.
Isn’t it appropriate for Big Tech to attempt to cancel our internet access in the middle of our focus on Prof. Alan Dershowitz’ “Cancel Culture: The Latest Attack on Free Speech and Due Process” (Hot Books 11/17/2020)???
This morning (Thurs March 25), I attempted to access the internet via Century Link which has provided internet service to my Utah ski house for more than 15 years.
They had turned off the service overnight!!!
Their excuse???
They claim that someone contacted them claiming to be me, that the alleged impersonator claimed to be having modem problems, and that when Century Link offered to sell to the alleged impersonator a new modem, the alleged impersonator cancelled my service!!!
Holes in Century Link’s story???
(1) Century Link had, inter alia, my social security number on file because Century Link does NOT provide service without an initial credit check – so how did Century Link validate the alleged impersonator who also would NOT have had access to my cell phone which is my ONLY telephone and whose number is Century Link’s method of accessing the account???
(2) If Century Link had bothered to check their records about the alleged modem trouble, Century Link would have ascertained that my modem had been working perfectly until Century Link shut off my service!!!
(3) Also if Century Link had bothered to check their records, they would have ascertained that my existing modem had been purchased from them only 6 months ago on 9/14/2020 for $200 in order to have sufficient capacity to handle the ever-increasing requirements for Zoom meetings & webinars - AND WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY – so why would Century Link be trying to sell the alleged impersonator a new modem to replace the one that was still under warranty and that was still cutting-edge technology???
The consequences of Century Link’s cancellation???
(1) Even though they admit they turned off the service by flicking a switch, they claim they can NOT restore service by flicking the same switch back on!!!
(2) They insist that a service call is necessary to restore the service!!!
(3) They claim that the next available appointment for a service-call is not until Tues March 30!!!
(4) This means, inter alia, there will be no weekly e-mail on Sat March 27!!!
(5) This also means that there will be a $90.00 activation fee in addition to forfeiting the remaining service through April 15 for which payment had already been made.
**********
This week’s Reading Liberally e-mail whose transmission over the internet was cancelled --
---------------------------- Original Message -----------------------------
Subject: Cancellation of both Prof. Dershowitz and Reading Liberally – “Cancel Culture: The Latest Attack on Free Speech and Due Process” by Prof. Alan Dershowitz – April 7 Meeting
From: ReadingLiberally-SaltLake@johnkarls.com
Date: Scheduled for Pre-Dawn on Sat, March 27, 2021
To: To Each of Our 193 Members One-By-One
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To Each of Our 193 Members One-By-One – for reasons explained in the 4 postings in Sec. 2 of www.ReadingLiberally-SaltLake.org
Dear Friends,
First things first –
**********
The Cancellation of Prof. Alan Dershowitz
• The most celebrated criminal-law and constitutional-law expert in the world;
• The youngest full professor in Harvard Law School history, where he is now the Felix Frankfurter Professor of Law, Emeritus;
• The author of numerous bestselling books;
• A trusted adviser of presidents and prime ministers;
• Defense counsel for zillions of prominent defendants (e.g., O.J. Simpson, Jeffrey Epstein, Julian Assange, Harvey Weinstein and Donald Trump in the first impeachment trial, but only on the narrow issue of whether the U.S. Constitution’s requirement of a “high crime or misdemeanor” can be ignored) -- half of them pro bono; and
• A life-long Democrat and long-time Board Member of the National American Civil Liberties Union (aka ACLU) -- NB: in June 2018 he wrote an Op-Ed criticizing the ACLU as having become a hyper-partisan organization that is no longer a group of politically diverse individuals sharing a commitment to core civil liberties.
We traditionally post on www.readingliberally-saltlake.org the book reviews of our focus book from The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post.
The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post have each refused to publish book reviews of “Cancel Culture: The Latest Attack on Free Speech and Due Process” by Prof. Dershowitz!!!
Both the Salt Lake City Library and the Salt Lake County Library are also trying to “cancel” Prof. Dershowitz’ new book by refusing to order copies – even though each library has multiple copies of each of his other books!!!
**********
Big Tech’s Continuing Attempts to Cancel Reading Liberally - Salt Lake
For several years, Big Tech has been trying to cancel Reading Liberally because we have studied on four occasions the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) which permits our intelligence services to spy on every American citizen for 12-month periods WITHOUT A WARRANT provided with the Attorney General or the Director of National Intelligence declares an “emergency” under FISA Sec. 702(c).
Such draconian powers were enacted in the wake of Osama bin Laden’s fatwā to nuke 10 million Americans – which is the solemn religious obligation of each of his followers -- Al Qaeda, ISIS (formerly Al Qaeda in Iraq), Al Qaeda in the Maghreb (North Africa), al-Shabaab (Somalia, Kenya and Yemen), etc., etc.
NB: Osama’s fatwā can NOT be revoked now that he is dead (a principle the Brits learned in 1989 when trying to re-establish diplomatic relations with Iran following the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini during the course of which The Brits requested the revocation of Khomeini’s fatwā to assassinate Salman Rushdie, author of The Satanic Verses).
