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One of the benefits of living in New York is the local paper. It would be difficult for me to be more enthusiastic about the New York Times.

Their reporting is fantastic, but their billing is awful. I've subscribed for about a dozen years. They almost always send bills that arrive after my payment is due to them.

Today I went online to check my account because I suspected there was a billing error, but my password and ID combination didn't work.

I love when access to ID or password information is dependent upon answering vague questions such as: What is your favorite book?

Avid readers of the New York Times tend to be regular readers with multiple favorite books. Choosing a favorite book is like identifying a favored child. Who chose this question?

Clearly, my reply to the question didn't work.

So, I used my new Skype phone to call customer service. This is only the third time I've used the phone.

It sounded like my call was picked up and put on hold. What a shock to hear a recording advertising a sex phone service on the New York Times customer care line.

Did Skype accept a call from some random service? Is the New York Times aware that this sex ad is running on its call holding recording?

I checked the number again.

I had inverted the last two digits. So much for "hot girls open to all you've got" while you are on hold with the publisher of all news fit to print.