All things Razing Ruth

[VaSportsMom]

About the robot.txt deal ... I hate admitting this but a few years ago an ex-gf from HS sent my husband some pics that were far from appropriate. I got my hands on them and I posted them on a blog (opened for that purpose and then deleted) and emailed her the link. I was pissed and it was a poor way to deal with it but I did have enough sense to block robots from crawling the page and caching it. I don't know why RR would have utilized that tool and only on certain pages at that but there's my story.

[PokaDot]

I don't want to defend or attack RR here, but I do want to say that if it is a true story and her identity was revealed that her blog and all the speculation would follow her around the rest of her life because the internet is forever and employers do google you. Just based on that I could see someone wanting to conceal their identity. I mean, can you imagine 20 years from now a employer bringing up something you wrote about? Even if it is to expose how damaging quiverful is. That's something you'd like to leave in your past. And I feel that's perfectly acceptable.

Yes having the blog up and about is sorta "asking for it", but I don't feel we as an audience are entitled to anyone's identity anywhere.

I do, however, wish she'd take down the paypal link. But that's just me. If you don't want to donate, don't. No big deal.

*runs back to lurkdom*

[fundiefun]

I don't want to defend or attack RR here, but I do want to say that if it is a true story and her identity was revealed that her blog and all the speculation would follow her around the rest of her life because the internet is forever and employers do google you. Just based on that I could see someone wanting to conceal their identity. I mean, can you imagine 20 years from now a employer bringing up something you wrote about? Even if it is to expose how damaging quiverful is. That's something you'd like to leave in your past. And I feel that's perfectly acceptable.

Yes having the blog up and about is sorta "asking for it", but I don't feel we as an audience are entitled to anyone's identity anywhere.

I do, however, wish she'd take down the paypal link. But that's just me. If you don't want to donate, don't. No big deal.

*runs back to lurkdom*

I agree doesn't she have a job now? I started having my suspicions when things seemed to always go wrong and she would need or be short on money many times. Things just started to get very crazy with her sister getting pregnant being raised strictly ATI then giving her baby to a lesbian couple things like that.

[NurseNell]

About the robot.txt deal ... I hate admitting this but a few years ago an ex-gf from HS sent my husband some pics that were far from appropriate. I got my hands on them and I posted them on a blog (opened for that purpose and then deleted) and emailed her the link. I was pissed and it was a poor way to deal with it but I did have enough sense to block robots from crawling the page and caching it. I don't know why RR would have utilized that tool and only on certain pages at that but there's my story.

How can you tell Ruth's page has this?

[VaSportsMom]

How can you tell Ruth's page has this?

A few (or many at this point) pages back another poster discovered it by trying to locate something on her site. IIRC, they tried searching on the Wayback Machine and got a notice that a robot.txt file was used.

[wtylcf]

A few (or many at this point) pages back another poster discovered it by trying to locate something on her site. IIRC, they tried searching on the Wayback Machine and got a notice that a robot.txt file was used.

OddEverything found it. It's in a post a few pages back: viewtopic.php?f=10&p=583189#p583153

[Mustang Sally]

You can also see the robots.txt file directly here - razingruth.blogspot.com/robots.txt

[VaSportsMom]

OddEverything found it. It's in a post a few pages back: http://freejinger.org/forums/viewtopic. ... 89#p583153

Thanks! If anyone was so inclined a page by page view of the source code on her blog should show if she has blocked other posts from being crawled. I have got to cook but I will work on it later if nobody else knocks it out first.

[wtylcf]

I'm lurking on the GOMI thread and someone there has raised a very good point: so far there have been numerous people who have stepped forward and said, "oh, I gave her money once or multiple times, I offered her X and X for help, and she even has my personal phone number or other contact info for me." But there is NO ONE who has stepped forward, in light of the scam suspicions, to say "I've met Ruth personally, and I can verify some of her specific claims about her past." Ruth claims to have met some FJ members in Chicago. But no one at all from FJ has stepped forward to say they have met her in Chicago. Even the supposed "crazy stalker" who demanded to see her driver's license has not come forward, though I don't know what on earth a piece of ID would prove to anyone about their supposed story.

Even if we never have so-called conclusive evidence about Ruth's identity, I think the lack of support speaks volumes. It's just too weird that after blogging publicly about leaving fundamentalism for years, Ruth would have made no real-life connections to her support community. Some GOMI-ers point out that in one instance, a mother whose infant son had died (for real) received $13,000 in reader donations after his death. Ruth may have been raking in enough cash to support herself because of her ongoing stories of financial hardship, if she is indeed a scammer.

