By The Numbers: Taking Back What's Ours

">Link

Have you ever felt that you were being screwed over and just had to take it because you knew of no recourse? Have you had something to say to the world, but didn’t think anyone would listen? Have you ever let a wrong go uncorrected because you didn’t think it was a real big deal? Have you ever thought someone else will do something about a problem, so you don’t need to get involved?

If you answered yes to any of the above questions, please tolerate the verbosity of this manifesto and help me take some action.

Approximately 100 people have been reading the articles I’ve published on American Chronicle in the past few weeks. What I would like to know is how many of those readers are fed up with the way they are being treated by corporate and political America? If you are one of those people, these words are intended for you and anyone you know who has had enough!

Have you ever been angered by something that you thought just wasn’t right, but never invested the time or energy to challenge it? Perhaps you were five miles down the road when you realized your double cheeseburger, large order of fries and chocolate shake were actually a regular hamburger, stale order of fries and vanilla shake (McDonalds, Hardee’s, Taco Bell). Maybe you bought a major appliance, extended warranty and all, with the store credit card of a major retailer (Montgomery Wards). When it quit functioning within a year and the retailer had gone out of business, you couldn’t get it serviced and therefore quit making payments. The mark is still on your credit report seven years later.

A couple of my recent experiences are with a bank and a telephone company that I’ll use as examples. I am well aware of the laws regarding libel and will use the names of these companies and stand behind what I write.

AmSouth Bank is where I have a checking account. I also had a savings account and retirement account set up with them until I became victim to their deceptive business practices.

First, I’ll discuss the retirement account. Having recently sold a considerable asset, I wanted to put a little of the profit into an account where I wouldn’t have immediate access to it. I had never saved anything and thought the bank would guide me honestly. I was advised by the helpful banker that a 12-month IRA was just the ticket. I emphasized that I didn’t want to be penalized if I needed to withdraw the funds and he assured me that I would not. I just wouldn’t accrue the maximum interest if I withdrew the funds prior to the 12-month date of maturity, he cheerfully explained. Seven months later, faced with a rather bleak Christmas, I decided to withdraw $500. It was then that I was told there would be a 20 percent penalty I would need to pay the IRS regardless of when I made any deduction. I closed the account.

AmSouth Bank also has a policy of holding my deposited funds for up to ten business days, waiting for the deposited checks to clear. When I inquired as to the criteria used to decide when the funds would become available, I was told it was up to the teller who handled the transaction.

Being a full-time college student relying totally on financial aid from government lenders, many of my financial obligations are dependent on those funds. I receive a check approximately one week prior to the start of classes each semester that is intended to cover housing, meals and text books. Keep in mind these limited funds are provided by and guaranteed by the federal government. When I went to my friendly AmSouth and tried to deposit the check and withdraw enough to pay for my books, I was denied. The funds would be available in ten business days, I was informed. Upon asking to speak to a manager and politely explaining I needed text books for classes that start in five days, it was suggested that I go across the street to the pawnbroker/ bail bondsman/title loan/check cashing service, which charges five percent of the face value of the check, but would gladly cash it. I explained, to no avail, that the reason I had a bank was to avoid those fees. Well that’s the policy of AmSouth Bank, who markets themselves as “the relationship people.”

Why is it that when I buy a piece of lumber at a Home Depot or Lowe’s anywhere in the country and pay with a check, technology allows the funds to be immediately withdrawn from my account, but when I deposit a check drawn on a bank located across the street from AmSouth, it can take up to ten days to clear?

One recent morning before the bank opened, I deposited $450.00 through the Automated Teller Machine (ATM) and then went to the hardware store to purchase some needed materials. About an hour later I paid for the material with my debit card and several days later received notice of a $32 charge being imposed by AmSouth for non-sufficient funds. Upon doing some research I learned the money I deposited did not post to my account until two business days after the deposit was made.

