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The Telecom Digest for November 4, 2012
Volume 31 : Issue 257 : "text" Format
====== 31 years of TELECOM Digest -- Founded August 21, 1981 ======
|
Telecom and VOIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) Digest for the
Internet. All contents here are copyrighted by Bill Horne and
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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, and other stuff of interest.
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Date: Fri, 02 Nov 2012 15:11:57 -0500
From: Jim Haynes <jhaynes@cavern.uark.edu>
To: telecomdigestmoderator.remove-this@and-this-too.telecom-digest.org.
Subject: Rachel, second time today
Message-ID: <slrnk98a8d.5m6.jhaynes@Frances.localdomain>
If the FTC has shut them down, it must be like playing whack-a-mole
--
jhhaynes at earthlink dot net
Date: Sat, 3 Nov 2012 16:15:52 +0000 (UTC)
From: briang@panix.com (Brian Gordon)
To: telecomdigestmoderator.remove-this@and-this-too.telecom-digest.org.
Subject: Re: Rachel, second time today
Message-ID: <k73fvo$q08$1@reader1.panix.com>
In article <slrnk98a8d.5m6.jhaynes@Frances.localdomain>,
Jim Haynes <jhaynes@cavern.uark.edu> wrote:
> If the FTC has shut them down, it must be like playing whack-a-mole
Haven't heard from Rachel in a couple of weeks, but now get the same call from a man :-(
--
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
| Brian Gordon -->briang@panix.com<-- brian dot gordon at cox dot net |
+ brianggordon@hotmail.com Bass: Lexington "Main Street Harmonizers" chorus +
+--------------------------------------------------------------+
Date: Fri, 2 Nov 2012 19:14:15 -0700 (PDT)
From: HAncock4 <withheld@invalid.telecom-digest.org>
To: telecomdigestmoderator.remove-this@and-this-too.telecom-digest.org.
Subject: Re: Hurricane Sandy disrupts data centers, wired Internet, cellular
Message-ID: <7df5db9a-3a6d-49f1-9a3d-e6df12c3f1a3@y6g2000vbb.googlegroups.com>
On Nov 2, 1:39 am, Monty Solomon <mo...@roscom.com> wrote:
> Hurricane Sandy also disrupts cellular networks and wired Internet
> AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, and Sprint are all hit by outages.
For what it's worth, our area, which lost power for five days*,
maintained traditional Verizon landline service. Neighbors who
depended solely on their cell phone soon had trouble as they couldn't
recharge their batteries, though some had car chargers.
*Not fun.
Date: Sat, 3 Nov 2012 11:40:22 -0400
From: Monty Solomon <monty@roscom.com>
To: telecomdigestmoderator.remove-this@and-this-too.telecom-digest.org.
Subject: Misconfigured Apache sites expose user passwords, other private data
Message-ID: <p0624082dccbae976e411@[10.0.1.11]>
Misconfigured Apache sites expose user passwords, other private data
System status pages are publicly viewable on thousands of sites.
by Dan Goodin
Nov 1 2012
Ars Technica
More than 2,000 websites-some operated by Fortune 500 companies, game
sites, and retail outlets-are exposing system status information that
can be used by attackers to compromise Web servers or customer
accounts, a recent research project found.
Sites such as staples.com, cisco.com, and axtel.mx run the popular
Apache webserver application with a feature known as server-status
enabled, according to Daniel Cid, CTO of Web security firm Sucuri. He
scanned more than 10 million websites and found 2,072 that left the
status page wide open.
The pages display the number of processes running on a Web server,
the status of various Web requests, and other data that can be
invaluable to site administrators. But the same data-which can also
include the full URL they're visiting-can also be helpful to
attackers who want to compromise the customers or users visiting the
site. Site admins have long been admonished to keep those pages from
being visible to the outside world unless they have a good reason for
doing otherwise and have thought through the decision carefully.
