Robby Todino The Time Travel Spammer

rmt,

Ummm...according to your profile you're a sci-fi writer. I have to assume that you're researching this subject with the intent of writing a sci-fi novel. And you want us to do the grunt work - for free - to research the story for you.

Have I missed anything so far?

IMy question is why would we really want to dredge up the name of a hoaxer who is also a criminal spammer and bring it to the forum for no other purpose that to help you write a novel?

Don't get pissed - just convince me that there's a good reason for doing what you propose (other than to help you write a book) and let me in on the reason.
 
I just checked with Google which says it has (gasp!) 18,000 hits on Robert (Robby) Todino with several WIRED articles including an interview with Robert Sr.

Horse biscuits often look a little like balls (referring to the one in our court). /ttiforum/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
rmt,
I don’t think that the fact that he was a criminal spammer, or even a criminal for stealing credit cards number through fake websites, changes the fact that he claimed to have somehow travelled in time, and still was claiming that after being found out.
Click to expand...
Well... it may not change the fact that he made these claims, but don't you think the FACT that he is, indeed, a criminal would have some bearing on whether or not you can trust anything he claims? I am feeling quite a sense of deja vu here, because I think I asked a simiarly-framed question of Pamela not too long ago. Of course, rather than answer, she simply tried to paint me as evil and dark....

But perhaps I can ask you... Let me put it in the form of a hypothetical question that I would ask any reasonable person who I presume to have a reasonable amount of common sense:

Question: If you were to find out that someone has been trying to scam you (for whatever reason, money, confidence, etc.) and they have been charged and even convicted of this crime, would you believe them if they told you "I was only doing it to send money and aid to all the starving children in the world"?

This pretty much sums up the entire issue I have with "believers" (or wanna-be believers) of alleged time travelers who cannot provide even reasonable amounts of proof of their claims. It would seem many folks who come and go on this board are all too ready to simply "suspend disbelief" and immediately adopt belief, or at least not be too worried about seeking some validation or verification before they choose to think "he could be telling the truth!"

I, for one, don't believe the old quote that "a sucker is born every minute." I don't think suckers are born. I think they evolve. And I think they evolve out of laziness... out of a willingness to not look at things critically, and ask questions, and demand evidence that something someone says is true, is indeed true.

RMT
 
Roland,

For my part I have to say that the "Todino" hook doesn't inspire me nor does the "I'm a writer" hook inspire me.

We post here because we enjoy posting, we enjoy writing and we enjoy the topics that we choose to write about.

What has not been so enjoyable is watching Ben Z, Larry Haber, Group Titor and the John Titor Foundation make money off of our efforts. Therefore I'm not all that hot to trot to assist yet another script writer.

I receive about four emails every week from novelists and script writers asking me to give them the "inside scoop" about Titor so that they can continue to write their stories. I generally refer them to the good offices of Larry Haber and wish them good luck with the copyright and derivitive works issues.

In the case of Todino I have no interest at all in doing anything that creates a cult worship status for a spammer and hoaxer. You speak French. My suggestion - take it to a French language forum and have fun.

And, by the way, I'm fully aware of how to "evolve" an Internet time travel story into a cult worship sensation. The Team has been there and done that already...with a story that was yesterday's dead fish that had been dead for almost a year. Can you guess what story that was?
 
Roland,

I received your email. I won't re-post what we discussed therein other than to say this here:

My opinions are just that - mine. I don't have any desire to get involved with Todina but that doesn't mean that others can't be convinced to get interested.

I understand that you've said that the fact that you're a writer of fiction doesn't mean that you intend to use the forum members' efforts as a free research tool for a book should they decide to start looking into Todino.

But I'd appreciate it if you would understand that we've been so used in the past and that I am a bit of a skeptic when it comes to subsequent writers who might also use our forums in that manner. My words on these forums are not for sale and are not for use in someone's for profit venture. They are there for anyone who wants to read them in this otherwise free medium.

So, post away and have fun. Don't let my opinion be your guide.

Thanks

P.S.: There is an exception to the issue of "subsequent writers" who are or have been on the forum. Peter Novak is a writer. Peter and I rarely agree on anything. But I would have no problem with getting involved with a topic started by Peter because I don't believe that he would rip-off the topic for a book after having used the members' free efforts. First, I believe that if he had any such intention that he'd say so before hand. Second, he'd be in there doing at least his fair share of the grunt work.
 
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