Magazine called Mary Jane's Farm.

The card said sample copy.  If I liked the magazine and wanted to subscribe, do nothing.  If I did not want it, write refused on the bill and return it.  Well, I have written refused on about 6 bills and they are still coming. This time I opened the bill, wrote in huge letters I DO NOT WANT THIS MAGAZINE!  Now, hopefully, I will hear no more from them.  And if at any time in the future, I might want to read this magazine, I will definitely pass on it.  So unless you want the magazine enough to pay for the subscription, and I didn't find it a very good magazine, then don't accept the "you can refuse" offer.

Processing chicken

You know those chicken sandwiches you get at the fast food places?  How about the chicken nuggets at McDonalds?  Or the bag of frozen chicken nuggets at the grocery store?  Well, all that is now being processed in, drum roll-----China.  Yep. The Fed announced last week that it had given the goahead for companies to ship the chicken to China for processing.  Why?  Because that is what business wanted.  Do we matter?  Oh hell no.  Be smart.  Don't buy this crap.  I buy locally grown chickens, cut up my own, fry, bake, grill my own.  I won't buy anything processed.  We have to stop acting like sheep and letting business do this to us.  We are in charge.  We, the consumer, call the shots and if we just sit back and accept that business can treat us like a cash cow to dump their garbage on, then they will take full advantage.  I may be old and I may not be one of the movers and shakers, but I will still march to my own drummer.  I will find and buy goods made in the USA.  I will grow my own vegetables.  I will buy any meat that I eat from local farmers.  If I can't get it locally, then I don't need it.  Clothes.  There is only crap on the racks.  Learn to sew people.  It isn't hard and you can make anything you want.  And you can still find fabric made here in the USA if you just search for it.  And it is of a much higher quality than what is imported.  Made it a policy to by Made In The USA by American citizens.

Transit Van by Ford

I drive one of these vans every day.  I do not like it and I was really afraid that if I had to swerve or brake really hard that it would roll with me.  Well, last week I took a driving course taught to cops in training.  The instructors really put it through the paces with me driving.  It swerved beautifully at 50.  It stopped with hard braking at 50. It cornered well.  All in all, as far as handling, I have a new respect for it.  I still do not trust it in a collision.  It still seems just too small to me.  And this coming from someone currently driving a Nissan Versa.  I can't feel comfortable with the really small cars.  Next vehicle will be a full size truck.

ATT, Verizon, TMobile, Sprint

Every one of these companies are packaging all your data and selling it to the highest bidder.  They collect who you call, where you live, what web sites you visit, what apps you download, what kind of car you drive, where you work and probably when you have sex and with whom.  They bundle this data along with your cell phone, email addresses, home phone and sell it to the highest bidder and they do it with the blessings of the biggest welfare class this country has ever seen--our congress.  Yep.  This is all legal.  Congress has given its blessing.  They have one hand out to accept the kickbacks and the other wiping their rears with our Constitution.  It would give me great pleasure to see all the personal data on the corporate officers and board of directors of these companies smeared all over the internet.  Come on, computer nerds, lets see it.

Black and Decker weedeater

Model #GH710
I bought it last week.  It looked good.  It had a shorter shaft and since I am short, I needed that.  It came with a factory wound spool.  All I had to do was clip on the handle and guard.  Ok.  I did this.  I took it out back to use.  I powered it up, cut a few rounds and the line fed off the spool and wound up in the motor housing.  I took it apart and pulled the line out of the housing and am taking it back and getting my money back.  If it did this with a factory wound spool, then it will continue to do so.  Not a good buy.

ADT

My relative, who is disabled, has this security system installed.  It is top of the line.  Well, I went over this weekend to take her groceries.  She was not at home so I just went in.  I did not know she had set the alarm.  Yep.  I triggered it.  I tried to call her, but she had left her phone at home.  Ok, I thought, the alarm company will call her phone and I can get it stopped.  Nope.  No call.  So I called the number listed on her contract.  That was customer service and they informed me that they could not help me.  The police came as they are supposed to.  They did a walk through and checked my license.  Still no call from the alarm company.  That was Sunday.  They still have not called. She called them three times on Monday.  She left her number for a call back.  This is Tuesday and no call back.  Tomorrow I do the calling and I will not stop until I get an answer.  I am also looking for another security company.

Home Depot

Home Depot is about as useless as the tits on a boar hog.  There is not one employee in that store that can answer a question.  I bought a weed eater in there two years ago.  Black and Decker.  I needed a new spool.  I went down there to get one.  There were none displayed.  I asked.  Well, this one looks like it might fit.  No, not the same part number.  Well, maybe you could try it.  It might work.  Do you have this one in stock?  I don't really know.  Well, can you check.  Looks around. Well let me see who I can ask.  I left.  Home Depot is a reflection of our whole country.  No one knows anything.  Disgusting.  And no, I have not gotten the replacement part.

