The Roundup: Jan. 20, 2003
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1. Editor's MusingsToday's article, written by the often controversial and always interesting jl scott. Today, scott takes issue with a new, and disturbing threat that's likely to have an impact upon all of us. I won't say more. Read it for yourself. 2.Article: The Ultimate Exploitation by jl scott, ph.d.I am going to get right to the point here: it looks like a new company called Habeas, Inc. will soon be controlling your email. Now, bear in mind that this is a company. NOT a government agency - a FOR PROFIT COMPANY! It seems this company's CEO is Anne Mitchell, who served as legal counsel for Mail Abuse Prevention System (mail-abuse.org). Mail Abuse Prevention System is a leading spam blacklisting organization! Obviously, she has tons of "contacts" in the spam filtering industry. The extreme spam filters started becoming a serious problem around March of 2002. Mitchell came on board with Habeas, Inc. about June of 2002. Coincidence? I don't think so! Getting the picture yet? Here's how it works ... Habeas, Inc. has created a trademarked, copyrighted header for email. Use of this header tells ISPs and spam filters that your email is HABEAS COMPLIANT. In order to be "Habeas complaint," ANY of the following must be true:
So what's the problem? First, the Habeas header is trademarked and copyrighted so the spammers can't steal it. Like that ever stopped spammers from doing as they please! Okay - so Habeas, Inc. is going to sue spammers if they use it. Sure. IF they can find them! Do you REALLY believe the spammers won't find a way to forge this - and avoid any penalties - like everything else? Come on! Then, there's the little matter of the majority of spammers being outside the USA. Even with International copyright and trademark laws, how long to you think it will take to nail them? Sure, they can get a Cease and Desist Order while prosecution is underway. Now, how long do you think it will take before the spammers are offered sterling opportunities to spam from the countries where the International copyright laws aren't recognized? Spammers won't have to LIVE in those countries. Only hire a company - or individual - there to send their spam and cover for them. It's a no-brainer! SOMEBODY is bound to see the opportunity and set them up. Never underestimate the amazing creativity of spammers! Secondly, Habeas headers are already recognized by a number of spam filters and Internet Service Providers. These include America Online, Yahoo, SpamAssassin, SpamCop SpamBouncer, JunkSpy, MessageLabs, and JunkFilter. America Online? Yahoo? SpamCop? SpamAssassin? What is wrong with THIS picture? Thirdly, "verified permission" (see #1 above) translates to "double opt-in." You have to prove you use double opt-in if publishing an ezine. Any savvy ezine publisher will tell you that requiring confirmation of every subscription request will LOSE you 60% of them. I KNOW this. I TESTED it! With all this other crap going on, we can't AFFORD to use double opt-in! We can't afford to lose 60% of the people who originally ask for the subscription! And, sending the new subscriber a "Welcome" email with the option to unsubscribe immediately, if they didn't actually make the request, doesn't COUNT. This is NOT considered an acceptable alternative (by Habeas, Inc.) to double opt-in! Part of the problem here is that too many publishers insist on using online forms for subscriptions! Of COURSE they get a lot of bogus subscriptions! People come along and screw with those forms - putting in any address they please. A form is NO easier to use than a link, to send an email request for the subscription. Yet, people can't see that, with the email request, they have an IP number and can prove who sent the email. In all the years I've used email requests, I have had one - count it, ONE - forged return address. When the owner of the email address complained, I opened the full header and sent it to him. He was then able to track down who had been using his email address on returns. Speaks of a service, doesn't it? Now, here's the kicker ... Even if you don't mind using double opt-in, which is already costing you money in lost subscribers, you're going to PAY for the Habeas header! In fact, you are required to buy a "license" to use the header. Here's the payment schedule: * "Individual and ISP licenses are free." * "Bulk Commercial Mail license, from ˝˘ to 1˘ per message, up to a maximum of $3,000 per month, designed for those who send commercial or promotional mailings for themselves or others. Small businesses under $100,000 annual business revenue can qualify for the Business license." Apparently, this will apply to list servers. The cost for these services to send your ezines will go UP. AND, if it's free now, it won't be for long! If you make over $100,000 per year, this "service" may cost you up to $3,000 per MONTH if you send your own ezines! Over ONE THIRD of your $100,000 in a year. * "BUSINESS LICENSE, $200 PER YEAR!" One very well-respected online marketer has already recommended this system. There'll be more to come. Why? Because a number of large companies are already licensed to include Habeas headers in their or their clients' messages. What's my opinion? I can tell you in two words. It Sucks. And two more: Big Time. Idiots will see this as a great solution. The same morons who couldn't get their heads on straight long enough to put a stop to the filters harming their businesses - through legal