Slightly More Polite - Not Much More Useful

I'd read a while back on Consumerist that large companies are watching twitter for their name and then occasionally doing something about it. So I put a link to the "Dorks" post below on my twitter stream along with "Comcast could not be less helpful."

This morning this comment appeared with the post:

Hello David,

I apologize for any frustrations we caused. Please let me know if you are still experiencing problems with your guide channel. I'd be happy to assist in getting this matter resolved. Please email us at We_Can_Help@cable.comcast.com.

Regards,
-snip-
Comcast Customer Connect
National Customer Operations

Which is unexpected and kinda useful. I emailed them a link back to the "Life's Little Annoyances" post, and then I got this:

Good Afternoon David,

I apologize for any issues you have experienced while using our DVR and On Screen Guide. We receive this information from a third party. The programming times, lineup and detail can change without notification or enough time to update our guide. You are correct; ‘booting’ the box will not correct this issue. We are continually working with our third party and our own teams to prevent these types of experiences from happening. I will share your feedback, blog and experience with additional members of our team for further review. If you have any further questions, or if I may offer any additional help, please feel free to contact me at anytime.

-snip-
Comcast Corporate Office
Comcast Customer Connect

Which is cool because they cop to the fact that the earlier advice about unplugging will have no effect. It does sound a little grade school when they say this is a problem with a third party, but I guess the we'll look into it tone is alright. Although I think I would feel much better about it if along with the I apologize and it's not our fault they also said please accept this $10 credit toward next month's service as a token of goodwill.

A man can dream can't he?

Oops

DBoevers (4:18:47 PM): can you see my package in this pic?

DBoevers (4:18:49 PM): https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIBUepxvaXBJ4Vi3L7ZJp721R6B-GwUOJxCE793zTkye8cKtwvjGsNwUkl2atzetf-Xj2jH33VH-D7qDSoMmSgUPx-CshgZPKqmxGr3z87TgvtTNDsmcJb1AtL3FNh5jYACp6E/s1600-h/Panorama.jpg

Mrs.TANBI (4:19:07 PM): no

Mrs.TANBI (4:19:12 PM): can you?

DBoevers (4:19:16 PM): are you sure?

DBoevers (4:19:46 PM): I think is DAMN close - but no

Mrs.TANBI (4:19:58 PM): where?

DBoevers (4:20:16 PM): if you look at the inside edge of the mandalay bay sign

DBoevers (4:20:21 PM): but in the reflection in the glass

DBoevers (4:20:33 PM): I think the image cuts off just above the danger zone

DBoevers (4:21:03 PM): almost VERY embarrassing

Mrs.TANBI (4:21:25 PM): have you posted this on the internet?

DBoevers (4:21:44 PM): http://mydaddidntliketheurl.blogspot.com/2008/10/not-yet-up-to-speed.html

DBoevers (4:23:14 PM): don't see myself here:

DBoevers (4:23:15 PM): http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/ynlm4u-_Y0T4etSC_ytelQ

DBoevers (4:23:26 PM): but that panorama shot is less discreet

DBoevers (4:23:35 PM): have to remember that when shooting around windows

Mrs.TANBI (4:24:42 PM): maybe don't take pictures while naked

DBoevers (4:24:44 PM): right

DBoevers (4:24:46 PM): check

DBoevers (4:25:00 PM): or, I have to become hotter

DBoevers (4:25:03 PM): one or the other

DBoevers (4:25:07 PM): or maybe both

Mrs.TANBI (4:25:32 PM): hot has nothing to do with not posting pictures of your package

