Believe it or not, we generally eat rather straightforward and often simple fare for the most part in the Marketman household. The blog tends to focus on highlights and unusual meals, meals with guests around, etc., and do not mirror the daily reality of what comes out of our kitchen. I am still posting about holiday meals that ended over two weeks ago, and have a backlog of dozens of such meals from the past year that have yet to be written. Yes, we have a particular focus on food, but that’s why I maintain a food blog. Sometimes, an occasional and often first time visitor will send a wisecrack or downright nasty comment regarding extravagance, poverty, fish pans, taste, etc., most all of which inevitably ends up in the junk folder or is simply deleted, and all I can reiterate is that the blog is here, it is free, and YOU DON’T HAVE TO READ IT. You don’t even have TO LIKE IT. Just move on to another site that might suit your fancy. The blog gets hundreds of comments and emails a week and while a couple of dopey ones are almost always not worth bothering with, it does amaze me what people occasionally write in an email, under the expectation that they can never be identified.
For repeated inappropriate comments from readers under the guise of anonymity, let me just remind you of one thing. If you are one of the idiots that are dumb enough to send inappropriate and often legally actionable or libelous comments thinking they will never be identified, then DO NOT use your company computers/email systems or your home accounts for that matter. Take the misguided soul that sent repeated nasty emails who turned out to be using the computer at work at his freight/package forwarding company in a specific city on Long Island (as well as from his nearby home) in the U.S. Turns out the IP address is linked to a specific Filipino owned company, and the branch had only a handful of employees, so if I wanted to, I could identify the sender with relative ease. And trust me, the owners of that business wouldn’t be amused if they found out what their employees were doing on company time and equipment. Or another person who took particular offense from a rant of mine and decided to keep sending nasty emails from their place of work, which turns out to be a call center for a major international bank, and one whose HR manager happens to be a friend of a friend. Another felt personally offended over something I wrote and kept sending libelous emails from her home in a particular district in a specific state in the U.S., and when I emailed her back to ask how the weather was (a quick google), giving details, she shut up forever. You may think you are hidden away, but computers provide an incredibly good trail. The internet is a wonderful tool, don’t misuse it.
Take the articles last fall in the U.S. about how a murderer was tracked down, identified and arrested over his email activity. I had no idea that servers automatically store ALL messages for some 6-12 months, and that they are admissible in court. And for police purposes, it’s almost simpler to track down a person based on their trail of texts, emails, etc. than having a bloodhound pick up their scent. So a word to the misguided. Keep the nasties to yourself. I write my rants based on actual experiences, with as many facts as possible. In NOT a single case has a company asked me to retract a rant/post. In most cases, the rants have been educational for readers and have gotten the attention of the companies/subjects and have yielded positive results. My real estate rant meant the development of a “no contact” list and greater care on the part of agents for that particular company. My credit card rant informed thousands of people about the dangers of carrying a credit card because of the liabilities if it is stolen and used. My airline rants got the attention of the CEO, but to this day, service appears to fall short of customer expectations, based on the MANY continued comments from disgruntled customers who continue to leave comments on those posts. My PIPC posts/rants turned out to be SPOT ON ACCURATE and it was a scam, and no one to this day has resolved their losses. My plagiarism rant has yielded far more careful attribution for photos and internet sources at a major daily. And I could go on and on and on.
It’s so easy for me to delete such emails. But for those of you who bother to write them, and for now think you are doing so with no risk of repercussions, I do hope one day it comes back to bite your rear end. Or worse. :)
51 Responses
feisty! good morning!
hear hear! let the haters take their negativism elsewhere. its amazing how people think they can get away with being malicious yet remain totally anonymous, the internet leaves many clues.
Seems like you’re not the only one with this lately, MM. Blogs I read are deluged with negative/nasty comments these past few days.
