I love when people want to have an argument...

... and you end up finding some information online that defeats their side of the conversation. 

Which also may make you in the wrong, but proves what you're saying is a little more correct than what they're sticking behind.

This morning I was in the pool with my mother and one of her friends. As I had joined them late, I walked into the conversation about how our community is wired for Internet and the exact details Hotwire said to us when things got up and running. 

My mother had asked me what the technicians told me when they came and installed the Nokia router, Eero boxes and Fision cable set tops. How exactly are we covered with our Wi-Fi, in regard to fiber optic versus the old Comcast cabling?

I explained how, on the multiple times Hotwire was in our house, they said that they're piggy backing off of the Comcast coaxial cable. Hotwire is using fiber optic both inside and outside the house, but they are also utilizing pre-existing Comcast lines in other ways. Meaning, there are multiple sources coming in multiple directions and although Hotwire owns a good amount of them, not every single connection is solely theirs. Somehow there's a converter in place and I don't know the exact way it's all connected, but there are several things allowing us to be online, as well as how we watch television.

The friend stated that what I'm talking about is 100 per cent not true. That the information I have is jibberish; fake news if you will. She saw Hotwire dig through her yard and plant wires, to then connect one end of it all to the street and the end to her house. They totally disabled and took away Comcast everything; our community no longer has any investment in the previous company. What we have in our units are all Hotwire, all the time.

I said that she's not totally correct; Hotwire may have dug lines in her yard, but that was only to connect their wiring to some of the pre-existing stuff that Comcast was using and would leaving once their contract ended. We were told specifically from Hotwire that they connect their wiring to what was previously installed in the houses. They're not redoing everything as we know it; they're only adding a few things to the community, such as internal dwelling boxes and some new string lines. 

The friend still wanted to argue against this by saying I don't know what I'm talking about. She "saw with [her] own eyes, the digging and hooking up. The connecting of pieces of equipment". I had to explain that's true they dug but they didn't take up the old wiring. They left it because they needed it to add a booster of sorts to their own items.

Side note: I'm not completely technical with this so I don't have all the verbiage to explain what bill of sale Hotwire was showing, versus what Comcast was taking away while not being fully transparent. 

Back to conversation.

The friend really wanted to fight me. I ended up exclaiming "let's just end the conversation then. Agree to disagree because obviously, this is not going anywhere and I don't want to keep talking about it", to which the woman again disagreed, saying how wrong I am and I don't know anything. My mother jumped in to say it's true how they told us things, and the woman refused to concede. She wanted to be right and make sure we felt like fools. 

When my mother and I got home, she said that even another pool friend said there is no Comcast equipment in the community, it's all Hotwire. Which is why the conversation went on longer then it should have. 

It doesn't make sense, only because not every one in our community is using Hotwire; some are still using Comcast. The community got a "deal" on Hotwire when Comcast's contract was ending. A lot of residents wanted to keep Comcast, and they didn't want Hotwire in their house. We all had no choice; we had to have the new company in and do stuff, and those who wanted to keep the old ISP now have competing services in their home. I honestly don't know if Hotwire shut off their side of the communication, but if people are still using Comcast, somehow that's still a viable option. They're paying for both services and only with Hotwire is there a reduced rate due to it being part of our HOA dues.

Again, I am not that technical to understand the "how" to any and all of this. I know people have vocalized they're still using Comcast's equipment, still on their server. Hotwire is somehow shut off in the house. I can't explain it, but it's a small fraction of owners who have it. 

Even more so, when one of the last major storms rolled through (Helene? Milton? I don't remember which), we had power but no Internet. I had been up at the clubhouse after it ended (and was safe to be there) and a Comcast truck was driving the neighborhood. He stopped me and asked if the community was having any problems, and I said that "we have power, but no Internet. We use Hotwire and it's completely down". He said that that the main box wasn't getting power and was I sure the community had power? I said yes, we have electricity, just don't have internet. He had come out to check on a report by a user in the community, and found the power box not working, along with some other FPL boxes. He mentioned some were wet too, but it mainly was just not having juice to the source. Someone needed to contact FPL because it's a power issue, not a Comcast issue. Once power is restored, Comcast can come out and fix the internet. Since Hotwire is connected to the Comcast main hub, we technically still use Comcast as the backbone for getting online, even though we have Hotwire credentials.

I failed to explain that to my mom's friend as I had forgotten about it in the heat of the moment. I remembered it when we got home and by then it was too late; I wasn't about to call the woman and tell her this. 

However, what I did do, was research "does hotwire communications use pre existing cable lines as their wiring" and I not only found an interesting AI overview, I found a "frequently asked questions" sheet from another community. 

The Overview is as follows:

"Hotwire Communications generally installs their own dedicated fiber-optic lines for the main network backbone, but they may reuse pre-existing in-home coaxial cables inside a home or building solely to deliver basic television packages. [1, 2]

Inside the Home and Building Wiring

Television (Coax): Hotwire often utilizes existing in-home coaxial cable lines to distribute basic "Plug 'n Play" cable TV signals to secondary televisions without needing new set-top boxes. They test and optimize these existing lines during setup. [1]
Internet and Routers (Ethernet): For high-speed data, modems, and primary routers, Hotwire typically runs new CAT5E or CAT6 Ethernet cabling to ensure optimal performance rather than relying on old, degraded copper lines. [1, 2]

Outside and Community Infrastructure

Backbone Lines: Hotwire installs their own independent fiber-optic infrastructure underground or along designated utility routes to bring service to a neighborhood or multi-dwelling unit. They do not use another active provider's live external network lines for their primary data transmission"

I know this snipped (with its own citations) contradicts both my point and also any type of explanation, but the beginning states they "may reuse pre-existing in-home coaxial cables". For televisions, yes, but why then did the technicians make a big deal about getting things re-wired and telling us Comcast is still being used? This also doesn't go on to explain how everything Hotwire supplied is either hooked up into the Comcast used Greyfox Systems hub or it has its own line out device. The former is the coax system and the latter is the fiber system.

