Verizon is BOMB!
Below is Verizon's response to my email.
Dear Jerome Alexander,
On behalf of Verizon Wireless, please let me apologize for the frustration you have gone through regarding your phone replacement. My name is Valerie, and I am eager to resolve your concerns that you have addressed.
Jerome, as we do value your business as a Verizon Wireless customer, I have issued a one time courtesy credit to your account in the amount of $50.00. I apologize that the store gave you information on the cause of water damage. This credit will appear on your December 28th statement.
I also want to apologize that you had to travel to a different store to get a replacement device. Not all stores carry the PDA phones and the reason is that not all store technicians are equipped to service them.
Jerome, I make it my personal goal to resolve all of your wireless concerns. I hope I have done that for you today by assisting with the credit of your deductible. We appreciate your business and thank you for using Verizon Wireless. Should you have additional questions or feel your concerns are not resolved, please reply to this e-mail.
Again, Thank you for choosing Verizon Wireless, have a wonderful Day.
Sincerely,
Valerie
Verizon Wireless
Customer Service
If you have received this e-mail in error or are not the intended recipient, please notify us immediately by replying to this e-mail and deleting it and all copies and backups thereof. If you are the intended recipient and are a Verizon Wireless customer, this response is subject to the terms of your Customer Agreement.
If that's not great customer service, I don't know what is. I'm very happy to be a Verizon customer.
Thursday, December 6, 2007
Sunday, December 2, 2007
Pissed off Verizon Consumer
I know this post has nothing to do with stem cells. But as you can tell by the title of this post, I have something else on my mind.
This past Friday, I woke up to an unresponsive Palm Treo. The phone would turn on and let me receive phone calls, but wouldn't let me do anything else. My next step obviously involved taking the phone to the Verizon store. After waiting in the store' short line, I was greeted by one of the store's employees, and I told her my problem, "My phone isn't responding." She looked the phone over and then removed the battery.
Apparently, near the battery exists a white circle that can turn red if the phone is exposed to moisture; my phone's button was red. I was shocked. I have had that phone for all of 1 MONTH and my phone was exposed to moisture?? I told her, "I don't know how this happened," and she asked me, "Where do you normally keep your phone?" I said, "my pocket." Her response, "Yeh, that can do it?" Are you serious??? Because our bodies give off heat--is that really a surprise--that can cause my phone moisture damage? Doesn't that seem like poor package design? I'm a guy, and do not carry a purse. Where else am I suppose to place my phone? Furthermore, my previous phone was a Treo and I had that one for a year. Where do you think I kept it? The answer, IN MY POCKET!
Anyway, after yelling at the employee she then says well I can call the insurance company for you and replace your phone, you should be able to get one by tomorrow. News flash, I'm a college student who doesn't have a home phone, my parents live six hours away, and I work half an hour away, I need my phone in case of an emergency. She then gets the manager, because of how irate I had gotten. The manager then tells me that they can send me to a Verizon store in Irvine, about a 20 minute drive, to pick up a phone that same day. What pissed me off was that he made it appear like he was doing me a favor, because they do not replace PDA's in store. I then quickly reminded him that having people drive 20 minutes away was indeed NOT A FAVOR.
When my IPOD malfunctions, I go to the Apple Store and they replace it in store. When my television stopped working, I took it to Costco, and they replaced it in store. Just because I'm a young college student does not mean I am unfamiliar with good business practices. I'm a PR and Advertising major, which makes me very aware of good and bad customer service. Anyway, I wasn't going to waste any more time with them, so I went to the store in Irvine.
I get to the Verizon store, and they too under estimated my the level of my frustration. They give me the phone but tell me that I must pay the $50 deductible. That was not going to happen. I told him this was not my fault. My phone had not been emerged in water, I do not shower with my phone in the bathroom, and it didn't get wet. The fact that my phone can suffer from moisture damage, because I put it in my pocket is absurd. Verizon needs to find a better manufacturer. And not only that, I paid the $50 deductible two months ago to replace my phone after having it for a year. In that case, I had no issue paying the deductible, because that phone had been dropped; it needed to be replaced.
Basically, because of the moisture damage, which is really an atmospheric issue, this was somehow my fault. Honestly, the system is fucked. I'm an honest man and would not try to get Verizon to pay for a problem I caused. In the end, I paid the deductible, but called Verizon's customer service to complain some more.
I explained to them that the company's phone is made cheaply, and that it should pay my deductible. Verizon is at least a million dollar company capable of paying this. I'm a working college student who is not. I definitely lost respect for this company. When I decided to pay for my own phone bill, I picked Verizon without hesitation. My mom has been a customer of Verizon since it was Air Touch Cellular in the 80's. And this is how the company treats its customers? I thought the company valued its customers better. And as I stated before, I would have no problem paying the deductible if I dropped it in a pool or spilled a drink over it, but I did not.
I will definitely think twice about renewing my contract with Verizon.
