STOP Sending!!!!

[Jaye Perry]

To Whom It May Concern,

I do not want anymore UN-Solicited E-Mails from candidates for President or any other candidate running for an AFA office.
My E-Mail is used for business purposes only. If I want some interaction between myself and candidate i will correspond via the telephone.. :cool:

[Cyber Farrier]

I'm not sure, but I think they purchased the addresses from the AFA office.

Baron

[Jaye Perry]

I'm not sure, but I think they purchased the addresses from the AFA office.
Baron


That's one thing I don't put up with. My Information purcahsed whether AFA, Credit Cards or anything else.

If I find that it was purchased for solicitation from the AFA, which was willing to sell it for profit, my membership is done- FOREVER !!!!.

I NEVER SIGNED OR AUTHORIZED A WAIVER FOR MY INFORMATION TO BE SOLD OR SOLICITED. :mad:

[Ronald E. Kramedjian]

That's one thing I don't put up with. My Information purcahsed whether AFA, Credit Cards or anything else.

Jaye,

I do not believe that they purchased the e-mail addresses. I believe that they got them our of the member directory. To bad Tom did not advise them on the illegality of spamming.

Ron

[Jaye Perry]

Jaye,
I do not believe that they purchased the e-mail addresses. I believe that they got them our of the member directory. To bad Tom did not advise them on the illegality of spamming.
Ron


Whether it came from the directory or from overzealous candidates, both are legally liable. I will further my search(s) for the culprit(s).

My E-Mail was posted in the directory for business purposes only, not personal solicitations for elections of ANY type.

[tbloomer]

Jaye,

I do not believe that they purchased the e-mail addresses. I believe that they got them our of the member directory. To bad Tom did not advise them on the illegality of spamming.

Ron
I'm not a lawyer - don't play one on TV. But FYI;

The following is quoted from spam.anti-spam-software.com/illegal.htm

"Clearly Spam is illegal if it promotes an illegal product or service. However, spam legislation is pending in the U.S. and Europe that would make the mere act of sending an unsolicited commercial email illegal in the absence of an existing business relationship."

I have sent one mass email asking questions about the AFA presidential election. I have also sent a follow-up email with information that may help calarify and/or answer some of the questions that I asked.

Mr. Perry,

I will respect your request not to send further non-business related emails to you. However, I had to send out the follow-up to address on the mailing list in order to provide everyone with continuity between the related information.

If you would like my help in creating spam filters, I would be happy to assist you. I have had some success in significantly reducing spam on my own system. Meanwhile rest assured that I will not send you any further email unless it pertains to private business directly between us.

I don't know if the AFA "sells" it's email addresses. I'm sure that they sell their regular mail addresses to farrier supply vendors. On your annual membership renewal form you have the option to not include your contact information on the AFA web site. Anyone who goes to the AFA web site can extract whatever information is posted there. To my knowledge, mailing addresses and email addresses are not protected by copyright laws. So the act of extracting such information from a web site is papably legal.

Tom Bloomer, CF

[Jaye Perry]

[QUOTE=tbloomer]I'm not a lawyer - don't play one on TV. But FYI;

The following is quoted from spam.anti-spam-software.com/illegal.htm

"Clearly Spam is illegal if it promotes an illegal product or service. However, spam legislation is pending in the U.S. and Europe that would make the mere act of sending an unsolicited commercial email illegal in the absence of an existing business relationship."



MARYLAND CRIMINAL LAW CODE
Title 3. Other Crimes Against the Person
Subtitle 8. Stalking and Harassment
(as amended in 2004)

(5) access a protected computer of another without authorization, and intentionally initiate the transmission of multiple electronic mail advertisements from or through the protected computer;

(6) violate item (1), (2), (3), (4), or (5) of this subsection by providing or selecting addresses to which a message was transmitted, knowing that:

(i) the electronic mail addresses of the recipients were obtained using an automated means from an Internet website or proprietary on-line service operated by another person; and

(ii) the website or on-line service included, at the time the addresses were obtained, a notice stating that the operator of the website or on-line service will not transfer addresses maintained by the website or on-line service to any other party for the purposes of initiating or enabling others to initiate electronic mail messages; or

(7) violate item (1), (2), (3), (4), or (5) of this subsection by providing or selecting electronic mail addresses of recipients obtained using an automated means that generates possible electronic mail addresses by combining names, letters, or numbers into numerous permutations.