Are these nasty people besieged with debts incurred during the holidays??? Or a very pregnant person living in midst of winter in NY? Or a disgruntled pinoy worker in the US longing to go home to Manila but cannot because of “tnt” status? Sheez, where’s that anger coming from? :))
I agree, take the negativity elsewhere! If you hate the life you’re living, don’t hate people who love the life they are living.
They love wasting their time hahahahhah
Bravo. Life’s too short to pay any attention to people drunk on Haterade. :)
One thing, though… I really think that you have absolutely no need to provide caveats with your posts… what you eat, how you eat, where you go, what you do, and what you choose to share with us through your blog… none of that requires any sort of caveat, mitigation, justification, or apology. As you’ve already said before, if people don’t like it, they don’t have to read your blog.
Honestly, there are far too many people who act like the responsible consumption or social conscience police, and sadly almost all of them do it due to some twisted sense of self-righteousness or “inggit”. I’d be willing to bet, however, that most (if not all) of those nastygram posters are all talk and no action.
So true! I mean, if you don’t like the content of the site – don’t read it. Plain and simple.
HMmm,they must be really bored.^^
I love living vicariously your gourmet adventures. I enjoy commiserating with you over your latest tests of patience (this one included). I gratefully file away your restaurant reviews. I trust your taste, experience and knowledge. Thank God for you and for the many others who share their time & thoughts on the internet. Sometimes you save me from making troublesome mistakes, sometimes you just give me a much needed break from the trivia of my day. But always, always, you leave me with something new and something good to aspire to. Thanks MM!
Oh and as for the crabby minority, unfortunately the internet brings out the worst in people. May those trolls be a source of amusement and nothing more.
Agree w/ you marissa! Nobody is aking those people to visit the blog anyway…
If the email or post has no merit (out of context, illogical, personal attack) delete it. Tunnel vision is a common Internet disease.
Kef halak marketman!!!, can you make a list of native plants that can be included as a salad greens.. I know ur a specialist, hehehhe Shokran Jazeelan…!!
To those haters….nabobored lang kayo kaya kayo ganyan .once na nakipag away kayo sa net..pansinin nyo puro negative lahat papasok sa kukote nyo. …
MM, i support your passion, the genuine effort you gave to us and time of food blogging you have provided. i learned a lot from you. it’s a very 2 way traffic system you got there. i must admit that after giving so much to your reader, you still get some nasty remarks. i feel sorry for them. i must also say that we learn from this critics !!!
love the blind items!
nice try guys..
Market Man’s watching ;)
Elitism! Binuang ra uy. Really, sophists and bitter pedants, the lot of them. Too bad they dont have the same rabid (in the nicest possible way, so chill people) fan base as you. K eep the posts coming sir.
If you hate the life you’re living, don’t hate people who love the life they are living.
TRUE!
I think it’s mostly inggit why they’re sending you hate mail.
“Another felt personally offended over something I wrote and kept sending libelous emails from her home in a particular district in a specific state in the U.S., and when I emailed her back to ask how the weather was (a quick google), giving details, she shut up forever.”
Hahahahaha……she must have figured out, you had some italian immigrant friends from New York and Chicago!!….hehehehe
To fellow readers, please note that there are websites that can trace your IP addresses and even down to your addresses and account numbers. It is very easy to track emails down. All the information is listed in the original message which most people do not know comes together with the messages.
i like and love your blog, regardless. i wish i had the charmed life that you and your family have but it doesnt drive me to envy and hatred. i like it that im able to get a peek of the lifestyles of the rich :) keep up the good work Mr. MM and yes i do get to use the company’s time and resources to post comments (once in awhile) and i do this if i get so bored already with my work. :D
I have spent many a pleasant hour reading through your blog, MM. I truly enjoy them and I now absolutely adore single-use silver implements! For every negative commenter, you know that you have a multitude of fans who eagerly await your postings and happily go through the archives …
There are times when you’ll disagree with a post or the tone of a particular blog. There are others out there that you can read. If you want to leave a comment, leave a comment, just aim for civility. I think that being snarky or writing potentially libelous comments is NOT the proper way of doing things. I agree wholeheartedly when MM says…”that the blog is here, it is free, and YOU DON’T HAVE TO READ IT.” It is a free world for most of us isn’t it?