This past Friday, I woke up to an unresponsive Palm Treo. The phone would turn on and let me receive phone calls, but wouldn't let me do anything else. My next step obviously involved taking the phone to the Verizon store. After waiting in the store' short line, I was greeted by one of the store's employees, and I told her my problem, "My phone isn't responding." She looked the phone over and then removed the battery.
Apparently, near the battery exists a white circle that can turn red if the phone is exposed to moisture; my phone's button was red. I was shocked. I have had that phone for all of 1 MONTH and my phone was exposed to moisture?? I told her, "I don't know how this happened," and she asked me, "Where do you normally keep your phone?" I said, "my pocket." Her response, "Yeh, that can do it?" Are you serious??? Because our bodies give off heat--is that really a surprise--that can cause my phone moisture damage? Doesn't that seem like poor package design? I'm a guy, and do not carry a purse. Where else am I suppose to place my phone? Furthermore, my previous phone was a Treo and I had that one for a year. Where do you think I kept it? The answer, IN MY POCKET!
Anyway, after yelling at the employee she then says well I can call the insurance company for you and replace your phone, you should be able to get one by tomorrow. News flash, I'm a college student who doesn't have a home phone, my parents live six hours away, and I work half an hour away, I need my phone in case of an emergency. She then gets the manager, because of how irate I had gotten. The manager then tells me that they can send me to a Verizon store in Irvine, about a 20 minute drive, to pick up a phone that same day. What pissed me off was that he made it appear like he was doing me a favor, because they do not replace PDA's in store. I then quickly reminded him that having people drive 20 minutes away was indeed NOT A FAVOR.
When my IPOD malfunctions, I go to the Apple Store and they replace it in store. When my television stopped working, I took it to Costco, and they replaced it in store. Just because I'm a young college student does not mean I am unfamiliar with good business practices. I'm a PR and Advertising major, which makes me very aware of good and bad customer service. Anyway, I wasn't going to waste any more time with them, so I went to the store in Irvine.
I get to the Verizon store, and they too under estimated my the level of my frustration. They give me the phone but tell me that I must pay the $50 deductible. That was not going to happen. I told him this was not my fault. My phone had not been emerged in water, I do not shower with my phone in the bathroom, and it didn't get wet. The fact that my phone can suffer from moisture damage, because I put it in my pocket is absurd. Verizon needs to find a better manufacturer. And not only that, I paid the $50 deductible two months ago to replace my phone after having it for a year. In that case, I had no issue paying the deductible, because that phone had been dropped; it needed to be replaced.
Basically, because of the moisture damage, which is really an atmospheric issue, this was somehow my fault. Honestly, the system is fucked. I'm an honest man and would not try to get Verizon to pay for a problem I caused. In the end, I paid the deductible, but called Verizon's customer service to complain some more.
I explained to them that the company's phone is made cheaply, and that it should pay my deductible. Verizon is at least a million dollar company capable of paying this. I'm a working college student who is not. I definitely lost respect for this company. When I decided to pay for my own phone bill, I picked Verizon without hesitation. My mom has been a customer of Verizon since it was Air Touch Cellular in the 80's. And this is how the company treats its customers? I thought the company valued its customers better. And as I stated before, I would have no problem paying the deductible if I dropped it in a pool or spilled a drink over it, but I did not.
I will definitely think twice about renewing my contract with Verizon.
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Are You a Believer Now?
Well, I hope you have enough information to reach your own conclusions about stem cell research. What I hope I have made clear over the past few months are these arguments:
1) There are too many forms of research for the scientific community to dwell on one area of research, embryonic. If huge breakthroughs occur with umbilical cord blood, fat cells, and destroyed embryos, the government will have to budge and reconsider its strict policies on embryonic stem cell research.
2) If the United States doesn’t invest more money into stem cell research, we will continue to lose the lead in the medical community we once had over other countries like China and the UK.
3) Cloning to use embryonic stem cells is morally unjust. Donate your own stem cells like you donate your own blood. It should be a choice for the donator.
4) Write senators. There are too many high-ranking government officials who are supporters of stem cell research. Let me them know you agree, and are mad that stem cell research is moving within our country at an embarrassing slow pace.
5) And lastly, now that you’re educated on this matter—though it’s cliché—educate others. Speak out in debates and posit the option of using stem cells.
1) There are too many forms of research for the scientific community to dwell on one area of research, embryonic. If huge breakthroughs occur with umbilical cord blood, fat cells, and destroyed embryos, the government will have to budge and reconsider its strict policies on embryonic stem cell research.
2) If the United States doesn’t invest more money into stem cell research, we will continue to lose the lead in the medical community we once had over other countries like China and the UK.
3) Cloning to use embryonic stem cells is morally unjust. Donate your own stem cells like you donate your own blood. It should be a choice for the donator.
4) Write senators. There are too many high-ranking government officials who are supporters of stem cell research. Let me them know you agree, and are mad that stem cell research is moving within our country at an embarrassing slow pace.
5) And lastly, now that you’re educated on this matter—though it’s cliché—educate others. Speak out in debates and posit the option of using stem cells.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
If You Can't Beat 'Em, Go to China!
