This is a post in response to a Facebook discussion, a view was expressed that parents were completely responsible if their kids become obese and someone asked for the other side of that debate, so I'm providing it :). Whilst I have read on the issue, I haven't done any additional research for this, it's just a lengthy Facebook post :).
A century ago, obesity was extremely rare in Australia, as were the obesity related conditions. Obviously that's not the case now. It could be that the modern parent isn't concerned about their child's health or safety but given the incredibly close levels of supervision applied to the modern child as compared to a century ago, my view is that claiming parental negligence is the primary cause of the obesity epidemic isn't backed up by the overall ways in which parents raise their children. I think modern parents are generally more concerned over their kids, if anything, rather than less concerned, compared to a century ago.
What's changed from a century ago? The onslaught of sugar, fat and highly processed foods. A century ago it was common for people to grow quite a bit of their own food and the food they ate was lightly processed. Food was generally cooked domestically, from the raw materials that had been grown or purchased by the adult, usually a woman, who worked domestically and not outside the home. They ate some fat but not a lot of sugar. The current diet is one hundred and eighty degrees away from that. People were also far less sedentary and that's surely played a role in the obesity epidemic. Interestingly, the diseases we associate with obesity are also associated with thin people who consume lots of sugar, so the point might be a little moot.
This modern diet is awash in sugar, which is being consumed in quantities unprecedented in human history and is the biggest dietary change from a century ago. High fat diets have been followed previously that didn't have as many negative outcomes as high sugar (not saying that a high fat diet is a brilliant idea - just that it's not an unprecedented part of a human diet).
Not only is the diet awash in sugar but it's incredibly cheap PLUS it's sold to us using the full force of the modern advertising industry. Sugar and highly processed foods are the dominant food culture in this country. So parents trying to get their kids to eat lots of whole foods are pushing against that culture on every level.There are no protections against sugar consumption, either on a price level or on an advertising level. It's as damaging as tobacco but completely free to peddle its wares.
The breakfast cereals that most people consume are incredibly bad for us yet have a very wholesome image, that's the power of that advertising. The amount of sugar in those products has consistently gone up over the decades, and the range of products that sugar is added to has also considerably expanded. When you're buying processed foods, it's very hard to dodge it.
Juices, which contain just as much sugar as Coke, even more, also have a wholesome reputation. Our bodies treat the sugar in juice the same way they treat the sugar in Coke so it's not there on health grounds! The idea that eating vitamins in pills is all useful as opposed to eating them in whole foods isn't particularly supported by the evidence either, but look at how many of us do it! I mention these things to make the point that pushing back against the dominant eating culture of the country is damned hard. Of course it's not impossible, but you need a lot going in your favour.
A whole foods diet is expensive in terms of money and time. Low income parents or time poor parents are going to struggle on both grounds, and they do. Highly processed foods such as confectionery, soft drinks, potato chips, ice creams are the most heavily and regularly discounted items in a supermarket and are constantly in your face. Worse, they're also superbly located at levels that your little children can reach. Fast foods are also quite cheap and they are fairly fast, as the name says. The combination is enticing. They are also advertised heavily in children's television programs.
A factor that I think is important is that the kids themselves push very hard to be given these bad foods and it's a constant struggle, I know Cassie's had her victories that she's won through her bloody minded persistence on the matter. Cassie's a pretty and charming child, the combination means that she gets offered more than her fair share of treats by shopkeepers and other strangers - due to that dominant culture, these treats are, without exception, high sugar and often high fat to boot! Combine that with the advertising and you have a little girl who thinks that sugar is a really good thing and a lot of fun!
The strength of the dominant culture leads to some scary compromises, McDonalds in schools with their vouchers, the menus in our school canteens despite years of claims that we are changing the rules to make them healthy, the National Heart Foundation giving the tick to numerous high sugar foods. I'm sure the people responsible for those decisions weren't thrilled with them, but they're getting pushed very hard.
