at 209-2828. That's 209-2828. In the meantime, be sure to stay tuned to WBAI 99.5 FM, your
community radio station.
Laurent Kabila may describe this as treason, but more dangerously, he's consciously fanning
the flames of ethnic chauvinism. Incredibly, the New York Times and the Washington Post,
Philadelphia Inquiry, the Los Angeles Times, defines our political position on the Congo.
Where's Jesse Jackson? Where's the black leadership on this issue?
This Thursday on WBAI, The Congolese Challenge, and South Africa's geopolitical dilemma.
That's Thursday, October 15th, from 7 p.m. to midnight. Featuring Dr. James Garrett,
Sully Booker, and Adam Hochschild, the author of King Leopold's Ghost, as well as Namibian
President Sam Nyoma, and many others. That's this Thursday, October 15th, from 7 p.m. to midnight,
on non-commercial WBAI 99.5 FM.
Do you have the vision? Do you have the vision? Yes, I have the vision. Yes, I have the vision.
Exploding stars, extraterrestrial alien life, robots redesigning the human race.
This is Dr. Michio Kaku, professor of theoretical physics, inviting you to a three-hour special,
science and the fantastic, on Wednesday, October 14th, from 7 to 10 p.m. We have a galaxy of special
guests, including Nobel laureates and Dr. Neil Tyson, director of the Hayden Planetarium and Princeton
astrophysicist. So don't miss a three-hour discussion from 7 to 10 p.m. this Wednesday
on the fantastic possibilities of science.
And it's time for the fantastic possibilities of computers, coming up on 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 call.
It couldn't get much worse, but if they could, they would.
Bum, diddley, bum, but the best, expect the worst. I hope that's understood.
Bum, diddley, bum!
Bum, dodley, bum, yeah.
Bum, dodley, bum, yeah.
Bum, dodley, bum, yeah.
Bum, dodley, bum, yeah.
And a good evening to everybody.
This is Emanuel Goldstein.
Here with another exciting edition of Off The Hook.
And boy, I gotta tell you, this show almost didn't happen because today I got so angry
that I almost wasn't able to even speak or move or do anything.
I should know not to call the phone company on the day of the show, but sometimes, sometimes
it just has to be that way and this was no exception, but boy, I'll tell you, it seems
like everything for the last few years has been kind of leading up to a culmination and
I'm like at the point now where, you know, the gunfire's about to begin.
I'm sure many of you have felt the same way.
And tonight is a show for the purpose of sharing our frustrations, showing support to one another,
and otherwise reaching out and just trying to help people who don't quite realize how
bad it is.
This is also our last show for the month of October because we're preempted for the next
two weeks.
So this may be the last chance you have to get a sympathetic ear for a little while,
anyway.
It's also, I blew it last week, last week was our 10th anniversary to the day.
Yeah.
Can you believe that?
And I forgot.
I'll tell you.
October 6th, 1988 is when this whole thing started.
You never know when you're giving your last performance.
Ten years, one week.
Anyway, let's get all in a huff about the phone company and their book of lies.
Because that's what it's all about.
People tell lies all the time, but I think you play the more than anybody else.
But that's what it's all about.
You never know when you're giving your last performance.
I'm gonna get out, I can't, don't leave
You can't lie like that, I'm gonna get you done
I can't break all deep and wide
But it's safe to truth when you know it's a lie
No matter how hard you try to deceive it
There's nothing you can say that won't break you deep in your life
I'm gonna get out, I can't, don't leave
It's a lie, it's a lie, it's a lie, it's a lie, it's a lie
Cause that's the kind of action, our music is black
There's a bonfire burning in the content hall
There's a church across the street and a straight page of walls
I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die
Ranging in your face like a long line
You can feel the heat of an every hill fire
We're sick and tired of the lies that you tell
We're gonna burn your world, no one's gonna take you to hell
You can run but you can't hide
From the fear in your heart you try to disguise
With the empty promises in your book of lies
Would you please say to me why another guy took my strength on me
I'm sure it comes to no surprise
That the answer can't be found in your book of lies
I can't think of the reason why
Say it's the truth when you know it's a lie
No matter how hard you try to deceive it
If there is nothing you can say that won't make me believe
In your life
you figured out something that never happened
and so it's all lies
well let's see who's the first offender
who's the first offender of the biggest liar out there
well I think the award this week should go to AT&T
yeah you know it's difficult that I make that decision
because it was so close
but AT&T really added that extra effort this time
well okay we're not going to get right into the charges for nothing
because that's something that affects everybody
you get charged for nothing
and if you don't know what I mean stick around we'll get into that
but here's a charge for something that just isn't right
I talked about a bunch of weeks ago
some of the calling plans they have on AT&T
and one of them is called AT&T One Rate Plus
I found out what the plus is all about
it's a big plus
for $4.95 a month
you get to spend a dime a minute
anywhere anytime
well anywhere in the country any time of day
but you got to spend $4.95
it's not a minimum it's a fee
and if you add another buck to that
you get AT&T One Rate Calling Card Plan
that's right
but here's the thing
when you sign up for these plans
they tell you one thing
they say yeah it's only going to be a quarter
from any phone that you use your calling card on
just a quarter a minute
any phone
I went through this you know we went back and forth a few times
when I signed up for this service
I said a quarter anytime
they said a quarter anytime
any phone
any phone
anytime anywhere any phone
yes anytime anywhere any phone
they thought I was really silly for saying all this
over and over again
but I just wanted to make sure
because you know I'm used to being hoodwinked
I'm used to things being changed at the last minute
or people saying oh no that's not the way this is at all
this is not the price
