tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-242237432024-03-13T16:05:26.130-04:00Cranial SoupPeas, carrots, green beans, and gray matter.Apphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04973805741360160102noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24223743.post-49574019935207977822007-05-03T15:31:00.001-04:002007-11-18T05:36:55.235-05:00Verizon's Prepaid $0.99 a Day Theft Plan<p>So, I am just sitting here, minding my own business, when all of a sudden I get an IM from a friend of mine that just needs to be shared. (he wanted me to, which is why he told me about it.)</p><p> </p><p><span style="color:#00ffff;">byte:</span> I was checking out prepaid cell phones today online..<br /><span style="color:#00ffff;">byte:</span> and while I was at verizon's site, this popup thing came up on my end...<br /><span style="color:#00ffff;">byte:</span> wanna see the convo?<br /><span style="color:#00ffff;">byte:</span> lol<br /><span style="color:#ff80c0;">app:</span> sure</p><p>------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</p><blockquote><p>Please wait for a Verizon Wireless sales representative to assist you with your order. Thank you for your patience!</p><p><br />A Verizon Wireless online pre-sales specialist has joined the chat. You are now chatting with Kelly.</p><p><br /><span style="color:#ff0000;">Kelly:</span> Hello. Thank you for visiting our chat service. How may I help you today?<br /><span style="color:#ff0000;">Kelly:</span> Are you an existing Verizon Wireless customer?<br /><span style="color:#00ff00;">You:</span> No<br /><span style="color:#00ff00;">You:</span> I'm looking over the prepaid plans, and I'm wondering how Verizon thinks they can get away with charging $0.99 per day even if I were to not use the cell phone.<br /><span style="color:#00ff00;">You:</span> that's theft<br /><span style="color:#ff0000;">Kelly:</span> That is the access fee for that plan.<br /><span style="color:#00ff00;">You:</span> access fee for accessing nothing?<br /><span style="color:#00ff00;">You:</span> theft.<br /><span style="color:#00ff00;">You:</span> do you have a legal degree, or is there a lawyer present?<br /><span style="color:#ff0000;">Kelly:</span> No, there is not lawyer here.<br /><span style="color:#00ff00;">You:</span> I was honestly considering a prepaid phone through Verizon - until I read that your company will be stealing $0.99 per day EVEN if I DON'T use the phone. Then, unfortunately for you, this jackassy pop-up came popping up, asking me if I wanted to talk to someone.<br /><span style="color:#00ff00;">You:</span> sorry you were there to catch the brunt of it.<br /><span style="color:#00ff00;">You:</span> I have STRONG reason to suspect that I will be going with another provider OTHER than Verizon.<br /><span style="color:#00ff00;">You:</span> sheerly due to the fact that no matter if I use the phone or not, I'll be charged $0.99 each day.<br /><span style="color:#00ff00;">You:</span> a $15 card would last how long at that rate?<br /><span style="color:#00ff00;">You:</span> just shy of 15 days?<br /><span style="color:#00ff00;">You:</span> yet it expires in how many days?<br /><span style="color:#00ff00;">You:</span> that's gotta be deceptive advertising<br /><span style="color:#00ff00;">You:</span> a $15 card will NEVER last 30 days.<br /><span style="color:#00ff00;">You:</span> not with you all stealing $0.99 each and every day even if the phone ISN'T USED!<br /><span style="color:#00ff00;">You:</span> Cingular at least is kind enough to not commit such theft.<br /><span style="color:#00ff00;">You:</span> TMobile is nicer as well<br /><span style="color:#00ff00;">You:</span> what do I get with Verizon?<br /><span style="color:#00ff00;">You:</span> what is the "party-bonus" that I get if I go with Verizon and your theft plan?<br /><span style="color:#00ff00;">You:</span> *prepaid plan<br /><span style="color:#00ff00;">You:</span> my mistake<br /><span style="color:#ff0000;">Kelly:</span> We do offer the in calling and night calling free with that plan.<br /><span style="color:#00ff00;">You:</span> ok - anything else?<br /><span style="color:#00ff00;">You:</span> what are "ringback tones?"<br /><span style="color:#ff0000;">Kelly:</span> That is tones that the person calling you hears before you answer your phone.<br /><span style="color:#00ff00;">You:</span> alright<br /><span style="color:#00ff00;">You:</span> well, I have to say that it seems as if Verizon's prepaid plans are, for lack of a better word, flat-out theft from the pocket phones of the prepaid world.<br /><span style="color:#00ff00;">You:</span> even if I don't use it, I get charged?<br /><span style="color:#00ff00;">You:</span> what the fudge?<br /><span style="color:#00ff00;">You:</span> who was smoking what when this idea came around?<br /><span style="color:#00ff00;">You:</span> You see, I'm not a phone addict like you would wish I were... are there any plans which won't charge me even if I don't use the phone? prepaid plans?<br /><span style="color:#ff0000;">Kelly:</span> WE do have the Easy pay plan that allow you 350 minutes for $50.00 per month pre pay.<br /><span style="color:#00ff00;">You:</span> do you have any plans comparable to the $29.99 prepaid cards (which aparently, with your company's theft of $0.99 per day even if the phone isn't used, would only last 1 month anyhow)?<br /><span style="color:#ff0000;">Kelly:</span> No, unfortunately we do not.<br /><span style="color:#00ff00;">You:</span> ok, well thank your supervisor for this jackassy popup appearing on my end, and for your company offering what appears to be crappy prices and theft. in the mean time, I would like to thank you for working for complete and total morons who probably figure no one reads the fine print.<br /><span style="color:#00ff00;">You:</span> I hope you have a very nice day - honestly I do.</p></blockquote><p>------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</p><p><br /><span style="color:#00ffff;">byte:</span> that poor gal prolly never expected it<br /><span style="color:#00ffff;">byte:</span> damned jackassy popups<br /><span style="color:#00ffff;">byte:</span> "Do you want to talk with a representative?"<br /><span style="color:#00ffff;">byte:</span> no, but since you're bothering me with a popup, fucker, sure.