THE ALTERNATIVE APPROACH WOULD HAVE BEEN TO KEEP TRACK OF THE WORLD’S FISSILE MATERIAL THE WAY WE USED TO KEEP TRACK OF GOLD AT FORT KNOX. THIS APPROACH WAS CHAMPIONED BY --
1. Tim Russert the Moderator of Meet the Press 1991-2008 and the NBC’s Washington Bureau Chief 1990-2008;
2. Tom Brokaw the Anchor and Managing Editor of the NBC Nightly News 1982-2004;
3. Graham Allison the Founding Dean of Harvard U’s Kennedy School of Government 1977-1989 and (after serving as President Clinton’s Assistant Secretary of Defense for Policy and Plans 1993-1994) the Director of Harvard’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs 1995-2017;
4. U.S. Senator Sam Nunn - D-GA and Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman 1987-1995;
5. U.S. Senator Richard Lugar - R-IN and Senate Foreign Relations Chairman 2003-2007;
6. Thomas Kean - Chair of The 9/11 Commission; and
7. Lee Hamilton - Co-Chair of The 9/11 Commission.
LEARN MORE ABOUT BIG TECH’S ATTEMPTS TO CANCEL US VIA THE SUGGESTED ANSWERS TO THIS MONTH’S SHORT QUIZ, which is available at viewtopic.php?f=634&t=2044&sid=6444706d ... 3334bd58d2.
****************
OUR FOCUS BOOK
“Cancel Culture: The Latest Attack on Free Speech and Due Process” by Prof. Alan Dershowitz (Hot Books 11/17/2020 – 155 pages - $22.17 + shipping or $16.99 Kindle from Amazon.com).
Book description and author bio are available at viewtopic.php?f=632&t=2041&sid=8ebba5c6 ... afa5ec30ef.
As already mentioned, both the Salt Lake City Library and Salt Lake County Library are trying to “cancel” Prof. Dershowtiz’ new book by refusing to purchase copies even though both have multiple copies of each of his other books.
HOWEVER, Yours Truly has an extra copy and would be delighted to give it gratis to (and deliver it to the front door of) any e-mail recipient residing in Salt Lake County who promises to read it and participate in our April 7 meeting.
***************
APRIL 7 MTG INFO –
Wed April 7 – 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm MDT via Zoom.
Please RSVP by hitting your Reply Button and typing RSVP if you haven’t done so already. There is nothing further you need to do such as any special Zoom training. We will send all RSVP’s a few days in advance a URL and meeting name/password.
***************
We also look forward to seeing/hearing each of you on Wed April 7!!! Please be well!!!
Your friend,
John K.
PS -- To un-subscribe, please press "reply" and type "deletion requested."
Big Tech’s New Attempt To Cancel Our Prof. Dershowitz Focus
Civil and Criminal Liability of Corporations
.
---------------------------- Original Message -----------------------------
Subject: The “PS” of the Weekly Reading Liberally Email of 3/27/2021
From: Solutions
Date: Sat, March 27, 2021 4:41 pm PDT
To: ReadingLiberally-SaltLake@johnkarls.com
Attachment:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear John,
I just finished reading the weekly Reading Liberally Email of 3/27/2021.
With one exception, it is identical to the version posted on our website earlier in the week at viewtopic.php?f=634&t=2045&sid=4ecc65ff ... b1d553f939.
The version posted earlier this week had also been accompanied by an external introduction that explained in detail the latest attempt by Big Tech to cancel us.
However, the exception in the version actually sent out earlier today to our 193 members consisted of bumping the regular “PS” about how to delete one’s self from our Email list to “PPS” status and inserting a new ad hoc “PS” that said --
“If you have received this e-mail (a copy of which is posted on our website at viewtopic.php?f=634&t=2045&sid=4ecc65ff ... b1d553f939, it is because Yours Truly has successfully countered Century Link’s attempt to cancel this e-mail (1) by giving up a ski day to send out this weekly e-mail which normally goes out PRE-DAWN on Saturdays, and (2) by NOT BEING EJECTED from the Salt Lake County Library (Sandy UT branch) IAW their strict 30-minute limit, in order to use their WiFi for the 2 hours required to send out this weekly e-mail one-by-one to our 193 members.”
I have two questions --
1. In both your introduction to the version of the Email posted earlier this week and in the “PS” just quoted from the final version earlier today, you place the blame for this newest outrage on Century Link, but isn’t it possible that the actual perpetrators were outside malefactors who either manipulated Century Link employees or hacked Century Link records?
2. Out of curiosity, what aspect of this imbroglio was most painful from your perspective?
BTW, bravissimo for your getting the weekly Email out to our 193 members today!!!
Your friend,
Solutions
---------------------------- Original Message -----------------------------
Subject: Civil and Criminal Liability of Corporations
From: ReadingLiberally-SaltLake@johnkarls.com
Date: Mon, March 29, 2021 5:35 am MDT
To: Solutions
Attachment:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Solutions,
Thank you very much for your e-mail.
**********
Reur First Question
By way of background, it must be appreciated that corporations are inanimate juridical entities that can take action only as a result of actions by their officers and employees.
Nevertheless, the ancient English-American common law includes the Doctrine of Respondeat Superior which is only a fancy way of saying as the legal profession is wont to do with Latin phrases, that both individuals and juridical entities including corporations are responsible for the acts of their agents committed within the scope of their authority.
Although the Doctrine of Respondeat Superior was originally developed in civil law (tort law such as negligence, and contract law for breach), over the centuries it came to be applied as well in the realm of criminal law since it was recognized, in the case of corporations, that acts of their agents (i.e., employees) could be the result of a corporate policy that is illegal.