Marami talagang ganyan; noong mga unang buwan kong magkaroon ng youtube account, marami akong nais awayin sa content ng kanilang videos; sa comment ng mga viewers—but I got wise—there will always be coños and coñas, kaya tinigilan ko na ang youtube, hahahaha!!! MarketManila na lang ako. Maraming NPA—NICE PEOPLE AROUND.
There’s this song Little People by Jon Brian for Synecdoche NY. Whenever I see dumb,stupid, or hurtful things people say/write that they don’t have to.
I don’t know why sometimes people “hate” too much. . . and they leave ridiculous comments and all the hooha things. . . when they couldve just ignore it and keep their thoughts to themselves. . . yes it’s ok to voice out your mind, but if it’s simply because you don’t like the topic or whatever then better save yourself from stress, because all the while, it is only you who annoys yourself. . . why can’t people disagree politely
MM, ignore the negative feedback. Mga kulang sa pansin (KSP) lang sila. Visiting your blog a few times a day takes my mind off the otherwise busy, intense or sometimes humdrum day of a university professor. Keep your posts and pictures coming and thanks.
Good morning MM!
It is such a shame that people like them have no respect to any blogs…once I was searching for recipes and found a forum and all I could read was nonsense and more of restricted foul languages…it was frustrating. Luckily, you keep your blog free of it and maintain it family oriented…love your posts of food whether they be on holidays or a day to day fare. I think we Filipinos live on food…and ideas from other people from all walks of life is greatly appreciated. In fact, I am going to try Betty Q’s suggestion of ginataan eggplant in place of the jackfruit…(salivating now)…hope I do it right!
Anyway, keep up the good work and we are behind you, supporting you in this effort!
para sa akin, nagpapasaya ang mga post mo,kasi nakakapag bigay kulay sa mga table namin, dahil, mahilig kong gayahin ang mga food presentation mo… God Bless!
Nam yoho rengge kyo (spelling??? hehe..)…breathe in…breathe out…relax…do not bother with them any more…such a waste of time….
But sometimes, you need to release that pent up patience, that’s when the rants come out…and still very informative…
The lack of civility, the growth of hate/flame comments is getting a lot more attention these days. If you read online magazine and the online pages of most newspapers, there are too many people who vent their rage through comments. I don’t think blogs should let these posters get the upper hand. There was a time when people said all comments, including the nasty ones, should stay, as it was freedom of speech, but let’s face it. Negative comments are rarely useful in promoting discourse. If negative posters don’t get the momentary glory of seeing their words online, they might start thinking before they write (or so I hope, but then I’m an idealist).
Touche! I am wondering what touched this off! But – you have a right and as you said – take it or leave it! But shut your mouth up if you can’t say something nice!
Oooops! My previous comment sounded ambiguous! What I really meant is I agree w MM’s sentiment completely. If somebody doesn’t like/agree w the posts – say so civilly. OR just move on! No one’s forcing the blog/posts into anybody’s face. So take it (nicely) or leave it!
I hope this clarifies what I think!
MM – sometimes your post is the only bright thing that can lift me out of the doldrums especially during these cold, gloomy winter days!
Thanks!
Go Marketman or JB? Let them know how you feel. Although I’m one the guys that on ocassion makes the inappropriate response, I apologize, sometimes I tend to go over the top. Thanks for all the good food you featured in this website. Yo DA MAN.
I admire your persistence in maintaining this generous blog; there is always a small minority that is irrational and hostile, and beyond any negotiation, that spoils any high profile activity. It takes great maturity and skill to maintain a profile and endure such hostility, and I congratulate you on being able to handle this.
