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Spammer's Porsche Up For Grabs

Posted by timothy on from the please-go-with-the-house-ideas dept.

gaurab writes "Anti-Spammers would love this. In this news piece, the BBC reports that AOL is putting up a Porsche it seized from a spammer last year in a sweepstakes. What next -- 'Spammer's House' in another sweepstakes? Is this the sign of things to come? From the story: 'Internet giant AOL has ratcheted up the war against unsolicited e-mail with a publicity-grabbing coup -- an online raffle of a spammer's seized Porsche. AOL won the car -- a $47,000 Boxster S -- as part of a court settlement against an unnamed e-mailer last year.'"

86 of 232 comments (clear)

  1. Does it come with a CD Multiplayer? by Claws+Of+Doom · · Score: 5, Funny

    And any guesses what they'll fill it with?

    1. Re:Does it come with a CD Multiplayer? by nathanhart · · Score: 4, Funny

      AOL CD's no doubt

      --
      GeekLeak.com - Silly name, serious geeks
    2. Re:Does it come with a CD Multiplayer? by oateater · · Score: 2, Insightful

      AOL spams snail mail; Spammers spam email; AOL wins. Hmmmm....

    3. Re:Does it come with a CD Multiplayer? by b0r0din · · Score: 3, Funny

      I feel like a song:

      Particle Man, Particle Man
      Doing the things a particle can,
      20" INCH COCK AND FREE WHORES IN JAPAN!,
      Particle Man.

      Is he a dot or is he a speck,
      He signs all his emails, 'I'LL GET YOU WET'
      Or does the water get him instead,
      Nobody knows, Particle Man.

      Triangle Man, Triangle Man
      Triangle man hates Particle man,
      They have a lawsuit, Triangle wins,
      Triangle Man.

    4. Re:Does it come with a CD Multiplayer? by Verteiron · · Score: 4, Informative

      AOL spams snail mail at their own cost. Spammers spam e-mail at the cost of those who operate the mail servers.

      --
      End of lesson. You may press the button.
    5. Re:Does it come with a CD Multiplayer? by Gwenna · · Score: 2, Interesting

      AOL does not pay for the cost of disposing of the snail mail they send.

      --
      More sugar!
    6. Re:Does it come with a CD Multiplayer? by Xenographic · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I wish that this would be auctioned up amongst spam fighters :/

      I just lost an important email to spam (saw it in with the junk email *just* as I deleted it all). I have thus been taking it out on the next few spammers.

      I sure wish someone would give us a free car for hunting down these scumbags :]

      I doubt this will be very common, though. The last spammer I heard about was living in a double-wide trailer in Florida. I'm not sure they'd care to auction that ... :]

    7. Re:Does it come with a CD Multiplayer? by brlancer · · Score: 2, Interesting
      I'm going to presume most countries are similar to the US in this respect, especial regarding AOL. Please forgive any differences...

      AOL spams snail mail at their own cost. Spammers spam e-mail at the cost of those who operate the mail servers.

      You pay. Snail mail is subsidized by the government. Heavily. If people knew what it actually cost to mail a letter, they'd have a fit. Bulk mail actually costs less (because it's bulk) even though "bulk" mail is mostly UCS. So in fact, YOU are paying more for it than if you were sending me a similar package.

      Doesn't it make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside?

      The U.S. government makes it federal crimes to compete with the Post Office and your mail box is federal property, even though you are responsible for purchasing and maintaining it. If these barriers were removed and people were allowed to choose freely, we could cut spam down tremendously: everything people are recommending for email spam could be applied to snail mail spam--author verification, valid return addresses, etc. But none of this will happen as long as the government is the only player. There was a reason for government rule in this area 150 years ago, but not anymore. Any jackass can start a local postal company and should be able to.

      --
      Someone asked if I had patched against MSBlast; I said yes, I installed Linux.
    8. Re:Does it come with a CD Multiplayer? by ryanwright · · Score: 2, Insightful

      You pay. Snail mail is subsidized by the government. Heavily.

      Source?

      The USPS is not federally funded; it has a federally granted monopoly, yes, but it operates from it's own revenues. Taxpayer dollars are not handed over to the USPS. So no, snail mail doesn't cost me a thing unless I'm the one mailing it.

