AT&T is dropping USENET...

On Fri, 12 Jun 2009 04:52:18 -0700 (PDT), Frank Reid
wrote:


ATT has just installed fiber in the neighborhood. *Guy come by yesterday to
inform me of this, and maybe I would like DSL from them. *Get Fiber for DSL.
He did not know about newsgroups or dropping them. *Informed him to make a
note that no way would I go with such a 1/2 assed concern. *Had to tell him
newsgroups were the internet before the web.- Hide quoted text -

A DSL on fibre?

Well, sure, if you use that fancysmancy Euro"fibre"...OTOH, if you use good ol'
American FIBER...

That's like running a Yugo at Daytona.

With the US auto industry as it is, that might be an alternative...

HTH,
R
....what this place needs is an enema...probably not enough fibre...

Frank Reid

On Thu, 11 Jun 2009 14:03:33 -0700, "Calif Bill"
wrote:


wrote in message
.. .
The AT&T news server farm is shutting down "about July 15th." For those
unlucky
enough to have to deal with AT&T motzarella.org provides free text-only
newsgroups for those who want to use a newsclient rather than Google
Groups,
etc.

And as an aside, this is just one more example of why AT&T sucks...and
now, the
Obama Administration is tapping none other than Mr. "I don't know nuthin'
'bout
makin' no cars." Ed half-Whitacre, Jr. to - are you ready? - fix GM...

Sheesh,
R
...but on the, um, "positive" side, he's got a rosy outlook - "If I can
royally
screw folks with telecom, surely I can do it with automotive...why,
shucks, I'll
have this company back to ****ing its vict...er, 'customers' faster than
you can
say 'Yugo'..."


ATT has just installed fiber in the neighborhood. Guy come by yesterday to
inform me of this, and maybe I would like DSL from them. Get Fiber for DSL.
He did not know about newsgroups or dropping them. Informed him to make a
note that no way would I go with such a 1/2 assed concern. Had to tell him
newsgroups were the internet before the web.

Here's another reason AT&T sucks: when AT&T re-acquired Cingular, they
cancelled many in-place "sharing" agreements, such as with Cellular South.
Therefore, the "more bars in more places" is just so much adcrap. "Oh, sure,"
some would say, "in remote corners of the US with no real customer base." Er,
nope. They left a major NASA installation, Stennis (and its related industry),
several Armed Forces bases/posts/forts, and a fair chunk of agri-business with
no choice but to turn to other providers/carriers. They, from what I've heard,
thought that the former Bellsouth lock on landlines, with the resultant tie-ins
to cellular, internet, etc., would keep customers on the tit. Oops. Now "the
government" is going to let the genius behind such ****-ups "fix" GM. He'll
probably suggest selling vehicles without engines or seats because, hey, once
they buy the vehicle, they'll be forced to buy the engine and interior...

TC,
R

On Jun 12, 6:58*am, Frank Reid wrote:
Nearly all ISPs are dropping Usenet. This is a dead zone. Tits up. But
it will probably hang around a little while longer, so you and Wolfgang
(or Giles) and Fortenberry can continue to have your onanistic fun for a
while, at least.

Its rare that I have to look up a word. * That's one that I didn't
really want to look up.

Shouldn't have needed to. The identity of ROFF's leading purveyor of
homoerotic ideation, his frequently displayed drooling contempt for
women, and the content of his earlier message should have provided all
the hints one could ask for.

g.

wrote in message
...
On Thu, 11 Jun 2009 14:03:33 -0700, "Calif Bill"

wrote:
He'll probably suggest selling vehicles without engines or seats because,
hey, once
they buy the vehicle, they'll be forced to buy the engine and interior...

TC,
R


Although not really related but reminded me of this: We (lake assoc. board)
ordered a new 25 hp. Mercury outboard for our milfoil barge. Pulled it out
of the crate to install and noticed there was no prop... Searched around, no
prop. I found it interesting they would sell an outboard without a prop. If
nothing else, I figured the dealer would at least tell us we needed to buy
one...!

JT

"JT" writes:


ordered a new 25 hp. Mercury outboard for our milfoil barge. Pulled it out
of the crate to install and noticed there was no prop...

Nothing surprises me about Merc outbaords. In the 70s, I did a stint
as an o/b motor mechanic at a boat rental. Couple dozen motors from
25hp on down. My memories were, the cylinder/piston assy and prop
gears were damn near indestructible, but the electrical and cooling
systems were pure junk.

If the motor overheated, all the plastic cooling jacket seals would
literally swell shut, preventing any further circulation of cooling
water and necessitating replacement of all seals. I literately ran 2
local shops out of seals stock. I never did understand that design
logic or why Mercs continued to sell so well in the racing arena.
Contingent money, maybe.

nb

On Fri, 12 Jun 2009 11:45:56 -0600, wrote:

"JT" writes:


ordered a new 25 hp. Mercury outboard for our milfoil barge. Pulled it out
of the crate to install and noticed there was no prop...

