The world's most-read Scottish politics website

Wings Over Scotland


Exciting Benchmark Reviews update!

Posted on July 22, 2010 by

Wow. I got home from a poker game in the early hours of this morning, and idly wondered if busted shill/"executive editor" Olin Coles might have replied to my polite request for his side of the story with regard to his hopelessly dishonest excuse for a website. What I found was that Mr Coles had instead chosen to post on the Benchmark Reviews forum, in a thread entitled "Forever banned: Hall of Shame". The thread describes itself thus:

"Like any writer, our work comes under fire from time to time. Most of the criticism is taken to heart and used to improve future work, but occasionally the critic can go overboard and begin making personal threats and accusations. This thread is intended to show our visitors that their accusations and threats do not remain anonymous."

I had of course made no threats whatsoever, made an enquiry rather than an accusation, and had invited them to offer an explanation using my real name, not anonymously. Benchmark Reviews' response to being caught red-handed printing press releases under the guise of a review, however, was to not only ban me from their site, but to publish my name, address, email address and phone number, implicitly inviting people to harass me or worse.

It's hard to imagine a guiltier response, or a more cowardly one. I think we can safely assume  from this deranged outburst  of panic that we've caught Benchmark Reviews with their grubby little hands right in the cookie jar.

0 to “Exciting Benchmark Reviews update!”

  1. Gabe says:

    Of course, publishing 'your' details is only punishment for you *if* that site had thousands of fans, outraged at your activity, and baying for blood.
    Alas, I fear that the community in question is as numerous/motivated as the South Hobart scarf knitters forum.

    Reply
  2. Damian says:

    … Darius Burst?

    Reply
  3. Cook says:

    Very scummy and childish move by BS Reviews. I don't see how they thought this tantrum would do anything other than make them look more guilty.
     
    I'll be sure to remember just what kind of people are behind that site and warn others.

    Reply
  4. The Nixon Administration says:

    Ironically, I'd never even heard of Benchmark Reviews before this farce, but Olin Coles is clearly a prize crapweed.
    I did a very cursory Google search of his name to see if there was more corking material out there, and (apart from a Facebook user photo that tells you pretty much everything you need to know), it transpires he's on LinkedIn – turns out he's ex-military (having "left" the Marines in unexplained circumstances in 2002).  Explains an awful lot, including the repeated use of terminology like "dishonourable discharge" to describe banning someone from a forum that discusses reviews of computer equipment and chairs.

    Reply
  5. Lenny says:

    Isn't publishing somebody's name, address and other contact details a breach of the Data Protection Act?

    Reply
  6. Rev. Stuart Campbell says:

    Almost certainly. His webhosts (VPSlink.com) have a totally broken contact page, sadly.

    Reply
  7. Irish Al says:

    Vpslink.com is registered by enom.com
     
    link to enom.com

     

    Reply


Comment - please read this page for comment rules. HTML tags like <i> and <b> are permitted. Use paragraph breaks in long comments. DO NOT SIGN YOUR COMMENTS, either with a name or a slogan. If your comment does not appear immediately, DO NOT REPOST IT. Ignore these rules and I WILL KILL YOU WITH HAMMERS.


  • About

    Wings Over Scotland is a thing that exists.

