Do Not Post Images From Rotten.com and Foo.ca

[I Am Not A Mod]

Hello everyone.

Occasionally we have had to point this out to people on threads, but I don't think the word is getting around because it keeps happening.

Some Freepers like posting images on Free Republic, which is fine by me. Some are absolutely hilarious.

And some Freepers like to go to Rotten.com to look at the graphics there, and then decide to post them to threads here.

The problem is that Rotten.com hates us, and hates conservatives. Whoever it is over there likens us to nazis.

When one posts an image from rotten.com on a thread, it may look normal on that user's computer, if the image is in the user's cache. However, for all the other users, the image won't be what the poster intended. The rotten.com server sees that the img request came from Free Republic, and swaps it out with something else. Sometimes it is porn (of the more vile sort, to be honest). Sometimes it is a picture of a rotting corpse with some text calling us gun-freak nazis who love female corpses.

So please do us a favor, and yourself a favor too since others might think that you intended to post whatever graphic ends up being displayed, and avoid rotten.com when posting to Free Republic.

And if you want to still give them your traffic by visiting their site despite the fact that they hate your guts, that is your own business and I really couldn't care less.

Thanks!

Update: While Rotten.com does indeed do this to us, and while rotten.com was the source of the picture that was involved, the site that did the switch this time was foo.ca.

Here is the image they swapped:

Click to see it- warning, it is gross.

Given the name of the URL, I am guessing it was the pic of the lady golfer kissing the trophy she won.

---

Got a freepmail that has a good tip in it:

"When one posts an image from rotten.com on a thread, it may look normal on that user's computer, if the image is in the user's cache."

A slick and foolproof way to avoid this problem with any site is to search for images with a different browser than the browser in which one is posting.

I search in Explorer and post in Safari. Nothing from Explorer goes into my Safari cache, so whatever image I preview in Safari will be exactly as the rest of the forum will see it. Works for all browsers and all websites. Also provides protection against the Red X, "hosted by tripod," etc.

I thought of posting this on the thread, but it's already 100 replies, and would probably get lost. Perhaps a re-edit wit this tip might be useful.

Thanks to the always helpful Sabertooth for that handy tip!

[Neets]

That is beyond disgusting.

[NYC GOP Chick]

OMG! I have a strong stomach, but that is just too much! Where do these freaks find such awful pics?!

[LoneRangerMassachusetts]

Mon Dieu, The sheriff accidentally cataloged Mr Jackson's race as black. Can't law enforcement get anything right.

[petuniasevan]

Don't be surprised. Not only are there any number of sick freaks who get their jollies from putrid stuff like this, but also there is a legitimate source for some of it: forensics.

Many years ago my dad was looking into going into law enforcement (ultimately he didn't) and he brought home study books. One of them contained large color photos of various homicide victims. Of course I had to see (I was 18).

I can tell you right now that it's not pretty to see a drowned corpse or a close-range shotgun blast victim.

[hellinahandcart]

I still see Michael Jackson.

[hellinahandcart]

Oh sheesh, never mind, I see what you mean. (slapping self)

[Lead Moderator]

LOL!

[NYC GOP Chick]

Oh, I know and understand all that, but I was referring to the gratuitous use and publishing of crap like that for entertainment purposes. I'm certainly not particularly squeamish (I mean, I'm from NYC and used to work in an Emergency Room), but that's just so unnecessary, IMO.

[Ciexyz]

I checked out rotten.com in the past and after viewing their garbage, it always made me want to take a bath to wash the dirt off.

[Lead Moderator]

Thank you for doing it. You are doing a great job!

[William Terrell]

Oh sheesh, never mind, I see what you mean. (slapping self)

Is there something I'm missing?

[Quilla]

Click to read article or refresh first page of thread.

[Quilla]

Oh, and I'll understand perfectly if you don't thank me. ;-)

[Lead Moderator]

No, the Jackson pic has not changed. (yet, if it will)

I pinged hellina back to the thread because I had found the URL to the swapped image that was reported this morning, and had updated the body of the thread (at the top) accordingly). Hellina thought the ping meant the MJ picture had changed already. It didn't.

[hellinahandcart]

Lead Mod meant he changed the article body when he said "See above". There's now a URL to the picture that was swapped in earlier.

The other picture is still Michael Jackson.

(And he still doesn't look much better than the female corpse, if you ask me...)

[jmax]

I don't mean to sound dumb, but what does the picture on your profile (About Me Page) represent? Can't figure it out.

[mabelkitty]

Anybody with half a brain could figure out that Free Republic users are hated by Clinton fans - R.com are Clinton fans (both types).

[RosieCotton]

Some of us like to be warned. One of the worst days of my life was when I posted two or three images from one of these places that does image swapping...the original pictures were funny, the substituted pictures were obscene. It was horrible, embarrassing, and took awhile to get the posts pulled and remved from My Comments.

I would much rather have known beforehand. I'd say that goes for a lot of us.