Nothing surprises me about Merc outbaords. In the 70s, I did a stint
as an o/b motor mechanic at a boat rental. Couple dozen motors from
25hp on down. My memories were, the cylinder/piston assy and prop
gears were damn near indestructible, but the electrical and cooling
systems were pure junk.

If the motor overheated, all the plastic cooling jacket seals would
literally swell shut, preventing any further circulation of cooling
water and necessitating replacement of all seals. I literately ran 2
local shops out of seals stock. I never did understand that design
logic or why Mercs continued to sell so well in the racing arena.
Contingent money, maybe.

nb

Another Merc story - one of the our local fishing teams runs 3 of the big
"super-sal****er" Mercs and last year on in a major tourney, making a run to the
rigs in moderate chop, out about 25 NM, a steering rod sheared. All three
slammed to port, a guy was tossed out and broke a coupla ribs, and as you can
imagine, it was, um, an ass-puckering experience for all on board. They
jury-rigged it and limped in. By the next morning, Merc had a truck down with a
complete new set-up, a wrench-turner, etc. and they fixed what needed fixing and
fished the rest of the tourney. I guess they REALLY didn't want a team of which
they were a sponsor sitting on the hard with faulty factory parts...can't say I
blame 'em...

A week or so after, I asked my cousin, who runs the family boat/motor/tackle
dealership, what that setup would cost Joe Blow if he wanted to dupe it..."about
100K (US)..." he said. Pressing further, I asked what it would cost
him..."COST?!," says he, "They would have to pay us just like company does..."
I know that sports companies pass the small **** out like candy if you have the
slightest marketing potential (I get a bucketful of TOTL company SW rod-n-reel
type stuff for the asking), but boats and OBs are like Rolexes or NASCAR - if
you have a market benefit to the company, back up yer truck and they'll let the
"real" customers pay for 'em...

TC,
R

On Jun 13, 8:58*am, wrote:
On Fri, 12 Jun 2009 11:45:56 -0600, wrote:
"JT" writes:

ordered a new 25 hp. Mercury outboard for our milfoil barge. Pulled it out
of the crate to install and noticed there was no prop...

Nothing surprises me about Merc outbaords. *In the 70s, I did a stint
as an o/b motor mechanic at a boat rental. *Couple dozen motors from
25hp on down. *My memories were, the cylinder/piston assy and prop
gears were damn near indestructible, but the electrical and cooling
systems were pure junk. *

If the motor overheated, all the plastic cooling jacket seals would
literally swell shut, preventing any further circulation of cooling
water and necessitating replacement of all seals. *I literately ran 2
local shops out of seals stock. *I never did understand that design
logic or why Mercs continued to sell so well in the racing arena.
Contingent money, maybe.

nb

Another Merc story - one of the our local fishing teams runs 3 of the big
"super-sal****er" Mercs and last year on in a major tourney, making a run to the
rigs in moderate chop, out about 25 NM, a steering rod sheared. *All three
slammed to port, a guy was tossed out and broke a coupla ribs, and as you can
imagine, it was, um, an ass-puckering experience for all on board. *They
jury-rigged it and limped in. *By the next morning, Merc had a truck down with a
complete new set-up, a wrench-turner, etc. and they fixed what needed fixing and
fished the rest of the tourney. *I guess they REALLY didn't want a team of which
they were a sponsor sitting on the hard with faulty factory parts...can't say I
blame 'em...

A week or so after, I asked my cousin, who runs the family boat/motor/tackle
dealership, what that setup would cost Joe Blow if he wanted to dupe it...."about
100K (US)..." he said. *Pressing further, I asked what it would cost
him..."COST?!," says he, "They would have to pay us just like company does..."
I know that sports companies pass the small **** out like candy if you have the
slightest marketing potential (I get a bucketful of TOTL company SW rod-n-reel
type stuff for the asking), but boats and OBs are like Rolexes or NASCAR - if
you have a market benefit to the company, back up yer truck and they'll let the
"real" customers pay for 'em...

TC,
R-

Startling.

g.
who supposes the rest of us would have been informed if we were
important.

wrote in message
...
The AT&T news server farm is shutting down "about July 15th." For those
unlucky
enough to have to deal with AT&T motzarella.org provides free text-only
newsgroups for those who want to use a newsclient rather than Google
Groups,
etc.

And as an aside, this is just one more example of why AT&T sucks...and
now, the
Obama Administration is tapping none other than Mr. "I don't know nuthin'
'bout
makin' no cars." Ed half-Whitacre, Jr. to - are you ready? - fix GM...

Sheesh,
R
...but on the, um, "positive" side, he's got a rosy outlook - "If I can
royally
screw folks with telecom, surely I can do it with automotive...why,
shucks, I'll
have this company back to ****ing its vict...er, 'customers' faster than
you can
say 'Yugo'..."


and I'm dropping AT&T....