[hoipolloi]

Given recent "developments" the use of robots.txt files at RR's blog doesn't surprise me.

That said, I'm surprised that the concept of robots.txt files are a surprise to folks here considering how often many of our snarkees "fix up" their various blogs, websites, etc. I first ran into these things several years ago when trying to find some older entries on YLCF via the Wayback Machine.

[PokaDot]

I'm lurking on the GOMI thread and someone there has raised a very good point: so far there have been numerous people who have stepped forward and said, "oh, I gave her money once or multiple times, I offered her X and X for help, and she even has my personal phone number or other contact info for me." But there is NO ONE who has stepped forward, in light of the scam suspicions, to say "I've met Ruth personally, and I can verify some of her specific claims about her past." Ruth claims to have met some FJ members in Chicago. But no one at all from FJ has stepped forward to say they have met her in Chicago. Even the supposed "crazy stalker" who demanded to see her driver's license has not come forward, though I don't know what on earth a piece of ID would prove to anyone about their supposed story.

Even if we never have so-called conclusive evidence about Ruth's identity, I think the lack of support speaks volumes. It's just too weird that after blogging publicly about leaving fundamentalism for years, Ruth would have made no real-life connections to her support community. Some GOMI-ers point out that in one instance, a mother whose infant son had died (for real) received $13,000 in reader donations after his death. Ruth may have been raking in enough cash to support herself because of her ongoing stories of financial hardship, if she is indeed a scammer.

Yeah, I sorta agree here. While I would never want to force anyone to meet someone they "met" online, I think it would do loads for credibility for someone on FJ to go "oh yeah, we met up." That person doesn't have to share the name, or anything, just verify existence. RR claims to have met FJ people, I'd would like them just to say "yup, that was me". *shrug*

Personally, I've only ever met up with online friends once. And it was in a super public place (a sci-fi con actually). I like my privacy, and they only really got my first name out of it. So I understand the hesitancy to meet people from cyberspace.

Regarding the robots.txt file. Is that new? I don't remember. Personally I enable it all on my blogs just because I don't want google or other robots on it. I've done it for years. I don't really see it as a suspicious thing at all.

[wtylcf]

Given recent "developments" the use of robots.txt files at RR's blog doesn't surprise me.

That said, I'm surprised that the concept of robots.txt files are a surprise to folks here considering how often many of our snarkees "fix up" their various blogs, websites, etc. I first ran into these things several years ago when trying to find some older entries on YLCF via the Wayback Machine.

OT: What I wouldn't give to have Gretchen, all sweetness and light always, explain in a post how you can use robots.txt to pretend you never disowned your BFF when she got divorced and then remarried. What BFF? Bonus points if she works in the sentence, "robots.txt are just like the way Jesus forgives us for our sins; in his eyes, it's like they never happened."

[Lainey]

Dude, John Watson's therapist totally told him to blog. And then his blog became totally popular because of Sherlock. And the catchy titles. Everybody loves a mystery.

I suppose I have been living under a rock, because I have no idea what you're referring to. Watson? Sherlock? :?

[sparkplug]

Didn't Ruth reply that she had no children on a form that someone sent to her with all of these questions for ex-quiverful daughters who left the movement? Back on page 21 started all this talk of Ruth and how ofDuggar stating she had had a child. I remember Ruth's answer because she blogged about it. Supposedly it was a form sent to others as well. Does anyone remember it? Can you get a screen shot of her answers to the questions?

[formergothardite]

I suppose I have been living under a rock, because I have no idea what you're referring to. Watson? Sherlock? :?

I am so glad I'm not the only one. :embarrassed:

[PokaDot]

I suppose I have been living under a rock, because I have no idea what you're referring to. Watson? Sherlock? :?

I don't know about that blog specifically, but I've heard some therapists do say blogging is therapeutic. Personally I find it is, but I don't have nearly the audience others have (I also haven't blogged publicly in years-but there's something very therapeutic about venting and knowing others will read it-even if it is deleted or privatized later, which is what I usually wound up doing).

ETA: Even scientific american says so :-D And the NYT

[Soldevi]

I am so glad I'm not the only one. :embarrassed:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sherlock_%28TV_series%29

[Palimpsest]

Oops sorry, yes I meant GOMI. I don't usually read either one and got them confused.

The commenter who said the admin might be in on it said they used to post frequently here at FJ. Sorry for the confusion.

