From editor@telecom-digest.org Wed Dec 1 16:40:07 2004 Received: (from ptownson@localhost) by massis.lcs.mit.edu (8.11.6p3/8.11.6) id iB1Le7e28168; Wed, 1 Dec 2004 16:40:07 -0500 (EST) Date: Wed, 1 Dec 2004 16:40:07 -0500 (EST) From: editor@telecom-digest.org Message-Id: <200412012140.iB1Le7e28168@massis.lcs.mit.edu> X-Authentication-Warning: massis.lcs.mit.edu: ptownson set sender to editor@telecom-digest.org using -f To: ptownson Approved: patsnewlist Subject: TELECOM Digest V23 #576 TELECOM Digest Wed, 1 Dec 2004 16:40:00 EST Volume 23 : Issue 576 Inside This Issue: Editor: Patrick A. Townson China Blocking Access to Google News Site - Watchdog (Lisa Minter) Re: CA DMV Chief Backs Tax by Mile (Justin Time) Viper Networks VoIP (sorry_no_email@yahoo.com) Friendster, EHarmony Ink Exclusive Matchmaking Deal (Lisa Minter) 'Blog' Tops U.S. Dictionary's Words of the Year (Lisa Minter) Re: Trial Shows How Spammers Operate (Geoffrey Welsh) Re: Trial Shows How Spammers Operate (Steve Sobol) Re: Trial Shows How Spammers Operate (Scott Dorsey) Spam! VOIP is the Future, Make Millions From it (Brad McClain) Report: FTTP Growing by Leaps and Bounds (Telecom DailyLead From USTA) Re: AuJoe Introduces Pay Per Call (Steve Sobol) Lingo VOIP Sucks (Garth NoSpam) Re: Fuses on Telephone Pole (Fred) Hateful, Evil Spam! From: Marc in Iraq (marc whoever) Telecom and VOIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) Digest for the Internet. All contents here are copyrighted by Patrick Townson and the individual writers/correspondents. Articles may be used in other journals or newsgroups, provided the writer's name and the Digest are included in the fair use quote. By using -any name or email address- included herein for -any- reason other than responding to an article herein, you agree to pay a hundred dollars to the recipients of the email. =========================== Addresses herein are not to be added to any mailing list, nor to be sold or given away without explicit written consent. Chain letters, viruses, porn, spam, and miscellaneous junk are definitely unwelcome. We must fight spam for the same reason we fight crime: not because we are naive enough to believe that we will ever stamp it out, but because we do not want the kind of world that results when no one stands against crime. Geoffrey Welsh =========================== See the bottom of this issue for subscription and archive details and the name of our lawyer; other stuff of interest. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Lisa Minter Subject: China Blocking Access to Google News Site - Watchdog Date: Wed, 1 Dec 2004 11:44:18 EST BEIJING (Reuters) - China is blocking access to the Web site Google News, media watchdog Reporters Without Borders said on Tuesday, and accused the U.S.-based company of being complicit by filtering its Chinese-language site. The Paris-based group said the government had been blocking Google's English-language Web site (www.news.google.com) for about 10 days, after the company launched a Chinese-language version that removed politically sensitive reports. Attempts by Reuters to access the site in China on Tuesday resulted in a search freeze. "China is censoring Google News to force Internet users to use the Chinese version of the site which has been purged of the most critical news reports," Reporters Without Borders said in a statement. "By agreeing to launch a news service that excludes publications disliked by the government, Google has let itself be used by Beijing," it said. Google News launched it its Chinese version in September and agreed not to list certain news on the site, Reporters Without Borders said. The practice is also common to popular Chinese Web portals, including Sina.com, Sohu.com and NetEase.com, which patrol their sites to delete politically sensitive comments. China's Internet market is expected to grow to 111 million subscribers by year-end and is considered a medium for free expression, but the government has in past jailed people for Web postings. It has also created a special cyber police force to monitor sites, servers and registrars. *** FAIR USE NOTICE. This message contains copyrighted material the use of which has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. This Internet discussion group is making it available without profit to group members who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information in their efforts to advance the understanding of literary, educational, political, and economic issues, for non-profit research and educational purposes only. I believe that this constitutes a 'fair use' of the copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law. If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use,' you must obtain permission from the copyright owner, in this instance, Reuters News Service. