Like most geeky libertarian policy guys, I had big plans for this Valentine’s Day: curling up on the couch with a cheap bottle of wine, a big bag full of Oreos, and the archives of the Libertarian Girl weblog. Alas, Catallarchy’s Micha Ghertner has ruined my night by revealing that LG’s photo was lifted from a Ukrainian mail order bride page. I’ve been officially had.
I’m not angry though. It was an excellent hoax and, as my flatmate and I discussed, taking model photos from Eastern European personal ads and posting them on one’s sidebar to increase traffic is an established practice in the blogging world. In fact, even one of D.C.’s most respected bloggers has resorted to this underhanded maneuver. I have uncovered incontrovertible proof that the supposed “Will Wilkinson” is none other than Vanko, a Ukrainian acrobat who’s looking for a little love (and a kidney):

Will Wilkinson, blogger

Vanko, Ukrainian mail order husband
Need further proof? Just examine Vanko’s complete profile:
http://www.russian-men.net/husbands/nr8357.shtml
I rest my case.




Does that qualify me to be a geeky Libertarian policy guy?
Comment by Mike — February 14, 2005 @ 11:13 am
I was going to click on that link but I unfortunately the network Firewall guys at my job all know me and I would never ever live it down. I’ll forever be tagged as “Russian Manlover” or something more incidious.
The fact that Bloggers are using fake pics is disturbing. I mean, what’s next? Those poor Nigerians that I send money to are fake?
Comment by Doug — February 14, 2005 @ 3:02 pm
Mike, we’re a big tent philosophy. Consider yourself in. Just drop the capital “L”, ok?
Doug, I agree that you should limit your Russian mail order husband hunting to when you’re not at work.
Comment by Jacob — February 14, 2005 @ 5:49 pm
I am very intersted.
Send me emails please.
Mike
Comment by vincent — August 4, 2005 @ 5:46 am