The End
The Color of Money Doll
Uh-oh
That's right, it's time for our incredible fundraising special
I'm booking all my big guns
My hottest acts for this one
You mean Zippy Jingles?
That's right, Zippy Jingles, the radio clown
Will be here with his big bag of gags and gee-gaws
Does his parole officer know he's using his gee-gaws again?
Never mind, sweetheart
You'll be happy to know that the meat man will also be here
With his special line of fresh-killed urban fowl
Yep, and we'll be cooking it up with my lounge act, Danny Teeny, and the fabulous April Fresh
Plus our usual election year fare like Bushwinkle and Danny the Flying Quail
Jeez, Bern, you really are pulling out all the stops
Yeah, management wants us to prove that we can still pull our weight around here at pledge time
I know it's gonna be tough, Dixie
That's why I'll be performing some big stunts myself for listener bucks
Yeah, Bern, I wanted to talk to you
That's right, Bernie Fleshkin, your personal representative
Will be jumping through hoops for your support
Through flaming hoops, to be exact
At 30 feet, straight down, into a vat of Miracle Whip
Bernie, no Miracle Whip
What?
I can't afford to spread that stuff so deep, it costs more than mayonnaise
But, sweetheart
Don't worry, Bern, I have plenty of lard
Lard?
Yeah
But lard is flammable
Isn't that gonna make this an even more dangerous stunt?
To jump through a flaming hoop, into a tub of lard?
Ahem, I don't see you explode every time you light up a cigar, big guy
Shut up
Besides, you always say, Bern, you gotta take chances
Maybe even die, to raise money at WBAI
Yeah, and we're never afraid to die on BAI
Done it a million times
Whee!
So tune in to the Bernie Fleshkin fundraising special
This Monday morning, September 21st
At 9.30 for a show worth a couple of your bucks
That's this Monday morning at 9.30 on WBAI
Hey, buddy, got a dime radio
Who loves you, sweetheart?
Hubba, hubba, hubba
And this is radio station WBAI in New York
It's 9 o'clock, or thereabouts, and time for Off the Hook
The telephone keeps ringing
So I ripped it off the wall
I cut myself while shaving
Now I can't make a cough
It couldn't get much worse
But if they could, they would
From Diddly-Bomb
But the best is fake and worst
I hope that's understood
From Diddly-Bomb
The program is a production of WBAI
The program is a production of WBAI
The program is Off the Hook
This is Emmanuel Goldstein
And we have quite a bit to tell you
As far as what's been going on
In the world of technology
In the world at large
And all kinds of other things
And of course we'll be looking for some support
From the listeners
But that's later on
Stay tuned
For all kinds of other topics
We'll be looking for some support
I hope that you'll miss out if you have heard of MPAI
Thank you.
Thank you.
The low points and low points of technology, telephones, computers, the infrastructure, if you will, of our cybernetic community.
I hate that phrase, but you know what I mean.
It's an ever-expanding, ever-present world that we can no longer run away from.
Computers are everywhere.
Odds are, there's a computer of some sort only a few feet away from you.
And there are thousands, if not millions of computers that know your name.
Do you know their names?
On this program, we sometimes tell you their names, and sometimes we show you what they say.
And boy, are they saying some interesting things.
And sometimes they say things that are completely incorrect.
You know, I subscribe.
Don't ask me why.
Well, you can ask me why, I suppose, because I do have a reason.
But I subscribe to the TRW Credentials Service.
And I do that basically so I can see what they're up to and test them out.
And my friends, they have failed and are continuing to fail dramatically, whatever test I put them to.
TRW, for those of you that are coming out of comas, is an agency that keeps track of virtually every American in existence.
And tells you things about them, about their credit rating, about when they pay their bills, how much money they owe, how much money they're allowed to owe.
What kind of bad things people have said about them in the past.
And occasionally, a smidgen of accurate information is passed along.
I've been subscribing to that service for about, oh, maybe, maybe two and a half years now.
And I'm thinking seriously of canceling it for something on the order of $35 a year.
You're entitled to see your credit report whenever you want.
And also be told whenever somebody asks about you.
It's kind of weird, isn't it?
They tell people about you, and then for a fee, they'll tell you who they tell.
Yeah.
And it's by no means a guarantee that you'll know who's looking into you because TRW is only one company.
There are a few companies that like to keep track of Americans and their credit ratings.
But a couple of weeks ago, as I was thinking of canceling this service, I thought it would be fun to at least get my credit rating one more time.
Since I'm entitled to get it any time I want, I picked up my telephone and dialed the special 800 number and said,
Hey, I want my credit rating and I want it now.
And they said, okay, we'll send it out.
And they did.
It arrived and, you know, the first thing I noticed was that my current address was wrong.
They sent me my credit report.
They sent it to my address.
So how could they have my address wrong?
Well, they managed it somehow.
They somehow managed to have my previous address as my current address,
even though I subscribe to their service, and obviously the address that I get the service at is my current address.
But, no, they couldn't figure that out.
And virtually every bit of information was wrong except for the things that credit card companies communicate to them,
and that's scarily accurate how much you owe and how much you're supposed to pay and whether you pay on time.
Those things are easy to get right.
But the important things, such as where you live, who you work for,
and I don't have any of these, but I know if I did, they'd be wrong.
Things like court appearances and various judgments and bankruptcy decidings and all that kind of thing
can really mess up your life if you don't know how to play the game.
And here, we try to offer tips as to how to play the game to win.
Because we're all entitled to win.
But not at the expense of other people like ourselves.
That's kind of the rule of the hackers, I guess, if there is a rule of the hackers.
I've been away for the last three weeks or so.
I've been stumbling around Eastern Europe.
