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Rant Page. Here is where I rant
about whatever annoys me in this shitty world.
PayPal (posted 04-09-06)
Here is a copy of an e-mail I feel I was
forced to send to what I feel was complete incompetence on the behalf of PayPal.
I sent this in on 04-04-06 and have yet to receive a response from them. Usually
I get a letter later that day or early the next morning when I have an issue
with them. I sincerely hope this is like a 'dick-slap' in the face to them! And
yes, the section in yellow is exactly what I sent them with the exception of
previous conversation and my real name is blocked from your view.
I'm curious as to what part of "your
account has been suspended for now" has eluded you. If you read the lower part
of this e-mail you will see I clearly stated that there are no funds in my
account pending fraudulent activity. Your reply is that my account is suspended
for now. I would have had the account opened except that you (PayPal) seemed to
have had a visit from the 'fuck up fairy' and charged my bank account. ARE YOU
NEW? Is this the incompetent customer service I should expect in the future?
Yesterday I received a pay request from you indicating that you paid a client of
mine and that funds were not transferred to you. I would have been able to open
the bank account up and had this matter resolved until this clusterfuck. You
claim I owe PayPal $20 however with the NSF charge against my bank account you
now owe me $20. I'll await a hopefully competent resolution offer from you.
Completely fucking pissed off,
**** ********
Old Slow
computers (Posted 12-10-04)
Screw it - I'd rather just show you what I think of them.
Lagging movie sales (posted 12-08-04)
When I hear the movie industry complain about the lagging
sales I can't help but to think about all the truly great movies I've seen that
were never released and then all the really shitty movies that were. Didn't
Disney just release a movie that broke all the records for sales at the
theatres? That's a little contradicting to their claims. One movie I'd like to
use as an example is the movie "Darkness" that is scheduled to be released in 2
1/2 weeks (12-24-04). As I watched this movie, it reminded me of several other
movies. Perhaps they re-used the sets from them and the recycled ideas were
pretty weak also. When I saw this movie earlier this year, maybe even last year,
I was hoping it was going to be shelved. Personally I think the best part of
this flick was the oval window Volkswagen at the end. And someone should tell
them that their shaking the camera to attempt to induce some sort of emotional
bond with the characters completely sucked! If this easily predictable waste of
time is the standard, I'll stick with going out to concerts. My rant on "lagging
record sales" posted below applies to this industry also (except for the
downloaded movies part, I see them for free anyways)!
Lagging record sales (posted 11-20-04)
I've been hearing lately the blasting of peer to peer
internet programs for the downfall of record sales. I think that is only a small
part of the problem. I'll start off with a little background on this from my
experiences before I go off on a rant.
1) I know of people who only get their music through P2P because they
can't afford to buy the album.
2) I also know people who get their music from P2P sources because the
music is no longer available for sale (I'm guilty of that). If I cannot buy it
anywhere I'm left with little choice to acquire the music I want to hear.
3) And finally to me. I hear of a band and download a few songs to
determine if I like them or grab the entire album to decide if it's worth
buying. If I like the band and/or the album I will then buy the album
(preferably from the band themselves) to show support and delete the piss poor
copy I grabbed off the internet. One such example is "Seraphim Shock" where I
heard of their name from a friend's website, checked out their music, liked it
and went to their concert and bought a CD to replace the few songs I had
downloaded from a P2P source.
One theory I have to the lagging sales is that the music industry is flooding
the market with such shitty bands that no one wants to buy anything anymore for
lack of real talent. What I hear mostly on the radio these days is hammered out
several times a day making me not really want to hear it anymore let alone buy
it! Another thing I think is severely impacting sales is the flooding of the
market. Example... 100 people buy an album and there is only 10 artists to
choose from and the rule of averages is that the artists will probably get a
decent amount of sales. Now you take the same 100 people buying one album from a
list of 500 artists and best case is that 400 artists don't get a sale. The
record companies need to stop fishing (throwing out whatever they can to see
what gets a hit) and be more selective in what is released and do a little
customer research and base the signed artists against the actual preference (not
what the record executive, 60's reject, flashback from hell wants to hear). Plus
I see the bands getting screwed over by the labels which can't do too much for
morale causing shitty albums.