After exhausting all local channels of complaint, I telephoned the toll free Customer Service number and a representative in Florida tried to refund the overdraft charge but told me the computer wouldn’t let him. He didn’t know why. I asked to speak directly to the computer but my request was shunned. I then asked to speak to his supervisor. She confirmed that the ATM records showed my deposit had been posted two days after I made it and instructed me to speak to the Branch Manager to get this cleared up. I explained to the Branch Manager that I felt our “relationship” was being challenged. He refused to even check into my concerns until he wanted to get off the phone. After he agreed to investigate, I had to remind him to take my name and account number. He said he’d call me back and SURPRISE, he never did. I called the customer service supervisor again, who said she’d relay the information to her supervisor and get back to me. I called her again two days later and she said the $32 would be credited to my account but declined to offer an explanation.

I was contacted by the Gallup Poll a few days later. They had been retained by “The Relationship People” at AmSouth to conduct a customer satisfaction survey. Offering the most negative responses I could give, I answered their questions. AmSouth didn’t even contact me to discuss the problems.

It took me more than a week, several phone calls and pure determination to resolve a $32 injustice by an organization that thousands of people trust with their money. As long as they advertise something catchy like “We’re the Relationship Bank,” and tell us they really understand the needs of the community, we buy into it.

I submit that what they bank on, is that most people won’t follow through for a measly $32. I only did because I was FED UP! My guess is that there are many people that accept the explanation, “that’s just our policy” or “the computer won’t let me do it.”

When I multiply $32 by possibly 5,000 accounts, five days a week, 52 weeks a year, that adds up to 41.6 million dollars a year! The saddest part of this situation is that most banks are doing this exact thing every day to millions of people… and we let them!

When asked by one of my professors to define communication, I said something like, “the act of expressing thoughts, wants and needs between two or more beings, through the use of verbal and non-verbal symbols.” This brings me to a recent situation involving my local telephone service provider, BellSouth, a leader in the communications industry.

Being a financially strapped student, I declined long distance calling capabilities on my phone service. Upon conducting a job search that included opportunities throughout the state of Tennessee, I called BellSouth to inquire about extended area calling capabilities. After maneuvering through the gauntlet of button pushing which is designed to keep me from speaking to anyone with a pulse, I finally spoke to a friendly young man who told me the service I was looking for was available for an additional fee of $15. I asked what the calling area consisted of and was told, “Pretty much all of Tennessee.” I agreed to get the additional service. When I tried to call a colleague in Jackson, Tennessee (west) two days later, I couldn’t. The next day I called Chattanooga (south central) to confirm an appointment and couldn’t complete the call. Just out of curiosity, I called Nashville (40 miles north of me) and actually got through.

My next call was to BellSouth and the inevitable obstacle course of automated assistance required to access a human. After finally being placed on hold for the next available customer service representative, the ads started to ensure me BellSouth was working hard to satisfy their customers. After about five minutes on hold listening to how important my call was to them, a computer generated voice informed me my call may monitored for quality assurance. In another moment a person speaking broken English requested lots of information to prove I was me and then asked how she could be of service.

As I marveled at how diplomatic I remained while explaining the above situation, the person on the other end of the line listened. She then informed me that the plan I upgraded to included access to only a small portion of Tennessee. I explained that was not what I was told previously when I agreed to the plan. I emphasized that my main purpose of inquiry to the upgrade was so I could call throughout the state and the person I had spoken to was very well of that. I was then told I must have misunderstood and that I was mistaken. So much for the customer always being right! I made an honest effort to stress how upset I was that I had been lied to and was reminded that it was only $15 a month more and I could call some areas of Tennessee. I then realized I was speaking to a scripted humanoid and asked to speak to a supervisor. There was not one available, but I was assured one would get back to me as soon as possible. That didn’t happen.

I tried to find another phone company that would provide both long distance and local service. Eventually I found a company that invited me to “join the revolution.” Vonage broadband phone service offered unlimited free calling locally and anywhere in the U. S., Puerto Rico and Canada, and would come to me in the same fashion as my cable TV and internet. The price was half of what I was being charged by BellSouth and recent FCC legislation made it possible for me to retain my current phone number.

