Eliminate Spam

Well over 90% of all spam is sent by compromised PC's. Spam send by dedicated spam servers are easy to blacklist.

It should therefore be possible to eliminate spam world-wide by

a) restricting Internet access of compromised PC's sending spam

b) forcing owners of said PC's to take anti-virus and anti exploitation measures

c) null routing the few remaining deliberate spam servers.

We have been using such a method for several years now. While it does nothing to stop the flood of spam reaching the network, it ensures the ISP has a far lower ratio of end users creating spam.

Spam is reported to an ISP by other ISP's, in particular AOL has an excellent opt-in spam reporting systems for other ISP's to use. Almost all spam sent in the world makes it to at least some AOL users, and AOL reporting system has very high integrity. Of the many thousands of spam reports received, there is yet to be a false positive.

The common format of the AOL, and some other ISP, spam reporting means the email notices can be parsed by an automatic processor. That processor strips the local IP address and creates a list of IP address which are then sorted and run through the unix/linux utility 'uniq'. The result is a list of single IP addresses from which we can be certain spam has been sent.

That list is then submitted to a database utility that matches the IP address to the end user. From there another utility changes the end user IP address from a public IP to a private IP address on a specific 10.x.x.x address block. The next step is to initiate a disconnect through radius so that the current user session is dropped and when reconnected, acquires the private IP address.

All outbound traffic on the network is directed through core routers. Those core routers have specific route-map lists that look for 10.x.x.x addresses and redirect them to captive portal servers. The really nice thing about this method, is that it costs very little in terms of router CPU, because of the very specific nature of the traffic the route-maps are looking for.

The result is that all identified sources of spam are:

a) blocked from access to the global Internet, so they can do no more harm

b) Directed to a captive portal web page that provides specific instructions on how to resolve their spam/virus issue

c) except for the expected exceptions of those very ignorant people that can not understand written instructions, there is no intrusion of extra support burden placed on the ISP helpdesk support as a result of spam.

d) End users are forced to consider and take action on the inconvenience they cause to all other Internet users as a result of their carelessness.

Really, it is a win for everyone.

Side note: Who do you think are the most critical of this method? Of course it is the self fancied 'IT Gurus' who sell themselves as so-called experts. Yet despite their self acclaimed 'expert' status, are unable to prevent their own servers, or their long suffering clients, from sending spam - that the most basic of competent prevention methods would eliminate.

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A Guide To Selling Your Gold Watch Chain - Read This Article Before Selling To Avoid Losing Money

First off do not sell any gold pocket watch chain as scrap unless it is in a dire condition, nearly all pocket watch chains whether silver or gold, have an above scrap value price to collectors and pocket watch dealers.

Follow my simple suggestions and you will maximise your return.

What type of gold - find out what carat gold the chains made from, normally it is be marked on each link, or hallmarked on the end rings. The majority are 9 carat, the price of 9 carat gold that you can expect from a reputable dealer is around £13 per gram, for 14 carat it's £18 per gram, 18 carat is £24 and if 22 carat it's nearly £30 per gram. So the carat of gold is of huge importance, if you are not sure what it's made of then take to a reputable jewelers to test for you.

Weight of the chain - this is self-explanatory, the heavier the chain then the more valuable, so get a good jewelers scales and write the weight down, with the carat of the chain.

Design - Pocket watch chain links vary in design, some are plain rings, or elongated, or bar shaped, oval, the links can also be hollow. The chain could be a double Albert, that has two same length chains linked in the middle with a bar and two lobster clips at the end of the chain, one for the watch the other probably for a fob, these double Albert's always fetch a higher price. You need to note the design, with the carat and weight.

Condition - is always important, many chains have been worn for years will be heavily eroded, and will not be of interest to the collector, these chains should, if you so wish, be sold for scrap, but as mentioned make sure you get the best price possible. The prices I gave above are current but they fluctuate daily, especially in these hard economic times. Historically gold always goes up in value during recessions. If the condition is good, with minimal wear, then collectors will be interested, and you will get more than scrap value.

Accessories - that is the bar for clipping on to the lapel, lobster clips for watch or fob, fobs, and sometimes pencil. The accessories will also normally be gold, might vary in carat though, but will normally have a hallmark, with the carat, the makers initials, and the date mark. You can find a compendium of hallmarks by 'Googling' gold hallmarks. Generally the older the chain then the more valuable it is, the accessories are often a good guide to the age of the chain.

Fobs - they are many and varied, the best are in gold, they can be shields that depict events, or societies, Free masons, or have personal details, the older and more elaborate fobs are the most valuable, especially if they have a gem.

