On the other hand... arbitrarily guaging sentences such as this just for the fear and shock value it will inflict on other would-be spammers is a negligent policy decision. Any sentence issued by the court should be meant to be carried out in full. If there are mitigating circumstances, that's where suspended sentence and parole should come into play.
I'm no fan of spam, but do we really need a special statute to deal with it? The people in this article used spam as a means to commit fraud. They should be tried for fraud. I don't care whether the fraud was an elaborate confidence scheme committed by a team of clever matchstick men going door-to-door pretending to take donations for the LDS, or some shmoe sitting in his parents' basement playing evercrack with one hand while lazily sending off spam with the other.(There's some nasty imagery in there somewhere) Fraud == Fraud... plain and simple. Spam is about pissing me off by filling my inbox with crap every day. What have I lost, really, by experiencing the email version of what I do every day when I come home from work.... sorting through the pile of mail trying to see if there is -Anything- even worth opening.
If some shmuck sends me email with "fraudulent and untraceable routing information," is my liberty affronted? If so, why?... because I can't easily reply? Of course I'll grant that spam is annoying, but so are infomercials... and calls from political parties... and people who drive neon yellow sports cars. Should we next tack on some fines for fraud committed while driving an ugly sports car?
Why waste time litigating the relatively meaningless incidentals when our public servants could focus on the core criminal act, resolve the issue, and move on to the next case in a more timely fashion?
If this idea were the norm, the media would have a field day using their influence. Public opinion would be a much greater factor as the CNN viewership tuned in to minute by minute coverage of the non-stop critical analysis of every newly proposed measure. Heck, even if there wasn't anything interesting to cover, I'm sure they'd find some way of making it 'sound' interesting for a TV spot.
Alcohol consumption remained popular during the prohibition. Illicit drugs remain popular despite the prohibition. Smoking remains popular despite the liklihood of long-term health problems, taxes, and targeted legislation. Ad Nauseum
Home users, maybe but businesses???? You know, I was thinking the same thing. I heard some folks at work(a local branch of Bosch Group) talking about this irritating virus. --This is the part where I'm thinking to myself: "Won't these people ever learn not to open up everything they get in their inbox." -- I figured this is a user-level issue, right. Then, out of the blue, an announcement comes over the PA system: "Attention computer users. We are currently under attack from a worm virus..."(The rest doesn't make them sound any smarter, so we'll drop that.)
Turns out, the whole company is getting hit by this thing because some dumbass doesn't read things like Microsoft's announcement to block port 135. Hell, even I did that little at home.
There is a simple workaround for the dialup problem. Since most distros already work very well directly through a network.... just give it one. I'm no Gnu/Linux expert(but I am a fan of the philosophy.) Yet, with the tinkering I've done, I've never had a problem with my dialup access. This is largely because the Linux box doesn't have to deal with your dialup settings and whatnot. It just has to know that it gets access from the router. Plug your external modem into the router and you're pretty much set.
I don't think America will keep a reputation for quality at this rate. Anyone who knows how manufacturing in this country is managed can tell you that quality of American-made products is slipping. Notably because we tend to crank up the speed of machinery and run it 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The theory involved argues that if X number of machines makes you X number of dollars in 8 hours, then you can triple that amount by running them continuously. Deprived of preventative maintenance and calibration, machines tend to develop small flaws in the product that are then ignored until they become serious.
That's just one example. Our workers have also lost pride in their work. If your workers aren't absolutely committed to making the best product, your product quality degrades. However, it's hard for a person to be proud of their work, if they're too busy hating their employers.
Here's a basic formula for local economic disaster that we've been following for quite some time: 1. Market product. 2. Product sells... and there is much rejoicing. 3. Competitor makes a similar product and is sells at a lower cost. We lose market share(but not that much in the way of profit) and shareholders demand that action be taken. 4. Price wars ensue... production is moved to overseas location with cheap child labor and no environmental protection, overtime, union, or safety laws.(etc, etc, insert favorite money-shaving details here) 5. Market share is regained(profits still down) and shareholders are happy.
This seems all well and good at first. What's happening, though, is repeated across all industries and eventually the economy experiences more and more entropy. The products are cheaper, but there are fewer people employed at jobs above the poverty line which enable them to buy the products to begin with. The fewer people who can buy products, the more cost cuts need to be made in US companies to keep losses at bay. The first cut is usually jobs, of course. You don't have to be a mathematician to see where this viscious circle is going.