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml ------------------------------ From: a_user2000@yahoo.com (Justin Time) Subject: Re: CA DMV Chief Backs Tax by Mile Date: 1 Dec 2004 09:52:38 -0800 Organization: http://groups.google.com Monty Solomon wrote in message news:: > New appointee has advocated a levy based on how much and where > motorists drive. Idea is gaining support, but privacy advocates worry. > By Robert Salladay > Times Staff Writer > SACRAMENTO - Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Monday appointed a new > Department of Motor Vehicles director who has advocated taxing > motorists for every mile they drive -- by placing tracking devices in > their cars. > The idea would mean a significant overhaul of how California collects > taxes to maintain its often-crumbling roads. Under the plan, the state > gas tax -- now 18 cents a gallon -- would be replaced with a tax on > every mile traveled by each car and truck. > The notion has not been endorsed by Schwarzenegger but is gaining > acceptance among transportation and budget experts. As Californians > drive increasingly more fuel-efficient cars, state officials are > alarmed that the gasoline tax will not raise enough money to keep up > with road needs. > Charging people for the miles they drive also worries some owners of > hybrid cars, because it could wipe out any gas-tax savings they now > enjoy. > Dan Beal, managing director of public policy for the Automobile Club > of Southern California, said altering the system would remove one > incentive to buying new-technology hybrid cars like the Toyota Prius, > because its owner would pay the same fuel tax as a Hummer owner. > http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-dmv16nov16,0,5985536.story Duhh! Somebody needs to teach this reporter about taxes and how they are levied and collected. "Charging people for the miles they drive also worries some owners of hybrid cars, because it could wipe out any gas-tax savings they now enjoy. Dan Beal, managing director of public policy for the Automobile Club of Southern California, said altering the system would remove one incentive to buying new-technology hybrid cars like the Toyota Prius, because its owner would pay the same fuel tax as a Hummer owner." "The idea would mean a significant overhaul of how California collects taxes to maintain its often-crumbling roads. Under the plan, the state gas tax -- now 18 cents a gallon -- would be replaced with a tax on every mile traveled by each car and truck." If the tax is on the gasoline the vehicle consumes, isn't the "fuel efficient" Prius paying the same 18 cents per gallon the "gas guzzler" Hummer pays or am I missing something here? I thought the savings came into play because the Prius used less gasoline - which is taxed - to travel the same distance than the Hummer. The consumer is not saving anything on the gas tax, they are saving because they consume less, that makes it a consumption tax. Now the plan being proposed is still a consumption tax, but instead of fuel they are proposing it on the amount of asphalt and concrete used. Just my thoughts. Rodgers Platt ------------------------------ From: sorry_no_email@yahoo.com Subject: Viper Networks VoIP Date: 1 Dec 2004 10:29:07 -0800 Organization: http://groups.google.com After a poor experience with a Lingo VoIP that I had to return because it never worked with my RCN cable modem service, I am hesitant to try the following product from Viper Networks: http://vipernetworks.com/xcart/customer/product.php?productid=1&cat=&page=# We call Ireland a lot and currently use a service called TBC Card that is 3 cents a minute. This Viper phone is less than that, and I like the fact you only pay for what you use. Funny thing is USA domestic calls are more than calls to Ireland. I guess the two main questions I have are would this work with our RCN cable modem service, and what happens if the company goes out of business. Are we just SOL? Not expecting any answers here, but I wanted to post for the record. BrianEWilliams ------------------------------ From: Lisa Minter Subject: Friendster, EHarmony Ink Exclusive Matchmaking Deal Date: Wed, 1 Dec 2004 11:42:36 EST SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Online dating service eHarmony will provide exclusive matchmaking services to Friendster, an site that helps people meet for love or activities, the companies said on Tuesday. Picture Perfect How to choose the right mate. In October, eHarmony had 3.2 million unique visitors and was the fifth most-visited online dating site behind such providers as Yahoo Personals which had 6.2 million unique visitors, and the Match.com