So combine all the above, write all the details down, and then decide how you want to sell to get the best price possible.

Specialist auctions - some very good auctions that attract not only the dealer, but also collectors, and due to the internet, will also attract possible buyers from around the World. Do not sell to your local small town auction house, they are good to pick up bargains, and that is what your gold pocket watch chain will be, you want the major town auction house, that has an international dealers and collectors from around the World. One of the best ways to find high-profile auctions is to browse the salesroom.com, here you can find the best auctions that specialise in all sorts of products, including gold or silver pocket watches, that will also auction the chains that go with them.

Ebay - not to be ignored, it is once again a Worldwide market, your gold pocket watch chain if listed correctly will fetch way above scrap value, eBay can also be used to find out what your chain is worth. Follow these instructions, log into eBay.

Then in the description field type ' 9 ct gold watch chain' and hit search, on the left hand column find the completed listings title and click.

This will bring up all the gold watch chains that have been sold, then find the sort by box and drop down menu, at the top of the price list, drop the menu and select Price: highest first.

Now you have a complete list of chains and accessories completed in the last 30 days, from here you can easily make a comparison to your gold pocket watch chain, using all the details you should have noted down i.e. the carat, weight, design etc.

Here you will realise what you should be receiving, whether you use eBay, or not, to sell on.

If you do use eBay then make sure your chain is listed by someone who is very familiar with the listing process, it makes a ton of difference.

I cannot imagine anyone once having read this article wanting to sell any gold or silver items through dealers, forget all the 'get cash for gold' outfits they will buy at the lowest price possible - Avoid them at all costs. you can do so much better.

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Choosing the Right Banner Software For You

Banner software has come a long way over the years, thanks to the boom of internet marketing. Just a few short years ago, the web was flooded with very simplistic banners because "flashy" ones were difficult for anyone other than coders to create. Now more complex banners are a cinch to make with the right banner maker. The problem now is that there are so many options that it can be hard to choose the right one for your needs. This is twice as hard if you are a beginner. Some tips and basic knowledge-may help you out.

First, if your creating a brand-new site for the banner to be on, how you are building it is important. If you are an expert at HTML or CSS and are building the entire Site from code or script, then a banner software which provides code that's easy to integrate is best. Creating a site using the drag and drop method means you'd want software which gives you an image of the finished product to place on your site.

If you are simply creating a banner to be placed on sites created by others, it's best to have a banner creator which offers several options for them to embed the banner easily. Also, knowing the file types is helpful when using banner software. For example, GIF file extension is used for simple animated banners, while other files types present simple text or stationary banners such as JPEG. Some software will go a step further and create banners using flash technology.

Many types of banner software come with pre-loaded backgrounds, pictures, and templates to make creation easy. This is both helpful and harmful for a banner creator because it allows them to create banners quickly and easily, but they may fall into the trap of making banners which look the same as a dozen others, and therefore get ignored. Software which allows you to choose between pre-loaded images and templates or to use your own is the best way to still create them easily, but create unique banners that get noticed.

The best part of the evolution of banner software is that it has become so easy to use. You may want to take a bit of time choosing the best software for you, but once you have you will be creating banners in no time. Once you've made them you can use them for any purpose you like, and hopefully they can start earning for you.

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Problems With Your Contractor

Suppose you have hired a contractor and the work has been going smoothly until all of the sudden you have hit a snag. Now there is a problem that needs to be resolved. What are you to do?

If an issue arises and you find that you and your contractor are not seeing eye-to-eye, then you need to calm down and relax, before tempers start to get out of control. Take a deep breath so that you can begin to think clearly. Being hotheaded will not solve anything.

Choose a time when you and the specialist can sit down and consider the issue that has come up. Look over the contract together. To get the situation figured out, you both must give each other the time to express your concerns, but also take the time to listen. If the problem is greater than the two of you, then seek out the advice of someone else you trust before you return to the issue at hand with the professional that you hired.

When you hire a contractor, the most common types of problems that can arise include misunderstandings about how the work is being done, delays in production, money squabbles, and poor workmanship. If the individual you have chosen to do work in your home is doing work for other homeowners at the same time and this has slowed the progress of your project, then you must insist that the contractor come up with a regular type of work schedule that you both are comfortable with. This is necessary to get the project finished in a timely manner.

If the renovator you have hired refuses to work with you on this, then send him a registered letter letting him know of your intentions to cancel the contract that the two of you have. Then, you should ask for a refund of the prepayment you made to him. Find out what the law has to say about this in the state where you live before you go ahead with this course of action. This should only be a last resort. Your first step should be to have a civil conversation with the person you have hired and try to come up with a solution that is suitable to you and will not lead to an interruption of the work.

