Just when you thought Bush couldn't get any worse, you find out that his family, namely grandfather Prescott Bush, father of President George H. W. Bush, worked for companies that profited from Nazi Germany.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2004/sep/25/usa.secondworldwar
Way to go Bush!!!
So what values do you think dear Prescott passed on to his son who in turn passed them on to the current president. Now we should ask ourselves, are we surprised by the current state of the U.S? Prescott profited from war, why shouldn't dear George W?
Friday, July 18, 2008
Friday, July 4, 2008
No, YOU smell
The next time you hear someone comment on how smelly some animal is, ask them this:
"And just how great do you think you'd smell if you were stuck in a cage/building/enclosure that is too small/has bad air circulation/is nothing like your natural habitat and forces to live in a pool of your own excrement without access to daily showers, deodorant, or perfumed products?"
My bet is that they'd be pretty damn smelly too. In fact, in my experience, people who do not use deodorant, never mind all the other factors, can work up a stench that would leave me running for the gorilla building, elephant enclosure, or pig pen any day!
After six months without a bath, my dog barely has a scent, I certainly couldn't say the same for any human.
And how often do you notice the stench of a wild animal? I'd bet not often, because they don't really tend to be that smelly. It is our fault that non-humans seem smelly. We're the ones that put them in dirty situations without a standard of care that would give them conditions comparable to living in the wild.
"And just how great do you think you'd smell if you were stuck in a cage/building/enclosure that is too small/has bad air circulation/is nothing like your natural habitat and forces to live in a pool of your own excrement without access to daily showers, deodorant, or perfumed products?"
My bet is that they'd be pretty damn smelly too. In fact, in my experience, people who do not use deodorant, never mind all the other factors, can work up a stench that would leave me running for the gorilla building, elephant enclosure, or pig pen any day!
After six months without a bath, my dog barely has a scent, I certainly couldn't say the same for any human.
And how often do you notice the stench of a wild animal? I'd bet not often, because they don't really tend to be that smelly. It is our fault that non-humans seem smelly. We're the ones that put them in dirty situations without a standard of care that would give them conditions comparable to living in the wild.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Dear Asshole Company:
"In reviewing my credit card statements, I have just now come to realize that "Shopping Essentials" has been fraudulently charging my credit card $9.95 per month since I placed an order with Potpourrigift.com several months ago.
Since I did not enroll in the Shopping Essentials program, nor did I give them any personal information (credit card account number, or otherwise), I can only deduce that you, Potpourrigift.com, gave it to them without my knowledge, authorization or consent. A call to "Shopping Essentials" confirmed that I was (unknowingly) "enrolled" in their program after placing an order at Potpourrigift.com.
I reviewed your Privacy statement and no where does it state that you give/sell customer information (specifically credit card account numbers) to third parties.
A quick search of the internets reveals that many people have fallen victim to fraud at the hands of "Shopping Essentials" after visiting Potpourrigift.com. Surely I am not the first customer you have heard from regarding this specific matter, which can only mean one thing: you have chosen to continue your affiliation with "Shopping Essentials", in spite of the complaints.
I am writing to you today to let you know that I will no longer be purchasing anything from Potpourrigift.com, and I have already begun warning friends and family, by the hundreds, about your company's unethical practices."
Yes, this is a copy of an e-mail I sent yesterday. If you Google "Shopping Essentials", I'd guess 95% of the links you'll get back have it paired with words like "scam", "fraud", "unauthorized billing", etc...
I was fortunate in that I managed to get *all* the charges reversed, but I'm still amazed that they haven't been shut down yet and brought up on charges.
The first thing I did was call the 1-800 # provided on my credit card statement, next to the mysterious charge. In order to continue, they ask for your account number. From what I've read, most people stop here because they didn't even know they had an account, and they're hesitant, as I was, to give their home phone number. Presssing '0' does not send you to an operator as you would expect, and it seems as though, without divulging any personal information (or the unknown account number), you can't actually get anywhere. I figured I'd just enter 123456789# to see if it would register as an error - and it did. That got me to a customer service rep. I explained that I did not authorize these charges and did not knowingly sign-up for their service. I told her I considered it fraud, that I had done my research and seen numerous complaints about the company, and that she needed to credit my account for ALL charges.
She told me that I had "signed up" when I purchased something from Potpourrigift.com (back in December). I recall that after I placed that order, they offered me $20 off if I were to enroll in something-ruther, which I remember I *specifically* chose *not* to do. Regardless, they took all my information from the Potpourri order I placed and began charging my credit card.
She agreed to cancel my account (what account?!) and refund the last charge, but none of the other ones. I should have demanded to speak with a supervisor at that point, but I was so certain that they were not a legitimate company that I just told her I'd be contacting my credit card company and the BBB. And I did.
