Just a couple of self-explanatory paragraphs extracted from the San Jose
Mercury News (May 7th 1994) and a press release (dated Oct 1988) from the
Florida Bar--
 
>The new advertising company, called Cybersell, was started by Laurence
>Canter and Martha Siegel, husband-and-wife partners in the immigration
>law firm Canter & Siegel in Phoenix.
>
>In an interview Friday, however, Siegel rejected the idea of special
>advertising zones and said Cybersell would post its messages to all
>Internet users.
>
>"I think it is too limiting," she said of the advertising zone proposal.
>"Advertising has to take its place on the Internet, just as it has in
>other media -- newspapers, TV and radio."
 
>The Florida Supreme Court has granted attorney Laurence A. Canter's
>petition to resign permanently, effective November 7, 1988.
>
>       Canter, of 240 North Washington Boulevard, Sarasota, was charged
>with numerous violations of the attorney disciplinary rules including
>neglect, misrepresentation, misappropriation of client funds and perjury.
>
>       Several of the complaints against Canter involved his failure to
>file the necessary or appropriate documents with the United Stated
>Immigration and Naturalization Services in matters of permanent residency
>and work visas.
>
>       Siegel said the law firm made so much money from its ad -- offering,
>for $95 per person, to help foreign nationals fill out free applications
>for U.S. government "green card" work permits -- that it decided to
>continue with the ads.
 
In the words of the 1968 campaign poster, "Would you buy a used car from
this man?"
 
The comment about "advertising taking its place on the Internet" ignores
the fact that in other media the advertiser, not the recpient pays the
bill.  Let's petition Congress for a law that permits us to automatically
act as a class entitled to $10 (or local currency equivalent for non-U.S.
readers) each for every unsolicited ad we receive (just email your name and
address to a designated host and the advertiser pays or gets sent up the
river).
 
I'm serious enough to copy my Congressman (who DOES have an I message.  Maybe he'll sponsor the bill (or at least
something effective)?
 
/s Murphy A. Sewall <[log in to unmask]> (203) 486-2489 voice
   Professor of Marketing                          (203) 486-5246 fax