      --
      -Ryan, with the unoriginal sig
  2. hmm by mandalayx · · Score: 4, Insightful
    AOL won the car - a $47,000 Boxster S - as part of a court settlement against an unnamed e-mailer last year.

    "We'll take cars, houses, boats - whatever we can find and get a hold of," said AOL's Randall Boe.

    According to Mr Boe, the Porsche's previous owner made more than $1m by sending junk e-mail.


    Nice car, but....you're telling me the spammer made $1mm+ and all AOL got was a $47k Porsche?

    Well, I suppose the publicity might work, like how the RIAA got many people to think that copyright violations = stealing.
    1. Re:hmm by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      Who cares, I'm already planning my customized license plate for it: INBOXSTR

      It just works on so many levels.

    2. Re:hmm by MoonBuggy · · Score: 2, Interesting

      The publicity could work, but to be honest the first thing I thought was 'They got a million from sending email? I can send email!'

      I've got just about enough morality not to go into spamming, but it sure it'd be an easy and very lucrative job for a geek that knows what they're doing. I wish I was more unscrupulous.

    3. Re:hmm by mandalayx · · Score: 2, Insightful
      Who cares, I'm already planning my customized license plate for it: INBOXSTR

      It just works on so many levels.

      cute, but sadly 8 characters--won't fit on most US license plates.

      Perhaps INBOXSR. Not as cool, but 7.

      Hey, I smell a good product name for a spam killer. Inboxster. Like Aimster, except the slutty girl goes to the spam file. not a single google result, either.
    4. Re:hmm by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful
      "you're telling me the spammer made $1mm+ and all AOL got was a $47k Porsche?"

      No. That's why the article refers to the Porsche as part of the settlement. That implies that AOL received more than just the Porsche from the spammer.

    5. Re:hmm by EricWright · · Score: 4, Insightful

      As you quoted... "AOL won the car... as PART of a court settlement..." That phrasing makes me believe that this is not "all AOL got"! If they also obtained cash, a) do you think they're going to tell you how much, and b) do you think there would be a public raffle of money? They're just trying to liquidate the spammer's former assets. The cash is already liquid.

    6. Re:hmm by meringuoid · · Score: 2, Interesting
      Also, I tend to doubt that most spammers make as much as they claim. It would be interesting to compare and contrast
      the amount of money spammers claim to earn in interviews, when saying something along the lines of 'antis are just jealous'
      with
      the amount of money spammers claim to earn in their filings with the IRS

      It could be very informative.

      --
      Real Daleks don't climb stairs - they level the building.
    7. Re:hmm by JoeBar · · Score: 2, Informative

      I thought you could fit 8 characters on license plates here? 8 works in New York.. I got "F0RMAT C" on my 911 ;)

    8. Re:hmm by Mr+Guy · · Score: 2, Informative

      From NC DOT For an additional annual fee of $30.00, most plates issued by the Division may be personalized. The plate may bear up to 8 spaces made up of letters, numbers and/or special characters.
      INBOXSTR works here. Don't know if those rules are nationalized or state by state though.

      --
      Never confuse volume with power.
    9. Re:hmm by Zocalo · · Score: 2, Interesting

      It'd probably be even more "interesting" for the IRS since the truth is probably somewhere in between given the legal line some spammers walk. Several (but not all) of the interviews and exposes with spammers known to ROKSO have shown that while some do indeed have affluent lifestyles others do not. It shouldn't be too difficult to cross check a metric like what car a spammer drives and their IRS filings against what other drivers of that model car file with the IRS and flag any anomalies. Unless that kind of data is seperated by bureacracratic red-tape for privacy reasons of course.

      --
      UNIX? They're not even circumcised! Savages!
    10. Re:hmm by GTRacer · · Score: 2, Informative
      State by state... Last time I checked in Florida, it was a max of 8, BUT for 8 total, at least one had to be a space or dash. Otherwise you could use 7 or fewer alphanumerics.

      GTRacer
      - Was going with QKSILVR or QUICKAG for my spiffy 280ZX...

