"dsi1" > wrote in message
...
> On 7/29/2014 2:34 PM, jmcquown wrote:
>> On 7/29/2014 4:53 PM, dsi1 wrote:
>>> What problem are you having with Google Groups? Freaking hating a
>>> program seems to be an
>>> overreaction.
>>
>> Google Groups is atrocious. It appears to have been created as an
>> afterthought. There is no method for blocking spam (the majority of
>> which seems to come from people with gmail accounts). Sure, you can
>> report them; fat lot of good it will do. The [lack of] formatting
>> sucks; the line spacing if you post a reply to someone who uses GG is
>> annoying as hell. How's that for starters?
>>
>> Jill
>
> Spam has been a part of the Usenet long before GG. Google ain't to blame.
> You can make complaints to the poster's HTTP server or Google Groups but
> why would you want to spend your time in such a way? The formatting
> problem is annoying but the sheer entertainment value of folks blowing
> their tops over this small thing makes it all worthwhile. (-:

Yes but if you can filter it, you don't see it.

"jmcquown" > wrote in message
...

> Seems to me the people who wrote the GG interface for usenet had no idea
> what usenet is. Simple concepts such as threading, quoting and basic
> formatting completely escaped their comprehension.

Yep.

"Cheri" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Dave Smith" > wrote in message
> ...
>> On 2014-07-29 19:07, Julie Bove wrote:
>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>> Oh. Never mind then. I just won't pay for Usenet and if it eventually
>>> comes down to that, I'll just do without.
>>
>>
>> Why not? You post a couple hundred messages a week and get more than
>> enough abuse to boost your self esteem.
>
> What? And you don't post at least that many?

But I can post for free. If I lose Usenet, I won't like it but... It's
going the way of the wind anyway so... Really not a big loss. There are
just some things I'm not willing to pay for.

"Janet Wilder" > wrote in message
eb.com...
> On 7/29/2014 7:46 AM, Ophelia wrote:
>>
>>
>> "Julia Bove" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>>
>>> "Ophelia" > wrote in message
>>> ...
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> "Julie Bove" > wrote in message
>>>> ...
>>>>
>>>>> They have had outages. I just don't remember one for this long.
>>>>> Normally when they go down it is only for part of the day to perhaps
>>>>> 24 hours. And I don't remember a lot of them.
>>>>>
>>>>> As for posting through here, it is truly a PITA as is reading the
>>>>> posts.
>>>>
>>>> I am using ES with no problem atm. They do have outages though which
>>>> is why I also have NIN
>>>
>>> I will look into NIN. I don't know what the problem was but it's
>>> working now. I had tried to get another free one. I won't pay for
>>> Usenet. Would just as soon do without than pay. I saw AOIE or maybe
>>> I have those letters jumbled. I did have it before but switched when
>>> they put strict posting limits. Most of what I saw allowed viewing
>>> but not posting.
>>
>> I pay for NIN Euros 10 a year (must be close to dollars)
>>
>
> I bought a chunk of data from Astraweb in 2005 for $10. I will never have
> to add to that and I'll never use up those bytes. $10 for life is pretty
> goood.

I haven't heard of that! I wonder if they operate here.
--
http://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/shop/

"Janet Wilder" > wrote in message
eb.com...
> On 7/29/2014 12:39 PM, KenK wrote:
>> Julie Bove > wrote in
>> news:d66dc074-a53b-4599-9375-
>> :
>>
>>> Does anyone know what's going on with it?
>>
>> Try Individual News. I've been using them for meny years with no problem.
>> Unlike ES, costs ~$10 a year. Well worth it. They're out of Germany.
>>
>>
> I used them when they were free. Great product. I was not comfortable
> with their policy of keeping your credit card and renewing you every year.
> With Astraweb (and no binaries) $10 worth will last my lifetime plus.

Yes I used them when they were free too. I've had no problem with them
keeping my details and they never just take it before sending several
reminders which gives you the opportunity to cancel.