network, which had almost 5.5 million unique visitors, according to comScore Media Metrix. Friendster had 945,000 unique visitors in October, comScore said. The tie-up between eHarmony and Friendster comes as competition in the online dating sector intensifies, forcing sector participants to get bigger and find new ways to stand out in a crowd. Consumer spending on online personals was $325.3 million in the first half of 2004, up from $214.3 million in the first half of last year, according to the Online Publishers Association and comScore Networks. ------------------------------ From: Lisa Minter Subject: 'Blog' Tops U.S. Dictionary's Words of the Year Date: Wed, 1 Dec 2004 11:45:39 EST BOSTON (Reuters) - A four-letter term that came to symbolize the difference between old and new media during this year's presidential campaign tops U.S. dictionary publisher Merriam-Webster's list of the 10 words of the year. Merriam-Webster Inc. said on Tuesday that blog, defined as "a Web site that contains an online personal journal with reflections, comments and often hyperlinks," was one of the most looked-up words on its Internet sites this year. Eight entries on the publisher's top-10 list related to major news events, from the presidential election -- represented by words such as incumbent and partisan -- to natural phenomena such as hurricane and cicada. Springfield, Massachusetts-based Merriam-Webster compiles the list each year by taking the most researched words on its Web sites and then excluding perennials such as affect/effect and profanity. The company said most online dictionary queries were for uncommon terms, but people also turned to its Web sites for words in news headlines. "That is what occurred in this year's election cycle ... with voluminous hits for words like 'incumbent,' 'electoral,' 'partisan,' and, of course, our number one Word of the Year, 'blog,' " Merriam-Webster President and Publisher John Morse said in a statement. Americans called up blogs in droves for information and laughs ahead of the Nov. 2 presidential election. Freed from the constraints that govern traditional print and broadcast news organizations, blogs spread gossip while also serving as an outlet for people increasingly disenchanted with mainstream media. BLOG CLOUT It was mainly on blogs that readers first encountered speculation that President Bush wore a listening device during his first debate against Democrat John Kerry. The White House, forced to respond, called it a laughable, left-wing conspiracy theory. Bloggers also were among the first to cast doubt on a CBS television news report that challenged Bush's military service. CBS later admitted it had been duped into using questionable documents for the report. Last week CBS anchor Dan Rather said he would step down in March, although the network said the move was unconnected to the scandal. A Merriam-Webster spokesman said it was not possible to say how many times blog had been looked up on its Web sites but that from July onward, the word received tens of thousands of hits per month. Blog will be a new entry in the 2005 version of the Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary, Eleventh Edition. The complete list of words of the year is available at http:/www.merriam-webster.com/info/04words.htm *** FAIR USE NOTICE. This message contains copyrighted material the use of which has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. This Internet discussion group is making it available without profit to group members who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information in their efforts to advance the understanding of literary, educational, political, and economic issues, for non-profit research and educational purposes only. I believe that this constitutes a 'fair use' of the copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law. If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use,' you must obtain permission from the copyright owners, in this instance, Merriam Webster and Reuters News Service. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml ------------------------------ From: Geoffrey Welsh Subject: Re: Trial Shows How Spammers Operate Date: Wed, 1 Dec 2004 00:55:36 -0500 Steve Sobol wrote: > Bull. The screensaver is meant to be installed on a lot of different > computers that will be used to flood spammer sites with > traffic. That's the textbook definition of a DDoS. By your definition (or your textbook's), listing an interesting story on an aggregation site such as FARK -- thus bringing many viewers who would not have otherwise viewed the page -- would qualify as a DDOS attack. I suggest that a DDOS attack is one which intends to fill either the publisher's bandwidth or its servers' connection