    Stats: 6,787 Posts, 1,222,162 Comments

  • Recent Posts

  • Archives

  • Categories

  • Tags

  • Recent Comments

    • Mark Beggan on According As We Need Them: “I will sleep like a sedated log. Knowing that those three self appointed terrorists are locked up in the Govan…Jul 17, 19:21
    • agent x on According As We Need Them: “@ breeks “Super-container port plan at Scapa Flow wins backing Plans to build a container ship gateway to Europe in…Jul 17, 19:15
    • Hatey McHateface on According As We Need Them: “Ah, c’moan noo, Aidan. Stereotypically, we Scots are famously lacking in teeth – what we could perhaps call “dentally challenged”.…Jul 17, 19:12
    • Hatey McHateface on According As We Need Them: “You don’t know what “hight” means, NC? Odd. It’s easy enough to find online. But do tell us true. Are…Jul 17, 18:59
    • Aidan on According As We Need Them: “I appreciate that what I said may seem like a personal attack even though I didn’t name you. I’ll leave…Jul 17, 18:50
    • Northcode on According As We Need Them: “My Tercet – almost – of the Day: AI Dan; The clue is in the name, the artifeecially smert; Artifeecial…Jul 17, 18:43
    • Northcode on According As We Need Them: ““…your posts will achieve new hights of wonder and delight for us readers” Envy is a terrible sin… and a…Jul 17, 18:39
    • Hatey McHateface on According As We Need Them: “I missed this earlier. Strong, the disappointment is, in me. Still, NC, why not use “thocht” or even “ween”? Even…Jul 17, 18:28
    • Hatey McHateface on According As We Need Them: ““an alley to trans people but also an alley to women” The seeker after [REDACTED] would do well to stroll…Jul 17, 18:20
    • twathater on According As We Need Them: “You Posted, “You’ll just look like the other unemployment daytime drinker shopping channel serial masturbaters that seem to lurk on…Jul 17, 18:16
    • Hatey McHateface on According As We Need Them: ““don’t … contribute financially or socially to Scotland or Scots” And you do, TH? You’ve really swallowed the “assistance” line…Jul 17, 18:12
    • Hatey McHateface on According As We Need Them: ““as a wee mid-week treat for one” There ye gang, NC, fixed it fer ye. Pamper yersel soon!Jul 17, 18:07
    • Hatey McHateface on According As We Need Them: ““Governments aren’t really interested in the health and welfare of the poorest” By a remarkable coincidence, neither are most people.…Jul 17, 17:58
    • Hatey McHateface on According As We Need Them: “But first we have to understand why the oh-so-nice, touchy-feely, generous, warm, welcoming BRICS luvvies would be so mean as…Jul 17, 17:47
    • Hatey McHateface on According As We Need Them: “Sam always likes to fret about this kind of thing, all the while choosing to ignore the immense and accelerating…Jul 17, 17:29
    • Hatey McHateface on According As We Need Them: “@Northcode Strong, the fight is in this one, while the pseudonym holds fast, and the bedroom curtains tightly shut out…Jul 17, 17:13
    • Hatey McHateface on According As We Need Them: ““moved to Glasgow” Are there no depths of hideous depravity to which the abusive, coercive state apparatus will not sink?…Jul 17, 17:02
    • Northcode on According As We Need Them: “In the interests of harmonious relations between the two parties to a hoax union, or alternatively ‘The Union That Never…Jul 17, 15:52
    • Northcode on According As We Need Them: ““…so you are willing to say to the face of any English neighbours ‘you are a plundering colonial occupier please…Jul 17, 15:10
    • Rev. Stuart Campbell on According As We Need Them: ““The latest poll (IPSOS) of voting intentions for Holyrood has the SNP at 31%, “Other” (Alba, Liberation, ISP, etc.) at…Jul 17, 15:02
    • Aidan on According As We Need Them: “@Mark – I love the way it’s described as “damaged a fence” as if it was some kind of innocent…Jul 17, 14:57
    • Northcode on According As We Need Them: ““But to most people I suspect, what you are rationalising is bigotry, plain and simple. This is why I find…Jul 17, 14:43
    • Mark Beggan on According As We Need Them: “It’s reality time for the Lefty do gooders. Terrorists forfeit their rights.Jul 17, 14:02
    • Southernbystander on According As We Need Them: “Right, so you are willing to say to the face of any English neighbours ‘you are a plundering colonial occupier…Jul 17, 13:33
    • Aidan on According As We Need Them: “That’s a fair summary – Xaracen is at least engagable, if wrongJul 17, 13:32
    • Marie on According As We Need Them: “Correct. I remember reading The Black Report decades ago about the shocking differences in morbidity and mortality between rich and…Jul 17, 13:31
    • Aidan on According As We Need Them: “Even if we took your view that life expectancy dipped from 2011 rather than 2010 (although the data does not…Jul 17, 13:22
    • sam on According As We Need Them: “Aidan You say: “namely that the causal impact must at least in part be caveated against the fact that life…Jul 17, 12:39
    • Captain Caveman on According As We Need Them: “Sam’s a dullard cut ‘n paste merchant and troll, but he’s actually one of the “better” correspondents if you can…Jul 17, 12:33
    • Aidan on According As We Need Them: “Oh it’s another cult member, they really do seem to make their way out of the woodwork don’t they. I…Jul 17, 11:40
  • A tall tale



↑ Top