WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.240 --> 00:00:04.559 It's NIC's eyes, Dan Ray, I'm doing you easy, Boston's 2 00:00:04.599 --> 00:00:08.160 News Radio. Thank you very much, Madison. As we roll 3 00:00:08.240 --> 00:00:13.320 into a July first, Tuesday night edition of Nightside, we 4 00:00:13.439 --> 00:00:16.239 have sort of made the turn here where it's a 5 00:00:16.320 --> 00:00:19.839 halfway point, a little bit past the halfway point here 6 00:00:19.879 --> 00:00:24.160 on Nightside. So welcome on in everyone, and thank you 7 00:00:24.199 --> 00:00:27.199 for joining us. We have two guys in the booth. 8 00:00:27.679 --> 00:00:29.640 Let's see who we get back there tonight. Is it 9 00:00:29.760 --> 00:00:33.320 Sean and Shane and Shane? What am I saying? Sean, 10 00:00:33.640 --> 00:00:36.799 Shane and Rob Brooks? And we are We're in good 11 00:00:36.840 --> 00:00:39.320 shape here in that regard, we have a good show 12 00:00:39.399 --> 00:00:42.159 lined up for you. My name is Dan Ray. I'm 13 00:00:42.159 --> 00:00:45.359 the host of Nightside, and let us get rolling. We're 14 00:00:45.359 --> 00:00:50.000 going to start off by talking about a new tax 15 00:00:50.479 --> 00:00:53.280 here in Massachusetts. Very few things are taxed, as I'm 16 00:00:53.280 --> 00:00:55.840 sure all of you who are taxpayers in Massachusetts. No, 17 00:00:56.520 --> 00:00:59.119 the only two things that are actually taxed in Massachusetts 18 00:00:59.159 --> 00:01:01.640 are anything that moves and anything that doesn't move. So 19 00:01:02.880 --> 00:01:05.599 with that as a backdrop, let me introduce Colon Young. 20 00:01:05.640 --> 00:01:08.599 He is a State House news report Colin, how are 21 00:01:08.640 --> 00:01:09.040 you tonight? 22 00:01:09.120 --> 00:01:11.959 Welcome very well, Dan, thanks very much, for having me. 23 00:01:12.159 --> 00:01:15.519 So the folks up on Beacon Hill, we're not exactly 24 00:01:15.560 --> 00:01:19.000 sure who can claim credit for this, have decided that 25 00:01:19.040 --> 00:01:23.280 they want to add to our cable costs because they 26 00:01:23.319 --> 00:01:28.000 want to tax some of the cable boxes. Tell me 27 00:01:28.040 --> 00:01:28.480 about it. 28 00:01:29.280 --> 00:01:32.680 Yeah, this was something that the Healy administration first floated 29 00:01:32.760 --> 00:01:36.920 back in February, and it was finalized in the middle 30 00:01:36.959 --> 00:01:40.480 of June, so it is now in effect. And essentially, 31 00:01:40.519 --> 00:01:44.280 what the Department of Revenue came out and said was 32 00:01:44.319 --> 00:01:47.239 that the last time they looked at this issue, back 33 00:01:47.280 --> 00:01:51.159 in two thousand and eight, cable boxes, or at least 34 00:01:51.200 --> 00:01:56.239 the ones they were reviewing, were mostly just to actually 35 00:01:56.319 --> 00:01:59.760 get cable TV into your house and watch it live. 36 00:02:00.799 --> 00:02:04.280 Since then, you know, cable boxes now you can record 37 00:02:04.359 --> 00:02:08.439 almost anything on TV. You can use your cable box 38 00:02:08.520 --> 00:02:13.080 to get into your internet based streaming platforms and to 39 00:02:13.080 --> 00:02:16.719 get to all kinds of other entertainment. And the Department 40 00:02:16.759 --> 00:02:21.039 of Revenue determined that back in two thousand and eight, 41 00:02:21.080 --> 00:02:24.280 they said cable boxes were not subject to the state's 42 00:02:24.280 --> 00:02:27.719 sales tax because there were a piece of equipment used 43 00:02:27.879 --> 00:02:32.800 exclusively for TV transmission, so they fit into an exemption. 44 00:02:33.439 --> 00:02:37.319 And now they're saying essentially, Hey, these boxes do a 45 00:02:37.319 --> 00:02:41.000 whole lot more than transmit TV. Now, so now they 46 00:02:41.039 --> 00:02:44.400 should be subject to the sales tax, and that'll add 47 00:02:44.400 --> 00:02:48.039 a six point two five percent at tax onto those 48 00:02:48.080 --> 00:02:51.759 monthly rentals or the yearly leases of those boxes. 