Two of my sisters had babies in the last forty-eight hours. Each had girls; one weighing 9 pounds 2 ounces the other was 9 pounds 11 ounces. These will bring my collection of nieces and nephews to nine. If I can get permission from my sisters I’ll post photos. Rest assured though, we’ve now got a grand total of 90 fingers and 90 toes, though J hasn’t given me a current count on her son’s digits.
A man calls a suicide hotline and discovers that it’s been outsourced to Pakistan. The man says “I’m thinking of killing myself.” The man on the other end of the phone says “Do you know how to fly an airplane?”
Back in the very early days of the blog I posted a bit about a local radio station, WDVX, that plays alt-country, bluegrass and americana. While I was tickled pink to have an awesome indy radio station right here in Knoxville, I missed rock music.
I recently discovered WFIV, an independent rock station broadcasting out of Farragut. They play great alternative rock from the eighties, nineties and the current stuff. They stream so you can check them out no matter where you live. I recommend listening late on Fridays where Todd plays really mellow “ambient” music.
It’s not listener supported like WDVX and NPR, but quite honestly I’d rather listen to commercials than have programming interrupted for a week while the hosts beg for cash.
In an effort to keep up with new posts and do my part to help in the war effort, I’m launching a new series. I’m going to feature some really cool stuff that you don’t need but should buy anyway; you know, to help the economy. Enjoy!
So I’m going to try and start posting again. I may someday go into all the reasons why I stopped but not tonight. (I actually just deleted an entire post I had written outlining a few reasons but…well…maybe some other time.) I do want to get you caught up though. I’ve decided to just give you the top fifteen words that more or less sum up the past few months. If any strike your fancy, let me know and I may elaborate.
That sums it up kids.
Why are redneck murders so hard to solve?
All the DNA is the same and there are no dental records.
I work in customer service so I really couldn’t let this go by without commenting on it. This week Sprint sent letters to 1200 customers who they felt complained too much. While most customers of Sprint call customer service less than once per month, these people were making 30 to 40 calls per month.
The letter, which I will be posting eventually, states that based on the number of complaints received Sprint doesn’t feel they’re able to meet their needs and will be ending the relationship at the end of the month. The gave them bill credits to bring their balance to zero and the customers can take their number elsewhere, but as of the end of the month, its over.
My sister sent me a memo from her boss saying that it’s a nice thought but you have to be sure you’re providing the best service possible before you start kicking your customers to the curb. He’s got a good point there and I sort of doubt Sprint is up to that level.
There’s the public perception to think about as well. Now everytime a customer has an issue they’re going to wonder if they complain, are they going to get fired too?
I’m sure someone did the math a realized that they’re not making money on these people. There is a very good chance these are the same people who are one or two months behind on their bills and are always demanding bill credits for one reason or another. Its a matter of cost vs. revenue.
How to you measure the cost to your public image though? Is firing them going to shut them up or will they just find someone else to complain to? I doubt Sprint has heard the last of these people.
I’m on vacation this week. My sister T is in from England so I took the week to spend time with them each day. Today they’re in Louisville visiting my aunt so I’m at my parent’s doing laundry.
So if I had been posting in the last week or so I would have touched on Scooter Libby’s Get Out of Jail Free card, the defeat of the Immigration Bill and of course, the madness in the UK.
Since I’m not posting, here are some pictures I took while hanging out at Frozenhead State Park.
The following sentence was found in an article on Foxnews.com:
McArthur says she just does wants to make sure nobody else meets the same end she did when she decided to indulging her sweetooth.
Wow.
(link)
I’ve never read the Wizard of Oz and I’ve always assumed that I knew the story. It turns out, and this shouldn’t surprise me, that there’s a lot more to the story than what made it into the movie. There are back-stories for the Cowardly Lion, the Scarecrow and the Tin Man.
In church today our pastor told us about the Tin Man’s story. Apparently the Tin Man was the son of a Woodsman who himself became a Woodsman when he grew into a man. He met and fell in love with a young lady and asked her to wed him. The girl said yes and the Tin Man set to work earning the money, preparing to take care of his bride.
The woman’s mother opposed the wedding and went to the Wicked Witch. The Witch put a spell on the young woodsman’s ax. Every time he swung the ax at a tree the ax would swing wildly. Before long the ax took off one of his legs. Refused to admit defeat, the woodsman went to the tinsmith who fashioned a leg for him.
The woodsman continued to work with his enchanted ax and took off his second leg and then an arm. Each time, for each limb, he would visit the tinsmith and have a new limb fashioned. It was only a matter of time until the ax cut into the woodsman’s chest.
Now made entirely of tin, the woodsman took on a new moniker, The Tin Man, and continued to work, cutting down trees in the forests of Oz. He no longer had a reason to work though. His bride was gone. With nothing else to do, the Tin Man worked even harder. He didn’t even stop to oil his joints.
And this is how Dorothy found him. He was completely seized up with rust and within reach of the oil but unable to grab it. He was unable to help himself.
After Dorothy helped him the Tin Man said the following (and I’m paraphrasing):
The greatest loss I have experience was the loss of my heart. For one cannot love who has not a heart.