Unfortunately with your popularity you attract different types of people. Just put the stupid ones on ignore or better yet, create a side blog, post their comments and display all info on ip addresses and place of work. That should take care of them…lol.
On a side note, I followed your recipe on paksiw na lechon ( Oct.11, 2005 ) and roast beef ( Dec. 22,2006) + potatoes and veggies in goose fat ( May 24, 2009 ) on 2 occasions over the Christmas Holidays. They were such big hits we need to do a second round.
Thank you so much for sharing to us your passion.
Kind Regards.
J
Ay, bitin! As I was reading through it, I was waiting for the portion where you will post a copy of that e-mail that made you write this entry…..
I have said this before and say it again: “if you have nothing good to say about something, might as well not say anything at all.” This has effectively shut up a lot of evil minds and mouths around me.
Attention: All nasty , virulent and rude people: You are not welcome here! Good of you, MM, to give them fair warning!
another Hater MM? LOL
I know that if you are working in a company owned by foreigner that your IP will show that you are somewhere in the US or from other part of the world, I myself is working in a callcenter in Cebu and not surprised that its showing here that I am from the US…
I just cant find any reasons why people boastthat they are from somewhere with just a simple basis that their name shows a “United States” label.
Simply shows how nasty some of us can be…
Basta truly big fan ako ni MM! I learned a lot and will learn more as I read his blog more often. It is entertaining and fun because I enjoyed it a lot, I think I can’t have enough of your wit, that includes informative comments from other readers also.
Once in a while I post my comments because I can relate with MM’s topics and even I haven’t seen him personally but just by reading his entries he seems like a well travelled and well knowledgeable big brother to me.
Thank you for sharing it with us, cheers to you MM…….hep..hep…hurray hep…hep…hurray!
Happy New Year and hoping for more of your wisdom and educated opinions.
belgin
MM,
I am always with you.
envy is the root cause of all evil.please go on with all the good that you do MM
Don’t mess with MM.
hey you MM is watching you huhuhu ahuhu
Hahahaha, it’s hard to believe but there are a lot of stupid people out there.
I told my kids, it sucks being SMART sometimes, because sometimes you’d feel you are surrounded by a lot of stupid people, tv educated people I call ’em.
MM should be thanked, by Filipinos because he’s showing a different view of how it is to enjoy a better life with class. I keep quiet when he talks about stuff I don’t eat/drink or do (lechon hehehehe – sorry it’s not kosher hehehehe Shepardic side of me). I share his enjoyment of travels and good food. MM, got taste and class and I admire him for staying in the Philippines. I hope to go back there too, soon… just got to be be patient. I am almost there hehehehe.
Anything is traceable in the WWW, even from years back if, specially a gov’t, wants to trace your every input in the internet world. Welcome to my Silicon Valley, where we could take over someone’s pc and you wouldn’t even know it hehehehehe.
Love this post!
Hahaha! Nakaka miss din ang ganitong article huh! Not that I enjoyed knowing that you are annoyed by these offensive people but honestly I really love reading the way you write your rant, loaded! Hahaha
Mr. MM, does this post mean the results of our blood tests have arrived and you need to go on a diet? Just kidding! Cheers :)
Maanghang! love the post!
people who email you with nasty remarks are not worth your while. just
toss them out and forget about them. these unhappy people have nothing
to do and their aim is to hurt others through their vicious remarks. they
can never be happy in whatever they do or read, and for special reasons,
to be happy for someone’s blessings. keep up whatever your doing, mm. there
are so many who appreciate your blog, including me. you cannot please everybody.those
type of people who do not appreciate travel, fine living and fine dining are your
so called “sour apples”…
i looooove the rant.. so true kasi!
Ha ha ha…go MM!!!
hahaha! I really like the way you counter/swing the blows, MM…quite (as they say in the fencing parlance)—clean!