Very Strange Phone Call

OK... so there I was this afternoon, sitting at my desk when my phone rings.
My business phone... the one that rings so people can talk to me about
buying a cruise.

Ring Ring...

ME - Good afternoon, Countryside Travel.

Caller - Hello, may I speak to George Leppla?

ME - This is George... how can I help you.

Caller - Hi George, this is Don Strevel.

ME - (not realizing who this was) Hi Don, how can I help you?

DS - Don STREVEL... from the newsgroup!

ME - (huh? light bulb comes on) Don Strevel from the Las Vegas newsgroup?

DS - Yes! I'm calling because I was looking at your website and I thought
I'd call and introduce myself. You have a pretty nice website.

ME - You called to tell me you like my website?

DS - Yes, and to introduce myself so you know that I am not some newsgroup
nut.

ME - (laughing) Well, Don... you do post like some newsgroup nut.

DS - Yes, but it is all in fun. I have been involved with newsgroups for
over 13 years and I used to take them very seriously but now I just play
around having some fun and I wanted you to know that I am not a nut.

ME - If you have read any of my posts you already know that I don't take any
of this seriously but I have to tell you that just by reading your posts,
you DO look like a newsgroup nut.

DS - Yes I know and that is OK. I am just having fun, that's all.

ME - All right... and that is why you called?

DS - Yes. I just wanted to introduce myself and tell you that you have a
nice website.

ME - Thanks. I am glad you like it.

DS - I'll be going now..... nice talking with you and I hope you have a nice
evening.

ME - OK... you too. click.
--------------------------------------------

On the phone, Don sounded like a normal, human being. When I told him his
posts made him sound like a nut, he laughed. His calling me didn't make me
think he was more nuts... but it didn't make me think he was less nuts,
either.

FWIW - I certainly didn't mind that Don called me. I am not hard to find on
the internet (here, a help is www.CruiseMaster.com ) and I enjoy talking to
people. That said, my business line is just that... a BUSINESS line.
It is how I make a living and while I don't mind talking to people on it, I
like to keep it open so my customers can reach me. If some of you are just
dying to hear the sound of my voice, by all means, call. But if it is just
to chit-chat... email works best (don't worry, I
have an excellent SPAM filter)

So, I really don't know what to make of this except to say it was a short
and humorous event that broke up what was an otherwise boring afternoon.

My apologies to Don for miss-pronouncing his name. It is pronounced
Streeevil and I thought it was Strehvel. I also apologize for any mistakes
in the above transcript, but I am pretty attentive and it should be close to
95% accurate, give or take a word or two.

George L.

On 7/17/2007 8:50 PM George Leppla exclaimed:
OK... so there I was this afternoon, sitting at my desk when my phone rings.
My business phone... the one that rings so people can talk to me about
buying a cruise.
George L.


[snip - snip]

I am curious as to why you posted what was a private conversation on
this newsgroup? Did you get his permission to post it? Do you have an
outgoing message on your phone line stating that any conversation may be
recorded and published at your discretion?

I know that I wouldn't be too happy if someone chose to publish my
private communication with them without getting my ok or implicit
permission. I think that there may even be some kind of privacy law
against such usage without obtaining permission.

--
________
To email me, Edit "blog" from my email address.
Brian M. Kochera
"Some mistakes are too much fun to only make once!"
View My Web Page: http://home.earthlink.net/~brian1951

"Brian K" wrote:
I am curious as to why you posted what was a private
conversation on this newsgroup? Did you get his permission
to post it? Do you have an outgoing message on your phone
line stating that any conversation may be recorded and
published at your discretion?

We don't know that it was recorded, and there's no law against
repeating a conversation to others, unless there's a confidential
relationship, like doctor-patient or lawyer-client, etc. However,
for all we know, the conversation may be entirely fictional, as the
post was an ill-disguised attempt to drum up business (spam).

In article et, Brian
K wrote:

I am curious as to why you posted what was a private conversation on
this newsgroup? Did you get his permission to post it? Do you have an
outgoing message on your phone line stating that any conversation may be
recorded and published at your discretion?

I don't think he recorded it. Sounded like he was remembering it from
memory.

I know that I wouldn't be too happy if someone chose to publish my
private communication with them without getting my ok or implicit
permission. I think that there may even be some kind of privacy law
against such usage without obtaining permission.

I think it was what I would call "tacky". Plus what did it have to do
with this newsgroup? I don't recall the fellow George was whining
about.

--
Charles

I too thought George's listing of his entire phone conservation with this
gentleman on this newsgroup, was not only tacky and uncalled for, but in
extremely poor taste. It actually makes no sense as to why, other than
possibly another obvious attempt at one-upmanship.

John S.
(Agent)

On Tue, 17 Jul 2007 19:50:13 -0500, George Leppla wrote:
Any reason you chose not to post this to alt.vacation.las-vegas where
Strevel would certainly see it?



OK... so there I was this afternoon, sitting at my desk when my phone rings.
My business phone... the one that rings so people can talk to me about
buying a cruise.

Ring Ring...

ME - Good afternoon, Countryside Travel.

Caller - Hello, may I speak to George Leppla?

ME - This is George... how can I help you.

Caller - Hi George, this is Don Strevel.

ME - (not realizing who this was) Hi Don, how can I help you?

DS - Don STREVEL... from the newsgroup! Want a blow?