(c) Penalties. --

(1) A person who violates subsection (b)(1), (2), (3), (4), or (5) of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 3 years or a fine not exceeding $ 5,000 or both.

(2) A person who violates subsection (b)(1), (2), (3), (4), or (5) of this section involving the transmission of more than 250 commercial electronic mail messages during a 24-hour period, 2,500 commercial electronic mail messages during any 30-day period, or 25,000 commercial electronic mail messages during any 1-year period is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 5 years or a fine not exceeding $ 10,000 or both.

(3) A person who violates subsection (b)(3) of this section involving 20 or more electronic mail accounts or 10 or more domain names and intentionally initiates the transmission of multiple commercial electronic mail messages from the accounts or using the domain names is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 5 years or a fine not exceeding $ 10,000 or both.

(4) A person who violates subsection (b)(1), (2), (3), (4), or (5) of this section that causes a loss of $ 500 or more during any 1-year period is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 5 years or a fine not exceeding $ 10,000 or both.

(5) A person who violates subsection (b)(1), (2), (3), (4), or (5) of this section in concert with three or more other persons as the leader or organizer of the action that constitutes the violation is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 5 years or a fine not exceeding $ 10,000 or both.

(6) A person who violates subsection (b)(1), (2), (3), (4), or (5) of this section in furtherance of a felony, or who has previously been convicted of an offense under the laws of this State, another state, or under any federal law involving the transmission of multiple commercial electronic mail messages is guilty of a felony and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 10 years or a fine not exceeding $ 25,000 or both.

(7) A person who violates subsection (b)(6) or (7) of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 1 year or a fine not exceeding $ 5,000 or both.

(d) Forfeitures. -- In addition to any other sentence authorized by law, the court may direct that a person convicted of a violation of this section forfeit to the State:

(1) any moneys and other income, including all proceeds earned but not yet received by a defendant from a third party as a result of the defendant's violation of this section; and

(2) all computer equipment, computer software, and personal property used in connection with a violation of this section known by the owner to have been used in violation of this section.

(e) Time limitations. --

(1) An action brought under this subsection shall be commenced within 2 years after the commission of the act.

(2) The Attorney General may institute a civil action against a person who violates this section to recover a civil penalty not exceeding:

(i) $ 25,000 per day of violation;

[Jaye Perry]

OFFICIAL CODE OF GEORGIA
Title 16. Crimes and Offenses
Chapter 9. Forgery and Fraudulent Practices
Article 6. Computer Systems Protection
As amended by Senate Bill 62 (2005), approved and effective April 19, 2005

(4) Computer related crime operations have a direct effect on state commerce;

(5) Liability for computer crimes should be imposed on all persons, as that term is defined in this title; and

(6) The prosecution of persons engaged in computer related crime is difficult under previously existing Georgia criminal statutes
(8) 'Electronic communications system' means any wire, radio, electromagnetic, photoelectronic, photo-optical, or facilities for the transmission of wire or electronic communications, and any computer facilities or related electronic equipment for the electronic storage of such communications.

(9) 'Electronic means' is any device or apparatus which can be used to intercept a wire, oral, or electronic communication other than:

§ 16-9-93. Computer crimes defined; exclusivity of article; civil remedies; criminal penalties
2) Obtaining property by any deceitful means or artful practice; or

(3) Converting property to such person's use in violation of an agreement or other known legal obligation to make a specified application or disposition of such property
(2) At the request of any party to an action brought pursuant to this Code section, the court shall by reasonable means conduct all legal proceedings in such a way as to protect the secrecy and security of any computer, computer network, data, or computer program involved in order to prevent possible recurrence of the same or a similar act by another person and to protect any trade secrets of any party
(3) The provisions of this article shall not be construed to limit any person's right to pursue any additional civil remedy otherwise allowed by law.

