TECHNOLOGY: 1AND1, a service provider, is on the RBL

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Thank you for contacting us.

We would like to inform you that our IP address is being blocked by Trend Micro. At the moment, we do not have an estimated time frame for the fix however rest assured that we are currently working on a resolution. Once we have the fix, it will be implemented to all affected customers. To ensure that your case will be taken cared of, I will be adding the details of your case to the list of affected customers. We understand that you might be anxious to have this resolved as soon as possible so thank you so much for your patience while we work on the resolution.

If you have any further questions please do not hesitate to contact us.

—

Sincerely,
Benito Enopia
Technical Support
1&1 Internet

# – # – #

Argh! The “cure” is worse that the disease. If everyone would deploy IPv6, then everyone would have an “real” ipaddress. Argh!

# # # # # posted 2011-01-06 12:19

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Posted by reinkefj

INTERESTING: Glen Beck radio dropped from WOR

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Heard, or read, that WOR was dropping the Glen Beck radio show as of 1/17.

The reason sited was “low ratings”. Is this a statement more about New York City, than the value of the Glen Beck show.

(I’m not a Beck fan boy. He’s a “conservative”; I’m a little L libertarian. So we disagree on aggression and “law”. But we do agree on fiscal issues. I listen from time to time and find him “interesting”.)

Frau Reinke said maybe they couldn’t get sponsors. That’s probably also true. To sponsor Beck, or in any way to be associated with him, is, in NYC, the kiss of death.

Sigh!

# # # # # posted 2011-01-06 08:31

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Posted by reinkefj

MONEY: Capture all your medical or job search deductions NEXT year!

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Here’s an idea of a “new year’s resolution”. First a little background. This year, my wife was diagnosed with a form of pre-leukemia. It’s been a mess in every dimension. As I sit here thinking about it, and tax time, I wish I had captured all the medical expenses. It’s just one more straw breaking my “camel’s back”. But this year, I have a strategy. I have a blank check register. I’m going to contemporaneously log every expense in the “check” register. I should be able to capture EVERY medical expense. I’ll let you know at the end of the year how I make out.

p.s., I think the same strategy would work for Job Seekers who also have deductible expenses. I shudder to think of all the expense deductions I have missed over the years. Argh! But new year, and self-granted amnesty for all mistakes in the prior year. But still, it gripes me to have missed the opportunity.

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Posted by reinkefj

TECHNOLOGY: Anti Spam RBL is … … worthless!

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

I send an email. And, it’s blocked by the receiver’s email server because of RBL.

*** begin quote ***

Thank you for writing to the MAPS Realtime Blackhole List (RBL) Team.

This email address is used to submit RBL nominations, for RBL removal requests, and for other communication regarding the MAPS RBL.

Many providers do use MAPS lists but also employ more restrictive lists which they maintain themselves. If you have been blocked by those, you’ll need to contact them directly.

Your message has been assigned the ticket number shown in the Subject: header above. Please include that string in the Subject: header of any future correspondance with RBL staff about this issue.

*** end quote ***

So I get:

*** begin quote ***

Hello,

Thank you for contacting us about this IP address on RBL. 74.208.4.194 was listed because we received spam from this address and because no action was taken when we reported this to your ISP.

We first started to see spam from 74.208.4.194 in March 2007.

We continue to see spam attempts from this address recently. We need to hear from your ISP prior to removing any part of this listing.

Please secure your network and contact your ISP, and have your ISP contact us for removal.

Kind regards,
John Abello
Spam Investigations Team
Trend Micro Inc.

*** end quote ***

So I very nicely point out that it’s NOY my problem. Nor that of my ISP.

*** begin quote ***

John,

Not to quibble, but my ISP is Verizon. And, my email provider for my domain “reinke.cc” is 1AND1. The IP address that you’re citing is 1AND1. So, why would you tell me to contact my ISP? And, have you ever called any service provider? 1AND1 is probably one of the largest web, email, and domain service providers. So, you, via RBL, are penalizing me for the “sins” of someone else. You’re acting like I have ANY control over everyone who uses 1and1 or Verizon.

Further, with NAT, and IP address leasing, the whole concept that a spammer can be “pinpointed” by IP address is passe.

