Cleolinda everywhere

Okay, I am just absolutely stunned by this.

Disabled LJer evilpuppy is mistreated by United Airlines, which consistently drags its feet on supplying a requested wheelchair (I'm guessing she only has to use one in physically strenuous situations, like traveling, and therefore doesn't have one of her own on hand?) and is generally assy about helping her get around, because she's not elderly and doesn't "look" disabled? I don't even know. But okay. That's pretty bad. Then she gets on the plane and is told by a flight attendant that they can't help her getting her carry-on to the overhead compartment. I'm being told on Twitter that there's an issue of attendants not getting worker's comp if they injure themselves assisting passengers with luggage, which is ludicrous, but believably ludicrous. But if that's the case, SAY SO. "I'm really sorry, but we're not allowed to help with that." Instead, one of the most bizarre customer service policies I have ever heard is laid down:

I asked her how I was supposed to get my luggage stowed and her answer was: "You'll just have to wait for someone from your row to come back here and ask them to give you a hand." When I asked what would happen if no one would, her response to me was: "Well, normally a passenger is around to overhear something like this and they'll offer to help with it on their own. You'll just have to ask someone when they get back here." Then she turned back around and went up to the front seats where she waited to "assist" other passengers.

By contrast, here's what a stranger who isn't even PAID OR EMPLOYED to "attend" anyone does:

Finally, it was too much and I dropped my suitcase down into the aisle to stop the flow and ask one of the men passing me for help before he went looking for his seat. As he was lifting it, he asked me if I was all right and I told him about my injury. He apologized profusely for my condition and tried to make me feel better by assuring me [her disability/injury] would be okay eventually. I doubt either of us believed it, but at that point, it was nice to hear that, even from a total stranger. [...] When we landed, the gentleman who'd helped me before actually called up to me from two rows back that he'd pull my carry-on down when he reached my row. I thanked him again for being so much help and he again tried to make me feel better by hoping I'd recover from my injury soon.

That's... wow. So she's treated so rudely and in so much pain that she goes to the United Airlines counter to complain. And then... there's Dina.

( I'm not sorry for what happened to you )

Hey! You know who has a website? United Airlines. You know what United Airlines' website says? It has a Customer Commitment page and everything. I'll wait here until you stop laughing. Okay, you ready?

In the air and on the ground, online and on the telephone, our customers have the right to expect — to demand — respect, courtesy, fairness and honesty from the airline they have selected for travel.

At United, the only acceptable customer experience is one in which you arrive at your intended destination safely, comfortably and on time.

WAIT WAIT NO IT GETS BETTER. United Airlines pledges to "readily, capably and respectfully accommodate travelers with special needs." Are you on the floor yet? Because I've been here for a while. I don't know what's going to happen with this, but I hope it gets good.

Hey! You know who's on Twitter? @UnitedAirlines. I just feel like sharing that bit of information with you.


ETA: Something else interesting: the number of similar stories in the comments here and over there.

Oh! Just in: @UnitedAirlines responds on Twitter: "This is concerning. We're looking into this matter."

Aaaaaand it was a reply to woofiegrrl, who got their attention by invoking the dread name of Kevin Smith (yes, that Kevin Smith), he of the Southwest Airlines debacle.

ETA: United wants to contact evilpuppy and apologize.

ETA: They've left a comment on her journal, it looks like, with contact information.

Soooooooo Google has fucked up pretty bad with this new Buzz thing, in my opinion. It kind of sounded like a hybrid of FriendFeed, Google Reader, and Twitter, which I don't need because... I already use FriendFeed, Google Reader, and Twitter. If it's supposed to be like Facebook... well, I don't ever log into Facebook, so I still don't care. I mean, I'm happy for you, Google, that you have put it all under one roof, but because everyone I know who gives a shit about "microblogging" is already on Twitter but isn't necessarily on Gmail and Twitter suits me just fine, I'm going to stay over there.

Then I saw this. Apparently, Google Buzz reveals who your most frequently emailed contacts are.

You know who my third most frequent contact is?

My abusive ex-husband.

Which is why it’s SO EXCITING, Google, that you AUTOMATICALLY allowed all my most frequent contacts access to my Reader, including all the comments I’ve made on Reader items, usually shared with my boyfriend, who I had NO REASON to hide my current location or workplace from, and never did.

[...]

Oh, yes, I suppose I could opt out of Buzz — which I did when it was introduced, though that apparently has no effect on whether or not I am now using Buzz — but as soon as I did that, all sorts of new people were following me on my Reader! People I couldn’t block, because I am not on Buzz!