The argument that we can just blame the individual for their decisions is one that has many corollaries, and I'm going to use one from my field, education. I have worked in many disadvantaged schools, I have taught children who've come from very poor homes, and from broken homes where there was a lot of violence and not a lot of educational opportunity being offered. Nevertheless, some of those children did fine at school, some of them have overcome all of those difficulties and earnt university degrees and other qualifications. Since some kids can overcome those problems, does that mean that we do not need to give more money and resources to poorer schools? That it's just up to the individual kid and there's no need for any systemic approach to educational disadvantage? It's the same argument, and I think that argument is just as empty in education as it is in public health.
The identical argument was made with regard to anti smoking measures, was consistently made every time a new measure was raised, and continues to be made throughout the 3rd World where the smoking epidemic has reached new heights. But individual choice wasn't enough to dent smoking rates significantly, it took a systemic approach from all levels of government to do it. Advertising bans, hefty price increases, age based restrictions and restrictions of when and where smoking is permitted have all combined to push smoking rates down. Obesity rates can't be pushed down by relying on individual parents to restrict the intake of their kids, a systemic approach has to be taken.
I'm going to close with some personal anecdotes. This is a subject close to my heart. I am morbidly obese. My parents weren't although my father was certainly overweight. My grandparents weren't obese nor were my great grandparents. My three older brothers are all morbidly obese. My older sister isn't, she had a fat period in her youth and has fought a very determined war to eat whole foods consistently ever since. I use the term war because that's the sort of intensity she's had to strive with to maintain her slim appearance. It's not surprising that she has not been able to quit smoking in that period, a war on two fronts becomes too much to fight.
Like Cassie, I learnt young that sugar was a great thing, and I found it to be strongly addictive. As a growing boy I avoided putting on weight but once I hit my 20's that changed. The sugary foods have done most of the damage. Three years ago, I managed to go 11 months consuming almost no sugar in processed foods. I lost weight easily for the first time, without feeling hungry. Previous diets had taken weight off for a while, but ended in an orgy of bingeing.
The problem was when I left the house. I could keep sugar out of the house, but once you leave it's fucking everywhere. Shopping at Woolworths? chocolate, ice cream, biscuits, sauces, breads, et bloody cetera. Birthday dinner in the family? Here, have some cake! Morning tea at school? Here, have some biscuits, have some cake. Go to the pub for trivia? Here, have a soft drink (I don't drink alcohol). It's just a constant fight to keep buying the right foods whilst surrounded by the pressures to buy the fucking poison.
I finally cracked on the day of Cassie's 2nd birthday party - there was just too much sugary crap in the house and I ate some. Being addicted to the bloody shit, that was the end of that. Subsequent efforts haven't lasted long and I've put all the weight back on and then some. My latest blood test says I'm currently diabetes free but I can't keep avoiding the major consequences forever. Indeed, the arthritic pain in the knee and the back pain are surely related to the block of flats those areas are keeping up. I'm not unaware of the facts here. But knowing the number of the train bearing down on you and getting out of its way are two different things.
I don't think it's impossible to lose weight or avoid the heavily processed shit, my sister's done it, as have many other people. But it is very hard. And it's very hard because we, as a society, are awash with sugar and highly processed foods which are continually presented as good things. I think that to blame the parents for their kids being obese and, by inference, to blame the obese for being obese, is to ignore the reality of the food consuming system that we live in. It's cheap and easy easy to eat sugar and highly processed foods in our society, expensive and difficult not to do so. I don't think we should be surprised that most of us choose the quick and easy path, even when we know it leads to the Dark Side.
Wednesday, 10 December 2014
Tuesday, 30 September 2014
Help George Piggins attend the NRL grand final.
43 years ago, South Sydney played in the NSWRL grand final and won their 20th premiership in 64 seasons with a hard fought 16-10 victory over St George. One of the players in the winning team was George Piggins.
George Piggins, the saviour of the South Sydney rugby league football club after they were unceremoniously booted out following Super League.
George Piggins, who has not attended a game of rugby league since Souths were taken over by Russell Crowe and Peter Holmes a Court. This Sunday, South Sydney play their first grand final for 43 years.George Piggins, former captain of the club, former coach, former CEO, does not propose to attend.
However, George Piggins, the man who should be at the game, has promised he will attend here. All we have to do is raise one hundred thousand dollars to be shared between The Sydney Children's hospitals at Randwick and Westmead.
