To Rachel Maddow and the TRMS Crew:
This post has been removed. Those it was addressed to may request a copy if they so wish.
At this time, it appears the originally reported issue to be resolved with no word as to what the problem was.
So sue me!
I wanted to post a link to a recently article on the MikeDVB.com site, but in the past people have threatened to drag me into a legal battle because of a link on my site to a site they claim had infringing materials. So, here's to fanning the flames and a giant "F*** you!" to everyone's best friend. (Not really)
http://www.mikedvb.com/2010/11/07/from-leasing-to-owning-and-colocation/
Customer service done right
It's not often you see a company excel at customer service. I rarely walk away from interacting with a company support team feeling good about the experience or their brand. But this gem just arrived in my inbox and many companies could take note of what they did right.
Let's start with the back story. I requested a card reader from Square (www.SquareUp.com). They took some time to get out of beta and start sending the devices out, but mine finally arrived and I did a little dance, then sent some tweets about how happy I was. After that, I proceeded to run my own credit card for $1.00 to see how the process worked. It was very slick. I then proceeded to go online and refund my dollar back.
The refund email sent to the end-buyer didn't feel very slick though. In fact, I thought it was rather confusing. So I opened a ticket with the Square support guys to tell them what I thought. Here is the email I got back:
Jonathan P., Oct 17 19:43 (PDT):
Hey Scott,Did we mention that YOU are awesome? Because we should have by now. Thanks for the feedback and you are correct on every suggestion you have given us! I will forward this over to our development team and have them look into preparing something more fashioned in the direction that you are looking for.
Thank you wholeheartedly for the feedback, this is exactly what helps us make our product better for you.
Have a great day,
Jonathan P.
Square Support
I changed his last name to his last initial (and will remove it completely at Square's request). In any case, you rarely see a response of this caliber. I wish more companies responded in a similar fashion. Way to go Jonathan and Square!
Caligula’s Horse
Just got an interesting Email from the Grayson Campaign. He asks if the story he tells sounds familiar, and I think it does. Spread the word!
(The following email is reproduced in it's entirety, word for word.)
Dear Scott,
Here is a short, and very relevant, history lesson.
The Roman Senate governed Ancient Rome for five centuries. It looked much like the Congress today. The purpose of the Roman Senate was to rule in accordance with the wishes of the Roman People. The building in which the Roman Senate met, the "Curia Julia," still stands in Rome today.
In 27 B.C., Augustus Caesar formally took control of Rome, and established the Roman Empire. But the Roman Emperors didn't abolish the Senate. Instead, the Roman Senate continued to meet, for five more centuries, doing pretty much nothing.
Sound familiar?
During the Roman Empire, the Emperor held all the power. The Senate was simply a debating society, chosen by the Emperor, and serving at his pleasure. To prove this point, in 39 A.D., Emperor Caligula appointed his horse, Incitatus, to the Roman Senate.
What we are heading for, here in America, is something very much like that. The way things are going, Big Money will choose our "leaders" in Congress, and they will serve at Big Money's pleasure.
Big Money doesn't put horses in Congress. Just the hind-quarters of horses.
For the past few weeks, we have shown how Big Money is trying to select - not elect, select -- the Congressman from my district. Big Money has now spent three times as much in lying TV attack ads as all of the money that my Republican opponent has raised. Big Money is going all out to replace me in Congress, because I can't be bought.
Big Money doesn't care who replaces me, as long as he's pliant. It might as well be Caligula's horse.
We are at a turning point in our own history. What will we be? A government of the people, by the people, and for the people? Or a dictatorship, ruled by the Empire of Money?
Truth,
Alan Grayson
P.S. To the 2000 supporters who have contributed to our campaign since this corporate firebombing began, from my heart, thank you.
Dear Jonathan Burdon (AKA J.BURDawg)
I decided it would be cool to steal some of Robin Williams content by linking you to it.
Update: The US government seems to think that they can arrest people for linking to copyrighted content, as if it were copyright infringement. Demand Progress is working hard to fight against this atrocity and could use your help to fight back. Please check out this link if you agree with myself and Demand Progress that linking to another website is not copyright infringement and is NOT an arrestable offense.
A new perspective on the Arizona “Paper’s Please” law… Sonoran Desert outside Tucson, AZ
[Editors Note: The following is copy/pasted from my E-Mail inbox. A friend forwarded it to me and I thought it was worth sharing, even if I detest the way Arizona is going about fixing the problem. Please spread the word!]
Subject: AZ Sonoran Desert outside Tucson, AZ
Date: Tue, 18 May 2010 19:53:02 -0700
This is sooooo awful.......and sooooo sad!
Enjoy the view!!! AZ Sonoran Desert outside Tucson, AZ
Where in the hell is the SIERRA CLUB on this???
Hey everyone out there!
The people in Arizona, know you're boycotting us -- but you really should come out here and see our Beautiful Sonoran Desert.
It's just gorgeous right now! We know you'd love it and maybe you can share what you saw with the rest of the country so they can love it too!
This is on an 'illegal super - highway' from Mexico to the USA (Tucson) used by human smugglers.
This area is located in a wash, approximately 1.5 miles long, just south of Tucson, Arizona. If a flood came, all this would be washed to the river and then onto the sea!
It is estimated over 5,000 discarded backpacks are in this wash. Countless water containers, food wrappers, clothing, feces, including thousands of soiled baby diapers. And as you can see in this picture, fresh footprints leading right into it.
As we kept walking down the wash, we thought for sure it was going to end, but around every corner was more and more trash!
And of course the trail leading out of the wash in our city, heads directly NORTH to Tucson, then leads to your town tomorrow.
They've already come through here. Isn't Arizona just beautiful, America?
Why would you boycott us???
Our desert has basically been turned into a landfill.
The trash left behind by people illegally crossing our border is another Environmental Disaster to hit the USA.
If these actions had been done in one of our Northwest Forests or Seashore National Parks areas, there would be an uprising of the American people.....but this is the Arizona-Mexican border.
You won't see these pictures on CNN, ABC, NBC or the Arizona Republic Repugnant newspaper. Nor will they mention the disease that comes from the uncovered human waste left in our desert.
However, with respect to CNN, ABC & NBC, they do offer us "Special Reports" on cheating celebrity spouses....
This information needs to be seen by the rest of the country.
SolusVM Review from a SolusVM VPS provider
Mike at MDDHosting just wrote up a review on SolusVM, the control panel he uses for all of his VPS clients. It's an interesting read for anyone considering a control panel for their own VPS company, or for choosing a VPS hosting company based on the control panel they use.
The good: Many important features, adding new and important features quickly.
The bad: Poor support
The review: http://www.mikedvb.com/2010/04/22/solusvm-vps-control-panel-good-and-bad/ or view my cache of the review: here. (Because companies tend to pull stupid moves when seeing reviews like this one.)
Hilarious Permission Slip
I recently found this online and saved it to my computer... Now I can't seem to find where I got it from or whom to credit it to. In any case, it was a very hilarious and enjoyable read. Check it out!
Octagon Remix
If you haven't seen the Jack Black Octagon Remix yet, it is time that you do. You can find it on youtube:
Also a special thanks to Pookypoo of Odin (and the FFXIV alpha leak videos) who originally showed this to me.
A Sad Day for the Internet – US Appeals Court: FCC can’t force net neutrality
It seems a US appeals court just sided with Comcast and claims the FCC doesn't have the authority to force net neutrality. Check out the slashdot article and discussion, or RTFA here: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36193558/ns/technology_and_science-security/