Still Verizon

Every time I try to call verizon, I get someone in the Philippines that has a very limited command of the English language.  When I ask to be transferred to the states, I am put on hold, then cut off. And their website is useless.  Like I said, I feel that if we are to have free enterprise, then we should have access to all the phone companies in the United States and we should be able to pick and chose which one we want.  As it is now, the country is divided up into territories.  You don't have a choice in land lines and very little choice in cell service.  That is not free enterprise.  That is monopoly.  Back in the 70's, I think, the Congress broke up the Bell telephone company citing the fact that it was stifling competition and was a monopoly.  So what we have now is a bunch of little half-assed companies that are just out to gouge the customer.  There is not competition and no free enterprise.  All the pols did was stack the deck against the consumer.  But, hey, that's nothing new, now is it?  What the companies see as free enterprise is captive consumers that are forced to buy their products.  Look at what the Bush regime tried to do with the drug companies.  At the push of the big drug companies, laws were passed to keep us from buying any medications from out of the country even though those are the very same drugs sold in the United States at 4 times the price.  With the help of Congress, the businesses are really screwing us and the politicians are getting rich for doing these favors for the companies.  And every two years they come around and tell us how much they have done for us and we get poorer and poorer.  Great country.  And this is the best we have to offer.

Verizon again

I have a  relative who is disabled.  Last week, on my urging, she called Verizon to get a land line.  My reasoning for this is that a landline is much easier to trace than a cell.  So if she ever need to call for an emergency, all she would have to do is dial 911 and even if she could not tell them what was wrong, they would know where it was coming from.  So she called and ordered a landline, no frills.  No long distance.  Just the basic landline.  She was given a number.  When she asked if they needed to come out to install it, she was told no everything could be taken care of  and they would activate her line.  So I took her a phone.  She called me on her cell and told me she was going to have to buy a new phone because that one was not working.  She couldn't get a dial tone.  I went over last night.  No dial tone.  So I called the number she had been given.  I was told it was a non-working number.  Today she called Verizon.  There was no record of her ordering the phone.  No record of the number she had been given.  So she set up a new order and someone is supposed to be out next week to activate the line.  As I said before, Verizon sucks.  No apology.  Nothing.

Direct TV

I had Direct TV for years.  I watched it go up and up and the quality of programming go down.  Well, I ditched them when I started breaking up the Verizon bundle.  Over the years, I had received no offers, no discounts for being a good customer, nothing.  And I was seeing offered to new customers all channels for $29.99/month for up to 12 months.  I am paying almost $70 for the mid-range package.  Here is the kicker. After I ditched it, I immediately started getting offers.  First I got that offer for $29.99 and today I got a prepaid Visa card for $300 if I would only reconnect Direct TV.  Direct Tv can kiss my grits.  They suck.

Bundle

Keeping my fingers crossed, I think I have finally gotten that damn bundle broken up.  And low and behold, my phone bill is cheaper after the breakup.  Verizon was really sticking it to me.  I would love to switch my internet to cable, but the only choice we have for cable is Suddenlink and it sucks.  Back in the early 2000's, we had Cox.  I used them for tv and internet.  I never had a problem with them.  As soon as Suddenlink took it over, problems started.  I was paying for high speed and I was getting dial up speed.  My cable tv was not much better.  It was always going out.  So, I'm kinda screwed.  I suppose I will take their cable when and if I buy a new tv.  Maybe I won't even buy a new tv.  Not liking my choices at all.

Verizon

It has been now 2-going on three months and I still do not have that damn bundle broken up.  I finally got an email from wireless telling me that yes, they got my email and they would be giving me a seperate bill  but, drum roll please, it will take 3 billing cycles to do this.  Looks like I may get this mess fixed around the end of the year.  Write your congressman.  I want access to all phone companies in the United States.  If Congress could break up the monopoly, then the customers should have all the companies competing for their business.  As it is now, I have no choice in home phone service but to take Verizon.  And Verizon sucks.

Allergy meds

I think over the past 3 weeks, I have taken all the allergy meds out there.  The Alka Seltzer plus works so so.  Advil cold and sinus.  Lukewarm on this one.  Do not take Tylenol cold and sinus.  I already have genetically bad kidneys.  Do not want to chance this.  Allegra D.  This one had worked better than anything else.  It keeps me going and keeps the allergies at bay.  Does not alleviate all the symptoms, but it is the best I have found.  I'll stick with it.

Verizon

Almost forgot, if you ever call for tech support for DSL, you get someone in the Philippines
That can barely speak english.  If you ask for a rep in the states, you are put on hold, then hung up on.  I will use smoke signals before I use Verizon again.