--
http://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/shop/

"dsi1" > wrote in message
...
> On 7/29/2014 2:34 PM, jmcquown wrote:
>> On 7/29/2014 4:53 PM, dsi1 wrote:
>>> What problem are you having with Google Groups? Freaking hating a
>>> program seems to be an
>>> overreaction.
>>
>> Google Groups is atrocious. It appears to have been created as an
>> afterthought. There is no method for blocking spam (the majority of
>> which seems to come from people with gmail accounts). Sure, you can
>> report them; fat lot of good it will do. The [lack of] formatting
>> sucks; the line spacing if you post a reply to someone who uses GG is
>> annoying as hell. How's that for starters?
>>
>> Jill
>
> Spam has been a part of the Usenet long before GG. Google ain't to blame.
> You can make complaints to the poster's HTTP server or Google Groups but
> why would you want to spend your time in such a way? The formatting
> problem is annoying but the sheer entertainment value of folks blowing
> their tops over this small thing makes it all worthwhile. (-:

lol you are very naughty !!!

--
http://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/shop/

On 7/30/2014 12:16 AM, Ophelia wrote:
>
>
> "dsi1" > wrote in message
> ...
>> On 7/29/2014 2:34 PM, jmcquown wrote:
>>> On 7/29/2014 4:53 PM, dsi1 wrote:
>>>> What problem are you having with Google Groups? Freaking hating a
>>>> program seems to be an
>>>> overreaction.
>>>
>>> Google Groups is atrocious. It appears to have been created as an
>>> afterthought. There is no method for blocking spam (the majority of
>>> which seems to come from people with gmail accounts). Sure, you can
>>> report them; fat lot of good it will do. The [lack of] formatting
>>> sucks; the line spacing if you post a reply to someone who uses GG is
>>> annoying as hell. How's that for starters?
>>>
>>> Jill
>>
>> Spam has been a part of the Usenet long before GG. Google ain't to blame.
>> You can make complaints to the poster's HTTP server or Google Groups but
>> why would you want to spend your time in such a way? The formatting
>> problem is annoying but the sheer entertainment value of folks blowing
>> their tops over this small thing makes it all worthwhile. (-:
>
> lol you are very naughty !!!
>

Seeing people getting worked up by the silliest things restores my faith
in humanity once again. Does this make me a bad person? :-)

On 7/30/2014 5:01 AM, Ophelia wrote:
>
>
> "Janet Wilder" > wrote in message
> eb.com...
>> On 7/29/2014 7:46 AM, Ophelia wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>> "Julia Bove" > wrote in message
>>> ...
>>>>
>>>> "Ophelia" > wrote in message
>>>> ...
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> "Julie Bove" > wrote in message
>>>>> ...
>>>>>
>>>>>> They have had outages. I just don't remember one for this long.
>>>>>> Normally when they go down it is only for part of the day to perhaps
>>>>>> 24 hours. And I don't remember a lot of them.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> As for posting through here, it is truly a PITA as is reading the
>>>>>> posts.
>>>>>
>>>>> I am using ES with no problem atm. They do have outages though which
>>>>> is why I also have NIN
>>>>
>>>> I will look into NIN. I don't know what the problem was but it's
>>>> working now. I had tried to get another free one. I won't pay for
>>>> Usenet. Would just as soon do without than pay. I saw AOIE or maybe
>>>> I have those letters jumbled. I did have it before but switched when
>>>> they put strict posting limits. Most of what I saw allowed viewing
>>>> but not posting.
>>>
>>> I pay for NIN Euros 10 a year (must be close to dollars)
>>>
>>
>> I bought a chunk of data from Astraweb in 2005 for $10. I will never
>> have to add to that and I'll never use up those bytes. $10 for life
>> is pretty goood.
>
> I haven't heard of that! I wonder if they operate here.

They do have a European server. I am not sure they offer the package
any longer. http://www.news.astraweb.com/

In 2006 I bought 1GB for $10. This is what I have left 888,417,729
bytes (0.89 GB) I'm a Usenet junkie since 1995 and it's been working
for me.

Now you can get 25GB for $10. If you don't do heavy binaries, you can't
beat the price.



--
From somewhere very deep in the heart of Texas

On Wed, 30 Jul 2014 11:01:36 +0100, "Ophelia"
> wrote:

>
>
> "Janet Wilder" > wrote in message
> eb.com...
> >>
> >
> > I bought a chunk of data from Astraweb in 2005 for $10. I will never have
> > to add to that and I'll never use up those bytes. $10 for life is pretty
> > goood.
>
> I haven't heard of that! I wonder if they operate here.