I am not a Souths fan, I am not a VIP, I am not special (except to my daughter), I am simply a fan of rugby league. I just cannot get past the fact that South Sydney are only playing this weekend because of the passion and drive and courage of one man, George Piggins. The man who will not be going to that game unless we give him a little help. The man has finally provided an opening that will allow him to reconcile with the game and the club that he loves so much and has given so much for.
I don't know the man, but I just cannot imagine him wanting some rich person to hand over a hundred grand the way I hand over 20 bucks for Oporto and say "Well, George, you're coming now." I don't think he wants to be invited by the NRL elite, they've tried many times. He's always said no. He won't listen to the big end of town.
He needs to be invited by us, the ordinary rugby league fan, not just the Souths fans whose club he saved, but by the ordinary men, women and children who have nurtured this game since that bell was first rung at Birchgrove Oval in 1908.
That's the invitation that George Piggins needs, the one given to him by us, the ordinary fans of this great game, in our great country.
So, I am taking him up on his promise, I am sufficiently ordinary for the task at hand!
I have established a crowd funding website at Causevox
You can invite him to our grand final simply by clicking here and sending $10 to be shared between 2 great hospitals, The Sydney Children's Hospitals at Randwick and Westmead.
If we build it, he will come.
George Piggins, the saviour of the South Sydney rugby league football club after they were unceremoniously booted out following Super League.
George Piggins, who has not attended a game of rugby league since Souths were taken over by Russell Crowe and Peter Holmes a Court. This Sunday, South Sydney play their first grand final for 43 years.George Piggins, former captain of the club, former coach, former CEO, does not propose to attend.
However, George Piggins, the man who should be at the game, has promised he will attend here. All we have to do is raise one hundred thousand dollars to be shared between The Sydney Children's hospitals at Randwick and Westmead.
I am not a Souths fan, I am not a VIP, I am not special (except to my daughter), I am simply a fan of rugby league. I just cannot get past the fact that South Sydney are only playing this weekend because of the passion and drive and courage of one man, George Piggins. The man who will not be going to that game unless we give him a little help. The man has finally provided an opening that will allow him to reconcile with the game and the club that he loves so much and has given so much for.
I don't know the man, but I just cannot imagine him wanting some rich person to hand over a hundred grand the way I hand over 20 bucks for Oporto and say "Well, George, you're coming now." I don't think he wants to be invited by the NRL elite, they've tried many times. He's always said no. He won't listen to the big end of town.
He needs to be invited by us, the ordinary rugby league fan, not just the Souths fans whose club he saved, but by the ordinary men, women and children who have nurtured this game since that bell was first rung at Birchgrove Oval in 1908.
That's the invitation that George Piggins needs, the one given to him by us, the ordinary fans of this great game, in our great country.
So, I am taking him up on his promise, I am sufficiently ordinary for the task at hand!
I have established a crowd funding website at Causevox
You can invite him to our grand final simply by clicking here and sending $10 to be shared between 2 great hospitals, The Sydney Children's Hospitals at Randwick and Westmead.
If we build it, he will come.
Thursday, 28 August 2014
The war with Microsoft Part II
With my money still being possessed by Redmond, and my software also being located somewhere in the Microsoft product vaults, I was sent a link requesting feedback about my engagement with them the other day that I outlined here.
Well, they certainly got some feedback! Unfortunately most of it was of the 1-10 kind but on the last page they gave me some comment boxes... Thank you, Microsoft, the first decent thing you've done in this affair so far.
Please share any suggestions for how we can improve the Microsoft Store website:
You could start by making it work. I understand that's a real challenge for you. I've purchased and downloaded software from a lot of small operations and they all seem to be able to manage to take my money easily and provide me a link so I can download the product. Microsoft took 2 shots at taking my money, succeeding on the 2nd occasion, but still managed to fail to provide me with the product.
I was then told the transaction was cancelled, but my money is still a safe part of the Microsoft cash mountain. The product, on the other hand, remains in your software vaults somewhere. I'm about to start three weeks of 70 hour weeks so it's highly unlikely I'm going to be able to chase this up in that time frame but I strongly suspect the issue will still be waiting for me at the end of that time period.
