Faster, better…

Archive for March, 2010

March 30 at 10:37am American Dystonia Society will hold topic specific support teleconferences on Saturday April 3rd at 12PM EDT and Sunday April 4th at 9PM EDT. Saturday Teleconference Topic “Support for Loved Ones” April 3rd, 12PM EDT, 11AM CDT, 10AM MDT, 9AM PDT will focus on providing a forum and support group for secondary victims of Dystonia, our spouses, partners, children, and close friends. They too have needs to share experiences with others. Encourage your loved ones to join a support group just for them. Sunday Teleconference Topic “Dealing with the Disability Process” April 4th, 9PM EDT, 8PM CDT, 7PM MDT, 6PM PDT will focus on providing a forum and support group for Dystonia Patients that have dealt with the SSDI application process. Whether you are thinking of applying, applied and were successful or not, did it yourself or hired a lawyer, call in and share your experiences and help others cope with the frustrations and uncertainties. The dial-in number is (605)477-2100 and the participant access code will be 421467# for both teleconferences.

American Dystonia Society will hold topic specific support teleconferences on Saturday March 27th at 12PM EDT and Sunday March 28th at 9PM EDT.

The Saturday teleconference will be focus on Parenting with Dystonia for parents who have Dystonia and either raised children, are raising children, or planning a family. Sharing experiences to help one another cope with something that is difficult even for healthy people.

The Sunday teleconference will cover Botox Experiences, both good and bad. We would like people to share their experiences and expectations. This will be particularly useful for newly diagnosed patients.

The dial-in number is (605)477-2100 and the participant access code will be 421467# for both teleconferences.

A vice president for one of the nation's biggest banks claims customers looking for help in lowering their mortgage payments are often told to call an 800 number — where he says representatives then give homeowners the runaround.

via Saving the Middle Class: Whistle-Blower Says Banks Not Helping Americans Modify Mortgages – ABC News.

(The behavior described in detail in this ABC News story is consistent with my own opinion of banks and credit card companies. We, the tax payers, gave these ungrateful thieves our hard earned cash to bail out the bad mortgages that should never have been issued in the first place. Real people with real loans who could afford them at the time lost their jobs through no fault of their own. Now the banks and credit industries are determined to ruin them when a program and more taxpayer funds were allocated to save these people. I think it is time we recognized the industry is amoral.)

Fascinating. Shortly after Glenn’s show started this afternoon, Twitter went WAY over capacity. Do you suppose Glenn’s words prompted the sudden surge. I suspect so.

Everything Is Incremental « Dangerous Common Sense.

“The bad economy has generated desperate calls from owners who are begging for the Internet to save their business.

I wish it were that simple. When I talk to these potential clients, I first have to set their expectations.”

(Ed Note: I couldn’t have said it better myself.  Galen must be the last honest Internet marketer. Read the entire article at the Dangerous Common Sense Blog)

The American Dystonia Society is holding another Support Group teleconference this weekend. Dystonia patients and their caregivers and spouses are encouraged to attend. Meet others just like yourself. You are not alone. When you have the disease you are considered a member. ADS will never ask you for a dime. I’m a member of ADS and I support what they do. Join us on FaceBook and visit our website.

Don’t forget American Dystonia Society support teleconferences this weekend Sat 12PM EDT. Sun 9PM EDT. The dial-in number is (605)477-2100 and the participant access code will be 421467# for both teleconferences.

Less than a year ago I purchased a wireless Logitech keyboard and mouse combination from the Office Depot in Prince Frederick, MD. I did not have the product long when the wireless receiver stopped functioning. The receiver is flimsy. When it is bent, even a small amount, the internal USB connections fail. I went back to the store and asked if I could replace the receiver. They said no and suggested I buy a new keyboard. I did so.