      --
      Defending IP by destroying access to it? That makes sense, RIAA/MPAA. Go to the corner until you can play nice!
    11. Re:hmm by EricWright · · Score: 2, Informative

      Which just goes to show that, for anything you can legally sell on eBay (and some things that aren't legal), you will find someone dumb enough to buy it. If you're lucky, you'll find more than one idiot and sell it for twice FMV!

  3. What about the registration plate by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Do you have to keep SPMNG CNT, or are you allowed to change it?

  4. Funny, but it makes an interesting point by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    This spammer can afford a Porsche (and probably its replacement). How many OSS people can say the same? This is an interesting commentary on the economic value of the two groups to society.

    1. Re:Funny, but it makes an interesting point by Elgon · · Score: 4, Insightful

      The Labour Theory of Value has been shown to be largely a pile of crap: Something is worth what people will pay, not what is _should_ be worth according to subjective beliefs.

      I do agree though that this leads to some wierd (and undeserved) results.

      Elgon

    2. Re:Funny, but it makes an interesting point by Lumpy · · Score: 4, Insightful

      low morals and scruples has ALWAYS been more profitable than doing the right and good thing.

      low life scum always have more stuff. Look at the ex -executive branch of Enron, the CEO of SCO, Hitler, Stalin, Amelia Marcos, the list goes on.

      Why do you think the Mafia are in business? because Crime is profitable... so the more scummy you are the more money you get.

      until there is backlash.

      --
      Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
    3. Re:Funny, but it makes an interesting point by jadenyk · · Score: 3, Funny

      I wonder if the spammer is entered into the contest to win it back???

    4. Re:Funny, but it makes an interesting point by fredrikj · · Score: 5, Funny

      the ex -executive branch of Enron, the CEO of SCO, Hitler, Stalin, Amelia Marcos, the list goes on

      Hitler really doesn't deserve being listed next to McBride. Don't be such a troll.

    5. Re:Funny, but it makes an interesting point by prat393 · · Score: 3, Interesting

      I believe the whole point of the labour theory of value was to say that commodities aren't being exchanged at their true values (and screw all those horribly confusing use value/value distinctions), not that that makes the theory any easier to accept, since it's obvious that something of high utility that takes someone 1sec. to make is worth more than something completely useless that took years to finish. Marx is definitely very weird.

    6. Re:Funny, but it makes an interesting point by Smallpond · · Score: 4, Funny

      Yes. In fact he sent in 10,000,000 entries.

    7. Re:Funny, but it makes an interesting point by swb · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I seem to remember being taught that the Labor Theory of Value had more to do with explaining the injustice of compensation in a capitalist economy, not the pricing of goods.

      The examples I remember being used was the industrial production process. Unmined iron ore is worth less than mined ore, steel is worth more than ore, parts made from steel are worth more than steel, assembled goods are worth more than parts. At each stage of the production process it is the labor of the workers that adds value.

      Its possible (although not trivial) to assign a value to the finished product at each stage of the production process, and its possible to calculate the individual worker's contribution to the increased value.

      Whenever this is done, the question that always gets asked is, is the compensation system just? Why doesn't the worker retain more of the value they added to the product? Why does management appear to get more than they contributed?

      There are, of course, lots of questions about this analysis, such as the difficulty in measuring management output and added value, the role of machinery in adding value (tooling a precision gear with hand tools is an obvious example of adding value; pressing a button on a CNC machine raises questions); the fact that people willingly work for less than their labor value; the value of intangibles such as education and intellectual skill, and so on.

      But anyway, that's how I remember it. In terms of OSS development vs. spammers, I don't even think the labor theory of value applies, it's actually a pricing disparity of the finished products.

    8. Re:Funny, but it makes an interesting point by aminorex · · Score: 2, Funny

      McBride has never made a train run on time.

      (Om Mani Padme.... 20 seconds! SUBMIT!)

      --
      -I like my women like I like my tea: green-
    9. Re:Funny, but it makes an interesting point by Ryan+Amos · · Score: 2, Interesting

      It's always been this way. The first two chapters of Plato's Republic are dedicated to just this argument (that being an injust person pays better rewards than being a just one.) Granted, the arguments are crap, but the only point I'm trying to make is that the argument itself has been around for aeons.