that we were supposed to quote you
it was a big mistake
well
when I got my first bill of course
I discovered that it was not a quarter
any time
any place
no sir
if you go to a pay phone
they add a little surcharge
because of that crazy FCC law
that was passed earlier this year
that for some reason
which I still cannot figure out
charges you
if you call an 800 number from a pay phone
because
something is being used someplace
makes no sense whatsoever
the call is already paid for by the person
who owns the 800 number
there is no money being spent on anything else
it's a complete theft of service
of the American consumer
and that's what I had in mind
when I was asking them
so there's no other charge
no other fee
no surcharges any place
and they said
no sir
we've eliminated all the surcharges
because there used to be a surcharge
to use a calling card
and that was the big deal
you know
for a dollar a month
you get this calling
well actually it's $5.95 a month
because you have to subscribe
to one rate plus as well
but you get a calling card
with no surcharge
and that's the greatest thing in the world
so as soon as I start using it
I realize it's useless
totally useless
because where are you going to use
a calling card from
you don't use calling cards
from friends' houses
of course not
you dial long distance
from your friends' houses
you only use a calling card
from a pay phone
you know
that's why
you don't use it
from a cellular phone
that's stupid
you wind up paying twice
so the calling card
is completely useless
that I already knew
I knew that a couple of months ago
when I got my first bill
but what I got recently
was another bill
another bill
where the call
is clearly not
$0.25 a minute
in addition
they added the surcharge
because I made it
from a pay phone
in fact
according to this
according to this
phone call
the call was originated
in pay phone Nevada
that's the name of the town
pay phone Nevada
and it was a call
to New York
now
the call lasts
five minutes
now you would think
five minutes
times 25 cents
it's $1.25
plus the
30 cent surcharge
for using a pay phone
that would bring it up
to $1.55
right
well
for some reason
I was charged
$2.10
$2.10
why
I called them
and I asked them
why
and I had to be
put on hold
for 25 minutes
do you remember
the days
when you used to be able
to call AT&T
and you'd get somebody
right away
well you don't get
people right away
you have to wait
25 minutes
and I called them
on Saturday
to complain about
something else
and
after
this was about
only about 20 minutes
after about 20 minutes
somebody picked up
and I started asking
them questions
and they said
sir I'm sorry
our computers
just went down
in fact
you're the first call
that's affected by this
and I said
oh boy
this is my lucky day
I'm the winning call here
so when
when do I get to talk
about my bill
and they said
well you have to call
back on Monday
two days
two days
you have to wait
just to talk
about a simple
billing problem
so that was Saturday
today 25 minutes
and when I talked
to the person
took them quite a while
to figure things out
but when they finally
found my bill
and looked at it
and said
yeah this doesn't
look right
they came up
with a possible solution
they're not entirely sure
they used to be
entirely sure
but now they're just
they're theorizing
they're speculating
and they said
it's possible
that you simply
made an O plus call
and I said
well since when
don't you make
an O plus call
to use a calling card
and they said
oh no
no no no sir
you're supposed to call
1-800-CALL-ATT
to use this calling card
it's not like
the normal calling card
that charges
all kinds of crazy rates
so I asked
wait a minute
so if I make
a calling card call
the way I'm normally
supposed to make
a calling card call
and it goes through
the way a normal
calling card would
you're going to
charge me extra
because I didn't
dial an 800 number
how can you charge
somebody for not
dialing an 800 number
it doesn't make sense
you have to pay
for the 800 call
because I'm calling you
if I do zero plus
we're going straight
through the network
there shouldn't be
an extra charge
of course
they had no idea
they just said
well that must be
the way it is
so now
if you want to get
the 25 cent a minute rate
you have to call
a 10 digit number
and then enter
your 14 digit
calling card
before you even
start dialing
the phone number
let alone the fact
that many
Bell Atlantic pay phones
cut off touch tones
after about 14 digits
so you're right out of luck
before you even begin
I think I might be
canceling this service
because it's a real
pain in the ass
but you know
that's only the beginning
of my frustration
if you look at your
phone bill
you'll notice
all these charges
are showing up
I mean they're just
coming out of nowhere
there's the universal
connectivity charge
there's the carrier
line charge
the FCC access
you know
I have a phone line
where I didn't make
any phone calls
at all
I was away
I was away the entire month
no phone calls
and my bill
was $41.46
for not doing anything
can you believe this
I mean yeah
I have a couple of
services on the line
I've got that
crazy intelli dial thing
which I've ranted
about before
basically
sort of like a
a centrix
thing for residential
services
but it really isn't
because it doesn't
do anything good
except call transfer
that's the only good
thing it has
for that I pay
$9.34 a month
okay I'm not going
to even complain
about that
that's my choice
and I got into that
but then
then you got the
monthly charge
for dial tone
$6.60
unlimited local
calling option
plan $1.95
okay
and then
$6.60
and $1.95
do you know
what the taxes
on that is
or are
the total is
about what
$8
the taxes
are $7.59
it's 100% tax
FCC line charge
of $5
federal tax
$0.43
New York State
local sales tax
$1.17
9-1-1 surcharge
$0.35
and surcharges
which don't have
a name
$0.64
and then
I have my
unlimited regional
calling plan
which I somehow
never seem to
to get to my
advantage
$11.83
for that
another $1.93
surcharges
in taxes
more federal tax
more New York State
local sales
tax
and another
surcharge
with no name
taxes
everywhere
surcharges
every place
it doesn't
end there
then you got
the Bell Atlantic
optional services
this is a good
one
$0.00
for all
these things
that they never
charge you for
like all call
blocking
they put it
on your bill
for some reason
and say
$0.00
25 line
connector jack
I don't even
know if I have
one of those
they charge me
$0.00
