By admin (
March 1, 2008 at 11:03 pm)
· Filed under SEO
Before leaving for his honeymoon, Derek called Bank of America to make sure he could rely on his debit card while he was in Japan. Bank of America assured him that he would have no problem accessing money. Yet on the third day of his honeymoon, neither he nor his wife could draw cash from their cards, stranding them with only $15 in cash.
He writes:
My wife and I went on our honeymoon in March of 2006. We both had saved about $2,500 to spend on our ten day trip. Rather than paying currency exchange fees and carrying a huge amount of cash with us, we opted to carry our Bank of America Visa debit cards with us and withdraw smaller amounts of cash at Citibank ATMs (which only have very minimal cash withdrawal fees).
Both of us called Bank of America’s customer service about two weeks prior to our trip and went through the whole ridiculous ID verification nonsense you talked about. We spoke to their fraud protection department and let them know on each of our individual cards that we would be in Japan during that time and that we would be making frequent large purchases and cash withdrawals on our cards. They assured us that everything was taken care of and we’d have no problems using our cards while we were in Japan.
On the third day of the trip, we went to Akihabara to make some video game purchases. I found the only Wii system we saw the entire time we were on the trip and tried to buy it. My card was declined, which was incredibly embarrassing and difficult to deal with because of the language barrier. My wife tried her card and it went through, thankfully. The next shop we came to had something she wanted to purchase, at which point her card was declined. She paid with the cash she had left over, leaving both of us with about the equivalent of $15 total in cash.
We assumed we’d hit some sort of daily limit and thought we’d just get more cash out the following day and it’d be fine. When our cards were both declined at the ATM the next morning, we got worried. We spent the last of our cash on the cheapest phone card we could find so we could call the bank and get this mess taken care of. We scoured their website looking for a 24-hour customer service number but couldn’t find one (with the time difference between here and Japan, they had just closed their main customer service department and it would’ve been 10 or so hours till it opened again). We tried calling the other 24-hour numbers to see if there was a way to get to someone that could help us.
We ended up having to spend an entire day sitting in our hotel room doing absolutely nothing waiting for their customer service department to open. We didn’t have any money for food and all we were able to eat was a few candy bars we had picked up a few days prior. When we finally got to talk to someone that night, they said we should’ve tried the 24-hour number and that the other people we spoke to should’ve given it to us. Both cards had been frozen due to unusual activity and they basically said it doesn’t matter that we told them exactly what we were going to be doing. They assured us we wouldn’t have any more problems this time, but when we went to get money out (about a mile away from the hotel) my wife’s card was declined again. After walking back to the hotel and getting it fixed again, we were able to use our cards for the rest of the trip without a problem.
Still, we wasted an entire day on our honeymoon in Japan, wondering if we would even be able to fix the problem at all. When I called customer service when we got home, I was told that the problem was our fault because we were relying on those two cards. Their reaction to what happened was that I should’ve had other credit cards or cash available in case there was a problem with our Bank of America cards. It took me more than six months and countless phone calls with threats to move my accounts (two checking, two savings, a money market savings, and a mortgage loan) over to another bank for them to take any responsibility and offer me a $300 credit for the time lost and the poor experience.
Sorry for the lengthy email, but I couldn’t resist when I read your article. Bank of America has absolutely horrible customer service and more people need to be aware of it. I’m glad someone with access to a widely read forum was able to post this sort of information and get the word out.
Don’t rely on a single bank or form of payment, especially when traveling. Treat your money like an investment and diversify.
By admin (
March 1, 2008 at 11:03 pm)
· Filed under Politics
Thousands of women have been organizing, throwing house parties, canvassing and phone banking for Barack Obama over the last year.
And today is the first day of Women’s History Month, so to celebrate, take a look at some of the nation’s most prominent women on why they support Barack Obama:
Caroline Kennedy in the New York Times, January 27, 2008:
“A President Like My Father”
Over the years, I’ve been deeply moved by the people who’ve told me they wished they could feel inspired and hopeful about America the way people did when my father was president. This sense is even more profound today. That is why I am supporting a presidential candidate in the Democratic primaries, Barack Obama.
This letter represents a first for me–a public endorsement of a Presidential candidate. I feel driven to let you know why I am writing it. One reason is it may help gather other supporters; another is that this is one of those singular moments that nations ignore at their peril. I will not rehearse the multiple crises facing us, but of one thing I am certain: this opportunity for a national evolution (even revolution) will not come again soon, and I am convinced you are the person to capture it.