And boy, is that an interesting place for all kinds of reasons.
I've been to Czechoslovakia.
Slovakia.
Yugoslavia.
Yes, Yugoslavia.
Bulgaria.
Eastern Germany.
Hungary.
And Romania.
And there's a lot you can learn from wandering around a place like that.
You can learn not to take for granted various things that we have here.
And I have to say with a bit of shame that the thing that probably meant the most to me
was a cold glass of soda as I was walking around in the hot sun in Eastern Europe
where ice cannot be translated into a word there.
They apparently don't use ice for anything.
Really made me think about things like that.
But the important thing was how people survive their daily lives.
It's really quite a struggle to get through a day in various places.
I'll give you an example.
Arriving in Bucharest, Romania, which is one of the scariest countries, I think, around because of the horror of the Cisescu era.
The closest thing to a madman in power that I've seen in quite a while.
He literally robbed his own people to pay off the national debt and build palaces for himself.
And created an element of fear, suspicion, and just overall oppression that exists to this day.
Dimming the streetlights and making it known that one in a handful of people worked for Securitat
and was constantly telling bits of information about their neighbors, family, friends.
Same kind of atmosphere can be found in many places.
It can even be found in this country if you move among the right circles.
And suspicion is something that never really goes away.
The suspicion never did go away in Romania.
It's like a friend of mine described it.
It's like there was this incredible machine.
This machine was always there.
It was omnipresent.
It knew everything.
It controlled everything.
And then, one day,
the machine disappeared from sight.
But it didn't go away.
And everybody knows the machine is still there someplace.
And they know that everything that happens
is because of the machine.
And everything that does not happen
is also because of the machine.
The machine is everywhere.
It's responsible for everything.
And, in an atmosphere like that,
it's incredibly hard to
lead a productive life.
Even as a tourist, you can sense these things.
And I sensed it pretty quickly.
As soon as I got off the train in Bucharest,
I ran into this guy
who I thought worked for a tourist agency
because he happened to be standing
behind a desk there.
Silly me, assuming something like that.
And he was talking to me about
how much he admired America.
And I said,
oh, that's okay, I guess.
Talking to me about John Steinbeck
and Mark Twain
and all these American authors
and how much he read
and how much he liked
to practice his English.
And I had this
Eastern European guidebook with me
and I knew what to watch for.
I knew the games
and I'm a New Yorker
so I know, you know,
when someone's trying to con you.
So I was waiting for the warning signals.
And even though I'm fresh
in a brand new city
where I didn't know
a single word of the language
and not a single person,
I figured I'd just see
what this guy was up to.
And so he leads me to a hotel
because I was interested
in staying someplace
because it was nighttime
and I had no place
to change money
and I was kind of tired
and I wanted to get
a fresh start the next day.
And he said,
you know,
you can stay in this hotel.
They'll take your Western currency.
I had Austrian shillings with me.
And he said,
but, you know,
it would be really nice
if I could change money with you
because, you know,
I can't do it
because I'm Romanian
and it would be
a great service to me.
And people trade money
on the black market
all the time
and I figured
it wouldn't really be
that big a deal
especially if I was careful.
So he offered to give me
a hundred U.S. dollars
for a thousand Austrian shillings
which is about right.
It's about the going rate.
And he hands me a $100 bill.
Now the way you're supposed
to do this,
you're supposed to,
if anybody goes into Eastern Europe
and decides to work
in the black market,
you're supposed to take
the money they give you,
stick it in your pocket
and then take your money out
and give it to them.
That's the way it works
and that's how you
don't get ripped off
because that way
they're not holding
both ends of the bargain
at the same time.
And they understand this too
and it's perfectly okay.
But he hands me this $100 bill
and I say,
wait a minute,
I'm in Eastern Europe
and if I try to change
a $100 bill anywhere,
I'm going to get
all this worthless currency back
that I won't be able
to change
into Western currency
when I get out
of Eastern Europe.
So a $100 bill
is a bit,
you know,
a bit unacceptable for me.
Plus a $100 bill
is fairly easy
to counterfeit.
Not easy to counterfeit
but more commonly
counterfeited
than say a one.
So he said,
okay,
and started counting out
all this money.
50s.
Or 150 anyway.
20s, 10s, 5s,
and even 1s.
And he's counting out
the money
and he gives it to me
and I count out the money
and as I'm counting it out
I realize he only gave me
$99.
And an alarm goes off
inside my head
because I had just read
in the Eastern European book
that a common ploy
used by black market people
is to give you
the wrong amount
and then when you say
hey, you've given me
the wrong amount
they say
oh, I'm sorry
they take it back
they pretend to give you
the right amount
but then they do
a sleight of hand
and they wind up
giving you back
something that is different
and that's how
you get ripped off.
So,
I thought about all this
in that one second
and I said
the one thing
that he was not
expecting me to say
I said
thank you.
And he said
no, no, that's wrong.
I only gave you $99
I just saw you count it.
I said
no, no
you gave me $100
it's fine
here, here's your
thousand shillings
bye.
Well, it didn't go
over very well
and by this point
about five of his
friends were surrounding me
so that didn't
bode well for the future
either.
So he was getting
very upset
at this point
saying
I don't have to
trade money with you
give me my money back.
At this point
I had both the
99 US dollars
and the 1,000
Austrian shillings
in my pocket
and six angry people
surrounding me
in a foreign city
in a country
I'd never been in
before in my life
and all this
happened in the
first 10 minutes
quite a
welcoming
wouldn't you say?
