Comcast permanent block on port 25

[Bruno Wolff III]

On Fri, Dec 19, 2008 at 14:07:10 -0800,
  bruce <bedouglas at earthlink.net> wrote:
> bruno...
> 
> in the us (in most areas) the local gov't institution holds great sway over
> who gets the ISP rights.. you're mote than welcome to organize, to be able
> to represent your views. it's called democracy...

No its called corruption. The ILECs finance the campaigns of legislators
who in return give them much of what they want so they can make money
(regardless of whether other companies could provide either the same service
for less money or better service for the same amount of money). Democracy
doesn't enter into things unless they do something bogus that's really
over the top.

> but, given that you may not have multiple competitors for the ISP... the ISP
> provider can still do pretty much whatever they choose as long as it's
> legal. keep in mind, 20 years ago.. there wasn't an ISP and things still
> worked pretty well!! and you always have the option of physically moving to
> another state!!!

20 years ago the ISPs were separate from the phone companies for residential
uses. (Businesses that needed T1s 2were still getting screwed over at that
time.) There was real competition. And there still is competition in the
dial up business.

> but stating that 'individual freedoms' are stepped on is completely stupid.

No it isn't. You are thinking about it at the wrong level. The internet
provides a way for individuals to easy communicate with each other.
Arranging things so that a few companies get to control that gateway and
then leave them free to interfere in that communication is a rights issue.

> me getting stopped when i was a kid because i was black and accused of theft
> simply because of my skin.. that's a situation where 'freedoms/rights' come
> into play.. not the ISP issues you have regarding port issue...

Just when you were a kid? I thought that was still going on. Though at
least it gets some mainstream coverage now. There is some crossover in the
freedom to travel (which is being assualted on several fronts these days,
not just minorities getting harrassed when not in their neighborhood) and
being able to freely communicate with other people.