Please tell us about factors that influenced your survey responses or share any other comments about your support experience:
Try training your people to talk like members of the human race, not brain dead morons, I thought Microsoft prided itself on hiring intelligent people.
The script that he was obviously required to use was patronising in the extreme. My evaluation of his performance is an evaluation of his training, I'm sure he was doing *exactly* what he was supposed to. The fact that he is required to talk in such a ludicrous manner is what needs to be addressed here. Microsoft isn't functioning as a dynamic, innovative, receptive software company, it's functioning as a staid bureaucractic behemoth, and it's little wonder that it's struggling to put together quality products.
Even if my purchase goes through, my first act if I ever get a hold of Office 365 will be to buy an add on to restore the highly efficient structures of Office 2003 as opposed to the farcically organised current model which still alternately bemuses and infuriates me after years of use.
I didn't want them to be under any illusions about my thoughts regarding their performance in this matter, amongst the confusing messages I got last time was that the issue would be passed upwards and would take 48-72 hours to be looked at. If I don't work at school tomorrow, I will chase them up some more, as long as I'm feeling brave that is!
Well, they certainly got some feedback! Unfortunately most of it was of the 1-10 kind but on the last page they gave me some comment boxes... Thank you, Microsoft, the first decent thing you've done in this affair so far.
Please share any suggestions for how we can improve the Microsoft Store website:
You could start by making it work. I understand that's a real challenge for you. I've purchased and downloaded software from a lot of small operations and they all seem to be able to manage to take my money easily and provide me a link so I can download the product. Microsoft took 2 shots at taking my money, succeeding on the 2nd occasion, but still managed to fail to provide me with the product.
I was then told the transaction was cancelled, but my money is still a safe part of the Microsoft cash mountain. The product, on the other hand, remains in your software vaults somewhere. I'm about to start three weeks of 70 hour weeks so it's highly unlikely I'm going to be able to chase this up in that time frame but I strongly suspect the issue will still be waiting for me at the end of that time period.
Please tell us about factors that influenced your survey responses or share any other comments about your support experience:
Try training your people to talk like members of the human race, not brain dead morons, I thought Microsoft prided itself on hiring intelligent people.
The script that he was obviously required to use was patronising in the extreme. My evaluation of his performance is an evaluation of his training, I'm sure he was doing *exactly* what he was supposed to. The fact that he is required to talk in such a ludicrous manner is what needs to be addressed here. Microsoft isn't functioning as a dynamic, innovative, receptive software company, it's functioning as a staid bureaucractic behemoth, and it's little wonder that it's struggling to put together quality products.
Even if my purchase goes through, my first act if I ever get a hold of Office 365 will be to buy an add on to restore the highly efficient structures of Office 2003 as opposed to the farcically organised current model which still alternately bemuses and infuriates me after years of use.
I didn't want them to be under any illusions about my thoughts regarding their performance in this matter, amongst the confusing messages I got last time was that the issue would be passed upwards and would take 48-72 hours to be looked at. If I don't work at school tomorrow, I will chase them up some more, as long as I'm feeling brave that is!
Wednesday, 27 August 2014
Kristy and Lindsay see Queen with Adam Lambert!
The wonderful Kristy has always been a big Queen fan. Once I told her that Queen were touring with Adam Lambert there was never any doubt about whether or not we would be going, I'll concede I had some concerns about the $160 price tag but these were brushed aside! So, last night was spent at Allphones Arena or whatever it's called these days at Homebush, watching Brian May, Roger Taylor, Adam Lambert and a group of other musicians perform from the Queen catalogue. The boys are certainly respecting John Deacon's retirement as he was never mentioned. Freddie, of course, was mentioned quite often.
