Thursday, March 29th, 2001

James Fortune Says Agent DK Is A Slimeball After All

Porner James Fortune writes: Hey Gene [Ross], You know all those nice things I said about DK [Derek King] defending him against those accusation charges by Nadia? Well, I must have been wrong. DK is the biggest lier and scam artist I have ever met. Finally, he has pushed me over the edge with his lies. Last summer, the guy defaults on his $1000 rent while i'm in the hospital caring for a dying mother and out of money because i wasn't working while at hospital...and after repeated calls and promises, he never pays me back. wouldn't be surprised if he did that with Kyle Philips and I know he did it with the girl he lived with before. Plus it was very strange that so many things were missing from my house when I had stuff moved out. He pleads with me to write you and defend him against his charges related to the Nadia fiasco, promises me he will pay me back all the money he owes me if I would help him out...each week, says he deposited the check in the bank, or he has mailed the check...blah blah blah. I go to the bank...nothing.....and he drags me along under the guise of friendship. I warned him in repeated phone messages...that you would be first to know if he keeps on f---ing with me. I had a number of girls from Midwest and Florida to introduce to the filmakers via him, but other agents can get ahold of me from now on at james_fortune@yahoo.com....WELL, THIS IS A MESSAGE TO YOU SLIMY SCUMBAG DK.....you are no longer my friend. Hope you go to jail where you belong. I hope you rot DK. GIRLS, don't be used ; don't use him! He is an opportunist and sleazy. Jack Hammer, where are you? Beat the s--- out of him for me...thanks.

Farrell Timlake vs Jay Shanahan

On my Tuesday afternoon show Luke F-rd Live, James DiGiorgio and I interviewed a number of porners including Farrell Timlake.

Listen here to Tuesday's show. Read the chat here, including the Bob Jones vs Farrell Timlake debate.

Timlake, who owns and operates HomeGrownVideo.com with his brother Moffit, relayed this story from 1993:

Farrell says: "Way back when I was just starting to be concerned about the HIV issues. I've always been pro-condom. The director had a girl not show so he called Jim South for a replacement. And Jim sent this girl who I met the day before. And he knew that she didn't have an [HIV] test. And she came to the set and she still had not gotten her test results back. And the director wanted me to work with her without a condom. Even though he knew she didn't have her test results.

"And he knew I didn't want to work with her without a condom. And they presented it to me, 'Hey, you can do that. But you're never going to work in this town again.' And he never gave me work again after that because I contested the issue. And fact is, TT Boy stepped in and stunt dicked for me.

"It was put to me that I had to do the scene without a condom or take a hike and not get paid. And I knew that Jim South knew that the girl didn't have a test and I knew that the director knew the girl didn't have a test. I mentioned it in private to all of them..."

Farrell Timlake writes: "Jay Shanahan was the director who cut my pay because I wanted to wear a condom with an untested girl way back in 93."

Jay Shanahan aka Jim Enright, a former Chicago policeman, writes: "Dear Luke, As you no I have always prided myself on not being in the gossip columns. The comment made by Mr. Timlake is true in the fact I did cut his pay but that was based on his inability to perform not a condom issue. If you recall when the first HIV scare occurred I made it my business to employee the actors and actresses under quarantine in non sex rolls or gave them crew jobs ( Jonathan Morgan, Steve Hatcher, Nicole London, Tony Tedeschi, Lenna, Tina Tyler ) so I could help them maintain some sort of income. Luke I been in the adult entertainment business for a very long time and I have never asked nor forced any one to perform an act that they felt uncomfortable with. Check around I have worked for every major company, my reputation speaks for itself."

Farrell Timlake replies: Jay is a nice guy and I am not going to make a big deal out of this because it was long ago and I just don't care. (though I walk through the san fernando valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil) He is partly correct. However my performance problems were a result of asking me to work unprotected with a non-tested performer. I was freaked out. He knows it. Jim knows it, and the girl I worked with knew it. I knew the girl because I did a condom clad scene with her the previous day for Max Hardcore, who had no problem at all with me wearing a condom. If he can't fess up to the situation, what can anyone say? His word against mine, and I am too busy to get in a pissing match with him about it.

However, to give another example of Jay's position on this issue, at the first big meeting that the industry pulled together after Barbara Doll tested positive, Jay asked the clinician if it was o.k if ejaculate landed in a girl's eye. The clinician thought for about two seconds then answered, "Well there has never been a AIDS case as a result of semen in the eye, so I guess that would be ok." Jay smiled and said "Great, so facial cumshots are o.k, thank you." He gave Jonathon and the others jobs because they were friends and that is very cool of him to help a friend in need. Like I say, Jay is a mostly decent chap and no one is perfect. However, he should not misrepresent the facts here with regard to this issue.