Well now I receive two phone bills. BellSouth can’t find the request from Vonage to transfer my number and if I disconnect my BellSouth service without the transfer going through, I lose all rights to my phone number. BellSouth is hijacking me for $58.24 this month, more than twice what Vonage is charging for their service, and if I refuse to pay, my credit will be affected.

To keep me happy, Vonage has credited my account for two months service, but that doesn’t address the fleecing of the consumer by BellSouth. Once again, let’s do the math. Guessing that two thousand people run into this each month, the net profit to BellSouth is $1,397,760.00 per year… and it comes out of our pockets!

As is evidenced by the fictional numbers I’ve used to make my point, the small amounts that seem unworthy of raising hell over can be significant. It’s no different than the gradual erosion of our constitutionally guaranteed rights by items such as The Patriot Act.

Nonetheless, each of us individual consumers, when viewed collectively, can be a significant and powerful force. In order to be seen as one, however, we need to unite. Individually, we can’t compete with the money, power and influences wielded by the offenders and are therefore at the mercy of a government out of control and a corporate environment that has too much control.

I recall when there were laws against deceptive advertising and those laws were enforced. Corporations, politicians, the media and public relations practitioners are no longer guided by truth and ethical canons. They’ve abused and misused the trust that we place in them and are all too aware of our gullibility.

I’ve always said that if I were independently wealthy and had the means, I would buy national prime time advertisements and full page newspaper ads highlighting these corporate and political wrongs being committed against society. I don’t, but I do believe there are a lot more of us than there are of them and the answers are out there. I’ve chosen public relations and communications as areas to study, with the optimistic faith that I can make changes.

I’m inviting anyone reading this to visit http://www.usthepeople.blogspot.com/ and share with myself and others comments and suggestions on how to effectively deal with these types of problems. E-mail this article to a friend whose rights have been trampled on. Show it to a co-worker who feels helpless in their ability to right a wrong.

The UNITED States was founded by the silent minority getting fed up, joining together, and taking action. No matter how insignificant the issue seems to be, it needs to be confronted and dealt with intelligently and passionately. This can only be done by us, the people.

I have a worked in journalism, broadcasting, advertising, public relations, fiber-optic network construction, painting and bartending. I am currently finishing the studies required to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in Public Relations. I have focused my studies on Communications Theory, Communications Law, Public Relations Ethics, Mass Media Effects and Media and Society. I think these credentials qualify me to make a difference. Will you join me?

In the Year 2055: Dateline America - Back to Basics

">Link
Well, here we go, back into the future! It’s 2055 now and I’m over 90! 50 years ago, I would have never bet that I’d still be alive. But the quality of life isn’t what I would have thought it would be. Along with the medical advances that have kept me alive, came medical advances that are keeping everyone alive longer.

With a world population approaching 24 billion people on Earth, and another 2 billion living in the space stations, you’d think we’d place a higher emphasis on communication, but we haven’t learned anything in that regard. The people of the universe are still unable to appreciate the value of good, honest dialogue. It’s a wonder we still have vocal chords. Back in the late 1900’s, even while the United States of America was still a super power, we conducted business by pushing buttons on the phone to communicate with the computers. People typed messages into their phones to their friends and when people didn’t agree about something, we didn’t talk. There were guns and bombs. Heh heh. Whoever had the biggest weapon, won the debate!

Now we have more surveillance capabilities than ever, but only the powers that be have access to most of it. Since the powers that were convinced people to have their kids “safety scanned” in case they got abducted, we’ve got a whole generation that can’t get away from “being protected”. Society as a whole is much better behaved. What with cameras at every 600 feet in urban areas and every three miles in the few areas still considered rural, a guy can’t scratch his ass without getting a citation transmitted via satellite to his Detrimental Behavior Data Base (DBDB). If you say something that’s considered bad taste, that hits the DBDB too. Once your data base gets to a certain level in the main frame, they start taking away your medical privileges. Personally, I’ve out-lived my usefulness and am just using up scarce natural resources anyway. I’m ready to meet my maker. There’s something about living like this that I don’t find the fun in.