So I figured
the best thing
for me
would be to
give him his
money back
and try and get
out of there
as quickly as
possible
which is what
I did
and
I figured
I would walk
into the
middle of town
unfortunately
the train station
Gare de Nord
is not anywhere
near the middle
of town
and I had to
walk down
these dark
and I mean
pitch dark
streets
where the
street lights
had been
turned off
to save power
back in the
Cisescu era
and had never
been turned
back on since
it was the most
frightening thing
in the entire
trip that I took
in fact one of the
most frightening
things of my life
I'd have to say
because I didn't
know who was
behind me
I didn't know
what was in
front of me
and all I knew
was this was a
hostile environment
in a very scary
place
but eventually
I made it to
an expensive
hotel that
took plastic
and friends
that's why
having plastic
is a good idea
sometimes
it can really
save your neck
and
while I looked
bedraggled
and not like
the kind of
person that
would stay
in an
expensive hotel
I had the
right plastic
card so
they had to
treat me as
an equal
and they did
which was
very nice
and then the
next day
and this is
this is how
this all ties
into what we
do here in
this program
the next day
I went back
to that train
station
and I explored
every single
inch of it
and I got to
know exactly
where everything
was and how
everything worked
because to get
out of the
country requires
quite a bit of
maneuvering
you have to
get reservations
and then you
have to wait
online for
tickets and if
you don't do
it right you
could be stuck
for quite some
time
so after
falling off
the horse
the most
important thing
to do is to
climb right
back on it
and don't be
intimidated
don't allow
yourself to be
intimidated
and so
inside of
half an hour
I felt like
I owned the
place
I knew where
to go
people even
asked me in
foreign tongues
for directions
and I was able
to sort of
tell them
and I think
that's what
we have to
do whenever
something baffles
us
we don't
walk away
unless we
plan to
come back
and figure
it all out
later
and that's
pretty much
how things
go
you know
if you
if you're
afraid of
something
if you
refuse to
learn
you won't
but if
you're
determined
enough
there's
really no
end to
the benefits
and there
are quite a
quite a few
benefits
in store
knowing
knowing the
credit card
game is one
thing that
comes in
very handy
because no
matter where
you are in
the world
it usually
comes in
handy
although
eastern
europe is
a place
where
things can
go rather
unpredictably
sometimes
for instance
walking around
the streets
of belgrade
which is
also an
interesting
place
not nearly
as scary
as bucharest
but scary
because there's
a horrible
war going
on
only about
100 miles
away
you'd never
guess it
being in
that city
you would
never guess
there was a
war going
on in
Yugoslavia
and walking
around
in a rather
expensive
country
I was looking
for those
little visa
signs
so that
I could
maybe get
something to
eat and
not have
to worry
until I
got home
about paying
for it
and I
saw one
and I
walked up
to the
place
and just
to make
sure
I said
you do
take
this visa
card
right
and
the man
looked at
me and
shook his
head and
said no
no
only
Yugoslavian
visa
I couldn't
believe it
I mean
now
they're
segregating
credit cards
by nationality
I mean
what an
incredible
scam
that the
visa people
have going
here
they make
it seem
as if
you can
use your
visa card
any way
you go
but
in some
countries
they only
accept visa
cards issued
by their
own
country's
banks
what is
the point
what is
the point
of having
something
with the
same
name
if it
cannot
be used
in different
countries
Yugoslavian
visas
unbelievable
so that
was a bit
of a
coming down
I think
I had
a
frankfurter
that night
and that
was it
but
you live
and you
learn
okay
that's
pretty much
what happened
over the
past few
weeks
wandering
around
various
places
people can
ask me
questions
later I
suppose
if they
have any
questions
the phone
system
in foreign
countries
is weird
no question
about that
actually
I take
that back
the phone
system
in this
country
is weird
every place
else
is pretty
much
the same
for instance
most countries
do not
have
what we
are very
used to
they do
not have
something
called
itemization
itemization
is where
you see
the phone
numbers
that you
dial
on your
phone bill
what other
countries
have
is a
tick
system
that's
where they
send a
little
tick
down
the line
and that's
kind of
like a
billing
pulse
and if
you call
someplace
far away
it ticks
about every
five seconds
or so
if you call
something
local
it might
only tick
once
for the
whole
call
or it
might
tick
once
every
five
minutes
and
you
can
get
these
little
machines
that will
tell you
how many
ticks
you
have
and
then
when
your
phone
bill
comes
it
bills
you
for
the
amount
of
ticks
that
you
have
it's
as
simple
as
that
the
pay
phones
work
the
same
way
you
drop
say
the
equivalent
of a
quarter
into
a
pay
phone
and
that
quarter
gets
diminished
either
by
five
cents
ten
cents
whatever
and
if
it
goes
to
zero
you
get
disconnected
and
you
have
to
put
more
money
in
to
extend
the
time
of
your
call
no
warnings
or
anything
like
that
no
little
voices
coming
on
saying
deposit
certain
amount
of
money
you
just
have
to
know
how
it
works
and
the
funny
thing
is
that
itemization
is
considered
an
invasion
of
privacy
now
here
we
are
in
this
country
talking
about
caller
ID
and
knowing
who's
calling
you
before
you
even
pick up
the
phone
in
most
other
countries
in
the
world
they
don't
want
people
in
their
house
or
even
the
phone
company
to
see
the
phone
numbers
that
they
are
dialing
and
in
fact
some
countries
are
offering
a
service
now
kind
of
a
compromise
where
they'll
give
you
itemization
but
they'll
X
out
the
last
four
digits
of
the
phone
number
so
that
only
you
know
who
you
really
called
pretty
amazing
cultural
differences
there
that's
some
of what
goes
on
and
of
course
it's
a lot
more
difficult
communicating
phones
in
Budapest
are
horrendous
most
of
them
are
broken
in
fact
most
of
the
phones
in
Germany
seem
to
be
broken
now
which
is
a
rather
sad
thing
it
used
to
be
quite
good
but
one
can
only
hope
that
eventually
we'll
all
meet
on
some
kind
of
harmonic
plane
any
event
the
program
is
off
the
hook
this
is
Emmanuel
Goldstein
and
we
are
here
for
another
23