I don't see why not. If we can use ES, surely you can use Astraweb.

--
I take life with a grain of salt, a slice of lemon and a shot of tequila

On Wed, 30 Jul 2014 11:05:58 +0100, "Ophelia"
> wrote:

>
>
> "Janet Wilder" > wrote in message
> eb.com...

> > With Astraweb (and no binaries) $10 worth will last my lifetime plus.
>
> Yes I used them when they were free too. I've had no problem with them
> keeping my details and they never just take it before sending several
> reminders which gives you the opportunity to cancel.

The nice thing about astraweb is that you *can* do binaries if you
want to.

--
I take life with a grain of salt, a slice of lemon and a shot of tequila

"sf" > wrote in message
...
> On Wed, 30 Jul 2014 11:01:36 +0100, "Ophelia"
> > wrote:
>
>>
>>
>> "Janet Wilder" > wrote in message
>> eb.com...
>> >>
>> >
>> > I bought a chunk of data from Astraweb in 2005 for $10. I will never
>> > have
>> > to add to that and I'll never use up those bytes. $10 for life is
>> > pretty
>> > goood.
>>
>> I haven't heard of that! I wonder if they operate here.
>
> I don't see why not. If we can use ES, surely you can use Astraweb.

I will be checking it out)
--
http://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/shop/

On Wed, 30 Jul 2014 06:23:54 -0500, Janet Wilder >
wrote:

> Good to know. I'm very happy right now with my $10 for life plan, so
> I'm not about to switch.

I charged my $10 block account. Can't get any easier than that.

--
I take life with a grain of salt, a slice of lemon and a shot of tequila

On Tue, 29 Jul 2014 23:34:38 -0700, "Julie Bove"
> wrote:

>
> "dsi1" > wrote in message
> ...
> > On 7/29/2014 2:34 PM, jmcquown wrote:
> >> On 7/29/2014 4:53 PM, dsi1 wrote:
> >>> What problem are you having with Google Groups? Freaking hating a
> >>> program seems to be an
> >>> overreaction.
> >>
> >> Google Groups is atrocious. It appears to have been created as an
> >> afterthought. There is no method for blocking spam (the majority of
> >> which seems to come from people with gmail accounts). Sure, you can
> >> report them; fat lot of good it will do. The [lack of] formatting
> >> sucks; the line spacing if you post a reply to someone who uses GG is
> >> annoying as hell. How's that for starters?
> >>
> >> Jill
> >
> > Spam has been a part of the Usenet long before GG. Google ain't to blame.
> > You can make complaints to the poster's HTTP server or Google Groups but
> > why would you want to spend your time in such a way? The formatting
> > problem is annoying but the sheer entertainment value of folks blowing
> > their tops over this small thing makes it all worthwhile. (-:
>
> Yes but if you can filter it, you don't see it.

Unfiltered spam is one of the many reasons why I hate Google's usenet
groups. If they can filter spam from their email, they should be able
to filter it from usenet too - but they don't.

--
I take life with a grain of salt, a slice of lemon and a shot of tequila

On Tue, 29 Jul 2014 23:36:11 -0700, "Julie Bove"
> wrote:

>
> "jmcquown" > wrote in message
> ...
>
> > Seems to me the people who wrote the GG interface for usenet had no idea
> > what usenet is. Simple concepts such as threading, quoting and basic
> > formatting completely escaped their comprehension.
>
> Yep.

I think they knew exactly what they were doing. They want to drive
users to moderated, GG so their bots can snoop more easily.

--
I take life with a grain of salt, a slice of lemon and a shot of tequila

On Wed, 30 Jul 2014 16:33:05 +0100, "Ophelia"
> wrote:

>
>
> "Janet Wilder" > wrote in message
> eb.com...
> >>
> > I posted the link earlier today. They have a European server.
> > news.astraweb.com
>
> Thanks I'll have a look. I won't need it for a while thought because I
> recently paid NIN for the year.

You can always buy it now, set it up as your second news server, and
not renew ES when it expires.