On another note, not every technician is telling the home owner that the Eero is not what it seems. I know I spoke about this in another post, but just to reiterate (because it's adjacent of a problem to this current one), the Eero is the modem and the Nokia is the router. Without the Eero, we wouldn't have Internet, according to the last technician I spoke with. Every person who has come to my house from Hotwire has said that Eero is a Wi-Fi extender and it acts as a booster. We do not need to install the Eero app on our phone and create an account; Hotwire has all the information they need if we install their own app. When we talked to the last in home person, they fervently needed the Eero verification or they could not set up my uncle's Internet. This person explained the Eero does all the work and if it wasn't for them, there would be no Hotwire to get us online. Which doesn't make sense from when we had how many people in our house from the company, explaining what is going on?? The sales department, community manager, half a dozen installers / technicians... no one made a peep about Eero other than it's a booster. The new guy was as if he went rogue and needed us to give him another key to the place. 

It's such a mud puddle, I can't seem to get out of it. 

What I have been able to do, was able to find a "Frequently Asked Questions" sheet from a community in Estero, about Hotwire and their connecting to other providers. 

Per a PDF from the Shadow Wood Community Association's website (links below for citing purposes):

"This section covers questions related to activities inside the home—your role, when you need to be at home, scheduling in-home appointments, bringing the fiber into a central distribution point within the home, “health check” of existing wiring, running of new wiring and the installation of any devices provided by Hotwire.

The following question was added on 10/19/17: 

1) Q: I would like to install a new cable TV outlet in my dinette for “plug in play” 70 channel service. Will Hotwire install new wiring and a cable TV outlet in difficult to reach area of my home? 

A: Hotwire will rewire (at no charge to the resident at the time of the initial installation) with new CAT5 cabling to any existing outlet location where a new FISION HD Box or modem/router will be located. Wiring to any new locations, or wiring after the initial installation of service will carry a $75 charge per outlet. Hotwire also offers a “wireless” FISION box (at the same cost as a wired box) which also adds flexibility for viewing locations. 

Please keep in mind: Where Comcast uses a small device called a DTA (Digital to Analog) converter, Hotwire’s technology allows them to deliver a similar service at no charge through a normal coax wall outlet without any such devices being required. This is called the “Expanded Basic Programming” and includes over 70 channels."

"4) Q: Will my home’s internal wiring need to be updated? 

A: Not necessarily: There will be a “home health check” where Hotwire (at their expense) will inspect and test the home’s existing wiring and replace and/or remove un-needed or defective splitters, amplifiers and connectors. The home’s inside wiring will be assessed and confirmed to allow residents to realize the quality delivered to the home via the fiber network. This existing wiring will be used to deliver programming to designated TV’s where a Set Top Box (STB) will not be installed (this is a “Expanded Basic” package referred to as “Plug ‘n Play” or “In The Clear”). For locations where your Hotwire supplied modem/router and STB’s will be located, Hotwire will run new CAT5E Ethernet wiring to deliver service to those devices. The technician will not leave the home until the service is working properly and signal levels have all been tested and confirmed to meet specified requirements."

"5) Q: Do I have to be home when they install my fiber and how long does it take? 

A: The installation will be three step process: 

1. Outside installation: The homeowner does not need to be present at this stage as all work is exterior to your home. 

2. Bringing the fiber into the home: Connecting the fiber from outside into the home and terminating at an ONT (Optical Network Terminal) which will usually be placed at the same location where Comcast, or other provider, has positioned the incoming terminal wiring. At this stage the homeowner, or a representative for the homeowner, needs to be present. This effort will normally require less than two hours to complete. 

3. In-unit installation: Connections from the ONT to TV’s, router, etc. again requires that the homeowner be present. This can take approximately 3-4 hours including resident training."

"4) Q: What is an ONT? 

A: An Optical Network Terminal, commonly referred to as an ONT, is a piece of equipment that converts the fiber-optic light signals to copper-based/electrical signals that can be utilized by Internet, video and telephone devices. 

4A) Q: Where will the ONT (Optical Network Terminal) be installed in my home?

A: Typically, the ONT is installed in a utility area (laundry room, garage, etc.) where the already existing communication distribution hardware is located. If a structured wiring (communications distribution) cabinet already exists, the ONT will be located there."

"7) Q: Will the existing coaxial cable network inside my home limit the quality of the TV service? 

A: Hotwire will use the existing coaxial cable solely for the delivery of a “Expanded Basic” package they refer to as “Plug ‘n Play” or “In The Clear” based on the fact that no box of any kind will be required to deliver the programming to most TVs that have been purchased in the last 8 years (traditionally flat screen TV’s). Hotwire will test all coaxial cabling and fittings (splitters, connectors, etc.) during the installation process to insure adequate transmission quality. Defective connectors and splitters will be replaced free of charge. Once all signal levels are optimized, the coaxial cable will not degrade your High Definition television service. 

8) Q: Will I have to rewire my home? 

A: That would be highly unlikely! In the event that a run of coaxial cable within your walls is determined to be inadequate, Hotwire will replace it free of charge. Hotwire will run new CAT5E Ethernet wiring to the locations where they are providing new equipment--i.e. modem/router and Set Top Boxes (STB). This will be done free of charge."

Again, this was culled from a form another community sent to its residents. I've cited the website below, and am using these as examples to show how Hotwire may be using another provider's services and creating a hybrid wiring service of their own. It also points to the central location of the previous provider's boxes and how Hotwire will reconfigure it all for everyone's use. This goes back to the original "things are connected to both the Grey Fox Systems", Comcast fusion and Hotwire planting. A three ring circus of wondering what belongs where.

My mother ended up sending those screen caps to her friend as a text, but the friend hasn't responded yet (as of this writing). I know the friend was going to be doing some stuff through out the day, so she probably hasn't seen the information yet. If she has, it probably set her in a mood because I am sure she doesn't want to be told she may be wrong.