tables with the specific intent of making the site unavailable to as many visitors as possible. That's why they call is Denial Of Service; anything which does not attempt to prevent views by others is NOT a DDOS attack. I have installed the screen saver and, if anything, I'm disappointed in how little of the available bandwidth it uses. I am certain that I could manually generate more traffic to the spammers' web sites than the screen saver does -- if I didn't have to spend several minutes between each visit determining the next site to visit. This software seems specifically designed NOT to interfere with other visitors, but simply to generate a constant level of unprofitable traffic to a large number of sites based on the theory that the spammers are being charged for the traffic they generate -- which, if it is not always true, probably will become true when the spammers' hosts discover that these sites are now generating a significant volume of traffic. I could be generating revenue for a lot more spammers' web hosts, and I'd be glad to do it. The ultimate test, of course, would be to visit the sites reported by the screen saver to verify that they are still operational. If so, then the screen saver is at least an unsuccessful DDOS, if a DDOS at all. I suggest that you find a better textbook. Or collect some facts before claiming that what others (in this case, Lycos) write is a lie. Geoffrey Welsh ------------------------------ From: Steve Sobol Subject: Re: Trial Shows How Spammers Operate Date: Wed, 01 Dec 2004 11:36:57 -0800 Organization: Glorb Internet Services, http://www.glorb.com Geoffrey Welsh wrote: >> Bull. The screensaver is meant to be installed on a lot of different >> computers that will be used to flood spammer sites with >> traffic. That's the textbook definition of a DDoS. > attack. I suggest that a DDOS attack is one which intends to fill > either the publisher's bandwidth or its servers' connection tables > with the specific intent of making the site unavailable to as many > visitors as possible. You're right. I failed to include that one part of the definition. > That's why they call is Denial Of Service; > anything which does not attempt to prevent views by others is NOT a > DDOS attack. OK. > I have installed the screen saver and, if anything, I'm disappointed > in how little of the available bandwidth it uses. My guess is that one copy is not, by itself, supposed to generate enough traffic to raise any red flags at the ISP. JustThe.net Internet & New Media Services, http://JustThe.net/ Steven J. Sobol, Geek In Charge / 888.480.4NET (4638) / sjsobol@JustThe.net PGP Key available from your friendly local key server (0xE3AE35ED) Apple Valley, California Nothing scares me anymore. I have three kids. ------------------------------ From: kludge@panix.com (Scott Dorsey) Subject: Re: Trial Shows How Spammers Operate Date: 1 Dec 2004 16:09:07 -0500 Organization: Former users of Netcom shell (1989-2000) In article , Geoffrey Welsh wrote: > Steve Sobol wrote: >> Bull. The screensaver is meant to be installed on a lot of different >> computers that will be used to flood spammer sites with >> traffic. That's the textbook definition of a DDoS. > By your definition (or your textbook's), listing an interesting story > on an aggregation site such as FARK - thus bringing many viewers who > would not have otherwise viewed the page - would qualify as a DDOS > attack. I do not know about FARK. But you could make a good argument that getting a site listed on slashdot is tantamount to a DDOS. --scott "C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis." ------------------------------ From: b_mcclain81@yahoo.com (Brad McClain) Subject: Spam! VoIP is the Future, Make Millions From It Date: 1 Dec 2004 12:13:07 -0800 Organization: http://groups.google.com Want to personally capitalize on a technology that hasn't yet hit the masses? It's VoIP-Voice over Internet Protocol. Be a part of Lightyear Communications, a full-scale telecommunications company, a major distributor of VoIP, residential phone service, long distance service, DSL, Dial-Up Internet, calling cards, and Wireless Contracts with T-mobile and Nextel. A famous radio personality Rick Dees and Chris Sullivan, the owner of Outback, Caraba's and other restaurants, have personally invested millions in this company. If they believe in this company so should you. Get involved in an incredible compensation plan. Earn money from monthly bills people are already paying. Listen to this informative 5 minute recording. Toll Free. 1-866-313-8647 Interested? Contact Brad McClain at b_mcClain81@yahoo.com Lightyear website: www.lightyearalliance.com [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Although this message, like about 