--
I take life with a grain of salt, a slice of lemon and a shot of tequila

On 7/30/2014 11:34 AM, sf wrote:
> On Wed, 30 Jul 2014 11:05:58 +0100, "Ophelia"
> > wrote:
>
>>
>>
>> "Janet Wilder" > wrote in message
>> eb.com...
>
>>> With Astraweb (and no binaries) $10 worth will last my lifetime plus.
>>
>> Yes I used them when they were free too. I've had no problem with them
>> keeping my details and they never just take it before sending several
>> reminders which gives you the opportunity to cancel.
>
> The nice thing about astraweb is that you *can* do binaries if you
> want to.
>

Yes, you can. I don't so my 1GB for $10 will last well beyond my lifetime.

--
From somewhere very deep in the heart of Texas

"sf" > wrote in message
...
> On Wed, 30 Jul 2014 11:05:58 +0100, "Ophelia"
> > wrote:
>
>>
>>
>> "Janet Wilder" > wrote in message
>> eb.com...
>
>> > With Astraweb (and no binaries) $10 worth will last my lifetime plus.
>>
>> Yes I used them when they were free too. I've had no problem with them
>> keeping my details and they never just take it before sending several
>> reminders which gives you the opportunity to cancel.
>
> The nice thing about astraweb is that you *can* do binaries if you
> want to.

Interesting
--
http://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/shop/

"sf" > wrote in message
...
> On Wed, 30 Jul 2014 16:33:05 +0100, "Ophelia"
> > wrote:
>
>>
>>
>> "Janet Wilder" > wrote in message
>> eb.com...
>> >>
>> > I posted the link earlier today. They have a European server.
>> > news.astraweb.com
>>
>> Thanks I'll have a look. I won't need it for a while thought because
>> I
>> recently paid NIN for the year.
>
> You can always buy it now, set it up as your second news server, and
> not renew ES when it expires.

I don't pay for ES. It doesn't expire.


--
http://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/shop/

On 7/30/2014 1:52 PM, Janet Wilder wrote:
> On 7/30/2014 11:59 AM, S Viemeister wrote:
>> I like the spam filtering on nin - I wonder if Astraweb is as good in
>> that regard?
>
> SPAM does get through, but it's easy to spot and there isn't a lot of
> it. I think modern spammers don't even know about Usenet.
>
> Astraweb does offer a newsreader, which I believe is free, that is
> supposed to work well with their news server. I am so used to
> Thunderbird that I don't want to start fooling with anything else.
>
> You can set filters on your own newsreader, you know.
>
Yes, and I do, but there's always something new - with nin, in most
cases I only become aware of spam if some idiot responds to it!

On 7/30/2014 1:49 PM, Janet Wilder wrote:
> On 7/30/2014 11:53 AM, jmcquown wrote:
>>>
>> The funniest (or should I say phunniest?) phishing scam I got was a few
>> years ago. Allegedly from the IRS. You have a tax refund! Just click
>> on this link to claim it. R i i i g h t. That's not going to happen.
>>
>> First of all, I do my own taxes. I know when/if I'm due a tax refund.
>> Secondly, since when does the IRS *email* people about refunds? They
>> don't. If you look on their web site they even have a warning about
>> scams like this:
>>
>> http://www.irs.gov/uac/Suspicious-e-...Identity-Theft
>>
>>
>> The wisest and safest thing to do is simply delete the email. Certainly
>> don't believe where they say they came from if you didn't instigate the
>> email communication.
>>
>> Jill
>
>
> Of course.
>
> Even if I get a legit looking email from my bank or a credit card, I
> will not click the link. I'll go directly to the web site and log in
> for the message.
>
> About a month ago, I got an email from my main credit card, so I went to
> the site and logged in to find that they had denied a purchase in
> California for over $300. I picked up the phone and called the credit
> card company who ran a list of other purchases by me that were legit.
> They closed the account and overnighted me a new card.

I had a hacker with (of all places) WalMart in SoCal about three years
ago. The idiot who hacked my credit card info (I have no idea how he
did it, I'm very careful) was stupid enough to use *my* email to confirm
purchases he made at a WalMart. As a result of his stupidity, I got an
email confirmation: your order is ready for pickup.