Here's an idea for the record labels who (unfortunately) own the copyright on
music. Have the company website offer digital music so that people can go on and
download the songs they want and not have to endure the shitty filler that is
sometimes on albums to fill space. When I'm in the mood to listen to hard-core
metal I don't want to pause mid album for a pussy break. Even some of my
favorite bands are guilty of this! This would easily make even old songs and
artists that would rarely even sell a song or two available to the public when
they want it and not be another lost sale! I'm probably not the first to come up
with this idea but if I am, implement it. Hell, you don't even have to pay me or
mention my name, just do it.
And if the record companies don't like this rant, then you can go fuck off! I
can easily find enough demos and unsigned bands that kick-ass to avoid ever
buying another signed artist from you again!
MTV (Get off the air!)
Did you see the MTV "VMA" show? I unfortunately had to
endure some of it. I'm curious if heavy metal and rock and roll ceased
production of music videos? Or if MTV just wants to can that also. I remember a
time ago when MTV played music most of the time and the only show they had was
The Young Ones. Then they started playing shows all the time and forgot about
the music part of it. After enduring that crap I was amazed at the fact that the
heaviest music they played was by Linkin Park and No Doubt. Dead Kennedy's said
it best with the song "MTV get off the air!"
Mercenaries.
I just watched a show on mercenaries. It was extremely educational. It opened my
eyes to the double standards of the world. The basic definition of a mercenary
is one who fights for pay. Last time I checked there isn't one person in the USA
military who was drafted, meaning everyone has joined of their own free will.
Very few would be there if it wasn't for the pay, hence the majority of those
who serve are by definition.... MERCENARIES!!! This in no way is a bash on the
military that protects the USA, just a bash on the double standard of the
world's view of the term. I have great respect for those who have joined the
military with honorable intentions and have served in a way I could not by no
choice of my own. However I would like to bash the UN and their "blueberries"
for being almost totally worthless, money wasting, inefficient bureaucrats who
have been shown time and time again that their presence is only a nuisance to
the law abiding citizens of the country they are present in. I think that when a
government calls these pussies (UN) in they should have full power to police the
nation they are there to assist. Now only if they had the balls to do so!
Some friends of mine and I have noticed that the music industry seems to hate
heavy metal and they want it to fail at all costs. We believe that some of the
older execs in power are still trapped in the 60's and want to see music return
to that era. Listen to what's being played on the radio and TV and listen for
yourself. There is increasingly more airtime used playing music that sounds like
that of the 60's and 70's bands.
Reality shows
With my experiences and psychology courses this is my take on the
music reality shows and most commercials. When I am tortured with a commercial I
feel like they are saying "you are too stupid to know what you want or need, buy
my product". With the reality shows I see someone who (usually) has some
talent to perform, use someone else's work. The media then puts this in front of
the consumer knowing that the person will be looked upon as a celebrity and this
is where the perceived reality comes in. When the masses (sheep) see something
on TV or radio they begin to buy into what they are shoveled. This is a sad
state when someone makes it big in the industry only on some small part of their
existence and not on their own talent and actual merit. One such joke that the
reality shows has pulled is William Hung getting signed to a record deal. I
personally think this would have been a great joke proving my psychologically
based theory that if you put something (crap) out there and push it, someone
will buy into it. I wouldn't be surprised if the whole W. H. ordeal was set up
on a bet.
PAY TO PLAY VENUES
This has to be the most F*'d up thing a promoter can pull on a
band!!! It's not bad enough that a band has to deal with potentially piss poor
management, poor booking, bad turn-outs, equipment failure, theft of equipment
or any other problems that I as a non-band member have yet to
deal with. There are promoters who charge an insane amount of money for a band
to play a venue. These lops of shit make money off the band, the door and the
bar and yet the bands that play get crapped on! I have heard of a band paying
$5,000 to open for a band that has a good following. What the hell is wrong with
people that they feel they need to screw over the bands that are trying to make
it and have to struggle with that kind of B.S.??? If you are in a band, please
avoid these bastards and look for other promoters who will not bend you over in
ways you thought weren't possible. They do exist.
What is it that can keep a punk band selling CD's, shows and merchandise with no radio play? Quality! The bands have to endure radio silence
and still come out with sold out shows. Why can't the radio stations play their
music? Because they aren't paid to play the music. I think that the music
executives have decided that because they don't like the music, they won't push
it past the music stores. Yes, it all comes back to
who's paying the radio stations. This is in part how the media marketing system works.