At www.homegrownvideo.com we believe in truth, justice, and getting laid.

Webmaster Gossip

Brad Shaw writes on Netpond: Anyone trying to reach me, please use bshawinc@texas.net for a few days. It appears Shaw Communications out of Canada obtained an injunction against our use of the name "Shaw Internet". They were able to obtain an injunction against tucows (a Canadian company) to shut down the domain shawinternet.com without our knowledge. We woke up, and the site was down. Our lawyers are working on this right now and we hope to have things fixed asap. This has no affect on any of our webmaster programs, or other websites.

John AllGood from UnlimitedXXX.com writes on Netpond: I am a referall member off of my webmasters main account on CCBill. Business has been going well, and I have continued to increase my profits due to plenty of traffic I bring in. Recently, this week, my account,along with the other resellers, and all my profits were put on hold, due to what they said "possible suspicion of fraud". This week I bought some new office equipment, and I rely on CCbill to pay me on time for things of this nature. I called up CCbill, very calmly, and spoke to one of the heads up there. And basically, they treated me as if I'm a criminal, told me they cannot pay me, and he would NOT give me a specific reason why my account is under suspicion. I told him to go call every one of my members, I have nothing to hide, because this is a big mistake, but he said he'd get back to me. So, basically, I along with the other resellers off of our main webmaster, have all our money in the hands of CCBill, and CCBill is not responding to us. This company is basically stealing our money, and not responding to our inquiries. Since I have not heard from this company, and they seem to be dodging me, I really am speechless. I didn't know that a company this large could get away with doing this to its customers who pay their bills. I'm not sure whats my next step, but one things for sure, I will get the money I am owed. Whether or not I have to take legal action, I hope it doesn't come to that.

Kimmy Kim from CCBill replies: John Allgood. Unfortunately for you, the site you refer to was participating in fraudulent activity, a fact they admitted to our staff and a fact that has caused their processing to be terminated. While I will NOT go into details as to the exact fraud, suffice it to say that the site owner, along with a couple of his friends that were caught perpetrating this same fraud, will no longer process with us. In your particular case, you may have sent members in good faith, HOWEVER the site owner is the one who caused you this grief, not CCBill. So you may want to vent your anger to them, instead of us. At the current time I cannot say any more than this about the situation than I have, however if you have any further questions you may contact me directly and I will be happy to discuss it with you.

John AllGood replies: And as far as your claim on the webmaster and/or partners admitting illegal actions. That is also false. Your company is illegally holding out our funds. Also, the reason why you "will NOT go into details of the exact fraud..." is that your company was unable to find one. Once again, every one of our members, no matter what reseller acquired them, are ALL real. I and others told you to check on them, call everyone of them up if you have to, but your company made an assumption. And acted ignorantly on that.

We are not the only webmaster this has happened to. I am speaking with other prominent members of CCbill, and they are being suspended without any reasons. CCbill, your company claims we are fraudulent, but, actually, your business, is the business of Fraud. If we do not receive due payments, your company will be hearing from my lawyers. This is not the way you do business.

Jeff Miller writes on Netpond: [Greg] Lasrado... dont you have anything better to do than come on here and make up bulls--- lies about dirtydollar[.com, owned by Guy McKenzie and Yohan Lewis]? They are meeting their obligations as they have agreed. At least we didnt have to have ibill shut down their account to get them to act. Sound familiar?

World Wide Exclusive - Chaim Amalek Nude

Hobbyist writes: Luke: I became aware of you a few months ago through your frequent intrusions on the BigDoggie.net message board and decided to check out your site. I must admit that your reporting while slipshod and sleazy is often quite entertaining. I found the most humorous and most mysterious of all your contributors to be Manhattanite, Chaim Amalek. Recently I decided to "party" with a porn star that frequents your site whom I shall refer to as "Jendra" to preserve her anonymity. "Jendra" was dancing at a suburban strip club near me and so I arranged a "date" through her web site. She was very friendly, reasonably priced and spoke fluent "French," but alas no "Greek." But I digress.

During our session she excused herself to go irrigate her money maker and I decided to kill some time by snooping around on her lap top. One of the files was marked "CA-NYC." Inside the file was a JPEG of a nude, middle-aged, rather rotund man languishing in a bed. Could this be a photo of the elusive Chaim Amalek of New York City?

Chaim Amalek writes: These days you cannot make fun of jews, homosexuals, women, or even shvartzes, but apparently it is still perfectly acceptable to make fun of the inertially challenged. To whoever took that photograph and published it with the intention of ridiculing me, remember - what goes around comes around. You won't think it funny when the man in the photo is sitting on your trachea, eating multiple buckets of Popeye's fried chicken and can't be bothered to get up and go to the toilet.