<br /><span style="color:#00ffff;">byte:</span> right now, I'm thinking about Cingular for a prepaid<br /><span style="color:#00ffff;">byte:</span> I haven't talked with tmobile yet<br /><span style="color:#00ffff;">byte:</span> not extensively enough to decide<br /><span style="color:#00ffff;">byte:</span> it's gotta be better than Verizon's theft plan<br /><span style="color:#00ffff;">byte:</span> *prepaid plan</p><p>------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</p><p>I really do need to start another blog...a group one...for the occasional ranters among my friends. That way they can have their own place for this and won't have to borrow my blog. (lol)</p>Apphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04973805741360160102noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24223743.post-1167007527787675732006-12-24T19:45:00.000-05:002007-11-18T06:26:27.248-05:00The perfect gift<img class="floatLeft" title="" alt="" src="http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/4678/boxpf0.jpg" border="0" /><em>“Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some stay for awhile and leave footprints on our hearts, and we are never, ever the same.”<br /><div align="right">--Unknown</div></em><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />The perfect gift to give is always the perfect gift for the person you are giving it to. It is a gift that matches the personality and/or the tastes of that person. If you see something that reminds you of someone you know, you are supposed to buy it for them...it commands you to. When you care about someone, you think of them while you are apart and it is easy to shop for them. Things just jump out at you and scream their name.<br /><br />This is why they say it's not the gift, but the thought that counts.<br /><br />When I am out shopping, I often see little things that remind me of people I care about.<br /><br />One online friend in particular...I see things that reminds me of him quite often, but it would be quite expensive to ship to him the things I see, so I don't buy them. It wouldn't make any sense to buy them and not be able to send them to him, so that he could enjoy them.<br /><br />I didn't have much money for Giftmas shopping this year. I only bought one gift this year...for him. I was browsing around online and saw something that screamed his name in so many ways...I had to buy it. I had no choice. (everyone else on my list received things that didn't cost me any money)<br /><br />Unfortunately, ebay didn't feel the same about it and wouldn't allow me to buy it and have it shipped to him. I had to send him the link & the money and have him order it. It kind of took a little of the fun out of it. But he liked it and it made him happy.<br /><br />If there is one thing I love, it's surprises. But every year I don't get very many. Almost every gift I get is something I already know about, expect, and in most cases it is one I have had to pick out myself. I don't understand why people can't shop for me. Does nothing remind them of me? Nothing at all?<br /><br />I am not saying I don't appreciate the gifts I get, because I do...very much...it's just that I really love to be surprised too. It's not as much fun to tear into the wrapping paper on Giftmas Day, when you know what is in the box and in most cases even wrapped it yourself. It takes most of the fun out of it.<br /><br />At least someone got it right this year and surprised the hell out of me in the most wonderful way.<br /><br />A few days ago I received a package in the mail from my online friend that I mentioned earlier, addressed to my daughter.<br /><br />Now I was expecting this package, and even asked him to address it to my daughter, since she loves surprises as much as I do, and he agreed to do this since it was something for her. But when the box arrived it was much heavier than I expected. There was obviously more in it than the 2 books that we had discussed.<br /><br />Since it was supposed to be a Giftmas gift, we would both have to wait to see what he had sent.<br /><br />It is a tradition in my home that we all open one gift each, on Giftmas Eve. My daughter decided it would be the package from my online friend that would be the one. The suspense was killing her. (And it was killing me too.)<br /><br />So what was in the box?<br /><br />4 books...the 2 sushi cookbooks, for my daughter, that I was expecting...and 2 more for me.<br /><br />A book of Farside comics...and a marvelous vintage cat book from the 70's, full of all kinds of stuff about cats...history, legends, poetry, art, information.<br /><br />It reminded me of one I had bought for myself when I was a teenager. One of many thing I lost during the years when I was being shuffled from place to place while I was a victim of the NJ foster care system.<br /><br />He probably thought it was something I would like, but I don't think he knew exactly how much I would like it.<br /><br />But that wasn't all that was in the box...<br /><br />Along with the 2 sushi books for my daughter, he included a starter kit of supplies she would need for making sushi...sushi rice, soy sauce, wasabi, mats, chopsticks, ginger, etc.<br /><br />Each item my daughter removed from the box made her happier & happier...the most excited I have seen her in awhile. She was downright giddy.<br /><br />What made her so happy was how thoughtful the gift was. That someone online that she has never spoken to and doesn't even know her, except through me, gave her a gift that was perfect for her...and it was something she loves. Something her own real life friends wouldn't have bothered to do. They aren't that thoughtful. She now wants to trade her real life friends for my online ones.<br /><br />I think of all the gifts I have received this year, that box was the best gift of all.<br /><br />It was a box of thoughtfulness that gave more than just the objects that were in it. It made my daughter smile...it made her happy...and that in turn made me happy....very happy.<br /><br />My friend has touched my heart through my daughter's smile.<br /><br />For the first time in a long time, the tears I cry are tears of joy. And yes, they really are tears, I am not exaggerating for the sake of being dramatic or something. I am literally weeping.<br /><br />The words I write here can not even come close to explaining how I feel or why.<br /><br />This is a Giftmas I will never forget.<br /><br />Thank you, my friend.Apphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04973805741360160102noreply@blogger.com1