I explained the situation to my credit card company and they, in turn, explained everything to a rep from SE and asked to speak with a supervisor. For whatever reason, the credit card rep had to "release the line", so he put me on with the supervisor directly. He said he had spoken to my credit card rep and asked me to tell him, in my own words, I suppose, what I was asking for. Knowing that the "call may be monitored for quality assurance purposes" I explained the situation using terms like "unauthorized", "without my knowledge or consent" and "fraudulent billing" and I requested that he refund ALL the charges. And he agreed. I think that conversation may have gone a little differenly had I not involved the credit card company's fraud department.
I should mention that many online shopping sites reportedly use the same tactics as Potpourri. Beware when shopping with Travelocity, Vista Print and Restaurants.com.
Next stop, the BBB.
Since I did not enroll in the Shopping Essentials program, nor did I give them any personal information (credit card account number, or otherwise), I can only deduce that you, Potpourrigift.com, gave it to them without my knowledge, authorization or consent. A call to "Shopping Essentials" confirmed that I was (unknowingly) "enrolled" in their program after placing an order at Potpourrigift.com.
I reviewed your Privacy statement and no where does it state that you give/sell customer information (specifically credit card account numbers) to third parties.
A quick search of the internets reveals that many people have fallen victim to fraud at the hands of "Shopping Essentials" after visiting Potpourrigift.com. Surely I am not the first customer you have heard from regarding this specific matter, which can only mean one thing: you have chosen to continue your affiliation with "Shopping Essentials", in spite of the complaints.
I am writing to you today to let you know that I will no longer be purchasing anything from Potpourrigift.com, and I have already begun warning friends and family, by the hundreds, about your company's unethical practices."
Yes, this is a copy of an e-mail I sent yesterday. If you Google "Shopping Essentials", I'd guess 95% of the links you'll get back have it paired with words like "scam", "fraud", "unauthorized billing", etc...
I was fortunate in that I managed to get *all* the charges reversed, but I'm still amazed that they haven't been shut down yet and brought up on charges.
The first thing I did was call the 1-800 # provided on my credit card statement, next to the mysterious charge. In order to continue, they ask for your account number. From what I've read, most people stop here because they didn't even know they had an account, and they're hesitant, as I was, to give their home phone number. Presssing '0' does not send you to an operator as you would expect, and it seems as though, without divulging any personal information (or the unknown account number), you can't actually get anywhere. I figured I'd just enter 123456789# to see if it would register as an error - and it did. That got me to a customer service rep. I explained that I did not authorize these charges and did not knowingly sign-up for their service. I told her I considered it fraud, that I had done my research and seen numerous complaints about the company, and that she needed to credit my account for ALL charges.
She told me that I had "signed up" when I purchased something from Potpourrigift.com (back in December). I recall that after I placed that order, they offered me $20 off if I were to enroll in something-ruther, which I remember I *specifically* chose *not* to do. Regardless, they took all my information from the Potpourri order I placed and began charging my credit card.
She agreed to cancel my account (what account?!) and refund the last charge, but none of the other ones. I should have demanded to speak with a supervisor at that point, but I was so certain that they were not a legitimate company that I just told her I'd be contacting my credit card company and the BBB. And I did.
I explained the situation to my credit card company and they, in turn, explained everything to a rep from SE and asked to speak with a supervisor. For whatever reason, the credit card rep had to "release the line", so he put me on with the supervisor directly. He said he had spoken to my credit card rep and asked me to tell him, in my own words, I suppose, what I was asking for. Knowing that the "call may be monitored for quality assurance purposes" I explained the situation using terms like "unauthorized", "without my knowledge or consent" and "fraudulent billing" and I requested that he refund ALL the charges. And he agreed. I think that conversation may have gone a little differenly had I not involved the credit card company's fraud department.
I should mention that many online shopping sites reportedly use the same tactics as Potpourri. Beware when shopping with Travelocity, Vista Print and Restaurants.com.
Next stop, the BBB.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
People who steal bikes suck!
I know I'm not alone on this one. Bike theft is an epidemic in large cities. My man has had two bikes stolen within a year. Just yesterday he came home with a sad face and a cut lock. It's a sad situation. You spend money on a bike, you take care of it, you lock it up properly, and still it gets stolen. It's disheartening. You report the theft but know there's no chance you're ever going to get it back.
All the while knowing that some drug addict has likely taken it to pawn it for a measly amount of cash to get the next hit.
Is that what our property is worth? Is that what we work hard for? To buy a nice bike and have it ripped of by someone who doesn't think about how their actions affect other people?
Shame on you, bike thieves, shame on you.