One might think that holding a QUEEN concert without Freddie Mercury is a bit of a stretch and that's a legitimate view. As Adam Lambert put it, one does have to "suspend one's disbelief." Lambert made that a pretty easy job. He's got a superb voice, which easily hits all the high notes that Freddie's left for him. He's bold on stage, campy, delightfully gay and thus makes an excellent fit with Queen. He made some nods towards Freddy without pretending to be anything other than Adam Lambert. Lambert performed with Queen during his American Idol season and clearly made an impression on Taylor and May. His version of Killer Queen was especially wicked. I found that he occasionally got drowned out by the loudness of the band but that might just be a personal quibble.
There was a long session in the middle of the concert where Adam was off stage and Brian May and Roger Taylor tried to carry the concert on their own, with a series of solos and a few songs where they took the microphone. While I found myself in awe of their technical skills, both clearly remaining at the summit of their profession, as entertainment it paled a little. I think had they shrunk that session considerably and kept Lambert out the front it would have worked better. Why on earth would you hire a voice like that and leave it in the dressing room?!
The technical proficiency of the concert was consistently in evidence, the light were blinding, the sound was explosive yet very clear, these were professional entertainers who knew what they were doing. But the hits were so loud and that reduced the ability of the audience to involve themselves in the singing - despite Queen possessing an almost unmatchable catalogue of concert ready singalong anthems! Maybe it works better in the stadiums where there's more audience members to push back against the loudness. So, for me, that was a bit of a letdown.
Overall though, it was a strong concert. It was great to see Roger Taylor and Dr Brian May looking so happy and enjoying themselves dusting off the Queen catalogue. They're so good that I'd quite like it if they drag John Deacon out of retirement, pull Adam Lambert into a studio with them and have a crack at making some new music. Just as Dr May found he had unfinished business with his Phd thesis and finished it off, possibly there's some unfinished musical business too.
Kristy had a great time, she resisted the lure of the overpriced T-shirts but the power of the program was not to be denied - $35 later she had her souvenir of the evening! She was thrilled and that was the point of the evening.
One might think that holding a QUEEN concert without Freddie Mercury is a bit of a stretch and that's a legitimate view. As Adam Lambert put it, one does have to "suspend one's disbelief." Lambert made that a pretty easy job. He's got a superb voice, which easily hits all the high notes that Freddie's left for him. He's bold on stage, campy, delightfully gay and thus makes an excellent fit with Queen. He made some nods towards Freddy without pretending to be anything other than Adam Lambert. Lambert performed with Queen during his American Idol season and clearly made an impression on Taylor and May. His version of Killer Queen was especially wicked. I found that he occasionally got drowned out by the loudness of the band but that might just be a personal quibble.
There was a long session in the middle of the concert where Adam was off stage and Brian May and Roger Taylor tried to carry the concert on their own, with a series of solos and a few songs where they took the microphone. While I found myself in awe of their technical skills, both clearly remaining at the summit of their profession, as entertainment it paled a little. I think had they shrunk that session considerably and kept Lambert out the front it would have worked better. Why on earth would you hire a voice like that and leave it in the dressing room?!
The technical proficiency of the concert was consistently in evidence, the light were blinding, the sound was explosive yet very clear, these were professional entertainers who knew what they were doing. But the hits were so loud and that reduced the ability of the audience to involve themselves in the singing - despite Queen possessing an almost unmatchable catalogue of concert ready singalong anthems! Maybe it works better in the stadiums where there's more audience members to push back against the loudness. So, for me, that was a bit of a letdown.
Overall though, it was a strong concert. It was great to see Roger Taylor and Dr Brian May looking so happy and enjoying themselves dusting off the Queen catalogue. They're so good that I'd quite like it if they drag John Deacon out of retirement, pull Adam Lambert into a studio with them and have a crack at making some new music. Just as Dr May found he had unfinished business with his Phd thesis and finished it off, possibly there's some unfinished musical business too.
Kristy had a great time, she resisted the lure of the overpriced T-shirts but the power of the program was not to be denied - $35 later she had her souvenir of the evening! She was thrilled and that was the point of the evening.
Monday, 25 August 2014
Microsoft, Office 365 and how 78 billion dollars in yearly revenue doesn't mean you know shit about online sales!
I have always preferred Windows based systems to Apple and I have used MS Office for many years, periodically buying new editions.