My close liberal family is now officially divided. My parents, Bert and Letty Cottin Pogrebin, support Hillary Clinton. My brother, David, and I are ardent supporters of Barack Obama. My twin sister, Robin, has yet to declare herself. Everyone is obviously entitled to his or her opinion. But as the daughter of one of the creators of Ms. Magazine, someone who is considered one of the founders of the Women’s Movement, I am frustrated by NOW’s (National Organization for Women) contention that not supporting Hillary is a sexist choice.
“Why So Many Feminists Are Deciding to Vote for Barack Obama”
Something’s happening in these elections that feels like a tipping point. From a national women’s media training to my local women’s book club, from exchanges among long-time feminist activists to conversations with my feminist son, I hear a buzz about why so many feminists are deciding to vote for Barack Obama. Count me among them.
Ethel Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy’s widow backs Obama, February 2, 2008:
Another member of the Kennedy pantheon is now behind Barack Obama. Ethel Kennedy, widow of Bobby Kennedy, announced her support for Obama today, comparing the Illinois senator to her late husband. “Barack is so like Bobby, who struggled for the rights of the poor in the Mississippi Delta and Appalachia, traveled to California to stand in solidarity with Cesar Chavez and farm workers, and fought to end another war that cost so many lives,” Kennedy said in a statement released by the Obama campaign. “Over these past few years, I’ve watched Senator Obama inspire Americans from all walks of life to believe in real change and a new sense of hope and possibility. He’s a magnetic force, drawing the nation together for the common good and galvanizing us all to help shape our country’s future,” Kennedy added.
Susan Eisenhower in the Washington Post, Saturday, February 2, 2008:
“Why I’m Backing Obama”
…The biggest barrier to rolling up our sleeves and preparing for a better future is our own apathy, fear or immobility. We have been living in a zero-sum political environment where all heads have been lowered to avert being lopped off by angry, noisy extremists. I am convinced that Barack Obama is the one presidential candidate today who can encourage ordinary Americans to stand straight again; he is a man who can salve our national wounds and both inspire and pursue genuine bipartisan cooperation. Just as important, Obama can assure the world and Americans that this great nation’s impulses are still free, open, fair and broad-minded.
Kate Michelman, Former President, NARAL Pro-Choice America on the Huffington Post, February 3, 2008:
“Why I’m Endorsing Barack Obama”
The question I have been asking myself and others during my entire life in public policy and throughout this 2008 presidential Campaign — the question which tens of millions of women and men have also been asking — is how do we best bring America together in shared purpose, prosperity and, especially, equality…And so today, with every passion and enthusiasm I have, I am endorsing Senator Barack Obama to be president of the United States.
Editor - I have attempted throughout my life to give a voice to the voiceless, hope to the hopeless, encouragement to the discouraged, and options to the cynical and complacent. From Northern Ireland to Sarajevo to Latin America, I have sung and marched, engaged in civil disobedience, visited war zones, and broken bread with those who had little bread to break. Through all those years, I chose not to engage in party politics. Though I was asked many times to endorse candidates at every level, I was never comfortable doing so. At this time, however, changing that posture feels like the responsible thing to do. If anyone can navigate the contaminated waters of Washington, lift up the poor, and appeal to the rich to share their wealth, it is Sen. Barack Obama. If anyone can bring light to the darkened corners of this nation and restore our positive influence in world affairs, it is Barack Obama. If anyone can begin the process of healing and bring unity to a country that has been divided for too long, it is Barack Obama. It is time to begin a new journey.
Ruth Rosen, journalist, historian and professor at University of California and UC at Berkeley, February 5, 2008:
“Why Would a Feminist Vote for Obama?”
Some people are stunned that I have already voted for Barack Obama and that I signed a “Feminists for Obama” statement which now includes over a thousand rather distinguished names. They know I’ve been involved in the women’s movement since 1967 and have spent my life teaching and writing about the history of women and gender ever since. So why, they ask, didn’t I cast a vote for Hillary Clinton? Am I filled with self-hatred as a woman? No. In fact, there is nothing I’d rather do than vote for the first female presidential candidate. I still remember hearing–on a remote Greek island–that the Democratic party had chosen Geraldine Ferraro as a vice-presidential candidate. To my great surprise, tears flooded my face. So why haven’t I cast this historic vote? The reasons are not all that complicated. Before I was a feminist, I worked in the civil rights and anti-war movements. Supporting Obama fits those life-long commitments.