WTH?! I immediately called that WalMart location. Do NOT let this
person pick up anything! Call the police. I don't know them. I
haven't been in Southern California since 1967.

I then called my bank and told them to cancel the card. It did take a
couple of days for them to send me a replacement.

To give WalMart credit, they responded immmediately. They had cops
waiting for this guy when he came in to pick up a television and some
other items he had ordered. He was promptly arrested. My card wasn't
charged.

Jill

On 7/30/2014 2:47 PM, wrote:
> I hope I don't tempt fate by saying I have never had any problems and
> hold several credit cards, I am just sensible with them. If something
> happens these days, like it did with you, the system pretty quickly
> picks up on it not being your usual spending and checks. A friend did
> not even know her card had been stolen, until the bank called her,
> only about ten minutes after it had been stolen. The idiot was trying
> to buy a stereo system, not her sort of expense.
>
I can happen even if you're careful.
My husband's American Express card was cloned (we believe at a Costco
gas pump), and used to buy massive amounts of fuel in Texas - on the
same day that he bought his usual amount of gas at his usual place in
NJ. It took months to get it sorted out.

On 7/30/2014 2:05 PM, Ophelia wrote:

> Good point. If you find out do let me know. Oh btw, you asked me to
> report on those gloves? ACE!!!
>
I may treat myself, then.
Where did you get them, and do they have large sizes?

On 7/30/2014 1:42 PM, Janet Wilder wrote:

> They have taken my credit card from the inception. I've had an account
> for a solid 5 years. They keep asking me to link my checking account,
> but I never have.

I had it hooked up to a checking account to take in payments
from the RFC cookbook. Unless you're receiving funds, I have
no idea why you'd link your bank account.

nancy

"S Viemeister" > wrote in message
...
> On 7/30/2014 1:52 PM, Janet Wilder wrote:
>> On 7/30/2014 11:59 AM, S Viemeister wrote:
>>> I like the spam filtering on nin - I wonder if Astraweb is as good in
>>> that regard?
>>
>> SPAM does get through, but it's easy to spot and there isn't a lot of
>> it. I think modern spammers don't even know about Usenet.
>>
>> Astraweb does offer a newsreader, which I believe is free, that is
>> supposed to work well with their news server. I am so used to
>> Thunderbird that I don't want to start fooling with anything else.
>>
>> You can set filters on your own newsreader, you know.
>>
> Yes, and I do, but there's always something new - with nin, in most cases
> I only become aware of spam if some idiot responds to it!

I don't think you can get around that one

--
http://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/shop/

"S Viemeister" > wrote in message
...
> On 7/30/2014 2:05 PM, Ophelia wrote:
>
>> Good point. If you find out do let me know. Oh btw, you asked me to
>> report on those gloves? ACE!!!
>>
> I may treat myself, then.
> Where did you get them, and do they have large sizes?


These are mine but they are only showing medium.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B004IUDCI...051_TE_3p_dp_1


--
http://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/shop/

On 7/30/2014 3:04 PM, wrote:
> > wrote:
>> It can happen even if you're careful.
>> My husband's American Express card was cloned (we believe at a Costco
>> gas pump), and used to buy massive amounts of fuel in Texas - on the
>> same day that he bought his usual amount of gas at his usual place in
>> NJ. It took months to get it sorted out.
>
> I would have thought that one would be straightforward, given the
> distances I suppose our banking system is so different in Canada
> that perhaps even credit cards are handled differently.
>
We thought it would be straightforward, too. But we were unlucky enough
to be attended to by an idiot or two. They said that since it was not a
'card not present transaction' (the card had apparently been physically
cloned) it must have been a legitimate charge! I had to spend a lot of
time trying to move up the responsibility ladder to get someone to
actually look at the transactions on the account. Apart from those 3
illegal gas purchases in Texas, no Texas charge had ever appeared on the
account, and I pointed out that even if he broke the speed limit, he
couldn't have charged gas in NJ in the morning, and in Texas in the
afternoon of the same day. Also, there was no way that his car's tank
could have held the amount of fuel that was purchased.