49 00:02:52.400 --> 00:02:59.039 Okay, so so what's what's what is the monthly rental 50 00:02:59.080 --> 00:03:01.919 for a box? I should have reviewed my own cable 51 00:03:01.960 --> 00:03:04.719 bill here, what what are we talking about? Six point 52 00:03:05.599 --> 00:03:08.240 six point two five percent of what I guess would be. 53 00:03:09.039 --> 00:03:12.800 Those monthly rentals are usually in the fifteen dollars a 54 00:03:12.840 --> 00:03:17.400 month twenty dollars a month range. That you know, I 55 00:03:17.400 --> 00:03:19.639 shouldn't have pulled the exact number from my bill too. 56 00:03:19.680 --> 00:03:21.800 I'm a little afraid to actually go see if I'm 57 00:03:22.199 --> 00:03:26.759 now getting taxed on it. But usually they write about 58 00:03:26.759 --> 00:03:30.159 fifteen to twenty dollars a month. So if it's twenty 59 00:03:30.240 --> 00:03:30.800 dollars a. 60 00:03:30.759 --> 00:03:33.960 Month, yeah, let's say twenty dollars a month, that's two 61 00:03:34.039 --> 00:03:37.919 hundred and forty dollars of your cable bill per year 62 00:03:38.439 --> 00:03:42.360 deals with the cable box, and six point two five 63 00:03:42.400 --> 00:03:45.120 percent of that's going to be about another fifteen dollars 64 00:03:45.159 --> 00:03:49.120 a year that Governor Heally is sticking her hand in 65 00:03:49.199 --> 00:03:49.840 your pocket. 66 00:03:50.039 --> 00:03:51.280 I mean, that's right. 67 00:03:51.520 --> 00:03:56.080 Do they have no shame? I mean, it's like they're 68 00:03:56.120 --> 00:03:58.759 going to get everybody and the people who rely upon 69 00:03:58.879 --> 00:04:03.599 cable boxes off times, our folks who you know are older, 70 00:04:04.639 --> 00:04:07.840 and that is really their form of entertainment. 71 00:04:07.439 --> 00:04:12.520 Right, that's right. You think about the number of the 72 00:04:12.759 --> 00:04:16.319 just the sheer number of cable boxes I would be 73 00:04:16.360 --> 00:04:19.160 willing to bet has been on the decline in Massachusetts 74 00:04:19.160 --> 00:04:22.519 as people cut the cord, cut the cable and they say, nope, 75 00:04:22.560 --> 00:04:26.839 I'm just gonna use all the streaming apps instead. You're 76 00:04:26.879 --> 00:04:32.160 exactly right. It leaves the the remaining people who have 77 00:04:32.279 --> 00:04:36.800 cable boxes to foot the bill for something like this exactly. 78 00:04:37.720 --> 00:04:41.480 And was there any opposition up there or was everybody 79 00:04:41.519 --> 00:04:44.680 gleeful that they have found another way to uh, to 80 00:04:44.680 --> 00:04:47.839 get money from from from this from the stone. 81 00:04:48.759 --> 00:04:51.079 You know, I was a little bit surprised, Dan, there 82 00:04:51.160 --> 00:04:54.279 was really not much talk on Beacon Hill about this one, 83 00:04:55.720 --> 00:04:58.480 and you know, surprised, of course. I wrote about it 84 00:04:58.560 --> 00:05:02.240 back in February and then heard cricket and I was shocked. 85 00:05:02.279 --> 00:05:04.560 I thought, for sure, oh this is going to get 86 00:05:04.600 --> 00:05:08.079 people's attention, This will get people talking, and it really 87 00:05:08.120 --> 00:05:12.680 didn't until it took effect last month. I will say 88 00:05:12.680 --> 00:05:16.480 the one politician I heard talk about this in either 89 00:05:16.519 --> 00:05:19.920 the House or the Senate was Senator Mark Montigny from 90 00:05:19.959 --> 00:05:23.560 New Bedford. He brought it up during the Senate's budget 91 00:05:23.600 --> 00:05:26.560 debate and tried to put a stop to it and 92 00:05:26.639 --> 00:05:30.920 basically said, you know, dr can call this whatever it wants. 93 00:05:31.360 --> 00:05:35.439 This is a new tax. This is raising the costs 94 00:05:35.720 --> 00:05:39.639 of living for people all across Massachusetts. And so he 95 00:05:40.279 --> 00:05:45.199 sort of planted his flag of opposition to it, and 96 00:05:45.319 --> 00:05:49.160 of course it still proceeded to take effect all the same. 97 00:05:49.480 --> 00:05:52.439 But there was at least one politician who you know, 98 00:05:52.560 --> 00:05:54.319 said hey, wait a minute, what are we doing here? 99 00:05:55.560 --> 00:05:57.360 And who was that? Which that was? 100 00:05:58.120 --> 00:06:00.800 That was Mark Montigny, as he's. 101 00:06:00.199 --> 00:06:02.120 A state center. If for not mistake, well, at least 102 00:06:02.120 --> 00:06:03.759 it's nice to know that there's one guy up there. 