I know the information doesn't prove me in the total right, but it also doesn't show I'm completely wrong either. There is such a mess of information online and in my head (based on what we were told and have been told), it's rough to get it all out and on paper. It also doesn't show the woman is providing a false narrative either. We both seem to be missing pivotal details and due to her not wanting to fact check everything, this is a win for no one. It's an additional piece of conversation to let her know that maybe she shouldn't be so head strong into wanting an argument with someone and have it be one sided, which is her side. A little more research needs to be done and possibly discussed in a civil manner, because frankly, it was getting heated. 

No, it wasn't because the humidity outside was making the water feel like a bath tub at 9 in the morning. It was the debate that went on for way too long. 

Accept the other person's opinion and be done with it. Plain and simple. 

Therefore, I am going to end it here because I'm circling too and making myself look bad. 

Until someone can say "I'm sorry, I would like to know more about what you have to say", take care of yourself, each other and try to play fair.

Cheers;

-- If I'm completely wrong, then somebody somewhere needs to have better training exercises for their employees because nothing is explained properly and everyone listens and processes things completely differently. I know there's a few other social network sites where users are asking similar questions and even then, there is a bit of a controversy over this --

See Also

• Shadow Wood Community Association
• Shadow Wood Community Association PDF download
• Eero; an Amazon product
  

The AI overview citation notes go to

• The link "[1]" to the Shadow Wood PDF as mentioned above
• Wellen Park (in Venice) website explanation "[2]"

Subscription based podcasts

It's been long enough in listening to the  "Into The Fray" podcast by Shannon LeGro, that the advertisements in the podcast bombarded me in the first episode I got back in to.

All I can say is, "Wow". 

Within the first 5 minutes, the conversation got interrupted and there was about 90 seconds worth of random commercials. There's already been a few more advertisements in this episode and I'm only 45 minutes into the hour and 50 minute airing. 

The last episode I listened to, was long enough ago, that I've got to listen to over 200 installments. I went from listening every week to being squirreled by other people's audio; so three years later, I've got a lot to catch up on. 

Which actually means half of what is in the list, I can automatically marked as played, because they're for "subscribers only". 

There are people who pay to listen to the show with no advertisements, no interruptions, receive extra features, better information, and so forth. The Patreon fee is $3 a month for the basic level and goes up to $50 a month for true inclusivity - this is a small club; only 5 people belong, according to the Patreon page. All levels have option to "pay annually" and "save 10%". 

Conversely, via Apple, the "premium" subscription is $4.99 a month or $59.99 a year. I think the difference is between the two services, outside of the "Listen Ad-free / Get Bonus Episodes / Listen First" option, is just that - you only get bonus episodes and no ads in Apple. Patreon adds merch, the ability to enter the closed off Facebook page, Youtube videos, exclusives no one else can get. Spotify on the other hand, based on just looking at the page, doesn't have an option to support? I could be wrong.

I like the show, but I can't afford the membership fee right now. On any platform. Therefore, in the Apple Podcast player, I'm sending the locked episodes to the vault. 

This "significantly" cut down the episodes I need to listen to. Sure, I'm missing bonus content and 5-10 minutes more of the show, but some of the subscription episodes are aired with commercials, so it's not a big problem... except when a sentence is cut in half and some ad for another app chimes in. It's jarringly weird because then you forget what the person was talking about and hope you didn't miss anything else from what they were saying.

Happened to me with this episode I'm listening to; Shannon asked a question and the guest started answering. He was mid word and all of a sudden I got blasted with some advertisement. It was loud because it was just spliced in but whatever AI Apple uses. When the show came back on, it sounded like I missed something. I can't tell because I'm not a paying member. 

I guess my point is, since I've noticed this is becoming common practice with other podcasts, "buyer beware" that you might get service interruptions in your audio when you least expect it. 

It's not new because we're getting them on our television shows and video streaming services already. But now when you want to cut off the world for a little while and listen to an audio program that isn't on the radio, you're going to have to contend with timed sales pitches.

If you're into the supernatural, go check out "iNTO THE FRAY" because it's pretty interesting, if you ignore the advertisements. Shannon LeGro does a good job on this and it's worth listening to. If you don't want to hear it, you don't have to. I won't judge.

Until something happens in the universe shift, be safe and well.

Cheers;

See Also

• "iNTO THE FRAY RADIO - Encounters with the Paranormal" via Audible on Amazon
  
• "INTO THE FRAY" via Audible on Amazon - this seems like a side show, but not the actual podcast / subscribers version
• "iNTO THE FRAY RADIO - Encounters with the Paranormal" via Apple Podcasts
• "iNTO THE FRAY RADIO - Encounters with the Paranormal" via Spotify
  
• "Into The Fray Radio" official website
  
• "Into The Fray" via Patreon

People take it literally

I've got a "Free Hugs" shirt that I've worn out in public a few times. It's not a generic shirt that just says "FREE HUGS", but it's the Chucky doll with his hands outstretched. 

It actually looks like this:

Amazon link is here in case anyone wants their own.

One of the first times I wore it, outside of Halloween, my mother and I were in Rooms To Go. One of the sales people sees the shirt, points to it, and asks "seriously?". I didn't realize what was going on and I asked what he was talking about. He said that I'm "wearing a 'free hugs' shirt" and am I "giving away free hugs?". He had put me in an awkward position because what do you say to that, especially since you're trying to shop at a store he works at and may end up buying from him? So I weirdly said "yes?" and he asked if he could have a hug. I had to at that point. What choice did I have.

Yes, I could have told him to kick rocks. It's weird; it's gross; it's something you don't expect. But at least maybe we could get better help in the store if I complied? 

We didn't, as we ended up finding nothing we wanted.

Whomp whomp. 

I know I get stares when I wear it, but no one says anything to me. Or, they hadn't until we were in the furniture store, not have they since.

Speed up to this week and I'm wearing it again.

My mother and I are in Publix and I'm standing in the deli line, waiting to order a Pub Sub of The Day. 