In line with the above, it occurred to me several weeks ago that it was time to update my current MS Office suite, some of the kids I tutor bring assignments in and so it's useful to have MS Office on all my computers and not just some of them as is currently the case. MS Office provides a good solution as it allows you to put MS Office on 5 PC's and 5 tablets, which is certainly enough to cover my needs. And at $119 a year, tax deductible given it's for the business, it didn't seem like a totally unreasonable price to me. I'm well aware of Open Office but it can be bit of a nuisance when the kids don't use it so I prefer to have the standard behemoth.
So, decision made, I clicked into the Microsoft web store, found my way to the product and tried to order it. Epic fail #1. It failed to put my order through. While this doesn't happen often, these things do occur so I just left it for a couple of weeks and came back on Saturday. Order goes through, I get the confirmation email and told that another email including the download link will be sent soon. I've purchased software online many times and it's quite common for the product link to be sent to you in a separate email, although it's also common for you to be taken directly to the download site upon paying. Clearly, Microsoft don't want to be common.
I did note that there was a warning that not all people were getting the confirmation email but I figured that a company which managed 78 billion dollars in revenue last year would have managed to fix that.
Sunday morning - check emails no dice, but I decided to give them another 24 hours as Microsoft is an older company and probably only works Monday to Friday. Monday morning - no dice again so I took my courage in both my hands and contacted the online help.
"Hi! Thank you for visiting Microsoft Store Customer Support! My name is Joe Bloggs *. How may I help you today?"
I explained how I'd paid for Office 365 without getting the payment...
"I'm so sorry to know that. But don't worry, I will do all my best to help you with this concern."
The patronising tone evident in the call centre style greeting continues - I don't want your best - losers always whine about their best - I want the problem solved!
We got through the procedures to verify my order and the account and then he drops the bomb on me...
"I understand how important this purchase is to you. Sadly,our system encountered an error within the order placing process. Sadly your order has been cancelled."
Gee, great way to do your best people and thanks again for more of your patronising attitude! Your company's incompetence isn't sad, it's downright shameful!
I decided it was time to give him a free assessment of his company's skills:
"This is twice that I have tried to buy Office 365 and not been able to. Pass on to your superiors that your company's incompetence in putting together a basic online sales interface astounds me. I've purchased online from many a small operation and, astonishing as this concept may be to you, they manage to take my payment and give me access to the downloadable items."
Perhaps the dripping sarcasm might provoke a real response:
"I'm so sorry for this inconvenience."
Wishful thinking on my part. Still, I keep telling my students that persistence is important so I try again:
"Please also suggest to them that encouraging their salespeople to talk like members of the human race and not robots wouldn't be a bad idea, either! As for the product, I'm sick of trying to buy it and will use Open Office instead."
A lie re Open Office but I'm getting desperate.
"I will escalate your case to our higher level of Department it takes for about 48-72 hours."
I'm starting to question whether it's a human or a robot on the other end of this conversation, a train of thought encouraged by 'his' next few comments:
"Nothing to worry, I will personally monitor your order here in my end. I will also send you available email updates."
"You are not currently connected to an Answer Tech (Microsoft sales specialist)."
"FUCK YOU MOTHERFUCKER!" Spoken out loud.
I'm awaiting further developments, I will note that I do not currently have access to Office 365 while according to Teachers Mutual Bank and Paypal, Microsoft still have access to my 119 dollars!
Further updates as they come to hand.
* Name changed to protect the 'salesperson', if he was a real person he was doing 'everything' he was trained to do and I have no particular beef with him other than his choice of career, surely he can do better.
In line with the above, it occurred to me several weeks ago that it was time to update my current MS Office suite, some of the kids I tutor bring assignments in and so it's useful to have MS Office on all my computers and not just some of them as is currently the case. MS Office provides a good solution as it allows you to put MS Office on 5 PC's and 5 tablets, which is certainly enough to cover my needs. And at $119 a year, tax deductible given it's for the business, it didn't seem like a totally unreasonable price to me. I'm well aware of Open Office but it can be bit of a nuisance when the kids don't use it so I prefer to have the standard behemoth.