On 7/30/2014 3:42 PM, Ophelia wrote:
> "S Viemeister" > wrote
>> On 7/30/2014 2:05 PM, Ophelia wrote:
>>> Good point. If you find out do let me know. Oh btw, you asked me to
>>> report on those gloves? ACE!!!
>> I may treat myself, then.
>> Where did you get them, and do they have large sizes?
>
> These are mine but they are only showing medium.
>
> http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B004IUDCI...051_TE_3p_dp_1
>
Thank you - they're on my wish list!

On Wed, 30 Jul 2014 19:06:12 +0100, "Ophelia"
> wrote:

>
>
> "sf" > wrote in message
> ...
> > On Wed, 30 Jul 2014 16:33:05 +0100, "Ophelia"
> > > wrote:
> >
> >>
> >>
> >> "Janet Wilder" > wrote in message
> >> eb.com...
> >> >>
> >> > I posted the link earlier today. They have a European server.
> >> > news.astraweb.com
> >>
> >> Thanks I'll have a look. I won't need it for a while thought because
> >> I
> >> recently paid NIN for the year.
> >
> > You can always buy it now, set it up as your second news server, and
> > not renew ES when it expires.
>
> I don't pay for ES. It doesn't expire.

Okay then, whatever it is that you have to pay for.

--
I take life with a grain of salt, a slice of lemon and a shot of tequila

"S Viemeister" > wrote in message
...
> On 7/30/2014 3:42 PM, Ophelia wrote:
>> "S Viemeister" > wrote
>>> On 7/30/2014 2:05 PM, Ophelia wrote:
>>>> Good point. If you find out do let me know. Oh btw, you asked me to
>>>> report on those gloves? ACE!!!
>>> I may treat myself, then.
>>> Where did you get them, and do they have large sizes?
>>
>> These are mine but they are only showing medium.
>>
>> http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B004IUDCI...051_TE_3p_dp_1
>>
> Thank you - they're on my wish list!

I used them on my mandolin with no holder. Only them between me and the
blade. They caught a couple of times but not my fingers) Great
protection!

--
http://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/shop/

"Ophelia" > wrote in message
...
>
>
> "S Viemeister" > wrote in message
> ...
>> On 7/30/2014 2:05 PM, Ophelia wrote:
>>
>>> Good point. If you find out do let me know. Oh btw, you asked me to
>>> report on those gloves? ACE!!!
>>>
>> I may treat myself, then.
>> Where did you get them, and do they have large sizes?
>
>
> These are mine but they are only showing medium.
>
> http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B004IUDCI...051_TE_3p_dp_1

Oh looked again. You CAN get large )) duhhhhh


--
http://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/shop/

On 2014-07-30 2:56 PM, S Viemeister wrote:

> I can happen even if you're careful.
> My husband's American Express card was cloned (we believe at a Costco
> gas pump), and used to buy massive amounts of fuel in Texas - on the
> same day that he bought his usual amount of gas at his usual place in
> NJ. It took months to get it sorted out.


A number of years ago my wife and I went out for a nice lunch at a
restaurant and charged on my Visa account. That was in early August. I
got my bill in September and there were two charges at that restaurant,
one for that day and one two days later. I called Visa immediately. They
called the restaurant and got a story about how they were new and
someone thought it had not gone through so they put it through again
(two days later?). They were going to credit my account. Okay.

Not okay. The October bill came and there is no credit. I called again.
Visa was going to request hard copies, and if no hard copies were
received within 45 days I am not liable for the charge. Come November,
I called again.. still waiting for the hard copies.

One day in January I was in the area. It was lunch time.. perfect
timing. I went in and demanded they pay me. I got a cheque and cashed
it immediately. Coincidentally, Visa called that night and asked if
there had been any resolution. AAMOF there was, I told them, the
restaurant and given me the money.... and I hope the cheque didn't
bounce. She told he that was good because...... after all this time
there was not much they could do. After all that time????? I called as
soon as I got that first bill and realized I had been screwed and had
contacted them regularly.

If it happens again I will have the Visa person stay on the line until
the business issues that credit.