    10. Re:Funny, but it makes an interesting point by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting
      I seem to remember being taught that the Labor Theory of Value had more to do with explaining the injustice of compensation in a capitalist economy, not the pricing of goods.

      Technically you are referring to the concept of exploitation, which was a Marx corollary to the LTV. The LTV long predates Marx, notably in the works of David Ricardo and Adam Smith. IIRC, Ricardo hinted at the idea of exploitation as the source of profit, but did not explore the idea in detail.

      There are, of course, lots of questions about this analysis, such as the difficulty in measuring management output and added value, the role of machinery in adding value (tooling a precision gear with hand tools is an obvious example of adding value; pressing a button on a CNC machine raises questions); the fact that people willingly work for less than their labor value; the value of intangibles such as education and intellectual skill, and so on.
      The answer to your machinery question is simple. In automated production systems the labor value transfers from the engineers, mathematicians and techs who designed and built the machinery, through the machinery to the commodity in question. Marx also covers your intellectual skills question in some depth in Capital.

      It's funny listening to all these reactionary slashdot pricks who once read a Mises book blather on about how Labor Value is discredited. If you ever knew anyone who owned a factory you would find that they firmly believe in labor value. In fact many commonly accepted manufacturing precepts, such as statistical operator controls, are inextricably tied to the LTV (the core of "Japanese" manufacturing revolution). The same armchair economists insist that rational corporations maximize profit although it is empirically demonstrable that they more often maximize market share.

      Marginal utility is a great tool for investigating value. But while it has driven the LVT from the University of Chicago campus, it has not replaced it in the real world. Marx screwed up his math a bit, but propaganda side he still makes perfect sense in the real world. He (or maybe more accurately Engels) was also an entertaining writer.

      This country is overrun with moronic semi-educated ideologues wielding computers.
  5. Hey that was mine! by Yo+Grark · · Score: 4, Interesting

    It says so right here:

    Want to own seized property at half the cost? Want to buy a house for a fraction of the mortgage?

    http://www.hillnews.com/news/043003/ss_auctions. as px

    Bah. Hey AOL, you REALLY want to help rid the world of spammers? ANSWER OUR EMAILS OF ABUSE.

    Yo Grark

    --
    Canadian Bred with American Buttering
  6. Better News: by hplasm · · Score: 5, Funny

    Spammer's Balls Up For Grabs

    --
    ...and he grinned, like a fox eating shit out of a wire brush.
  7. I can see it already in my inbox... by mrselfdestrukt · · Score: 5, Funny

    Order v14gra now and get chance to win a p0r5che b0xt3r from A07.

    --
    "I used to have that really cool,funny sig ,but it got stolen."
  8. Can't just join? by p_millipede · · Score: 3, Funny
    The Porsche sweepstake lasts until 8 April, and will be open only to those who were AOL members when it was first announced.
    Damn, so I can't just join now, win a car, and then terminate the account?
    1. Re:Can't just join? by sapbasisnerd · · Score: 3, Informative

      Uhm, is this legal? Since a purchase is required for entry, this ceases to be a promotional contest and becomes gambling, does AOL have a casino licence?

    2. Re:Can't just join? by Orgazmus · · Score: 2, Funny

      Terminate your account?
      What world are you from?

      --
      The system had the verbosity of HTML combined with all the readability of compiled assembly viewed as bitmap images
    3. Re:Can't just join? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

      There is no purchase required. That is the point. You already had to be a member to be eligible. If they used it as a way to get people to sign up then you would be right.

      There is no law that says a organization can't hold sweepstakes for its own members.

    4. Re:Can't just join? by phurley · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Might just be me, but that sounds like a pretty big loop hole. I could start a company, charge a monthly fee and hold monthly membership sweepstakes (only for people who were members last month of course, this is not gambling club or anything crass like that of course)?

      Given the popularity of lotteries in this country (US), I would think you run a very profitiable business in this manner, keeping a small portion of the monthly dues and running the rest like a big lottery.