for that
but that
doesn't stop
them from
charging a
surcharge
and tax
on that
subtotal
of $0.30
another $1.30
a penny
in federal tax
$0.01
New York State
local sales tax
and surcharges
$0.48
I mean what are
these surcharges
that have no
names
makes no
sense
you think
it's over
oh no
it's not
over
now you
got the
long distance
portion of
your bill
and I don't
mean the
fraudulent
calling card
charging you
different amounts
than they agreed
to part of
the bill
I mean
charges just
for the
honor of
having a
long distance
company
yeah the
universal
connectivity
charge
$0.93
every line
no matter
what
then the
carrier line
charge
$0.85
every line
no matter
what
well I have
this one
line
actually it
was three
lines
and
I never
make long
distance calls
in this line
never
so here I am
paying for
three lines
the universal
connectivity
charge and the
carrier line
charge and this
goes to
AT&T
why AT&T
I guess that's
the line that
shows up
the number
that shows up
the company
rather that shows
up on that
line
I'm paying them
$1.86 per
month for
universal
connectivity
charge for
service I
never use
and $1.70
for a carrier
line charge
for a service
I never use
total of
$3.56
plus federal
tax plus
New York
gross receipts
tax surcharge
$3.82
thrown out the
window every
month for
nothing
so I
called
Bell
Atlantic
today
they're
getting good
15 minutes
on hold
it used to
be that
the local
company kept
you on hold
a lot longer
than the
long distance
companies
but now
that's
starting to
turn
the long
distance
companies
are catching
up and
keeping you
on hold
longer
you know
why
because
they keep
laying
everybody
off
they keep
firing
everybody
and turning
them into
computers
and the
computers
don't know
what to do
with you
they basically
give you
all these
voicemail
prompts
that say
press this
press that
go over
here
and if
your local
phone bill
hang up
why would
you be
calling a
long distance
company
and hitting
all those
buttons
if you were
calling about
your local
bill
it's a big
waste of
time
and then
after you
get through
it all
and after
you wait
25 minutes
and finally
talk to a
human
guess what
they ask
you what
your phone
number is
this is
after you
entered it
it's just
to keep
you busy
to keep
you from
tearing your
head off
out of
frustration
anyway
so I
called
Bell
Atlantic
and I
said
look guys
I've got
three phone
lines here
I've never
made a long
distance call
on them
I never
will
make a
long distance
call
on these
lines
as God
is my
witness
because I
don't even
know where
the lines
are
they're
hooked up
to machines
and they
don't make
long distance
phone calls
for incoming
calls only
so I'd like
to wipe
away this
long distance
company so I
don't have to
pay for a
service I
don't use
and I
expected to
get some
sort of
bureaucratic
nonsense
but you know
they were
very nice
I said
certainly sir
that makes
perfect sense
it makes
perfect sense
well
subscribe you
to no
long distance
no long
distance
company at
all
I said
boy that
sounds great
sounds like
America's
becoming a
nice place
again
I said okay
so that means
that if I
dial one
plus long
distance
number it
won't go
through unless
I dial a
carrier access
code which I
have to be
some sort of
moron to do
because they
charge you
extra now to
use a carrier
access code
I don't know
why it's there
for your convenience
but she said
certainly that's
the way it's going
to work no
long distance
company at all
and I almost
got out of
there
I almost
made it
and then as I
was about to
say well thank
you very much
you've been a
very pleasant
person and I
feel a lot
better
she said
you are aware
the three words
I hate more
than anything
as you're
leaving I
always say
that you are
aware that
there is a
monthly charge
for having
no long
distance phone
company
a monthly
charge for
not having
a long
distance
company
and
I said
okay
I see where
this is going
how much is
the charge
just lay it
on me right
now
she said
53 cents
53 cents
for nothing
okay it's
not that bad
you know it's
not as bad
as $3.82
for nothing
53 cents
for nothing
I can probably
live with that
okay well if
that's the way
it's got to be
she cut me off
and said well
and of course
for the
other lines
the extra lines
because remember
these are three
lines
so I had sort
of a sinking
feeling
53 cents
times three
alright it's
not looking so
good now
but it's still
less
but no
I was wrong
53 cents
for the first
line
$1.50
for a traditional
line
to have
no long
distance
service
plus taxes
plus surcharges
plus federal
gross receipts
plus god knows
what else
you know what
I'm paying more
now not to have
a long distance
company than I
was paying not
to use a long
distance company
what do you
think about
that
and people
wonder
why everyone
uses red
boxes
I mean come
on how do
they get away
with this
how do they
get away
with this
nonsense
of charging
you for
nothing
AT&T says
and I quote
from their
bill
the extended
universal
service fund
not only
helps provide
affordable
phone service
but also
gives schools
and libraries
access to
the internet
ah
isn't that
nice
we're helping
junior get
hooked up
on the net
by paying
this fee
for nothing
great
but what
they don't
tell you
is that
AT&T was
asked to
contribute to
this fund
because they
made a whole
lot of money
and because
they made
a whole
lot of
money
they're
supposed to
donate a
certain amount
of it
instead
they donate
the money
but then
they charge
us again
for it
so
AT&T
doesn't pay
a penny
they don't
pay a thing
and this
is the same
of all phone
companies
if you look
at your
Sprint bill
they say
it in a
slightly
different way
regulatory
related charges
that's all
they say
85 cents
I don't know
why it's less
for some
companies
than others
that tells
you right
there
that something
weird is
going on
but they
all charge
you
now the
weird thing
is I have
no long
distance on
the other
line
I wonder
who the
phone company
I'm going
to be
charged by
will be
or whether
it will be
Bell Atlantic
charging me
it's nuts
and then I
got this
other thing
in the mail
from the
phone company
actually it
was attached
to the
phone bill
important notice
for Bell Atlantic
non-published
service customers
in the winter
of 1998
Bell Atlantic
private reach
service
oh boy
will be
introduced
for non-published
service customers
Bell Atlantic
private reach
service
the new
service will
allow callers
to record
their name
and telephone
number
for delivery
to the
unlisted
number
the unlisted
telephone number
will not be