Indeed, a quantum leap with regard to criminal activities by corporations took the form of the enactment of the federal RICO statute which prescribed draconian governmental powers and remedies with respect to organized crime and their corporations.
*****
Your point is well taken that the “cancellation” of our internet access for 6 days could have been the result of --
(1) Century Link itself adopting a corporate policy to “cancel” us for 6 days as something of a “warning shot across our bow”;
(2) One or more Century Link employees deciding to “cancel” us for 6 days;
(3) An outside malefactor impersonating me in contacting Century Link to “cancel” us for 6 days; or
(4) An outside malefactor “hacking” Century Link’s computer records to “cancel” us for 6 days by making it appear that I had contacted Century Link.
*****
Re No. 1 – Century Link would bear full civil and criminal liability for its policy of cancelling us.
Re No. 2 – Whether Century Link would have civil and criminal liability for the actions of its agents (employees) would depend on whether the employees were “acting within the scope of their authority.” It would appear that terminating internet service was within the “scope of authority” of the employees who regularly terminate service and who, in this Scenario No. 2, in fact did so. Century Link’s argument would be that the scope of authority of employees charged with terminating service was to do so only lawfully.
Re No. 3 – Century Link’s civil and criminal liability would depend on whether Century Link had been at fault in failing to recognize that the malefactor was an impersonator. The introductory material to the posting on our website earlier this week already lists several ways in which Century Link was at fault – for example, failing to recognize that the impersonator was not contacting Century Link via my cell phone which is my only telephone service and whose telephone number is Century Link’s method of accessing my Century Link records.
Re No. 4 – Century Link’s civil and criminal liability would depend on whether Century Link had been at fault for failing to provide sufficient barriers to hacking.
**********
Reur Second Question
The most obvious possible answers to what the most painful aspect of this imbroglio was for me might be --
(1) The impairment of our ability to conduct our affairs for 6 days; or
(2) Being forced to give up THREE ski days (Thursday to try to get the internet service restored immediately after it was terminated, Saturday to get the weekly e-mail out mid-day instead of pre-dawn, and tomorrow to be available for the service call scheduled for anytime 9:00 - 5:00 to turn the service back on); or even
(3) The $90 fee for turning back on the service that was illegally terminated – the Century Link agent with whom I dealt was very polite and, within the confines of her authority, very accommodating – but even though she said she would put in her report that the fee will be waived, her procedures required her to force me on pain of not having service resumed, to approve via my cell phone a legal agreement that included submitting to the $90 fee and contract law contains a “parole evidence rule” that when there is a written contract, a court cannot, inter alia, go outside the four corners of the document to consider whether it does NOT mean what it says.
*****
My answer???
None of the above!!!
Though losing THREE ski days would be a close second.
The Suggested Answers to this month’s Short Quiz (available at viewtopic.php?f=634&t=2044&sid=6444706d ... 3334bd58d2) mention that being forced by Big Tech to send out our weekly e-mails one-by-one to our 193 members pre-dawn on Saturdays is NOT as heroic as it sounds because I can listen to my favorite opera recordings while doing so.
First, in deciding how to send out this week’s e-mail, it seemed too much of an imposition to ask one of our local stalwarts to permit me to invade her/his home for 2-3 hours to use her/his WiFi.
Second, the local weather (a high of 44 degrees yesterday here at the SLC altitude of 4,400 feet which implied a high at the ski resorts which are another mile higher in altitude would be 29 degrees) would be too cold for sitting outside the local Starbucks for 2.5 hours (none of the area Starbucks permits patrons inside).
Third, the Salt Lake COUNTY library branches recently re-opened but limit patrons to 30-minute visits.
[In addition, I knew from using their internet computers during my litigation 2006-2011 against 15 of the world’s largest financial institutions for the $84 BILLION that they owed me and that had long-since been pledged in legally-binding fashion to provide for tutors/mentors from third grade through high school graduation with a guarantee of college tuition FOR 10 MILLION INNER-CITY CHILDREN [details available in Sections 4 and 5 of www.ReadingLiberally-SaltLake.org entitled “Inner-City Holocaust and America’s Apartheid ‘Justice’ System (In Honor of Jonathan Kozol and In Memory of John Howard Griffin)”] -- not using your own internet computer is standard procedure to prevent opposing counsel from viewing every one of your keystrokes -- that the library internet computers require your library card number and password to log on and, after 30 minutes, your internet access is terminated automatically not only for that branch but all of their branches throughout Salt Lake County.]
So I decided to use my own laptop which requires no log-on to access their WiFi.
And then I would “go for it” hoping not to get noticed during the 2.5 hours that would be required to pump out the 193 e-mails one-by-one to our members.
BTW, I was only noticed once -- about half-way through by a staffer who rebuked me for not covering my nose with my mask. I explained that doing so fogs up my reading glasses. The staffer insisted. So I meekly complied while remarking in a good-natured manner “I’ll try not to breathe.” Which produced a chuckle.
[Dumb Old Me – I can’t resist making jokes and did NOT think fast enough to realize that the joke might get me noticed and, after another 30 minutes, ejected.]
No further incidents with the staff, despite the every-half-hour public-address announcements reminding everyone that their visits were limited to 30 minutes.
The reason for mentioning all this???
If you have good reading comprehension and recall, you might remember that I relish the weekly opportunity during the middle of the night before Saturday dawn to listen to a favorite opera while sending out the weekly e-mail one-by-one to our 193 members.
While even, though probably not mentioned, doing additional “make work” until the end of the recording.