      --
      Home Automation & Linux -- now I know I'm a geek
  9. Allow me to be the first to say ..... by Alranor · · Score: 4, Funny


    Ha. Ha.
    </Nelson>

  10. Screw the Car... by Spencerian · · Score: 4, Funny

    ...I want that spammer's ball sac for a potpourri-filled an air freshener.

    Yeah, pal, I got your "male enhancement" right HERE...

    --
    Vos teneo officium eram periculosus ut vos recipero is.
    1. Re:Screw the Car... by Rand+Race · · Score: 2, Insightful

      It'll be a small sack. If the dude had big balls he would have gotten a Corvette for his $47k instead of an overpriced, underpowered secretary sportscar version of a real Porsche.

      /flamebait

      --
      Insanity is the last line of defence for the master diplomat. But you have to lay the groundwork early.
    2. Re:Screw the Car... by Endive4Ever · · Score: 2, Funny

      So, you're saying that a Corvette is the equivalent of a low-end Porche?

      --
      ---
  11. Funny... by hookedup · · Score: 5, Funny


    Seems this spammer bought one of the most expensive penis enhancement products you can get..

  12. Number 2 by bbrazil · · Score: 3, Funny
    you're telling me the spammer made $1mm+

    Not exaclty great growth potential...
  13. Smash it up by EasyTarget · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Come'on AOL, give those members who this guy spammed a chance to have at the car with a hammer! Better still offer them a chance to buy the oppertunity to urinate on the upholstery, proceeds to CAUCE! All sorts of fun activities spring to mind. You can the webcast it so the spammer can watch ;-)

    Sweepstaking it is sooo tame.

    --
    "Oops, I always forget the purpose of competition is to divide people into winners and losers." - Hobbes
  14. No.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    you're thinking of the trunk.

  15. Porsche? by CleverNickedName · · Score: 3, Funny

    Clearly he was responsible for those "Increase the site of your penis" mails.

    --


    Unfortunately, I am not Wil Wheaton
  16. Wait... by ForestGrump · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Aol goes after other spammers, but doesn't AOL spam its own customers?

    I remember using AOL in years past and they would throw crap at you telling you to BUY THIS and THIS every time you logged into an AOL account.

    -Grump

    --
    Is it true that more people vote for the winner of American Idol, than vote for the president? -Ali G.
    1. Re:Wait... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Informative

      you can turn AOL's ads off via Keyword: Marketing Preferences

    2. Re:Wait... by EvilAlien · · Score: 3, Informative
      Wildly tossing out over-broad labels of "spam" does not help the cause, and hinders it. Are you sure you didn't sign something? Are you sure that these clumsy marketing efforts weren't part of the previously established prior business relationship between you and your ISP?

      There is a hell of a difference between what you are describing and real spam. Real spam in involves privacy violations, harvesting of addresses, messages sent to randomly generated lists, etc.

      Check out The Definition of Spam (according to Spamhaus) and What is spam? (according to spam.abuse.net). The term was originally coined to describe the crap spewed onto USENET. It most certainly was not intended to describe marketing spewed by your ISP, television, newspaper, or the ad boxes on /.

      --
      perl -e 'print $i=pack(c5, (41*2), sqrt(7056), (unpack(c,H)-2), oct(115), 10)'
  17. It should be disclosed to the public... by adzoox · · Score: 4, Insightful
    I think these high living SPAM execs salaries should be as well known as say Apple Computer's compensation for Steve Jobs. You can almost gaurantee that these people don't report their full income on taxes or "do creative accounting" like - every penis enlargement pill that DOESN'T sell from an email solicitation - is actually a loss - justifying it by saying the record industry says that every download = a lost sale.

    I would like to see the people that waste our time get what's due to them - spending every hour of my wasted time in court and in jail!

    --
    Yell & scream & rant & rave... it's no use... you need a shaaaave ~ Bugs Bunny
  18. aol hates spam?! by hugzz · · Score: 5, Insightful

    when can i take the CEO of AOL's car for all those damn CDs they send me?

    1. Re:aol hates spam?! by MMaestro · · Score: 2, Insightful
      when can i take the CEO of AOL's car for all those damn CDs they send me?

      When AOL doesn't have to pay millions of dollars in manufacturing, packaging, and postage most of which never pays off.