Verizon sucks

I have my house phone with Verizon.  I let them talk me into a bundle.  Big mistake.  I started trying to break up this bundle at the end of February.  I contacted Verizon.  I told the rep I wanted only my home phone and DSL on my bill.  I wanted my wireless on a separate bill.  I also told him I had cancelled Direct Tv.  (This is another gripe).  He told me my DSL and home phone would come to a total of $41.  I got a confirmation number and his name.  He also told me that this would be reflected on my April bill.  I then contacted Direct TV.  I want my service cancelled.  I waited for over a week for the box to return my receiver.  During this time, I was dealing with a $137 charge  for this new HD receiver supposedly because I have not returned the old receiver.  It had long been returned.  It took 5 months to get credit for that.  Also, I was sent an HD receiver and I don't even have an HD Tv.  Ok,so I got a bill from Direct Tv showing I have a credit of $45.  Never mind that I had been charged $82.99 with taxes and fees.  In the meantime, Verizon was still billing me for Direct Tv.  I called again.  Oh, I see where you called.  I will see that this is entered.  Got another bill from Verizon.  Again charged for home phone, DSL, wireless, and, you guessed it, Direct TV.  I called again.  This time I got a really rude rep.  And she hung up on me.  I called again.  I got another rep.  No, I won't get DSL and home phone for $41.  My home phone will be $29.99.  I told him what the first rep had quoted me and gave him the confirmation number.  "Well, I don't care what this rep told you.  This is not happening."  Next I asked why I was being charged for Direct Tv when I explicitly told the first, second, and third rep I had cancelled it.  Direct Tv bills us and you will have to take that up with Direct TV.  Also it would take three billing cycles to fix this and I would have to just keep paying till they got it fixed.  First I asked if this was being recorded.  He told me yes.  Ok, then I just want to tell Verizon to kiss my ass. and hung up.  I am now lobbying my congressman and senators to be allowed access to all land line companies in the United States.  Congress broke up the Bell companies "to give the consumer better service."  And since they did this, got their kickbacks, we have been screwed.  Have cancelled my Direct TV and will be canceling my DSL just as soon as I sign with cable. I am checking out Sprint for wireless and am seriously considering ditching the house phone.  This consumer has had enough.

Aamco

Unless you want to get ripped off, stay away from Aamco.  My son had his transmission rebuilt.  It would not shift down to second gear.  He took it back several time.  He was told it was not the transmission.  He took it to the Chevrolet dealership.  Yep.  It was the transmission.  He had to buy a new one because now that one could not be rebuilt.  I contacted AAmco in College Station.  Got no answer.  I found an address for the private equity company that owns the franchise for AAmco.  I wrote them.  No answer.  Now the AAmco in Collge Station is open under new management.  Once burned, twice shy.  If I need transmission work in  Brazos County, I will use Oliver Brothers.

AAmco

Update here.  Do not under any circumstances trust AAmco.  Not only do they do lousy work, they refuse to stand behind their work.  And they damn sure don't know how to rebuild a transmission.

Terminix

Terminix did fix the termite damage.  They didn't want to.  They tried to find a way out but the contract they had sold me was airtight, thanks to their attorneys.  John O'Brian from Spring came over the last of February to do the work.  He does wonderful work.  I will definitely be using him for whatever handyman work I need.  He said they told him to get over her.  That I was one mad customer.  That I had already taken a hammer to the wall.  I did, but only to show the termites to the tech who was standing there saying "I don't see any termites."  Anyway, my house is fixed and I will maybe keep terminix.  Not sure about that.  I may go with RP Lee.  He is local.

Versa

I'm still driving the Nissan Versa.  I guess it is ok.  I just can't get over the fact that I get no better gas mileage on this small soapbox 4 cylinder than I did my 4000 pound, 8 cylinder Mercury.  I got 30mpg on that big Mercury.  This Versa weighs about half that and is 4 cylinder and only gets about 28-30mpg.  I'm looking for another Mercury.  If I don't find one, this summer I think I will trade the Versa on a Dodge Pickup.  At least I will be in a safer car and they are raising the speed limit to 75 on most of Texas highways.  I don't feel safe in the Versa.