minutes
we're
going
to be
asking
for
your
support
in
just
a
couple
of
minutes
here
on
radio
station
WBAI
and a
number of
people were
listening
last week
when we
once again
tried to air
the radio
program
having to do
with cellular
phone calls
and there
was a bit
of controversy
concerning
that
to put it
bluntly
the program
was yanked
off the
air
midway
and
it's kind
of a
difficult
situation
because
well
it's
controversial
let's just
put it
that way
to air
something
that has
the perception
of possibly
being illegal
let me assure
you it is
not illegal
and it was
the most
unfortunate
event
that took
place here
last week
we here
at WBAI
can fall
victim to
the exact
same thing
that we
always talk
about
namely
not understanding
how it all
pieces together
how it all
works
briefly
cellular phone
calls are
extremely easy
to listen to
anybody
can do it
and
technically
it's against
the law
to even
listen
now if you
have an old
TV set
you can just
tune to
channel 83
or channel 82
or one of those
upper channels
tune around
a little bit
and you'll hear
cellular phone calls
and you'll be
breaking the law
you can also
use a scanner
which are
very easy to obtain
these scanners
and tune to around
the 800 megahertz
section
and listen to
your heart's content
and this is being
done all
the time
the purpose
of our airing
phone calls
last week
and we did not
air anything
that was considered
personal or
confidential
we were very
careful about that
there's nothing
in there that
can point to
any particular
part of the
country
nothing there
that can point
to any
particular person
nothing there
that can even
point to any
particular time
in fact it's
extremely possible
that these phone
calls were
monitored before
the law
even took
effect
so there is
no illegal
activity on the
part of anybody
here at the
radio station
only possible
possible illegal
activity on the
part of the
person who
recorded the
phone calls
and that
again is
impossible to
prove
impossible to
enforce
the law
itself is
absurd as
most of us
already know
and unfortunately
what we witnessed
here last week
was I guess
you could say
a panic reaction
and not one
that is entirely
non-understandable
so I ask
that people
forgive the
station for
that and
continue to
listen
continue to
ask questions
and if you
feel strongly
about the
matter either
way please
write in and
let us know
how you feel
we'll be taking
some phone calls
later on you
can tell us
that way how
you feel about
that or any
other issue
now I also
want to point
out that
I guess if
this was a
commercial radio
station and
there was any
element of
freedom of
speech you'd
be tempted to
say well you
know that just
proves how
how fascist
the station is
and how people
don't really care
about freedom of
speech and it's
all you know
irrelevant and
open to the
interpretation of
whoever's in
power and yeah
I guess you
know you could
say that that
would be an
interpretation but
I honestly think
that this was a
misunderstanding of
some sort and
you have to
continue to
support the
radio station
for just that
reason because
if you cut off
your nose to
spite your face
you don't have
much of a face
left now do you
WBAI is the
only place where
you can even
get the chance
of hearing
controversial
topics such as
that and the
only chance that
you'll have of
hearing it in the
future yes it's
controversial people
are scared they
don't understand the
laws they don't
understand the
technology it
happens but at
least we are here
to talk about it
at least we're here
to open a dialogue
and if you value
that then this is
the station for you
now it's important
for us here at
this particular
program to send a
message as well
that people here
care about what
we are trying to
say about the
education we're
trying to spread
as far as how
it all pieces
together how it
all works what
the dangers are
what the threats
are the fact that
anybody can listen
to your phone calls
is something that
should not be
ignored it should
not be protected
it should not be
something that is
not talked about
because it will
offend people
offend corporations
and show everybody
just how fragile it
all is that's why
we need you to
call us not an
hour from now not
a week from now
but right now
please 212-279-3400
and pledge whatever
you can afford
$50 is the
suggested pledge
amount 25 for
senior citizen
students and people
with low income
and what you'll
get for that is
a special a special
bonus that we're
adding tonight for
all callers to this
particular show and
it's kind of
appropriate concerning
the events of last
week because we had
the exact same
arguments about this
particular item when
it came out it's a
videotape a
videotape of Dutch
computer hackers
breaking into a
U.S. military
computer system
and that's for
anybody that
pledges tonight
during this
particular radio
program we're not
going to be doing
this next week
only doing that
this week
our number is
212-279-3400
if freedom of
speech means
something to you
then you'll
recognize the
value of both
what we try to do
on this particular
program and the
value of seeing
for yourself
first hand
what is going
on
your first hand
knowledge is
is a very
important thing
it's one thing to
say something on
the radio
it's quite another
thing to
show you
exactly
what is going
on
and that's
what we are
constantly striving
to do
for instance
a couple of
weeks ago we
repeated the show
having to do with
MCI friends and
family which is
only now getting
some press
we showed the
world how easy
it is for
anybody to get
information about
the people you
call we
demonstrated it
live on the
radio and
that's a whole
lot more
impressive than
just simply
saying that
it's possible
so it's that
kind of freedom
that you don't
see at other
radio stations
and yeah it
causes controversy
sometimes causes
controversy right
here at the
radio station
but you know
I'd rather it
cause controversy
than cause
indifference
at least we
know people are
listening at least
even though people
care
do you care
do you care
enough to pick
up the phone
and support the
radio station
we don't do
this to
to make a
profit
we don't do
this to pay
for any kind
of commercial
product
we do this
simply so we
can continue
and you are
our only means
of continuing
you know this
is incredible
