Not really another customer service problem, but i think it might be related...
I'm begining to notice the amount of subtle deviousness in today's business.
Last night I got home and my cable was acting strange. The images on some of the channels were "ghosted" on the major networks. I called customer service. After some explaining, she said a tech would have to come out, and when was a good time. About 4-6 months ago, my cable company MADE us get a converter box for an extra $4 a month if you had HBO. When I asked why, she said, "So incase there is a problem with your cable, we can take care of it from here, and not have to send a tech person out."
Great. So, I would call that devious. A way of getting more money from me a month, and lets just make up some excuse to justify it.
Today, I called to upgrade a piece of software for the PC. It was a $19 upgrade price. After giving the customer service person my name, address, email, she then asked for my phone #. I said it was unlisted. She said, Oh, we just use it for an ID verification here, and we don't sell it to other people... After a pause of thinking about giving it to her, I said, "Well, you do have my name, isn't that a personal ID verification"? So she sort of realized how much of a lame excuse she gave me and moved on to taking my order. Next, after completing the upgrade order, She said "And would you like to order the 400 page manual, with advanced features for only $24.99?" I asked if that was in addition to the $19.99, and she said Yes! Wow, so for $20, I get the program, but, if I want to know how to run the program, I need to buy an additional $25 manual. You know, That's just wrong.
ok, I'm off to call them back and see if I can complain to someone at the company. I know it will do no good, but someone needs to speak up to these people.

Cyen out

Today's rant is about customer service. It just amazes me that in today's techological world, where we can have little devices that you can talk to almost anywhere ouside, and then have another person hear you in their little device from somewhere else in the word, that we still have problems with customer service. (By the way, I'm refering to cell phones above). I've had to deal with two customer service problems in the last week or two. One was with UPS, and another was with the Bank company in regards to my new truck. The UPS problem took me several hours on the phone, and I got a run-a-round like you wouldn't believe. I talked to tech. support, customer service, billing, and the help desk. Then after 2 days, they finally found the right person to call me back and explain the problem correctly and tell us how to fix it. The problem with my bank, I received a letter stating I didn't have proper insurance, or that they needed proof of insurance. The Insurance ID card was not acceptable to them (Why? It's acceptable to the police if I'm pulled over?). Ok, I need to fax them various sheets from my policy. I call back a day later to confirm, that everything was received and all is well. Yep. We're good. THEN about a week later, I get aonther letter in the mail, that says they need more information. So today I fax them more papers, and called to confirm. Yep, all's well they say. But now, I asked them for something in writting or to fax it to me, and guess what... "Oh, we don't do that". After a few more examples of why I don't want to take "Gina's" word for it, She puts me on hold. Then come's back and say's they will mail me something. Hmmmm Should I hold My breath for this letter to arrive? Such is my luck when dealing with customer service. At least everyone I dealt with was moderately polite. Which is rare now-a-days too.
Cyen out

Well, the website is done! Or at least done except for a few minor details, and pages i'd like to add. www.film-critiques.com.
Maybe now I'll have more time to blog on a regular basis.
Things of note today:
Happy Halloween!
Make's me miss my day's as a Ghost investigator. about 2 weeks ago I went to a magazine promotion for "weird NJ" and saw two friends I used to go with to the ghost investigations. It was good to see them again. But I still don't miss not being a part of all the "drama and politics" that went on within that group.
Speaking of ghosts, I might have had an encounter yesterday... I was standing in the middle of the room at work, and as I was waiting for the boss to get off the phone, I felt a strong breeze go past my head/shoulders/hair. I immediately looked around to see what might of caused the breeze... nothing. The heater vents were far away, and on the floor, and would not have produced a gust like that. and no-one came in the back door either. It was very strange.
Cyen out
In my CD: Classical Requiem music
Reading: Umberto Eco's "In the Name of the Rose"

been kind busy trying to teach myself the webstuff. I'm trying to debate right now if what I'm doing warants going out and buying the web software. It's a whopping $350!! So I'll put that off til very last. If I can figure this stuff out using the software I currently have, then that'l be good.
You know you have too many laws in this country when...
Last night on "hannity and Colmes" (spelling?) It's a "news/talk/" tv show of the Fox news network. Two guys, who have fairly opposite view points when it comes to politics. They usually find several topics during the day to discuss on their show, and get people (me) rilled up.
Last night there was a "debate" with a group of peopl who are trying to pass a law to make it illegal to place an image of a human likeness up at any shooting range for guns. Apparently what sparked this was that some gun club was using pictures of Osama Bin. I just can't believe this. The woman who they had on as a guest to defend the postion claimed that by putting these images up, it might promote "vigilantism".... Jeesh! So then if they take these images down, and just shoot at say "tin cans" will that then cause a person to walk into a supermarket and then start shooting at the canned corn? I mean just a little common sense with these people is all i ask. But this is apparently going to the high courts (I can't recall if they said supreme) for a ruling. Like they don't have more important issues on hand.
Cyen out
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Well, Things are moving along...
Pretty soon I won't be posting my movie reviews on this blog but on my own movie review website! Yep, I've taken the leap and am starting the task of creating my own website. Not some little "freebie" site, but a paid in full, no ads (unless I put em there), along with my own custom email etc...
I'm still in the brain storming mode, and have brought in a friend who will be helping out. At this point it seems like there's so much to do, everything from deciding what content to include, to teaching myself how to do a "rollover" (when your mouse moves over an object on a webpage and then changes), to creating small web based image animations! (Just tought myself that one today!). I've set a target date of Sept 1. Of course that's just a date I picked at random. If it's done sooner great, I hope it won't take much more than that.
So if you want to check it out now, and then "bookmark" it for later go to:

www.film-critiques.com

movie review for this week...
We saw "triple X" or XxX
It's the new action adventure with "vin diesel" which is like a modern day 2002 americanized james bond.
It was excellent for an action movie in that there's very little down time. There's explosions galore, gun fights, car chases, gadgets, etc... Some of the stunt scenes were VERY well done. I was most impressed with the scenes where Vin was dropped off at a columbian drug facility, and then a government army came in with helicopters and all, and proceeded to blow the place up... But... The down side to this was the storyline. predictable (I'm using that word alot aren't I?) All the typical James bond spy stuff, mixed in with the one line "zingers". Although the stunt scenes were incredible, they were also very unbelievable. Like the old days with the Dukes of Hazard on TV, when they'd ram a stationary car in the street, and yet somehow this turned into a launch ramp to launch the car high in the air to do a fantastic jump. But again, that's not really the point in seeing these types of movies. You have enter a certain mode where you can ignore everyday "physics". So If that sort of thing doesn't bother you, then check this movie out for a high adrenaline, loud metal rock-n-roll, and explosions, and you'll like this movie.
PS> On a downer note... I just saw on TV last night, that a stuntman was killed during the shooting of this movie. Apparently it was an "easy" standard stunt, that just went wrong. My condolances.

Cyen out
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Sorry I've not updated in a week or so...
Movie>
Signs....

Spoiler warning!!! I'f you've not seen the movie yet, DONT READ THIS!!!

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The new one from M. Night Shamalan (sp?). This is a hard one to review... At first I really liked the movie. I was into it, and after leaving the theatre thought "This is what every movie should be" - It seemed ot incorporate all the things that I thought should be in every movie like; Action, Drama, humor, sci-fi, storyline/plot, sub-plot, etc... Now granted I did think the ending was predictable, but I'm starting to realize 99.9% of movie endings are predictable, so is that really a bad thing? Upon asking my friend what he thought of the movie, he said he wasn't sure. Which threw me. I didn't understand why there would be any hesitation. BUT... I came in monday morn, and proceeded to look stuff up about the movie. I read some other online reviews, and it seemed to be a mixed bag. You either loved it, or hated it... I'm starting to see some of the bad things of the movie that I wasn't aware of during the movie. The biggest, is that someone suggested the entire movie was a dream of mel gibson!? I didn't pick up on this, but they did bring up some good points that it "could" have all been just a dream. Also the Aliens seemed to make no sense... they're an advanced race trying to take over a planet with "invisibile" ships during the day, but lights at night. Their only means of attack are small amounts of poison, and they try to take over a planet where the surface has 3/4 covering of the thing that is most deadly to them... Water. So in looking back on the story line, I'm begining to see the problems. But I'll be honest, that while watching the movie I was caught up in it, and these things either didn't occur to me, or I overlooked them. One final note: I think another big thing was you have to see this movie with an open mind. If you were expecting certain things (surprise M. Night ending, or a sci fi thriller, or a movie about crop circles, then you will be let down. It seemed to be a movie about alot of different things.

ok, one more thing...
Look for my new website! www.film-critiques.com! I hope to do this on a regular bases and who knows either get a free movie pass, or a promotional item like a keychain or T-shirt! or Maybe even turn it into an income generating website?! Basically I'm just doing it for fun because I enjoy movies, and I enjoy posting small reviews about them.

Cyen out

Oh... the ebay thing is resolved. I sent the tape back to him, and never heard from him again.
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Ebay update>
Well, I thought it was all resolved, but now I'm still awaiting his confirmation of his last name. I don't want it to not get there due to a mail problem. But... I've emailed him twice asking him to confirm the spelling, and he's yet to reply. So at this point I'm considering the thing done. If he responds great, if not... oh well.

Austin Powers>
Well we went to see it. I had one requirement to see it, which was to have at least 2 beers in me. (I actually had a shot of tequilla too, and I'm not much of a drinker anymore, so it went right to my head). As it turns out, the movie was funny up until the effects of the alcohol wore off. I mean you know it's a stupid movie to begin with, so there isn't much to complain about, and I did laugh a few times at "mini-me", but wow, what crude low-brow humor. But like i said there were some funny parts I'll admit to laughing at. All in all, wait for video unless you've see Austin 1 and 2... then it's a mandate to see 3 in the theatre.

Signs>
I can't wait! this movie starts this weekend, and I've been looking forward to it for months now. I hope the director does the subject well (I'm sure he will), I've been wanting to do some internet research on crop circles (which is what this movies about), but have only done some preliminary searching. I don't want to find anything out that will ruin the movie. But I suspect once I see the movie, I'll have a lot more questions and start looking into it more. Yes, I DO believe that most of the crop circles reported are fakes.... But there is some very compelling evidence that the few "originals" are really mysteries... I'll post some links here later.

Have a good weekend
cyen out
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