deb http://mainframe.timmins.net/debian unstable/

apt-get install mfdial telcosounds

Package: telcosounds
Priority: optional
Section: sound
Installed-Size: 92
Maintainer: Paul Timmins Architecture: i386
Version: 0.1-1
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.2.4-4)
Filename: unstable/telcosounds_0.1-1_i386.deb
Size: 9658
MD5sum: 1328a89dc1a5f1b5664407fa93b7b54b
Description: Silly little programs to generate various telephone sounds.
This package generates the following sounds:
* US, UK, and JP ringing sound (ring-us, ring-uk and ring-jp)
* SIT tones (sit)
* US Fast and Slow Busy (fastbusy, slowbusy)
* US Dialtone (dialtone)
They were mostly an exercise in software, but maybe they'll be useful for a
PBX like application. These were created from the dtmfdial source code.

Package: mfdial
Priority: optional
Section: sound
Installed-Size: 49
Maintainer: Paul Timmins Architecture: i386
Version: 0.3-2
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.2.4-4)
Filename: unstable/mfdial_0.3-2_i386.deb
Size: 8358
MD5sum: a1141d90836e7eb746f933499d64670b
Description: A MF Tone Dialer
mfdial is an MF tone generator. This
program generates the same tones that old inbound signalling trunks use
to dial. This program could actually be used to control a trunk that still uses inbound signalling.
MF dial requires a sound card to work, and is designed to be used as a
software based bluebox.

Proof positive that Clear Channel is incredibly evil

Microsoft currently leases unused portions of the FM spectrum from radio giant
Clear Channel Communications for a technology it is developing to broadcast data
to consumer products such as Smart watches. Called the Smart Personal Objects
Technology (SPOT) platform, it enables users to receive sports scores, weather,
and other personalized information.

Heh, they contract with Microsoft. Whenever those two come together, I can only invision something incredibly evil in the mists. πŸ˜‰

Work like hell, tell everyone everything you know, close a deal with a handshake, and have fun.
— Harold "Doc" Edgerton, summing up his life's philosophy,
shortly before dying at the age of 86.

:-)

[AmishOne] breakfast comes in the form labeled "mountain dew"
[pjustice-work] No, COURAGE comes in a bottle labeled "Mountain Dew". Breakfast is a separate issue. Ok, first food is often lunch…
[AmishOne] Good point.

My satellite radio 0wnz me. Everything is leet about the last 2-3 days. That is all.

(14:02:47) Yes, I'm the reason your computer is acting funny… (Paul Timmins): I think he'd look at me funny if i threw cheese snacks at his head
(14:02:54) Yes, I'm the reason your computer is acting funny… (Paul Timmins): you woudlnt' even blink
(14:03:17) xxxxxxx: yeah.. I am cool with that : )

SMS notice of redundancy sent to call center staff

The UK based personal injury compensation firm, The Accident Group has filed for bankruptcy, and dismissed its entire 2,500 workforce – by sending them a text message.

"I must apologise for the nature of this call. I would have preferred to have done this on a face-to-face basis," said the message to staff of The Accident Group, which specialised in personal injury claims. "On the time scale available, this has not proved possible."

http://www.cellular-news.com/story/8977.shtml

"We're not in the business of providing news and information. We're not in the business of providing well-researched music. We're simply in the business of selling our customers products."

Clear Channel's rise
Media company that owned nothing in Syracuse five years ago now dominates radio — and is still growing

May 18, 2003
By William LaRue

If the 5 a.m. newscast, "Daybreak," on WIXT-TV (Channel 9) in Syracuse is flickering on your screen, you're tuned to a Clear Channel station.

Ride to work while music plays from an XM Radio receiver. You're listening to a new satellite-delivered audio service whose major stockholders include Clear Channel.

At 1 p.m., turn the AM dial to WSYR, a Clear Channel radio station. You're hearing talk-show host Rush Limbaugh, whose show is distributed nationally by Clear Channel.

In the evening, while listening to one of six other Syracuse radio stations owned by Clear Channel, get dressed for a Landmark Theatre concert booked by Clear Channel Entertainment.

And if you're taking a late-night flight, there's a good chance you'll land in a city that's home to at least one of Clear Channel's more than 1,200 other U.S. radio stations, one of its 39 television stations and maybe some of its 776,000 outdoor advertising displays. And these totals don't include the company's growing holdings in other countries.
…………
"One of their executives once told me it (Clear Channel) wants to 'own' in-car advertising, which is why they also bought billboard companies. It's a smart move," says Lee Abrams, XM's chief programming officer.
…………
"If anyone said we were in the radio business, it wouldn't be someone from our company," [Clear Channel Founder and CEO] Mays, 67, told the magazine. "We're not in the business of providing news and information. We're not in the business of providing well-researched music. We're simply in the business of selling our customers products."
…………
In March 2000, Clear Channel bought soft-jazz WHCD (106.9 FM) for $2.5 million from Salt City Communications, of Syracuse.

Competitors again opposed the deal, filing comments with the FCC that expressed concern that Clear Channel would treat WHCD as a Syracuse station, even though its transmitter is in Cayuga County and the station is licensed for the Auburn and Ithaca radio market. They also predicted Clear Channel would change the format to something more profitable.

In a written reply, Clear Channel told the FCC its critics were engaging in "speculation and conjecture."

After the FCC approved the deal, Clear Channel did precisely what opponents predicted – it moved WHCD to the company's Syracuse radio headquarters at Bridgewater Place, a large office building just off Franklin Square. The station then got a new format as urban contemporary WPHR-FM (Power 106.9).

Full article here

hax0r

It's funny, two months ago, I was bitching about the idea of satellite radio being laughable, and how it's easier to use an mp3 player. Then today I was in Best Buy (not even the one locally that I was kicked out of! 😎 ) and fell in love with the Kenwood Sirius radio system (It's incredibly sexy looking, by the way). Then I thought about it. I drive every freakin day, more or less, at weird hours of the day. I often avoid the ride because it's so damn boring, and my car radio hasn't really ever worked right since i broke the antenna, and the aftermarket one I purchased doesn't wanna work right either.
And my mp3 collection gets old when I drive more than an hour every day, and maintaining it is a pain (not to mention waiting half a minute for it to boot is incredibly annoying)
i was set back by the up front cost of the unit, then I found this unit for $100 bucks out the door on eBay. It's not the kenwood unit, but it also has a 4 line display, and I don't have to look down in order to operate it. So now I own one, waiting for it to ship. $12.95/mo for commercial free radio isn't half bad, and it's not the regular crap that clear channel puts out, with tons of commercials and songs that are sped up by clear channel so they can have more space for commericals.
Also through more research, I found that XM radio is actually partly owned by Clear Channel, so I'm glad I didn't go that route.

Anyway, also enjoyed a good dinner at Mongolian Barbeque this weekend, as well as a delicious Mexican dinner prepared by Becky. w00t!