Am I misunderstanding something?

fjohn

*** end quote ***

And, I get this back.

*** begin quote ***

Hello,

Your IP address 74.208.4.194 owner is 1and1, please contact them regarding this issue and let them communicate us on your behalf regarding this issue,

Kind regards,
John Abello

Spam Investigations Team
Trend Micro Inc.

*** end quote ***

I don’t think very highly of RBL, Trend Micro, or “John Abello” (if there is such a person)

Argh!

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Posted by reinkefj

TECHNOLOGY: Diesel is a better answer than gas – electric hybrids

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

http://www.lewrockwell.com/orig11/peters-e8.1.1.html

New Year’s Wish List
by Eric Peters
EricPetersAutos.com

*** begin quote ***

More diesels

And fewer $40,000 hybrids that barely outdo the mileage of an ’80s-era Plymouth Champ. Diesels, unlike hybrids, work – if “working” means they deliver very high gas mileage without a very high price tag. Gas-electric hybrids and electric cars are impressive as technology but crap as consumer products – if the point of the exercise is to produce economical transportation. If you have to pay $30,000 or $40,000 (or even $25,000) to get 35 or 40 MPGs then MPGs don’t really matter since whatever you “save” in fuel costs is negated by the cost of the car itself. But diesel engines can deliver 60 MPG in a subcompact car that costs less than $15,000. Just not here. They have such cars in Europe. Santa needs to bring a few of them to us. But first, he’ll need to put some coal in the stockings of the government bureaucrats who have made the American car market unfriendly for diesel vehicles by imposing one regulatory obstacle and expense after the next. It’s not that diesels are “dirty” – the Europeans are just as obsessed with saving the planet as we are. It’s simply that our bureaucrats and politicians aren’t as smart as those in Europe.

*** end quote ***

I loved the three diesels I’ve had in my life.

Once upon a time, diesel fuel was cheaper than gasoline.

Don’t understand why that is? It’s easier to refine.

We know that the taxes on petrol of all flavors is a significant cost component. And, a good way for the Gooferment to bury taxes. With the illusion that it’s all going to “roads”, which is “barbara streisand”!

So why don’t we exploit technology that works?

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Posted by reinkefj

WEBSITE: campaignforliberty site down

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

It’s not just you! http://campaignforliberty.com looks down from here.

# # # # # posted 2011-01-04 22:41

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Posted by reinkefj

SERVICE: bye, bye some hotmail accounts and their data

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

http://tech.slashdot.org/story/11/01/02/0233231/Some-Hotmail-Accounts-Wiped

Technology: Some Hotmail Accounts Wiped
Posted by Soulskill on Sunday January 02, @08:21AM
from the you-didn’t-need-that,-right? dept.

*** begin quote ***

“PC Magazine reports that many Hotmail accounts have lost all their emails. Users’ entire email histories have apparently been lost. ‘Users can still log in sans issue. However, they arrive at empty inboxes: No custom folders, no messages in “Sent” or “Deleted,” nothing. As one might expect, the abruptness (and unexpectedness) of the purge has left some of Hotmail’s long-time users a bit in the dark.'”

*** end quote ***

You can’t trust vendors!

Have your own domain. Keep your own email archives. And, plan a backup strategy.

# # # # #

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Posted by reinkefj

MONEY: A real gold standard

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

http://www.lewrockwell.com/north/north201.html

Two Kinds of Gold Standards
by Gary North
August 26, 2003

*** begin quote ***

This is why the free market is the only reliable source for the re-establishment of a gold standard. Honest money begins with these steps: (1) the revocation of legal tender laws that require people to accept the State’s money; (2) the enforcement of contracts; (3) laws against fraud, which fractional reserve banking is. The free market can do the rest.

*** end quote ***

Clearly, we can NOT get the Gooferment back inside its Constitutional bounds while it has an unlimited line of credit.

The Gold Standard, a real one, not an ersatz Gooferment one, can restrict that Gooferment to only spend what it has or raises.

The debate over tariffs, taxes, and fees are a separate issue; once you close the “barn door”.