we've been doing
this show now
for a couple
of years
is there an
atom bomb or
something that
dropped on the
city I see only
one phone call
we have seven
lines my friends
seven lines
please show us
that this program
means something
because it
it's inspirational
to know that
there's a strong
response out
there
it makes me
and the other
people connected
with the program
dig a little bit
deeper
because we know
that if we find
something there
are people out
there that care
enough
yeah
you can care
by listening
you can care
by telling
your friends
and that's
great
but the reality
of the situation
is that we
need you to
care
enough
to call
and pledge
212-279-3400
now if you're
driving
the tri-state
area has more
pay phones
than I think
any part of the
world
please pull over
it only takes
a minute
and the effects
last
for a long
long time
they really do
if
if we had
say
not had
a single
pledge drive
if we had
missed one of
our pledge
drives over
the past
say 10
years
there's no way
we could be
here now
every single
one
matters
and just like
every pledge
drive matters
every person
that contributes
to every
single
pledge drive
also matters
you see it
it's a building
block
and you as
individuals are
capable of
building the
station
making us
stronger
making us
say those
things
that sometimes
cause people to
freak out
but people
freaking out
is a healthy
sign
you know I
learned that
walking around
the streets of
Eastern Europe
you know what I'd
look for
I'd look for
dissent
I'd look for
signs
of people
defying
authority
and you know
what I looked
for
I looked for
graffiti
yeah if you
saw graffiti
I found that
that was a sign
that there was
human intelligence
there was a sign
that there was
individuality
that there are
people willing
to stand up
and say
enough
and even if
they did say
guns and roses
or something
like that
on the side
of a statue
it's something
they wouldn't
have said
if they were
living in fear
hopefully
when people
express themselves
they'll say
something intelligent
and I did see
a lot of
intelligent
statements
for instance
an abolish
apartheid
stamp
on the side
of a water
tower
actually a
water facility
in Bulgaria
it was in
Cyrillic
but you could
tell that it
said apartheid
and it had
an exclamation
point afterwards
so you knew
what it was
saying
and it was
such a healthy
thing
to see people
not defacing
public buildings
and statues
but expressing
themselves
in non-traditional
ways
think about that
think about that
next time you
see a graffiti
train or
something
because
individuality
is something
that we
cannot put
restrictions on
we cannot
define it
it expresses
itself in
all kinds
of different
ways
who are we
to
legislate it
away
you know
I went
into that
situation
thinking that
graffiti was
it was okay
but for the
most part
it was kind
of ugly
but then I
when you're
in a place
like Romania
where it's
really really
scary
you see things
like the
house of the
people
this incredibly
huge building
that's completely
vacant
was never
finished
it's probably
bigger than
any building
in the world
and robbed
the people
of their food
money
of their
electricity
of everything
they had
so that it
could be
constructed
so that
Nikolai and
Elena could
smile
when you see
something like
that
that kind
of fear
you still
feel the
fear
from that
kind of a
thing
you realize
how the
little tiny
bits
of dissent
really matter
because other
people see it
and other
people are
able to
build off
of it
it all
adds up
and your
support
adds up
we had a
flurry of
phone calls
please let's
get another
flurry
I know there's
people out there
because I hear
from them week
after week
and they say
they get things
from the radio
program
they learn
things
for instance
they learn
that if you
dial 958
you'll find out
what your phone
number is
there you go
that little bit
of information
couldn't be
bought on the
streets
yet we
we freely
give it out
here at
off the hook
other bits of
information like
that when we
find out things
we pass them
along to other
people
for instance
don't ever
dial 450
other bits of
information like
that actually that
only applies in the
516 area code
but little tidbits
like that
212-279-3400
we do take
Visa and
MasterCard
those wonderful
magical plastic
bits that allow
you to
spend all over
the world
except in
Yugoslavia
212-279-3400
we have no
calls on the
line
I want to
tell you
something
this is
important
when I went
to Europe
in 1989
the Berlin
Wall was
still up
and
there were
two different
cities
there was
the black and
white Berlin
there was
the color
Berlin
that's the way
I looked
upon them
Eastern Berlin
was a rather
depressing place
but
there was
a ray of
light
and I talked
about this
on the radio
too back then
there was a
radio station
a radio station
known as
Radio 100
it was
in West
Berlin
but when you
have a radio
station in
West Berlin
obviously the
signal is going
to get to
East Berlin
as well
and it was
inspirational
because this
was before
the wall
fell
and the radio
station was
getting calls
from people
in East
Berlin
and they
were able
to actually
open a
dialogue
between the
two cities
they were able
to play
alternative music
they were able
to talk about
gay and
lesbian issues
in short
they were able
to do just
about all
the things
that we
do here
at WBAI
and I
thought to
myself
this is
great
this is
amazing
because
this kind
of concept
for alternative
radio is
actually catching
on
it's staking
a claim in
Europe as well
as the United
States
and people
are finally
recognizing
the value
of radio
and when I
visited this
station
in fact I
was interviewed
on this
station
and I
did all
kinds of
neat things
and talked
radio talk
the biggest
problem that
they had
was raising
money
that thing
that transcends
all different
languages
raising money
that was the
big problem
how do we
raise money
how do we
keep on the
air
well
I gave
them some
suggestions
from
things that we
did here at
BAI
I said
you know
maybe you
want to
start asking
for support
from listeners
because
commercials are
not going to
allow you to
continue doing
these kind
of programming
this kind
of programming
and
today
three years
later
Radio 100
no longer
exists
they went
off the
air
they went
off the
air because
they could
not get
the money
they needed
and you know
back then