So now, Google Updates, Explains Buzz Privacy Setup (Lifehacker: "Does it seem to you like Google underestimated how seriously people would take having even a small part of their inboxes exposed to the world?"). There is also a privacy checklist on MSNBC. Quite honestly, I am more worried about the privacy of my contacts than my own right now; I went through that Lifehacker link's instructions to turn that shit off and discovered that I had already opted to lock down my profile fairly securely (and not filled much of it out, in fact) a while ago. What freaked me out was the idea of people being able to see who I email and then possibly going off and bugging them, and I won't get into why this is a concern for me (and them), but it is. So I'm turning this shit off until Google gets its act together, because, judging by that first blogger's experience, it is (or was) a privacy-invading, Catch-22 clusterfuck. If you want to opt out as well, go to your Gmail inbox, very bottom of the page, and look for "turn off buzz" in the tiniest letters possible. Assholes.

(Seriously, can someone explain to me what the sweet hell Google was thinking?)

ETA: A more thorough Buzz-remover from CNet. Just turning it off doesn't fix everything.


P.S. It has been pelting down snow for a couple of hours now. Also, Sam went to the vet for a foot checkup, and now he has a red boot.

Oh my sweet God have mercy. ( I decided that I would rather not go to prison )

By the way, remember this story?

Meanwhile, on the way home from our last excursion of the day, we dropped by my grandmother's to bring her some more ornaments. On the way out, I stopped to play with a--I don't know, I guess you'd call it a banner? It kind of looks like a long flat bell pull? I don't know. She has it hanging on her front door, and it's this tan-colored strip of fabric with little decorated felt Christmas trees, edged with shiny gold rickrack. "I loved this when I was a kid," I told her, shaking it a little so the bells would jingle. "Ruth made that," my grandmother said warmly. "She really liked arts and crafts. She made all of this herself, every bit of it. Even the tassels. She sewed everything on it there--the sequins, the little ornaments, she even put the pearls on the trees. She's dead now."

I managed not to crack up until I got to the car. My mother couldn't understand why I was doubled up in the passenger seat crying with laughter. I'm not sure I understand it myself.

This year, I got pictures of it:




And now, I flop.

P.S. I still want a foot massage really, really badly.



(Zomg e-book! The Annotated Movies in Fifteen Minutes: Wizards!)

@cleolinda: Text from Mom: "Well, I just found out my car [repair] is going to cost $2850. Too much wrong with it to put in this text."

@cleolinda: So... people said I should sell the e-book for $5 instead of $3. I... I think I may do that now. My GOD, what else could we have to pay for?

@cleolinda: (Don't answer that.)


Also, Scout is throwing up.

And now I can't find my bottle of High John the Conqueror, or even the imp (vial) I used back when I was writing the 15M book (IT IS AROUND HERE SOMEWHERE), although in frantically rifling through two BPAL stashes I did find a few of the Conjure Bag blends (Aunt Caroline's Joy Mojo, yay!) and AN ENTIRE VIAL OF SIREN THAT I DID NOT EVEN KNOW I HAD. There are no special "powers" attached to that one--it's just the general catalogue ginger/jasmine/apricot blend (not the "magickal" Twilight Alchemy Lab blend that, apparently on purpose, smells like decomposing roses)--but it is my favorite working scent because the ginger gives me a ton of energy and focus for some reason (and also, I love peach and apricot). Sadly, my family hates the way it smells on me (I think the way my skin amps the ginger bothers them?), so usually I don't wear it--I use it as a room scent, in MY room, so if you don't like it GTFO, etc. But since I'm working at the family computer, I'm wearing it so at least it'll leave the room when I do--in theory, although some of the scent will probably linger. And you know what? The depth of my not-caring is phenomenal at this point. I need to finish this Harry Potter thing and we need the money. Keep in mind that my sister ALSO got handed a mechanic's bill for $1300 at the end of August.

(Don't be concerned about September, though. The car repair relates to a concrete something or other my mother drove over in... August.)

(And since people have been asking about Secret Life of Dolls--I need to take a picture, and I think my iPhone will be good enough for the purpose, but I don't know when I can post a new thing, what with the frantic writing for laptop funds and car-repair moneys.)

So... that's my day. So far.

ETA: An email from my mother, re: what's wrong with the car:  "Apparently everything.  I need a new water pump – very labor intensive to replace (which means lots of $$$$); timing chain is cracked – that’s what actually makes the car run; front and rear brakes are 95% worn and rotors are warped; transmission fluid is black – it’s supposed to be clear; air filter is filthy and has dog hairs in it; it’s also time for an oil change (way past due………..) and I need two new tires – the front two apparently are bald.   Like I said, I guess I’m glad I actually got home last night."

 

Guys, my mother just found my phone in the washing machine. I washed my phone. I have no phone because I washed it.

Reader, I confess, I started laughing really hard. She looked like she wanted to throttle me.