Mrs.TANBI (4:25:38 PM): that's just indecent

DBoevers (4:26:14 PM): I guess

DBoevers (4:26:28 PM): the dangers of blogging

Shorties

• 14:17 @renelae I hear that #
• 14:18 @bpeoples that would be a Ben Carter question and to the best of my knowledge he doesn't tweet #
• 14:18 Technical Design II - budget the show again #
• 16:04 Getting things together for the SketchUp Workshop #
• 18:19 Google Sketchup Workshop with Heather Wells - who says twitter isn't good for anything #
• 22:31 One workshop down. Darn computer kept overheating - not very on brand for CMU #
• 22:31 @renelae I got a whole rack of those - come get one whenever you want. #
• 00:57 Comcast could not be less helpful: mydaddidntliketheurl.blogspot.com/2008/10/dorks.html #

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Dorks

David sends this to Comcast:

The cable guide shows SpikeTV latenight as "shop at home" when in fact it isn''t that but two star trek shows and seven days.  Can''t set the DVR for that though.  Would be nice if the guide actually showed what was on.

Comcast sends this to David:

I understand that you are currently having issues with your Guide on your cable box. I apologize for any inconvenience that this may have caused you.  
If you have not tried to reset your cable converter please do so at this time to see if this will assist in resolving your issue. To reset your  cable converter, turn the cable box off then unplug the converter from  the electrical outlet. Let sit for 10 seconds, then plug it back in.  

A more direct example of their total disregard for customer satisfaction I cannot think of. Dorks.

Life's Little Annoyances

I have a DVR from Comcast. I also enjoy Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. The show used to be on during the day on SpikeTV and somewhere back in the day I added it to the list of series subscriptions to record. Very briefly after that the show disappeared from my drive and from the daily SpikeTV schedule. Or so I thought.

Turns out that at 2am when the guide I get from Comcast says "shop at home" there's something completely different on: DS9! And here's a situation that the DVR is born to serve, show on in the middle of the night. But, it won't record it because the guide says something else:


Interestingly SpikeTV doesn't appear to be confused:

and, even more interestingly, Comcast doesn't appear to be totally clueless either:


So isn't this swell, I have to be the dweeb to call Comcast and complain because my box won't let me DVR my Cardasians and Bajorans. What do you want to bet the guy asks "Sir, is this the box in your mother's basement?"

Shorties

• 10:23 slow flurries on the way to work today. that time already? #
• 10:23 Technical Direction - Materials choices #
• 15:20 @aerdin hey, is there a word for drawing a word in the style of what the word says, like a rainbow shaped like a rainbow? #
• 15:40 Finalizing the ZFX Flying workshops #
• 16:21 @pegele03 that's not every day? #
• 20:00 for some reason plowing through work mail at home. I might need a rule #
• 22:36 @bpeoples I can do 48x96 CNC routing #

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Speak True Melissa

My Typical 'Homo' Family - The Daily Beast: "Prop 8 is a blatantly hateful, and fearful proposition that I believe the great citizens of California can see through. The proponents of it have run the most fearful of television ads telling the people that if this doesn’t pass they will have to teach about homos to small grade school children. I can’t seem to recall any relationships ever being taught in school and I can’t find anything about that in this proposition. Now, I know my preference of life mate freaks some people out. Maybe it is just their fear of sex or intimacy. I know that they hold up the bible and say that it’s wrong. Fine, let me stand before my creator and take any consequences there might be to living my life in truth and balance with my spirit."

Suburban Renewal

So there's this space in downtown Highland Park. Ages ago it used to be a store called Chestnut Court that sold books, although I don't think I ever bought a book there. They also sold stickers and notebooks and other stuff that I was more likely to blow money on.

After that it was a GAP. I never spent any money at the GAP.

Now it's an Uncle Dan's; they moved up the street. I used to by secondhand 501's at the Uncle Dan's in Evanston. This store does not appear to have secondhand jeans. Recently Mrs. TANBI and I looked at what they did have. We go there inevitably each trip home to look and see if there's a jacket for her.

This time we tried on a hat.


I'm not sure it's her style.

SHITSHITSHIT

Shorties

• 11:59 Tech Design II - mid course correction #
• 19:08 Missed my head search exit meeting, drat #
• 22:39 Man o man do I ever need a beer #

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