Patricia Wald, Retired Chief Judge, Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, February 8, 2008:
“Why This Older Woman is For Obama”
I have spent more than 40 years of my near-80 in public service as a federal judge, international judge, public interest lawyer and government official. A veteran of the woman’s movement since its infancy in the 1960’s, an ardent Democrat and an equally ardent supporter of women’s rights-to-choose, to work, to live as we see fit, and yes, one day to elect a woman President, I hail the advances in my lifetime that have resulted in Senator Clinton’s dynamic bid for the Presidency. But women my age fought for the opportunity to be judged on our skills, talents and abilities, not on our gender, and that is the standard by which Senator Clinton’s candidacy should be judged. Perhaps we were naïve, but legions of us believed that if we were allowed to enter the game alongside men, we would prove our worth. Which is a prelude to why I now support Barack Obama…
Like many women, we would be excited to help elect a woman president. At this pivotal moment in our history, however, the gender of our next president is not our foremost concern. Because of the troubled state of the union, our priority is for the Democrats to select as our nominee the candidate who is best positioned to win in November, and to navigate our nation out of the current morass, unite us and move the country forward. We are a diverse group of women who have spent years working for equal rights, social justice and a powerful political voice for all women…Sen. Barack Obama is the candidate with the energy and vision to lead our country in these difficult times — to make our nation safer, restore our standing in the world and inspire Americans to be active participants in our democracy.
“Why I Think Obama is the Best Candidate on Foreign Policy”
Barack Obama is better equipped to handle the United States’ foreign policy on the world stage than either Hillary Clinton or John McCain. As an international human rights lawyer who has worked in Iraq and Afghanistan, I understand better than most the security situation facing Americans and the world. Recently, I survived a large-scale attack by the Taliban on a hotel in Kabul, so my sense of urgency about national security and the safety of Americans abroad is based on a very real understanding of the dangers we face. I plan to return to Kabul shortly, and I know I will feel safer and more confident of success in Afghanistan if Barack Obama is in the White House.
…Gender has nothing to do with it. Race has nothing to do with it. Integrity has something to do with it.
That is why Barack Obama has my vote. Of all the leading candidates, he is the only one on these issues who has consistently acted like a true American.
And if I hear — as I am likely to — from legions of US feminists outraged at me for choosing this man over that woman, I will gladly sit down and explain why I am certain that these issues are so urgent that they overshadow absolutely everything else. Anyway, the man is a feminist; he has a woman-friendly policy vision. And while it would be a thrill to see the first woman elected President, in the last analysis, a real feminist need not define people or support on the basis of gender. Certainly not when our house — with the precious Constitution held without representation within it — is burning down.
I hadn’t intended to declare support for a candidate during the primaries. Like many women’s rights activists supporting Obama, I’d love to see a female president.
Anyone who thinks gender doesn’t matter hasn’t seen Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin or Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton before a room full of women hungry for solutions to low pay, unfair treatment and lack of time to urinate, much less care for loved ones. Women are looking for political candidates who get these issues, who see women not as a “special interest” group but as essential to family and national security: candidates who will not just support but champion solutions…like many women’s rights activists supporting Obama, I also understand that male supremacy does not stand apart from white supremacy or any other form of injustice. People of color of both genders have been excluded from power. Any form of oppression that profits the powers-that-be (the ones I call the Big Boys) and allows them to maintain the status quo hurts women. Every challenge to that domination helps women. Like many other women’s rights activists, I decided to support Obama as someone who offers a greater opening for tackling injustices faced by a wide range of women.
And if you have not seen these videos of Lorna Brett Howard, former President of the Chicago chapter of NOW, on why she was compelled to switch from supporting Hillary Clinton to Barack Obama, please watch these immediately. For anyone concerned with a woman’s right to choose, this is very important:
Please pass this post on to everyone you know who cares about women’s issues.
And finally, if you have an extra moment, here’s a great video about all the Women for Obama in this incredible grassroots movement:
And right now, you can help make calls to women in Texas and Ohio by clicking here for Texas, and here for Ohio.
We’re up to over 700,000 calls already — our goal is 1,000,000 by March 4th.
By admin (
March 1, 2008 at 10:03 pm)
· Filed under Politics
Over 500 Central Ohioans went on a “March to the Polls” to early vote this morning in downtown Columbus, Ohio. The mile-long march started at Shiloh Baptist Church and ended at the Franklin County Board of Elections.
Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman spoke to the participants before the march, describing how only Barack can bring change to Washington. He stated that “Ohio is for Obama,” urging voters to be a part of this ever-growing movement.
The march drew such a crowd that afterwards, people were waiting in line to vote for Barack in the much-anticipated Ohio primary.
Four marchers, Jill, Phil, Carman, and Robert, placed their early votes in support of Barack.