The employee suggested that I purchase an extended warranty. That was my big mistake. It had been maybe seven months and the same thing happened to the receiver – again.  But wouldn’t you know it. I could not find the receipt that had my extended warranty information. I don’t recall anyone telling me at the time that I had to register my warranty or explaining how it worked. I made the foolish mistake of making an assumption that a company as large as Office Depot would have all of its customer service i’s dotted and t’s crossed. Not so.

When the second keyboard failed I drove back to  the Office Depot. The salesman remembered selling me the agreement and the keyboard! What luck. But then, he said since you don’t have your receipt I have no way of looking up your warranty. He called the manager. The manager said the same thing and told me to call the warranty people. He walked off. No offer to call the warranty people.  I was stuck. I needed a keyboard and mouse that night so I purchased a cheaper wireless set. No I didn’t buy an agreement.

The following day I looked up the customer service number for Office Depot and made the call. Guess what. Their “agents” are outsourced to an off shore company. I knew I was talking to someone without an invested interest in making me happy.  This rep was polite and gave me a telephone number for the warranty department.

By now I have 1.5 hours of my time involved in this fiasco. I call the warranty department only to find out that unless I registered my warranty and my receipt they had no way to look up the information. But wait, it gets better. I have one of those store rewards cards. They couldn’t use that to find my sale with the warranty attached. By now I’m getting suspicious. Was the system designed this way because they know a certain amount of people will fail to save a receipt or register their product?

But I digress. It turns out that after fourteen days you cannot return a product to the store. After two weeks you are covered by the manufacturer’s warranty. That means that even though I paid extra to replace this keyboard when it went bad I would have to wait one year from the date of purchase to get any satisfaction. I did try to ask Logitech by email if I could replace the receiver and never recived an answer. Logitech is not what it used to be apparently.

It never ceases to amaze me how some retailers just don’t get it.  Customer no-service is alive and well ant Office Depot. I clearly didn’t understand at the time the terms of this useless agreement I paid good money for. Office Depot made out like a bandit.

The truth is at the right retailer I strongly believe in extended warranty for the right product. Having worked as an Assistant Manager for a West Marine store I can say that West Marine gets it. Their no-hassle guarantee should be explored by Office Depot. Office Depot has lost my business over this. The only thing I have left is to vote with my feet and my wallet.

In order to pursue this I have to go back through months of credit card receipts to identify the date when I purchased the product so the unhelpful warranty folks can put me through to the receipt look up people. They can somehow find my extended warranty if I jump hoops. When I am able to get the date and I file the claim I still have to wait to receive either a check or a gift card. The store can’t help me. Why didn’t the first salesperson tell me to try Logitech? Why didn’t Logitech return my email the second time around? I’m also done with Logitech.

Any time you purchase a warranty:

1. Save your recipt

2. Understand the terms

3. Imagine what could happen under the terms.  When you do not like the scenario do not buy the warranty.

4. Follow through and register your warranty. Don’t rely on the retailer. They are probably going to cross their fingers and hop you forget and that you lose your receipt. They make more money that way.

The State of Maryland’s main money man, Controller Peter Franchot, one of the tax and spend, fiscally-irresponsible Democrats is suddenly getting tough on tax scofflaws. More likely it is political opportunism and a desperate attempt to distance himself from O’Malley’s Raiders in the legislature. Franchot lent his support to the Internet tax bill and has done nothing to warn against the out-of-control spending in Annapolis that has gotten Maryland into the mess it is now in.  They didn’t use the so-called stimulus to preserve the state’s finances they squandered it. Now the Dems have decided they need to go after tax scofflaws? How interesting. Franchot should be doing this anyway. Why has he taken so long?

Franchot says in a recent campaign email, “My office is committed to ensuring that everyone pays their fair share, especially in these difficult economic times.”  Marylanders have been paying their fare share of new outrageous taxes since O’Malley was elected and Franchot has helped the agenda along the way. They are out of money and need more NOW. It’s like an addiction to these people.