PS Luke, regarding the upcoming AIDS debate, why not get some real experts on your show as guests? This is the perfect chance for you to break out into the mainstream with a mainstream guest. You could even invite a mainstream journalist into your hovel to cover the event. There must be someone from NIH willing to spend a few hours on the telephone. Alas, if no such guest appears, it will be because you were too lazy to procure one.

Yahoo Clubs - Christine Allure

Christine Allure emails her members: Hey Gang, Lot of stuff going on. Lots of new stuff at my FREE and PAY sites. I also posted a few new pictures in my Yahoo club in an album titled "Tiger Shorts". Also as many of you know I am trying to save up for my next boob job and you can all help my signing up for my members only site. It's a win/win win thing. You win by getting getting tons of great content, I win by getting bigger boobs and you win again because you'll get to see me with even bigger boobies. So what are you waiting for? And don't forget to tell your friends about my site. Like they say anything worth doing is worth over doing. So sign up and let's get it on.

Mark Miller replies: Luke, Just got this spam email from Christina Allure. You should have readers review the yahoo club and pay site. I would love to have a poll that rates on scale how much of an idiot someone must be to become a paying member of her site. Once you have seen the pics on the yahoo clubs you have seen everything. This lady expects someone to pay on a recurring basis to see her in shorts and topless over and over and over and over again. With a face in need of a good nose job, pale skin and the fact she is allergic to anything (especially cock) going in her pussy or ass its a amazing people to sign up and ask for their money back.

Her husband runs the site using a variety of methods to generate traffic.

The "most connected girl on the internet" comes from linking to every site known to man. Most webmasters agree this generates low quality traffic.

He also likes to post on swingers websites that she is "looking to play". The ad of course has a link to the website. Once you email her, you get spam. He also like to post spam on other girls yahoo clubs. Of course its written to make it look like "she" is talking to so and so about etc. There's ALWAYS a detailed ending linking to the website.

I guess with 40 something porn bimbos like Kayla Kleevage and others its a possible to earn a living with marginal facial looks and body as long as you have giant tits. Another contribution to society!!

Christine replies: Mark, I am copying Luke on this as you sent this to Luke and myself in the first place. My name is Christine not Christina. I would love to have Luke's fans review my sites. My sites load fast, are well organized and provide a unique service. As for my look, each person has their own preference. Yes I do not look like your standard tan porno clone, but I am not an ugly pig either.

And as for doing XXX, I think there are plenty of other girls out there doing that. I am an Internet Model and Adult Web Guide. I am doing fine, I have plenty of fans and plenty of members.

I did not SPAM you. I sent my regular Yahoo fan club email message out to the members of my Yahoo club. If you received it you are one of over 1,200 people who are signed up. If you don't like me why join my Yahoo club.

My husband does not run my site. I do. Sure I have had help from many people over the years learning how it all works and I get help with my photos. But day to day I run my site.

Yes I am the most connected girl on the web. I have been hard at work for over three years mapping quality adult sites on the Internet. Your remarks leads me to believe that you are a pissed off webmaster who is more worried about traffic that converts then trying to provide a quality service or have a good time. You only live so long and having fun while doing it is important. And I am not most webmasters I am "The most connected girl on the web."

I am a sexually active woman and have given thought to experimenting. And yes I have looked into it by posting an ad or two at swingers sites. I have never overstated my interest or level of experience. I am always looking for fun in a safe and comfortable environment. I have received many wonderful responses and what I do with these people is my business.

As for SPAMing them I do not send them anything except a personal response if anything. I am often overwhelmed by the volume of email I get. I do try to get back to most everybody. It is true I am a yahoo junky. I love looking at clubs all the time. Now that I have been to every girls site a few times and most other cool sites the only new places seem to be Yahoo clubs.

Yes I do post messages in the clubs I join and visit that is what message board are for. Yes I do leave messages for the other members of the clubs. And yes I sign my posts with my signature which includes my email address and web addresses. This is a common thing for people to do in the electronic age. I do have a VIP Newsletter that fans can sign up for and I do send them messages every week or two. I also send out many of the same messages to members of my Yahoo fan club every week or two.

Communicating with my community of fans is a feature of my Yahoo club. I don't know who has signed up I just send them messages to let them know what is going on with me and my sites.

Again I see that your main mode of operation is to hurl insults. I don't know you. I've never met you so I can't really say your a fat putz who never gets laid and hates women or something because I don't know you. I do know that you are pissed because I am having a good time and it seems you are not. I am not going to site by and take you insults undefended and that is why I am responding. I find it too bad that you find fault with me but you know what they say about pleases all the people all the time, it just can't be done.