given to the
caller
but private
reach service
can be useful
when someone
with an
unlisted number
needs to be
contacted
particularly
in emergency
situations
well that's
great except
how are they
going to be
able to tell
if it's
an emergency
situation
or somebody
stalking
somebody else
think about it
you're a
favorite celebrity
you know their
name you know
the town they
live in
except they
have an
unlisted
phone number
that's always
stopped you
from calling
them before
but no more
thanks to the
phone companies
you can now
call people
who don't
want to be
called
here's how
it works
when a caller
to bell
atlantic directory
assistance
requests your
telephone number
and is told
it is unlisted
the caller
will have the
option of
recording a
name and
telephone number
for delivery
to you
you receive
the recording
of this name
and number
the same way
you receive
any other
incoming call
funny thing
though you know
you're not
exactly passing
along a message
you're not
passing along
a name and
a number
you're passing
along
whatever it is
you say
when they ask
you to record
that
so instead
of saying
hi it's
bobby smith
you can say
i'm going to
kill you at
sundown tomorrow
and that's the
name that gets
passed along
to the person
who's trying to
hide from you
and that's a
service that
bell atlantic
is offering
effective winter
1998
but there's no
charge to you
no charge to
the uh to the
person who is
being harassed
only only the
stalker is
charged
uh you can
refuse to
listen to
i don't know
how they do
this one
you can
refuse to
listen to
the recording
how do you
know not to
listen to
it you know
you're going to
be getting a
call from
something and
you won't know
until you hear
the voice whether
it's somebody you
don't want to
hear from
but you can
refuse to listen to
the recording by
simply hanging
up oh great
or not picking
up your phone
too just unplugging
it from the
wall or you
can uh press
nine on your
touchtone pad
or if you want
to stop all
future recordings
which is what
everybody apparently
has to do now
call 1-800-830-0949
your telephone number
will not be given
to any caller
I'd like to
believe that
but uh the way
things are tied
in how hard
do you think
it'll really be
to find out
what number
got called
if you choose
to receive
recordings by
Atlantic Private
Reach service
automatically will
be an option
for callers to
request your
number from
directory assistance
no response
is required
to say yes
so that means
if you don't
fill out this
little form
you're going
to get that
service
isn't it
amazing how
they always
give you the
thing you
don't want
as the
default
so uh
all you people
that think
an unlisted
number is
enough to
hide from
people or
not be
bothered
no more
technology
marches on
speaking of
technology
marching on
in kind of
a scary way
here's a story
from Reuters
without
debate or
notice
US lawmakers
were poised
on Thursday
to approve
a proposal
long sought
by the FBI
that would
dramatically
expand
wiretapping
authority
an idea
Congress
openly rejected
many years
ago
the provision
allowing law
enforcement agencies
more easily
to tap any
telephone used
by or near
a target
individual
instead of
getting authorization
to tap
specific phones
was added to
the intelligence
authorization
conference report
during a closed
door meeting
and filed
with the
House and
Senate
last Monday
the conference
report was
easily adopted
by the House
on Wednesday
despite an
objection to
the wiretapping
provision
from Georgia
Republican
Bob Barr
so basically
they
did an end
run around
everybody
and just
passed it
anyway
you know
they can
turn down
these things
but a couple
of years
later
they just
get passed
quietly
behind closed
doors
civil liberties
groups
are outraged
by the
expanded
wiretapping
authority
in the
process
of adding
the provision
in secret
roving
wiretaps
are a major
expansion
of current
government
surveillance
powers
said
Alan Davidson
staff
counsel
at the
Center
for Democracy
and Technology
in Washington
to take
a controversial
provision
that affects
the fundamental
constitutional
liberties
of the people
and pass
it behind
closed doors
shows a
shocking
disregard
for our
democratic
process
under current
rules
law enforcement
agencies
seeking roving
wiretap
authority
from a
judge
must prove
that an
individual
is switching
telephones
specifically
for the
purpose
of evading
a surveillance
without roving
authority
police must
get permission
from a judge
for each
telephone line
to be tapped
under the
change
approved
last week
the police
would need
show only
that an
individual's
actions
could have
the effect
of thwarting
interception
from a
specific
facility
in other
words
a blank
check
pretty
sad
on the
Kevin
Mitnick
front
Kevin
had filed
a petition
for the
court to
review
the
U.S.
Supreme
Court
to review
the unreal
supervised
release
conditions
we talked
about
in months
past
you might
recall
this
they
basically
said
that
he
couldn't
touch
a
computer
he
couldn't
talk
about
computers
he
couldn't
be near
computers
couldn't
use
certain
types
of
phones
certain
kinds
of
TV
it was
hell
you know
you think
prison is
hell
yeah
that's
that's
real
hell
but when
you get
out
you know
you try
to live
a normal
life
no way
he
can't
do
that
he
won't
be able
to work
in a
taco
bell
because
they
use
computers
there
so
an
appeal
was
filed
that
basically
said
that
the
unreal
supervised
release
conditions
would
essentially
ban
Kevin
from
using
any
technology
make it
virtually
impossible
for him
to lead
anything
like a
normal
life
and
that
appeal
was
denied
by the
US
Supreme
Court
I don't
think there
was any
comment
once again
so
that's
where things
stand
there
again
trial is
set
for
January
in fact
someone
wrote in
to say
this
that
it's
kind of
a coincidence
I guess
the date
of the
trial is
the same
date as
Steve Jackson's
trial against
the Secret
Service
back in
1993
January
19th
I don't
know if
that's a
good thing
or a
bad
thing
after all
Steve Jackson
did win
his case
although
nobody seems
to know
that he
won
so
maybe
Kevin
will win
too
although
he's
the one
with charges
being filed
against him
unfortunately
some other
bits of
news
from
around
the
globe
here's
an example
of
real
crime
yeah we
get that
occasionally
a pharmacy
employee
has admitted
making
hundreds
of harassing
telephone
calls
to
customers
in an
attempt
to get
them
to adopt
children
rather than
conceive
on their
own
the calls
were horrific
and personal
striking women
at their