"sf" > wrote in message
...
> On Wed, 30 Jul 2014 19:06:12 +0100, "Ophelia"
> > wrote:
>
>>
>>
>> "sf" > wrote in message
>> ...
>> > On Wed, 30 Jul 2014 16:33:05 +0100, "Ophelia"
>> > > wrote:
>> >
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> "Janet Wilder" > wrote in message
>> >> eb.com...
>> >> >>
>> >> > I posted the link earlier today. They have a European server.
>> >> > news.astraweb.com
>> >>
>> >> Thanks I'll have a look. I won't need it for a while thought
>> >> because
>> >> I
>> >> recently paid NIN for the year.
>> >
>> > You can always buy it now, set it up as your second news server, and
>> > not renew ES when it expires.
>>
>> I don't pay for ES. It doesn't expire.
>
> Okay then, whatever it is that you have to pay for.

Well since I already have a free second news server, I reckon I can wait
till my NIN runs out

--
http://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/shop/

On 2014-07-30 3:44 PM, S Viemeister wrote:

> We thought it would be straightforward, too. But we were unlucky enough
> to be attended to by an idiot or two. They said that since it was not a
> 'card not present transaction' (the card had apparently been physically
> cloned) it must have been a legitimate charge! I had to spend a lot of
> time trying to move up the responsibility ladder to get someone to
> actually look at the transactions on the account. Apart from those 3
> illegal gas purchases in Texas, no Texas charge had ever appeared on the
> account, and I pointed out that even if he broke the speed limit, he
> couldn't have charged gas in NJ in the morning, and in Texas in the
> afternoon of the same day. Also, there was no way that his car's tank
> could have held the amount of fuel that was purchased.


I am careful about where I use my cards and there is an ethnic angle to
it. There are a couple different immigrant communities where credit card
and bank card schemes seem to be more common. If I go to a gas station
and see it staffed by one of them, they get cash. I prefer to pay by
debit, so I find another place.

On 7/30/2014 1:07 PM, S Viemeister wrote:
> On 7/30/2014 1:52 PM, Janet Wilder wrote:
>> On 7/30/2014 11:59 AM, S Viemeister wrote:
>>> I like the spam filtering on nin - I wonder if Astraweb is as good in
>>> that regard?
>>
>> SPAM does get through, but it's easy to spot and there isn't a lot of
>> it. I think modern spammers don't even know about Usenet.
>>
>> Astraweb does offer a newsreader, which I believe is free, that is
>> supposed to work well with their news server. I am so used to
>> Thunderbird that I don't want to start fooling with anything else.
>>
>> You can set filters on your own newsreader, you know.
>>
> Yes, and I do, but there's always something new - with nin, in most
> cases I only become aware of spam if some idiot responds to it!

That's the problem with filters. You filter and someone you like to
read posts the idiot's entire diatribe. That's Usenet!

--
From somewhere very deep in the heart of Texas

I caught a crook who is currently doing time in a Federal prison.

We were on a cruise and when we got home our Discover bill was in the
mail. There were charges in Arlington, TX that were incurred when we
were on the water.

We called the card company and they said there were more charges, which
I got off the internet. The perp was still using the card in Arlington
at a Holiday Inn. He'd also used it in convenience stores so I was sure
he was on a security camera.

Card was cancelled and we weren't charged, but I was ****ed. I called
the Arlington police but because I didn't live there, they brushed me off.

I called the Holiday Inn. Told the gal at the desk that they were not
going to get paid and she'd better call the police. She told me the guy
had 3 rooms and claimed his house burned down so he needed the rooms for
his stuff.

Police came and they deactivated his room keys. He came to the desk and
they nabbed him.

He was running a scam. Had computers, printers all sorts of toys. He
would get cheap gift cards and make paper copies of credit cards and
paste them on. They didn't scan so all the entries were keyed in at POS.

They found that he had bags of US mail that his lackies had stolen for
him and a little pot as well, but the stolen mail landed him in Federal
prison with no parole.

We learned that he had gotten our credit card number from the security
guard at another motel in Arlington where we had stayed 6 months earlier.

This turned out to be a big ring of thieves that I had busted.

I did get a phone call from the Arlington Police Department with a very
humble apology.

No body messes with me and gets away with it!