(4) A civil action under this Code section must be brought within four years after the violation is discovered or by exercise of reasonable diligence should have been discovered. For purposes of this article, a continuing violation of any one subsection of this Code section by any person constitutes a single violation by such person.

§ 16-9-93.1. Misleading transmittal and use of individual name, trade name, registered trademark, logo, legal or official seal, or copyrighted symbol over computer or telephone network; criminal penalty; civil remedies

(a) It shall be unlawful for any person, any organization, or any representative of any organization knowingly to transmit any data through a computer network or over the transmission facilities or through the network facilities of a local telephone network for the purpose of setting up, maintaining, operating, or exchanging data with an electronic mailbox, home page, or any other electronic information storage bank or point of access to electronic information if such data uses any individual name, trade name, registered trademark, logo, legal or official seal, or copyrighted symbol to falsely identify the person, organization, or representative transmitting such data or which would falsely state or imply that such person, organization, or representative has permission or is legally authorized to use such trade name, registered trademark, logo, legal or official seal, or copyrighted symbol for such purpose when such permission or authorization has not been obtained; provided, however, that no telecommunications company or Internet access provider shall violate this Code section solely as a result of carrying or transmitting such data for its customers.

[tbloomer]

I did not get the email addresses from the AFA web site. They came from an email that was sent to me. I "replied" to the addresses from an email I had already received which contained them. I do not have knowledge of where or how the addresses were obtained, nor do I believe that they were obtained illegally or by any deceitful means or artful practice. I did not falsely identify myself. I do not have any agreement with any party, which would prohibit me from sending emails to addresses, which were included in emails sent to me. There is no criminal intent. There is neither financial compensation nor financial gain to be had.

If you believe that I have done something illegal, you have every right to pursue prosecution. I could have sent the email anonymously through an untraceable electronic third party, which is how most commercial spam is sent. Instead, I included my contact information with my street address. So you know who I am and where to find me if you want to have me hauled off to jail.

Tom Bloomer, CF

[tbloomer]

Tom,

From the same website you name,

Hmmmm. I believe that what you and Dave are doing actually meets all of the above qualifications. I could be wrong, but then as a corporate executive I've hammered the no spamming drum hard enough to believe that just your surfing the AFA website to gather email addresses for a mass mailing list qualifies. After looking at the Maryland law I think it might even be a good idea for you to invest in good legal counsel.

Ron

1. I do not reside in the state of Maryland.
2. I did not obtain the addresses from the AFA web site.
3. The "disportionate benefit" would be?

In order to prosecute, you will have to convince a prosecutor to investigate said "crime" in order to gather evidence, which would be sufficient for an endightment. I am confident that I have not done anything illegal, immoral, or fattening . . . well maybe I'm a little fat. Anyway, if you want to put your time and energy into prosecuting me, I won't try to talk you out of it. Who knows, you might find the process educational.

Tom Bloomer, CF

[tbloomer]

Ron,

"In my mind having access to a large audience that the individual members of that audience do not have. If all of the members of that audience could hit reply all and send a reply to everyone that received the original email there would be no disorientate benefit."

You really need to watch more TV. I like the CSI Vegas and CSI Miami shows. I also like Law and Order - Criminal Intent. I realize that these shows are just entertainment. However they do provide some food for thought regarding the concept of "evidence."

You are making a whole bunch of assumptions about this situation. You are welcome to take those assumptions to any jurisdiction and take whatever action you choose to take. As I said before it would be an educational experience. Some things are best learned by doing. So . . . GO, DO, LEARN.