most vulnerable
as they
sought medical
treatment
to try
to get
pregnant
you would
have more
luck
fertilizing
your lawn
the caller
would say
the angry
young woman
on the other
end
sometimes would
urge the
woman to
adopt
she knew
personal
details
medical
information
she even
seemed to
know
when one
victim
had a
miscarriage
police thought
maybe the
caller was a
snitch in a
doctor's office
a computer
hacker
or a member
of the
religious right
opposed to
fertility
treatment
but
opposed to
fertility
treatment
my god
what happened
to the
right to
life
I don't
get this
you're
conceiving
you're
giving
birth
that's
what
I thought
they wanted
but I guess
not
not in those
terms
anyway
computer
hackers
yeah
we always
get blamed
for these
things
but after
all that
a month
long
investigation
revealed
one thing
the victims
had in
common
their pharmacy
took them
a month
to figure
that out
on tuesday
22 year old
pharmacist
assistant
veronica
smith
admitted she
made hundreds
of harassing
calls to
at least
20 customers
at the
eckard
pharmacy
all the
victims
were trying
to get
pregnant
or taking
prenatal
vitamins
miss smith
told police
she was
abused
as a child
and lived
in foster
homes
until she
was adopted
she raged
at those
who sought
to have
their own
children
instead of
adopting
one
said palm
beach
county
sheriff's
detective
donna
right
it was
horrific
explicit
language
to every
one of the
victims
right
said
miss smith
was released
on her
own
recognizance
kevin
mitnick
in prison
no bail
never did
anything quite
this bad
but miss smith
was released
on her own
recognizance
after being
charged with
87 counts
of harassing
phone calls
and 6
counts of
stalking
i bet she
would have
loved that
bell atlantic
service
that would
have made
life a lot
easier
some victims
she called
more than
40 times
the charges
all misdemeanors
carry up to
a year in
jail and
a fine
but somehow
i doubt
she's going
to get
any of
that
especially
since the
county sheriff
is saying
she's very
fragile
very upset
very remorseful
she does not
really know
why she has
done this
and she
wants help
police are
looking into
whether she
dispensed
medicine to
any of the
women and
if so
whether she
did it
properly
and guess
what
this is
the real
shock
a spokesman
for
eckard
corporation
said
ms smith
has been
suspended
boy
now that's
justice
right there
so you
kill people
you stalk
people
you harass
people
nothing happens
but you
piss off
america's
corporations
even a
little bit
and you're
in prison
for four
years
without bail
do not
pass
go
and
the trial
hasn't even
begun yet
all right
couple of
couple of
letters
and we'll
take some
phone calls
because this
is our last
show for
this month
so we want
to get as
many phone
calls in as
possible
something from
england
i have a bit of
information for
you guys involving
telephones in the
uk and i would
like people over
there to
perhaps verify
this cable and
wireless has a
very nice offer
cable and wireless
of course over
there is known
as mercury
on saturdays
any long
distance call
for any amount
of time
up to 24
hours will
only cost
50 pence
i'm not
kidding about
this one
minute would
be 50 pence
one hour
would be 50
pence 24
hours be 50
pence which
is roughly
about 75
or 80 us
cents now i
have serious
doubts about
that there's
got to be
some kind
of a
some kind
of an
exception i
don't think
you can call
the united
states for
24 hours on
one day and
pay 50
pence i
don't think
that's going
to work must
be a regional
type of a
thing so if
anybody knows
more about that
particular calling
plan i'd like to
know more about
it also isdm lines
cost a fortune here
as do cable modems
even more than they
do in the u.s
something to think
about here's a
story that got me
mad appeared in a
in a local
newspaper but it
was written by the
associated press
internet users
attempting to
access the websites
of the cleveland
plane dealer the
philadelphia
inquirer the
pittsburgh post
gazette and at
least seven other
newspapers with web
addresses similar
to the papers
names instead
found themselves
linked to the
website of a
white supremacist
group yeah
someone registered
internet addresses
that included part
or all of the
newspapers names
then link those
addresses to the
stormfront internet
sites that site
features the words
white pride worldwide
and includes racist
racist articles and
links to other
racist sites
well it's a
interesting story
except the headline
in this particular
paper said hackers
link papers names
to racist website
anytime something
goes wrong on the
net somebody does
anything on the
net it's got to be
hackers
insane
I don't think
there's ever been a
word that's been so
misused in history
now here's something
else and this I have
not yet verified
maybe I can verify it
live on the air
a friend of mine
received this piece
of email in his
AOL account and
it just said this
your order has been
processed your invoice
number for reference
total due $895.23
billed to your credit
card unless noted to
do otherwise
questions call 767
445 1775 please
have reference number
available of course
what are you going to
do when you get
something like this
in your mailbox
you're going to call
that number
and it's not a
900 number
it's not a 540
number it's not any
of those numbers
that we've learned
over the years cost a
phenomenal amount of
money it's 767 what
what's that
well he was suspicious
of the phone number
and called the operator
to find out that the
call would be to the
island of Dominica
the first minute of the
call would be $9.16
and each minute after
would be $2.28
now that's really
amazing because
that's part of our
our particular
country code
country code 1
but it's one of those
new area codes
all the Caribbean
islands have their
own area codes now
on three digit codes
and 767 apparently
is Dominica
and what I'm going to
try to do here
is get an AT&T operator
and I'll call the number
they want me to call
call AT&T
maybe they can give us
rate information
but maybe they'll keep
us waiting 25 minutes
AT&T
to place a card call
please dial the area
code
I just want an operator
so I'm going to hit
zero
here we go
AT&T
how may I help you
hello
I'd like rate information
for a particular
exchange
hello
I'm sorry
what kind of question
rate information
how much the call
will cost
for like a
direct dial
a call
yeah direct dial
what number
okay it's to area
code 767
and the exchange
is 445
okay
from 7 a.m.
till 10 p.m.
it's $1.69
a minute
from 10 p.m.
till 7 a.m.
