VERIZON MAKES LIFE MORE DIFFICULT

It is impossible for me to assume Verizon is doing what they do to make only my life difficult. There must be many out in Verizon-land who feel as misinformed and as mistreated by the company as I do. Having spent two hours which could far better have been spent at this time in my life, just trying to get the bill explained and reconcile what they did to charge me with what I had been told would happen, I was then transferred to Tech Support who must have felt as the President's Press secretary has often felt. I find that all Verizon employees must be trained to be sympathetic, listen to your complaints, and then fall back on their powerlessness to do anything for you.

The salesman had told me that I would receive 3 months of HBO free but if I did not want to continue, I must be careful to call before the three months were up, to cancel. I was warned that I would be billed monthly but when I canceled I would be credited for whatever I had paid. The last bill listed, on page 1, Adjustments -51.99 (see page 3) Since I was being given a credit I didn't immediately call to find out what it was for. Remiss as I was, I didn't even look on page 3 which only said "Miscellaneous Adjustments". Since I was assured that I would have HBO for three months without charge, I did not make the connection. However, the very kind and sympathetic Customer Service lady ( powerless to do anything but explain how I was continuing with the bait and switch, though she never called it that) was patient and explained that I had been reimbursed in advance of the three months and would therefore (since I had not canceled HBO on receipt of the money), I would have to pay for the two months I received it. I had asked to cancel it, which I doubt she would have suggested herself. So the three free months turned out to be actually not free HBO, since I canceled after having had it for only two months, both for which I had to pay.

If anyone is considering changing to Verizon FIOS from another company, be warned. On 5/17/08, Audrey from New Jersey writes her horror story on the Internet. There are others. The tag line of the company is "we never stop working for you" That is an exact statement. They never stop working to get you. It is only after they get you that they stop working for you and concentrate on how much they can bleed from your finances.

Ironically, after I finished that 2 hour phone call, 2 men in their characteristic red Verizon shirts knocked on the door to see if they could sell me on an installation date. I fear I took years off the poor boys' lives with my rant. They patiently listened and said that quite a few people had those complaints as well as others and thanked me for being pleasant about it with them! I told them it is easy to be pleasant to them because they clearly aren't in control but I thought they should know the customers' opinion and experience of the company. I added that I intended to write to the Corporate Offices with a cc to the Attorney General and proceeded to write a first draft. I will be amazed if my letters don't end up in the their circular files but I will start writing on the Internet and warning all my friends to steer clear of their tactics. Little consolation to RCN is that, had I known how I would have been treated, I would have stayed with them hwere the price was right, the service good, and the billing as described. I would go back in a heartbeat if I weren't enslaved by Verizon's two-year contract.

A SUCCESSFUL END RUN ON THE GOVERNMENT

As long as we have a government that cares nothing for its people, the ones at the bottom of the pile have few choices. Since revolution is not the most efficient way to go, someone had to think outside the box. The CIW (Coalition for Immokalee Workers) has done just that. They did not ask for legislation to solve the problem, they thought up and implemented their own solution to be paid for by the corporations. The victory by the CIW will hopefully open doors to a better functioning democracy than to expect our least democratic 'government of a select few people at the top of the power heap' must be changed. Since change comes slowly, someone had to figure a faster way to succeed in making America behave as out forefathers intended, since it is clear that our current government has long since abandoned such intent.

Some history on this can be found in another article. What are the dynamics of the rich in our country, CEO's of corporations making billions in profit, to squeak out another nickel from the souls of their lowest and most needed workers? When will those sociopaths who have without conscience worked their way to the top be seen for what they are and a sense of pride in the values this country once stood for be allowed to return? Do they have to have a visit from Christmas ghosts of the past, present and future?

While we can occasionally get some help from the Legislative branch of our government, more is happening from groups of citizens who are getting behind causes with the power in numbers. Boycotts work. Negotiations work. We need to understand that our government does not work much, and certainly does not work efficiently or in a timely fashion.

PRESS SECRETARY'S CONVERSION TO TRUTH TELLING

McClellan has certainly shocked a few people with his new book: "What Happened: Inside the Bush White House and Washington's Culture of Deception," Chris Matthews was interviewing Ari Fleischer and was deeply insulted, telling Ari he didn't need to resort to sarcasm when he asked Ari a question about McClellan and the job, talked over his answer, then demanded an answer from him. Mr. Fleischer, who had lost my respect with all the lies he covered when he was the White House Press Secretary, raised my respect a nanometer when he had told Matthews at the first opening left him, "When you stop your filibuster I will answer your question." I thought Matthews did admirably to almost hide and control his rage his rage.

Apparently Bush administration staffers find the book "puzzling". McClellan's current negativity regarding Bush's desire to be remembered as a 'great' president was on learning that Bush believed that greatness comes through being a war President. It does cause a regurgitating reflux to think he did that for his own gain at the expense of so many thousands of lives lost and ruined. Such arrogance will go down for greatness, not as the greatest success as his deluded thinking might have hoped, but as the greatest failure as a President whom we have seen in the US.

The book sounds like it might be a good read....I think I'll try it though little is needed to prove we have been lied to for eight years. Rather than trying to separate the wheat from the chaff, it is simpler to just assume that nothing that comes out of the Administration it a truth....and may even be more accurate.