True. Confusion happens. I rarely read GOMI either, but I saw that post this morning. I have my own suspicions as to who that poster is/was. I deliberately did not bring it back here because I thought that if I did then I would be shit stirring to post about a shit stirrer stirring shit about FJ on another board, if you know what I mean. :shrug:

I think it is dangerous to paraphrase what people are saying about a subject this sensitive. I saw it as a faintly malicious joking post aimed mostly at the former Admin. You saw it as a statement of fact by an exFJ member and bringing it here stirred up drama a bit. To whit, Curious had to post a clarification/disclaimer.

It is probably better to post a link or give the right information to find the post itself. People can go and look for themselves if they want -- FYI, it is the Franklinator on the GOMI RR thread, page 5. There are two other posters there, possibly former FJ lurkers or posters with low counts who are feeling sad about falling for a scam who couldn't see this thread in Chatter. I felt for them, but not badly enough to register there and post!

Sorry if this sounds hand slappy. I'm just tired of unnecessary drama here and don't mean to take my frustrations out on you.

That said, I think this open discussion about the reality of Ruth is necessary drama. I hate that people are being hurt by all of this, but if it is a scam then I think it should be looked at very closely. FWIW, we don't need to know Ruth's actual identity to uncover a scam. We just need to look at the weight of the inconsistencies and make up our own minds as to how we warn others off. As individuals or, possibly, as FJ policy -- if the administration decides that is the right route.

[GryffindorFTW]

Without too much editorializing I just want to say I'm glad this discussion is taking place. I don't think it is at all inappropriate or malicious to attempt to verify claims made online, especially where money has been involved.

ETA: Obviously, any attempt to verify such a story should never involve approaching or attempting to approach the blogger in person. That is harassment. I am referring only to legitimate research and analysis, from an appropriate distance and using publicly available information...

[Mecca]

Dude, John Watson's therapist totally told him to blog. And then his blog became totally popular because of Sherlock. And the catchy titles. Everybody loves a mystery.

Maybe Sherlock can deduce the hell out of Ruth's story so we can get to the bottom of this!!

Oh, and I firmly believe Benedict Cumberbatch is dreamy.

[treemom]

My therapist encouraged blogging too.

[Peas n carrots]

Even with a KOA in Nebraska, which would a lot smaller then RMNP, how would this family know to look for her there? It's made to sound as if it was a chance thing, but I dunno.

I think Ruth mentioned this family found her by tooling around the campsite looking at cars with Cali plates with only a single young woman. Which is super creepy, but at the same time it was pretty easy by reading her post to know exactly what KOA she was staying at if you are from the area.

I wonder if the Bordens are for real too? I looked up online and there are some Bordens that live in that area.

[snarkopolis]

While I am sorry/sad? to hear that RR (won't give her the dignity of a name) has caused many of us to emotionally invest in her "well being" I think that it highlights the fundamental difference between the member of FJ and the people that are the subject of the FJ forum. Caring for others without strings attached is something these "religious, Christian? peoples we snark on on a regular basis is something THEY are unable to do. I am happier to have connected with people who are willing to show their fellow humans kindness and generosity; to invest emotionally, than I am concerned about some internet nutjob scammer who gets his/her jollies by a fraud blog about their sufferings. Screw RR. You all should take a moment and remember that the fact that you read and cared is what separates you from the Duggars, Smuggars, Maxwells, Gothardite, color by number Christian world that can only care about those like themselves. That is more important and valuable than anything else. P.S. Who will play RR in the movie, cuz it reads like a Lifetime TV event (or maybe Oprah?) to me. :wtf:

[missbrooklyn]

Casey Anthony's therapist supposedly encouraged her to blog too. And since we're bringing up suspicions about Ruth/Mary, I was a willing believer until this last blog post. No one has come forward to clam the visit. Methinks Roth/Mary is setting the stage for deleting her blog. I would need a passel o'more evidence that said visit ever occurred. Carry on...

[Lainey]

I think Ruth mentioned this family found her by tooling around the campsite looking at cars with Cali plates with only a single young woman. Which is super creepy, but at the same time it was pretty easy by reading her post to know exactly what KOA she was staying at if you are from the area.

I wonder if the Bordens are for real too? I looked up online and there are some Bordens that live in that area.

Wait...so then she DID delete the post that was talking about which campground she stayed at, right? Or was that something she also posted here? How else did they know where to look for her? She had to have mentioned somewhere that she was staying in a Nebraska campground before they knew where to find her.