...
http://arstechnica.com/security/2012/11/misconfigured-apache-sites-expose-user-passwords-other-private-data/
Date: Fri, 2 Nov 2012 17:51:39 -0700 (PDT)
From: Michael <michael.muderick@gmail.com>
To: telecomdigestmoderator.remove-this@and-this-too.telecom-digest.org.
Subject: Did anyone else get a call from the Mitt Romney campaign?
Message-ID: <b68be2ad-5afb-4b00-abc3-7acb00a3b6cd@g8g2000yqp.googlegroups.com>
I received a robocall from [the] Mitt [Romney presidential campaign].
What was different was that it started out "Hello Michael." It wasn't
a synthesized voice....at least I don't think so. Did Mitt record
whole bunches of names? Was it synthesized? Did the software detect
whether a man or woman answered the phone? Just curious. Michael
Date: Sat, 3 Nov 2012 13:07:42 -0400
From: T <kd1s.nospam@cox.nospam.net>
To: telecomdigestmoderator.remove-this@and-this-too.telecom-digest.org.
Subject: Re: 60 hz as a time standard
Message-ID: <MPG.2aff1967feffcf22989d2a@news.eternal-september.org>
In article <j8n8di$2oik$1@grapevine.csail.mit.edu>,
wollman@bimajority.org says...
>
> In article <j8n2c0$vgc$1@speranza.aioe.org>,
> Jon Danniken <jonSPAMMENOTdanniken@yahSPAMhoo.com> wrote:
>
> >ISTR reading about a plan at one time to alter the line frequency as a
> >method of sending an alert for emergencies, similar to the EBS now in place.
> >
> >Anyone remember anything about this?
>
> You probably saw an episode of the PBS series "History Detectives".
> The plan was not to alter the power line frequency, but to superimpose
> an RF signal on the line that would activate an alarm that was plugged
> into a household outlet. The device worked, but the plan did not, as
> the alert carried no information about what to do when the alarm went
> off.
>
> -GAWollman
Well - the old joke applies. You put your head between your knees and
kiss your butt goodbye.
But the other thing that is rather annoying is the EBS tests. Now not
only the broadcast stations conduct EBS drills, but the cable providers
do it too.
I've seen a number of times where EAS flashed across the display on the
front of my cable box while they were testing.
Date: Sat, 3 Nov 2012 14:44:16 -0400
From: Bill Horne <bill@horneQRM.net>
To: telecomdigestmoderator.remove-this@and-this-too.telecom-digest.org.
Subject: Re: 60 hz as a time standard
Message-ID: <20121103184416.GB11919@telecom.csail.mit.edu>
On Sat, Nov 03, 2012 at 01:07:42PM -0400, T wrote:
> But the other thing that is rather annoying is the EBS tests. Now not
> only the broadcast stations conduct EBS drills, but the cable providers
> do it too.
>
> I've seen a number of times where EAS flashed across the display on the
> front of my cable box while they were testing.
What annoys me is how the "alerts" are for things that don't matter,
such as a "High wind advisory" in the middle of hurricane Sandy, or
for floodwatches in areas forty miles away. You'd think they could get
better control over which localities see which warnings.
Bill
--
Bill Horne
(Remove QRM from my address to write to me directly)
Date: Sat, 3 Nov 2012 12:49:00 -0400
From: T <kd1s.nospam@cox.nospam.net>
To: telecomdigestmoderator.remove-this@and-this-too.telecom-digest.org.
Subject: Re: Edison's powrer network (Was Re: Telegraph turns 150
Message-ID: <MPG.2aff15043715322989d28@news.eternal-september.org>
In article <j87tj2$703$1@pcls6.std.com>, moroney@world.std.spaamtrap.com
says...
>
> >***** Moderator's Note *****
>
> >I meant "system", but it was a network in the sense that any
> >commercial company needs to have a combination of people, plan, and
> >ability that makes it into a "network" of commercial interests.