means. They didn't do it while they still had the chance. Will they EVER realize what hit them? Maybe. When it's too damn late. So, this is what it's come to for online businesses ... * We allowed the anti-spam fanatics (of which this company IS one) to put the filters in place without insisting on legal accountability. * A private company will now dictate that you MUST buy their service, at $200+ per year, IF you want to have an online business, use public email and avoid the spam filters. * This company will also dictate how you handle subscription requests, even though there is no law regarding the issue. Can they do that? Yes. Or, you can't use their "service." * You can add $200 a year to your overhead PLUS more if you also use a list server, when the prices go up (and, they WILL), PLUS whatever amount they decide raise the cost of their "license" as soon as most ISPs require it, and/or the spam filters are reset to bounce all email without the header. * When you hit a gross of $100,000 a year, you can pay over a THIRD of that to Habeas, Inc. for "allowing" you to use their headers. (Does this REMIND you of anything? Like "paying for protection" from companies like SpamCop and SpamAssassin?) * Habeas, Inc. already has a patent pending for Sender Warranted Email(SM). This means NO ONE ELSE may use this system. There will BE no competition! * Government regulation has been considered the big, bad wolf. Yet, as soon as Habeas, Inc. manages to get THEIR trademarked header required for email to be delivered, a FOR PROFIT COMPANY will control the Internet! * Will it stop the spam and the unrequested porn? Not even for a minute! Once again, those of us who do NOT send spam will pay - with cold, hard, cash - for those who do. And, you can BET the spammers are already planning their next step! And that is called "exploitation" of a bad situation! This my friends, has been planned - and carefully executed - for a LONG time! By the very people who helped bring us spam filters! OH, yeah! SpamAssassin is right at the TOP of their list of "Partners!" Will THIS generate lawsuits? Nah - we'll just roll over into a ball and hide our heads, like the little roly-poly worms that we are. And, let 'em do THIS to us too! Sorry. I've lost my faith in the online business owners' capacity to stand up - be counted - insist on legal protection - and do what's necessary to protect their businesses. If it ain't easy ... they won't do it. So, maybe this is well- deserved. Want the full story? Go to the URL below. May look good. Will
NOT stop spam! WILL get YOUR money as an online business owner
as you are coerced into using their service if you want to get
past the spam filters! Somebody's going to be making BIG bucks
every time you send an email or your ezine - and it ain't YOU! I will be writing more on this subject soon. I am currently in the process of getting legal opinions on this whole situation! Oh - the CEO of Habeas, Inc. is an attorney? Well, having been married to a judge for a number of years, that's the LAST thing that's going to intimidate ME! Copyright © 2003, jl scott, ph.d., all rights reserved. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 3. Recommended Product: *** Site Build-it ***As I mentioned last edition, I purchased Site-Build-It on the two-for-one sale that ended January 3. So far, I'm impressed. I think this product is excellent for what it's intended. That is, it's excellent for building a themed web site that will attract search engine traffic. It's suitable for both beginners and pros, but it is intended for affiliate sales… this is not the product to buy if you want to use it to sell your own product. BUT… you can use SBI as a themed web site that will direct traffic to your ecommerce web site. Using the planning tool, I've identified a few niche markets that look promising. The tool is impressive. You identify key words associate with themes that interest you, then the tool goes to work locating dozens, maybe hundreds of key words that work with your theme. Most importantly, it not only finds the key words, but it shows you supply and demand, and sorts according to profitability. This takes about an hour as opposed to the many days of work you would do manually. After a few days of investigating appropriate themes and affiliate programs, I've chosen my first theme and registered a domain name that I think will work. Now to begin building the site. As I said earlier, I'll keep you informed of how this all works out. We'll see if the theme site generates traffic the way SBI manual indicates it will… and if this turns into profit via affiliate sales. Want to check out SBI? The link's below:
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One Small World - One Big Downline 6. Joke: Facing the CompetitonA shopkeeper was dismayed when a brand new business much like his own opened up next door and erected a huge sign which read 'BEST DEALS.' Then, another competitor opened up on his right, and announced its arrival with an even larger sign, reading 'LOWEST PRICES.' The shopkeeper panicked, until he got an idea. He put the biggest sign of all over his own shop. It read 'MAIN ENTRANCE'. To subscribe to this newsletter, visit this link. "How to Booklets"-- topics include business proposal writing, business plan writing, brochure writing,an independant contractor's agreement, a sample joint venture agreement and more. Click www.nightcats.com This Ezine is listed in The Free Directory of Ezines |
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