80 percent of the net these days is *SPAM or SCAM*, I thought it worth noting here, since VOIP 'referrals' (another name for sales) is what I do. Oh, and I resell regular long distance as well, and directory assistance. The only 'incredible plan' I know of in telecom is in VOIP, and it is not all that great. I make 'referrals' on Vonage to people and I do not have to wait for the folks to actually use the phone and pay their bills to get my 'incredible compensation'. I get paid up front from Vonage with 'next month free' credits and although I do not figure on running out of that credit anytime soon, it is far from an 'incredible compensation plan'. All these people he names, allegedly investing millions of dollars (and implying that the casual reader of his spam will earn the same kind of money by getting involved) ... if anyone has yet to sign up with Vonage and wants to do so, they will get an e-coupon good for a month of free service by writing to me and asking. Write ptownson@massis.csail.mit.edu and ask for a Vonage e-coupon. PAT] ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 1 Dec 2004 14:15:43 EST From: Telecom dailyLead from USTA Subject: Report: FTTP Growing by Leaps and Bounds Telecom dailyLead from USTA December 1, 2004 http://www.dailylead.com/latestIssue.jsp?i=17815&l=2017006 TODAY'S HEADLINES NEWS OF THE DAY * Report: FTTP growing by leaps and bounds BUSINESS & INDUSTRY WATCH * Cingular to upgrade data network * ESPN to sell branded phone service with Sprint * Nokia gains share in handset market * Malone's Liberty Media Int'l takes control of Japan's Jupiter * Battle for core router dominance heats up * Telmex to spend $2.05 billion on network upgrade USTA SPOTLIGHT * Announcing Phone Facts Plus 2005 EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES * Here's my mobile, keep the change * "Incredibles" scores with high-tech marketing REGULATORY & LEGISLATIVE * Pennsylvania law restricts municipal telecom networks Follow the link below to read quick summaries of these stories and others. http://www.dailylead.com/latestIssue.jsp?i=17815&l=2017006 ------------------------------ From: Steve Sobol Subject: Re: Aujoe Introduces Pay-Per-Call Pricing for Live Phone Answering Date: Wed, 01 Dec 2004 11:38:50 -0800 Organization: Glorb Internet Services, http://www.glorb.com This is posted to Comp.Dcom.Telecom *and* CC'd via email to Manuj Goyal. Manuj Goyal wrote: > Contact Name: Manuj Goyal, Front Office USA LLC > Contact Phone: 212-300-0000 > Web Address: http://www.aujoe.com/ > Wilmington, DE - November 30, 2004 Aujoes Pay-Per-Call (PPC) > pricing for Live Telephone Answering and Call Center Services will > radically improve Telephone Support Services for Small To Mid Size > Companies. > Aujoe Answering Services, brought forth by Front Office USA LLC, is > managed by a team that collectively has decades of experience with > Telecom Technology, managing Call Centers and delivering Customer > Service. The unique PPC pricing plans were formulated to offer a > simpler and friendlier service for SMEs. Your service looks quite useful, but I have a nit to pick. It's not technically pay-per-call, is it? There is a per-minute fee involved too. JustThe.net Internet & New Media Services, http://JustThe.net/ Steven J. Sobol, Geek In Charge / 888.480.4NET (4638) / sjsobol@JustThe.net PGP Key available from your friendly local key server (0xE3AE35ED) Apple Valley, California Nothing scares me anymore. I have three kids. ------------------------------ From: garth@humboldt.net (Garth Nospam) Subject: Lingo Voip SUCKS! Date: 1 Dec 2004 12:06:53 -0800 Organization: http://groups.google.com LINGO SUCKS! I had two lines that I needed ported over to their service ... They strung me along for over the 30 day trial saying that they were working on it. Then they say Verizon is blocking access to the lines. I call Verizon they say that they would be happy to transfer my numbers and there is no blocking going on. I call Lingo back and they say they can't transfer my numbers due to technical limitations on their end! Then they charge me a $40 cancellation FEE!! Bastards! And they have no managers to talk with or even a mailing address! What crap. Also beware if you want to hook up a fax machine to their Voip box it has to be one that they support. Evil bastards Lingo needs to shape up get better customer service and maybe they will be worth it! ------------------------------ From: fbrack@apotex.com (Fred) Subject: Re: Fuses on Telephone Pole Date: 1 Dec 2004 11:27:47 -0800 Organization: http://groups.google.com Ned Protter wrote in message news:: > On the utility pole across the street is a box, about 20 x 8 x 1.5". > A telephone cable goes in and phone lines for the houses in the > neighborhood