When it got to be my turn, I did my ordering. As I stood there, another deli worker saw my shirt. She started questioning me. 

The first thing she asks if I wear the shirt to any of the colleges and their games. I said no, figuring that would be the end of it. 

Keep in mind what this shirt looks like and what the movie was about.

The employee then asked if I'm part of The Ministry, since I'm wearing a "free hugs" shirt. Again, I said no. She went on to explain "how people in The Ministry go to the colleges and college games, looking to give out hugs in the name of Jesus because the kids don't have family near them and are making friends. But a hug can do a lot of positivity for them because it's a personal connection and contact. The Ministry goes all around the country to do this and it's all in the name of Jesus Christ, our Savior". 

I'm standing there trying to hold my mouth shut. Like, this woman, who doesn't even look like she should be a Christian, is asking me if I'm doing the Lord's Work at college campuses. Lady, does this shirt really make me look like I go out and hang with the 18-24 year olds? Maybe they have seen the film, but I doubt they want a hug from a random stranger. 

Hell, even when I was in college (over 20 years ago), I crossed the street immediately when I saw the Krishnas on the sidewalk. I knew better than to engage with them. I'm not going to a ball game and risk getting myself in trouble. No thank you. 

I kindly told her that it is something I don't attend to. It's a nice gesture, but I don't do it. If I had kept saying things, I think she might have wanted to try to convert me, seeing how the customer in back of me ended up becoming part of the conversation and agreed with the employee. 

Guess I'm in the wrong store, city and state if I'm getting asked about specific opportunities while trying to get lunch... 

Then again, a cousin ended up getting hit on at the Entenmann's display at another Publix once... 

Don't get me wrong; everyone is entitled to their opinion. However, there's a type of conversation that shouldn't be had in specific places. A deli employee in a grocery store shouldn't be asking about religion type situations when they don't know what the customer does outside of the store. 

Yes, I understand the context. It was as simple question for the good of humanity. Doing something nice for the community; karma points. There's a difference in how the conversation can be made, however. Once I was asked if I go to the colleges and I said no, it's the end of story. Had the employee finished her inquiry by saying "Oh, okay. I was just asking because I know there's a group who goes out because..." and then drops it, I wouldn't have an issue. There was no need to go into immense detail and ask if I was part of that group, as well as including the person behind me in the discussion. 

I know it's my hang up and I need to get over it. But sometimes it's just a weird thing to me because I'm taking as much of it out of context as they are. Maybe it's a sign I should stop leaving the house. Haha. 

I've got to seriously figure this stuff out though. How to better end a conversation without it being awkward as hell and also not get me kicked out of the business.

Until then, if you want to go hug a stranger, do it, but also, make sure you're not stinky and sweaty. It's still hot out there.

Cheers;

Let's talk this one through...

I was telling a co-worker on Thursday about the Good Omens purchase and how I got a bad cover. 

I had shown him what I received and what Amazon was selling; how people were getting the non Crowley cover even though the character is clearly supposed to be there. 

My co-worker said I need to contact Amazon and see how they can fix this. I ordered the book with a character and I didn't receive what was paid for and advertised. I told him that I'm okay with this, although I'm bummed there isn't a character on it, it makes the novel a little eccentric. He said that that's not the point. It's misleading, especially where Amazon is the one who sold it to me.

I thought about it through out the day and I guess it bothered me enough, that I ended up doing a chat with Customer Service. 

What started out as "I wanted to tell someone how I received a poor quality cover of a book", turned into "We're starting a return for you and you'll get a replacement for it"; all in the span of forty five minutes. My co-worker helping me with things to say, kept saying "I'm getting aggravated for you because of this". 

Let me backtrack a little with the conversation.

I had started off by saying "I am not looking to return the book, but I wanted to make a comment about receiving the Good Omens paperback with white cover. Part of the graphics are missing on it. I know “covers may vary” (you receive either the black cover or white cover. Both have different character) and the white one I received is missing the character. It has only the title, author and a splash of tiny color; the main character is missing from the center of the cover". 

The associate apologized for the issue and they would help me with this. 

At this point in time, I said "it may be a quality control thing as the whole book looks okay. Just the cover is missing information". 

They again apologized for it, and offered me a promo credit. I asked if they could also send a corrected copy (at no charge) but they said that was not possible. 

Considering there are other people who have reviewed this book and stated they received the non Crowley cover, I really wanted to make sure this would no longer be a problem on future orders. 

I didn't make that last comment, but the response I received for asking for a corrected copy was "you can re-order the book". I asked if there was any guarantee that I'd get the cover as advertised and the answer was "I will take this as a feedback and escalate it on high priority to the concerned department and make sure necessary actions are taken on this and you do not face this situation again.

Be assured that this will not repeat again". 

~NOTE the last line: "Be assured that this will not repeat again"~

I asked if there was an expiry date on the promo and they informed me I have one year to use it. 

As I didn't get a full answer about the guarantee over re-ordering the book, they instead handed my concern to a "lead". This would be associate number two of the chat. 

Once I confirmed the purchase with the second agent, I started again with what the problem was - there's a lack of quality control over the printing and I wanted a guarantee that should I re-order the book, it would arrive as promised. 

This triggered a "return" and "damage" on their end, so the next part of the conversation was the agent informing me they want (/need / etc) to start the process of having me return this copy and get a replacement sent out, unless I wanted a refund. But I'd need to return the book. 

I asked again, what the guarantee was of getting the correct version if I'm sending this one back and getting a new one. I wasn't interested in sending it back (to begin with) if only to get the same no character cover. 

This agent couldn't help me further, and switched me to another person. I immediately started the conversation with "I was offered a promo credit and would like to accept that, please".

Unfortunately, the answer I got from that was "I have escalated your feedback and can help you with a return label". No acknowledgement of the credit.

The agent insisted on creating a return label, to which every mention of this, my co-worker was getting angrier because he wanted me to see this through and hoped Amazon would help me. 