The current relevance???
To listen to an opera in the library while using their WiFi would have required using my top-of-the-line headphones which are always used during airflights to relieve boredom.
But the headphones would risk attracting the attention of library personnel. And ejection from the premises after 30 minutes.
So what is the true nature of HELL???
Christ preached “fire and brimstone” on more than a dozen occasions --
(1) based on descriptions in The Jewish Bible (aka Christian “Old Testament”) and
(2) “fire and brimstone” throughout eternity is the reason why every good Muslim believes in a “Fearsome Judgment Day” when s/he will be “prosecuted by avenging agents” before Allah (the Arabic word for the God of Abraham and Moses).
But spending 2.5 hours in a library performing a tedious task WITHOUT THE DISTRACTION OF LISTENING TO A FAVORITE OPERA – has got to be a close second to spending eternity in “fire and brimstone”!!!
**********
Thank you for the kudos!!! They were especially appreciated because of the torture endured!!!
Your friend,
John K.
---------------------------- Original Message -----------------------------
Subject: The “PS” of the Weekly Reading Liberally Email of 3/27/2021
From: Solutions
Date: Sat, March 27, 2021 4:41 pm PDT
To: ReadingLiberally-SaltLake@johnkarls.com
Attachment:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear John,
I just finished reading the weekly Reading Liberally Email of 3/27/2021.
With one exception, it is identical to the version posted on our website earlier in the week at viewtopic.php?f=634&t=2045&sid=4ecc65ff ... b1d553f939.
The version posted earlier this week had also been accompanied by an external introduction that explained in detail the latest attempt by Big Tech to cancel us.
However, the exception in the version actually sent out earlier today to our 193 members consisted of bumping the regular “PS” about how to delete one’s self from our Email list to “PPS” status and inserting a new ad hoc “PS” that said --
“If you have received this e-mail (a copy of which is posted on our website at viewtopic.php?f=634&t=2045&sid=4ecc65ff ... b1d553f939, it is because Yours Truly has successfully countered Century Link’s attempt to cancel this e-mail (1) by giving up a ski day to send out this weekly e-mail which normally goes out PRE-DAWN on Saturdays, and (2) by NOT BEING EJECTED from the Salt Lake County Library (Sandy UT branch) IAW their strict 30-minute limit, in order to use their WiFi for the 2 hours required to send out this weekly e-mail one-by-one to our 193 members.”
I have two questions --
1. In both your introduction to the version of the Email posted earlier this week and in the “PS” just quoted from the final version earlier today, you place the blame for this newest outrage on Century Link, but isn’t it possible that the actual perpetrators were outside malefactors who either manipulated Century Link employees or hacked Century Link records?
2. Out of curiosity, what aspect of this imbroglio was most painful from your perspective?
BTW, bravissimo for your getting the weekly Email out to our 193 members today!!!
Your friend,
Solutions
---------------------------- Original Message -----------------------------
Subject: Civil and Criminal Liability of Corporations
From: ReadingLiberally-SaltLake@johnkarls.com
Date: Mon, March 29, 2021 5:35 am MDT
To: Solutions
Attachment:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Solutions,
Thank you very much for your e-mail.
**********
Reur First Question
By way of background, it must be appreciated that corporations are inanimate juridical entities that can take action only as a result of actions by their officers and employees.
Nevertheless, the ancient English-American common law includes the Doctrine of Respondeat Superior which is only a fancy way of saying as the legal profession is wont to do with Latin phrases, that both individuals and juridical entities including corporations are responsible for the acts of their agents committed within the scope of their authority.
Although the Doctrine of Respondeat Superior was originally developed in civil law (tort law such as negligence, and contract law for breach), over the centuries it came to be applied as well in the realm of criminal law since it was recognized, in the case of corporations, that acts of their agents (i.e., employees) could be the result of a corporate policy that is illegal.
Indeed, a quantum leap with regard to criminal activities by corporations took the form of the enactment of the federal RICO statute which prescribed draconian governmental powers and remedies with respect to organized crime and their corporations.
*****
Your point is well taken that the “cancellation” of our internet access for 6 days could have been the result of --
(1) Century Link itself adopting a corporate policy to “cancel” us for 6 days as something of a “warning shot across our bow”;
(2) One or more Century Link employees deciding to “cancel” us for 6 days;
(3) An outside malefactor impersonating me in contacting Century Link to “cancel” us for 6 days; or
(4) An outside malefactor “hacking” Century Link’s computer records to “cancel” us for 6 days by making it appear that I had contacted Century Link.
*****
Re No. 1 – Century Link would bear full civil and criminal liability for its policy of cancelling us.
Re No. 2 – Whether Century Link would have civil and criminal liability for the actions of its agents (employees) would depend on whether the employees were “acting within the scope of their authority.” It would appear that terminating internet service was within the “scope of authority” of the employees who regularly terminate service and who, in this Scenario No. 2, in fact did so. Century Link’s argument would be that the scope of authority of employees charged with terminating service was to do so only lawfully.
Re No. 3 – Century Link’s civil and criminal liability would depend on whether Century Link had been at fault in failing to recognize that the malefactor was an impersonator. The introductory material to the posting on our website earlier this week already lists several ways in which Century Link was at fault – for example, failing to recognize that the impersonator was not contacting Century Link via my cell phone which is my only telephone service and whose telephone number is Century Link’s method of accessing my Century Link records.
