Originally Posted By Lisann22 <a href="http://www.alibinetwork.com/index.jsp" target="_blank">http://www.alibinetwork.com/in dex.jsp</a> Yep that's the website that for a hefty price and annual fee you can find better excuses than my dog ate my homework or I had to leave early cause my kid was sick at school. I don't know why I'm shocked, I shouldn't be. Aye yi yi is there no end to how far we have fallen morally and ethically? Here's the article I read about it: <a href="http://www.usaweekend.com/07_issues/070923/070923online-alibi-network-excuses.html" target="_blank">http://www.usaweekend.com/07_i ssues/070923/070923online-alibi-network-excuses.html</a> "Truth is beautiful, without doubt; but so are lies," poet/philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson said. And with the exception of politicians, perhaps no one fibs as beautifully as Alibi Network, a 3-year-old service that provides elaborately constructed excuses for its clients. "People get into sensitive situations where they don't necessarily want their friends and family to help them out, so we deal with it," says spokeswoman Helen Tracy. Whether you are looking to skip a day of work or to secretly leave town for the weekend, Alibi Network can provide fake airline receipts or phone calls to your boss explaining your absence and even mock up an entire itinerary for a bogus conference you were "attending." Rarely has lying been so creepily airtight. The Chicago-based company charges from $75 for a simple phone call to thousands of dollars for extensive lying, on top of a $75 annual fee. The most popular service is the "virtual hotel," in which the fibber can provide a boss or family member with the phone number of a hotel where he's supposed to be. The number rings to one of Alibi's phones, which are staffed by actors who will answer as if a particular hotel has been reached. The incoming call then can be forwarded to the fibber's cellphone, making it seem as if he's in a certain city even though he's not. (We use "he" here, but half of Alibi's members are female.) Some requests involve a creative solution. One working stiff asked the service to get him out of a boring, week-long training class that was mandated by his office. The solution: Alibi hired an actor to dress up as a courier and barge into the class, informing the man that his house had been robbed and he needed to go home right away. Another request involved a married woman with small children who longed for a relaxing weekend away from the kids. Alibi concocted a story that the woman had won a free spa weekend in a prize drawing and hired an actor to call her home and leave a voicemail message informing her of her "win." Still, Tracy admits that the company assumes many of its clients are using the service for the purpose of committing adultery. Not exactly uplifting news. But, hey, if Alibi's site is the worst thing you can find on the Internet, then you're not looking hard enough.
Originally Posted By mele Pretty disgusting. Karma's gotta be pretty bad for the people involved. At least, one can hope.
Originally Posted By Inspector 57 UGH!!! We are going to hell in a handbasket. So: 1) Someone gets the idea that it would be a viable business to lie for other people; 2) They advertise their service, just as a dry-cleaner or tax-preparer might advertise; 3) They do a booming business; and 4) The media salaciously reports it, without judgement, as just another item of interest. We're doomed. I'm glad I don't have kids.
Originally Posted By Lisann22 That's what struck me that they even ran a story. Jeez Louise. Who works for places like this? Wonder what they looked for on a resume? Forgery, hackers, etc.
Originally Posted By jonvn Gravel said we're getting dumber and fatter. Reading levels continue to fall, people eat more and more at KFC (hey, have you tried their cheese twister?). Along with that is a distinct loss of morals and decency in behavior. Crudity and coarseness are really running rampant. I mention these things in posts, and am told I sound like Abe Simpson. Well, it's a problem. And as long as we excuse people who behave in bad ways, as long as we keep lowering our standards, then we really will be doomed and we will have nothing left of our society but a bunch of grunting trogs who spend all their money on tattoos, piercings, and betting on professional wrestling.
Originally Posted By Mr X **I mention these things in posts, and am told I sound like Abe Simpson.** ROFL.
Originally Posted By alexbook I heard a joke about a business like this a while back, on the radio. Now I'm wondering if the joke inspired the business, or if the business inspired the joke.
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan >>One working stiff asked the service to get him out of a boring, week-long training class that was mandated by his office. The solution: Alibi hired an actor to dress up as a courier and barge into the class, informing the man that his house had been robbed and he needed to go home right away.<< I'm hoping the working stiff in question isn't an air traffic controller or something. >>The number rings to one of Alibi's phones, which are staffed by actors<< There's no buisness like show business.