Keep in mind, I'm not trying to swindle, screw or bash the company (as much as it may seem like I am, at least in the latter). I am writing this out now, in my blog, to let other readers know that these things can happen. You have to choose how you want to contact the company and decide what your end game is. I wanted them to be aware that they need to have better eyes on what they ship out, if people are getting things that are falsely advertised. 

Back to the conversation with the third agent.

They kept insisting on creating a return label when I asked about that promo credit. I was told that I was "given incorrect information. Unfortunately, we don't have the option or authorize to issue any compensation or promo credits.I hope you understand my limitations". 

Because this was a completely different department I was dealing with, I missed my chance on getting the credit. I had no other choice now but to return the book.

The agent had continued the conversation by starting "While I genuinely wish to help you, I'm unable to make an exception to our return policy. The return of the physical item is a mandatory requirement for processing refunds. This policy protects both our customers and our business.

The seller needs the item back for inspection, repair or resale; without the item, the refund cannot

be processed, as it would result in a direct financial loss for them.

As I'm from the Specialist team , resolutions are restricted"

It boggled my mind because the 'seller' is Amazon, not a third party storefront. I don't know how they will repair the cover, but I'm sure someone will tear out the pages of the book and rebind them with a new back page stating the date of printing (like I received). My co-worker was just as crazed as I was at this point. He was waiting for me to finish this conversation because it was turning into a bad cycle of crazy. 

I asked to be connected to someone who could help me further, so I was transferred to yet another person. 

They immediately stated that the way it's understood, I'm writing about a damaged book. I replied stating it's "not a fully damaged item. It has a cover that is missing graphics on the cover.

It is how the company printed the book and Amazon sold it" and they wanted to go forward and help with a return or replacement.

Can you tell why this took almost an hour and both my co-worker and I were getting upset?

Again, I asked about a replacement and guarantee I'll get the correct cover. I even stated "I do not want a replacement if you can't help me with this and send me the right one". I was assured they will do right by me and I will receive the proper copy. 

I begrudgingly agreed to receive a return label and mail back the copy I received. I was told I'd get the replacement today, Saturday, and all will be good. 

Guess what came in the mail!

Yup, the same cover, missing the same character!

This time, it came in a bubble mailer and the back cover was not only bent and some pages crooked, but the spin also was damaged and part of the top cover too. 

Trust me, I'm not happy about this. 

Luckily, I hadn't shipped the first book back in case I needed to send Amazon images of both books as reference to what I had received. 

I immediately got on the Amazon chat and wanted to make sure they knew about this. 

I had started the conversation with "This is a quality control issue with Amazon sending out the book. Second time I received it, it is missing half the graphics on the cover, and now the book is bent. I have not sent the original order back yet, to see how this would arrive. I am willing to keep that first copy and send back today's copy. In exchange, I would also like the amount paid for the book returned to me via credit to my account for the troubles I have had with this order. Apparently this book isn't in stock like I was led to believe".

Before anyone says I'm doing something bad, again, think back to my original conversation with them: I'm reporting a printing issue but want to keep the book. It snowballed into a return fiasco. 

I had to go through the prompts about a dozen times before I was able to chat with someone in Customer Service. 

The first person who I worked with today, asked me to upload images of the book being wrong and damaged (the bent pages). Which is why I waited on sending the first one back - I figured they'd want to see what I got. I complied and we moved along. 

The associate saw the images and said that I need to return this book back in order to get a replacement or refund, so my query was partially answered. 

I asked them "Does this mean you are not carrying the book at all? It is again, quality control and false

advertising. I really wanted a copy of the book and am willing to keep the first copy, send back the

second, with a refund to my account so I can purchase the more accurate book somewhere else in

my own time" because it wasn't really clear and I did want to originally keep the book. I wasn't trying to be difficult, even though it seems that way. 

The answer this agent gave me was they could offer a promo credit, but then before I could answer, I was passed to another associate. 

The second person for today wanted me to elaborate on what was going on, so I stated everything that has been happening with this and how it's turning into a mess. They apologized for everything and wanted to start the return process on this new book. In order to do anything for me, they need both copies back. I said that doing so doesn't help the original message and what type of hassle this has been, in order to have what was advertised. 

This got me pushed to a third person.

I explained to this associate what's been going on and asked that they refer to both Thursday's chat and today's chat. The associate said they saw all the notes and wanted to confirm how many books I had at the moment. I stated I have the original order, which made the conversation on Thursday, and now I have the replacement, received today, for today's conversation. I reiterated both books are incorrect and as much as I'd be willing to keep one, now we're at the point I'd like some sort of refund because I don't want to keep getting a bad replacement.

I was told that if I expect a refund, I need to return both, so a return has to be submitted for both. I stated I originally wanted to keep one, but was offered a promo credit for the trouble. I'd like that honored if I can't get a full refund. I'm also keeping one of the books because that's originally why I wrote in.

This got me to another agent. 

The final agent in this chaos went over everything that has been going on. They wanted me to confirm what I've got, what I've shipped, what I've done. I explained everything, again, even though it was all in the chat. 

They too, informed me if I expect a full refund, I had to return both books. At this point, I was done going in circles, much like I've been doing here to explain it. 

I stated that I'd like to keep one of the books and that the first agent stated I could do that, if I returned the original one. They would also issue me the promotional credit for all of this inconvenience. I would like that to be honored. 

The agent agreed that they would issue me the credit as long as I return the first book. I told them I didn't need a label because I already had the one they sent me Thursday. The final statement from Customer Support was "Alrighty I'll issue you the Promo Credit. Please make sure you send back the original order". 

I said I would, and I did. I taped everything back up (I had originally put it all in an envelope to be mailed out) and I went to the UPS Store. Yes, I even sent back the better copy of the two, as I said I would. 