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Posted by reinkefj

PLATFORMS: My Verizon MIFI 2200 experience

Monday, January 3, 2011

http://3gstore.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=273&products_id=2130

With tremendous trepidation, I purchased a used verizon mifi 2200 advertised as a refurb with no impact on the existing unlimited data Verizon contracts. My concerns were: (1) “Used car” syndrome; would it work? (2) Would the ESN swap screw up my unlimited data contract with Verizon? (3) Would it work? Period! (4) Would I wind up in finger pointing between me, Verizon, and any number of others?

I received it promptly and in relatively good order. The power cord looked like it had just be wadded up and thrown in the box. So I was regretting my decision after seeing that.

I gathered up everything and went to the Verizon store for the ordeal of the ESN swap. Everything done with Verizon is an ordeal. And, I was right. The swap was trivial. And I even got a piece of paper that says nothing changed but the ESN. I’ll frame that! Cause I still don’t believe it. Then, I went over to “technical support” to activate it. An HOUR later, it was still “unactivateable” with NO explanation why. Three “experts” later, the verdict was that it was defective and I should send it back to where I got it. (Despite that it was in a Verizon box and was a Verizon refurbishment.) They wanted to undo the ESN swap so I could use my old hardware. Something made me question the whole thing. They wiped out my VZACCESS software to put an older version on. So, I said leave everything and I’d get back to them.

Went home. Downloaded, installed, and fired up the LATEST version of VZACCESS. It griped that the MIFI2200 needed a firmware update. (They “did” that at the Verizon store.) So I did it again. It then needed an updated “national map”. (They “did” that at the Verizon store.) So I did that again. Then, it complained it needed to be “activated”. (They “did” that at the Verizon store.) So I did it again. Then, it said it needed to be power cycled. I did that.

Then it started working. I shut everything down and disconnected it. Brought everything backup and the MIFI2200 was “wifi-ing”. Connected various devices to it. And it kept working.

So, if you do get refurbished MIFI2200 and think it needs to being returned, then you know that it’s the Verizon support “help” that needs “return”.

# – # – #

The MIFI2200 is NOTRECOMMENDED. The Verizon Wireless Broad Band (which I call VWBBIE) is NOTRECOMMENDED.

The MIFI2200 is fine and might be RECOMMENDED if it was attached to an unlimited 3G service and if activation wasn’t an ordeal.

The vendor 3GSTORE is RECOMMENDED because it was correct in the MIFI2200 offering.

The VWBBIE is NOT RECOMMENDED because of the network caps and the stiff charges for overage. Additionally, the network performance they sell is faster than an old 9600 baud modem, but not much. I was so frustrated with using it on a regular basis down at the shore that I bought the cable company’s triple play just to not have to use it.

This is definitely a “proceed at your own risk” type product.

Disclosure, I get nothing from nobody for this review.

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Posted by reinkefj

POLITICAL: USPS, an idea who’s time has past

Monday, January 3, 2011

http://www.downsizinggovernment.org/usps

Privatizing the U.S. Postal Service
by Tad DeHaven
November 2010

*** begin quote ***

Although the law says that postal employees should receive wages and benefits comparable to what they could earn in the private sector, the majority of economic studies examining the issue have concluded that a postal pay premium of 20%– 25% exists if just wages are counted and about 35% if the Service’s very generous benefits are also included. {33}

*** and ***

The USPS is in a financial death spiral because of the myriad factors discussed. It faces a projected $238 billion in losses over the next 10 years under the status quo. To avoid a large and growing burden from being foisted on taxpayers in coming years, the USPS should be privatized and postal markets open for competition from FedEx, UPS, and upstart entrepreneurs.

*** and ***

Policymakers resistant to reform often depict the USPS as a “national asset” that “binds the nation together.” But these days, it’s the Internet and our telecommunications networks that bind families and businesses together across the nation. It’s time to let go of the nostalgia for the USPS and bring America’s postal services into the 21st century with privatization, open competition, and entrepreneurial innovation.

*** end quote ***

Of course, “Con”-gress gives itself free mail privileges. And, it is up to its “elbows” in local post office placement and such.

I can’t imagine what the free market will provide, but I’m sure it will.

Think about UPS and FEDEX released.

I’m sure they can do better.

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Posted by reinkefj

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