Episode #104: Rat-Infested Roach Motel
First Broadcast: 12/30/96.
Huh? Wait a minute--the last show in the last week of
1996 is the first show of the first quarter of 1997?
Yeah, according to MNN's crazy calendar, that's the way
it works, so Happy New Year a few days early. This
episode was a continuation of
Episode #102, and no, this
time it wasn't MNN's fault that you got to see our beginning
twice, along with our countdown--which made our episode
a little long, cutting off our end credits as well. No,
that was our fault; we thought we got rid of the original
beginning the first time. Ah, well. Anyway,
this week, I took to task an editorial in the December 8,
1996 New York Times,
which argued that even though New York State Senate
Majority Leader
Joseph L. Bruno's plan to eliminate all rent
controls in New York shouldn't be implemented
overnight, the controls should definitely all be
removed within the next ten years. HAH!
Anyone who advocates such an
asinine plan
obviously never had to scrape together a month's rent
in Manhattan--let alone hunt for an apartment here! For
more sensible information, visit
Tenant Net for a lively
guide to everything you could possibly want to know as a
tenant in New York City. (Besides, any site that includes
a link to
Steal
This Book gets an automatic thumbs-up
from us!) For more low-income housing info,
visit
ACORN,
the
Association for Neighborhood Housing and Development,
and learn all about what you can do to help.
The
New York City Rent Guidelines Board has some information
also, though they're not always very tenant-friendly.
Maybe it's time for me to move . . .
Episode #105: Take This Tax Break
First Broadcast: 1/27/97.
A tirade questioning the success of the week without
a sales tax on clothes under $500.00 in New York City.
Sure, everyone likes not having to pay taxes, but ask
yourself this: if the city loses between $7 million
and $30 million a week worth of revenue as a result
of this plan, how is the city going to make up the
difference? Where will they get the extra cash from?
I don't think
Mayor Giuliani really has a plan, and
I get the feeling he'd rather just pare away the city
budget instead. Don't say I didn't warn you . . .
Episode #106: Soon You Will Have
No Goats
First Broadcast: 2/3/97. Repeated: 7/7/97, 3/16/98, 12/28/98,
6/11/01, 7/22/02, 5/12/03 [Episode started at about 2:01:45 AM] (DV)
Note: For all the airings after 6/11/01, we expect the last minute of the program to be cut off, since this is a 29-minute episode being shown in a 28-minute timeslot.
This week's title refers to
La Chupacabra,
otherwise known as the Goatsucker. As for the
nature of the . . . participants in this week's show,
let's just say they're all very . . . opinionated,
especially when it comes to
the JFK Assassination.
Don't be alarmed.
Episode #107: The Government Wants Your Heroin
First Broadcast: 2/10/97. Repeated: 8/11/97, 3/23/98, 1/11/99, 8/20/01, 7/29/02, 7/21/03 (DV)
On the 1/11/99 repeat, the picture degenerated into mostly
snow about 4 minutes into the broadcast and returned to normal
about 6 minutes into the broadcast--i.e., it looked very much like a
head clog which had come loose during the broadcast. This tape had no
problems the first 3 times it was played on the air. If this isn't
evidence that MNN needs to clean their heads more often, I don't know
what is.
On the 8/20/01 repeat, the episode began 10 seconds before 2:00 AM, cutting off our opening animation, and without any of our audio. I called MNN at 2:08 AM and told the security guard who answered that there was no volume on Channel 67. Two minutes later, MNN's still graphic appeared for a few seconds, and then our episode returned--with all its audio intact! Funny thing, huh? Oh, and part of our end credits were cut off too. You think that's related to the other stuff?
Note: For all the airings after 8/20/01, we expect the last minute of the program to be cut off, since this is a 29-minute episode being shown in a 28-minute timeslot.
So, once again, Free New York delves into the minds of its friendly
neighborhood . . . er . . . panel; this week, on the topic of whether
or not there are satanic lyrics in rock music. Not to mention the
Public Service Announcement from
Satan.
Episode #108: Nip Nop Nog Nagi-Da
First Broadcast: 2/17/97. Repeated: 9/22/97, 3/30/98, 2/8/99, 9/10/01, 8/26/02, 9/22/03 (DV)
On 2/8/99, MNN broadcast our episode without adjusting the
skew (we think) on their tape deck, resulting in massive picture distortion
and horizontal streaks throughout the entire duration of our program.
Our program was in good condition when we edited it, and it played back
successfully without any problems the previous 3 times it had been
broadcast.
On 9/10/01: Opening animation cut off.
Note: For all the airings after 9/10/01, we expect the last minute of the program to be cut off, since this is a 29-minute episode being shown in a 28-minute timeslot.
All right, we admit it. Our panel are puppets--they've been puppets
all along. But that still doesn't change their love of
Star Wars,
or
Frankenstein, for that matter. Will they ever return to Free New
York? Only time will tell.
Episode #109: In The Grip of Star Wars
Fever
First Broadcast: 2/24/97.
What a shock. This week's episode is about
Star Wars,
Star Wars,
and more Star Wars.
Yep, I always did like those action figures . . .
Episode #110: Cantaloupe Explodes
First Broadcast: 3/10/97. Repeated: 3/8/99.
An argument as to why
New York City cops
don't need
hollow-point bullets.
Unfortunately, the cops don't seem to share this view, claiming that
hollow-points--more lethal bullets--are "kinder" to civilians in crossfires. You might have
already guessed that I disagree. In the interests of actually
reducing the amount of people shot to death by cops,
here's a link to the
International
Day Against Police Violence,
March 15, 1997.
Episode #111: Everything Is Hyper Linked
First Broadcast: 3/24/97.
Yes, this time I take the
Associated Press to task over an article
they wrote on March 19 of this year about the
Supreme Court hearing
of arguments about the
Communications Decency Act.
The problem
with this was that the article was biased in favor of the government's
position. Was this bias intentional? Who knows. You can read
an essay
I wrote about it, if you'd like to see a more coherent and
in-depth examination of the subject. I submitted it as an Op-Ed to the
New York Times. Do you think
they'll print it? Let me know if you see
it there. (I can't find the AP's own home page--
if they even have one--so
the above link from the New Times's site
is the next best thing, and it's also where I saw the article
in the first place.)