It's just maddening because the website states that "covers may vary", but because there's no one watching what is being sent out, there's no eyes on the quality of the item. Amazon is responsible for shipping this, and I wanted them to know about what I received. Especially since a lot of other people are commenting they got the bad cover as well. I don't know the exact number of people making reports for replacements, but there were a few who stated they got a second copy from Amazon with the same issue. You'd think the more people who talk about it, the more the company would do something. 

You'd think. 

I'm so sorry to go on this big tangent and I thank you for sticking with me. I'm also sorry this happened because it shows how this company is making brick and mortar stores lose patrons. Other companies are raising prices because they can't compete with the online retailer and it sucks. I'd love to have gotten the book locally, but if it's 10-20 dollars more in store plus a 30 minute drive to not know if it's in stock, what's the point? 

I have to reiterate, I am not sitting here trying to bash the company and demand stupid things. I've paid my membership dues and I've gotten a lot out of it. This is one of those instances where reviews really count and you have to take the risk of ordering because things vary so much, you really don't know if you'll get the right package. It is unfortunate because this is a big competitor and it's so easy to stay at home and do an order. 

The world is changing rapidly and people want everything "now!!!" and they also get greedy. I'm more upset that this was the first time I received a product where it wasn't accurately described. I could understand if it was a third party selling it and the main company had some sort of promise or guarantee to work with the customer, but here Amazon was the seller and they do have an "A-Z Guarantee" but both times they sent me the product, it was a fail. I want and wanted to read the book. I wanted to tell them what was going on. I had no intention of it spiraling like this. If this place is the only location selling the book, what choice do I have? B&N and BAM both said they didn't have the book in stock in local stores. I could have checked thrift stores, and that's like searching for a needle in a haystack. I could have gone to eBay and what promise do I have for there? Markups and such a plenty, and I haven't used my eBay account in a while. 

I wish it was better and once I know Amazon receives the book, I'm going to rate my experience over there too. Talk about the shipping process and the cover only. Not rate the level of the story. I'm still excited to read it, but I'm not excited over how I got to read it. 

To each their own and let this be a big lesson for everyone: Always do your own research and advocate for your best interest. I totally understand where they were coming from, based on a profit and loss situation, but every opportunity to make good was hit with a brick wall. At what point do you just stop and give up? Don't go through with things? That's your choice. You have to make sure you're doing what you feel is necessary. 

So, if you're reading this, my co-worker, now you know the end of the story if I forget to tell you.

Cheers;

See also:

* Good Omens page on Amazon (scroll to bottom to see reviews)

Ooohh.. I got one of THOSE covers! | I was so excited for the branded tech!

The final season of Good Omens dropped on Amazon Prime a couple weeks ago as a 90 minute movie. There are multiple reasons for having a single movie rather than a series and a particular reason with this series is due to some behind the scenes accusations with the writing staff. I don't want to get into that here, but I am sure some sleuths will be able to figure out the "whys".

~ No Spoilers ~

I was excited to get some sort of continuation with the show, so having a finale movie is okay by me. The staff that stayed on, seemed to wrap up some loose ends in such a way, that it really did make sense by the end of the film. There were some story lines that they were able to tie together from the second season and ultimately included a surprise allowance of some fan fiction shipping. The film took some liberties in the fan department but I think most people are pleasantly pleased by it. Truth be told, it was a classy ending and I honestly wouldn't have asked for a better tribute. 

That doesn't mean they couldn't have done some better things in the bulk of the main hour, but with time restraints, it's understandable. I'm glad they did something with it (in a rushed way) instead of leaving fans hanging. 

To the ones wondering what the show is about, it's based on a late 1980s book by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett. The full title is "Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch—A Humorous Fantasy About Armageddon". It is now one of those novels that is on reprint on demand, thus making it hard to find an original copy. This is, considering, it's a British book that prompted a few conversations of audio form in the UK before landing in America. If you do happen to find a copy of the first printing, it's going to cost a lot more than what the generic Mass Market paperback is (we're talking a range of $30 to over $100 depending on what site you're using. Allegedly people are finding it for under $25 in thrift stores. Keep in mind, this is first pressing or first run, not reproduction). That being said, the reproduction, depending on type (hardcover, paperback, e-reader) is running between $7 and change (mass market) to over $20, because big box retailers need a mark up. 

The book synopsis, on various bookstore websites:

According to The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch (the world's only completely accurate book of prophecies, written in 1655, before she exploded), the world will end on a Saturday. Next Saturday, in fact. Just before dinner.

So the armies of Good and Evil are amassing, Atlantis is rising, frogs are falling, tempers are flaring. Everything appears to be going according to Divine Plan. Except a somewhat fussy angel and a fast-living demon—both of whom have lived amongst Earth's mortals since The Beginning and have grown rather fond of the lifestyle—are not actually looking forward to the coming Rapture.

And someone seems to have misplaced the Antichrist . . .

The Amazon site review:

Pratchett (of Discworld fame) and Gaiman (of Sandman fame) may seem an unlikely combination, but the topic (Armageddon) of this fast-paced novel is old hat to both. Pratchett's wackiness collaborates with Gaiman's morbid humor; the result is a humanist delight to be savored and reread again and again. You see, there was a bit of a mixup when the Antichrist was born, due in part to the machinations of Crowley, who did not so much fall as saunter downwards, and in part to the mysterious ways as manifested in the form of a part-time rare book dealer, an angel named Aziraphale. Like top agents everywhere, they've long had more in common with each other than the sides they represent, or the conflict they are nominally engaged in. The only person who knows how it will all end is Agnes Nutter, a witch whose prophecies all come true, if one can only manage to decipher them. The minor characters along the way (Famine makes an appearance as diet crazes, no-calorie food and anorexia epidemics) are as much fun as the story as a whole, which adds up to one of those rare books which is enormous fun to read the first time, and the second time, and the third time...

It's being sold as a more comical version of The Omen due to the heaven and hell, angel and demon, antichrist, The End Is Nigh connections. I can kind of see that, but it's not as ominous as the 1976 Gregory Peck movie is. 