$1.33
a minute
plus tax
is it at all
possible
there's some sort
of a surcharge
on that
because somebody
told me
that that would
be a lot
more expensive
it's like
one of those
900 numbers
you don't see
anything
the phone call
wouldn't cost
more than that
really
what they charge
I wouldn't know
uh-huh
is there any way
they could back
bill me
on that
if I call
a particular
phone number
in that exchange
where they could
charge more
than what
your rates are
not if you're
dialing on
AT&T sir
okay
I'll keep that
in mind
thank you
okay
that's interesting
because this has
happened before
where I've
checked the rates
and they seem
normal
they seem
like normal
rates
but
there must
be something
going on
I don't want
to call the
number
I don't want
to see what
happens
but
there's a scam
there someplace
someone out there
maybe can figure it
out and tell us
just exactly
how it works
our phone number
and it won't
charge you extra
is 212-209-2900
and
we're just about
ready to take
phone calls
just one more
one more
warning
this is about
web tv
a lot of
warnings tonight
sorry about
this but
just
kind of
depressing
night
Microsoft
Corporation's
web tv
networks
is quietly
using a
system
polling feature
that can
extrapolate
subscriber
information
from each
of its
450,000
users
to better
serve
advertisers
that's
according to
the president
of web tv
Steve
Perlman
the polling
which takes
place nightly
uploads
television
and website
viewing habits
back to the
system
that's
right
the data
makes it
possible
for web tv
to scrutinize
not only
what subscribers
are watching
but also
what they are
clicking on
or surfing
away from
the polling
results are
offered to
advertisers
in an
aggregate
format
however
because
results
are grouped
by zip code
and contain
demographic
data compiled
from web tv
viewers polls
it can help
them target
ads more
effectively
we have a
whole department
that does
nothing but
look at the
information
if someone
is watching
a car ad
clicks through
we can send
them to
the closest
car dealership
the balance
is providing
advertisers
with useful
information
while still
protecting
the subscribers
I don't
think people
understand the
extent of this
says Tom
Rhinelander
an analyst
at Forrest
Research
Incorporated
is recording
everything they
do
it's like
having a
video camera
on them
24 hours
a day
the polling
will take
a giant
step into
the realm
of cable
tv in
1999
that's when
TCI
and other
cable operators
are expected
to deploy
more than
5 million
set-top
boxes
that will
ship
with
Windows
CE
and the
solo
chip
bringing
web TV
to cable
unbelievable
all right
with that
let's go
to the
phones
numbers
212-209-2900
the program
is off the
hook
where we
talk about
the future
and the
apparent
pessimistic
outlook
that we
have
let's go
over here
good evening
you're on
the air
you have
a really
great show
thank you
very much
i assure
your frustration
about AT&T
and grandpa
lewis has also
railed about
these rates
i don't know
if you're aware
that the
first national
monopoly
was western
union which
became the
national telephone
company
and part of
what we're
dealing with
here is
essentially
taxation
without
representation
we have
the
corporations
imposing
taxes
through means
of surcharges
and other
benefits
and he
passed
some of
this
on to
the
so-called
state
governments
which are
really also
just
corporations
the word
corporation
isn't found
in our
constitution
so what we
have here
is the
politicians
imposing
taxes
on us
without
representation
so i think
the context
of what you're
saying is
really menacing
in that sense
a lot of
americans
died face down
in the mud
for the idea
of taxation
without representation
quite true
quite true
and you know
we have
representation
but i'm not
really happy
with representation
either
not exactly
the kind
i want to
see
oh that's
another story
but it's
been diluted
by a hundred
percent
the idea
was one
representative
for 60,000
people
and they did
away with that
in 1911
now it's
one for
600,000
people
and the
senate is a
complete scandal
but the idea
is that our
country has a
written constitution
and those
jokers in
washington
were hired
to support
that constitution
the key
point is that
corporations
and lawyers
are part of
a british
system
which has
no constitution
and that
kind of system
has been imposed
on america
indirectly
through this
corporate government
that started
in 1866
with the creation
of the western
union
national monopoly
in other
countries
the western
union
telegraph service
was part of
the postal
service
so that was
a critical
change in
our political
structure
and then in
1886
the supreme
court
arbitrarily
decided
i'm talking
about some
black robe
lawyers sitting
in closed
chambers
not even
hearing arguments
they decided
that corporations
had the same
rights as people
that was in
the southern
railroad
case
and since
that supreme
court decision
they've been
escalating
this criminality
for over
100 years
so grandpa
lewis
was right on
when he complained
about the same
kind of surcharge
on the long
distance service
that you mentioned
it's part of a
bigger problem
keep up the good
work
thanks
thanks very much
for calling
it's frustrating
because
how do you
boycott nothing
you know
you can cancel
the service
and still get
charged for it
i don't
the only real
solution is just
unplug your
phone all
together and
not have a
phone
that's that's
how frustrating
it's getting
of course
there are
options you
can use the
net to do
your communication
but good
luck using
the net
without a
phone line
they got
you
they really
do
we need
some
alternatives
and i'm
open to
suggestion
good evening
you're on
the air
yes two
questions
recently i got
a letter from
gte congratulating
me on picking
their long
distance service
i didn't know
they had long
distance service
well i never
chose them
i had the
at&t
i said this
gotta be a
joke i went
upstairs dialed
zero zero
and sure enough
gte long
distance hold
on for
representative
i hung up
the phone
the neighbor
told me
hold on
wait till
you get
the next
bill and
see what
happens
but no
one contacted
i never
signed up
with them
what would
you do
in such
a situation
uh well
basically
the best
thing to
do is
um
well do
you make
many long
distance
phone calls
to new
jersey
that's it
you know
well i
wait i tried
to call
overseas one
day and i
kept on getting
busy busy
the thing is
you're you're
signed up for
a company you
don't want
you know
i never
never agreed
for anything
you need to
contact about
atlantic and
tell them you
were slammed
i was slammed
you were slammed
and that
what that
means is
that you
have to
uh
have them
switch you
back at
no charge
to you
because you
know they
charge you
when you
switch
they charge
you when
you switch
back
i'm waiting
for the next
bill to see
what happens
well i mean
you don't have to
wait for the
bill because you
already know
what your company
is you dial
zero zero and
you get gte
right and um
you know that
that shouldn't
be i'm outraged