103 00:06:03.800 --> 00:06:07.399 I just it's just as frustrating to think that so 104 00:06:07.920 --> 00:06:14.560 many people are interested in, you know, just just getting 105 00:06:14.680 --> 00:06:18.600 every little bit of money that they can, you know, 106 00:06:19.439 --> 00:06:24.519 from from people here in Massachusetts. I don't know. It 107 00:06:24.600 --> 00:06:29.560 almost as if they have decided that, guess what, people 108 00:06:29.720 --> 00:06:33.480 in Massachusetts really don't care. We can just pick their 109 00:06:33.480 --> 00:06:37.319 pockets anytime we want. I mean, that's the impression I'm 110 00:06:37.319 --> 00:06:40.120 getting that that that there's no fight left is there's 111 00:06:40.120 --> 00:06:43.920 no Republican party up there that's having much of an impact. 112 00:06:45.199 --> 00:06:47.920 You're no one in the Democratic Party. There used to 113 00:06:47.959 --> 00:06:51.360 be a bunch of Democrats who were concerned about taxpayers, but. 114 00:06:53.199 --> 00:06:56.480 It's they all talk about the cost of living. That 115 00:06:56.480 --> 00:06:59.879 that's always they always talk about that as being one 116 00:06:59.879 --> 00:07:04.439 of their top concerns, you know, and this one, particularly, 117 00:07:05.240 --> 00:07:08.160 the way it came about, I think it might take 118 00:07:08.199 --> 00:07:11.839 people by surprise when they get their bill and go, hey, wait, 119 00:07:11.920 --> 00:07:15.360 that's a little bit higher than it has been because 120 00:07:15.399 --> 00:07:18.160 this wasn't something that needed to be voted on by 121 00:07:18.199 --> 00:07:20.800 the House in the Senate and get signed by the governor. 122 00:07:20.839 --> 00:07:24.680 This didn't happen by law. This is something where the 123 00:07:24.720 --> 00:07:28.959 Department of Revenue just issued this order, issued this directive 124 00:07:29.120 --> 00:07:34.319 and said here's our policy going forward. So, you know, 125 00:07:34.360 --> 00:07:38.040 there wasn't a lot of public There wasn't much chance 126 00:07:38.079 --> 00:07:40.959 for the public to weigh in. There was a very 127 00:07:41.000 --> 00:07:43.800 brief period back in the spring where do R took 128 00:07:43.920 --> 00:07:45.639 comments from the public. 129 00:07:45.319 --> 00:07:52.959 But the attention to those it's just interesting that that 130 00:07:53.160 --> 00:07:57.720 It's almost as if the fact that that Massachusetts will 131 00:07:57.720 --> 00:08:01.920 continue to tax and pick people's pockets, it's almost on 132 00:08:02.079 --> 00:08:05.680 automatic pilot. No one even has to fly the plane anymore. 133 00:08:05.879 --> 00:08:08.639 No politician has to get up and say it's my idea. 134 00:08:09.319 --> 00:08:12.360 And what that does is that immunizes the incumbents, and 135 00:08:12.959 --> 00:08:16.079 it is Oh boy, I'll tell you it's it's time 136 00:08:16.199 --> 00:08:19.399 for a lot of people to wake up in Massachusetts 137 00:08:19.480 --> 00:08:22.920 and realize again. You know you're gonna say, hey, fifteen 138 00:08:23.000 --> 00:08:25.160 dollars a year. Maybe fifteen dollars a year to you 139 00:08:25.199 --> 00:08:27.279 and me doesn't mean a whole art, but it might 140 00:08:27.319 --> 00:08:29.600 mean something to an older person or an older couple 141 00:08:30.079 --> 00:08:34.240 who run fixed income. Absolutely, aren't those the people that 142 00:08:34.279 --> 00:08:36.159 the Democrats say that they're concerned about. 143 00:08:36.320 --> 00:08:40.000 I don't know, even if it's only fifteen dollars, you 144 00:08:40.000 --> 00:08:42.440 know that's that's still fifteen dollars. 145 00:08:42.799 --> 00:08:46.240 Yeah, you guys are great watchdogs up there. State House 146 00:08:46.279 --> 00:08:49.960 News service the local TV stations used to have. When 147 00:08:50.000 --> 00:08:52.840 I was working at WBZ, we had state House reporters. 