So, decision made, I clicked into the Microsoft web store, found my way to the product and tried to order it. Epic fail #1. It failed to put my order through. While this doesn't happen often, these things do occur so I just left it for a couple of weeks and came back on Saturday. Order goes through, I get the confirmation email and told that another email including the download link will be sent soon. I've purchased software online many times and it's quite common for the product link to be sent to you in a separate email, although it's also common for you to be taken directly to the download site upon paying. Clearly, Microsoft don't want to be common.
I did note that there was a warning that not all people were getting the confirmation email but I figured that a company which managed 78 billion dollars in revenue last year would have managed to fix that.
Sunday morning - check emails no dice, but I decided to give them another 24 hours as Microsoft is an older company and probably only works Monday to Friday. Monday morning - no dice again so I took my courage in both my hands and contacted the online help.
"Hi! Thank you for visiting Microsoft Store Customer Support! My name is Joe Bloggs *. How may I help you today?"
I explained how I'd paid for Office 365 without getting the payment...
"I'm so sorry to know that. But don't worry, I will do all my best to help you with this concern."
The patronising tone evident in the call centre style greeting continues - I don't want your best - losers always whine about their best - I want the problem solved!
We got through the procedures to verify my order and the account and then he drops the bomb on me...
"I understand how important this purchase is to you. Sadly,our system encountered an error within the order placing process. Sadly your order has been cancelled."
Gee, great way to do your best people and thanks again for more of your patronising attitude! Your company's incompetence isn't sad, it's downright shameful!
I decided it was time to give him a free assessment of his company's skills:
"This is twice that I have tried to buy Office 365 and not been able to. Pass on to your superiors that your company's incompetence in putting together a basic online sales interface astounds me. I've purchased online from many a small operation and, astonishing as this concept may be to you, they manage to take my payment and give me access to the downloadable items."
Perhaps the dripping sarcasm might provoke a real response:
"I'm so sorry for this inconvenience."
Wishful thinking on my part. Still, I keep telling my students that persistence is important so I try again:
"Please also suggest to them that encouraging their salespeople to talk like members of the human race and not robots wouldn't be a bad idea, either! As for the product, I'm sick of trying to buy it and will use Open Office instead."
A lie re Open Office but I'm getting desperate.
"I will escalate your case to our higher level of Department it takes for about 48-72 hours."
I'm starting to question whether it's a human or a robot on the other end of this conversation, a train of thought encouraged by 'his' next few comments:
"Nothing to worry, I will personally monitor your order here in my end. I will also send you available email updates."
"You are not currently connected to an Answer Tech (Microsoft sales specialist)."
"FUCK YOU MOTHERFUCKER!" Spoken out loud.
I'm awaiting further developments, I will note that I do not currently have access to Office 365 while according to Teachers Mutual Bank and Paypal, Microsoft still have access to my 119 dollars!
Further updates as they come to hand.
* Name changed to protect the 'salesperson', if he was a real person he was doing 'everything' he was trained to do and I have no particular beef with him other than his choice of career, surely he can do better.
Friday, 8 August 2014
NRL Thoughts - the semis approach
My Dragons are definitely doing better than at previous writing, but we are clearly short of some firepower. I think we're struggling a little in the forwards, Benji Marshall is trying hard but is very hit and miss, and I'm not convinced about Dugan in the centres! 4/5 is a pretty big ask for us to make the semis - particularly as one of the 5 is Canberra and Saints fans these days just put a cross next to that game at the start of the season and concentrate on all the others. The fact they're running last is irrelevant, they start as overwhelming favourites to beat us.
Kristy's Doggies haven't looked good these last few weeks but I expect them to find some form when it matters and compete well into September. Having said that, it's hard to go past Manly as premiership favourites for this year, they just seem to have a little more than most teams, particularly as the Roosters just haven't looked as sharp in their premiership defence.
I'm unconvinced by Souths, the nature of their collapse against Manly last year leaves me concerned that they simply won't perform when needed, and it's not like they've looked incredibly dominating so far this year anyway.
Parramatta look good to make the semis with their favourable draw coming home, and to do so would be a great credit to all after some awful seasons. I still will be carrying my voodoo doll for them, though, as some of their supporters are pretty relentless when things are going their way!