Out of the three remaining societies on Earth and the one in space, we should have realized we wouldn’t be a super power for long. The Asian speakers just sat back quietly and watched as the English speakers had their brief era of fame to shame. We were just a young nation and society who needed to learn respect… and humility I guess. You see, we foolishly thought we held all the cards and got pretty cocky.

And then there are the Arab speakers, who probably would have eliminated each other if we would have stayed out of it and let them solve their own problems. Back before the Big War, they controlled most of the world’s oil, which powered our vehicles and heated our homes. With the advances in renewable energy sources, and that guy in Montana who figured out perpetual motion, that’s not relevant now. Oh, but the Chief English Speakers dwelled on it so much, they allowed our societies to fall into despair.

Our top scientists are up there in space with the other Multilingual Speakers, pulling all the strings and making sure no one threatens their positions of power and privilege.

The Asian Speakers are allowed to exist because they have the minds for technology and values for family. The Arab Speakers, although watched closely, still have some pretty valid religious connections, and are left to worship Allah, just in case They also raise the livestock required to sustain the world and provide mules and camels as transportation for the impoverished. We English Speakers are allowed to worship our Gods freely, and are kept around as an example to others of what happens when you don’t listen, which is a vital part of communicating. A few of us are still valued for our ability to tell the rest of the system what went wrong.

As an old-timer, I feel a moral responsibility to pass on what I think you should know. I predict that space trash will eventually wipe out the space stations along with the so called brilliant leaders of this world. Hell, we’ve been using this beautiful galaxy as a dump since even before we used up our space on Earth. There are billions of tons of used up rocket boosters and dead satellites and God only knows what else, just waiting to have impact with something.

The reason I’m sharing this information with you kids, is because I truly believe that the resourcefulness and common sense you learn by living this simple, yet difficult existence today, will prepare you to rise up once again, and lead the rest of the universe with wisdom and compassion. The Multilingual Speakers won’t be around to dictate how one must exist. When that time comes, these simple documents will guide you to do what’s right. They are The Ten Commandments, The original Constitution of the United States and Bill of Rights. If you wisely synergize what’s written here, I suspect the world will flourish… freely and peaceably.

Who The Hell Is This Guy (Part 2)

">Link
"I've always been crazy
The trouble that its put me thru
Been busted for things that I didn't do.

I can't say I'm proud
of all of things that I've done,
but I can say I've never
intentionally hurt anyone."
- Waylon Jennings-

When I left off of my abbreviated autobiography, I was getting some help with my drinking... by getting a job tending bar in Kalispell, Montana. Forty hours a week with a fully stocked bar at my disposal, plus a paycheck and tips. With just a little more help I'd have been dead! I only had enough help to find myself waking up in a holding cell the morning after the Super Bowl (Dallas 42, Buffalo 7... I think). At the arraignment the judge sentenced me to 10 days for not having insurance and set the DUI for a trial. I politely explained I couldn't do 10 days... so the nice lady told me to "just get in there and do what I could."

Ten days later (almost to the minute) when I was released, I had lost my job and was being evicted from my residence. Figuring I had over-grazed my greener pastures, I borrowed twenty bucks from someone, threw the few things I salvaged from the divorce into the back of my oil burner, and headed back to where I had family, with my tail tucked tightly between my legs. Bartending jobs were easy to come by, paid well, and I met lots of new people. I met people that helped with my drinking, people that helped with my drug use, and others that helped with my one night stands, and they always helped me find my car keys when they should have stayed lost. It's funny that with all the friends I had helping me, I never had any that helped me get out of jail.