Residents of Columbus, all four voters believe that Barack is the only one to bring true change and make a difference. They are excited to see the unity that the campaign is bringing across America, which is full of hope and excitement for the future.
I believe that parents should be required to give their children healthcare and support the mandate in his plan. But compared with Clinton’s plan, I do not agree in penalizing the people who may choose to opt of universal health care.
By admin (
March 1, 2008 at 10:03 pm)
· Filed under SEO
Cash Tomato, a would-be YouTube! competitor, tried to drum up free advertising by handing out tomatoes wrapped with wads of cash in New York’s Union Square. The event was scheduled to kick-off at 2:29 p.m. to honor the leap year with giveaways of up to $29. Predictably, a riot ensued as a mob of over 100 overwhelmed the three workers dressed as tomatoes who were holding the cash. Video of the riot, after the jump.
By admin (
March 1, 2008 at 10:03 pm)
· Filed under SEO
Reader Michael watched incredulously as a Staples tech tried to convince a senior citizen that his computer wouldn’t work properly without repairs costing almost $400.The senior, who had been lulled into Staples for a free tune up that suddenly cost $39.99, didn’t understand why he needed to spend money on a “diagnostic screening ($49.99), virus removal services ($150), and more RAM (~$150).” Michael intervened and offered to look at the computer free of charge. He couldn’t believe what he found when he popped open the computer.
He writes:
Thought your readers might find this information useful. While making a return at Staples (800 Lexington St, Waltham, MA), I happened to hear an elderly gentleman disputing a service charge. He had brought his PC in for a free “tune up,” and now was being charged $39.99 for that service, plus the service technician was explaining that he needed to purchase a diagnostic screening ($49.99), virus removal services ($150), and more RAM (~$150) to get his computer working. His PC had four viruses, the technician explained, but they would need to run the diagnostic to determine the extent of the infections and to determine if any hardware needed to be replaced.
Having done PC repairs for pizza money in high school, I couldn’t stand to watch a senior citizen get bilked that much to simply have anti-virus installed, run, and then (presumably) removed since it was just a “service.” I stepped in and offered to take a look at his computer for free, though I couldn’t make any promises about fixing it. The technician glared at me, but when the gentleman took me up on the offer he left us alone. I made my returns and followed the man to his house to see what I could do (OK, maybe I’m too trusting but I figure at 6′3″ and 230, there’s not much and 70 year old can pull on me).
He explained that his computer had worked well enough for e-mail and web surfing, but after he took it in for the free diagnostic it wouldn’t start up anymore. Sure enough, we plug his Gateway in and nothing: The monitor doesn’t even flicker, even though the power button turns green. I insert a live CD I’d brought along, and still no luck. I double checked that everything had been just fine before taking it in: He hadn’t dropped it on the way to the store, hadn’t ever opened the case up. He said the technicians had told him he’d need to have virii removed and more RAM added; he suggested he might as well get a new computer if they were going to charge him $300. Seeing how not even the BIOS was showing up, I was starting to worry he was right.
I opened up the PC, expecting the worst: A melted motherboard, fried circuits, or worse, nothing visible at all. I poked and pushed all the parts, making sure everything was tightly pushed in. Everything seemed alright, until I came to the RAM: His DRAM had been partially ejected from its slot, which only could happen if the buttons that held it in place had been pushed. Since he had never opened the PC case up, there was only one explanation: While rummaging inside his computer, a technician had (accidentally or on purpose) hit the button and caused the damage that they were now trying to charge him $390+tax to fix.
I can’t see why a “tune up” would require opening the case, except to check and see how many open DRAM slots were available so they could push Staples products. Whatever the case, taking advantage of the elderly by throwing terms like “computer virus” when a hardware problem you caused stops you from even turning on the computer is downright dishonest, if not quite actionable. I even went through Staples pricing sheets afterwards, and none of the services they tried to upsell even appeared on the list.
Anyways, just a warning to your readers to watch out with Staples services. Probably no better or worse than any other big box assistance, but at list in this instance more than a little odious.
Drive past the big box stores when your computer breaks. Their employees are trained to upsell, not repair computers. Instead, seek out the young, the ones who aren’t old enough to hold advanced degrees or a driver’s license—those who can be paid with extended curfews are ideal. Then, watch in amazement as they sprightly get your computer back to checking AOL so you can forward us that hilarious email Snopes disproved last year.
By admin (
March 1, 2008 at 9:03 pm)
· Filed under Politics
Believe it or not, 300,000 calls were made on Saturday and we have already met our original goal of 1,000,000 calls by March 4th. This is a remarkable achievement.