I’m sorry, I don’t like tax cheats either but progressives much farther down the food chain. We need to vote the fiscally irresponsible scofflaws out of office this year. Franchot’s behavior speaks volumes. Use your vote and remove him from office.

A proposal to tax certain online sales in Maryland has drawn the wrath of some Internet retailers and business organizations, while attracting support from Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. and Comptroller Peter V.R. Franchot.

via Internet sales tax gathers steam.

Welcome to Maryland Amazon.com.

The fiscally irresponsible, State Senator Mike Miller and State Controller Peter Franchot are after MORE of your hard earned cash.  These men have spent from Maryland coffers like there is no tomorrow. Property taxes have increased astronomically, our sales tax has gone up, and business has fled the state. O’Malley’s raiders cannot help themselves. Now they are after the Internet.

Today in Annapolis (source @mdchamber) the Maryland State Senate Budget Committee is considering what is called the “Amazon Tax” bill. It caught my eye because I am an Amazon Affiliate.  Since the late 90′s I have had small bookstores at my various websites. I eek out a small income from participation in these programs. Now the Senate wants to charge sales tax to Amazon customers because there are Maryland affiliates.. n. All to obtain what the State believes is about $7 million a year in revenue.

Democrats never stop taxing and spending. O’Malley and his cronies have worked very hard to take more and spend more. As business has fled and people hoard what little cash they have the Democrats have looked for new ways to get at our savings and tax our spending. We wouldn’t be here now if we had a fiscally responsible State legislature.

Both Mike Miller and Peter Franchot are up for re-election in 2010. It is high time we say farewell to these two ‘not-so-public” servants and put the business back in Maryland.

As a result of this Amazon Tax Bill I will lose my Amazon affiliation so that Amazon can continue to offer its superior products and customer service to Maryland customers. It cannot afford to have agents in this state if that means they have to gear up to send the State of Maryland their cut of each sale. I do not fault Amazon. Someone has to stand up to the social progressives in Annapolis.

How much longer are the tax payers of Maryland going to allow elected representatives to be spendthrifts and taxaholics?  When are we going to make our state business friendly? When are we going to stop building multi-million dollar schools, libraries, and swimming centers during depressions? Our political leaders have gotten us into this mess and over-taxing us their only way out. Enough already!

Join with me at election time. Vote Ron Miller for State Senate. Say farewell to Mile Miller. Say farewell to Peter Franchot as well. Speak with your vote!

FDA NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: March 9, 2010
Media Inquiries: Sandy Walsh, 301-796-4669; [email protected]
Consumer Inquiries: 888-INFO-FDA

FDA Approves Botox to Treat Spasticity in Flexor Muscles of the Elbow, Wrist and Fingers

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Botox (onabotulinumtoxin A) to treat spasticity in the flexor muscles of the elbow, wrist, and fingers in adults. Spasticity is common after stroke, traumatic brain injury, or the progression of multiple sclerosis.

“Muscles affected by spasticity have increased stiffness and tightness, which may lead to pain, difficulties with hygiene and other activities of daily living, and may affect how a patient looks,” said Russell Katz, M.D., director of the Division of Neurology Products in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. “In clinical trials, treatment with Botox was found to be beneficial to patients with upper limb spasticity.”

Botox works by temporarily blocking the connections between nerves and muscles, resulting in a temporary paralysis of the spastic muscle.

Botox has a Boxed Warning that says the effects of the botulinum toxin may spread from the area of injection to other areas of the body, causing symptoms similar to those of botulism. Those symptoms include swallowing and breathing difficulties that can be life-threatening.

The most common adverse reactions reported by patients with upper limb spasticity were nausea, fatigue, bronchitis, muscle weakness, and pain in the arms.

Botox has not been shown to be safe and effective treatment for other upper limb muscles, spasticity in the legs, or for treatment of fixed contracture – a condition that affects range of motion. Treatment with Botox is not intended to substitute for physical therapy or other rehabilitative care.

Botox is manufactured by Allergan Inc. of Irvine, Calif.