I debated and debated about buying the book, and did do some leg work to see who had a "better deal" on the paperback. I didn't want a repeat of the Elton saga, so I chose to go to Amazon. They had the reprinted book, on paperback, for $10.43; where Barnes and Noble and Books-A-Million have it for $18.99. The difference between the two latter stores is Books-A-Million has has a mass market version at $9.99 and B&N doesn't list a that as an option on their website. Conversely, Amazon lists the mass market for $7.19, which is what I used to buy the True Blood (Sookie Stackhouse) series for, back in the day. If you are a member of the retail stores' rewards programs (B&N, BAM), you get free shipping online, but you're paying gas to get to a physical location. It's coming out of your wallet either way. Same goes with Amazon, I know, I know. At least you can add other items to your cart that are not books and have everything shipped together. 

The other thing with the physical stores, is they want you to pay $39.99 a year (B&N) or $25 a year (BAM) for discounts on select merchandise. In order to get the full realm of the annual cost, you need to spend 10x that amount in the 12 months because spending a low amount willy nilly once or twice in 52 weeks for just free shipping isn't worth it. That's just my opinion. 

I realize Amazon yearly rate is much higher ($139/year), but you've got to realize what you receive with Prime: 

• Fast, free delivery
• Unlimited streaming
• Exclusive deals & savings
• Groceries
• Amazon Music with Prime
• Amazon Photos (storage)
• Amazon Prime Fuel Savings
• Grubhub+
• Rx savings

The bookstores don't seem to offer this type of an array, except "deals and savings" and "free delivery".

I think I've made back my Amazon money at this point, as I am the household account owner and bothmy mother and I stream movies (she has her own profile), I've purchased music through the site (vinyl and CD) so I can stream those MP3s when it's offered, my mother has an Echo Dot so she streams music and uses the timer function. We also make several purchases with Amazon and in Whole Foods (when we go to that area of town). I've also utilized the holiday deal sales. I could have used the RX savings with a previous job, but I didn't need any prescriptions at that time. Although, that's one thing I'm a bit leery on - giving Amazon your doctor's information as well as script information. So yeah, I feel like I've made my 139 back, and since Amazon doesn't sell things knowing they're discounted, there's no percentage to double everything up for. 

On another note, regarding versions of the book, I did notice a third party vendor selling a hardcover copy on Amazon, and they were looking for $18.19 plus $3.99 shipping. Therefore, you have to watch what you're clicking.

Which brings me to the next challenge.

The websites are stating "covers may vary" because you don't get a choice in which edition you are purchasing online. It's a William Morris publishing company (merged with Harper Publishing), but there are two different covers: a black sketch of Crowley holding a wine glass filled with red wine (on a white cover) or a white sketch of Aziraphale reading a book (on a black cover). 

image via Amazon

Amazon customer reviews are mixed because most people are buying the book to have the chance of both covers; while others are, like me, wanting to finally read the novel the show is based on. Totally fine; everyone has their reasons to do something. However, what you order and what you receive are two different things. 

People are commenting that the white cover book (Crowley) is coming to them damaged. 

How damaged? The picture of Crowley is completely missing. All you see is a small splash of the red wine. The same is to be said on the book spine as well. Other comments are staying the mass market book isn't bound great; the pages are easily coming out of the spine. Otherwise, it's an awesome story. 

I decided to take my chances and order it anyway. I am having reading issues lately, so I didn't want to go with the smaller print mass market ($7.19 version). I purchased the regular paperback version instead ($10.43). 

Can you guess what cover I received?

 

Yup, the missing Crowley cover. 

The last page in the book also has printing information, which is a bit weird to me. 

I feel like this proves that this version is a Print On Demand copy and was printed when I ordered it. Rather, it was printed and bound the day they shipped it from the Amazon Warehouse. Which may be why other people are saying they are having issues with the copy they received as well. The company isn't allowing things to set correctly.

Or whatever Amazon now does when you order random books.

This also means that the book was sent from an Orlando based publishing company, in order for me to get it the next day; it's local but not local enough to divulge that information.

Similarly, I noticed that when I asked my local library to request Rachael's book - they had found it on their vendor site and since her story is a Print On Demand version anyway, she too had some "Made in [country]" with city and date stamped in it. 

Everything seems to be relative these days and literally "mass produced" to a point. There's some PDF file somewhere and someone is pressing "print". Another person takes that, cuts it, binds it and hands it off to someone else. I honestly don't know the process; I'm just spitting out random guesses at the moment, but it's just sad how you think you're ordering a print of something and there is no quality control over it. No one noticed the cover was off. The more this story gets printed, the less of a chance the book has better value to it because it was a misprint. 

Usually when there is an error in a product, it's fair game for resellers because it's a rare item. However, in the printing world that is becoming more popular right now, "on demand" means "pay no attention; just send it". I think. I don't know; there's a lot to be said without running in circles. Just be mindful on what you're ordering and certainly read reviews because you never know. 

I mean, this type of error could potentially make me go out to the big box stores and pick up the copy I want. Do I then want three copies? I don't know. Maybe, if that means it's also a conversation I can have with my friends. "Hey, look at this; look why brick and mortar stores are going out of business. I big online retailer has taken over and they aren't paying attention to what they're doing. So I went to the outer reaches of the universe to pick up a better copy... at a 10+ dollar price hike". 

It's not a real conversation. I'm just making it up as I go along here. Free writing. But there could be something along the lines of why stores are shuttering and there are more delivery vans on the road these days. People aren't leaving their houses and adventuring out in the world. 

-Shrugs-

With adventuring, I do need to go to another big box retailer this week. I bought something else on Amazon and ended up returning it today because it didn't work as expected. 

When I had the iPhone 6 and 11, I had the lightning digital adapters to go with it.

I had a USB to Lightning dongle that allowed me to transfer files from my phone to my computer and vice versa while using a thumb drive. This came in so handy when I was doing event set up and clients needed to email me their presentation to put on the company laptop. I was able to get the file on my work phone, via email, download it to a thumb drive, then transfer it to the computer. We were off and running in a matter of minutes. 

