really simple sindication

This purpose of this blog is to debunk some fraudulent representations of me that have been popping up on the Internet since early October. I have a blog already and am trying to work my iWeb settings so that it's googleable. Apple Product Support tells me I can't do this, but I don't believe it. I think all I have to do is something with the RSS feed, but I dunno, I'm looking into it. In the meantime this Blogger-hosted blog serves as a temporary version of my permanent disclaimer.

You've probably reached this page through a link I put up on my Facebook profile, or maybe you were curious about some html appearing on the MySpace page I created in order to optimize the search-ability of this blog. Or you might’ve googled me.

(The blog finally googles…thanks, Google-bombers! I just lost all your lovely comments though by accidentally hitting ‘Save as a Draft’ after revising the March 19 post, so I’m going to ask you soon, like real soon, to re-comment so that I can get all those awesome linking algorithms back.)

The disclaimer:

If you’re a visitor who’s gotten here via a Google hit, I’d like to let you know that some of the hits surrounding it link to sites with which my name is legitimately associated-- but others will take you to sites where the appearance of my name is bogus.

Someone has been using my identity online with the express purpose of distorting my --I guess it’s called-- "online reputation.” Between the months of October and November this joker posted 154 messages to a popular dance culture message board as me.

Some of these messages are disgusting and obnoxious, and some are just stupid.


The same person subscribed to a bunch of magazines for me online then hit “Bill Me Later.” I’ve received a couple dozen magazines, followed by a couple dozen bills demanding payment. This gag’s as old and as benign as the Saturday Evening Post.

More recently, this joker started posting comments on random websites as me. Most of these comments are pretty dull and un-incriminating. One or two are even a good stab at reflecting my actual tastes in things. For example, I’m meant to have spied these online on January 17…


…and asked: “Where can I get a pair of these?" I mean, it’s true, they are pretty phresh. (Even though the old-school Puma thing, for me, is SO 1992 -- that's when the whole retro hip-hop fad had its FIRST go’round, youngsters.)

My favorite comment by “me” though is this one, posted to the guestbook of FerretsAnonymous.com: “I love ferrets and have owned them my whole life. –Farra Korshin.”

I do like ferrets.

But folks, unless it’s a comment I left on some band’s or some actress’s MySpace page to try to maximize this blog’s google-ability, I didn't post it! I never comment on web pages! And I have never heard of the online community that hosts the forum in which a ‘farrakorshin’ --featuring a male avatar in a pink shirt-- posted all kinds of things about me, some of which are true (such as my Jewish heritage, my physical appearance, the color of my car, details about my family, etc.) and some of which are not (no need to get into these here). The latter are extra vexing to me because the message board on which they appear comes up as the first hit in a Google search under my name.

I submit this disclaimer not for the sake of communicating with the person who's been doing these things—this person knows I know who (s)he is. Rather it is a message for curious new friends, or for long lost ones (three of whom have already googled me and emailed, "What the--??"). It could also serve to enlighten potential employers and future landlords (I mean, I wouldn't want to work for or rent from anybody who could not appreciate a blog entry like this one). Basically, it's for anyone who's googling people these days.

Thanks. I hope this explains things.