October 2011

Dear Client,

Things went pretty smoothly around here until about a week ago when mail going to certain domains (such as sbcglobal.com, pacbell.net, etc) started bouncing back.  The error messages were a bit cryptic but what they were saying is that these companies use a database maintained by ATT.net which listed our server as a spam source.  As a result they were refusing to accept mail from us.
These types of databases are in common use and in fact we use one here.  The key issue though is if there is an easy and expedient way to remove our server from it once it happens, and how did it get on it to begin with.

ATT has a form we fill out and within a short period they remove us.  Unfortunately their removal process is flawed—because they don’t tell you why you got on their list to begin with, there is little we know to do to ‘fix’ the problem, indeed if there even was one.  So they don’t take you off the list until you’ve fixed the ‘problem’.  We went round and round with them for several days until I started getting seriously cranky, after which they took us off.

Their support staff have no clue how people get added and even less of one on how to process removal requests in a timely manner.

The good news is we were removed.  This type of thing has happened before for extended periods to other ISPs, and they have ended up filing class-action lawsuits which fixed the problem (in the veterinary sense).

We certainly have no problem filing a lawsuit against them if this happens again and are preemptively putting together the paperwork in case it does happen.  At the same time we can sue them for the spam they send us under the CANSPAM act.  Nothing but the best for those who don’t staff their support centers with real people.

Other than that, nothing notable going on.  The summer heat took its toll on our landscape and killed two mature and very large myoporum ground cover plants—both of which were around 20-25’ in diameter.  Also killed a gardenia bush.  If it isn’t the winters that freeze things around here, it’s the summers that fry them.

Took out the tomatoes and cages last month as well, and several other plants.  The pepper plants didn’t do well at all, and neither did the pumpkins.  Better luck for the fall/winter crops.  Need to start preparing the beds for the cool-season plants.  Carrots, lettuce, spinach, etc. grow very well here normally.

Still battling gophers.  They’ve chewed into our underground drip lines, requiring repairs to some of them.  Those I have pretty good luck catching and disposing of, though.

Best wishes!

Sincerely,

Ben Conner