148 00:08:52.919 --> 00:08:56.519 John Henning was upgive for two four and different different 149 00:08:56.519 --> 00:08:59.279 reporters took times that their Walt Sanders would spend a 150 00:08:59.279 --> 00:09:01.840 lot of time at the people who perhaps you didn't 151 00:09:01.879 --> 00:09:04.320 grow up watching, but I got to tell you they 152 00:09:04.720 --> 00:09:08.120 kept the politicians more honest. And you guys are doing 153 00:09:08.159 --> 00:09:12.120 a great job. How can you subscribe to your service, 154 00:09:12.159 --> 00:09:16.320 state House News Reporter the average person just simply state 155 00:09:16.360 --> 00:09:17.279 House News dot com. 156 00:09:17.320 --> 00:09:21.960 I assume exactly state Housenews dot com. We are a 157 00:09:21.960 --> 00:09:26.120 subscription based service, but people can definitely go to the website, 158 00:09:26.159 --> 00:09:30.080 start checking it out, get a trial subscription to read 159 00:09:30.159 --> 00:09:32.759 more and to check out some of the other features 160 00:09:32.759 --> 00:09:36.200 on our website to try to keep them honest. And 161 00:09:36.759 --> 00:09:39.159 if we had more reporters up there, like you know, 162 00:09:39.440 --> 00:09:41.840 when all the TVs and all the local papers had 163 00:09:41.879 --> 00:09:46.399 reporters there, you know, powering numbers, and it would be 164 00:09:46.399 --> 00:09:47.879 good to get back to those numbers. 165 00:09:48.200 --> 00:09:50.919 Yeah, well it really would. But again, you're doing a 166 00:09:50.919 --> 00:09:53.320 great job as a State House news service, and thank 167 00:09:53.360 --> 00:09:55.039 you for what you do because you're about the only 168 00:09:55.639 --> 00:09:59.039 consistent line of communication we have. And I appreciate every 169 00:09:59.080 --> 00:10:00.519 time you guys come on the show at night. 170 00:10:00.799 --> 00:10:02.960 You always Walt, it's always a pleasure. 171 00:10:03.480 --> 00:10:05.440 Hey, thanks, callin we'll talk soon, Okay. 172 00:10:05.519 --> 00:10:06.919 My pleasure. Dan, thanks very much. 173 00:10:07.240 --> 00:10:08.919 All right, we're gona take quick break. We come back. 174 00:10:08.919 --> 00:10:12.639 We're going to talk about cybercrime. Yeah, I'm going to 175 00:10:12.720 --> 00:10:17.200 talk with Eric O'Neill. He's a cyber security expert, and 176 00:10:17.240 --> 00:10:20.879 there's a lot of this stuff going on. Spies, lies, 177 00:10:21.000 --> 00:10:23.480 and cyber crime coming up on the other side of 178 00:10:23.519 --> 00:10:26.279 the break. Here on Nightside, my name is Dan Ray 179 00:10:26.279 --> 00:10:28.480 and the host of the show. Been working with a 180 00:10:28.480 --> 00:10:31.919 couple of little technical issues here and Robie got everything 181 00:10:31.960 --> 00:10:35.399 squared away. While conducting the interv with Colin, I was 182 00:10:35.399 --> 00:10:38.600 doing some multitasking. Rob and Shane are back in the 183 00:10:38.679 --> 00:10:41.320 control room, so we have double duty tonight and we're 184 00:10:41.360 --> 00:10:43.919 in good shape. We'll be back right after this on Nightside. 185 00:10:45.000 --> 00:10:49.279 You're on Night Side with Dan Ray on wz Boston's 186 00:10:49.320 --> 00:10:53.480 news radio. Well, I am delighted to meet this next guest, 187 00:10:53.720 --> 00:10:58.320 Eric O'Neill. Eric's career began in the FBI's Counter Intelligent 188 00:10:58.440 --> 00:11:02.559 trenches as an undercover operative. And Eric, as I understand it, 189 00:11:03.480 --> 00:11:07.240 you spent some time rooting out I think one of 190 00:11:07.279 --> 00:11:12.600 the most heinous spies in f well, in US history, 191 00:11:13.399 --> 00:11:16.639 Robert Philip Hanson. I know a little bit about that case. 192 00:11:16.679 --> 00:11:18.799 You must know a lot about that case. Welcome to 193 00:11:18.879 --> 00:11:19.360 night Side. 194 00:11:20.639 --> 00:11:23.000 It's great to be on night Side Light. Thanks for 195 00:11:23.039 --> 00:11:23.399 having me. 196 00:11:23.919 --> 00:11:27.879 Yeah, so you worked that case, the Hanson case, if I. 197 00:11:27.919 --> 00:11:31.039 Was sent undercover, and probably what was the most unique 198 00:11:31.120 --> 00:11:34.200 case the FBI's ever run. They built a brand new 199 00:11:34.200 --> 00:11:38.320 department within FBI headquarters as a mouse trapped to catch Hanson, 200 00:11:38.879 --> 00:11:41.519 who was a spy for the Soviet Union and the 201 00:11:41.600 --> 00:11:46.480 Russian Federation for over twenty two years. 