James DiGiorgio's An Idiot

Becky Carols writes on RAME: DiGiorgio is an idiot. Did you see the pics from his latest vid on Luke's site? He's got porngirls looking like something out of the "Night of the Living Dead" (and no, I'm not talking about the typical f--- scenes from Vivid, VCA, and Wicked sluts). Why would anyone want to cover girls faces with goolish halloween masks? Who gets turned on by that? And he wonders why Riley hates his vids. Now I know why gonzo's taking over.

Director James DiGiorgio replies: thanks for reminding me of something i refer to myself as almost every day, although i usually prefer the terms "retard," and "moron," rather than "idiot," and said references are for very different reasons than you've pointed out. i would like to mention that lukey's pics are merely from a portion of day three of a three day shoot. also, the pics you've questioned are from one of the seven sex scenes in the flick. i can assure you that there are no zombie looking women in any of the other scenes, and that the zombie scene you seem to have a problem with is story-motivated. if this were a gonzo, it would probably be the only set and makeup device used in the movie, and if that were the case, i'd probably agree with you, unless i were an obsessed fan of jim powers' movies.. but since we spent a little more than the standard $6000 gonzo budget, we thought that we could provide more than a few different locations, some makeup effects, anactual script, an actual crew, and in order to pay back the movie's backer's investment, we thought that all these things might go a long way towards making some serious cable, ppv, hotel chain, and foreign sales. anyway, thanks for your interest in vca's upcoming motion picture, "succubus." i'd be happy to tell you when it's expected to release if i had any idea of that myself.

Luke Gets Mail

Chris writes about glamor model Sammi Jessop: Yes, Luke, the photos are "glamorous". The model makes the glamour, not the theme. (e.g. Betty Page in bondage. Bondage is not glamorous, but pictures of Betty Page are.)

Ian writes: It's impossible to prove that HIV is the cause of the AIDS syndrome. Science can't PROVE such things - it can only set up experiments to try to disprove a particular hypothesis. As such attempts at disproof consistently fail, the scientific community tends to accept the hypothesis until a better one comes along. Sometimes the evidence FOR such a hypothesis (in this case, that HIV causes AIDS is so overwhelming, and the consequences of adopting an alternative hypothesis so potentially catastrophic, that adoption of the alternative is regarded by most people as foolhardy. President Mbeki of South Africa found that out when he aired his doubts about the cause of AIDS in a country where (I read) one in four babies is born HIV-positive. President Bush is making a similar kind of stand when he says that he will renege on his campaign promise to limit U.S. carbon dioxide emissions because he 's 'not convinced' by the science underlying predictions of global warming, and he doesn't want the price of fuel to rise to consumers! (He is, of course, risking the future of the planet, but, hey, someone else will be president by the time there is evidence that even the brainy, scientifically sceptical, George Dubya might accept.)

Farrell Timlake writes: Brandy says she has been a webmaster for nine years yet she does not know the difference between a pop-up console, spam, or a circle jerk? (No Brandy, not a bunch of pud pulling compadres) She updates only if she is in the mood and thinks her members deserve it? I don't think she should continue to call herself a webmaster, because she knows less than zero. No wonder she is not terribly successful, as many others who have been at it that long, in fact, are today. Leads me to believe they terminated her at Forest Lawn for reasons besides being a porn star, and that is sounding like something she just provides as an excuse for her own incompetence and lack of professionalism. I am amazed. She really ought to go back to full time cocksucking because no one should deny their God given talent.

As for porn being a dead-end line of work for losers with no future, I beg to differ. Talk to some of our ex-employees and talent that went on to bigger and better things. Like the six figure ad exec, the record producer who owns a successful electronica label, the internet consultant clearing $80,000; let them tell you how porn and the hard work ethic they learned with Homegrown has paid off. I will tell you about my foray into the so-called mainstream with a movie called "Orgazmo" directed by Trey Parker. Big whup, none of us are going to be resting on any laurels. We are too busy working to be stronger than a freight train and faster than a speeding bullet. At Homegrown, we strive to impress our fans, the loyal customers keeping us in biz.

Anyone who works hard enough, drawing upon desire, summoning determination, earning recognition, and proving their capabilities will succeed, albeit materially and, or spiritually. And I did not have to read Dale Carnegie's book to figure that one out.