1989
being at
this radio
station
that was
the last
thing
anybody
would have
expected
the station
was flourishing
it was in
the middle
of Berlin
changes
were in
the air
there were
things
to talk
about
lots of
things to
talk about
and today
they're gone
so friends
it can
happen
it does
happen
if you
don't raise
the money
you disappear
and you
get replaced
today
the frequency
of Radio
100 in
Berlin
is
a
French
broadcasting
group
that plays
techno pop
24 hours
a day
and there
might be
some kind
of a demand
for that
type of
thing
but
it's just
not the
same
so
we're not
going to
go that
route
at least
I certainly
hope not
but
there are
always
things that
could happen
things like
cutting back
on the
broadcast day
things like
moving to
a less
desirable
frequency
all kinds
of things
that
are rumored
and the
way to
combat that
is to
come out
fighting
to stand
up and
say
this is
my radio
station
and I
support it
all you
have to
do
is call
212
279
3400
I should
point out
though
if you
were in
New York
City
don't
dial
212
you'll
only confuse
the phone
company
and
again
for
a pledge
of
$50
or
$25
depending
on
your
wealth
status
in this
nation
we'll
send you
absolutely
free
well actually
at no
additional
charge
as a
thank you
a
videotape
that
will show
you
exactly
what hackers
do
you don't
have to
read about
it in
the
New York
Post
you don't
have to
see it
on a
10 o'clock
news
you can
see for
yourself
Dutch
hackers
getting into
a military
computer
system
this was
done
last year
bits of
it aired
on that
horrendous
program
now it
can be
told by
with
Geraldo
Rivera
it
wasn't
all that
bad
but I
guess it
was
pretty
bad
from
most
people's
perspective
okay
it
was
terrible
but
now
you
can
see
the
whole
thing
and
reach
presenting
you
with
evidence
with
first-hand
information
and
having
you
judge
it
for
yourself
same
thing
with
music
when
we
play
music
on
the
radio
station
we
don't
play
the
kind
of
thing
that
they
play
on
Hot
97
or
whatever
because
there's
a time
and place
for that
and the
time
and place
is
not
here
it's
as
simple
as
that
we're
alternative
we do
different
things
and we
allow
our
listeners
to
judge
whatever
it is
that
comes
over
the
airwaves
we're
listening
we're
listening
now
please
speak
to us
212
279
3400
the
program
is
off
the
hook
this
is
Emmanuel
Goldstein
it's
important
that
you
show
your
support
for
us
and
for
the
kinds
of
things
that
we
do
here
at
the
radio
station
and
here
at
this
radio
program
it's
not done
any place
else in
the country
as far
as I
know
and that's
true of
a lot
of programs
here
if you're
one of the
people where
this particular
program means
something
special
if you've
got that
hacking
spirit
if you're
just curious
if you ask
too many
questions
if people
tell you
to shut
up
then you're
our kind
of person
no two
ways about
it
if you're
a sneakers
fan
of course
we're going
to be
talking about
that in
weeks to
come
you're
probably
our kind
of person
too
because that
film really
wasn't all
that bad
was it
it could
have been
a lot
worse
212
279
3400
in fact
fiber optic
is here
and I'd
like to
get in
three words
or less
your opinion
of the
film
sneakers
three
words
with a
cast like
that
I mean
Robert
Redford
and
the names
go on
and on
and on
it's
incredible
acting
ensemble
there
but despite
that it
was a good
film
usually
films like
that get
overacted
and overrated
but it
was fun
and I
think the
most important
thing was
that it
did not
portray
hackers
or hacker
sympathizers
as the
problem
because they're
really not
the problem
they're the
people that
show you
what's happening
they're the
people that
show you
what's wrong
the problem
is
as the
film said
too many
secrets
hey that's
exactly it
too many
secrets
and you know
if this
program wasn't
called off
the hook
I would
like to
call it
too many
secrets
anyway
we don't
want to
keep any
secrets
from our
listeners
we want to
share with
you everything
that we
have
and we
have
something
rather
interesting
here that
I'd like
to share
but please
212-279-3400
I don't know
if that's the
updated tally
if it is
I think I'm
going to
slip my
wrists
but if
if we don't
start doing
better
it's not
going to
portend
too well
for us
here
I know
that
212-279-3400
all kinds
of ominous
things are
in the
works
you never
know
all those
unspoken
threats
212-279-3400
I can't
say it
enough
but I
will
212-279-3400
is the
phone number
to call
remember
any pledge
tonight
will get
a free
videotape
VHS
NTSC
all that
kind of
thing
and on
that videotape
you'll find
from 2600
magazine
the
hacker
video
of Dutch
hackers
getting into
a military
system
an American
military
system
last year
and no
don't worry
there's nothing
illegal about
having the
videotape
it's been
out for
quite some
time
and many
many
people
have it
and you
won't be
put on
any list
or anything
evil like
that
just please
show us
your support
and we'll
say thank
you in that
way
and plus
if videotapes
don't mean
all that much
to you
you'll be
getting
the WBAI
program guide
for a full
year
and that's
the best
way to
know what
is on
the air
your friends
and neighbors
will be
knocking on
your door
to find out
what's on
BAI
when they do
please tell
them to
subscribe
so they'll
get their
own copy
212-279-3400
please let's
have a flurry
of calls
we have two
calls on the
line
let's make
that four
because
hey that's
not bad
we have
three already
so what we
need is one
more
one more
call and
we're up
to four
212-279-3400
212-279-3400
is our phone
number
keep those
calls coming
in they are
all important
to us
now this is
something an
example of how
scary it can
get out there
and it can
get pretty
gosh darn
scary
it's a man
named Mark
Forston
and this is
taking place
in Fresno
California
and in weeks
to come we'll
be talking
about this
and talking
with some
of the people
involved I
hope
is a system
operator of a
gay bulletin
board
and there are
quite a few
gay bulletin
boards in the
country
a growing
number
and something
like this
certainly
affects
everybody
running such
a board
and in fact
if you think
about it for a
second it affects
everybody running
any kind of
a board
and if you
think about it
for a minute
you realize
that it
affects almost
anybody in
the country
interested in
freedom of
speech
okay in the
August 13th
1992 edition
of B.A.R.