202 00:11:45.679 --> 00:11:50.039 He also went to the same church I think as 203 00:11:50.120 --> 00:11:54.679 the then director of the FBI he was. I had 204 00:11:54.879 --> 00:11:58.000 Liz Wheelon, who wrote the book A Spy in Playing 205 00:11:58.120 --> 00:12:01.399 Sight two or three years ago. Liz wrote a great 206 00:12:01.440 --> 00:12:04.159 book on that I have to go back and reread it. 207 00:12:04.480 --> 00:12:05.879 I want you to know that I spent a good 208 00:12:05.919 --> 00:12:09.159 portion of my time as a television reporter for CBS 209 00:12:09.159 --> 00:12:13.960 here in Boston investigating the totally corrupt Boston office of 210 00:12:14.000 --> 00:12:16.200 the FBI. You probably don't want to hear me say that, 211 00:12:16.279 --> 00:12:20.440 but instead of full disclosure, we had an office with 212 00:12:20.480 --> 00:12:24.039 people like Paul Rico, Dennis Condon, John Connelly and others 213 00:12:24.240 --> 00:12:29.519 up here, and we spent a lot of time going 214 00:12:30.039 --> 00:12:32.600 after the FBI. But you're one of the good guys. 215 00:12:32.639 --> 00:12:34.759 You went after the bad guys in the FBI. So 216 00:12:35.240 --> 00:12:37.639 I am honored to meet you, Eric, let's talk. 217 00:12:37.759 --> 00:12:41.039 That was definitely my job to go undercover and catch 218 00:12:41.159 --> 00:12:42.799 the spies and bad guys. And if you want to 219 00:12:42.840 --> 00:12:45.720 read the definitive book on the Hanson case, it's my 220 00:12:45.799 --> 00:12:48.320 book Great Day, which came out a few years ago, 221 00:12:48.399 --> 00:12:50.919 and tell us the story from my eyes of being 222 00:12:51.000 --> 00:12:52.200 inside the investigation. 223 00:12:52.399 --> 00:12:54.679 Well, I'll tell you what do you know? You must 224 00:12:54.679 --> 00:12:55.879 know Liz Wheel I. 225 00:12:55.799 --> 00:12:58.759 Assume right, I know of her and we don't know 226 00:12:58.840 --> 00:12:59.240 each other. 227 00:12:59.440 --> 00:13:04.440 Yeah, okay, Well you know what I'm gonna do. I'm 228 00:13:04.480 --> 00:13:07.559 going to call you and I'll have you back on 229 00:13:07.679 --> 00:13:09.600 to talk about your book, and we'll do it for 230 00:13:09.639 --> 00:13:10.519 an hour some night. 231 00:13:10.600 --> 00:13:11.799 Okay, sounds great. 232 00:13:12.159 --> 00:13:15.080 I mean that's seriously because I'm fascinated by this case. 233 00:13:15.279 --> 00:13:20.720 This guy was a devout Roman Catholic as you as 234 00:13:20.720 --> 00:13:22.559 you well know. I don't need to tell you anything 235 00:13:22.600 --> 00:13:26.440 about him. Uh. And he's has he died in prisoners, 236 00:13:26.440 --> 00:13:27.159 he's still alive. 237 00:13:27.759 --> 00:13:30.600 He passed away in June of twenty twenty three, a 238 00:13:30.600 --> 00:13:33.639 couple of years ago, natural causes. Yeah, and he was 239 00:13:33.679 --> 00:13:36.720 in super max prison in Florence, Colorado, and probably one 240 00:13:36.759 --> 00:13:38.879 of the most horrible prisons on earth. 241 00:13:39.039 --> 00:13:42.480 Yeah, he's out there with the Boston bomber and a 242 00:13:42.519 --> 00:13:45.399 lot of the other big name people. But what a 243 00:13:45.519 --> 00:13:48.320 what a creep. Anyway, great day is the book? Okay, 244 00:13:48.360 --> 00:13:50.240 I'll have you back. I problem. So let's talk about 245 00:13:50.559 --> 00:13:53.200 cyber attacks. What's going on now? We got to cease 246 00:13:53.240 --> 00:13:57.759 fire with Iron and Israel. I believe, and I don't 247 00:13:57.759 --> 00:14:01.519 know what information you have, but I believe that Iran's 248 00:14:01.879 --> 00:14:05.840 nuclear capacity and capability has been badly damaged. And the 249 00:14:05.919 --> 00:14:08.679 reason I believe that is not any inside information, Eric, 250 00:14:09.000 --> 00:14:12.080 but I believe you watch what people do as opposed 251 00:14:12.120 --> 00:14:14.320 to what they say, and I know what they're saying 252 00:14:14.320 --> 00:14:17.720 for domestic consumption in Iran, but I'm watching what they do, 253 00:14:17.840 --> 00:14:20.080 and for them to have engaged in this ceasefire now 254 