250 DEAR HACKER
250 DEAR HACKER
Dear 2600: Ever since I started seeing all those TV ads for Cingular talking about
the importance of self-expression and asking people the question, “What do you have to say?” I began thinking about what a bunch of corporate brainwashing BS it all sounded like. After all, corporate America and the federal government both seem to use much the same tactics. Do whatever it takes to get people on your side. Tell them what- ever they want to hear if it’ll help boost profits any. God knows you can never have too many millions of dollars or too much power, right? Not like it’s anything so new. We’ve already seen it with Verizon and their ’60s throwback that co-opted the peace sign. Just further proof that nothing is sacred, and all’s fair in love and profit margins. But, getting to the point, if Cingular really wants to claim they care about what you have to say, there’s one very simple way to test the convictions they claim to have. Yep, you probably guessed. Someone registering www.cingularsucks.com or maybe www.cingularlovesmoneymore thanfreespeech.com would not only test how much their thinking is like their corporate ads, but would let them know that there are some of us who don’t buy into every last corporate motto we hear or read. And, if it turns out that they end up going to extreme lengths to stifle expression, I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised.
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Dear 2600: Here is a message I got when I went (on the net) to one of my favorite
radio stations—KSJO—to listen to some live audio streaming: “Due to continuing uncertainty over rights issues related to the streaming of radio broadcast programming over the Internet, including issues regarding demands for additional fees for the streaming of recorded music and radio commercials, we and our advertisers are forced to temporarily disable our streaming. We apologize for the inconvenience of this interruption. We are working with both our advertisers and the Recording Industry Association of America to find a solution to those problems as quickly as possible so that we can resume our streaming.” KSJO has to be one of the wildest radio stations in California (that’s a good thing). It’s hard for me to believe this sort of thing could happen
T H E M A G I C O F T H E C O R P O R AT E W O R L D
Regardless, it’s a commercial station and they are subject to the greed and stupid- ity of the marketplace. In this case, their misfortune represents an opportunity for more alternative forms of Internet broadcasting to become known. While the com- mercial stations are bickering over who gets more money, noncommercial broad- casters can make their presence felt with the kind of programming these same commercial entities have managed to stifle over the public airwaves.
Dear 2600:
I don’t know if you heard but Qwest Communications raised their pay- phone charge from a high 35 cents to 50 cents. Do you guys know why? niihon
Because they can. And if you think that’s crazy, check out how much it costs to call a different state from a payphone when using cash. Close to ten times the nor- mal rate! When you consider that the people most likely to use cash for such a call may not have their own phone, credit card, or even a place to live, it’s appalling. And Bell South has recently announced that it will soon be disconnecting all of its payphones because they’re just not profitable. That’s right—the entire Bell South region will be COCOTs! Hell is in sight.
Dear 2600: When you piss against Corporate America, you get smacked and it