come out. > Six years ago I lost my telephone service when lightning struck. The > phone man climbed to the box and replaced a fuse (or two). > Has anybody else heard of those fuses? What is the box called? Where > can I learn more? That sounds like what is referred to as an outside plant terminal, probably a FC-25 or FC 50, if made by Northern Electric. It may or may not have had lightning protection, depending where you are located. More times than not, the lightning protection is at the entrance point to a residence or building, in what is referred to as a Protected Entrance Terminal (PET) or through "carbon protectors" in a small residential dmarc point. Any major telecom company will usually have an Outside Plant department or engineering group that designs and specifies these things. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 1 Dec 2004 18:48:07 +0100 From: Marc Someone via TELECOM Digest Editor Subject: Hateful, Ugly Spam! Received in my inbox today; just one of several nasty spams: > Subject: From: Marc in Iraq > Dear Sir, > With a very desperate need for assistance, I have summed up courage > to contact you. > Presently stationed in Iraq with Army and I will disclose more to you > later, I found your contact particulars in an address journal. > I am seeking your assistance to evacuate the sum of $ > 28,500,000 (Twenty eight million, five hundred thousand dollars) to your > country or any other safe country of your choice, in as much as you can > assure me that my own share will be safe in your care until I complete > my service here. This is no stolen money, and there are no dangers > involved. > SOURCE OF MONEY: During the war some money in various currencies was > asked to be packed in barrels with piles of weapons and ammunitions at a > location near one of Saddam's old palaces during a rescue operation, and > it was agreed by all party present that the money will be shared amongst > us, this was quite an illegal thing to do, but I tell you what? no > compensation can make up for the risks we have taken with our lives in > this hell hole. > The above figure was given to me as my share, and to conceal this kind > of money became a problem for me, so with the help of a German > contact here,who of course did not know the real contents, I was able to > get the package out to a safe location entirely out of trouble spot. > I have now found a secured way of getting the package out to Europe > for you to pick up, and will discuss this with you when I am sure of > your sincerity in this. > I shall be compensating you with 2 Million Dollars on final conclusion > of this project, while the rest shall be for me.Your share stays with > you while the rest shall be for me for investment purposes. > One passionate appeal I will make to you is not to discuss this > matter with a third party, should you have reasons to reject this > offer,please destroy this mail as any leakage of this information will be > too bad for us. > I do not know for how long we will remain here, and I have survived 2 > suicide bomb attacks by the special grace of God, this and other > reasons I will mention later has prompted me to reach out for help, > since like many other soldiers here I may be killed sometime soon. I > honestly want this matter to be resolved immediately. > If this proposal is acceptable by you, do not take undue advantage of > the trust I have bestowed in you, I await your urgent mail so we > can discuss more. > Respectfully, > Marc Someone > ________________________________________________ > Inviato con : > TheCentreMail - http://www.thecentre.it [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Now isn't this an especially distasteful twist on the 'help me spend my money' letter? The reference to http://www.thecentre.it was left alone by me as was the first name 'Marc'. Do whatever you wish with it. Maybe some DDOS would be a good example for them? You can get a screensaver tool to do just that from Lycos. PAT] ------------------------------ TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not exclusively to telecommunications topics. It is circulated anywhere there is email, in addition to various telecom forums on a variety of networks such as Compuserve and America On Line, Yahoo Groups, and other forums. It is also gatewayed to Usenet where it appears as the moderated newsgroup 'comp.dcom.telecom'. TELECOM Digest is a not-for-profit, mostly non-commercial educational service offered to the Internet by Patrick Townson. All the contents of the Digest are compilation-copyrighted. You may reprint articles in some other media on an occasional basis, but please attribute my work and that of the original author. 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