

Oh, please, Orang, don't go putting ideas into Gary Orman's head. If he became a TV sponsor then we'd have to endure every language thread turning into a shoot-out between him and MacWalen! As it stands now, he's on the way to being banned and silenced.

[Gorman]

I vehemently deny any wrong doing on this forum.

I didn't try to advertise anything on this forum, unless of course you think Orang and I are working in unison, that is highly unlikely due to the fact that he doesn't seem to like me and also, I never understand what that guy is talking about half the time.

So just remember while you're trying to get me banned or suspended, I never started this thread on thaivisa, I was called out to post by a member (can't remember who) so I honorably obliged.

[Maejo Man]

I vehemently deny any wrong doing on this forum.

I didn't try to advertise anything on this forum, unless of course you think Orang and I are working in unison, that is highly unlikely due to the fact that he doesn't seem to like me and also, I never understand what that guy is talking about half the time.

So just remember while you're trying to get me banned or suspended, I never started this thread on thaivisa, I was called out to post by a member (can't remember who) so I honorably obliged.

Just answer the question...Is this you or not? ..genggwaa.com/html/profile.html

[Gorman]

I vehemently deny any wrong doing on this forum.

I didn't try to advertise anything on this forum, unless of course you think Orang and I are working in unison, that is highly unlikely due to the fact that he doesn't seem to like me and also, I never understand what that guy is talking about half the time.

So just remember while you're trying to get me banned or suspended, I never started this thread on thaivisa, I was called out to post by a member (can't remember who) so I honorably obliged.

Just answer the question...Is this you or not? ..genggwaa.com/html/profile.html

no it is not me

[Thailand]

I vehemently deny any wrong doing on this forum.

I didn't try to advertise anything on this forum, unless of course you think Orang and I are working in unison, that is highly unlikely due to the fact that he doesn't seem to like me and also, I never understand what that guy is talking about half the time.

So just remember while you're trying to get me banned or suspended, I never started this thread on thaivisa, I was called out to post by a member (can't remember who) so I honorably obliged.

Just answer the question...Is this you or not? ..genggwaa.com/html/profile.html

no it is not me

Then why did you bother to respond to the thread signing on as Gorman?

So simply, you are not the Gary Orman that owns/or is associated with genggwaa.com and that is not your picture on the genggwaa.com site?

And you did not post on a another thread with the user name genggwaa?

How about learnthaionline.com is that you or---?

[Thailand]

[Maejo Man]

ok here's one for the super sleuths......After going back through the thread, at no point did "gorman" say that he was Gary Ormon we just presumed this by his replies regarding spam. he has denied that he has any connection with him and it is not him. So we have one of two possibilities....He is Gary Orman and is lieing, or he is the biggest troll we have seen on here. Either way he has done more damage to Orman's business by perpetuating this thread. Your thoughts ladies and gentleman

[uptheos]

Either way he has done more damage ot Ormans business by perpetuating this thread. Your thoughts ladies and gentleman

Most definitely!

I think this has done irreparable damage. I can't see anyone who reads TV ever parting with money to his business.

[Thailand]

Let the sleuthing begin.

post 97 "I didn't try to advertise anything on this forum, unless of course you think Orang and I are working in unison,"

Who is I ?

[Maejo Man]

Let the sleuthing begin.

post 97 "I didn't try to advertise anything on this forum, unless of course you think Orang and I are working in unison,"

Who is I ?

Well he didn't BUT... I was called out to post by a member (can't remember who) so I honorably obliged. Why join TV just to post on a thread about spam and gary Orman unless you have a vested interest?

[jamesbrock]

Does anyone actually believe this guy??

Let's get this straight. Orang37 opens with:

"Just curious if others on TV CM are receiving unsolicited e-mail today, or recently, about a "Rapid Language Learning" course, to be held in Chiang Mai, in June, said e-mail originating from http://www.genggwaa....ml/profile.html ?"

The following morning, a 'Gorman' signs up - who absolutely denies that he is THE Gary Orman - yet just happens to be in the same business...

Ok, normally you would be correct, but my business is teaching people to learn Thai!

And is also in the business of justifying Gary Orman's business practices in the first person!

I am conscious about my carbon footprint and the environment thus I see internet advertising as the moral choice. I said it before and I'll say it again, if you don't want to read the advertisement, don't.

And becomes inordinately happy that another person is getting free publicity!

now free publicity certainly is not bad publicity

This not-Gary-Orman spends the better part of three days belligerently arguing with people that he allegedly didn't p-off, not once correcting anybody when they addressed him as Gary Orman, nor once denying he sent the emails when people accused him of such; and only when he gets called out for the charlatan hack that he is, does he explicitly deny that he is who, beyond all reasonable doubt, we all know he is.

Face it mate, the jig's up. You're only going to dig yourself deeper if you keep going.

[mcgriffith]

This thread has taken a somewhat weird and dark turn.

I suggest everyone back off, maybe take a deep breath, happy Visakha Bucha, etc.

We'll all find a solution soon.

We need Kofi Annan here, pronto....

[Gorman]

wow, what is going on? Is this the x-files or an episode from the twilight zone? conspiracies a plenty!!

calm down

[NancyL]

I think we've all become bored with with "what's the best Thai language program in Chiang Mai" threads and are having fun with them.

I suspect most of the people posting on this thread either speak/read/write Thai fluently or have discovered you don't need to put your brain cells together and learn a difficult foreign language in a city where enough baht buys you a comfortable existence.

As my etthno-centric father used to say -- "if they want my money, they can speak my language."