Re No. 4 – Century Link’s civil and criminal liability would depend on whether Century Link had been at fault for failing to provide sufficient barriers to hacking.
**********
Reur Second Question
The most obvious possible answers to what the most painful aspect of this imbroglio was for me might be --
(1) The impairment of our ability to conduct our affairs for 6 days; or
(2) Being forced to give up THREE ski days (Thursday to try to get the internet service restored immediately after it was terminated, Saturday to get the weekly e-mail out mid-day instead of pre-dawn, and tomorrow to be available for the service call scheduled for anytime 9:00 - 5:00 to turn the service back on); or even
(3) The $90 fee for turning back on the service that was illegally terminated – the Century Link agent with whom I dealt was very polite and, within the confines of her authority, very accommodating – but even though she said she would put in her report that the fee will be waived, her procedures required her to force me on pain of not having service resumed, to approve via my cell phone a legal agreement that included submitting to the $90 fee and contract law contains a “parole evidence rule” that when there is a written contract, a court cannot, inter alia, go outside the four corners of the document to consider whether it does NOT mean what it says.
*****
My answer???
None of the above!!!
Though losing THREE ski days would be a close second.
The Suggested Answers to this month’s Short Quiz (available at viewtopic.php?f=634&t=2044&sid=6444706d ... 3334bd58d2) mention that being forced by Big Tech to send out our weekly e-mails one-by-one to our 193 members pre-dawn on Saturdays is NOT as heroic as it sounds because I can listen to my favorite opera recordings while doing so.
First, in deciding how to send out this week’s e-mail, it seemed too much of an imposition to ask one of our local stalwarts to permit me to invade her/his home for 2-3 hours to use her/his WiFi.
Second, the local weather (a high of 44 degrees yesterday here at the SLC altitude of 4,400 feet which implied a high at the ski resorts which are another mile higher in altitude would be 29 degrees) would be too cold for sitting outside the local Starbucks for 2.5 hours (none of the area Starbucks permits patrons inside).
Third, the Salt Lake COUNTY library branches recently re-opened but limit patrons to 30-minute visits.
[In addition, I knew from using their internet computers during my litigation 2006-2011 against 15 of the world’s largest financial institutions for the $84 BILLION that they owed me and that had long-since been pledged in legally-binding fashion to provide for tutors/mentors from third grade through high school graduation with a guarantee of college tuition FOR 10 MILLION INNER-CITY CHILDREN [details available in Sections 4 and 5 of www.ReadingLiberally-SaltLake.org entitled “Inner-City Holocaust and America’s Apartheid ‘Justice’ System (In Honor of Jonathan Kozol and In Memory of John Howard Griffin)”] -- not using your own internet computer is standard procedure to prevent opposing counsel from viewing every one of your keystrokes -- that the library internet computers require your library card number and password to log on and, after 30 minutes, your internet access is terminated automatically not only for that branch but all of their branches throughout Salt Lake County.]
So I decided to use my own laptop which requires no log-on to access their WiFi.
And then I would “go for it” hoping not to get noticed during the 2.5 hours that would be required to pump out the 193 e-mails one-by-one to our members.
BTW, I was only noticed once -- about half-way through by a staffer who rebuked me for not covering my nose with my mask. I explained that doing so fogs up my reading glasses. The staffer insisted. So I meekly complied while remarking in a good-natured manner “I’ll try not to breathe.” Which produced a chuckle.
[Dumb Old Me – I can’t resist making jokes and did NOT think fast enough to realize that the joke might get me noticed and, after another 30 minutes, ejected.]
No further incidents with the staff, despite the every-half-hour public-address announcements reminding everyone that their visits were limited to 30 minutes.
The reason for mentioning all this???
If you have good reading comprehension and recall, you might remember that I relish the weekly opportunity during the middle of the night before Saturday dawn to listen to a favorite opera while sending out the weekly e-mail one-by-one to our 193 members.
While even, though probably not mentioned, doing additional “make work” until the end of the recording.
The current relevance???
To listen to an opera in the library while using their WiFi would have required using my top-of-the-line headphones which are always used during airflights to relieve boredom.
But the headphones would risk attracting the attention of library personnel. And ejection from the premises after 30 minutes.
So what is the true nature of HELL???
Christ preached “fire and brimstone” on more than a dozen occasions --
(1) based on descriptions in The Jewish Bible (aka Christian “Old Testament”) and
(2) “fire and brimstone” throughout eternity is the reason why every good Muslim believes in a “Fearsome Judgment Day” when s/he will be “prosecuted by avenging agents” before Allah (the Arabic word for the God of Abraham and Moses).
But spending 2.5 hours in a library performing a tedious task WITHOUT THE DISTRACTION OF LISTENING TO A FAVORITE OPERA – has got to be a close second to spending eternity in “fire and brimstone”!!!
**********
Thank you for the kudos!!! They were especially appreciated because of the torture endured!!!
Your friend,
John K.
Civil and Criminal Liability of Corporations (continued)
.
---------------------------- Original Message -----------------------------
Subject: Civil and Criminal Liability of Corporations (continued)
From: Solutions
Date: Tue, March 30, 2021 7:03 pm PDT
To: ReadingLiberally-SaltLake@johnkarls.com
Attachment:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear John,
Are you back on line???
Or is the “cancellation” of Reading Liberally still underway???