It would be a safe for you to assume that my voluntary participation in your investigation is heretofore terminated forthwith.

Tom Bloomer, CF

[Jaye Perry]

Tom,

Here's a part of Dele-where's statues.



DELAWARE CODE
TITLE 11 -- CRIMES AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURE
SECTIONS 937 & 938
Added by 72 Del. Laws, c. 135
(Approved by Governor June 23, 1999; effective July 2, 1999)


§ 937. Un-requested or Unauthorized Electronic Mail or use of network or software to cause same.

A person is guilty of the computer crime of un-requested or unauthorized electronic mail:

(a) when that person, without authorization, intentionally or recklessly distributes any unsolicited bulk commercial electronic mail (commercial E-mail) to any receiving address or account under the control of any authorized user of a computer system. This section shall not apply to electronic mail that is sent between human beings, or when the individual has requested said information

(d) For the purposes of this section, conduct occurring outside of the State shall be sufficient to constitute this offense if such conduct is within the terms of Section 204 of this title, or if the receiving address or account was under the control of any authorized user of a computer system who was located in Delaware at the time he or she received the electronic mail or communication and the defendant was aware of cir***stances which rendered the presence of such authorized user in Delaware a reasonable possibility :D

[Phil Armitage]

Can we all say "Over reacting"!!!!!! Very good children, we will work on another phrase next week. Good grief :confused:

[tbloomer]

(a) when that person, without authorization, intentionally or recklessly distributes any unsolicited bulk commercial electronic mail (commercial E-mail) to any receiving address . . .

I'm wondering about how you interpret the word "COMMERCIAL." Should I define it for you?

If you believe that a crime has been committed, I invite you to act on that belief. Going through the process would educate you. You would be a better informed citizen. You may also find it somewhat frustrating and humbling, but still educational.

Tom Bloomer, CF

[Ronald E. Kramedjian]

Tom,

I've been thinking about it and I have decided that my prior responses to you were over the top so I have removed them. You have my apology.

While I still feel that anyone sending unsolicited and impersonal email is spamming I do not believe that you in particular have violated any statute.

Ron

[tbloomer]

Tom,

I've been thinking about it and I have decided that my prior responses to you were over the top so I have removed them. You have my apology.

While I still feel that anyone sending unsolicited and impersonal email is spamming I do not believe that you in particular have violated any statute.

Ron

Ron,

Just between you and I.

01010110011010100110001001000100010001111000011100 01000100010001001111000100010001000100010000111101 001001001001010101001010101001101010

For the rest of you, if you have to ask . . . you had to BE there.

Tom Bloomer, CF

[T.N. Trosin]

I'm not sure, but I think they purchased the addresses from the AFA office.

Baron

Any AFA member can request a set of mailing lables from the AFA, however considering the amount of non AFA members that are recieving email from both canadets I would think that there is a seperate culpret.

[Ronald E. Kramedjian]

01010110011010100110001001000100010001111000011100 01000100010001001111000100010001000100010000111101 001001001001010101001010101001101010

00000010 01010100 01101111 01101101 00101100 00001101 00001010 00001101 00001010 01000011
01100001 01101100 01101100 00100000 01101101 01100101 00100000 00001101 00001010 01110011
01101111 01101101 01100101 01100100 01100001 01111001 00101110 00001101 00001010 00001101
00001010 01010010 01101111 01101110 00001101 00001010 00000011 00000100

[EileenHughes]

Wow!
For reading Mr. Burton's and Mr. Stovall's responses on this board I often need a dictionary and a latin reference.

Now, I'm not sure what I need to interpret this gobbledygook! :eek: !!

[Ronald E. Kramedjian]

Wow!
Now, I'm not sure what I need to interpret this gobbledygook! :eek: !!
A binary dictionary for ASCII.

