Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!maverick.ksu.ksu.edu!unmvax!uokmax!d.cs.okstate.edu!unx2.ucc.okstate.edu!minich
From: minich@unx2.ucc.okstate.edu (Robert Minich)
Newsgroups: comp.org.eff.talk
Subject: Re: junk mail
Message-ID: <1991Feb7.003630.2719@unx2.ucc.okstate.edu>
Date: 7 Feb 91 00:36:30 GMT
References: <0.security.eff@pro-angmar>
Organization: Oklahoma State University Computer Center
Lines: 26

by achilles@pro-angmar.UUCP (David Holland):
| The Lotus Marketplace affair is only a symptom of a more fundamental
| problem: junk mail. People will continue to sell mailing lists and consumer
| information as long as it is economically feasible to conduct mass mailings.
...
| Require that any person, company, or organization sending mail at anything 
| lower than the rates available to us mere mortals be able to show proof that 
| the victims indeed wish to receive the mail. A logistical nightmare? No, not 
| at all. The USPS wouldn't have to do anything; any company that sent junk
| mail to someone who didn't want it could be sued, by that person, for $$$. 
... 
| Those companies that exist solely to send junk mail would probably go bust, 
| but that's probably a blessing. :-) 

Ick. This is too strong. Direct mail helps subsidize everyone else's mail.
I like that. I prefer that unrequested direct mail include a standard mark
somewhere on the envelope that makes its origin obvious. "Unrequested mail"
right next to the adressee would be a perfect location. :)
  Hopefully this would allow me to look at the mail and discard all those
pesky junk letters that try to look important amongst the things that I care
about.
-- 
|_    /| | Robert Minich            |
|\'o.O'  | Oklahoma State University| "I'm not discouraging others from using
|=(___)= | minich@d.cs.okstate.edu  |  their power of the pen, but mine will
|   U    | - "Ackphtth"             |  continue to do the crossword."  M. Ho