I never thought of this as an option, but it is definitely viable and also legal for Americans to go to where you can stem cell treatment with little to no governmental influence. It's just a very expensive "plan B" from plane tickets, to hotels, and also the stem cell procedure. One man, Alexander McKenzie Wallace, despite the expense made this trip.
At age 70, Alexander made the trip to China this past September as a last chance to save his life and fight his disease, Ataxia. Ataxia' means ‘absence of order’. People with ataxia have problems of co-ordination. This is because parts of the nervous system that normally control co-ordination and balance are affected. Ataxia is the principal symptom of a group of neurological disorders called the cerebellar ataxias. Most are progressive, meaning your symptoms get worse.
What's most exciting though is watching Alex's improvement. I cannot embed the videos onto my blog but can provide links for you to read his interviews and see his videos. After only a month, Alexander went from only being to walk short distances and then neeeding a rest, to stamina improvement so much he could walk upstairs. His story is truly unbelievable.
At age 70, Alexander made the trip to China this past September as a last chance to save his life and fight his disease, Ataxia. Ataxia' means ‘absence of order’. People with ataxia have problems of co-ordination. This is because parts of the nervous system that normally control co-ordination and balance are affected. Ataxia is the principal symptom of a group of neurological disorders called the cerebellar ataxias. Most are progressive, meaning your symptoms get worse.
What's most exciting though is watching Alex's improvement. I cannot embed the videos onto my blog but can provide links for you to read his interviews and see his videos. After only a month, Alexander went from only being to walk short distances and then neeeding a rest, to stamina improvement so much he could walk upstairs. His story is truly unbelievable.
Cheese Anyone?
In many of my blogs, I have mentioned how researchers have conducted experiments on mice and concluded their findings could be applied to humans. I didn't understand why until now. According to Dr Jane Rogers, Welcome Trust Sanger Institute, "We share 99% of our genes with mice, and we even have the genes that could make a tail." And not only that but, "The mouse "book of life" reveals that humans and mice share at least 80% of their genes, with only 300 unique to either organism."
America is not the only country conducting research on mice. The UK, China, and Japan, all use mice for scientific research. Scientists can work out what human genes do by "knocking out" similar looking genes in mice and studying the results.
Researchers can also trace the malfunctioning genes responsible for disease by examining sick mice that display symptoms apparently similar to human conditions. If I were you, I would think twice about killing this rodent that and sometimes unwelcome roommate.
Monday, November 12, 2007
Sanchez Supports Stem Cell Research Too
Before I dive into why Loretta Sanchez supports stem cell research, I want to cover something I was not recently aware of. In addition to Bush only allowing stem cell researchers to use damaged embryos, he has limited the supply of embryos available to those stem cell lines that existed when President Bush issued an executive order on August 9, 2001. So, stem cells that were made available after that date cannot be used. Way to abuse your power.
Sanchez is taking her support a step further than other congressmen and senators, and is actually working on a bill called The DeGette-Castle Stem Cell Research Bill. The bill only authorizes the use of stem cell lines generated from embryos that would otherwise be discarded by fertility clinics. Furthermore, the bill includes stronger ethical guidelines than the President’s current policy--something Conservatives should find soothing but overlook.
Did I mention yet that 72% of Americans support this BIPARTISAN bill. That's right, democrats and republicans are actually agreeing. Additionally, almost 3/4 of Americans want to see this bill put into action.
Here's a short list of other congressmen who support stem cell research I compiled in litterally a few minutes; without question, there are more supporters than this. I just wanted to show the positions these officials occupy.
California's Republican governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger,
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi
Majority Whip James E. Clyburn
Sen. Majority Leader Bill Fris
Sen. John Kerry,
Representative Roscoe Bartlett
These are key power players in the government, and they can't even persuade our president. Sometimes I wonder if I'm wasting my time.
Feinstein Supports Stem Cell Research
Something I learned is that Senator Feinstein supports stem cell research. In fact, many of "Caleefornyah's" officials support stem cell research including its governor, Schwarzenegger.
Feinsten says that we must engage in "sensible stem cell research legislation" and that it "must contain provisions to expand the number of lines eligible for federal funding." It still surprises me that our federal government does not agree and continues to hinder every state's progress.
Some of Feinstein's objectives are:
1)To lift restrictions to expand the number of stem cell lines available for federal funding.
2)To pass a federal ban on human reproductive cloning while protecting important medical research.
I hope you noticed that her second objective refutes the conservative argument.
Feinsten says that we must engage in "sensible stem cell research legislation" and that it "must contain provisions to expand the number of lines eligible for federal funding." It still surprises me that our federal government does not agree and continues to hinder every state's progress.
Some of Feinstein's objectives are:
1)To lift restrictions to expand the number of stem cell lines available for federal funding.
2)To pass a federal ban on human reproductive cloning while protecting important medical research.
I hope you noticed that her second objective refutes the conservative argument.
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