From: "Alan L. Maki"
Subject: Re: You have failed to correct the problem of you own making with my ISP service
To: support@centurytel.net, abuse@centurytel.net, attorney.general@state.mn.us, rep.bill.hilty@state.mn.us
To Whom it may concern in the CenturyTel Internet Technical Support Department, CenturyTel Legal Department, and CenturyTel Corporate Affairs;
I have repeatedly contacted CenturyTel Support with my problem to no avail.
I suggest you provide this e-mail to your CenturyTel Legal Department since I intend to take legal action in the Courts--- and in the court of public opinion--- to have my problems resolved.
I will be seeking compensation and punitive damages against CenturyTel.
I "Replied to All" not knowing how many names were in the "CC
Line" in the e-mail I had received.
It was obviously more than what CenturyTel allows, which triggered something in your system to prevent my further e-mailing.
If CenturyTel is so concerned with the number of addresses in an out-going e-mail and is going to take this kind of punitive action; then CenturyTel has an obligation to provide some kind of program to its customers to count each and every address in an e-mail before it goes out. Is such a technology available; or isn't it? If it is, why don't you provide it.
Immediately upon trying to send out further e-mails using my Micro Soft Outlook I
started getting all outgoing mail returned as "undeliverable."
Obviously, something in your system kicks in and causes this to happen.
This happened on a previous occasion some months ago; exact same problem. Now
your technicians claim they do not know what to do.
How can your "system" be programed by a human being to do something, and now your IT Department does not know what to do to correct the problem--- or, perhaps, intentionally refuses to correct the problem?
I was told a Supervisor would be in touch with me; no one has contacted me.
I use my e-mail and ISP service to publish and distribute my views on issues
with the intent of participating in the decision-making process of this country
in a way that I can influence the direction of our country.
This is my right; just as Thomas Paine distributed his broadsides against injustices.
Corporations like CenturyTel hire high-paid lobbyists to do this work for them.
Corporations are persons according to law.
As a person, I have just as much right to get my views out to people as any
corporation.
CenturyTel has the obvious intent here of maliciously thwarting democracy and
placing obstacles in the way of the democratic right of citizen participation
in the decision-making process of our government.
The boast to the world is that the Internet and advanced technology has speeded up and made it easier for people across the globe to communicate; and, here we
have CenturyTel becoming an obstacle to people like myself using this technology
to communicate with our fellow citizens, public and elected officials, and those
seeking higher office.
In the last few days even my ability to receive e-mail has been obstructed by
CenturyTel.
Let me remind CenturyTel that material of a political nature, which I am
involved in disseminating, is NOT considered SPAM; unlike hundreds of e-mails
CenturyTel allows to enter my mail-box from actual spammers, many, if not most, of whom are out-right crooks and charlatans working every conceivable kind of scam known to man.
Let me, also, remind CenturyTel that I am not involved in the "trade"
of pornography; another big-business industry of "entrepreneurs" which you allow to
use you services to Spam me without any recrimination or retribution from
CenturyTel.
CenturyTel also allows the most racist and anti-Semitic messages to come into my
in-box; I use my e-mail and the Internet to educate against this kind of
hate-mongering.
I expect the service for which I pay a very good price to be restored to normal
operation without delay.
CenturyTel created this problem; I expect CenturyTel technicians to resolve this
problem.
I would also note that these "restrictions" CenturyTel has placed on
my account have come after I began sending out letters supporting a candidate
for United States Senate--- Priscilla Lord Faris.
As CenturyTel is well aware, my previous problems arose after complaints from
one Brian Melendez, the Chair of the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party,
decided he did not want me communicating my opinions with fellow members of the
MNDFL State Central Committee and the newsmedia.
I would also note that forcing me to use your "WEBmail" program is
another form of harassment because it is so pathetically inadequate given the
state of technology that it is a barrier to communications to open and democratic communication.
For your information; I am "blogging" this letter hoping that anyone
seeking the services of an Internet Service Provider will have second thoughts
about paying CenturyTel so much money for a service aimed at undermining democracy.
I would also point out that I dropped my previous Internet Service Provider, WikTel Communications, after that company admitted that they allowed the FBI access to my incoming and outgoing e-mails. I would note, that I have been a target of a non-stop. never-ending FBI investigation since 1964... I would think that this lengthy of an investigation would be sufficient to have had me arrested by now... and, as you can see, I am not sitting in a prison cell.
I pay big money for your ISP services; I expect to get what I pay for.
There is an old saying that I learned in college adverting class: When someone is satisfied with a service they might tell a person or two; when they are not satisfied with a service they tell everyone.
I also learned there is a little formula which enables a corporation to figure out how much it costs to overcome the "advertising" of a disgruntled customer... I am sure CenturyTel Public Relations can provide you with the data.
I am wondering what your stock-holders will think they are going further into debt for as your corporate board has made the decision to borrow millions of dollars to pay out dividends because you run a company like this. If you ran your company in a customers would be satisfied with your services, perhaps you wouldn't have to borrow money to pay dividends.
Alan L. Maki
58891 County Road 13
Warroad, Minnesota 56763
Phone: 218-386-2432
Cell Phone: 651-587-5541
E-mail: amaki000@centurytel.net
Check out my Blog:
http://thepodunkblog.blogspot.com/