If bad workmanship is the problem that you are dealing with or business practices that are poor, then you can find out which government agency the contractor received his license from and you can report him to that agency. If the department in question feels that action should be taken, then it will be.

To prevent problems like these from arising in the future, you need to be very selective with the person that you hire. Always check all references. You also must be sure that the individual has the proper license and carries the right amount of insurance for the job.

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Whom Will You Consult on Home Extensions and Renovations?

Ideally, to make a sound decision when it comes to housing, many individuals still look forward to a cheaper way of realizing a comfortable home to fit in. And often times, they consider home extensions and renovations to aid their predicament, more importantly, when an old house is already available. But often than not, the problem lies to the person who will work with the extension and renovation. It is sometimes advisable to ask professionals to do the job rather than taking the risk of doing it without any precaution that it will be effective in your hands. The question is, to whom will you consult about home extensions and renovations? There are actually two people who are adept in the fields of home extensions and renovations, the architects and interior designers.

Architects, of course, do the house extension. They are well capable of understanding your house extension needs. Just elaborate and explain to them how you want your house to look bigger. In some cases, they render advices or suggestions for the betterment and more idealistic construction of your house. Moreover, architects ensure the safety of the dwellers. They make it a point that the construction will not be inferior so as not to compromise the dwellers when unnecessary catastrophes occur incidentally. Their services are of very good quality. But sometimes, some architects are not capable of rendering their services well, maybe because of poor understanding or lack of quality education during their bachelor courses. At the very least, it is still advisable that you go check for a wonderful architect so as to secure quality service.

Renovation is a not so hard task to do. But for less creative people, renovating the house might be a difficult challenge to undertake. Most of the time interior designers are hired to provide an artistic remodeling for the house. They are known for their effective plans to give an alluring design to the house inside. They also take time to get a very attentive look to the house and later give their professional service after inspecting what is best for entirety of the home. In just a week or two, with some few investments for the materials to be used in renovation, the former old look will surely be hit.

Sometimes, if renovation means reconstructing the house for a stronger foundation, architects or engineers are also capable of rendering their service.

Home extensions and renovations can sometimes be costly. Of course, you need to hire professional people and pay them their fees. Moreover, materials to be used are imperative to materialize the plan. Well, it is still more pragmatic to hire them instead of relocating. Anyway, their services are of security as well.

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How To Make Money With Antique Maps and Where To Find Old Maps

You may have dreamed as a child in finding a "Treasure Map", such as the one from Treasure Island. Such dreams can come true when hunting for an antique map. With a basic knowledge of history and an interest in finding a deal, one can discover some real "treasures" in old antique maps. There have been maps purchased for a few dollars that were actually worth the price of a house.

Even if you have been on the look out for the Treasure Map for as many years as I, you may not find it. However you may easily double or triple your money when you know what to look for in an antique map.

Finding the right map can sometimes feel like looking for the proverbial needle in a haystack. You should start your hunt by determining a selection of maps that have sold in the last two years between $500 and $3000. Start to learn about the cartographers and editions of these maps. You will find estimates of the sales of old maps on major auction sites or even on eBay.

The key is knowledge, so you will need to learn as much as you can about the individual maps you are hunting for. I suggest you choose a subject of cartography or a historical period you may interested in learning about. Consider maps made during the American civil war, maps of the Republic of Texas, maps of Scotland if you are of Scottish ancestry or maps of Rome if you went there on honeymoon. For example, your adoptive child is from China then you can concentrate on maps of China. The options are limitless. The idea is that within each field there will be a few fairly rare and desirable maps that can fetch some good money when sold at auction.

When you have become acquainted with the current sale price of your selection of maps you will need to consider condition and editions. By this I mean a specific edition, of a specific year for a map in good condition with no tears, water stains, major repairs and has good color.

By the time you have done the things described above you will have a fair amount of knowledge about the world of antique maps. You will now be starting your hunt. In your hunt you should go to all the consignment shops and thrift stores in your area. Visit antique stores and old book stores and ask to see if they have old maps. By doing this you will get to handle antique maps and get a feel for them.

Afterwards I invite you to go online and start looking for you specific maps on the major search engines and try to find your maps. You should ask your questions about condition and editions before purchasing your maps. Try to buy them at half to a third of the price you saw them for at auction. When you put your maps up for sale at auction you will then be reaping the rewards and your Treasure!

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