  19. Nice car, but... by Paddyish · · Score: 2, Funny

    I only want it if the spammer's gonads are hanging from the mirror like a pair of fuzzy dice.

  20. Promo for this competition... by irokie · · Score: 5, Funny

    Hi Sam,
    youu may already have w0n b1g!!!
    genuinne P0RSCHE!

    click here to seee how to claim your pr1ze http://www.23fwdnvsoadaldsd%3ejdbf.com/

    Love,
    Sam

    xcoiifidnbbibobdoodofn---

    --
    and if you see me strut, remind me of what left this outlaw torn...
  21. So next week by redcaboodle · · Score: 5, Funny

    the RIAA auctions P2P users iPods?

    --
    -- Put crudely, the world is an extremely large problem instance. (Russel/Norvig Artificial Intelligence)
  22. I want... by Bilange · · Score: 2, Funny

    Spammer's e-mail adress. >:)

    --
    "...a generation of kids has grown up thinking Trance is the shittiest music since country and western." - Paul van Dyk
  23. Why the Porsche? by peterdaly · · Score: 5, Insightful

    My initial thought was since when can a private company seize private property? It seems they got it as part of a deal with the government...but that being said, why a $40k Porsche? It's said this guy made over $1M.

    Mr Boe said the Porsche was seized mainly for its symbolic value, as the obvious fruit of an illegal trade.

    Makes sense, and it's a great idea. Getting hundreds of thousands of dollars does not make an attention getting headline, and not have made slashdot. Taking his Porsche, now that's a headline grabber.

    AOL is known for being marketing savy, and that's what this is about.

    -Pete

    --
    Soccer Goal Plans
    1. Re:Why the Porsche? by sjlutz · · Score: 5, Informative

      IANAL, but my roommate is. The Porsche was probably part of the liquidation of assets. If they guy didn't have enough hard cash to pay the settlement/award to AOL, AOL can then start liquidating his assets to get all the money they were awarded. I don't know who gets to choice which particular assets get "disposed" of, but I guess AOL worked with the government to just keep the Porsche as a Porsche and not convert it into cash. The spammer probably made out on the deal also, as I believe the cost of turning assets back to cash would have been charged to the spammer. So instead of converted the $40K Porcshe into $30K cash or whatever someone would have bought it for minus the cost of selling it, the spammer probably got the full 'value' out of it.

  24. wrong message by Cardinal+Biggles · · Score: 5, Insightful

    So what AOL is telling people is... Spammers have Porsches! Spamming => money!

    My next question as a newbie would be: so how do I become a spammer? Where do I apply & when can I start?

    1. Re:wrong message by Spacejock · · Score: 3, Funny

      1. Find lots and lots of email addresses 2. Learn to spell common words really, really badly 3. ??? 4. Cl~!ck this l!nk and Pr0fit!!!

      --
      Hal Spacejock: Science Fiction with Nuts
  25. Does it come with a years supply of Viagra? by MrIrwin · · Score: 2, Funny
    Or has it been re-morgated several times at an interesting rate?

    BTW, rumor has it that the GPS system auto-navigates to hot young sticky.......

    --

    And if you thought that was boring you obviously havn't read my Journal ;-)

  26. I wouldn't want that porsche. by ajutla · · Score: 3, Funny

    Not in a million years. It'd give me bad karma. Think of it, it used to belong to a spammer? It'd be like, every day when I'd get into that car I'd feel the aura of that spammer's presence in there. As I'd be trying to drive I'd be interrupted by random flashes in my mind, flashes of male enhancement, low mortgages, and free pornography. It'd be a nightmare. The car would haunt me for as long as I drove it. I'd be terrified to drive it but would have to. Friends would say, "hey, nice porsche." I, however, would think, "gods, you have NO idea what it's like...it's not easy having a porsche...that was once owned by a spammer."

  27. Porsche by black+mariah · · Score: 4, Funny
    This car comes complete with...
    • Plenty of insurance
    • An elnarged... uh... 'exhaust'
    • A Nigerian bank account
    • A screensaver
    • A trunk full of Viagra
    • A low mortgage rate
    --
    'Standards' in computing only impress those who are impressed by things like 'standards'.
  28. i'd rather buy... by hot_Karls_bad_cavern · · Score: 2, Funny

    ...his testicles, for keeping.