about it do you
do you want
atlantic though do
you really want
them no but i
gte who the hell
i don't want no
gte either yeah
and if the service
is lousy on gte
if they if that's
how they get their
customers you know
you certainly don't
i mean i didn't
i didn't speak to
anybody i didn't
sign no papers i
didn't call anybody
just uh
congratulations for
joining gte who
the hell did this
uh-huh i'm
furious about there
there must be you
should call gte
customer service too
have you tried them
yeah they put you
on hold for 10 minutes
yeah they're a
phone company
but what you have
to do is uh ask
them how did i get
switched over they'll
tell you if it was
done through the
mail through the
local company through
a telemarketer they're
supposed to keep
records like that
i'm gonna call them
up tomorrow and
ask them that yeah
harass them until
until they switch it
back and you know
the the upside to
this is when you
switch and you're a
customer makes any
long distance calls
whatsoever sometimes
other companies will
send you incit
uh incitement checks
of sorts
i'm going for a
tnt or some other
company say oh
fifty dollars yeah
fifty dollars to
come back to us
and you just bounce
around the long
distance companies
that way and pay
your way
on that aol number
which you had
before why don't
you call them
collect and see
what happens
uh i'm afraid
why collect
well you know there
are some companies
that do this if uh
if a call turns out
to be at all
suspicious they just
back bill it to the
person who made the
call collect call
yeah they can do it
to anything
i've never heard
that before
eight hundred numbers
getting bill everything
yeah but a zero
hello opera i'd like
to make a collect call
to whatever number
you have there
and if they say
they accept fine
if not not
uh-huh
right
well okay i'll give
it a try
worth a try
i'll give it a try
take care
all right
it's a good idea
maybe uh maybe we
should try this
thing is i don't know
if uh our phone system
will uh will allow
collect calls
to go out
um okay let me find
the number it's at
seven six seven
or i can't believe
uh okay here we go
let's get a dial tone
and we'll start with
zero
seven six seven
and the rest of the
number
i don't even know
what company we use
please enter your
destination number
now
what the hell is
the destination
number
i'm making a
collect call
that is my
your call is being
transferred
thank you
quest lci
this is felicia
i'm sorry
the area code
number you're
calling please
uh what company
is this
quest lci
quest lci
oh you merged
yes sir
oh uh well i'm
making a collect call
actually
how do i do that
okay i can try to
to assist you
placing it
okay
what area code
and number
were you calling
uh it was area code
seven six seven
and the number
is four four five
one seven seven five
okay so i'm not able
to place a call to that
seven six seven area
really
it's showing there's a
blocked area
the whole area is blocked
i'm at seven six seven
wow i wonder why that
is
are you able to tell
me what rates to that
number would be
i can connect you to a
rate quote operator and
they can tell you what the
rates would be that would
be fine thank you very
much
sure one moment please
rate quote operator
thank you for calling quest lci
your call may be taped or
monitored for quality
purposes
may also be broadcast
on your consumer account
please press one
for questions on your
business account
please press two
can we raise the volume
somehow is there
is there a way to do that
please hold while your call
is being transferred
oh music
i love when they just
transfer you directly into
music
it's like you're walking
into a concert
joined in progress
but you know we have
more important things to do
than listen to uh
to these guys
okay what i'll do is i'll
keep them on the line
and i'll take calls
all right let's try that
good evening you're on the
air
uh yes uh
in referring to uh uh
receiving articles for the
magazine
uh-huh
how do you pick them
how do we pick what
articles go in the magazine
yeah
well basically uh
it's it's it's a question
of what articles
you know i gotta get rid of
this music uh
hang on hang on one second
i dump that it's really
really distracting
uh okay
are you back
okay
okay uh
basically the articles are
picked uh as far as if
there's something interesting
if there's something that
has not really been touched
upon before
um
you know it's a pretty
simple criteria as far as
as what we like what we
don't like
we don't print articles that
are just about destruction
or that don't give anything
any new bit of information
out or that's been printed
before
was there something in
particular you're interested
in
uh yeah because i was
going to write an article
about uh the intercom
system
the intercom systems
yeah
which which ones
uh i think it was in
the last issue
uh uh when somebody wrote
an article about how
intercom systems are run
you mean uh getting into
buildings
yeah and yeah the intercom
system
where you it was a touch
tone pad in the lobby and
all that
yeah
yeah we'd certainly be
interested in that because
i know that
i think i sent one in
uh-huh
like two weeks ago but i
don't know
okay it probably hasn't
been looked at yet then
yeah
but that's that's definitely
something because that's a
major security hole just
waiting to happen right
there where you dial
somebody's phone number
from the lobby and and
they let you in with a
touch tone and anybody can
really let them in if you
follow the line someplace else
but yeah it's uh it's one of
many topics we'd be
interested in uh focusing on
thanks for the call let's
see if uh if i answered
over here
now we still got music
yeah it's funny because
you probably turn down the
dial and find that station
but uh all right good
evening you're on the air
yes good evening emmanuel
how are you i'm a long time
listener of your and fan of
your show
well thanks
listen um this new service
that's being offered in new
york dsl
well it's not being offered
in new york yet it will be
next year
well i went to the internet
um uh expo
uh-huh
and there's a company
called um eclipse
okay
and concentric
that are offering it in new
york
have they started offering
it
yeah
really
yeah through kovat
and they call it telespeed
how about that
my concern
i've just been thrown a
bunch of pamphlets about
this in fact okay i guess
i'm out of the loop here
yeah
okay
but my concern is
the prices that i'm seeing
because i remember when it
started out uh with i believe
bell atlantic and virginia
when they were doing the
pilot
right
these prices are like
ninety nine dollars a month
they were like fifty nine
dollars
i mean
yeah i'm looking at it right
now
well i'm seeing personal
info speed
info speed
640k
right
and then
fifty nine ninety five
fifty nine ninety five
that's what i'm seeing
on the eclipse
um this is about
atlantic info speed
dsl
oh okay
because xdsl
there's like
ninety nine dollars
for
256k
speed
then when you get
up to 640
yeah
forget it