--
From somewhere very deep in the heart of Texas

On 7/30/2014 1:56 PM, S Viemeister wrote:
> On 7/30/2014 2:47 PM, wrote:
>> I hope I don't tempt fate by saying I have never had any problems and
>> hold several credit cards, I am just sensible with them. If something
>> happens these days, like it did with you, the system pretty quickly
>> picks up on it not being your usual spending and checks. A friend did
>> not even know her card had been stolen, until the bank called her,
>> only about ten minutes after it had been stolen. The idiot was trying
>> to buy a stereo system, not her sort of expense.
>>
> I can happen even if you're careful.
> My husband's American Express card was cloned (we believe at a Costco
> gas pump), and used to buy massive amounts of fuel in Texas - on the
> same day that he bought his usual amount of gas at his usual place in
> NJ. It took months to get it sorted out.

I'm surprised. I thought American Express was better than that.

I had a problem with my Chase card, which THEY caught and the problem
with the Discover, which we caught, but both cards were cancelled
immediately and we were issued new numbers. The new cards came Fed EX
overnight. We never had to pay a single penny. I thought all credit
cards had fraud protection.

Only inconvenience was calling the few providers that were automatically
billed to the cards to give them the new numbers, but both banks had a
list of them from us and offered to continue putting them through for 10
months.

--
From somewhere very deep in the heart of Texas

On 7/30/2014 4:18 PM, Ophelia wrote:
> "Ophelia" > wrote
>> "S Viemeister" > wrote
>>> On 7/30/2014 2:05 PM, Ophelia wrote:
>>>> Good point. If you find out do let me know. Oh btw, you asked me to
>>>> report on those gloves? ACE!!!
>>>>
>>> I may treat myself, then.
>>> Where did you get them, and do they have large sizes?
>>
>> These are mine but they are only showing medium.
>>
>> http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B004IUDCI...051_TE_3p_dp_1
>
> Oh looked again. You CAN get large )) duhhhhh
>
So I see. Perhaps they just restocked?

On 7/30/2014 3:19 PM, Dave Smith wrote:
> On 2014-07-30 2:56 PM, S Viemeister wrote:
>
>> I can happen even if you're careful.
>> My husband's American Express card was cloned (we believe at a Costco
>> gas pump), and used to buy massive amounts of fuel in Texas - on the
>> same day that he bought his usual amount of gas at his usual place in
>> NJ. It took months to get it sorted out.
>
>
> A number of years ago my wife and I went out for a nice lunch at a
> restaurant and charged on my Visa account. That was in early August. I
> got my bill in September and there were two charges at that restaurant,
> one for that day and one two days later. I called Visa immediately. They
> called the restaurant and got a story about how they were new and
> someone thought it had not gone through so they put it through again
> (two days later?). They were going to credit my account. Okay.
>
> Not okay. The October bill came and there is no credit. I called again.
> Visa was going to request hard copies, and if no hard copies were
> received within 45 days I am not liable for the charge. Come November,
> I called again.. still waiting for the hard copies.
>
> One day in January I was in the area. It was lunch time.. perfect
> timing. I went in and demanded they pay me. I got a cheque and cashed
> it immediately. Coincidentally, Visa called that night and asked if
> there had been any resolution. AAMOF there was, I told them, the
> restaurant and given me the money.... and I hope the cheque didn't
> bounce. She told he that was good because...... after all this time
> there was not much they could do. After all that time????? I called as
> soon as I got that first bill and realized I had been screwed and had
> contacted them regularly.
>
> If it happens again I will have the Visa person stay on the line until
> the business issues that credit.

Get a different bank! You were not dealing with Visa, you were dealing
with a bank that offers the Visa cards.



--
From somewhere very deep in the heart of Texas

On 7/30/2014 5:13 PM, Janet Wilder wrote:
(snip great story)
> No body messes with me and gets away with it!
>
>
<sound of cheering>
Good for you!

On 7/30/2014 5:17 PM, Janet Wilder wrote:
> On 7/30/2014 1:56 PM, S Viemeister wrote:

>> My husband's American Express card was cloned (we believe at a Costco
>> gas pump), and used to buy massive amounts of fuel in Texas - on the
>> same day that he bought his usual amount of gas at his usual place in
>> NJ. It took months to get it sorted out.
>
> I'm surprised. I thought American Express was better than that.
>
We thought so, too.