ME - (huh? light bulb comes on) Don Strevel from the Las Vegas newsgroup?

DS - Yes! I'm calling because I was looking at your website and I thought
I'd call and introduce myself. You have a pretty nice website.

ME - You called to tell me you like my website?

DS - Yes, and to introduce myself so you know that I am not some newsgroup
nut. Want a blow?

ME - (laughing) Well, Don... you do post like some newsgroup nut.

DS - Yes, but it is all in fun. I have been involved with newsgroups for
over 13 years and I used to take them very seriously but now I just play
around having some fun and I wanted you to know that I am not a nut.

ME - If you have read any of my posts you already know that I don't take any
of this seriously but I have to tell you that just by reading your posts,
you DO look like a newsgroup nut.

DS - Yes I know and that is OK. I am just having fun, that's all. Want a blow?

ME - All right... and that is why you called?

DS - Yes. I just wanted to introduce myself and tell you that you have a
nice website.

ME - Thanks. I am glad you like it.

DS - I'll be going now..... nice talking with you and I hope you have a nice
evening.

ME - OK... you too. click.
--------------------------------------------

On the phone, Don sounded like a normal, human being. When I told him his
posts made him sound like a nut, he laughed. His calling me didn't make me
think he was more nuts... but it didn't make me think he was less nuts,
either.

FWIW - I certainly didn't mind that Don called me. I am not hard to find on
the internet (here, a help is www.CruiseMaster.com ) and I enjoy talking to
people. That said, my business line is just that... a BUSINESS line.
It is how I make a living and while I don't mind talking to people on it, I
like to keep it open so my customers can reach me. If some of you are just
dying to hear the sound of my voice, by all means, call. But if it is just
to chit-chat... email works best (don't worry, I
have an excellent SPAM filter)

So, I really don't know what to make of this except to say it was a short
and humorous event that broke up what was an otherwise boring afternoon.

My apologies to Don for miss-pronouncing his name. It is pronounced
Streeevil and I thought it was Strehvel. I also apologize for any mistakes
in the above transcript, but I am pretty attentive and it should be close to
95% accurate, give or take a word or two.

George L.

--
I teach high school in Marshall County and I protest my removal from the
faculty simply because I smoke dope all day. There is no evidence
*whatsoever* that marijuana impairs my teaching skills. Further, I
believe I was dismissed because I am having a homosexual relationship
with a former student whose wife completely supports us. I am asking for
a civil rights attorney to come forth and take my case. Email me at
7/21/2007 9:41:15 AM

"Brian K" wrote

I am curious as to why you posted what was a private conversation on this
newsgroup?

1) It was posted to this group by accident and the post was removed. It was
reposted to the proper group.

2) You must have missed the part where I said I was working from memory.
There was no recording.

I know that I wouldn't be too happy if someone chose to publish my private
communication with them without getting my ok or implicit permission.

3) If you were a Usenet troll who decided to call me on my toll-free
business line, you would just have to be unhappy.

FWIW, Mr. Strevel didn't have a problem with what I posted.

And as Mr. Gump would say... that is all I have to say about that.



--
George Leppla http://www.CruiseMaster.com

October 14, 2007 MOAGC 3 - http://www.moagc-3.com
January 20, 2008 - GGC2008 - http://cruisemaster.com/adventure.htm
June 5, 2008 9 nt from NJ - http://www.cruisemaster.com/explorer.htm

In article , George Leppla says...


"Brian K" wrote

I am curious as to why you posted what was a private conversation on this
newsgroup?

1) It was posted to this group by accident and the post was removed. It was
reposted to the proper group.

Wrong. You have no idea how Usenet works. The post is still there.

And will be - forever.

"StuckInStupid" [email protected] wrote:
George Leppla says...
1) It was posted to this group by accident and the post
was removed. It was reposted to the proper group.
Wrong. You have no idea how Usenet works. The
post is still there. And will be - forever.

He's likely using some web portal, like Google, which lets
posters delete stuff from its server so it cannot be found...
using their portal. However, you are correct, sir, that it is
still here in usenet-land. I'm guessing that he'll shortly find
some other excuse to spam us with his travel business.

"StuckInStupid" [email protected] wrote
In article , George Leppla says...


"Brian K" wrote

I am curious as to why you posted what was a private conversation on
this
newsgroup?

1) It was posted to this group by accident and the post was removed. It
was
reposted to the proper group.

Wrong. You have no idea how Usenet works. The post is still there.

And will be - forever.

FWIW - I post through Newsguy. As soon as I realized my mistake, I
"cancelled" the message from that server. However, in the few minutes it
took for that to go through, the message was already passed on to other news
servers. My "cancellation" won't affect those servers... and although I
have admitted my mistake, it won't stop other people who do get the post
from re-posting the entire thing in their reply.

I made a mistake, I apologize. No one died, no one was injured and in the
grand scheme of things, this was pretty insignificant except for some people
who like to make mountains out of molehills.

To those people, I suggest that they put my email address in their
kill-filter so in the off chance that I make another mistake they aren't
exposed to such a horrendous blunder.

They should also build a bridge..... and get over it.


--
George Leppla http://www.CruiseMaster.com

October 14, 2007 MOAGC 3 - http://www.moagc-3.com
January 20, 2008 - GGC2008 - http://cruisemaster.com/adventure.htm
June 5, 2008 9 nt from NJ - http://www.cruisemaster.com/explorer.htm