[tbloomer]

Oh yea. Look at what I have to go through just to get here:

1 122 ms 125 ms 122 ms sarc2a.snip.net [209.204.64.145]

2 122 ms 122 ms 120 ms 209-204-64-140.sniparpa.net [209.204.64.140]

3 120 ms 122 ms 122 ms 500.POS1-1.GW8.PHL1.ALTER.NET [63.111.127.29]

4 121 ms 124 ms 122 ms 552.at-4-0-0.XL2.PHL1.ALTER.NET [152.63.39.206]

5 126 ms 125 ms 124 ms 0.so-3-2-0.XL2.DCA5.ALTER.NET [152.63.42.245]

6 127 ms 127 ms 122 ms 0.so-7-0-0.BR1.DCA5.ALTER.NET [152.63.43.177]

7 128 ms 127 ms 127 ms 204.255.168.18

8 125 ms 127 ms 127 ms dcx-core-02.inet.qwest.net [205.171.251.37]

9 126 ms 127 ms 125 ms dca-core-01.inet.qwest.net [205.171.209.113]

10 126 ms 124 ms 129 ms dca-edge-01.inet.qwest.net [205.171.9.22]

11 137 ms 134 ms 134 ms 63.238.58.114

12 133 ms 135 ms 134 ms 66.109.238.187.static.dejazzd.com [66.109.238.187]

13 136 ms 1226 ms 135 ms 66.109.238.229.static.dejazzd.com [66.109.238.229]

14 140 ms 140 ms 140 ms 66.109.238.198.static.dejazzd.com [66.109.238.198]

15 145 ms 142 ms 142 ms 66.109.239.34.static.dejazzd.com [66.109.239.34]

16 140 ms 139 ms 140 ms www.horseshoes.com [66.109.241.122]

TB

[Phil Armitage]

The analog definition for 0 and 1 is -5V DC or +5V DC. Sometimes it is and not or or it is nor or nand.

[tbloomer]

The analog definition for 0 and 1 is -5V DC or +5V DC. Sometimes it is and not or or it is nor or nand.
That is "digital encoding" AND the +/- 1/0 is not the indicator. It is the transition from + to - . . . depends on whether you're talking about Manchester, Differential Manchester, 4b/5b or 5b/6b encoding and that only applies to xBaseT encoding over twisted pair wire. Analog signaling would be FSK(Frequescy Shift Keying) or ASK (Amplitude Shift Keying) sort of like FM and AM radio, but over a wire.

Since you are talking about the PHYSICAL layer of the OSI network model, please bear in mind that once your "packet" makes it to the Internet the encoding is converted into a light-pulses within a specified wave length. Then it is Wave Division Multiplexed onto the backbone along with other voice and data traffic.

In a past life I had to memorize all of this **** in order to regurgitate it to pass a certification test. Nowadays the tests don't require a network engineer to know much about PHYSICAL layer signaling protocols. The focus is on the higher layer protocols - Data Link, Network, Transport, Session, Presentation, and Application. The hardware and physical layer stuff is left to the cabling contractors.

Despite my 17+ years in the IT business, I find horseshoeing and farrier science to be way more cerebral, artistically challenging, and enjoyable.

Tom Bloomer, CF

[Jason Maki]

Good,
And it is all written, spoken of and about in a language of words...not Star Trek Romulian gobbledeygook symbols with a few dots thrown in for spice!
Jason

[Phil Armitage]

That is "digital encoding" AND the +/- 1/0 is not the indicator. It is the transition from + to - . . . depends on whether you're talking about Manchester, Differential Manchester, 4b/5b or 5b/6b encoding and that only applies to xBaseT encoding over twisted pair wire. Analog signaling would be FSK(Frequescy Shift Keying) or ASK (Amplitude Shift Keying) sort of like FM and AM radio, but over a wire.

Since you are talking about the PHYSICAL layer of the OSI network model, please bear in mind that once your "packet" makes it to the Internet the encoding is converted into a light-pulses within a specified wave length. Then it is Wave Division Multiplexed onto the backbone along with other voice and data traffic.

