We’ve not been able to work on Zapatag as much as we’d like, and the long-dreamt-about mobile app is on hold. Fortunately, for the most part, the old-school website keeps humming along.
We have problems with spam, but most sites do. In terms of complaints and abuse reports, though, it’s actually just one troll that causes the most trouble. Sure, talking about this troll is “feeding the troll,” but frankly, the persistent and intense attention we’ve gotten from this troublemaker over the years is almost admirable.
Well, admirable if the comments weren’t also so vulgar, hateful, and embarrassingly inarticulate.
We do moderate them as best we can. We ban IPs as soon as we can identify them. Nonetheless, so obsessed is this troll with being heard, you may be exposed to these comments from time to time (especially if our shaky database fails to clear them out completely), and for that, we apologize.
At least our longtime troll is consistent. The same vulgar comments are posted indiscriminately, and the specific targets of hate have been the same since 1895. (Well, not really, but it feels like that long.) If you’re curious, here are the people in this troll’s crosshairs:
- Lisa Bonsignore (Bohemia, New York)
- Barbara Leshin (Hicksville, New York)
- Syeda Tanzia Hossain (Nesconset, New York)
- Ruth Romo
- Bessy Canales
- Mercedes Saravia
- Michelle Halpern
Of course, the troll uses these names as usernames at times. So if you’re any of the above people, again, we’re sorry. Perhaps this will help you figure out who’s been stabbing that voodoo doll with your name on it.
And here’s the growing list of IPs used and blocked:
- 50.7.49.93
- 74.89.32.150
- 74.89.35.15
- 74.89.36.140
- 166.137.88.30
- 190.184.144.53
Of course, as soon as one rathole is blocked up, our troll burrows another…
We do want to make Zapatag a useful — or at least interesting — service for all righteous road warriors. For your ongoing contributions, we thank you!
Zapatag Blog 
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