00:14:20.120 --> 00:14:24.000 for over a week tells me that they're hurting right now. 255 00:14:25.039 --> 00:14:27.519 Yeah, I agree with that assessment. I think that if 256 00:14:27.600 --> 00:14:32.080 nothing else there a nuclear weaponization program has been pushed back. 257 00:14:32.240 --> 00:14:35.879 I've said at least a decade. It takes quite some 258 00:14:36.080 --> 00:14:39.480 time to come back from this. Those centrifugures that would 259 00:14:39.480 --> 00:14:43.000 have all been destroyed take years to even build and 260 00:14:43.039 --> 00:14:45.360 set up and it's going to be very difficult for 261 00:14:45.399 --> 00:14:48.200 them to restart the program with all the scrutiny that's 262 00:14:48.279 --> 00:14:48.960 on the country. 263 00:14:49.120 --> 00:14:51.399 And as I tried to convince a caller of mine 264 00:14:51.799 --> 00:14:56.039 a week or so ago, without centrifuges, Iran doesn't. 265 00:14:55.799 --> 00:15:01.000 Build bombs, that's right. They can't weaponize the ranium, uh, 266 00:15:01.120 --> 00:15:03.279 to get it to the point where they can actually 267 00:15:03.320 --> 00:15:06.200 put indugular weapon on one of their ballistic missiles. 268 00:15:06.279 --> 00:15:08.799 Okay, so let's talk what what are we looking at 269 00:15:08.879 --> 00:15:13.919 right now? How exposed are we to I don't worry 270 00:15:13.919 --> 00:15:18.639 about Israel cyber attacking us, but I sure worry about uh, 271 00:15:18.840 --> 00:15:22.440 you know, lone wolves, and I worry about Iranian operatives. Uh, 272 00:15:22.559 --> 00:15:25.879 they had operatives who are around the world killing people. Uh. 273 00:15:26.039 --> 00:15:28.879 I mean it's that they they play for keeps. 274 00:15:29.799 --> 00:15:32.759 Yeah. Well, and remember that not too long ago a 275 00:15:32.919 --> 00:15:38.039 plot was uncovered, an Iranian plot to assassinate President Trump. Yes, 276 00:15:38.080 --> 00:15:44.159 so they certainly are not shy about launching terrorist attacks 277 00:15:44.159 --> 00:15:47.799 of all shapes and sizes, whether it's kinetic or cyber. Now. 278 00:15:47.840 --> 00:15:51.679 I think right now they're reeling. Uh. Their military has 279 00:15:51.720 --> 00:15:52.559 been decimated. 280 00:15:53.200 --> 00:15:53.399 Uh. 281 00:15:53.519 --> 00:15:59.000 They their regime is struggling internally with their population who uh, 282 00:15:59.440 --> 00:16:01.759 you know, maybe most people might not know. Most of 283 00:16:01.759 --> 00:16:04.480 the people in Iran really hate the regime. They're trapped, 284 00:16:05.720 --> 00:16:08.320 and so they have to deal with that unrest from 285 00:16:08.360 --> 00:16:11.279 the inside. But the one thing that Iron can continue 286 00:16:11.279 --> 00:16:14.559 to do is the eight symmetrical warfare that they have 287 00:16:14.679 --> 00:16:17.840 been waging against the US and the West in general 288 00:16:17.960 --> 00:16:19.679 for years, which is cyber. 289 00:16:19.399 --> 00:16:23.320 Attacks, which would include. 290 00:16:24.759 --> 00:16:29.000 Right, So, Iran has been attacking the United States in 291 00:16:29.039 --> 00:16:32.200 particular for years, and they've been launching what we call 292 00:16:32.320 --> 00:16:36.120 probe attacks against our critical infrastructure. These are attacks that 293 00:16:36.200 --> 00:16:38.559 are in preparation for any kind of future of war, 294 00:16:38.679 --> 00:16:44.320 which could be tomorrow, and these probe attacks are attempts 295 00:16:44.320 --> 00:16:49.600 to embed themselves within different systems in the US critical infrastructure. 296 00:16:49.639 --> 00:16:52.279 When I at lea say critical infrastructure, people normally think 297 00:16:52.600 --> 00:16:56.679 lights and power, but it also includes water, natural gas, 298 00:16:57.039 --> 00:16:59.440 waste water removal, you know, if you can't plush your 299 00:16:59.480 --> 00:17:06.440 toilet problem, and communications. China, you know, just attack our 300 00:17:06.599 --> 00:17:09.640 major telecom selth providers and was able to get into 301 00:17:09.720 --> 00:17:13.680 networks and read people's texts and listen to their voicemails. 