In a past life I had to memorize all of this **** in order to regurgitate it to pass a certification test. Nowadays the tests don't require a network engineer to know much about PHYSICAL layer signaling protocols. The focus is on the higher layer protocols - Data Link, Network, Transport, Session, Presentation, and Application. The hardware and physical layer stuff is left to the cabling contractors.

Despite my 17+ years in the IT business, I find horseshoeing and farrier science to be way more cerebral, artistically challenging, and enjoyable.

Tom Bloomer, CF

Hey Tom, I was a radio guy in the service very strong analog backround, back when electronics was an art. Find the bad part and solder a new one in, loved the smell of soldering. Then within a short amount of time I had to learn digital, boolean algibra and my brain fried, good thing everything became throw away, because it became to small for my soldering iron.

I like the shoeing tade very much, reminds me of when I first started out in maintenance and I prided myself on being a craftsman and artist.

[tbloomer]

. . . and I prided myself on being a craftsman and artist.
Now you are a craftsman, artist, scientist, mechanic, engineer, project manager, entrepreneur, metallurgist, Cosmopolitan Internet Citizen, and “well connected.”

. . . or as my first mentor used to say, just another overachiever struggling to survive in a world of mediocrity.

I feel you pain :)

Tom Bloomer, CF

[Ronald E. Kramedjian]

Despite my 17+ years in the IT business, I find horseshoeing and farrier science to be way more cerebral, artistically challenging, and enjoyable.With my 29+ I find the same to be true.

[Mike Ferrara]

Hey Tom, I was a radio guy in the service very strong analog backround, back when electronics was an art. Find the bad part and solder a new one in, loved the smell of soldering. Then within a short amount of time I had to learn digital, boolean algibra and my brain fried, good thing everything became throw away, because it became to small for my soldering iron.

I like the shoeing tade very much, reminds me of when I first started out in maintenance and I prided myself on being a craftsman and artist.

While most everything has gone surface mount, it isn't always "throw away". When a single board may cost several hundred dollars to produce we don't throw them away without knowing that it will cost more than that to fix it. True, techs in the field do far less component level trouble shooting but that doesn't mean that nobody is doing it.

Even discrete digital circuits are rare these days with most things being larger scale integration and often with a piece of firmware running the show. There's still room for good analog guys though especially in RF and lots of things like even residential electricity meters are being equiped with all kinds of communications including radio. Now, meter readers ARE on their way out. Any kind of measurement also requires a solid understanding of analog electronics. The WORLD is and always will be analog so it all turns to or from analog someplace.

[tbloomer]

The WORLD is and always will be analog so it all turns to or from analog someplace.
I used to think that until I started studying quantum mechanics. Now I think we live in a digital world as participants in an analog simulation conducted by aliens from another dimension. We can't see them, but they're all around us watching.

Tom Bloomer, CF

[tbloomer]

With my 29+ I find the same to be true.
Prior to entering into IT I worked in the marine industry for 10 years building and repairing boats. I developed a lot of hand skills in that trade, which have made my entry into the farrier trade easier than most. I spent one summer working in a propellor reconditioning shop. Sort of like blacksmithing, but working with bronze and some more exotic alloys.

I still dabble in boat design as a hobby. I've got a really neat 3d surface modeling program that allows me to design boats and perform all the calculations on the computer. I started out the old fashion way with a drawing board and a planimeter. Now I can design a boat on the computer, email the file to an NC routing service, and have a mold for the hull NC cut out of a block of eurethane foam. There's a place in MA where you can have a 3d shape carved out of a block of foam up to 65' x 35' x 20'. The block of foam becomes the "plug" for a mold. The mold is used to build fiberglass hulls, decks, and various other structures.