Porn does attract people looking for easy money, easy work. More often than not, those are the same folks who are in and out of the business. The only people who are going to be successful are those who work hard. Nothing comes easy. Jenna Jameson, bless her blond heart, worked her butt off to get where she is. The reason no porn star has gone on to become an Academy Award winner is because there is no movie to demonstrate the acting ability to prove that it might even be possible. There is no "In the Realm of the Senses" or "Last Tango in Paris" coming out of the valley, only dreck like "The Subpornos". No one is working toward that as a goal either, but that is because it is hard work to write a great script, get good actors, produce a wonderful film, market a release, etc.

I am actually not bemoaning what I call the McDonaldization of Porn, that is it doesn't matter how crappy that cheeseburger is because 20 billion folks are going to digest it anyway and be happy. I am ebullient that so many people can find vocation in an industry that is all about a vacation from reality into a land of tantalizing erotic possibility. I am not complaining about the hacks and lack of professionalism which just makes our lives so much easier. I am not here just to belittle Brandy. I am bemoaning the fact that anyone would bemoan the fact of being in porn or enjoying porn at all. Except Luke, he has earned the right to bemoan all he wants because he pointed out that the emperor was not wearing any clothes. If anyone is not proud of what they are doing then get a clue and get out to make room for the people who want to be here.

I also have a gripe with armchair stroker-critics, the likes for whom misogynist Pat Riley with his latent pedophile tendencies is King Pud. People who degradingly dehumanize the talent that provides their entertainment should seek psychiatric treatment for self-loathing as a result of the divorce and the high school girlfriend that jilted them.

At www.homegrownvideo.com we have been making fantastic authentic amateur video since 1982. Our mission is to make a world where sex is safe and fun. We love what we do. Our customers love what we do. Being positive and professional, earning our dollars with hard work, entertaining product, and excellent customer service, I am sure we will continue well into the future. Going forward like Lot leaving Sodom, we will never look back at the pillars of salt like Riley and the rest of those who are damned by their own stupidity.

I want to remind folks also that the HIV/AIDS debate between me and Bob will continue on the live chat after Luke's next show. I will contradict Bob's two assertions and challenge the statements about Mbeki and AZT. Should be a major shootout between me and Bob, who is a crack shot, so expect lots of blood and guts. Back to work for me.....

BrandyAlx1: As for Ian's missive. He apparently can't read. The matter was not about knowing anything about popups. All I was talking about was the fact that John Weston said adult web sites that continually popup unwanted windows when you try to leave, commandeer your browser, or change your desktop, will be the first targets of John Ashcroft. I just happen to agree. If a person goes to a porn site and had chosen not to view it there shouldn't be and endless cascade of porn being thrust at them in addition to the abuse of the system resources that more frequently than not causes people's systems to crash.

BrandyAlx1: I will support any bill or candidate who will target this kind of activity. Just for relaying the information from Weston I was called names. For agreeing I am dissed. Some people apparently don't believe in free speech if they think I should be strung up for my opinions. As for me updating my site when I feel like, I indicated that was a direct result of the support, or lack thereof, from people who claim they like the site. Since I'm on my own to support it, I'll do as I like. It *is* a personal web site afterall, not a point of commerce.

BrandyAlx1: I should point out that none of the retorts to the suggestion that endless popups are effectively spamming had anything to do with the subject. It was as if just calling me names automatically erased the facts and validity of the issue that, again, I was only quoting. The best they could do in defense of it was holler, "It's marketing!"

From Jeff Todd in NYC: Bob Gucionie Jr, son of Penthouse publisher, was just on the opie and anthony radio show on wnew in ny and he said that it has never been proven that hiv causes aids, he also said that there will not be a big explosion in heterosexual aids cases in the future-this pissed off a lot of the listeners who then called in to argue the point.

Internet Porn Credit Card Processing

Last year a major internet porn company sued Visa. The suit was dismissed on technical grounds. But some interesting documents came to light that most of the adult internet industry's leaders don't want publicized.

Among the documents was a record of minutes kept at a July meeting of VISA reps. Unfortunately, I promised some key sources not to publish this on my front page, so I am deleting the references to people and companies. But suffice to say, at this meeting VISA decided to disqualify two of internet porn's biggest players. These players already had backup processing so there was no dramatic hitch in their operations.

All the major players in porn are paying over one million dollars a year, for some every month, in fines to VISA for excessive numbers of chargebacks.

Disqualification Committee Meeting [of VISA reps]
Meeting Minutes
July 26, 2000

Case One

Martin Elliott provided an overview of XXX's processing history at Amtrade Bank. The reasons for disqualification were noted as follows: excessive level of Acquirer penalties, excessive level of chargebacks (32,000), and activity that causes undue harm to the Visa System. Martin also mentioned that XXX had presented a plan to reduce chargebacks, but had not remained within the US Region to work the plan. Instead, XXX had been detected operating out of Costa Rica immediately following their departure from Amtrade Bank. Mention was made of the fact that LAC is investigating whether a cross border violation had occurred. A vote was then held to determine whether XXX should be disqualified from the Visa System. The vote was unanimous to disqualify XXX including its owner XXX.

