Pizza exec denied parole...for now

(Some of this information comes from a copywrited Associated Press story.)

Lawrence Vander Esch was:
- Founder and co-owner of the Pizza Ranch restaurant chain in Iowa
- Sioux County Republican Party chairman
- County treasurer.

During the summer of 2001, Vander Esch was convicted on several counts of third degree sexual abuse and sentenced to ten years.

In the late 90s, Vander Esch claimed he was authorized by UNI, ISU and the Sioux County Public Health Nurse to collect semen samples for use in "postate" cancer research.

He asked a couple of his male Pizza Ranch employees to donate their semen for fifty bucks a pop. And they took him up on it. Vander Esch would put the stuff on ice, saying he'd send it to the lab for testing. Then he'd claim the sperm count was too low and wouldn't pay the money.

The victims say they wouldn't have participated if they'd known the truth. Now they're begging the parole board not to release the predator. The board agreed and denied his parole.

It's all for naught though; the fifty-eight-year-old Vander Esch will get out of the Mount Pleasant correctional facility in six months despite the board's decision; the date's set for March of next year.

Vinyl 2 MP3

I love seeing what new gadget come out of Broadcast Supply Worldwide. This $99 box appears to be the answer to getting vinyl into your computer in one step. Say you have a turntable with magnetic outputs. This unit will accept that unusual line level, plus filter out the rumble associated with phono components. It will also accept regular line level, so hook up virtually any stereo component or portable audio to your computer for a cleaner sound. It's being sold to broadcasters, so it ought to work for you too.

"Reliable service from a company you can trust"

Or words to that effect.

A few weeks ago, I ordered Qwest DSL because I heard that the service recently came to my neighborhood. I'd used it in the past, but because I moved to a DSL-free zone, I had to use the cable company. If I'd been at all impressed with the service provided by the cable company's high-speed Internet, the thought would not have crossed my mind. But I wasn't. So, on with my Qwest tale.

For most of the time I've been using Qwest DSL, Qwest DSL has been experience outages on my DSLAM, the point that marries the phone company with the neighborhood's digital lines. Not two or three outages either, and not over a period of days. No. Dozens over several weeks.

Like many consumers, I've become complacent about poor customer service. It seems my objections fall on deaf ears anyway, so why bother. I'll take what I can get at this point because most companies suck anyway.

But today I was presented a banner ad for one of Qwest's offerings. Rather out of a sense of indignance, I clicked the banner, which lead me to a promo page touting what the subect line of my post reads: "Reliable service from a company you can trust".

Right on! Believe it!

I wouldn't be writing this right now if I'd not given the phone company a chance to hear my gripe, so I sent off a contact form. But because ma & pa don't work at ma bell anymore, I don't expect one of their flunkies will care enough to return the love.