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July 30, 2009
Note to Cell Phone industry: Never piss off a Pogue! :-)
Our favorite cartoon character David Pogue has been a thorn in the cell phone carrier's side lately, and now he has called upon the consumer masses to take a swing and complain about one of their particularly blatant (and annoying) money-grabs: the mandatory 15-second voicemail instructions. That's right, the annoying 15 seconds of instructions that everyone gets when they are about to leave a message, or even checking your own! Pogue puts it best...
These messages are outrageous for two reasons. First, they waste your time. Good heavens: it's 2009. WE KNOW WHAT TO DO AT THE BEEP.
Do we really need to be told to hang up when we're finished!? Would anyone, ever, want to "send a numeric page?" Who still carries a pager, for heaven's sake? Or what about "leave a callback number?" We can SEE the callback number right on our phones!
Second, we're PAYING for these messages. These little 15-second waits add up-bigtime. If Verizon's 70 million customers leave or check messages twice a weekday, Verizon rakes in about $620 million a year. That's your money. And your time: three hours of your time a year, just sitting there listening to the same message over and over again every year.
Pogue has told each of the four major carriers that they'll be hearing from consumers, and they were kind enough to let him know where to direct your rage...
* Verizon: Post a complaint here: http://bit.ly/FJncH.
* AT&T: Send e-mail to Mark Siegel, executive director of media relations: MS8460@att.com.
* Sprint: Post a complaint here: http://bit.ly/9CmrZ
* T-Mobile: Post a complaint here: http://bit.ly/2rKy0u.
Kudos! Next up, getting those text message charges down!
Posted by Snaggy at 04:59 PM
July 27, 2009
FW: Geordi LaForge would be proud
Via @Reddit... lol!
Posted by Snaggy at 12:43 PM
Forum Tidbits for you and your clone.
DoctorWho scrapes cloning from skin cells, ... Bibo herds Synchronized Sheep, ... Snaggy gives life to Jon Stewart on "birthers", ... ewomack is back and is still doing this nonsense, ... MacManKrisK says Car geeks, lend me your wrenches! , and Ashitaka milks Jeff Bezos likes milk!
Posted by Snaggy at 10:41 AM
July 22, 2009
Moon Men Forum Tidbits!
Tech Angel focuses on LRO images of Apollo landing sites, ... and asks Which is more difficult: a moon landing, or a moon landing hoax? , ... Snaggy laughs at the Manhattan Airport Foundation , ... Stibbons thinks An orgasm a day keeps the doctor away, ... TheMoMan wonders Who saw the eclipse? and macmcseboy goes Khaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan!!!!!
Posted by Snaggy at 10:41 PM
July 17, 2009
Weekend Forum Tidbits!
GrumpySteen knows We all know seeing Cthulu can cause madness and garlicguy claims This one is GrumpySteen's fault, ... Grummash is elementary with Old 'Copper Knickers' gets a boost, ... and DoctorWho is a Cajun OnStar.
Posted by Snaggy at 08:25 AM
July 14, 2009
Forum Tidbits for Saturn 5 lovers
Snaggy blasts off over wechoosethemoon.org, ... Xanthine's cat let her post It has been confirmed!, ... TheMoMan wonders Is this a dumb POOP idea? and Is this RedNeck Material and The Famous Druid gives The grooms speech.
Posted by Snaggy at 01:33 PM
July 10, 2009
Tornado VS Train.
Whoa.
Nitrozac says... this needs Keyboard Cat. ;-)
Posted by Snaggy at 11:54 AM
Forum Tidbits to sip coffee over...
Tim Hortons is coming to NYC and Snaggy expects a review from dragonman and jessycat, ... teleny asks what to do in NYC?, ... TheMoMan ponders How Good Will Chrome Be? , ... InCogNEATO hates Our Stupid Health Insurance!!!! , ... madbard finds the JoT 2009-Jul-6 heavenly, ... and enjoy this Atlantis blast off, then ride down with the boosters!
Posted by Snaggy at 12:05 AM
July 07, 2009
Battlestar Galactica: Season 4.5, arriving soon.
Coming soon to your credit card bill... Battlestar Galactica Season 4.5 and The Complete Series on DVD! Yep, couldn't resist posting this, for on July 28th the whole series arrives on Earth. The set features over 13 hours of explosive extras, including three extended episodes of the series finale that never aired on television, never-before-seen deleted scenes, behind-the-scenes featurettes, and commentary and podcast interviews with Executive Producers Ronald D. Moore and David Eick.
OK, so maybe the ending left you fuming, but you know you want to see it again! We are hoping to have the complete series as a giveaway item, so stay tuned for that! Here's the trailer...
Posted by Snaggy at 07:35 PM
July 06, 2009
Ball Cap Nation!
Do you have a special relationship with your cap or beanie? Have to have it on your head before leaving the house? Well we have the perfect read for you, it's Ball Cap Nation, the new book by Jim Lilliefors. Ball Cap Nation is what the subtitle suggests... "a journey through the world of America's national hat."
As fads go, it's no longer even a fad, but a part of the national identity that, for better or worse, is a symbol of America. It feeds an illusion that Americans cherish, that despite their differences, and no matter what position they play when wearing a baseball cap, they're all part of the same team.
It's a look at the history of the cap, its styles and creation, and the people that create cap culture. From cap collectors like 30 Rock's Judah Friedlander, to cap geeks like Buckey Legried, who owns more than 90,000 caps! There's also interviews with cap geniuses, cap etiquette experts, and the movers and shakers of the global cap merchants... including yours truly! Yep, there's an interview with Geek Culture's Chief Propeller Beanie Technician Snaggy!
Of course it would be impossible to only describe caps, that's why the book is filled with lots of pictures, both black&white and in full color. I especially loved the old advertisment illustration from 1888 of Spalding Base Ball Caps... some very cool designs there! So if you are looking for a fun, informative read this summer, grab your cap and grab this book before you head to the ball park, beach, or hammock. And be prepared to take the Ball Cap Triva Quiz at the end of the book!
Posted by Snaggy at 08:55 AM
July 04, 2009
Independence Day Tidbits!
Snaggy wishes his US cousins a Happy Independence Day, ... Maggs is Going to Australia in August!, ... TheMoMan has a question For those Down Under, and Video Recording ... and Grummash does his best impression of I'll be back...
Posted by Snaggy at 12:57 PM
July 01, 2009
Canada Day Forum Tidbits!
Snaggy wishes you all a Happy Canada Day, ... fs wonders What happens to your data when you die? and loves it when Paleontologists visit a creationism museum, ... sconzey need suggestions for a Servo controller , ... HalfVast finds a Web Site Story, ... GrumpySteen sends you to the creepy La Isla De Las Munecas, ...and congrats to our friends at Strangeflavour who created Flick Fishing: over one million downloads!
Posted by Snaggy at 09:43 AM