All the while knowing that some drug addict has likely taken it to pawn it for a measly amount of cash to get the next hit.
Is that what our property is worth? Is that what we work hard for? To buy a nice bike and have it ripped of by someone who doesn't think about how their actions affect other people?
Shame on you, bike thieves, shame on you.
Friday, May 16, 2008
Maybe you should try a size larger
Why do so many people wear clothes that are too small for them? How do you know that your clothes are too small? Here are a few helpful hints:
Embrace your size, buy and wear clothes that fit. You'll look better, you'll feel better, and the world will thank you for it.
- you have to suck in your gut to do up your pants
- you can see the texture of your cellulite through your clothes
- your stomach rolls cover your belt
- your short sleeves cut off the circulation to your arms
- the fabric is stretched to the point of transparency
Embrace your size, buy and wear clothes that fit. You'll look better, you'll feel better, and the world will thank you for it.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
The Cropped Sweater. WHY?
I have a whole "Dear Fashion Industry" post brewing, but for now, I'm just going to go directly to the issue of "short" or "cropped" sweaters.
In a world where 95% of the female population chooses not to expose their midsection 95% of the time (for a multitude of reasons), why oh why are so many tops (t-shirts, blouses, sweaters, etc...) hemmed so damn short? What is it with this continuing trend? A large majority of the tops I try on are rejected due to the simple fact that they expose too much flesh. (And by "too much" I mean "any at all"). And I take specific issue with cropped sweaters because their mere existence slaps logic right in the face: If it's cold enough to wear a sweater, it's too cold to expose your midriff. The same illogic can be applied to the whole "socks avec sandals" issue. It's not (just) that it looks ridiculous, but: If it's cold enough to wear socks, it's too cold for sandals.
I do realize that low and mid-rise jeans are contributing factors, but they don't make (fashionable) high-waisted jeans anymore because nobody wears them. (Except maybe moms.)
Wake up (sweater) designers of the world! The entire reason we wear sweaters is so we can keep warm. And we can't keep warm if our stomachs are exposed. Armed with my Macy*s card, I'm pretty confident I could single-handedly put an end to the current recession if designers would lengthen their sweaters by a minimum of 3 inches. Thank you. And good night. /end rant
In a world where 95% of the female population chooses not to expose their midsection 95% of the time (for a multitude of reasons), why oh why are so many tops (t-shirts, blouses, sweaters, etc...) hemmed so damn short? What is it with this continuing trend? A large majority of the tops I try on are rejected due to the simple fact that they expose too much flesh. (And by "too much" I mean "any at all"). And I take specific issue with cropped sweaters because their mere existence slaps logic right in the face: If it's cold enough to wear a sweater, it's too cold to expose your midriff. The same illogic can be applied to the whole "socks avec sandals" issue. It's not (just) that it looks ridiculous, but: If it's cold enough to wear socks, it's too cold for sandals.
I do realize that low and mid-rise jeans are contributing factors, but they don't make (fashionable) high-waisted jeans anymore because nobody wears them. (Except maybe moms.)
Wake up (sweater) designers of the world! The entire reason we wear sweaters is so we can keep warm. And we can't keep warm if our stomachs are exposed. Armed with my Macy*s card, I'm pretty confident I could single-handedly put an end to the current recession if designers would lengthen their sweaters by a minimum of 3 inches. Thank you. And good night. /end rant
Airport Security
I was allowed to bring my metal knitting needles onto the plane, but my small, cheap, rounded tip craft scissors (which were given the green light on the security web site) were confiscated. Well, I guess I can see how knitting needles which I could use to stab someone through the neck would be considered no threat whereas the cheap rounded tip scissors could cause a minor scrape if I could manage to wield them correctly would be viewed as a security threat.
Do they really think we don't see the inconsistencies?
And while we're on airport security, I'm really starting to think that the liquid ban is just a conspiracy by the vendors in the airport to force us to buy beverages and full-size bottles of shampoo from them.
I really think all these security measures are a waste of time, money, effort, and our freedom. Especially when you consider that you're more likely to get killed walking across the street than in a terrorist attack.
So security screeners, please leave me and my craft scissors alone and let me bring a freakin' bottle of water into the bloody airport because it's not a bomb!
Do they really think we don't see the inconsistencies?
And while we're on airport security, I'm really starting to think that the liquid ban is just a conspiracy by the vendors in the airport to force us to buy beverages and full-size bottles of shampoo from them.
I really think all these security measures are a waste of time, money, effort, and our freedom. Especially when you consider that you're more likely to get killed walking across the street than in a terrorist attack.
So security screeners, please leave me and my craft scissors alone and let me bring a freakin' bottle of water into the bloody airport because it's not a bomb!
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