Unfortunately, we 'consumers' are somewhat to blame for the rampant increase of outsourced labor in this country. If we can get a product a few bucks cheaper, we jump at the opportunity. Cheaper is better, right. Hell, if I can get two pairs of BrandX jeans for the price of a pair made in the country(incidentally, the only brand I've seen is Texas Jeans http://texasjeans.com) then I've gotten myself quite a deal, right?
Just by cheaping out by a few bucks here and there on practically everything we buy, we've contributed massively to the continuing imbalance of: 1. Sending more money out of the border than is coming back. 2. Giving a disproportionate amount of money to companies who aren't reinvesting in the local economy. 3. Allowing continued trade with countries with whom we otherwise have grievances.
Don't get me wrong. I love chinese culture. China lays claim to some of the most fascinating cultural history I've ever read about. China's government, on the other hand, is easily as detestable as that of the former Iraqi 'regime.' A year ago, you didn't see anyone jumping up and down about the idea of outsourcing production to Iraq, right? You can bet your last dollar, though, that if Iraq were a major source of cheap labor, with the infrastructure to support it, we'd have plenty of interested companies getting ready to set up shop in the desert.
This stuff never even crossed my mind a few years ago. Then I went to WalMart to buy a blender. Guess what? I couldn't find one made in the US.(I don't even remember why It ocurred to me to check.) You know what? I couldn't even find a single blender at WalMart NOT made in China. The same thing for quite a few other products. I've given a great deal of thought to the economy, and I figure it might even help if more people tried to support their local economy. Buy local. If you can't, at least buy in the country. If you can't find something made in the country, try getting something made in a country you can deal with philosophically. I'm wearing DocMarten's. I don't care if they're cool or not, they were made in the UK. My other options at the time were made in China(all of them.) Oddly enough, there wasn't a huge price difference. About 5 bucks as I recall. So, No cheaper is not better. I try to buy local/domestic as often as I can. Maybe if more people did the same, we wouldn't have this sort of worry./RANT
Ok, I'm done making myself sound like a Pro-Union zealot(no I'm not.) I'd say I'm sorry for sounding like an ethnocentric Flag-waving elitist. But, you know, that's where I live and all. If I'm going to be enthusiastic about someone's economy, it's damn well going to be mine.
Slashdot Mirror
On the other hand... arbitrarily guaging sentences such as this just for the fear and shock value it will inflict on other would-be spammers is a negligent policy decision. Any sentence issued by the court should be meant to be carried out in full. If there are mitigating circumstances, that's where suspended sentence and parole should come into play.
I'm no fan of spam, but do we really need a special statute to deal with it? The people in this article used spam as a means to commit fraud. They should be tried for fraud. I don't care whether the fraud was an elaborate confidence scheme committed by a team of clever matchstick men going door-to-door pretending to take donations for the LDS, or some shmoe sitting in his parents' basement playing evercrack with one hand while lazily sending off spam with the other.(There's some nasty imagery in there somewhere) Fraud == Fraud... plain and simple. Spam is about pissing me off by filling my inbox with crap every day. What have I lost, really, by experiencing the email version of what I do every day when I come home from work.... sorting through the pile of mail trying to see if there is -Anything- even worth opening.
If some shmuck sends me email with "fraudulent and untraceable routing information," is my liberty affronted? If so, why?... because I can't easily reply? Of course I'll grant that spam is annoying, but so are infomercials... and calls from political parties... and people who drive neon yellow sports cars. Should we next tack on some fines for fraud committed while driving an ugly sports car?
Why waste time litigating the relatively meaningless incidentals when our public servants could focus on the core criminal act, resolve the issue, and move on to the next case in a more timely fashion?
I really wish they still showed these kinds of videos today.
Duck and cover?
If this idea were the norm, the media would have a field day using their influence. Public opinion would be a much greater factor as the CNN viewership tuned in to minute by minute coverage of the non-stop critical analysis of every newly proposed measure. Heck, even if there wasn't anything interesting to cover, I'm sure they'd find some way of making it 'sound' interesting for a TV spot.
In other news...
Alcohol consumption remained popular during the prohibition.
Illicit drugs remain popular despite the prohibition.
Smoking remains popular despite the liklihood of long-term health problems, taxes, and targeted legislation.
Ad Nauseum
Draw your own conclusions here.
Home users, maybe but businesses????
You know, I was thinking the same thing. I heard some folks at work(a local branch of Bosch Group) talking about this irritating virus. --This is the part where I'm thinking to myself: "Won't these people ever learn not to open up everything they get in their inbox." -- I figured this is a user-level issue, right. Then, out of the blue, an announcement comes over the PA system: "Attention computer users. We are currently under attack from a worm virus..."(The rest doesn't make them sound any smarter, so we'll drop that.)