Your friend,
Solutions
---------------------------- Original Message -----------------------------
Subject: Re: Civil and Criminal Liability of Corporations (continued)
From: ReadingLiberally-SaltLake@johnkarls.com
Date: Thu, April 1, 2021 7:57 pm MDT
To: Solutions
Attachment:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Solutions,
Thank you very much for your e-mail of two days ago.
The restoration of our illegally-discontinued internet service had been scheduled to be restored by 5:00 pm MDT two days ago.
After 6 days of interruption.
When it was not restored, I spent an hour from 5:10 pm - 6:10 pm MDT on Tuesday trying to ascertain why Century Link had failed to restore the illegally-disconnected service IAW their commitment to do so between 8:00 am - 5:00 pm MDT that day.
Most of that 60 minutes I was placed “on hold.” On three different occasions during the 60 minutes, a different Century Link employee [a female calling herself “Chanel” pronounced as in “Chanel No. 5,” a male calling himself “Redmond” and another female calling herself “Mish”] each demanded basic identification re the account and re my identity and then, after being informed of the nature/status of the problem, put me back “on hold” after promising to ascertain why the service had not been restored.
None of the three employees honored her/his promise and after 60 minutes, Century Link terminated the call. I immediately called back, but Century Link’s automated telephone-answering system said they were closed for the evening.
Hoping to avoid losing a fourth ski day (in addition to March 25 which was wasted trying to report the problem and get it rectified, March 27 which had to be wasted sending out the weekly Reading Liberally newsletter at mid-day rather than pre-dawn, and March 30 waiting all day for a technician who never appeared), I called Century Link at 5:30 am yesterday (Wed March 31).
A Century Link employee calling herself “Jade” went through the routine of demanding basic identification re the account and re my identity and the nature of the problem. However, instead of putting me “on hold,” she asked what time zone I was in and then said that the office of the local Salt Lake technicians who failed to appear the day before would not be open for another 2.5 hours – so she promised to call them at 8:00 am MDT and call me back with why they failed to appear and when, if ever, they would appear.
“Jade” has never called back.
At 9:39 am MDT, I called Century Link yet again.
The first Century Link employee identified himself as “Rodel” who, after requiring the basic identification re the account and re my identity and the nature of the problem, put me “on hold” after promising to tilt with the Century Link windmills!!!
HE WAS THE FIRST CENTURY LINK EMPLOYEE TO EVER REPORT BACK AFTER FOUR EMPLOYEES HAD EACH FAILED TO DO SO AFTER PUTTING ME “ON ICE”!!!
HOWEVER, he reported back that he could NOT do anything because he was part of the “Repair Department” and restoration of my service was under the jurisdiction of the “Customer Care Department.”
HE WANTED TO TRANSFER ME IMMEDIATELY TO THE “CUSTOMER CARE DEPARTMENT” BUT I MADE HIM ANSWER SEVERAL QUESTIONS FIRST --
Question (1) - Did Century Link have TWO SEPARATE POOLS of Salt Lake technicians (one for the Repair Department and another for the Customer Care Department) or did Century Link have A SINGLE POOL receiving service orders from two different departments???
The expected answer which turned out to be the real answer was that Century Link has A SINGLE POOL of technicians accepting orders from two other different departments!!!
Question (2) - Why was my service under the jurisdiction of the Customer Care Department rather than the Repair Department??? [NB: I had just learned that there were two different departments!!!]
The answer???
Because my internet service had been unlawfully terminated on March 25, I had been placed under the jurisdiction of the Customer Care Department and only they could deal with the situation!!!
Question (3) - What was the direct-dial number for the Customer Care Department that had jurisdiction over my account in the event we were disconnected???
The answer – 800-201-4099 + “Option 3.” [NB: This was the first time I had ever been given that number.]
*****
You would have to laugh!!!
Upon being transferred by Rodel to the Customer Care Department, a male calling himself “Lester” answered.
He expressed his indignation that I had called the “EAST COAST Customer Care Department” while ignoring the fact that I HAD BEEN TRANSFERRED to him!!!
*****
A Modern-Day Miracle!!!
“Lester” transferred me to the “Customer Care Department” for whatever area of the country included Utah.
And AN ANGEL answered!!!
The angel, who called herself “Reese” and who is located in Boise ID, immediately adopted the attitude that my treatment by Century Link had persisted long enough and she was going to rectify the situation.
Instead of dealing with the Salt Lake office of technicians who had failed to appear on March 30, she dealt solely with Century Link’s National Head Office and had them deal with the Salt Lake office of technicians.
(1) Reese reported that the Salt Lake office of technicians claimed to Century Link’s National Head Office that they had never received a request for a technician to retore the service on Tues March 30 as I had been informed on Thurs March 25 by “Natalie” that she had done.
[NB: Reese confirmed that Natalie’s notes in my file said Natalie had confirmed to me on March 25 that the appointment had been made – so it’s a classic case of “he said, she said” with at least one Century Link employee lying!!!]
(2) Reese reported that the Salt Lake office of technicians told the Century Link’s National Head Office that they could not spare anyone for the now-remaining 4.5 hours of their work day on Wed March 31 to restore my service.
(3) Reese reported that Century Link’s National Head Office “laid down the law” with the Salt Lake office of technicians and ordered them to send a technician to restore the service on Thurs April 1 – OVER THE PROTESTS OF THE SALT LAKE OFFICE OF TECHNICIANS THAT THEY HAD NO AVAILABLE TECHNICIANS UNTIL MON APRIL 5.