The refractory (bottom brick) in my home made forge is cast from a mold that I designed with my 3d surface modeling software. Emailed it to a guy with a 3d NC router. He mailed me back a block of foam carved out to the exact shape. The top liner is also out of a mold, but it was molded in light weight ceramic fiber. I designed the forge shell in a 2d cad program and had it cut and bent at a machine shop what uses NC plazma cutters and such equipment.

Tom Bloomer, CF

[Ronald E. Kramedjian]

Prior to entering into IT I worked in the marine industry for 10 years building and repairing boats. I developed a lot of hand skills in that trade, which have made my entry into the farrier trade easier than most.My dad was a body and fender man. I worked in the shop with him from 10 to 16 when I left home. I went in the service the first time at 17. When Uncle was done with me I went to programming school and stuck with if all those years. I did a bit of body guard work right after I got out of the service and I shot competitively while I was trying to find my first IT job and that took a while back then. So hand eye coordination and spatial skills were developed beyond normal at an early age.

Interesting forge, what kind of performance and fuel efficiency are you getting on your forge?

[tbloomer]

Interesting forge, what kind of performance and fuel efficiency are you getting on your forge?
I sacrificed fuel efficiency for performance. From a cold start at 35psi, it will make a pair of size 3 fronts orange in about 75 seconds. Or I can drop it down to idle at 1psi and work thin material without burning it up. Once warmed up it maintains forging heat at about 4psi. Orifice was drilled with #62. Full blast below 40deg.F requires a pair of 30lb tanks manifolded together otherwize they freeze up. She heats 'em up fast. Then I shut 'er down in between.

It's way overkill for a shoeing rig . . . but she's on my rig until I build something less audacious, at which point I'll put it in the shop. You will be able to play with it if you are coming to the Hoof Care Summit. I'll sure to top off the tanks before I leave;-)

This is the 3rd prototype I've built. The first one was a flop. The second one I used for 3+ years and it is still useable - I keep it as a backup. I've got about 4 other designs on "the drawing board." Trying to solve some issues with mass production and quality control. Got the engineering and design part figured out now. Burners, refractories, orifice sizes . . . chamber dimensions . . . all that stuff is refined. Now I have to do some market research.

I know what I dislike about the units which are commercially available. Now I need to learn what everybody else dislikes about them, then design something with a broad market appeal. It's a long term project.

In 5 years, I hope to have NC, Valley, Swan, and Forgemaster rethinking their designs. Nothing like a little high tech competition to induce some product innovation into the market. This is one area where I believe that there is a lot of room for a better mouse trap. I've been working on the R&D for this stuff since before I entered the trade.

Wy wife thinks I'm nuts, but she can't argue with the end result. My forges get hotter, faster, and you can control the flame from rich to lean - rich flame has less heat, but also produces way less oxidation. So forge welding is a lot easier and requires less flux. My bottom brick is very flux resistant. So I don't have to worry about destroying my liner with flux. The hard liner is also very impact resistant. You can smack it with your tongs when it is at a yellow heat and it won't break, chip or crumble.

My next project is designing molds for use in vacuum casting the refractory liner. I could tell you more about this, but then I'd have to kill you :)

Tom Bloomer, CF

[Ronald E. Kramedjian]

It's way overkill for a shoeing rig . . . but she's on my rig until I build something less audacious, at which point I'll put it in the shop. You will be able to play with it if you are coming to the Hoof Care Summit. I'll sure to top off the tanks before I leave;-)There is no such thing as overkill. <EG>

Now thing are getting more and more interesting for a trip to the summit.

How long to heat the forge to a point that you can cut back your lower settings? Howmany PSI to you set at to weld bar shoes etc....?

[tbloomer]

There is no such thing as overkill. <EG>

Now thing are getting more and more interesting for a trip to the summit.

How long to heat the forge to a point that you can cut back your lower settings? Howmany PSI to you set at to weld bar shoes etc....?
About 5 minutes at > 20psi, then drop down to 4 psi and it maintains forging temp. Weld at 10 psi . . . but i'm having problems with the chamber volume. Tonight I did some welds at 40psi . . . but it's hard to get close to the damn thing when it is running that high. There's a gap under the door, so you can slide shoes in and out without opening the door.