  29. Spammers by panxerox · · Score: 3, Funny

    As anyone can now be listed as a spammer by some aol customer clicking the wrong radio button, when will we see my 1977 Toyota up for auction.

    --
    "It's so convenient to have a system where everyone is a criminal" - A. Hitler
  30. Symbolic Value by steveoc · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Quoting from the BBC article - "AOL says the Porsche has "symbolic value""

    No shit !

    ALL Porsches have symbolic value - that goes deeper than the badge.

    If you ever get the chance to own a Porsche, especially an older model, then do spend some time digging around under the surface and get your hands dirty. Every single component of the car has a wonderful consistent feel to the design of it. You can see that a strong single mind stamped its presence on each design decision, right down to the choice of nuts and bolts.

    Every peice of a Porsche is brutally simple, with no concessions made for fashion or cost. Its just like a really good peice of software.

    Problem is, the Boxster is a damn fine car, but is perhaps the first real Porsche to have made concessions towards fashion and cost. (The VW 924 does not count, since it was a never meant to be a Porsche).

    If you win the Porsche sweepstakes, then have a bit of fun in the Boxster, but then sell it, and use the money to get 1973 Carrera 2.4, or build up an insane 2.7ltr 911 RS replica. Then again, its your car, your dream, dont let me force my dream down your throat.

    Having said that - whoever wins the Porsche sweepstakes needs to remember 1 very important thing - it is pronounced 'Porrr-Sch-A' not 'Porsh'. Calling a Porsche a 'Porsh' is like calling Bill Gates the 'inventor of the internet.'

    1. Re:Symbolic Value by steveoc · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I hear what you are saying .. nothing wrong with 914's

      There is a big difference between a "real" Porsche owner and the owner of a "real" Porsche.

      The former can be found selling real-estate or insurance (or Spam), whilst the latter can be found under the car with a spanner, making minor suspension tweaks prior to taking a short trip to the supermarket to pickup some milk.

      Down in my neck of the woods, the Cayenne is selling surprising well, but only amongst real estate agents, insurance salesmen, and people that play Golf. I not sure where Cayenne earns its badge - Porsche has always been about applying brute force engineering to a set of requirements, and has resulted in a wild variety of gear (the 917 moby dick, the Panther / Tiger / Elephant tanks of WW2, light aircraft engines, and of course the 911). Porsche is not always about cars, and it has never been about fashion.

      Id have to assume that the Cayenne's requirements were "to extract the maximum amount of cash out of the pockets of worthless blots on society", in which case, they may well be acheiving their goals. (Apologies to Cayenne owners who actually do anything useful)

      If you are looking for an affordable, modern, daily driver Porsche, then consider a temporary brand change and have a serious look at the BMW Mini Cooper - it totally Rocks ! Beneath all that over-the-top-concession-to-fashion there is some serious engineering going on.

  31. The spammer's name won't be confidential... by dcavanaugh · · Score: 4, Insightful

    If the winner chooses to disclose the VIN number. Armed with that, I'm sure some "researchers" can get the ownership history.

  32. what they don't tell you by Karem+Lore · · Score: 2, Funny

    is that it comes with financing that still needs to be payed...In fact, the trunk contains a briefcase that contains a list of AOL email addresses to help with the financing of the car...

    --
    When all is said and done, nothing changes...
  33. unidentified spammer gonna be identified by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Is this legal? If the spammer was unnamed as part of the deal, then the car's serial number will be a dead giveaway to the spammer's identity.

  34. All we need now is the Spammer's address... by Maestro4k · · Score: 3, Interesting
    Just imagine the fun of driving by his (assuming it's a he) house in his former Porsche blowing the horn and flagging him a bird -- every morning. Why hell, he's a spammer, make that around 3am every morning, and drop off a printout of your daily spam on his doorstep for good measure. :)

    Yes I know it'd probably be at least partially illegal, but it'd be great fun to watch his pop a vein. :)

  35. Meh by Greyfox · · Score: 2, Insightful

    The car is nice and all but what I'd really like is a spammer's organs. Mine work fine but you can never have too many organs. So AOL, next time you go after a spammer, go for the organs.