*****
April Fools’ Day
So yet a FIFTH SKI DAY was trashed waiting for the Century Link technician on Thurs April 1.
[By the time I had been transferred to REESE THE ANGEL and she had finished dealing with Century Link’s National Head Office, Wed March 31 had become the FOURTH TRASHED SKI DAY!!!]
The thought did cross my mind that Thursday April 1 was APRIL FOOLS’ DAY!!!
But I wanted to believe in angels and modern-day miracles!!!
*****
The FOOLISH Events of April Fools’ Day
Once again, the promised technician failed to appear during the 8-hour window that had been specified by The Angel and confirmed by an official text from Century Link.
So once again, I was on my cell phone to Century Link and waiting “on hold” for an employee calling himself “Ron” when suddenly, 35 minutes after the end of the 8-hour window specified for appearing, a technician named “Rich” suddenly materialized at my front door.
THE ULTIMATE INSULT FROM CENTURY LINK???
In the introductory material of my 3/25/2021 posting on the subject of “Big Tech’s Attempt To Cancel Our 3/27/2021 Weekly Email” to which you appended our March 27/29 exchange of e-mails as a so-called “Reply” entitled “Criminal and Civil Liability of Corporations” and to which you presumably will append this exchange of e-mails as a second so-called “Reply” – I said:
(1) Even though Century Link admitted on 3/25/2021 that they turned off the service by flicking a switch, they claimed they could NOT restore service by flicking the same switch back on!!!
(2) They insisted that a service call would be necessary to restore the service!!! And they claimed that the next available appointment for a service-call would not be until Tues March 30!!! For which, as noted above, they failed to appear!!!
WHEN ON THURS APRIL 1, TECHNICIAN “RICH” FINALLY APPEARED 35 MINUTES AFTER THE END OF THE 8-HOUR WINDOW FOR DOING SO, HE ADMITTED THAT I WAS CORRECT THAT CENTURY LINK ONLY NEEDED TO “FLICK THE SWITCH BACK ON” AT THEIR OFFICES!!!
Which, of course, meant that service could have been restored within 2-3 hours on March 25, rather than taking 8 days!!!
However, Rich did have the courtesy to contact the Century Link office himself to have them “flick the switch” back on.
And then Rich did have the courtesy to wait until I had fired up my laptop to confirm that Century Link’s internet service was indeed working.
*****
Thank you again for your concern. It is nice to know that somebody else appreciates the time that is wasted doing battle with the “cancellation culture” forces.
Your friend,
John K.
---------------------------- Original Message -----------------------------
Subject: Civil and Criminal Liability of Corporations (continued)
From: Solutions
Date: Tue, March 30, 2021 7:03 pm PDT
To: ReadingLiberally-SaltLake@johnkarls.com
Attachment:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear John,
Are you back on line???
Or is the “cancellation” of Reading Liberally still underway???
Your friend,
Solutions
---------------------------- Original Message -----------------------------
Subject: Re: Civil and Criminal Liability of Corporations (continued)
From: ReadingLiberally-SaltLake@johnkarls.com
Date: Thu, April 1, 2021 7:57 pm MDT
To: Solutions
Attachment:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Solutions,
Thank you very much for your e-mail of two days ago.
The restoration of our illegally-discontinued internet service had been scheduled to be restored by 5:00 pm MDT two days ago.
After 6 days of interruption.
When it was not restored, I spent an hour from 5:10 pm - 6:10 pm MDT on Tuesday trying to ascertain why Century Link had failed to restore the illegally-disconnected service IAW their commitment to do so between 8:00 am - 5:00 pm MDT that day.
Most of that 60 minutes I was placed “on hold.” On three different occasions during the 60 minutes, a different Century Link employee [a female calling herself “Chanel” pronounced as in “Chanel No. 5,” a male calling himself “Redmond” and another female calling herself “Mish”] each demanded basic identification re the account and re my identity and then, after being informed of the nature/status of the problem, put me back “on hold” after promising to ascertain why the service had not been restored.
None of the three employees honored her/his promise and after 60 minutes, Century Link terminated the call. I immediately called back, but Century Link’s automated telephone-answering system said they were closed for the evening.
Hoping to avoid losing a fourth ski day (in addition to March 25 which was wasted trying to report the problem and get it rectified, March 27 which had to be wasted sending out the weekly Reading Liberally newsletter at mid-day rather than pre-dawn, and March 30 waiting all day for a technician who never appeared), I called Century Link at 5:30 am yesterday (Wed March 31).
A Century Link employee calling herself “Jade” went through the routine of demanding basic identification re the account and re my identity and the nature of the problem. However, instead of putting me “on hold,” she asked what time zone I was in and then said that the office of the local Salt Lake technicians who failed to appear the day before would not be open for another 2.5 hours – so she promised to call them at 8:00 am MDT and call me back with why they failed to appear and when, if ever, they would appear.
“Jade” has never called back.
At 9:39 am MDT, I called Century Link yet again.
The first Century Link employee identified himself as “Rodel” who, after requiring the basic identification re the account and re my identity and the nature of the problem, put me “on hold” after promising to tilt with the Century Link windmills!!!
HE WAS THE FIRST CENTURY LINK EMPLOYEE TO EVER REPORT BACK AFTER FOUR EMPLOYEES HAD EACH FAILED TO DO SO AFTER PUTTING ME “ON ICE”!!!
