Newsletter Archive

The Internet 800 Directory - http://www.inter800.com
The Internet 800 Directory Newsletter
This issue is for Friday, October 24, 2003
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Table of Contents
01. Spammy Holidays
02. Business Principles
03. Tip Of The Week
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*01. Spammy Holidays

The holiday season is just around the corner and, if this year is any
thing like last year, our email boxes are sure to be full. Last year
with the joy and glee of the holiday season also came a huge increase in
Spam.  Brightmail, a company that serves many of the Internet's largest
service providers (AT&T WorldNet, EarthLink, MSN and Verizon Online),
reported that Spam increased by 1,000% after Thanksgiving. With as much
Spam as I receive today it’s very hard to envisage that I could be
getting 10 times more Spam in just a few weeks.

Everyday the Spammers pound away looking for that one in a million, that
one true optimist that believes anything is possible. Our boxes are
filled with email so they can find a Jack to buy their magic beans.

Could it be that the people sending the Spam know us better than we know
ourselves? When I read some of these messages, I cringe with the thought
that anybody could believe their pitch.  But then I think of how
fantastic it would be if movies such as, “It’s a Wonderful Life” or
“Miracle on 34th Street” were a true stories.  You see, during the
holidays we want to believe and once again feel the enchantment that
brightened our youth.  We want to believe in miracles! This desire is
both our boon and curse.  It’s this optimistic outlook, this belief that
anything is possible that took us to the moon.  Unfortunately, there are
people willing to destroy this magic for money.

Please don’t fall prey, investigate any offer before acting. Scan ALL
attachments for viruses before opening, even if they’re from Santa.

Chuck Arning -chuck@inter800.com
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*02 Business Principles

Business Principles As They Relate to Plants, Animals and Certain
Inanimate Objects

Since I had so much interest in my parakeet, Larry the Bird, I guess
that it caused me to think of certain things that have happened in my
business life over the years that were always related to everyday life.
Also, since Larry disappeared, while my wife was out of town in Chicago
on a 1st United Methodist Evangelical Mission (contributions accepted
online at the address below), I was suddenly left in my house, alone,
without any noise, unless I turned on the TV or the stereo. It was
frightening, but it made me think of some prior parallels.

Here are some tenets that I’ve learned in business that may have some
bearing on yours:

1. Never buy an animal that costs more than its food.

Now there‘s a true story related to this statement. Years ago, my
ex-partner (deceased) and I were in a bank in Houston, attempting to
borrow money to do several house renovations. The bank president ushered
us into his office, but quickly took a call of some urgency from his
secretary. After a couple of minutes, he slammed down the phone,
red-faced, and looked at us, then apologized and explained. It seems
that he, as a very new bank president, had just originated a loan to a
guard-dog operation whose owner had just had a heart attack and was in
recovery. The problem was that no one, except the owner, could go near
the dogs to feed them. Therefore he told us, with due vehemence, “
Never, ever loan money on collateral that eats!” (Bob Bryant, I’ve lost
touch with you, but I’ll never forget that day.)

2. Plants can be good companions, but don’t expect a lot of meaningful
conversation.

The most employees for which I was personally was responsible was 660.
That is too much for one to oversee. Many of them were just like pretty
plants - we fed them, talked to them and loved them, but how did they
help our business?

3. Rocks can make good pets - they just need your help moving them.

This may sound like a contradiction to number 2 above, but it’s not.
Look for latent talent and persuade them to employ it.

Some more off-the wall thoughts:

4. Books never do anything unless they are opened.
5. Chickens and books lay, people lie.
6. Anything that one does not do well, he does wrong.
7. What one doesn’t understand, he needs to learn.
8. Why do we actually need gnats? For bats?

Oh, back to Larry. After 3 days and 2 nights of no bird, during such
time that I found myself actually missing the ornery cuss, I come home
to hear “Chirp, cheep, chatter, chatter!” (Insistent, I might add.) He
was on the top of his cage, and, after flying around my head a few
times, zeroed in on his food basket like he was a dive-bomber. I’ve
never seen a bird gulp before.

Where had he been? I don’t know, but since our maid was there and had
washed the bathroom floor mats and left them to dry on the patio, I
think he must have been in the dryer. Funny, because I’ve never even
seen him take a bath.

Steven Jackson - sjackson@inter800.com
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Will they find you or your competition?

Call 800-299-1879!
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Tip of the Week

Don’t send auto replies to Spammers

If you are using Outlook, it’s possible that you are sending responses
to Spammer without knowing about it. If someone sends you e-mail,
requesting a read receipt, Outlook could be automatically replying to
the request. To check to see if you are set to auto respond.

Click Tools menu
Click Options
Click E-mail Options.
Click Tracking Options.

Select one of the following:
To not allow a read receipt whenever one is requested, click Never send
a response.

To be notified when a read receipt is requested, click Ask me before
sending a response.

If you change the setting to one of these two you will stop sending
notice to Spamers you got their e-mail and your address is good.

If you have any tips or shortcuts that you think the readers of this
Newsletter will find useful, send them to sjackson@inter800.com

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