Heck, he used to get upset in Canada where the Coke machines didn't accept U.S. coins!

[onthedarkside]

Post removed under forum rule - English is the only acceptable language, except within the Thai language forum, where of course using Thai is allowed.

[hml367]

Post removed under forum rule - English is the only acceptable language, except within the Thai language forum, where of course using Thai is allowed.

Thank you.

MSPain

[Thailand]

The post that was removed was mine which obviously got reported by a dutiful member.

Anyway for those that would have been interested I posted "genggwaa" in Thai which is-- oops can't sorry.

[GUANO]

The post that was removed was mine which obviously got reported by a dutiful member.

Anyway for those that would have been interested I posted "genggwaa" in Thai which is-- oops can't sorry.

Great, and why did you do that?

[Thailand]

The post that was removed was mine which obviously got reported by a dutiful member.

Anyway for those that would have been interested I posted "genggwaa" in Thai which is-- oops can't sorry.

Great, and why did you do that?

It was a one word (against the rules,it turns out) in Thai response quoting NancyL's last post which if you have not read the rest of the thread it may have been too subtle for you?

[GUANO]

The post that was removed was mine which obviously got reported by a dutiful member.

Anyway for those that would have been interested I posted "genggwaa" in Thai which is-- oops can't sorry.

Great, and why did you do that?

It was a one word (against the rules,it turns out) in Thai response quoting NancyL's last post which if you have not read the rest of the thread it may have been too subtle for you?

Read NancyL's post and your reply (in Thai) still seems a little silly.

Back on topic, I've not received any emails spam or not about this Thai course. How many here have?

[el jefe]

The post that was removed was mine which obviously got reported by a dutiful member.

Anyway for those that would have been interested I posted "genggwaa" in Thai which is-- oops can't sorry.

Great, and why did you do that?

It was a one word (against the rules,it turns out) in Thai response quoting NancyL's last post which if you have not read the rest of the thread it may have been too subtle for you?

Read NancyL's post and your reply (in Thai) still seems a little silly.

Back on topic, I've not received any emails spam or not about this Thai course. How many here have?

Does it matter???

The person/business referenced has said he doesn't think there is anything wrong with spam, nor does he care about netiquette and has posted under multiple names and then lied about it. Is that who you want to do business with?

[bazmlb]

Gary has requested I post this in answer to your post.

The True Facts About Gary Orman

Hello all. I am the

real

Gary Orman. I am not "gorman" who seems to have signed up recently to impersonate or defend me. That's okay – no harm done!

I used to be a sponsor with the username "genggwaa", a training company in Bangkok. I still manage my events through the genggwaa server, but I shut down the company Genggwaa Co. Ltd. a few years ago. TV simply banned my old account when I switched to the new one. I now concentrate on researching and developing language learning products. My new username is "rapidll" and my current website for learning Thai is

www.learnthaionline.com

, not

genggwaa.com

. I may decide to sponsor thaivisa and contribute to the forums again in the future, but I am currently involved with other activities. No, Nancy, I have no intention of having shooting matches with MacWalen. My contributions are strictly about better ways to learn and understand Thai language and people, whether you agree with my methods or not.

As for the spam issue, I do not buy lists. I only write to people (yes, unsolicited sometimes) that I've met or contacted personally, or who have written to me or who is a member of a business/networking/social organization that I've joined, like British Chamber of Commerce, Expats Club, Toastmasters, etc.).

I send out emails very occasionally, maybe 10 in a year.

I apologize if you feel upset about receiving an email from me. Every single one of my promotional emails has a

clear unsubscribe link

at the bottom. If you click on this link or contact me then I mark you email as "unsubscribed" (in case I inadvertently add your email to my database again) and you will never hear from me again. I've checked this with various anti-spam organizations and they've said that I am "mostly" in compliance with Can-Spam and similar acts. The gray area is when I send an unsolicited email, which all but a very small percentage of people have objected to (0.05% to be exact). So long as I have a clear and functioning unsubscribe mechanism then I am sufficiently in compliance, they say.

Orang37, I'm not sure who you are – I did get one query from a software developer called Bill (someone I know vaguely because he's also keen on rock music and playing guitar) and I immediately unsubscribed him. If you're not Bill then please find the email I sent you and click on the unsubscribe link – it's anonymous, so I won't have to know who you are. If you've deleted the email then you'll get another one next time I advertise my courses, one in Chiang Mai, the others in USA and UK, later this year.

Please make sure you click on the unsubscribe link. Or if you don't want to receive anything from me at all then just email me and I'll unsubscribe you manually.

I'd prefer to unsubscribe you rather than simply delete you, because then you can be assured that I won't inadvertently add your name to the list again in the future, in case we bump into each other somewhere in Chiang Mai…

[mcgriffith]

Mystery solved....

[Thailand]

I have a vague recollection of someone (Don't recall a name.) who posted something like this on on Thai Visa Chiang Mai some time ago.

Anyway, I appreciate being notified of spam like this. Thank you, orang37.

Pillion, do you really know this Gary fellow? Or did you just respond to the email?

Gary? Yes we're good friends, go way back. We've been close for a while, needless to say though, getting inundated by his spam put our friendship on tender hooks, but as the spam slowly died away our friendship rekindled. I actually joke with him and say he's the king of his castle 'Spamalot', he's a real card.

I can have a word with him about stopping this spamming business. I'll see what I can do.

Looks like you finally got through to the real Gary? Post 119

I guess gorman will now be banned and his IPaddress recorded.

[Pillion]

Could gorman have been this gorman??