there was a
story about
Mark Forston
who was the
operator of a
gay BBS
in Fresno
California
who was
apparently the
target of a
calculated sting
organized by
Fresno police
officer Frank
Clark
who gained
access to
Forston's
private membership
gay lesbian
and bi
BBS
known as
designer BBS
and then
engaged in a
fantasy sex
chat
agreed to
meet Forston
and then
upon meeting
him
arrested him
when he
showed up
and what's
what's
fascinating
here is
that the
person
the
police
officer
pretended
that he
was a
15 year
old
person
it says
he pretended
he was a
15 year
old
person
and so
when
the system
operator
showed up
to meet
this
alleged
15 year
old
he arrested
him on the
basis of
child
pornography
an imaginary
person
somebody who
doesn't even
exist
Forston is
now charged
with the
following
felonies
attempted
child
molestation
attempted
use of
a minor
for an
illicit
purpose
and sodomy
rape of
a minor
now the
police officer
Clark
a Christian
fundamentalist
believes in
the need
for spiritual
warfare
against Satan
and has
openly
discussed
the matter
in front
of his
assembly
of God
audience
and according
to various
posts on
the well
out in
California
it gets
even more
complicated
Mark Forston
age 49
is the
sole
operator
of a
three-year-old
gay
lesbian
and bi
BBS
called
designer
bulletin
board
system
it includes
restricted
sexually
explicit
programs
in addition
to games
email
and general
programs
in March
1992
42 year
old Fresno
police officer
Frank Clark
joined Mark
Forston's
BBS
Clark is a
Christian
fundamentalist
who Forston
contends
is trying
to rid
the city
of homosexual
perverts
and Forston
says he's
been the
target of
hate messages
both at
his home
and on
his BBS
Forston
claims that
when Clark
answered the
preliminary
online questionnaire
he gave
his birth
date as
1973
which would
make him
19
Forston
did the
usual
telephone
voice
verification
to confirm
Clark's
age
however
Clark
charges
that he
told Forston
he was
15 years
old
then it
gets
complicated
at that
time
Forston
was
installing
a new
accounting
software
program
which later
proved
effective
by placing
a dollar
symbol
as a code
in front
of a new
user's
name
the software
accidentally
allowed
some users
access to
restricted
areas of
the BBS
which contained
sexually
explicit
materials
Clark
began to
chat online
with Forston
after he
joined the
BBS
and they
engaged
in a
fantasy
sex
chat
Forston
agreed
to meet
Clark
to do
a visual
verification
of his
identity
because of
Clark's
behavior
online
Forston
suspected
that Clark
was
Fortin's
arch enemy
Jack
Porter
up to
his old
homophobic
tricks
Forston
wanted to
investigate
to ascertain
if it
was Porter
or an
innocent
19 year
old
on the
verge
of
coming
out
Forston
was arrested
when he
went to
the date
after the
arrest
Clark
held a
news
conference
heralding
his
capture
of
Forston
who
was
charged
with
being
a
child
molester
and
pedophile
and
with
luring
minors
onto
his
BBS
to
corrupt
their
morals
and
engage
in
illicit
acts
the
publicity
led
to
an
18
year
old
man
coming
forward
who
claimed
that
Forston
had
raped
him
when
he
was
16
Tom
Braddenberry
from
Fresno's
Queer
Nation
has
identified
said
young
man
as
a
gay
man
who
attended
Queer
Nation
meetings
and
participated
with
the
group
in
a
Sacramento
demonstration
against
AB
101
another
young
man
told
the
TV
reporter
that
the
man
who
accused
Forston
of
raping
him
lied
in
order
to
get
revenge
on
Forston
for
kicking
him
off
the
BBS
two
years
earlier
Forston
having
no money
for an
attorney
was
assigned
a
public
defender
Clark
recently
told
the
reporter
that
the
police
department
initially
did not
want
him
to
pursue
the
ensuing
case
fearful
that
Mark
Forston
and the
homosexuals
might sue
us
they
haven't
yet
it
doesn't
take much
to realize
how a
story like
this
can affect
us
all
and it
will
and things
like this
will continue
to happen
no doubt
imagine
being charged
with child
molestation
when there's
no child
it's a
crime
to meet
somebody
who's
underage
if
the
prosecution
believes
your intent
is immoral
have you
heard that
story before
if you
haven't
then I
ask you
now to
please
think of
where you
would have
heard that
story
if you
didn't
hear it
here
we're
almost
finished
for
tonight
212-279-3400
is our
telephone
number
212-279-3400
it would be
nice to
see a
few more
calls come
in before
we go
off tonight
212-279-3400
we need
a rather
strong
response
and so
far a
tally
doesn't look
all that
impressive
I must
say
we could
use a
couple
of
large
pledges
so that
we can
walk out
of here
looking
a bit
respectable
before the
computer show
goes on
212-279-3400
those of you
on Long
Island
those of you
in Connecticut
New Jersey
we need to
hear from you
remember
everybody
that calls
in
will get
a videotape
it runs
about a
half hour
and shows
in startling
detail
with narration
by the way
how Dutch
computer hackers
were able
to easily
and I
mean incredibly
easily
gain access
to military
computers
in this
country
it was
I hate to
say this
word
but it was
shocking
it was
incredibly
shocking
how easy
it was
just like
the cellular
phone calls
last week
that we
aired bits
and pieces
of
it's
so
easy
you have
to know
how easy
it is
to realize
what kind
of defense
there is
against
intrusions
against
compromising
data
against
privacy
invasions
now you
can read
all the
boring
articles
and listen
to me
drone on
and on
for hours
at a time
about how
it's
possible
but it's
another thing
entirely
to see it
and to hear
it for
yourself
don't ever
give up
that right