Case Two

Birdi Kidwell provided an overview of YYY's processing history dating back to December 1999. During this period, Visa Members processed over 10,000 chargebacks to Amtrade Bank and generated over one million dollars in penalties. Birdi then discussed the merchants excessive chargeback rates within the Global Chargeback Monitoring Program and how they had exceeded allowable thresholds five of the last seven months. Further discussion was held regarding the fact that YYY had not provided a chargeback reduction plan and was no longer processing with Amtrade Bank. A vote was then held to determine whether YYY should be disqualified from the Visa System. The vote was unanimous to disqualify including the principle owner YYY.

Luke says: The major players have different credit card processors in place, such as IBill, CCBill and Jettis. Credit card processing is the lifeblood of the adult internet economy.

Porner XXX says: I got an earfull of these credit card processing issues at the convention. Everybody seems to be running scared from Visa. I heard that there was an attempt at negotiation between VISA and the adult industry and the adult industry lawyers were completely snubbed. They made no headway. Which lawyers were involved in that? This is a terribly sensitive topic with the big players. Tons of paranoia. But for the big paysites, there would be no money coming back to affiliates and gazillions of others.

If that part of the industry is built on sand, or subject to being readjusted violently and suddenly, then everything is up for grabs. What happens if the floor falls out of your billing system? Nobody has an answer. They just say that VISA has our tit in a wringer and they fine the s--- out of us and they treat us like animals and they say they will throw us away when they're done with us.

What's Up With PornStarTrading.com?

Derek writes: Mr. Ford: I was just talking to a friend of mine who is a Pornstar Trading op (administrator) and they spilled the beans that certain ops have it set so they can read private conversations between chatters. Since people like Jenna Jameson and other prominent starlets probably have marginally personal conversations in there, this is an important detail I'm sure they would like to know. I know I wouldn't want some housebound middle aged loser pornophile ("Mastrick" is the name that has been mentioned to me) reading my intimate conversations.

MikeSouth.com writes: Derek is full of s---. #!!!!!!pornstar-trading is an IRC channel. ops can NOT read private conversations. I am an op I know. Luke why the f--- didnt you call me and ask about this I could have told you it is NOT possible. Mastrick who was mentioned by name is actually an IRCop and I dont even think an IRCop can read a private msg...matter of fact I know they can't So whoever Derek is can tell his "friend" ....prolly someone banned from pst for being a moron that he is, plain and simple, DEAD WRONG!

Gigi Appleton, video porn company owner, writes: Dear Lukey loo, Hi, It is Gigi Appleton and you are wrong about PST. I do not know who told you that but it is not true. I know most of the ops fairly well and none of them would or could do that. Please check your sources. I have had occasion to talk to Jim Gunn and JimmyD extensively in private and some serious matters were discussed and I know noone listened. Get real, Luke!!!!! You sometimes create problems for others that hurt their feelings and that makes you a jerk!!! Cut it out! Gigi

Sergio writes: Uhh... that's not quite the truth. I'm not saying that some IRCOp from PST is actually reading private conversations, but some IRC scripts ("Açaí" is a good example, but of course I won't give the link of where to find it) make it very possible to spy on, and even log, private chats. And you don't even need to be an OP to do that.

LT writes: Depends on the Server daemon running. You could with ease modify to monitor private messages, if you wished, and that is in the hands of the Server ops. Of course if this server is running on a major IRC network (Dal, IRCnet, EFnet, Undernet) then that is unliekly to be the case. If it's a stand alone server, anything is possible.

Sergio writes: Unlikely? Maybe. Impossible? No.

Derek writes: Mr. Ford: I read Mike South's and Gigi Appleton's responses to my message on your site, and let me follow up with more information that I was given. Basically what I was told was that the "PST Bot" which parses all the channel traffic can read all private conversations. Therefore when a channel operator masquerades as the "bot," that person can read all the messages just like the bot can. In fact I was told in particular that one op, who goes by "VladTheImpaler," "VladTepes" or an ASCII art bat symbol, was banned a while back when it got out that he was doing this a little too regularly. I also heard through the grapevine from another former PST user who said that when he first started chatting in PST an op (other than VladTepes) was reading his private messages and taunting him about the contents. That leads me to believe that as my friend initially told me, yes, ops can read private conversation.

Mike South replies: Once again Derek is wrong. The PSTbot has no special privileges that any ordinary channel operator lacks, nor can an op connected to the bot read a private message. People will often cut and paste from a private message to an op. an example of this is one of our regular pornstar chatters starts getting harassed by someone in private messages, she will cut and paste these to an op and the harasser will be ejected and potentially banned.