Now we’re upping the ante: let’s make 1,500,000 calls before polls close on Tuesday.
The polls show that the races in both Texas and Ohio are extremely tight, and in Vermont and Rhode Island it could be very close too. Our voices can make a critical difference in these final days ahead.
This past week, we hit an astonishing total of one million individual donors. This weekend, volunteers are setting out to knock on one million doors in Ohio alone. And by March 4th, we’re going to make 1.5 million calls.
Pick up the phone and make some calls. Organize a house party tomorrow to make calls with friends. Set a personal challenge. Whether you can commit to ten calls or a hundred, you’ll know that you were a part of this historic effort.
As Barack said at the beginning of this campaign:
If each and every one of you make a decision to invest a little bit of time during this small window, just a few months, to try to move this country forward, I am absolutely confidant that it’s going to happen. And we’re not just going to win an election; we are going to transform the country.
By admin (
March 1, 2008 at 9:03 pm)
· Filed under SEO
A shredder is an indispensable tool for keeping your identity safe and secure. If you receive credit card offers or have old bank statements littering your files, then you can’t do without a cross-cutting shredder to slice and dice your personal information into an indecipherable medley of confetti. Frugal For Life points out a few of the many reasons we all should be devout shredders.
I was reading some different articles about shredding paper while I was doing research into the type of paper shredder I had wanted to buy. It seems that the range in percentage of people who use a paper shredder are between 18% - 51%. That’s a lot of people who don’t shred paper and are susceptible to identity fraud.
I haven’t had that happen yet, thankfully. But reading the stories in the paper or seeing news on TV definitely makes me aware that I don’t want to be part of that club.
Since dumpster diving is perfectly legal in most areas of the country, you don’t want your information floating around that is easily read. I will qualify this by saying that the majority of dumpster divers (like myself) are honest people and wouldn’t even consider a crime of that nature. However it is the small percentage that always seems to ruin things for everyone and make life difficult.
Cross-cutting action is key. Committed identity thieves can piece together strip-shredded documents, and credit card companies readily accept torn applications.
Shredding can also be productive and fun. Instead of throwing out shredder leavings, use them as packing material, pet beds, or makeshift confetti for impromptu ticker-tape parades. If you don’t want a shredder at home, use one in the office. If you have kids, consider a hamster-powered shredder. Just get a shredder. And resist the urge to shred the instructions.
By admin (
March 1, 2008 at 8:03 pm)
· Filed under Politics
We’re just days away from crucial primaries in Texas, Ohio, Vermont and Rhode Island. Volunteers across all four states are taking to the streets, going door to door, block by block, to Get Out The Vote for Barack.
In Ohio alone, our goal is to knock on one million doors before the polls close on Tuesday night. Over the next few days, what we do — or don’t do — could make the difference.
walk packets waiting to be picked up by volunteers
If you live in or near Texas, Ohio, Vermont or Rhode Island, there is still time to join in with fellow supporters from your neighborhood to help Get Out The Vote.
There are dozens of canvasses throughout each state, taking place from now until the polls close on Tuesday.
And no matter where you are, you can help out by making phone calls and talking with voters in all four states. We have just a few more days to meet our mark of one million calls before March 4th. So far you’ve met every goal and defied every expectation, but we’re not done yet.
This is our window of opportunity, our moment to make a difference.
Before leaving for his honeymoon, Derek called Bank of America to make sure he could rely on his debit card while he was in Japan. Bank of America assured him that he would have no problem accessing money. Yet on the third day of his honeymoon, neither he nor his wife could draw cash from their cards, stranding them with only $15 in cash.
Cash Tomato, a would-be YouTube! competitor, tried to drum up free advertising by handing out tomatoes wrapped with wads of cash in New York’s Union Square. The event was scheduled to kick-off at 2:29 p.m. to honor the leap year with giveaways of up to $29. Predictably, a riot ensued as a mob of over 100 overwhelmed the three workers dressed as tomatoes who were holding the cash. Video of the riot, after the jump.
Reader Michael watched incredulously as a Staples tech tried to convince a senior citizen that his computer wouldn’t work properly without repairs costing almost $400.The senior, who had been lulled into Staples for a free tune up that suddenly cost $39.99, didn’t understand why he needed to spend money on a “diagnostic screening ($49.99), virus removal services ($150), and more RAM (~$150).” Michael intervened and offered to look at the computer free of charge. He couldn’t believe what he found when he popped open the computer.
A shredder is an indispensable tool for keeping your identity safe and secure. If you receive credit card offers or have old bank statements littering your files, then 