it's like 400 a month
almost 400 a month
so i mean
it's almost like
they're saying
okay we're going to
give you dsl
um
to get rid of your
t1 lines
but
but
we're going to charge
you eventually
eventually
essentially the same price
well you know
this is something that
uh
many different companies
are going to be offering
there's going to be
competition here
and i imagine you'll see
some price wars
if it
if you saw a price
in virginia
uh-huh
most likely you'll see
a very similar price
up here
if not from uh
from bell atlantic
or concentric
from somebody
oh okay
all right
this is interesting
i'm going to look
into this
yeah i've been
watching this
and i'm like saying
how you know
i was waiting for it
to get up here
because you know
that's a direct
connection line
almost like a t1
it never disconnects
or at least
that's what
it's supposed to do
oh that's what
it's supposed to do
yeah
it is run by
bell atlantic
after all
this one is
i'm looking at
right now
but uh
well we'll look
into this
hopefully by the
next show
we'll have more
information on it
all right
thanks
all right
thanks for calling
all right
bye-bye
i wonder if this
will work on the
island
looks really cool
wow it looks like
they actually have it
all together
does it work on the
island
you can convert
an isdn line over
now wait
i just converted
a line to isdn
now i got to
convert it to
something else
that's uh
that's pretty
pretty weird
with info speed
dsl you'll spend
less time waiting
and more time
doing what you
want to do
experiencing the
web
well speak for
yourself there
but uh
we all use the
net for our
own purposes
all right
let's take another
phone call
oh wait
they hung up
that means they
picked up and
they hung up
the music is gone
oh well
good evening
you're on the air
hey it's me again
uh calling in
but jack the ripper
but uh
wait whoa whoa
me again
yeah
well first of all
we know that you've
been with the same
person for however
long it's been but
we don't know who
you are
who are you
i'm jack the ripper
i just called
how are we supposed
to know that it's
me again
well just felt like
saying
my god
okay what's up
um just wanted
one question that i
was told to ask
right now
you were told to
ask a question
well no i wasn't
told to but i
remember
you calling from
like a military
camp or something
yeah i know
all right well
i was wondering
when is the
when do you think
the documentary is
going to come out
be available
what the one we're
making
yeah
well okay i'll
tell you the stage
is in right now
uh we we've done
dubs to uh to vhs
so we can do logging
without ruining the
masters and we're
going through about
a hundred hours of uh
of that right now
just logging everything
but filming isn't
quite over yet we're
still gonna be doing
some filming in the
next few weeks
after all that we
have to figure out
how to edit the
thing we're looking
into uh borrowing
or finding an uh an
avid or a
media 100 system
so if anybody has
information on that
please either email
us oth at 2600 dot
com or uh give a
call 516-751-2600
extension 0 leave a
message there um and
hopefully we'll have
something out within a
year maybe that sounds
okay that's cool i mean
it's a much smaller
operation than the
takedown folks have
and it's taking them
about a year too
also i just wanted to
mention uh a little
problem that you'll
probably get when you
get uh the three-way
75 cents a use you know
uh every time you use
that thing the phone
company scam yeah we
know right well the
thing is is if you call
answer an answering
machine or voicemail and
hang up they think
somehow that you've just
switched lines so it
calls you back oh really
it calls me back and it's
still like logged so i
pick it up i'm like
hello so i'm leaving the
message hello after 30
seconds of blank space
on people yeah and i've
heard people do that they
sound really stupid and
people say who is that
moron that doesn't know
his own phone is
ringing that do they
charge you 75 cents yeah
they charge that's what
they charge around here
when that when that
happens do they charge
you 75 cents um i hope
not i'm not sure yet i
have to check that out
it's yeah i have
southwestern bell here
uh-huh it's amazing how
they all have the same
scams though you know
they all they charge you
for nothing and then
they they they trick you
into paying for services
you don't want and then
they introduce services
that are a menace to
society you know who's
who's running these people
anyway who's who's
saying this is bad you
should not be doing this
nobody nobody's doing
it hey thanks for the
call okay oh and just
wanted to say uh thanks
pharaoh for reminding me
of that one question
okay all right whatever
212-209-2900 good
evening you're on the air
hey let me lower my
radio and uh you started
this program by saying
you were outraged and
you were angry i still
am outraged i still am
angry i'm i'm outraged
and i'm angry too but i'm
angry at uh your website
because i've sent uh two
emails and i've never
gotten a reply you sent
email to our website
yeah to 2600 okay well
first of all keep in
mind we get about a
thousand pieces of email
a day oh excuse
well what is it you had
to say since now you're
broadcasting to a million
people what's your private
message well the thing is
i was listening to the
radio a few weeks ago and
i heard a uh commercial by
a company called idt which
does websites uh-huh and
the thing is now they're
saying that they offer
telephone service so i
have a two-part question
the first is are they
really real did you hear
our show last week no
well our show last week
was about idt oh yeah do
you have real audio no
oh well if you get real
audio you have obviously
you have computer access so
you simply download real
audio from www.real.com
then you can listen to
last week's show on the
net and find out all you
need to know about idt
first the short question is
are they for real that it's
10 cents a minute and 20
cents a minute for
international uh i think
you're referring to the
one plus calls but it was
five cents a minute when
we were using it uh in the
united states i don't know
what the international
rates are well they they
route the call over the
internet it's uh the
quality isn't as great but
it's not that bad either
sorry i have to cut you
off but we are out of
time in fact we're out of
time for the next three
weeks won't be back next
week or the week after but
the week after that we'll
be back in strength so who
knows what will happen with
the phone company between
now and then but whatever it
is we'll be here to tell you
about it till then have a
nice time it's emmanuel
goldstein 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 call it couldn't get
much worse but if they could
they would
but the best expect the worst
i hope that's understood
thank you so much for this
song due to the
The Journeyman's Journey, a no-mo radio special
in the Tuesday early morning hours of 3.30 a.m. to 6 a.m.
October 20th, prepare yourself.