WHO'S KIDDING WHOM?

Measure of Consumer Mood Hits 16-Year Low

This was a NY Times headline today. "The May reading marks the fifth straight month of decline and is the lowest since the index registered 54.6 in October 1992 when the economy was coming out of a recession. "

What will it take for the American elite and John McCain to understand that all is not well on the home front and that continuing the Iraq war so the US will not be 'humiliated' (as though many of us have not been humiliated by this administration for long enough) is a luxury that can no longer be afforded for its cost in lives and the financial cost to us all. I, for one, would feel no humiliation in ending our part in the war as most of the rest of the few participating countries have already done. My greater humiliation was having to admit that my country had elected Bush/Cheney and had started the war in the first place.

What is the indication that citizens of this country feel collective shame or humiliation? We are a disparate people whose majority wants us to be through with the war. That McCain and his followers rate their personal feelings of 'humiliation' as more important than avoiding the loss of America's sons and daughters astonishes me, and leaves me with little respect for his rhetoric.

MSNBC draws me like a magnet as I hear disingenuous Chris Matthews asking what Bill Clonton could possibly be talking about when he says he has never seen so much disrespect for a candidate as that shown his wife. Clearly, Matthews who has had his own hate campaign going about her, trying to make her and Bill one, is blind to the hours of ridicule he has given on his show. However, You Tube and history will bear it out. He can lie to himself about his part in the present but he will never be able to hide what a poor political journalist he has become.

VERMONT OPEN STUDIO WEEKEND

Some people make a yearly pilgrimage to Mecca; I make mine to visit friends in Vermont where we visit as many Open Studios as time and energy permits. Few experiences are nicer than being driven around Vermont by good friends with whom experiences of 42 years of our lives have been shared.

Vermont is beautiful at this time of year, with varying shades of clean, green foliage that has not yet been chewed up by caterpillars or whatever else chomps on them. Opportunists, counting on all those out for the Open Arts and Crafts Studios were having yard sales, lawn sales, tag sales, barn sales and any other kind of sale possible. Flowering shrubs were in full bloom as were apple trees and any other flowering fruit tree imaginable. Distinctive to Vermont homes is the acreage in front of almost all homes, perfectly manicured by any or all family members on their sit-down mowers. On one huge estate, master and mistress were on his and her tractors, mowing a lawn that had already been turned into velvet by the hired landscapers. It seems to be a local pastime around there.

In one town traffic was slowed for a 'coin drop' for the volunteer firemen; later for a 'bottle drop' to send a boy on a school trip to Italy.

Artists were patient with those of us who were asking questions and buying very little (commonly known as 'tire kickers' in automobile showrooms). We were given a demonstration by a blacksmith on how to turn a piece of iron pipe, about eight inches long, into an abstract duck. The yard was filled with artistic versions of crows, dragonflies, mayflies, caterpillars, lobsters, clocks, candlesticks, menorahs, and many other articles created by this talented artist.

In the Northeast Kingdom, near the Canadian border in Newport, we saw a wood carver of birds. He had quit his stressful job job as the only orthopedic surgeon in the area and was devoting himself to his carving. Admittedly his pieces were selling for two or three thousand dollars each, which sounds like a great price, but he said if he paid himself $10 and hour, it would not cover the time spent on his carvings. Over and over we visited happy creators whose love of their work was effusively projected. Everyone freely described how they did the work, produced the product or art, and seemed grateful for feedback.

The Vermont Arts Council which sponsors this wonderful experience every year over the Memorial Day weekend, should be on the calendar of anyone interested in an eye opening experience through the eyes of people who have found a way to make life fun and eat off it.

ON MY WAY HOME AGAIN

Is there ever anything to match the joy of being away and coming back to the familiarity of home? I come into the house sniffing like a bloodhound. Ah, all the old familiar smells! My eyes sweep around the rooms. Did my plants survive? Quick, get the watering can. It must have been hot, a few are drooping a bit. Last count I had 29 African Violets all in blossom with the exception of perhaps a couple that didn't get enough TLC, light and water.

While I slept on no bed of nails out, my own bed (when I finally get to it) is always the most comfortable bed in the world. The sounds are familiar and the light patterns around are like watching often seen pictures. Nothing in the refrigerator became a science project while I was gone!

Toto, I clicked my heels and look, we are back in Kansas!

I'M IN VERMONT HAVING FUN: WHERE ARE YOU?

Every Memorial Day weekend, the State of Vermont opens itself hospitably for visitors to art studios offering every conceivable form of art. In past years I have seen welding, blacksmithing, jewelry making, pottery, glass blowing, sculpting with varying media, oil paintings, water colors, and the list just goes on and on. Not only is there eye candy but many artists are happy to share their techniques with questioning visitors.

Once again I hope to return home full of fresh knowledge and ideas coupled with a weekend among true friends. I will be off the grid, without TV and my computer, with only good friends, conversation, food, beauty and warmth to sustain me for a couple of days.

It will be a mini-vacation I enjoy once a year that matches those who go to India to a guru to find themselves. I know who I am and have not lost myself. thus I have no need to 'find' myself...a really wonderful place to be in life.