Thursday, February 03, 2011

父母与新科技

刚才看了腾讯的那个QQ广告,不由想到自己的父母。这些年我在国外,想起来家里也是老妈一直在努力学习电脑操作来和我联系,老爸呢,他总是在一旁看,不厌其烦的看,却从来不上手,和广告里拍的一样,呵呵,不知道这是普遍真理还是偶然巧合。

2个月前回了次国,期间和好多朋友吃饭。其中一个若干年前在我们家住过几天的朋友告诉我这么一个关于我妈的小故事。

有一天她周末来串门,结果一进门就听见我妈在那里大叫一声:“哎呀!”她也不知道发生了什么事情,赶紧冲进去,发现我妈呆坐在电脑前面,几乎都要哭出来了。“阿姨,怎么了?”她胆颤心惊的问。我妈语无伦次的说“怎么都没了,都没了?”仔细一盘问,原来我妈花了快一小时,辛辛苦苦打的一封email,由于某一个操作失误,都没了。我妈当时就崩溃了。

讲完这个故事,她哈哈大笑,说从来没见过我妈这么委屈过。她老公和我也一起大笑了起来。不过当时听的我挺心酸的,赶紧抓过一杯啤酒狂喝了两口。

这些年我妈时不时给我发邮件,很多都是不知道她哪里弄来的东西,什么“中国10大风景名胜古迹”啦,什么“保健窍门50条”啦,我以前都当垃圾邮件处理了,自从知道这个故事之后,我就都会打开看看,争取憋出几个字来回复一下。因为我知道,这几个字对于我来说无所谓,不过是举手之劳,但对于她来说,可能就是天壤之别。

催泪弹

又过春节了,又是一个想家的日子。今年仿佛特别脆弱,总是在缅怀过去的时光。下面是我最近在网上瞎逛发现的4个催泪弹。每次看的时候,就觉得自己是患了癌症的病人,呵呵。


第一弹:腾讯QQ 12周年广告



第二弹:张雨生的“大海”



第三弹:筷子兄弟的“老男孩”



第四弹:旭日刚阳的“春天里”



仔细想想,自己还是没得癌症,突然很高兴。

祝大家兔年吉祥,一起gan ba tte!

Thursday, January 27, 2011

第一次dispute credit card charge

以下是我今天和一个网上信用报告公司的对话。我当时在dispute过去4个月的费用:

我: I don't remember signing up for any re-occurring services.  I just used it once as the website offers free credit report.

公司:  Once you establish your account with us, the service is on.  Yes, the report you requested is free but it says on the website that the first 5 days are free but you have to cancel the membership in the next 2 days to avoid further charges.

我: Are you serious?  Do you really expect me to remember those details in your fine fine fine prints?  I really think your practice is predatory.  You lure a customer in with your so called "free" report and then charge them afterwards without them even knowing it.  I didn't even noticed that I am paying it twenty some bucks a month for the past 4 months until yesterday.  That's why I am filing a dispute with my credit card company.

公司:  Sorry Sir, but you should have canceled the service in those two days if you don't need the service.

我: (I am getting kinda mad at this moment)  I understand you got a job to do and you have to say what you have to say.  But as a consumer, I gotta say what I have to say as well.  I think it's totally unfair for a regular customer to remember all the details.  48-hour window to cancel?  Is this some kinda appointment I have with my dentist?  Also even my dentist calls me before the appointment to remind me about it.  Did you even contact me after 5 days to remind me that I need to cancel the membership in the next 2 days?  No, you DIDN'T.  It's not about the money.  It's about taking a stand.  I've put up with these predatory practices in the past, but not this time.  I am fed up with it.  I am no way in hell paying for these 4-month of membership fees.

公司:  OK, Sir, if you really want to get the money back, you have to write to our Customer Service Center about this.  The address is ...

我:  (I cut her off right there)  Listen, I am not gonna write anything to anyone.  You basically treat me like a rabbit in the circus.  I have to jump through more hoops to get the little carrot.  No way.  I need the money now and from you.  If I don't get the refund today, I will file a formal complaint to the Small Business Bureau about your little practice and I am gonna do other things.  I don't know what I am gonna do yet, but I sure will do something.  I am willing to go whole nine yards on this one.  

公司:  OK, Sir.  All I can do, within my capability, is to refund you this month's charge, which is $22.  And no more future charges will occur either.  Can we do that?

我:  Oh, sure.  Let's do it. (I was happy to get anything back actually)
_________________

以前无数次被这样的东西搞过,一直都懒的争论。这次实在不爽,当时也没打算能要回来什么钱,反正就是发发牢骚,想不到居然还真的弄回来一个月的钱。看来有啥事,还真要较劲才行。