212-279-3400
we have
two calls
on the
line
and if
we can
make that
four calls
I just
might be
happy
yes
212-279-3400
we only have
about a minute
left so
please
you're
one of
two people
that can
make a
big difference
here
212-279-3400
every time
that switchboard
lights up
it causes
frenzy
in the
control room
and frenzy
is a good
sign
remember that
frenzy
is something
that is
a healthy
sign
something
that
you don't
see in the
commercial radio
stations
because everything
is planned
everything
is organized
everything
is boring
and bland
and
there's
absolutely
nothing
unpredictable
one more
phone call
212-279-3400
you can
be that
person
please
make it
so
in the
words
of
Jean-Luc
okay
we are
just about
out of
time
I'd like
to close
though
with a
quote
from a
book
the
difficulty
in these
times
ideals
dreams
and
cherished
hopes
rise
within
us
only
to
meet
the
horrible
truth
and
be
shattered
it's
really
a
wonder
I
haven't
dropped
all
my
ideals
because
they
seem
so
absurd
and
impossible
to
carry
out
yet
I
keep
them
because
in spite
of
everything
I
still
believe
that
people
are
really
good
at
heart
I
simply
can't
build
up
my
hopes
on
a
foundation
consisting
of
confusion
misery
and
death
I
see
the
world
gradually
being
turned
into
a
wilderness
I
hear
the
ever
approaching
thunder
which
will
destroy
us
too
I
can
feel
the
sufferings
of
millions
and
yet
if
I
look
up
into
the
heavens
I
think
that
it
will
come
out
right
that
this
cruelty
too
will
end
and
that
peace
and
tranquility
will
return
again
in
the
meantime
I
must
uphold
my
ideals
for
perhaps
the
time
will
come
when
I
shall
be
able
to
carry
them
out
and a
thank you
to
Anne
Frank
for
those
words
we'll
see you
next
week
stay
tuned
for
the
computer
show
good
night
cool
you
you
hmm
you
you
And at 10 o'clock, this is WBAI New York.
Next up, the Personal Computer Show.
Welcome to the Personal Computer Show.
Here on WBAI, Dave Burstein, Hanky, and I have a special treat for you,
because you know what it is?
Tonight is fundraising.
Wait a minute.
This is the chance we give people opportunities for remarkable bargains,
so if they couldn't get at anything like this price,
we shouldn't scare them away by using words like that.
We should tell them what we got for them.
We've got good stuff.
Okay.
We got good stuff.
We got things like PageMaker and C Development Packages and Lotus and Mouses
and Image Studios and all those wonderful things.
But do you know why we have that stuff, Dave?
We need the money.
It's fundraising tonight.
Hank has worked hard all month.
I've worked hard.
Dave has worked hard.
Claude has worked hard.
Everybody.
Emmanuel has worked hard.
We've all worked hard, and the only reason we've worked hard is to get your money.
So before we go any further, let me tell you, 279-3400.
That's an area code, 212-279-3400.
Call right now.
Don't wait for us to read off the list,
because the people on the other ends of the phone have the list.
You can tell them what you're interested in, and they can go down the list.
In the meantime, we'll read the list at a much more slow pace.
Now, if you happen to have a modem, Hank, what can they do if they have a modem?
Well, you can get onto the bulletin board.
The number is 718-539-3338, and it's Bulletin 7.
And if you just want to download the file, it's BLT 7.
So there are three things you can do.
One is you can call up 279-3400 and just say what's on,
and they'll tell you quickly what's on or whatever you're interested in.
The other is go on the bulletin board.
And the third is, well, maybe you have some patience and listen to what we have to say.
And contrary to what you may have heard from Emanuel in the last hour,
that's a very clean bulletin board.
Nothing dirty is happening there.
We just have lists of premiums for you.
That's all.
Bulletin number 7.
Okay.
279-3400.
Area code 212-279-3400.
Call in right now.
And, you know, since we're not taking your calls on the air,
you can leave the radio on while you're calling in,
and you can, you know, hear what we're doing.
When you call in, make a pledge, or don't make a pledge.
Just join the station for the basic $50 a year rate and get the program guide.
But, you know, if there's an extra $5 or $10 in your wallet,
it's amazing what kind of premiums you can get.
Why are we teasing these people?
And if you put them on your Visa card or your MasterCard,
we can get the use of your money right away,
and you don't have to pay for it until the next billing cycle.
Hank, why don't you start it off and tell them what kind of premiums we have.
Okay, fine.
First off is Aldous PageMaker.
I opened the box inadvertently, so that's my mistake.
It's version 4.0.
That's the latest version.
And because it's my mistake,
we're requesting a donation of $125.
Everything is intact.
The skets are there.
Registration cards are there.
And at $125 donation, let's see who's the quickest on the trigger for that one.
Dave, what's the cheapest you've seen that on the street at?
Oh, it's got to be $300, $400.
It's the current version of PageMaker,
which at least this week is a leading desktop publishing package for the IBM.
They're going to be shooting that one out real hard soon.
And I haven't seen that under $400 yet.
This was somebody's mistake when we did the paperwork, I guess.
We should have been asking for more on that one.
Next we have is Borland C++, which is the development kit.
And there, I understand that the list price is around $700, $800,
and street price.