I'm still playing with it. I think I need to drop the inside roof at least 1-1/2". It's at 4" now and the primary flame is used up before it gets to the floor. Secondary flame is not hot enough for a good forge weld. Got to have the blue part of the flame on the shoe - right now it's too far away unless I put a split firebrick in there to raise up the shoe.

I built some draft shoes in it last week. It's nice to have all that room and fast heat, but I really don't shoe many drafts.

TB

[mintvale]

I'm not sure, but I think they purchased the addresses from the AFA office.

Baron

All candidates received the mailing lists from the AFA office; I however had compiled them several years before that by cutting and pasting them out of the AFA web site. In fact everyone in my family took turns. I used the emails for my continuing education classes.

At no time did I consciously use these addresses to spam or harass people. I have replied and apologized to those offended and removed them from my lists.

Dave Ferguson

[tbloomer]

Here's a real SPAM phishing message that I got today ROTFL!!

Dear Intending Partner,

This mail may not be surprising to you if you have been following current events in the international media with reference to the Middle East and Palestine in particular.

I am Mrs. SUHA ARAFAT, the wife of YASSER ARAFAT, the Palestinian leader who died recently in Paris. Since his death and even prior to the announcement, I have been thrown into a state of antagonism, confusion, humiliation, frustration and hopelessness by the present leadership of the Palestinian Liberation Organization and the new Prime Minister. I have even been subjected to physical and psychological *******. As a widow that is so traumatized, I have lost confidence with everybody in the country at the moment.

You must have heard over the media reports and the Internet on the discovery of some fund in my husband secret bank account and companies and the allegations of some huge sums of money deposited by my husband in my name of which I have refuses to disclose or give up to the corrupt Palestine Government. In fact the total sum allegedly discovered by the Government so far is in the tune of about $6.5 Billion Dollars. And they are not relenting on their effort to make me poor for life. As you know, the Moslem community has no regards for woman, hence my desire for a foreign assistance. You can visit the broadcast below for better understanding of what I am talking about;

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3479937.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3995769.stm

I have deposited the sum of 20 million dollars with a private security firm abroad whose name is withheld for now until we open communication. I shall be grateful if you could receive this fund into your bank account for safe keeping and any Investment opportunity.

This arrangement is known to you and my personal Attorney. He might be
dealing with you directly for security reasons as the case may be. In view of the above, if you are willing to assist for our mutual benefits, we will have to negotiate on your Percentage share of the $20,000,000 that will be kept in your position for a while and
invested in your name for my trust pending when my Daughter, Zahra, will come off age and take full responsibility of her Family Estate/inheritance.

Please note that this is a golden opportunity that comes once in life time and more so, if you are honest, I am going to entrust more funds in your care as this is one of the legacy we keep for our children.

In case you don't accept please do not let me out to the security and international media as I am giving you this information in total trust and confidence I will greatly appreciate if you accept my proposal in good faith. Please expedite action and all response to my e-mail address below. NB / Please reply to : suhaarafat116@netscape.net

Yours sincerely,

Mrs. Suha Arafat

I think I'll respond to this, get rich, and retire from shoeng horses . . . NOT!

Tom Bloomer, CF

[Rick Burten]

I think I'll respond to this, get rich, and retire from shoeng horses . . . NOT!

Oh come on Tom. You'll get rich . Since you'll be retired, you'll need something to do. I've got the perfect solution. You can buy from me, some future beach front property on the west coast of Arizona(this area will become beachfront property sometime in the future when an earthquake separates California from the continental US and makes Calif. into an island off the west coast of Arizona.
I have several pieces of property available, and if you start building now, you'll be in on the ground floor(so to speak) with the resorts ready to go right after the event occurs. And, should the island of California end up not being too far off shore, I've got a bridge you might be interested in , too.