I've always felt I should try everything at least once, and that applied to most mind-altering substances. In fact, some of them I just had to keep trying again and again... and then maybe just one more time or two. Short of sticking needles in myself, I've given most illicit drugs known to man a fair trial. There may even be a few that I grew quite fond of. As with every other time in my life when things got unpleasant, I would attempt to outrun it. This took me to the state of "boy I wish my brother was Governor" Florida. Since the only person I knew there was an old girlfriend who never did drugs, I no longer did drugs. That was simple.

Although she didn't do drugs, she could drink with the best of us. I was her drug. She'd been raised with money and trained to be proper, but craved something wild and uncultured, something spontaneous and gritty. She wanted trailer trash that could be cleaned up and presented to Mother and Father for brunch at the club. I was perfect! The literate lush. I took her to Bike Week at Daytona Beach where she got tatooed, a three day Deadhead camp-out near Orlando where she had her first (and probably last) nitrous baloon and shroom experience. I took her to a fish camp where she met her first gator wrestling, stock car racing, redneck and I showed her how to fish with explosives. I took her to back road bar rooms, strip joints and a pay by the hour adult motel. I guess I wasn't her drug, but rather her gateway. Amazingly enough, when I decided I needed to get a job so I wasn't dependent on her trust fund, she turned into a bitter, angry, bitch who threw fits when she didn't get what she wanted. After about a year of that experience, I went back to Montana where bikers, hippies and rednecks fishing with explosives weren't a novelty. They were my friends. (to be continued)

Who The Hell Is This Guy?

Since I'm virtually a new baby in this addictive world of "Blog," have many opinions and thoughts that I can't seem to keep to myself, love to write and will offend people, I thought a little information about me would be appropriate.

First of all, I haven't resembled this picture for many years. I did however spend five years in the U.S. Navy working as a broadcast journalist after I dropped out of high school and lost my job as a radio announcer, which I thought would last forever. I served aboard the USS Constellation, studied Journalism, Broadcasting and Public Affairs at the Defense Information School, and lived in the Republic of the Philippines when President Ferdinand Marcos was ousted from power witnessed him flee with his tail between his legs. Also while in the Navy, I visited Australia, Singapore, Kenya and the Western Pacific and Indian Oceans. I also married for the first time while in the Navy. This may have worked out if I liked her and she liked me, but it was simply a case of me being lonely and her wanting the benefits that went with being a Navy wife.

Upon my honorable discharge I returned to my home state of Montana and spent some time working as a radio announcer and newscaster in Livingston and Billings, Montana and Buffalo, Wyoming. I went through bars and girlfriends like a tazmanian devil and for the most part, enjoyed the life of a young man with very little responsibility.

Refusing to accept adulthood, I somehow landed a job as a television copywriter, where I met wife number two. After being awarded a TV Copywriter of the Year Award, I convinced myself I was the DaVinci of the TV commercial and headed for the greener pastures of northwestern Montana and a job with "growth potential." This is where I learned "growth potential" was synonymous with "rock bottom." I continued to hang out in the bars, but quit chasing strange women... until one day. That was the end of Wife number two. I actually liked, even loved this one, and learned the pain of losing something due to my own inadequacies. I also felt the pain of self-inflicted guilt... until I numbed it with Budweiser and Quervo. When my boss suggested I get some help with my drinking, I had to agree. So I quit my job and got a job tending bar, which in my wierd way of thinking, was a great place to get help drinking. And help drinking I got! I think I'll continue this abbreviated autobiography later, so check back in.

As patriots and loyal Americans, it's our responsibility to pay attention and notice when things are not right with our society. With the recent Independence Day celebrations, I had to stop and ask myself, "what are people celebrating?

Sure, July 4th is the anniversary of the day that our founding fathers officially declared independence as a nation from Great Britain. Does anyone recall why that was such a big deal? Well, if I remember my learning correctly, a bunch of brave folks from the mother land were fed up with unfair taxation, forced religious beliefs and the inability to speak up when they thought things were wrong got on little rickety ships to get away from the form government they felt was wrong. They endured illness, storms, and hunger to travel to an unknown land and an unknown future. They really seemed to want a little freedom.