The promoter pays the station to play music hoping knowing that
the masses will buy into whatever is played. The same songs pounded into your
head over and over generally become accepted and eventually you will become
complacent and listen. One thing I've noticed on my website is that the punk
links button has the most hits. If you study the music trends that are reported
by the industry the punk is dying out. If this is true then how can the punk
links be the most active part of my site?
The obesity dilemma.
How the hell can someone get fat from eating at a fast food place
then turn around and sue them? I find this to be the real breakdown in the
morality of the world. YOU are the one who ate there, YOU are the one who ate
that crap, YOU are the one who ate too much and YOU are the one who can use your
free will to eat something more healthy, less of it and anywhere you want. How
is it you can then sue them? The fast food places should then be able to sue you
for making their food look more unhealthy than it really is. I've noticed the
posters and fliers that have a nutritional content. If I'm not mistaken the fast
food locations (at least in California) are required by law to have available the nutritional values upon
request. Some places even have posters near the register with this information.
So next time you super size your order, remember you are also going to super
size your waist. Shut your mouth,
get a clue and stop trying to blame someone else for your problems!!!
Loss of our mostly non-existent rights.
We Americans like to think of our country as being the most free place in the
world. I've got news for you, you are an idiot to assume this. I'm ranting about
nudity, it's portrayal and lack of acceptance. I've had friends who lived in
Europe tell me that we are actually repressed as far as this is concerned and
that in Europe there is nudity on TV
game shows and no-one raises a fuss about it. Why is it when we have the
suggestion here of nudity (or a very brief showing) people raise hell? It proves
my theory that if you shake a tree that all the nuts fall out. You are born
nude! If your god had intended for humans to be covered in clothing you would be
born with clothes on. Shut your hole, quit being a frigid whiny little pain in
the ass trying to force your views on the rest of us. Personally I'm offended by
people who are offended.
Celebrities who think they have the obligation to use the media to push their
own political agendas can all kiss a dog's ass!!! You are only a celebrity
because your job is to act while on camera. Perceived reality on the
behalf of the populace is what makes you a celebrity. In reality you are simply
another person on this planet, nothing more or less. What gives you the right to
play politician and push your one sided views on me? Not a damn thing. Shut the
hell up and stick with your job.
Fashion companies want to create something that everyone will wear for one real
reason. Money!!! Those who say "money is the root of all evil" doesn't have any!
"Money can't buy you happiness"? You don't know how to shop! Trust me on this,
if I had a few million dollars, I'd be one happy #*@!+~ @*^# #%^$&* @#$^&
^&*@$!!! The fashion industry wants to set trends that ensure that they have a
solid market and you don't just settle for "ordinary" which also happens to be
cheaper for your pocket book. What is the profit margin on a $17 pair of jeans
vs. a $55 pair of jeans that looks the exact same? I bet the nudists of the
world don't worry about spending a lot of money on "fashion"! In a way fashion is
another form of conformity and just another simple fad that goes away.
This page will hopefully wake you up to the
REALITY
that marketing has tried to destroy! One example is the radio stations playing
music that nobody wants to hear. The reason is that they are paid to play some
of the songs that you have to endure. Want an example? go to KROQ's web page,
look up the songs that are most played and the songs that are the most
requested. Notice something strange? like the fact that some of the songs played
are not requested at all? Another reality is the listener call lines. Some radio
stations (names withheld) have fake call ins, fake contests and B.S. listener
parties. This information has been gathered from current and previously employed
people of various radio stations from across the U.S.A. and I get the same
information over and over again. Can we say pre-recorded garbage? I want YOU the consumer to open your eyes! Wake up and realize that you are
being manipulated to buy what you are told. Everyone who sells anything is
trying to figure out how to make you buy something, not offering and letting you
choose. I offer a mixed group of music, and let you choose. I will be adding
more links to the links pages and letting you check out bands that you may never
have heard otherwise. These bands have talent! There are a lot of bands that
don't have websites so that explains the low number of links.
Fantasy advertising vs. reality.
The scenario: A couple on the beach having a fun time at a party.
The message: Use our product and you will have this much fun also.
The reality: You can either go out and have fun without their product or buy
their product and still be bored, sitting at home picking your bellybutton lint.