Turns out, the whole company is getting hit by this thing because some dumbass doesn't read things like Microsoft's announcement to block port 135. Hell, even I did that little at home.
There is a simple workaround for the dialup problem. Since most distros already work very well directly through a network.... just give it one. I'm no Gnu/Linux expert(but I am a fan of the philosophy.) Yet, with the tinkering I've done, I've never had a problem with my dialup access. This is largely because the Linux box doesn't have to deal with your dialup settings and whatnot. It just has to know that it gets access from the router. Plug your external modem into the router and you're pretty much set.
nope. Software is for playing Games.
I don't think America will keep a reputation for quality at this rate. Anyone who knows how manufacturing in this country is managed can tell you that quality of American-made products is slipping. Notably because we tend to crank up the speed of machinery and run it 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The theory involved argues that if X number of machines makes you X number of dollars in 8 hours, then you can triple that amount by running them continuously. Deprived of preventative maintenance and calibration, machines tend to develop small flaws in the product that are then ignored until they become serious.
That's just one example. Our workers have also lost pride in their work. If your workers aren't absolutely committed to making the best product, your product quality degrades. However, it's hard for a person to be proud of their work, if they're too busy hating their employers.
RANT
/RANT
Here's a basic formula for local economic disaster that we've been following for quite some time:
1. Market product.
2. Product sells... and there is much rejoicing.
3. Competitor makes a similar product and is sells at a lower cost. We lose market share(but not that much in the way of profit) and shareholders demand that action be taken.
4. Price wars ensue... production is moved to overseas location with cheap child labor and no environmental protection, overtime, union, or safety laws.(etc, etc, insert favorite money-shaving details here)
5. Market share is regained(profits still down) and shareholders are happy.
This seems all well and good at first. What's happening, though, is repeated across all industries and eventually the economy experiences more and more entropy. The products are cheaper, but there are fewer people employed at jobs above the poverty line which enable them to buy the products to begin with. The fewer people who can buy products, the more cost cuts need to be made in US companies to keep losses at bay. The first cut is usually jobs, of course. You don't have to be a mathematician to see where this viscious circle is going.
Unfortunately, we 'consumers' are somewhat to blame for the rampant increase of outsourced labor in this country. If we can get a product a few bucks cheaper, we jump at the opportunity. Cheaper is better, right. Hell, if I can get two pairs of BrandX jeans for the price of a pair made in the country(incidentally, the only brand I've seen is Texas Jeans http://texasjeans.com) then I've gotten myself quite a deal, right?
Just by cheaping out by a few bucks here and there on practically everything we buy, we've contributed massively to the continuing imbalance of:
1. Sending more money out of the border than is coming back.
2. Giving a disproportionate amount of money to companies who aren't reinvesting in the local economy.
3. Allowing continued trade with countries with whom we otherwise have grievances.
Don't get me wrong. I love chinese culture. China lays claim to some of the most fascinating cultural history I've ever read about. China's government, on the other hand, is easily as detestable as that of the former Iraqi 'regime.' A year ago, you didn't see anyone jumping up and down about the idea of outsourcing production to Iraq, right? You can bet your last dollar, though, that if Iraq were a major source of cheap labor, with the infrastructure to support it, we'd have plenty of interested companies getting ready to set up shop in the desert.
This stuff never even crossed my mind a few years ago. Then I went to WalMart to buy a blender. Guess what? I couldn't find one made in the US.(I don't even remember why It ocurred to me to check.) You know what? I couldn't even find a single blender at WalMart NOT made in China. The same thing for quite a few other products. I've given a great deal of thought to the economy, and I figure it might even help if more people tried to support their local economy. Buy local. If you can't, at least buy in the country. If you can't find something made in the country, try getting something made in a country you can deal with philosophically. I'm wearing DocMarten's. I don't care if they're cool or not, they were made in the UK. My other options at the time were made in China(all of them.) Oddly enough, there wasn't a huge price difference. About 5 bucks as I recall. So, No cheaper is not better. I try to buy local/domestic as often as I can. Maybe if more people did the same, we wouldn't have this sort of worry.
Ok, I'm done making myself sound like a Pro-Union zealot(no I'm not.) I'd say I'm sorry for sounding like an ethnocentric Flag-waving elitist. But, you know, that's where I live and all. If I'm going to be enthusiastic about someone's economy, it's damn well going to be mine.