<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1106" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>When I first went online, I used AOL.  I kept them for over ten years on a yearly payment basis.  When I was being harassed online by my ex, AOL was useless to work with (my ex used AOL, also).  The police recommended I contact a cybercrime expert.  She was able to put an end to the harassment.  Also, she *highly* urged that I dump AOL.  She told me that *any* ISP would be better and all were much more cooperative with the authorities and/or responding to members problems. It wasn't easy, I had to work up the ladder to several supervisors and learn a few tricks along the way.  I got rid of them and actually got a refund of my remaining prepayment.  As a result of being cyber-harassed and experiencing first hand the terrors, I give all the support I can to the all volunteer organization that helped me.  Take a look at their website.  If you have pre-teens/teens online at home, PLEASE look at the information available through WHOA and WHOA-KTD (Kids/Teen Division).  The URL's are listed below my signature.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Debra Legg</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Boston Chapter PTG</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Assistant Director of Communications</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>WHOA (Working to Halt Online Abuse)</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><A href="http://www.haltabuse.org">www.haltabuse.org</A>.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><A href="http://www.haltabusektd.org">www.haltabusektd.org</A> </FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A title=avery1@houston.rr.com href="mailto:avery1@houston.rr.com">Avery</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=pianotech@ptg.org href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">Pianotech List</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Wednesday, May 17, 2006 5:29 PM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> RE: AOL</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV><FONT size=3>John, <BR><BR>I couldn't agree more. I'd almost rather not have online service than to use AOL. JMO. <BR><BR>Avery <BR><BR>At 04:15 PM 5/17/2006, you wrote:<BR></FONT> <BLOCKQUOTE class=cite cite="" type="cite"><FONT face="Arial, Helvetica" color=#000080 size=2>Amen to that, Avery.  I made that mistake oncewhen I tried to get rid of them, I COULDN’T.  After about six months, I just quit paying the bill.  They wouldn’t even shut it down then!!!  I finally had to change phone numbers just to get rid of them.  <BR> <BR>Then, about two years later, I get an invitation to join a class-action lawsuit against them.  Guess how THAT went </FONT><FONT face=Wingdings color=#000080 size=2>J<BR></FONT><FONT face="Arial, Helvetica" color=#000080 size=2> <BR>AOL?  Run away…Run away.<BR>John<BR> <BR> <HR> <DIV align=center></FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>