I conducted that search and many like it on the web and on
groups.google.com. But no matter how many times I read "admin prohibited,"
I would not have associated that admin with my ISP, since up until a few
weeks ago ping was allowed.

Cameron Kerr wrote:
>> Okay sorry, he's right. My ISP must have _very_ recently prohibited
>> ping! I set up a windows machine less than a month ago and used it to
>> test. Sorry for wasting time here.

> Let that be a lesson to you then. groups.google.com query
> "group:comp.os.linux.networking ping Bad Code 9"
>
> The practice of blocking pings, it would seem, is growing.