302 00:17:13.799 --> 00:17:16.720 So critical infrastructure is sort of the holy grail for 303 00:17:17.160 --> 00:17:20.799 threat actors of all stripes and sizes, and Iran has 304 00:17:21.079 --> 00:17:24.759 been embedding themselves in our critical infrastructure for years now. 305 00:17:24.759 --> 00:17:29.160 The good news is that we do find them. You know, SIKA, 306 00:17:29.279 --> 00:17:33.160 who is the Cybersecurity Infrastructure Security Agency, and the FBI 307 00:17:33.240 --> 00:17:36.160 i C three, the Internet Crime Complaint Center, and the 308 00:17:36.240 --> 00:17:40.039 FBI's different cyber divisions are very good at rooting them out. 309 00:17:40.559 --> 00:17:45.599 But our critical infrastructure is old, it has poorly designed 310 00:17:45.599 --> 00:17:49.160 on patch systems, and so bad guys are constantly trying 311 00:17:49.160 --> 00:17:50.000 to worm their way in. 312 00:17:51.319 --> 00:17:54.599 You know, I'll tell you a funny story that I've 313 00:17:54.640 --> 00:18:00.160 told my callers online listeners. But several years ago, I 314 00:18:00.240 --> 00:18:03.640 was with my family in a foreign country I'm not 315 00:18:03.680 --> 00:18:06.640 going to say where, and we were having dinner in 316 00:18:06.680 --> 00:18:10.680 a at a resort where we were and my daughter, 317 00:18:11.599 --> 00:18:15.839 who for some reason checks every room where, every public 318 00:18:15.920 --> 00:18:18.839 room where we are located, and she said to me, 319 00:18:19.400 --> 00:18:22.599 don't turn around, don't look behind you. And of course, 320 00:18:22.680 --> 00:18:25.160 what's your impulse when your daughter or someone says that 321 00:18:25.200 --> 00:18:27.319 to you, You want to look around. Well, we were 322 00:18:27.400 --> 00:18:33.759 sitting at a table right behind the author Selmon Rushti, 323 00:18:35.519 --> 00:18:38.839 who at that point there had been a Fatois pointed. 324 00:18:40.839 --> 00:18:42.680 Yeah, not the room you want to be in, not. 325 00:18:42.599 --> 00:18:45.599 The room you want to be in. It was, you know, 326 00:18:45.839 --> 00:18:48.400 it was a nice area. So but but I remember 327 00:18:48.480 --> 00:18:50.640 talking to my daughter after the saying, thank god they 328 00:18:50.640 --> 00:18:53.119 didn't execute the fatois on him that night. Of course, 329 00:18:53.160 --> 00:18:57.000 he was stabbed and sadly and badly injured recently in Buffalo, 330 00:18:57.079 --> 00:19:00.559 New York by it looked like a lone wolf. But 331 00:19:00.599 --> 00:19:02.720 these folks on the other side, they play for keeps 332 00:19:02.720 --> 00:19:05.640 and eric. Guys like you, guys and women, men and 333 00:19:05.680 --> 00:19:08.960 women like you are the front line. And I truly 334 00:19:10.079 --> 00:19:13.400 appreciate everything that you do. The name of your book 335 00:19:14.279 --> 00:19:19.240 is Spies, Lies and Cybercrime, kind of like the sex, 336 00:19:19.319 --> 00:19:24.640 Lies and Videotape. But that's that's very well done, HarperCollins 337 00:19:25.079 --> 00:19:28.920 available everywhere, I'm sure, and it's a it's a book 338 00:19:28.920 --> 00:19:31.799 that everybody should read. I'm going to be back in 339 00:19:31.839 --> 00:19:33.240 touch with you, and we're going to get you in 340 00:19:33.279 --> 00:19:36.920 to talk about Gray Day and the pursuit of Hanson, 341 00:19:37.319 --> 00:19:41.160 because obviously we have to make sure that our own 342 00:19:41.200 --> 00:19:45.599 intelligence systems N S, A, C, I, A, FBI, et cetera. 343 00:19:45.640 --> 00:19:49.559 All the alphabet soup agencies are you know, purer than 344 00:19:49.559 --> 00:19:52.920 the driven snow and Hanson. Hanson was able to live 345 00:19:52.920 --> 00:19:56.960 it a complete double life. And the work that you 346 00:19:57.039 --> 00:20:00.559 did to to you know, secure his arrest and conviction, 347 00:20:01.720 --> 00:20:04.240 it was the service of this country. So I'm honored 348 00:20:04.279 --> 00:20:06.079 to meet you, Eric, and I hope we will have 349 00:20:06.119 --> 00:20:08.880 you back. I promise, Okay, Yeah, thank you. 350 00:20:08.960 --> 00:20:10.839 It was great to talk to you, and I'm looking 351 00:20:10.880 --> 00:20:13.359 forward to coming back on the show and diving into 352 00:20:13.359 --> 00:20:16.839 that handsOn case. It was incredibly unique and important because 353 00:20:16.880 --> 00:20:20.400 Hanson blue holes and counter intelligence and fixing. It was 354 00:20:20.440 --> 00:20:24.319 critical for the entire intelligence apparatus here in the United States. 