At  9:29 AM 5/25/94 -0700, Melvin Klassen wrote:
>>>Comments:     Warning -- original Sender: tag was [log in to unmask]
>>>From:         Matt Keogh <[log in to unmask]>
>>
>>This one appears to be a pure prank by a student at American U.
>
>Huh?  The American U. is the primary "gateway" for BITNET mailing-lists
>which are also "gatewayed" to USENET mailing-lists.
 
Mea culpa.  At the time I sent that, I wasn't aware of American's gateway
role.  I take it return address IS nonetheless truly bogus.  You don't
suppose anyone would really send $29 to Florida on the basis of that (if
this ad isn't a prank and makes money the PT Barnum REALLY had it right)?
Maybe if we foster the belief that such ads are in ALL CASES pranks, then
it won't be profitable to engage in this sort of thing (one can hope).
 
I don't suppose there's much chance that this NetNews insertion (which
apparently did get distributed to hundreds of lists) can be backtracked?
 
/s Murphy A. Sewall <[log in to unmask]> (203) 486-2489 voice
   Professor of Marketing                          (203) 486-5246 fax