They landed on shores inhabited by natives that appeared somewhat frightening and barbaric. They dealt with hunger and disease and destitution. They then fought armies that were much more organized and better financed than themselves. They came up against almost insurmountable odds and were labeled as traitors who would be executed if caught. Still they had a goal in mind. Freedom, the pursuit of happiness and individual rights were some of the things that these men and women would rather die for than live without.

Their passionate persistence was eventually rewarded when they declared their independence. They could now live as they chose. They could worship Gods of their choosing in any manner they chose. They could defend their homes and families, they could speak out when they disagreed with the elected authorities, and they could read and write whatever they wanted. That's what they had fought so hard for and now it was theirs. Yes! They had reason to celebrate.

It's 2005 now, just 229 years after that battle for liberty was won. The nation that was formed grew to be the most powerful, admired and respected nation in the world. The success of our form of government can be attributed to guidelines outlined by The U.S. Constitution as written by the men who fought to make it reality.

Have Americans as a society forgotten what the original rules were. Doesn't anyone notice their disappearance when they're stolen in bits and pieces. We have become alarmingly similar to the Orwellian citizens of the Animal Farm. We were led into blind faith that our Government would watch out for us. The words of the Declaration of Independence, The United States Constitution, and the Bill of Rights, have slowly been alterered and misinterpreted, much like the writing on the end of the barn in Orwell's classic. Many of our society have forgotten what the rules were that laid the ground work for a successful nation and gave us reason to celebrate independence.

Recently, our President and his administration seem to be forcing their values on not only we the people, but on the people of other nations as well. In the name of delivering democracy and freedom to the rest of the world, our government uses strong arm tactics to persuade nations to see things our way. If other nations resist the bullying, they are quick to be labeled terrorist sympathizers and crazed dictatorships.

Political deals and good ol' boy loyalty have made the voices of half our nation silent. The supreme law in the land is held hostage by partisan loyalties and corporate back-scratching, while the very legislators that make the laws that keep us civilized are breaking laws to keep themselves wealthy and powerful.

Our government leaders and propaganda distributors tell us whatever it is the pollsters say will earn the support of the public. Once it's revealed as untrue, it's too late. The damage has been done and the reasons are blamed on faulty intelligence or unidentified sources. Speaking of unidentified sources, which are essential to a free press, reporter's are being forced to reveal thier confidential sources or go to jail. That ought to put a cork in the unbiased, free-flowing information channels of journalism.

Federal Regulators changed the rules so that the privileged and affluent of the world can monopolize the airwaves and influence the news and information that is released to the public. Corporate America knows that knowledge is power and control what is worthy of broadcast to the masses. Our constitutional rights to privacy and due process are being stripped in the name of defending us from terrorism. The Supreme Court has just approved law that will allow the government to take your home through eminent domain if they feel it would be beneficial to local economies or land developers.

Although the American government and legal system was founded by men who repeatedly referred to and trusted in God, His commandments of living right are not allowed in the same buildings where law is taught, created, interpreted and enforced.

Are these indications of a nation that enjoys life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness? Are we free from religious persecution and do we have access to a press that is free from government influence? Are we totally free to discuss what we believe is wrong with the system and organize efforts to change it? Does the American legal system even come close to seeing all men as being equal and offer justice for all?

Independence, freedom, liberty, equality and loyalty are good, strong sounding words. And the people who shape public opinion and advise our leaders which words to use to evoke the desired response from the public, refer to them often. But words without action will eventually become words with no meaning.

While we celebrate our independence each July 4th, we should ask ourselves what independence means to us. To me, this country has forgotten what we should be celebrating and just accepts the consistent erosion of the rights that formed the foundation of our nation. And we the people, who were given the right to assemble and dissent and speak out to effect change, are fearful of political, social and professional consequences if we do, and therefore have no right to celebrate. By being complacent and apathetic, we've allowed our hard won independence to be stolen.