Douglas Adams once said that the problem in trying to design a foolproof system is that we too often underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools.
For years, computer scientists have tried to design systems that would filter out junk e-mail, spam blockers en parlance. However, the junk e-mailers constantly invent new ways to appear to the spam blocker as non-junk mail. They do this by including the writings of profound philosophers into the body of the message. Here is an example, verbatim:
At the same time, 'that a mother who could thus sacrifice her children
for the preservation of her own life, was no longer fit to live.' The
man was committed to prison, but the Emperor subsequently granted him a
pardon." The tame wolf at the Jardin des Plantes, is described by M.
Frederic Cuvier, in the following manner:--"This animal was brought up
as a young dog, became familiar with every person whom he was in the
habit of seeing, and in particular followed his master everywhere,
evincing chagrin at his absence, obeying his voice, and showing a degree
of submission, scarcely differing in any respect from that of the most
thoroughly domesticated dog. His master being obliged to be absent for a
time, presented his pet to the Jardin des Plantes, where the animal,
confined in a den, continued disconsolate, and would scarcely take his
food. At length, however, his health returned; he became attached to his
keepers, and appeared to have forgotten all his former affection; when,
after eighteen months, his master returne
This particular message had an image attached that turned out to be only an advertisement for three popular "male enhancement" products.
Oh, how I love technology.