    --

    I'm trying to teach myself to set people on fire with my mind... Is it hot in here?

  36. so does it come equiped with... by clarkc3 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Does the porsche come equiped with AOL's top speed technology?

  37. Just like old times. by YouHaveSnail · · Score: 3, Interesting

    This seems to me to be very much like the ancient custom of displaying someone's head on a pike in the town square. Sure, many of us would prefer that AOL stay even closer to that tradition, but offering up some spammer's Porche isn't a bad start.

    There are two important aspects to this action. First, AOL sending a clear warning to other spammers. "Stay off our network or your house may be next." Second, AOL is appeasing and entertaining its customers. "Be glad you're an AOL customer, because we're actually doing something about spam."

    It's all deliciously medieval.

  38. mark my words by WormholeFiend · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Slashdotters are laughing now, but just wait until the RIAA/MPAA take a cue from AOL and start liquidating pirates assets...

    (Well, at least, if more actors are caught "lending" their preview copies of movies, we could end up with some pretty nice lottery items.)

    1. Re:mark my words by DonGar · · Score: 3, Funny

      One difference. Spammers are making money, and so have nice stuff.

      The real pirates (selling illegal copies) are also making money, but that's not who the RIAA/MPAA is chasing. So how exciting is it going to be when they raffle off a "1987 Toyota with only 3 rust spots and 120k miles"?

      --
      plus-good, double-plus-good
    2. Re:mark my words by shark72 · · Score: 2, Interesting

      "The real pirates (selling illegal copies) are also making money, but that's not who the RIAA/MPAA is chasing."

      The RIAA has always been chasing the big guys of the pirating world -- the ones who run the duplicating houses and sell their wares in Times Square -- and they still do. However, many people incorrectly assume that their recent suits against file sharers come at the exclusion of all other activities. This is probably because we don't read about those sorts of things on Slashdot. However, it was pretty trivial to find these stories on the RIAA web site:

      http://www.riaa.com/news/newsletter/021804.asp

      http://www.riaa.com/news/newsletter/122303.asp

      http://www.riaa.com/news/newsletter/121603.asp

      There are more cases which aren't listed on the RIAA web site because it's law enforcement who are handling the job, with little or no help from the RIAA. Anybody who is interested can find plenty by googling on "criminal copyright infringement indictment."

      --
      Sitting in my day care, the art is decopainted.
  39. Okay. by mindstrm · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Good idea.

    Except Apple Inc. is publicly traded, and has to disclose such things by law. A private company does not.

    So.. where then do we draw the line between spammers and every other privately run business out there? Require complete financial transparency for everyone? Your salary at the quickie-mart? Your full income as a private consultant?

    etc.

  40. Spammer's House by OrangeCarrot · · Score: 3, Insightful

    What next -- 'Spammer's House' in another sweepstakes?.

    Most spammers hide in Florida. Why Florida? Because in Florida you cannot take someone's house like you can take thier Porche or pet monkey or whatever. So, don't expect to see a house on the block.

  41. GROWBIG by www.sorehands.com · · Score: 2, Funny

    Or was it ICANSPAM?

    --
    Fight Spammers!
  42. how to enter the contest... by The+Lynxpro · · Score: 2, Informative

    The article didn't mention where to enter the contest at once on AOL. You have to type in "Keyword: SPAM" to even find it. The contest does not appear on the Welcome *splash screen* once you logon AOL. You do have to be an AOL subscriber, but I'm sure that's not a problem because collectively, there's probably a few million AOL discs out there amongst all of us Slashdotters...

    --
    "Right now, somewhere in this world, Scott Baio is plowing a woman he doesn't love," - Peter Griffin, *Family Guy*
  43. it's one of Dr Fatburn's pals by frankie · · Score: 2, Informative
    It's from AOL's lawsuits in April 2003, which means the Porsche belonged to one of George Moore's affiliate spammers, possibly Michael Levesque.

    Definitely didn't belong to Moore. He's here in Maryland, and his front men got a bigger cut than he did (example: on each $29 bottle of "herbal viagra", Moore paid $18 commission to the spammer)