Daily Archives: 09/09/2010

(Community Matters)

Eid Mubarak

(Community Matters) really? Jason Priest, GOP candidate for Montana State legislature apologizes for calling economist a ‘Big Homo’ and accusing Obama of sodomizing America

(Community Matters) Very good signs signaling a win for Main St over Wall Street

#1  Austan Goolsbee as chairman of the White House Council of Economic Advisers

#2 Elizabeth Warren meets with Pres. Obama, fueling appointment rumors

(Community Matters) Give me a break, my experience is most college Republican presidents are queer

(Community Matters) A federal court in Riverside, California, rules the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy is unconstitutional.

(Community Matters) CNN: Rev. Terry Jones of World Outreach Center in Florida says he is canceling Koran burning event on Saturday

(Community Matters)

Vodpod videos no longer available.

(Community Matters) I admit that I lack patience – if you asked Steven my most aggravating trait, I’m sure that would be his pick.  And, I’m not mean, so I don’t get cruel. Though, I do get very specific and am not shy about articulating frustration nor asking for clarification of expectations.

Airlines – Continental must have spoiled me.  I suppose having an elevated elite status might mean we get routed to the best representatives (and outside of an endless automated system), though I prefer to think Continental offers this quality of service to all customers.  United –> doesn’t escape me that they are about to merge with us.  I’ve hedged my bets and secured status at American Airlines too, just in case.  Anyhow, I knew I should have gently said thank you and no thank you when the United Airlines guy finally answered the telephone this morning.  I knew it was a distant customer service location immediately.  And, he was most unhelpful – not because he didn’t want to be but because he lacked experience and knowledge. After a frustrating experience, I thanked him, then called back.  Same distant location and a very competent woman.  She fixed my issues immediately, even offering insights into what the previous rep missed.  When she asked me to rate my customer service experience, I asked if with her or United overall – she asked for United overall.  As a result, I have a $100 voucher.  That does go far in making up.

Household Repairmen – HVAC.  When we renovated the house, we installed two new HVAC systems.  Our contractor (who I love) misled us to use an independent contractor in order to save a couple thousand bucks.  Good gosh, they installed two super duper, highly automated HVAC systems.  First, they were so automated/computerized, even they can hardly figure them out.  And, why have we had issues with these top of the line systems for the last two years when we had zero problems with the 30 year old systems – even more sophisticated in some ways (auto humidity control, etc) though easier to maintain and service.  This will be their last call.  After months, supposedly they will arrive at any time, (now an hour late) to replace coils which I’m having to pay for after just two years since the warranty has expired.  Forget that this problem has existed since day 1 and they just happened to diagnose it correctly.  I’ll miss the repair man who’s shared with me stories of his bouts of venereal disease contracted from the women he’s met at the Dallas nightclub.  Can’t wait to reenroll with Strand Brothers who saved us at the 11th hour on a Sunday just before a dinner party once.