HOWEVER, he reported back that he could NOT do anything because he was part of the “Repair Department” and restoration of my service was under the jurisdiction of the “Customer Care Department.”
HE WANTED TO TRANSFER ME IMMEDIATELY TO THE “CUSTOMER CARE DEPARTMENT” BUT I MADE HIM ANSWER SEVERAL QUESTIONS FIRST --
Question (1) - Did Century Link have TWO SEPARATE POOLS of Salt Lake technicians (one for the Repair Department and another for the Customer Care Department) or did Century Link have A SINGLE POOL receiving service orders from two different departments???
The expected answer which turned out to be the real answer was that Century Link has A SINGLE POOL of technicians accepting orders from two other different departments!!!
Question (2) - Why was my service under the jurisdiction of the Customer Care Department rather than the Repair Department??? [NB: I had just learned that there were two different departments!!!]
The answer???
Because my internet service had been unlawfully terminated on March 25, I had been placed under the jurisdiction of the Customer Care Department and only they could deal with the situation!!!
Question (3) - What was the direct-dial number for the Customer Care Department that had jurisdiction over my account in the event we were disconnected???
The answer – 800-201-4099 + “Option 3.” [NB: This was the first time I had ever been given that number.]
*****
You would have to laugh!!!
Upon being transferred by Rodel to the Customer Care Department, a male calling himself “Lester” answered.
He expressed his indignation that I had called the “EAST COAST Customer Care Department” while ignoring the fact that I HAD BEEN TRANSFERRED to him!!!
*****
A Modern-Day Miracle!!!
“Lester” transferred me to the “Customer Care Department” for whatever area of the country included Utah.
And AN ANGEL answered!!!
The angel, who called herself “Reese” and who is located in Boise ID, immediately adopted the attitude that my treatment by Century Link had persisted long enough and she was going to rectify the situation.
Instead of dealing with the Salt Lake office of technicians who had failed to appear on March 30, she dealt solely with Century Link’s National Head Office and had them deal with the Salt Lake office of technicians.
(1) Reese reported that the Salt Lake office of technicians claimed to Century Link’s National Head Office that they had never received a request for a technician to retore the service on Tues March 30 as I had been informed on Thurs March 25 by “Natalie” that she had done.
[NB: Reese confirmed that Natalie’s notes in my file said Natalie had confirmed to me on March 25 that the appointment had been made – so it’s a classic case of “he said, she said” with at least one Century Link employee lying!!!]
(2) Reese reported that the Salt Lake office of technicians told the Century Link’s National Head Office that they could not spare anyone for the now-remaining 4.5 hours of their work day on Wed March 31 to restore my service.
(3) Reese reported that Century Link’s National Head Office “laid down the law” with the Salt Lake office of technicians and ordered them to send a technician to restore the service on Thurs April 1 – OVER THE PROTESTS OF THE SALT LAKE OFFICE OF TECHNICIANS THAT THEY HAD NO AVAILABLE TECHNICIANS UNTIL MON APRIL 5.
*****
April Fools’ Day
So yet a FIFTH SKI DAY was trashed waiting for the Century Link technician on Thurs April 1.
[By the time I had been transferred to REESE THE ANGEL and she had finished dealing with Century Link’s National Head Office, Wed March 31 had become the FOURTH TRASHED SKI DAY!!!]
The thought did cross my mind that Thursday April 1 was APRIL FOOLS’ DAY!!!
But I wanted to believe in angels and modern-day miracles!!!
*****
The FOOLISH Events of April Fools’ Day
Once again, the promised technician failed to appear during the 8-hour window that had been specified by The Angel and confirmed by an official text from Century Link.
So once again, I was on my cell phone to Century Link and waiting “on hold” for an employee calling himself “Ron” when suddenly, 35 minutes after the end of the 8-hour window specified for appearing, a technician named “Rich” suddenly materialized at my front door.
THE ULTIMATE INSULT FROM CENTURY LINK???
In the introductory material of my 3/25/2021 posting on the subject of “Big Tech’s Attempt To Cancel Our 3/27/2021 Weekly Email” to which you appended our March 27/29 exchange of e-mails as a so-called “Reply” entitled “Criminal and Civil Liability of Corporations” and to which you presumably will append this exchange of e-mails as a second so-called “Reply” – I said:
(1) Even though Century Link admitted on 3/25/2021 that they turned off the service by flicking a switch, they claimed they could NOT restore service by flicking the same switch back on!!!
(2) They insisted that a service call would be necessary to restore the service!!! And they claimed that the next available appointment for a service-call would not be until Tues March 30!!! For which, as noted above, they failed to appear!!!
WHEN ON THURS APRIL 1, TECHNICIAN “RICH” FINALLY APPEARED 35 MINUTES AFTER THE END OF THE 8-HOUR WINDOW FOR DOING SO, HE ADMITTED THAT I WAS CORRECT THAT CENTURY LINK ONLY NEEDED TO “FLICK THE SWITCH BACK ON” AT THEIR OFFICES!!!
Which, of course, meant that service could have been restored within 2-3 hours on March 25, rather than taking 8 days!!!
However, Rich did have the courtesy to contact the Century Link office himself to have them “flick the switch” back on.
And then Rich did have the courtesy to wait until I had fired up my laptop to confirm that Century Link’s internet service was indeed working.
*****
Thank you again for your concern. It is nice to know that somebody else appreciates the time that is wasted doing battle with the “cancellation culture” forces.
Your friend,
John K.
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