How is it that an advertising campaign can insult your intelligence and still be
successful? Why do you as a society put up with that kind of garbage? If I tell
you that "you are too stupid to make your own choice, buy this" you probably
won't. Why is it that you as society will do that for certain commercials? Is it
because some "famous" person is wearing the item? I want to reject the idea that
your mind has sold you out to the media hype. Perceived reality is taking over
your train of thought. Next time you see a celebrity remember these two
things... 1) that person is only a celebrity because the media portrays them to
be, 2) that person is wearing, consuming or doing something on a commercial
because they are paid to!!! One thing that turns me off to any advertisement is
when the writers make up a character and the script has them act out a fake
scenario, and or they get a "celebrity." to act in it. I personally feel that
this is another form of false advertising as this person does not exist or the
"celebrity" is only paid to say they use the product. When encountering
insulting commercials I avoid the product at as much as possible.
Telemarketers and junk mail headaches.
The constitution grants the freedom of speech, however it does not grant
the rights to an audience. With every right you have a responsibility. You have
the right to bear arms and the responsibility to not allow the weapons to cause
undue injury or other stupid actions. Why is it I can put a fence up around my
property and post no trespassing signs to keep you off and away, yet you can
call my phone unwanted and annoy me with cold sales? Thanks to the "no-call"
list I now have a fence there. The telemarketers want to have a way around that
fence. Funny thing is the executives were found to be on the very call list they
are fighting in court.
What to do when you are called?
If you have the time, have fun, if not, just hang up. The basic principal is
called "the numbers game". The more calls you make the more likely you will get a
hit. If you waste their time, they miss out on the numbers of calls they will
get to make. If everyone does this, the amount of times your phone rings with
junk calls will drop.
Time to have fun.
1) Pretend you are interested and ask them lots of questions. Not good enough?
Act like you don't understand the answers and have them clarify (act like an
idiot to add to the level of difficulty). Further complicate things by asking to
speak to their supervisor. When they come on the line act like nothing's wrong
and that you were interested but you didn't understand what the person was
trying to convey. Say something to the effect that you now don't trust the
product, company integrity and please remove your name from their list. Hang up
on the supervisor.
2) Act like whatever language they are speaking is your next language and
further waste their time having them explain meanings of the words.
3) Have other things going on while you are on the phone. Examples may be....
sex, bathroom activity, eating in their ear, bodily gaseous functions, stereo
making it hard to hear or act like you are hard of hearing.
4) When you are called, if they ask for you act like that person isn't you and
make them think you believe this is the phone call the "victim" is expecting,
putting them on hold while you "go get that person (actually you). Check back in
a few minutes to see if they are still there. If they are say something like
"hang on, he/she is washing their hands and will be right with you" put them on
hold again. Repeat as many times as you can with different excuses.
How to have fun with junk mail. *Note* your name is on a list somewhere
and this list is sold to other companies. Asking the sender to remove your name
is only minimally effective!
I don't recommend any illegal activities while returning junk mail.
I have heard some good ideas and unfortunately some of them are
illegal. Here are a few to get you started on getting back at the junk mail
companies for wasting paper and your time.
1) Simply mark return to sender. Mail
2) If it comes with a return envelope marked "return postage will be paid by
addressee put as much of the other junk mail in it you can fit and send it back
to them. If you really want to get creative put a brick in paper, attach the
return envelope and send it back. The addressee has to pay for that and probably
wont want to send you anything again.
3) If the junk mailer doesn't have any information linking it to you, reply with
as positive a response as possible (make sure you don't have any links back to
you or this will backfire!!! Mark yes on everything) then send it in.
4) Glue the reply card in the envelope and send it in.
5) Put your short and curly hair (use your imagination here) inside the envelope
and send it in. Once again make sure you have no links to who sent it in.
6) If you know for sure there is no way to have this traced back to you, fill
out bogus information asking them to call you. Give them the # to a
telemarketing firm or the local Police station.
7) Put pepper in the envelope so when they open it they get "peppered" (do not
put anything that looks like a white powder inside, you can be charged with a
felony in the USA if caught).
8) Place the little circles from the hole punch in the folds of the return card
so when they open it up they have a mess.
9) Staple the hell out of the reply card that has the boxes you have to check.
The mailroom clerks will have to remove the staples before they feed the card in
the machine.
Welcome to reality, now wake the hell up and lead your
life for yourself!
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