A reader found a blog of mine from several months ago, recounting a few of my "Comcast moments." If you're a regular reader, you'll know that I keep it no secret that from my perspective as a customer, I think Comcast has the worst customer service of any company I've ever had the displeasure to deal with.

After I finished reading the poster's comments, I looked into Outlook and discovered an e-mail from Comcast, notifying me that my monthly bill was available for viewing. I've been waiting for it, so I clicked the link to log-in� and "auto pay."

The message I got?

A letter showed up in the Washington Post today, written by Cisco SVP of Corporate Development, Dan Scheinman, refuting the belief by many that the Chinese governement uses Cisco technology to filter what its citizens can read on the Internet, and keeping surveillance on those who do access "subversive material." The letter is in response to a Washington Post article "Let a Thousand Filters Bloom," by Anne Applebaum. The original article may be viewed at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/07/19/AR2005071901556.html

The text of the letter is below.

TES

The magic number is 70 for the board of directors at Cisco Systems, Inc.

The Internet networking giant announced Friday that its board of directors decided that beyond the age of 70, no person would be eligible to be nominated or re-nominated for election to the board.

And what does this mean for the chairman of the board, 71-year-old John P. Morgridge?

The policy goes into effect for nominations at next year’s annual shareholders meeting that is expected to occur in November 2006.

Is it possible that there's a cyclical rhythm to phishing attacks? Reading the wrap-up of IBM's May Global Business Security Index, you'll notice that phishing peaked in January, then dropped back, and then peaked again in May. Is it a coincidence that these are two periods when most university students are on breaks from school? Just a thought.

The report also notes that in May, more than 30 percent of e-mails contained some form of a virus.

Perhaps you've been keeping an eye on the rather regular incidences of credit card and other personal information going "missing" from some company or another's database...hackers, user errors, "lost" backup tapes...it's been all over the news in the last few weeks. It's like watching a leaky bucket lose water.

You've noticed it. I've noticed it.