KBR has blocked “Ms Sparky” from their servers
As of yesterday (March 31, 2009) MsSparky.com has been block from the vast majority of KBR’s servers and for those complaining, there’s not a damn thing I can do about it. Sorry!! KBR owns the servers and therefore can censor the info you receive….kinda like North Korea! So for those KBR employees in the US, Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait and Dubai who still want to keep up with what’s going on via MsSparky.com, here are a few suggestions.
1. For those KBR employees in the States, you will have to access MsSparky.com from home, Starbucks or any other system. For those in the Middle East, access MsSparky.com from the internet in your room if you have it. Be a good co-worker and copy and save it as a PDF so it can not be changed and then attach it to an email and send it to your friends via their non KBR email accounts, ie Yahoo, Hotmail, Gmail etc. If KBR is even still allowing you access those. Sending a “link” for MsSparky.com won’t work. You must copy the text of the post.
2. Try accessing MsSparky.com from a non KBR computer. Try a military MWR, military office or another contractors server or a friends internet access from their room.
3. Ask someone from the States to read MsSparky.com, copy it, save as a PDF and send it to you if possible.
4. I will be setting up an email list to send out “text only” copies of my posts. Unfortunately is won’t include comments. If you would like to leave a comment on those posts, just email me your comment and I will add it myself.
5. If you would like to be on that email list, send me an email via the “Contact Us” page (tab at top on right) or mssparky@mssparky.com. I am the only one that can see your email address. Give me a couple of days to get this going. If you have a specific question ask it and I will try to answer it for you.
6. You can continue to send information to mssparky@mssparky.com or the “Contact Us” page if you have access. Or, print it and mail it to DJ Crawford, PO Box 1278, Battle Ground, WA 98604.
I am going to look into cross posting my posts at other sites. I’ll let you know. I suspect that KBR will block those as well.
All I can say is….we must be doing something right.
Keep those cards and letters coming!! LOL
Friday, May 1st 2009 at 6:14 pm |
I’m surprised it took them this long to do it Ms Sparky!!!
Another option is to use proxy site to access your site. KBR was pretty good about blocking most of them, but there are several out there.
Maybe some IT guru could chime in with some better options too?
Sunday, May 30th 2010 at 2:27 pm |
At the moment I can’t guru this issue, but I can be a mirror. MsSparky, if you’d like I would be happy to welcome you as an author. You could on a regular basis post a summary of what’s going on.
htt://anti-vigilante.blogspot.com
Leave a comment in today’s Centrifuge article or send me a message and I will add you as an author.
Monday, May 4th 2009 at 1:01 am |
We also have the phone, what better way to hear your loved ones voice than having them read the latest good stuff and also a perfect way to teach young kids to read, give them something that everyone wants to hear and they will pick it up far easier.
I would suggest cutepdf or pdfdirect for free PDF conversion programs and the portableapps.com utility gives you a small PDF reader on a thumb drive which takes up no space and leaves no traces of reading or converting.
As the crazy Europeans are tunneling through the Alps they have only rock to contend with, we have the real hard stuff, we have KBR up against us.
Ms Sparky’s Response:
What a great family time activity!! If your kids are going to read it to you, I may have to clean it up a bit. Sometimes I get a “potty” mouth! Not super bad.
Monday, May 4th 2009 at 7:26 pm |
My husband can’t get you anymore either. They must be afraid of something. He got your email and I updated him. I’ll keep him posted. Thanks for keeping us posted.
Tuesday, May 5th 2009 at 7:07 pm |
Nice try….I am not going to let you intimidate KBR employees here so I am going to edit your comment. Ms Sparky
Links to mssparky were recently circulated via internal email. Nothing sinister, mind you, just current employees gossiping about their own company. (edited) but mssparky has also been printing a lot of employees names. Makes sense for them to block it at work. They’re lucky that a lot more isn’t blocked.
Ms Sparky’s Response:
They are not employee names per say….these are managers. PPM’s, PM’s, DPM’s. If they can’t take the heat they need to forgo those major salaries. Yeah…you just keep clamping down and treating people like crap and firing people. Even if they can’t get to my site from Theater they can definitely get to my site when they get back to the States. And as you know there are no shortages of those people with volumes of info.
KBR you are your own worst enemy!
Wednesday, May 6th 2009 at 9:47 am |
Let talk about the HR department? I’m sure there are many people that have some good stories here.
Ms Sparky’s Response:
HR….our HR was mostly just a travel department. Employee issues were just ignored, I just think that was the company policy.
Thursday, May 7th 2009 at 7:02 pm |
re: (edited)
Wow, I thought I was providing you some insider info. You have no idea who your friends are, so I’ll just keep quiet.
Ms Sparky’s Resposne:
If your are going to be “Ann Onymous” I can not call you friend or foe. Email me. Your information was informative, but I felt publishing it intimidating for my KBR readers in the Middle East. KBR intimidates and and threatens them enough.
Thursday, May 7th 2009 at 7:43 pm |
I’d say go ahead and post it, nothing wrong with an open forum, might help to draw some attention to your site too if word spreads in Iraq or Afgh. of a flame war on http://www.mssparky.com
KBR is also notorious for withholding information and controlling the flow of information… You created your blog to speak freely right? I think your visitors should have the same opportunity.
Ms Sparky’s Response:
I do have my limits. I don’t allow people to trash victims or alleged victim as well. But, it just came across as an intimidation tactic directed at the people in theater. Right now they have to sneak around to read. I’m trying to minimize their stress. Plus that commenter was using “admin@mssparky.com” as their email address.
Something just seemed off.
Saturday, May 9th 2009 at 9:45 am |
We found where and how to access Ms Sparky. The word is getting out fast. Its kind of sad we have to sneak around to read a blog to get info. To bad KBR wasn’t as up front with information.
Sunday, May 30th 2010 at 10:51 pm |
The Russians built the Berlin Wall to isolate the east and couldn’t stop the “Voice of America” radio program, they will never stop your blog as sure as the sun rises in the east and sets in the west.
“The jaws of power are always open to devour, and her arm is always stretched out, if possible, to destroy the freedom of thinking, speaking, and writing.”
John Adams
LONG LIVE THE FIRST ADMENDMENT
Monday, May 31st 2010 at 6:24 am |
I’ve gotten more hits from KBR employees since they blocked me! Where there’s a will there’s away. Just google proxy servers or proxy sites. They can’t block them all and new ones spring up everyday.