ETA: I've told you how we bought the Geek Squad contract and my mother's so in love with the concept of the Geek Squad and how they will come fix everything and Make It All Better? Finally I said, look, just CALL THEM, whatever, I just washed MY PHONE, I DON'T CARE. So while she does that, I check my email, I read the news, I finally read the Best Buy: Geek Squad Gouges article at The Consumerist. Not FIVE MINUTES LATER, she storms in and announces that the Geek Squad 1) can't get here until August 31st which is 2) the same day as my dentist appointment (I started laughing hysterically at that point, just because: COME ON NOW, REALLY) and 3) they want to charge us $145 to come out and, essentially, look at the thing and maybe load Microsoft Office. "I THOUGHT THAT THE POINT OF THE CONTRACT WAS FOR THEM TO COME OUT AND FIX THINGS BECAUSE WE HAD ALREADY PAID THEM WHAT IS THIS WHY DID WE EVEN GIVE THEM ANY MONEY IN THE FIRST PLACE WHAT IS EVEN THE POINT OF THE CONTRACT??????????" she capslocked.

Apparently as the call was ending, whoever she was talking to asked if she had received good customer service. My mother paused for a long, long time. "You were very nice to me on the phone," she said finally.



ETA: Y'ALL, MY MOTHER'S CAR IS DEAD. She went out to the garage just now and it was just cold as a stone. Wouldn't even make a noise. "It's either the battery or the alternator," she said. But she doesn't know WHY--she didn't leave anything on to run it down. I couldn't stop laughing, in that "I have no other response left" way--well, I stopped when I realized she was near tears. "And I don't have Triple A anymore, because we couldn't afford it," she said. "I am just so tired. I am just so tired of life."

I'm afraid to stay in this house today, y'all. I don't know what's going to happen next.

You are not going to BELIEVE this. I take Camille 1.2 out of the box. It does exactly what Camille 1.1 did--that is to say, went to a BIOS/DOS screen and then eventually went black. I was actually prepared for this, because my life just sucks this bad; I figured I'd call ASUS and have them tell me some incredibly simple solution.

( Are you for real, are you really for really real )

Written yesterday while every service on the internets was down, fnarr:

Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce... Camille.




Camille is a lady, and she will kick your ass like one with her 6GB of RAM and her 650GB storage capacity (7200 rpm). She has every kind of CD/DVD drive except a Blu-Ray (nobody's perfect), a built-in wireless LAN (802.11b/g/n), and an Intel® Pentium® processor E5300 with 800MHz frontside bus, 2MB L2 cache and 2.6GHz processor speed. I have no idea what that means, but it sounds pretty badass. And all for a cool $509.

(What? Quantum of Solace was on the top of my DVD pile.)

I am not, however, writing this on Camille right now. Camille is still chilling upstairs in her box. Let me explain why:

1. My mother lost her car keys and pretty much her fool mind this morning and charged around tearing the house apart for two hours and finally, after using her spare set to run some errands, found them IN THE RECYCLING BIN.

2. The Geek Squad totally lied to us misrepresented the cost of recovering and tranferring data--if it's over 10GB (OF COURSE IT'S OVER 10GB, YOU MORONS, IT'S MY ENTIRE HARD DRIVE), it's an extra $50.

3. I don't know what I've pinched in my back/hip, but it's killing me. Dragging Betsy 2.0 down the stairs didn't help it either. And then we decided not to transfer the data off her right now anyway, so it was all for nothing.

4. I don't know what's wrong with my grandmother's plumbing exactly, except that it's going to involve $2000 and a backhoe.

5. Twitter was hit by a DDOS attack (Facebook and LJ apparently were as well) and it's not like I get to spend a whole lot of time on this computer downstairs, so this is really putting a crimp in my style.

6. The cat threw up on my bed.

7. THE FUCKING CAT THREW UP ON MY FUCKING BED, ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME. On my BRAND NEW comforter. (Okay, it's a year old, but I have kept that thing PRISTINE, so IT COUNTS.) And then the hworf soaked through both the sheets and through the mattress cover. And also got on the quilt, except that I didn't notice this until I was curled up in it trying to get my hip to knock the whole pain thing off like an 80-year-old woman and then CAT BARF CAT BARF NOOOOOO.

8. God, I hope that was cat barf.

I am pretty sure that if I were to try to plug Camille in right now, she would burst into flame. So... we're not so much with the doing of that today. Better luck tomorrow.


Tomorrow now being today. But not yet set up. *crosses fingers*

1. Scream "GODDAMMIT!" when power goes out. Scream louder when it goes out again. >CHECK

2. Reboot. Computer is dead, claims system file is missing/corrupt. Realize situation is dire. Go into shock. >CHECK
(Note: what you saw last night, between LJ and Twitter, is pretty much the most upset I will ever, ever get, barring maybe the death of an actual human. That is what I do: zombie calm.)

3. Go to parents' computer and freak out on LJ and Twitter. Calmly. >CHECK

( Read more... )



Also, our dryer died this morning.