Kristy's Doggies haven't looked good these last few weeks but I expect them to find some form when it matters and compete well into September. Having said that, it's hard to go past Manly as premiership favourites for this year, they just seem to have a little more than most teams, particularly as the Roosters just haven't looked as sharp in their premiership defence.
I'm unconvinced by Souths, the nature of their collapse against Manly last year leaves me concerned that they simply won't perform when needed, and it's not like they've looked incredibly dominating so far this year anyway.
Parramatta look good to make the semis with their favourable draw coming home, and to do so would be a great credit to all after some awful seasons. I still will be carrying my voodoo doll for them, though, as some of their supporters are pretty relentless when things are going their way!
Wednesday, 2 July 2014
The cheat I respect
"My name is Lou Vincent and I am a cheat."
Lou Vincent is a former New Zealand Test cricketer who was heavily involved in match fixing in English county cricket. He has, correctly, been suspended for life from involvement in cricket.
Unlike so many in the same situation, however, he has placed the blame where it rests, upon his own shoulders! His statement above is remarkably free of the bullshit that characterises similar statements from business people, journalists, politicians, sportspeople and other celebrities who have been caught doing the wrong thing. He admits his guilt, without qualification. He acknowledges that he has depression, but states bluntly that his depression never prevented him from knowing "right from wrong". He has fully co-operated with the relevant authorities.
He accepts the penalty that he has been given because for a professional sport to prosper, there can be no tolerance of match fixing. The days where one could claim naivete are long past. This is a serious matter for a sport, this isn't some drunken idiot playing games with his own urine. That we have all paid so much attention to Todd Carney's photo yet so little attention to the recent story about NRL players gambling on the game says volumes about the importance we, as fans, place upon the integrity of the game that we follow. Why weren't we all making comments about that? We can't just blame the mass media because with our own social networking choices, we help drive how that mass media acts.
I respect Lou Vincent for looking himself in the mirror and deciding that his own personal integrity going forward is more important than his future cricketing career or maintaining respect for his past performances as a professional sportsman. The man shouldn't be involved with cricket again but I would be willing to buy something off him or avail myself of his services in a different field because he has demonstrated honesty when self interest bade him otherwise. He cheated the game, but he had also cheated himself. He's stopped cheating himself, and he can move forward.
I wish him all the best in his future endeavours and thank him for making it clear that match fixing in cricket isn't just something being perpetrated on the sub continent by cricketers who aren't white!
Lou Vincent is a former New Zealand Test cricketer who was heavily involved in match fixing in English county cricket. He has, correctly, been suspended for life from involvement in cricket.
Unlike so many in the same situation, however, he has placed the blame where it rests, upon his own shoulders! His statement above is remarkably free of the bullshit that characterises similar statements from business people, journalists, politicians, sportspeople and other celebrities who have been caught doing the wrong thing. He admits his guilt, without qualification. He acknowledges that he has depression, but states bluntly that his depression never prevented him from knowing "right from wrong". He has fully co-operated with the relevant authorities.
He accepts the penalty that he has been given because for a professional sport to prosper, there can be no tolerance of match fixing. The days where one could claim naivete are long past. This is a serious matter for a sport, this isn't some drunken idiot playing games with his own urine. That we have all paid so much attention to Todd Carney's photo yet so little attention to the recent story about NRL players gambling on the game says volumes about the importance we, as fans, place upon the integrity of the game that we follow. Why weren't we all making comments about that? We can't just blame the mass media because with our own social networking choices, we help drive how that mass media acts.
I respect Lou Vincent for looking himself in the mirror and deciding that his own personal integrity going forward is more important than his future cricketing career or maintaining respect for his past performances as a professional sportsman. The man shouldn't be involved with cricket again but I would be willing to buy something off him or avail myself of his services in a different field because he has demonstrated honesty when self interest bade him otherwise. He cheated the game, but he had also cheated himself. He's stopped cheating himself, and he can move forward.
I wish him all the best in his future endeavours and thank him for making it clear that match fixing in cricket isn't just something being perpetrated on the sub continent by cricketers who aren't white!
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