Back of the Book links for the November 10, 2003 program

Okay, the only thing that counts now is the fact that Pacifica is finally running elections! Find out more details regarding these elections here. These elections will determine what happens to the Pacifica Foundation, which owns WBAI, and WBAI from now on.

As of September 15, 2003, the Pacifica Foundation has new bylaws! More about that here.

WBAI now has a program schedule up on its Web site. The site has gotten many of the individual program pages together to provide links and such, so check it out. Here's a schedule made by a listener who has Web links for various programs and producers.

Our colleagues from Off the Hook now have both a RealAudio streaming web cast operating, and a new MP3 stream both of which were working at 9:42 PM last night. The MP3 feed is now the preferred feed.

The Pacifica Foundation, which owns WBAI, has revamped its Web site and now has something called the Pacifica Lounge where you can post messages about Pacifica, WBAI and other Pacifica radio stations. This may be a good thing, and of course there are other, long term fora in which to participate.

“... the station may not survive past March 2004.” WBAI General Manager Don Rojas.

Well, WBAI is in very serious financial trouble. Yes, we've all known this for some time, and we've talked about it on the air. But now the WBAI General Manager is actually admitting it. The General Manager sent a notice out to all Staff at the station, and a copy was forwarded to the WBAI Producers' mailing list. It didn't take long for it to get published on at least one of the mailing lists which have Pacifica as their topic, and as of Sunday afternoon it's even been posted on the bleepin' blue board. Here's the now very public memo from WBAI General Manager Don Rojas.

And we got to some mail during this program. Neal, who's a regular listener, correspondent and contributor to the program asks about the sewnsitive subject of, um, getting hitched.

Subject: You and pickles and various other stuff
Date: Mon, 15 Sep 2003 01:59:28 -0400
From: Neal
To: rpm@glib.com

Hello R paul and Pickles,
You may remember me. I was the guy in London who couldn't listen to you over the internet for a while.. Well all that was fixed.. And more importantly I am no longer the exiled new yorker.. I am back in New York... And boy has new york changed over the last year or so... But anyway.. Here is what my letter is about..

Have the two of you ever considered the idea of becoming Mr. And Mrs. North-Martin? I would love if you guys could share your views about marriage.. Why? Why not? Etc.. Just curious...

And my last questions are for pickles... I have been a long time listener to back of the book and remember when pickles was not even a lonely glimmer in r. paul's eye... (I remember the multi-year spring offensive) Well pickles, you are now a much-loved intrinsic part of the show and I feel it is time we know more about you... With your permission of course..:) What do you do for a living? And I was very interested as to why you referred to the (gay priest) as your parents adopted son? Is he not your brother because of that?? Just curious....I apologize in advance if these questions are too personal.. And I will not be insulted if you decide not to answer my questions.. Both of you keep up the good work!!

-Neal

P.S. Can you give your listeners advance warning when your next pledge drive will be.. I sometimes tape the show and want to be prepared to stay up and pledge during the next pledge drive..

P.P.S.. Sorry but I forgot one more thing... Have you and sidney smith and max schmeid considered doing another on air threesome show??? You guys are the only WBAi personalities my friends and I listen to regularly and have loved the rare occassions when you guys have gotten together and talked about your history together at WBAI....
I promise this is really the end now...
-Neal

There are a lot of issues that are considered hazardous to talk about on the air at WBAI, even now that the gag rule has been lifted. However, there is the Internet! There are mailing lists which you can subscribe to and Web based message boards devoted to WBAI and Pacifica issues. Many controversial WBAI/Pacifica issues are discussed on these lists.

Probably the most popular list that's sprung up is the “NewPacifica” mailing list. This one is very lively and currently includes over 400 subscribers coast to coast.

Being lively, of course, it sometimes also gets a bit nasty. All sorts of things are happening on this list and official announcements are frequently posted there.

You can look at the NewPacifica list here, and you can join the list from that Web page too. If you subscribe to the “NewPacifica” mailing list you will receive, via E-mail, all of the messages which are sent to that list.

There is the option to receive a “digest” version of the list, which means that a bunch of messages are bundled into one E-mail and sent to you at regular intervals, this cuts down on the number of E-mails you get from the list. You will also be able to send messages to the list.

This list also has a Web based interface where you can read messages and from which you can post your own messages.

There is also the more WBAI specific “Goodlight” Web based message board. It is sometimes referred to on Back of the Book as “the bleepin' blue board,” owing to the blue background used on its Web pages. This one has many people posting anonymously and there's also an ancillary “WBAI people” board that's just totally out of hand.

When the computer in Master Control is working we sometimes have live interaction with people posting on the “Goodlight Board” during the program.

And then there is the historic “Free Pacifica!” list, which has been used to help organize resistance to Pacifica Management hijackers since the mid-90s. It's become a low volume mailing list because it's been eclipsed by some of the newer, more technologically advanced, lists. Just click on this link and follow the instructions, and you'll be subscribed. This is a mailing list only, it doesn't have a digest option nor does it have a web interface.