As one person pointed out it is theoretically possible for ANYONE to compromise a chat and I wont lend a lot of credence to it except to say BeyondIRC is not a single server chat network and as ops and IRCops we have tools that can tell us, for example if you pose a potential DoS threat. We can even probe you for certain viruses. and we can see things that may pose a threat to the integrity of the network or to the users of our channel and we will take swift action to eliminate that threat. We cannot read private messages.

AdultRevenueService.com Programmer Arrested For 1988 Murder

I'm working on a story about a porn internet programmer (Tarbash aka Scott Allen Baldwin) accused of murder.

Tarbash worked at ARS, then at NationalNet.com, the hosting company, and then Marc DeForst lured Tarbash back to ARS a few months ago.

Baldwin last worked as a system administrator for ARS.

He was engaged to be married to longtime Cybererotica employee Patty Cake. But he called it off and was seen at a convention running around with Kimmy Kim from CCBill.

Our story begins with this email I received this afternoon.

Kathy writes: Luke, thought this was kind of interesting:

http://209.41.6.5/News3-2001/archives/20010315.htm

Scroll down to Arrest in 1988 Bike Shop Murder. This guy happens to be Tarbash (his board posting name) a programmer for Adult Revenue Service who was arrested for murder this month, he was a popular well liked guy at conventions and in the chat rooms it seemed. I found this because I am moving from Indiana to Michigan and was looking on the web to see the crime rates in certain areas in Michigan and low and behold this came up on one of my searches. I use ARS and think that most of the time they are a good sponsor, but this was kind of interesting especially with all the talk of them shaving lately on Netpond and on your site- makes you wonder what is going on over at ARS LOL.

From the site in question:

KALAMAZOO – Investigators from the Kalamazoo County Cold Case Homicide Team say they may have solved a 13-year-old murder. Thursday’s announcement followed Wednesday’s arrest of 32-year-old Scott Allen Baldwin for the 1988 murder of bicycle shop owner Earl O’Byrne.

The story traces back 13 years to a neighborhood bike shop and the eccentric elderly man who ran it. People say if you bought a bike in Kalamazoo back then, you probably bought it from Earl O’Byrne at his Kalamazoo Cycle Company.

But on the morning of June 3, 1988, employees walked into the Harrison Street shop in Kalamazoo to find the 83-year-old O’Byrne beaten to death. Police say the murder happened during a robbery at the shop. Many tips came in to police, but none led to an arrest.

The big brake in the case, police say, came when Baldwin’s former girlfriend decided to talk. She first told police in 1989 that she thought Baldwin was involved in the murder. But now, the woman is giving police more information.

“That Baldwin had returned home covered in blood in the early hours of June 3, 1998 and confessed to her that he’d killed O’Byrne during a robbery attempt at the bicycle business,” said Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety chief Dan Weston.

Luke says: I cruised over to Netpond to post this and received some interesting responses from esteemed members of the adult internet community.

Tukhman writes: "Luke, Nothing else to investigate? Get off the dick man ;-))"

James Baud007 writes: "Luke, whether or not he has committed a crime does not mean that he is a lousy employee. He is a good bloke, who always helped with any problems I had, and imo, was an asset to ARS."

Luke says: I LOVE THAT RESPONSE! A guy arrested for murder is a good bloke and an asset to ARS. Does porn send people morally blind? Or is it just that the morally blind are attracted to porn?

Jeff Miller, leading adult webmaster, writes on Netpond:

I HAVE SEEN IT ALL NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

He helped James Baud whenever he had a problem so he must be a good bloke.

UN f---ING BELIEVABLE!

Whether he helped you or night isnt worth a bag of beans. If he murdred this poor old man during a robbery attempt he should be executed. And not by lethal injection either... hang him in a public square. Regardless of whether he was a good programmer or not.

UN f---ING BELIEVABLE POST!!!

Forgot content theives, password traders....people here will support a murderer because he is a good programmer. f---.

MikeAI writes on Netpond: HAHAHA OK - I am not sure who the guy is, or his legal troubles.... and of course he is innocent until proven guilty. BUT HOW LOW CAN PEOPLE ON THIS BOARD GO???

Don't want to condeme Beasty people... Make excuses for those who process for non-nude teen pics. Let s--- Sex sites go by. Now cannot even point fingers at a murder suspect. hahaha ( or hihihihih)

I beleive the cockholsters on this forum and in this business would find something nice to sday about Hitler ( well Hitler did like childre, and dogs- and he loved to pain) or Jeffery Dahmer ( he was good to him mother) How pathetic...