>
> >I know that Edison didn't envision a power grid: he once said that the
> >only way to move electricity from city to city was to charge batteries
> >and load them onto railroad flatcars. My point was that he used the
> >same voltage he was familiar with from his days as a telegrapher, and
> >we in the U.S. are still using it, although it has been converted to AC.
>
> >Bill Horne
> >Moderator
>
> The voltage has been bumped a little since Edison. The nominal voltage
> was raised to 115V in the 30s or thereabouts, and when I was dissecting
> radios as a youth they were all rated at 117 volts, and these days,
> everything is rated for 120V.
Around here I've tested 125VAC at the outlet. Most power supplies can
handle it since they're designed for anythign between 120VAC and 240VAC
at either 50Hz or 60Hz. The only difference is the plug.
Date: Sat, 3 Nov 2012 12:58:51 -0400
From: T <kd1s.nospam@cox.nospam.net>
To: telecomdigestmoderator.remove-this@and-this-too.telecom-digest.org.
Subject: Re: Please comment on my new blog
Message-ID: <MPG.2aff1755649568f3989d29@news.eternal-september.org>
In article <20111027222505.GA12116@telecom.csail.mit.edu>,
redacted@invalid.telecom.csail.mit.edu says...
>
> There's a company here in my neighborhood that is looking for experts
> in a program called WordPress, so I'm looking for advice and how-to's
> that will get me up to speed quickly with the "new" way that websites
> are written. As a learning tool, I've started a blog using WordPress
> as its foundation: please visit it and provide any advice you can
> about the layout, look-and-feel, tips-and-techniques, and especially
> about ways that I can use it to improve the digest.
>
> ob telecom: The blog might develop into a place to have opinions that
> are a bit too outre for the digest. Let's see.
>
>
> http://billhorne.com/
> [Updated 2012-11-03 - Moderator]
>
> Bill
Depending on the hosting service you use a lot of them include WP
(WordPress) by default.
I see you've put yours on [root] - cool. In my case I just used the
appendage /blog
The thing about WP is you can customize the crap out of it if you know
CSS.
Date: Sat, 3 Nov 2012 14:33:48 -0400
From: Bill Horne <bill@horneQRM.net>
To: telecomdigestmoderator.remove-this@and-this-too.telecom-digest.org.
Subject: Re: Please comment on my new blog
Message-ID: <20121103183347.GA11919@telecom.csail.mit.edu>
On Sat, Nov 03, 2012 at 12:58:51PM -0400, T wrote:
> In article <20111027222505.GA12116@telecom.csail.mit.edu>,
> redacted@invalid.telecom.csail.mit.edu says...
> >
> > There's a company here in my neighborhood that is looking for experts
> > in a program called WordPress, so I'm looking for advice and how-to's
> > that will get me up to speed quickly with the "new" way that websites
> > are written. As a learning tool, I've started a blog using WordPress
> > as its foundation: please visit it and provide any advice you can
> > about the layout, look-and-feel, tips-and-techniques, and especially
> > about ways that I can use it to improve the digest.
> >
> > ob telecom: The blog might develop into a place to have opinions that
> > are a bit too outre for the digest. Let's see.
> >
> >
> > http://billhorne.com/
> > [Updated 2012-11-03 - Moderator]
>
> Depending on the hosting service you use a lot of them include WP
> (WordPress) by default.
>
> I see you've put yours on [root] - cool. In my case I just used the
> appendage /blog
>
> The thing about WP is you can customize the crap out of it if you know
> CSS.
I know a fair amount about CSS, but I'm looking for something else,
and I'm not sure of how to describe it. ISTM that Drupal and WordPress
have become like Java: a standard platform underneath new code that
serves as if it were the "operating system", i.e., it provides a
standard "interface" that allows easy portability from one Drupal or
WordPress site to another.
I guess I'm looking for the key to the "server room". I want to do
something more than just-another-vaguely-familiar website, and I need
to know if WordPress or Drupal can serve as a new kind of Java for web
development, i.e., if I can use them to build commercial or other
sites that aren't like the usual cookie-cutter affairs.