Terminix

The jury is still  out on Terminix.  As previously posted, after I fired off a nasty email to customer service right after New Years, I got a call from one of their reps.  I am so sorry.  We only got your notes today.  We'll get right on it.  We'll be over on Jan 9.  Well it was raining cats and dogs on the 9th.  The rep called to cancel and tell me she would reschedule.  On Sunday night, Jan 27, 36 days after my initial call, I fired off another email to customer service.  Like clock work, I got a call yesterday.  We'll be over tomorrow afternoon.  So I get home from work, close the little guys in the bedroom and put the big dogs out back.  My doorbell rings.  There are two reps from Terminix.  I showed them to the bathroom where I am missing half a wall.  Well, I don't see any active termites.  Really? Would that be because the tech sprayed for them on the 19th of December.  I am afraid I was really angry and let them know it.  So they went into the attic to have a look.  The came down from the attic and told me that they couldn't get a good look around because I had added insulation since the termites had been found.  Oh really.  Well, no insulation has been added and I managed to climb around in the attic and find proof of them.  When was this?  On the 19th of December when the tech was standing in my bathroom deciding whether or not to treat the live termites.  Then they tell me they will have to pull my file and see if I am covered.  I bought the damn contract because I was told by their salesman that in the event termites were discovered, they would pay for repairs.  Now, why in hell would I buy a contract for almost $1200 if it did not cover repairs?  Ok, let me know and if I am not covered, then I will be suing the salesman and Terminix.  I am not a happy homeowner.  Tell your manager that.  Oh he already knows.  So we will see if Terminix lives up to their contract or not.

AAmco

AAmco is worthless.  They do shoddy work, will not stand behind their work.  If you have your transmission rebuilt by them, you had better set aside money to have it redone by someone else because you will have to.  And you won't get your money back from them either.  They are a total rip off.

Terminix

I took out the contract with Terminix last spring.  They charged me almost $1200 because there were termites in the neighborhood.  That included and inspection, treatment and 2 years of inspections.  It also guarenteed that if I found termites, then terminix would be responsible for repairing the damage.  Well, I found termites.  I contacted Terminix.  The tech came out, looked at the hole in my sheetrock, said he didn't see any live ones.  I took down half the wall and asked if he saw any now.  Oh, yeah, there they are.  After him standing around and looking at them for about half an hour, I asked if he was going to treat them or not.  His repy, well I guess I could spray them.  Ya think!  This was on Wednesday, December 19, 2012.  On December 21, I again called the local office.  I asked if anyone was going to come out and assess the damage.  I was told that she would pass it on to the proper person but if I did not hear from him that afternoon, then it would be after Christmas.  I did not hear from him them, nor did I hear from him after Christmas.  I fired of an e-mail to their headquarters.  I got a call from a woman telling me she would be out to look at the damage on Jan 9 between 12pm and 2pm.  Nope.  I work from 8-5 m-f.  Well, can't you take off?  Nope.  Can't do that.  Well how about between 5:30 and 6:30 pm?  Ok that is doeable.  She was supposed to show up on Wednesday, January 9.  It was raining and cold and I was not going to get off till 6pm.  I called and told her we would have to reschedule.  Ok, the inspector did not want to do it today because of all the rain.  She would call me back.  Well, it is the 18, on month since this started.  On the 21, I will email the company headquarters and tell them that I am hiring someone to asses the damage and get it repaired and I expect them to pay for it.  If they refuse, I want my money back or I will be seeing a lawyer to sue for breech of contract.  Will not be using Terminix again.

Terminix

I bought a termite package from this company back in March.  I was assured I did not have any termites.  I paid a huge amount for this inspection and treatment.  It came with a guarantee that Terminix would come back and treat again and repair any damages if I found termites.  I did find termites.  They built a condo on my sheetrock.  I called.  They sent someone out.  He looked at the hole in my wall where they had eaten through and said, "I don't see any termites."  So I took down a huge chunk of sheetrock and showed him the termites.  He just kept looking at them.  So I asked aren't you going to treat them?  Yeah, I guess I can.  I'll have to bring the hose through the house.  So I finally got him to treat the termites.  This was on Wednesday, December 19th.  On the 21st, I called the local office.  I told the voice on the phone that I had a contract and the company was to repair any damage.  In a very uninterested voice she told me she would pass that on to so-and-so.  Well, will I hear from him today?  I am off during the week between Christmas and New Years and I would like to get this taken care of.  Her answer," I don't know and if you don't hear from him today, it will be Wednesday after Christmas."  I heard nothing on Wednesday after Christmas.  I heard nothing at all during the week I was off.  Terminix sent me a survey to my email account.  I filled it out and told them exactly what I thought of the company.  Well, I then got a call from supposedly the district office.  She took the information and told me she would get back with me.  Ok, but I won't hold my breath.  Well, she called me at work and wanted to come and inspect the damage on this Wednesday between 12pm and 2 pm.  I work and I can't do that.  Well can't you take of.  Then I lost it.  I pointed out that I had had a week off and wanted to take care of this mess then.  Ok, can she come out between 5:30 and 6:30.  Yeah, I am going to work all day and then put up with strangers trapsing around my house.  Not a happy camper and if they won't do an inspection and repair all the damage, then they are going to refund my money.  At this point, I have no faith in them.