355 00:20:25.079 --> 00:20:27.359 But despite with some of the old FBI agents might 356 00:20:27.400 --> 00:20:29.480 tell you in Bosson, I'm not a bad guy. I'm 357 00:20:29.480 --> 00:20:31.039 on the right team. 358 00:20:31.680 --> 00:20:35.119 I haven't heard anything negative, So don't worry about that. 359 00:20:35.599 --> 00:20:40.200 Thanks Eric. We'll talk soon, all right, right when we 360 00:20:40.240 --> 00:20:43.319 get back. When we get back, we're going to talk 361 00:20:43.359 --> 00:20:48.640 about a new tax, well other tax. It's a tip. 362 00:20:48.680 --> 00:20:51.799 It's a tip. It's a charge that you might see 363 00:20:51.920 --> 00:20:55.559 when you go to a restaurant. Believe me, you want 364 00:20:55.599 --> 00:20:58.039 to know about this one. My name's Dan Ray. This 365 00:20:58.119 --> 00:21:04.880 is night Side. It's called a three percent kitchen appreciation. Oh, 366 00:21:04.880 --> 00:21:07.079 it's a tax, but it's really, it's a surch arts. 367 00:21:07.119 --> 00:21:09.119 Let's put it like that. We'll be back at Nightside 368 00:21:09.200 --> 00:21:15.880 right after this. You're on night Side, well Boston's news radio. 369 00:21:16.519 --> 00:21:19.319 All right, let's get right back at it. When look, 370 00:21:19.359 --> 00:21:23.400 you walt to restaurants and you run it's restaurants are 371 00:21:23.440 --> 00:21:27.640 expensive no matter where you go. Uh, and you certainly 372 00:21:27.680 --> 00:21:31.279 want to leave a tip for the waiter or waitress 373 00:21:31.799 --> 00:21:36.440 that served you and your party at that restaurant. And 374 00:21:36.920 --> 00:21:40.440 there's there's a new charge which is showing up kind 375 00:21:40.440 --> 00:21:45.079 of unannounced at some restaurants. It's a kitchen appreciation charge 376 00:21:45.480 --> 00:21:48.759 with us as Sharif Mityas, he's the CEO of Bricks Holdings, 377 00:21:48.759 --> 00:21:52.839 a multi brand franchising company specializing in food service chain, 378 00:21:53.039 --> 00:21:55.000 so he knows a lot about this. He's been a 379 00:21:55.039 --> 00:21:57.279 guest before. Sharif, welcome back to. 380 00:21:57.319 --> 00:21:59.799 Night Side, Thanks for having me back on. 381 00:22:00.680 --> 00:22:05.160 So I've heard of this, I've yet to experience it. 382 00:22:05.839 --> 00:22:11.640 But how common is this this new charge? You know, 383 00:22:11.680 --> 00:22:14.000 there are a lot of restaurants that when you do 384 00:22:14.200 --> 00:22:17.960 takeout now they you know, all you do is you 385 00:22:18.039 --> 00:22:20.880 walk up, you drive to the restaurant, you've called the 386 00:22:20.960 --> 00:22:22.680 order in. They tell you when you get there, you 387 00:22:22.799 --> 00:22:26.720 drive there, you walk in, and you pay for your meal, 388 00:22:27.720 --> 00:22:31.079 and they hand you your bag or whatever, and then 389 00:22:31.319 --> 00:22:34.680 they're like asking you for a tip, which to me is. 390 00:22:36.839 --> 00:22:37.599 Ridiculous. 391 00:22:37.880 --> 00:22:42.279 Well, it's very common. I mean it's very common. How 392 00:22:42.359 --> 00:22:46.279 common is this kitchen appreciation charge? So they kind of 393 00:22:46.359 --> 00:22:48.720 call it a tax because it doesn't go to the government, 394 00:22:48.759 --> 00:22:51.519 that theoretically goes to the folks who work in the kitchen. 395 00:22:52.480 --> 00:22:56.839 That's right. Well, luckily it's not very prevalent, but you're 396 00:22:56.839 --> 00:22:58.720 seeing it, to your point, in a lot of different ways. 397 00:22:58.799 --> 00:23:02.640 Some people call it the server benefits tax. Some people 398 00:23:02.720 --> 00:23:05.759 call it the living wage tax. Some people call it 399 00:23:05.839 --> 00:23:09.519 the kitchen appreciation tax. So yeah, you can call it 400 00:23:09.559 --> 00:23:12.880 a lot of different things. But whatever you call it, 401 00:23:12.880 --> 00:23:16.880