I hope I'm writing clearly. Let me put this another way: is
TOC-in-vertical-column-on-left|Content-middle|Breadcrumbs-at-top so
ingrained in the typical user's mind that no further work needs to be
done? If so, then I will accept that my question is moot. If not, then
I need to know if Drupal or WordPress can take me beyond the usual
layouts.
Bill
--
Bill Horne
(Remove QRM from my address to write to me directly)
Date: Sat, 3 Nov 2012 11:40:22 -0400
From: Monty Solomon <monty@roscom.com>
To: telecomdigestmoderator.remove-this@and-this-too.telecom-digest.org.
Subject: Apple's mea culpa: U.K. site posts apology, new statement
Message-ID: <p06240824ccbae06bc565@[10.0.1.11]>
Apple's mea culpa: U.K. site posts apology, new statement
After testing a British court's patience with a not so apologetic
public statement, the iPhone and iPad maker is finally eating humble
pie.
by Zack Whittaker
November 3, 2012
CNET News
Apple has reissued and updated its Samsung "apology" statement on its
British Web site after a U.K. Court of Appeal found it to be "untrue"
and "incorrect."
...
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-57544751-37/apples-mea-culpa-u.k-site-posts-apology-new-statement/
Date: Sat, 3 Nov 2012 14:15:35 -0400
From: Monty Solomon <monty@roscom.com>
To: telecomdigestmoderator.remove-this@and-this-too.telecom-digest.org.
Subject: DEAR APPLE: I'm Leaving You
Message-ID: <p06240838ccbb0e3580ee@[10.0.1.11]>
DEAR APPLE: I'm Leaving You
Ed Conway, Contributor
Nov. 1, 2012
Business Insider
Ed Conway (@edconwaysky) is the economics editor for Sky News and the
author of The Real Economy. He recently wrote a letter to Apple CEO
Tim Cook explaining why he was done with the company. Ed gave us
permission to reprint his letter via an email from his new Samsung.
Dear Tim,
There's no easy way to put this so I'll just come right out with it.
I'm leaving you. It's been great (mostly) but it's over.
I figured the least I could do is to explain my decision in full - I
like to think it might help protect you from nasty break-ups like
this in the future.
I've been with you, with Apple I mean, for 13 years now - ever since
1999. Perhaps you've forgotten: I was a spotty teenager; I bought one
of your cute little translucent iBooks. Slowly but surely I painted
most parts of my technological life a bright shade of Apple. Let's
see: I've owned two iMacs, a number of iBooks, countless Macbooks
(I've currently got two on the go, for some unknown reason), an
iPhone for almost five years, an iPad since the very beginning;
iPods, iPod touches, iPod nanos - I've had 'em all. I even invested
in an Apple TV and, wait for it, a G4 Power Mac Cube (yes, that was
me!).
I'll admit I became dependent on you - clingy, even. When I went to
the States a couple of years back I shelled out hundreds of dollars
to ensure I wouldn't be without an iPhone - even though I was back at
college and wasn't exactly rolling in it. And like so many of those
who fall in love with you, soon enough I found myself working
part-time as your best PR spokesman: I spent hours persuading all my
friends to buy your stuff. I even wrote a blog about what made Apple
such a dynamic, innovative and successful company.
Like millions of others, I really believed the hype.
I never thought I would utter these words, but here goes: I'm leaving
you. I have already traded in my iPhone for a Samsung.
Now, this is the point where I know I'm expected to say: "it's not
you, it's me," but I can't, because the truth is: "it's not me, it's
you". Now, I know you don't like lists (at least I presume that's why
you avoided including a task application in Mac OS and iOS for so
many years) but it's only right that I run through the issues:
...
http://www.businessinsider.com/dear-apple-im-leaving-you-2012-11
TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly to telecom-
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