On the other hand, nothing personal to the guy from ARS - I don't want anyone showing up at my house with a pipe! hahaha ( oops hihihihi)

Diamond Jim writes on Netpond: "I found this because I am moving from Indiana to Michigan..." What manure. Many people have known about that story for awhile but it's today it gets mysteriously discovered? Not only a charlatan, but a liar... Nobody has come as far as fast as Marc De. Hard to accomplish so much without attracting some jealousy, I guess. Sponsor bashing is the last refuge of the incompetent - Isaac Asimov (or somebody)

BigDawg@sweetpost.com writes on Netpond: The general consensus is that Luke F-rd is NOT good for THIS business...One thing I have realized is that if you have done dirt or have had employees that have, either he'll find it, or someone else will and tell him, or it'll get made up and posted..Either way it certainly pays to keep your nose clean (pun intended for some) and stay on the honest side of web mastering... I won't even go into his journalistic skills (or lack there of)...Just watch what you do, or Ford will post about YOU! *laughs*

JimmySlits writes on Netpond: WOW its amazing what lengths people will go to try and smear people. No matter how you cut it Marc has accomplished a lot. Have to respect that. Funny its the people who have not done a thing that always seem to scream the loudest. Makes you wonder... BTW MR ford.....I am waiting for you in Michigan. Dont be shy!

Mutt writes on Netpond: Damn straight JMM! You kill some poor defenseless 83 year old man, anybody cuz age isn't an issue, you die too. Obviously this has nothing to do with his former employers. I'm sure he didn't put 'murderer' on his resume. I'd put the ex-girlfriend who witheld information for over 10 years in jail for a few years too. He might have totally changed his life around since that time if he really did do it but to me when it comes to taking someone else's life there are no second chances.

James Baud 007 writes on Netpond: My comment was directed at Luke's "makes you wonder what is going on over at ARS" If he is indeed proven guilty then he should face full responsibility for his actions. Don't take what I said as being a good bloke because he may have or may not have murdered someone.

Tukhman writes on Netpond: Luke for is not good nor bad for the industry. The only think you are lacking Luke is fairness... There are tons of stories out there to pick up on, you seem to have a very weird journalistic approach, you choose a side you want to cover. And that's why a lot of people don't give you respect. C'mon uncover some of the recent stuff... grab your balls

Jim from VIP-ID.com writes on Netpond: For those of you who don't know, VIP-ID is also in Kalamazoo, MI. I've never met Tarbash, although I have spoken to him before. I did know the man he is accused of murdering. Just about everyone who grew up around here knew him. He was a good man and I remember the day he was murdered. It was a huge story here for quite some time. I was shocked recently when they closed the case after 13 years. Even more shocked that someone I had spoke to before was arrested for it. If Tarbash committed the crime then I hope he gets treated like a bitch every day in prison and raped til his ass bleeds. Unfortunately we don't have the death penalty in Michigan. Killing anyone is f---ed up, but this guy was a feeble 83 year old man!

In any event, I don't see how it reflects on Marc or ARS. Marc and I have our differences, but he is a standup guy. ARS is one program that I would never question for shaving. To criticize him for hiring someone who committed a crime years before ARS was even around is absurd.

Dravyk writes on Netpond: Now it's a conspiracy theory and a soap opera, Luke???? Geez. did we actually land on the moon? Who shot JFK? Who shot JR? Who is the backward talking midget? Where is the Albino hiding? Is it true Luke had a lobtomy and was neutered five years ago?? .... Ok, one of out seven isn't bad. :-))) I think Marc [from ARS] should make this Luke's lawsuit number ... um, I lost count .....

Luke says: I've emailed ARS for comment on this story and in the past I've emailed them many times for comment on various stories about them and they never bother to respond.

Mukoh writes on Netpond: Luke, he is a programmer and a good one. Innocent until proven guilty. Stop saying everything like its a fact. You have no idea what is going on from your room in the basement. A good programmer is a terrible thing to waste.

Kimmy Kim, from CCBill, writes on Netpond: I can't believe that anyone would be surprised that Luke "Lapdog" Ford would be busy digging up dirt on anyone or anything related to ARS. If anyone has any wonder where Luke's next stab will be, I'll happily bet you that more than one person can tell you who's up next and by following the bouncing ball of the boards you too can learn to predict which way the roving reporter will turn his investigative eye. Is it instinct on his part? Is it intelligence? Stay tuned, same bat channel...

As for the Tarbash story, if he did it, then he deserves what he gets. Somehow though I thought most of us were living in the states, where it's innocent until proven guilty, not the other way around. Lovely to be found guilty and hung by a jury before you've even gone to trial.