Looks like your page was heavily hit by spam…

Just to say hellow!

Umm Karl…
I love Verizon DSL!

I can actually contribute to the last part of your diatribe here in a partially meaningful way! Yay!

As I out myself as a former narc….

When I worked as a field enforcement agent for the state’s tobacco program, I learned a lot about the tobacco industry and it’s really quite disturbing.

In an attempt to mollify outraged addicts and their families, and yes, I believe as one of the terms of their massive settlement agreements, Philip Morris did agree to run Youth Targeted Anti Smoking ads.

However.

They did unthinkable research into parent / child communication, adolescent rebelliousness, etc., and now very publicly – via tv, print ads, radio – suggest that parents tell their children not to smoke, because “they’ll listen”. Guess what. They suggest using language which in clinical studies results in the opposite outcome indicated. Meaning… if the results of their studies show that saying, “Johnny, don’t smoke.”, results in Johnny smoking, then that is what they recommend you tell your child. If their studies suggest that NOT smoking results in your child not smoking, well , they aren’t going to suggest that you actually act like a good role model.

It. Is. Abhorrent.

Normally I’m not big on the “oh i stuck a screwdriver in my eye, let’s sue the manufacturer” lawsuits. Take responsibility for your actions.

But the tobacco industry has done things that are absolutely unconscionable. They put vasodilators in their “youth target consumer” brands which means that your body takes in more nicotine with each puff. Which means you get hooked on a higher dose of it more quickly. Which means you smoke more. And require more. So you smoke more. Ad nauseum.

Our state in particular has been a pioneer in laws and regulations against youth tobacco sales and tobacco regs in general. Know what? If you are a vendor who stocks and sells tobacco and you get fined for breaking the rules? Some of the larger distributors will actually pay your fines so it’s nothing out of your pocket, just keep selling. Who cares if the kid is 11?

They target areas with schools and recreational facilities for advertising their products. Our children are not safe from this predatory industry which kills off its consumers every year and so looks to the innocent to replace them. It’s disgusting.

Aren’t you glad you asked?

Assuming your parents don’t have an Apple, I’d guess the culprit is spyware that’s dragging down IE & windows. No DSL is THAT slow! Make sure they run Ad-Aware against Spyware, run Zonealarm for firewall, update virus definitions daily (i’m partial to freeware Avast!), and get all critical Windows patches.

And their DSL could really suck. ;-p

hug dusty for me.

no such thing as “bad” publicity.