Of course, it was my adapter and I didn't get reimbursed for it, but it was only offered to those I trusted because a lot of people took advantage of my niceness and help (long story). I wasn't about to gift it to the company when I left, either. I bought this fair and square and they never knew about it. My own personal use for the adapter was when I had to transfer my own files from my phone to my laptop or quickly save a file from an email on a computer to then have it on my phone for whatever reason (text a friend "you're not going to believe THIS one! 👀"). 

I also had an HDMI to Lightning Dongle that allowed me to stream movies on bigger screens (before the video apps shut that shit down and wanted you to watch on your phone screen instead. Something about media rights.. and all I wanted to do was stream a TV series from my phone onto a TV in someone's bedroom). The adapter was amazing - all I had to do was connect the lightning end to my phone, plug in an HDMI in the other end of the adapter, and then the opposite end of the HDMI went to whatever screen I was using. Plenty of times I hooked it up at work and I was able to use a decent size projector screen as my way to "test out the audio system and sight lines in the room". It was a combination platter because there were people who were vocalizing about dead zones in the room - they either couldn't see the screen or hear the audio. If I could do some tinkering on my own time (on the clock), I'd watch a TV show and do some testing. I also used the adapter when traveling, so if I had a TV in the room I was staying in, I could hook my phone up and watching a movie before bed. It got to the point I was carrying a 3 foot cable with me (seems super long but it winds up small). It suited my needs for a long time.  

However, both adapters went by the weigh side when I upgraded to the iPhone 17. Now the phone has a USB-C port instead of a lightning port so I'm stuck with a lot of chargers and a couple adapters that don't work on this new device. 

Back in January, I purchased Apple's Lightning to USB-C adapter, tried it, but that didn't work for me. Somehow using an adapter on an adapter doesn't jive correctly. Even if they're both the same brand's product. I know other people have positive reviews of the product, but I tried on two different iPhone 17s and it didn't work. I must be doing something wrong, but I even tried it on my mother's phone and it didn't work. 

Fast forward to this week when I needed to transfer something from my phone to my laptop. I wasn't connected to Wi-Fi on my computer, so I couldn't get on iCloud. I also didn't have a USB-C to USB-A cable with me, so I couldn't plug my phone into a USB port. I was stuck and couldn't do anything about the files someone needed.

Which led me to order an adapter. 

The Anker USB C to USB Adapter came in the mail yesterday and I was excited to try it.

• Number one, it's a top brand; it's reputable among a lot of technical people.
• Number two, I've got the USB-C to USB charging cables all over my house right now and they work. I even use it in my laptop to transfer files off my phone. I've had no problem with the name. 
• Number three, having a two pack of the adapters allows me to keep one in my backpack and one in another bag. The price was worth it (on sale for $9.56 after tax).

I found out it wasn't so worth it. 

With a case on my phone the adapter doesn't work.  

As it is, my iPhone 17 is sausaged into the case; there's no getting that thing out unless I want to break the seal of the Zagg. 

Just for giggles, I tried it in my mother's 17. She has a thinner case on hers. 

No dice.

The adapter was so loose (on both phones), it wouldn't even make a connection anywhere or anyhow. It was like the thing was waiting to fall out if you looked at it the wrong way. One wrong question and it jumps overboard. 

I don't have the words to describe this part so stick with me.

The USB-C part is shorter than the surrounding holder, and there's no inversion of the holder to make the USB-C part go past a certain point when you have a case on your phone. That's why it was so loose in the port area, because the USB part is shorter than it should be. 

I can get the USB C part into my phone from the charging cable because the housing part is slanted in a way that allows the USB C to go through the case and in the port. 

Also, when I tried plugging my thumb drive into the USB A side, it felt like there was something wrong with it. It was a tight fit so the thumb drive wouldn't fall out, but it also felt like the drive could break in the port as well. It almost felt like it was a tiny bit off from making a solid connection. I was afraid of something breaking internally - whether it was in the adapter or in my thumb drive.

It's so hard to describe this and I hope it's making sense.

I really wish it had worked because I had such faith in it. 

Like I said, there's no way I wanted to take my phone out the the case. I don't want to, nor should I have to, in order to randomly use the adapter. 

Yes, I'm reading it now online, that in order to use it on a phone, you need to take the phone out of the case, but I stupidly and stubbornly wanted to give it a try. All cases are different and you never know. 

Now that I'm back to square one, I am thinking I need to go to a big box retailer and ask them if they have something like this and if I can try it out before purchasing, because I'd be returning it if it doesn't work. 

I know the answer would be "no, you need to buy it first" but it saves everyone a big headache if I take it home and can't use it. There has to be a way to test it before it leaves the store. I'm certainly going to buy it if it works, but they're certainly calling it a loss if I have to return it (and I get stuck with a possible reshelf fee). 

I've tried on over the ear headphones before, and there were no issues about it. I've also asked to look more closely at watch bands and other tech. It's a matter of being polite and asking nicely. If they won't let you, don't fight it. Most of the time, the people are okay with it. Most of the things I've asked to take out of the box, I've bought. A watch band I looked at, didn't fit on my watch and I was able to get it back in the box, in front of the worker, and he put it back on the shelf. It's all about transparency. 

Mind you, I'm not trying to condone any type of shoplifting or raising their profit and loss ratio, but there's a very slim time when situations happen that they can make a decision as to whether or not it's acceptable. I've had those conversations where the employee has said "no" and I've had the ones who say "I don't care". It's really how you explain what's going on. Especially if you honestly do have every intention of purchasing it if it works. If it doesn't, they can tape it back up and put it on the shelf (if you open it carefully). I've seen this happen in other stores when employees are working with people. 

Again, this is not a habit thing. It's not something I suggest everyone do to anger the stores. It's one of those "in a pinch" situations. It saves everyone if it could be done.

Overall, it feels like I really can't win right now with tech. I try, but some things aren't going my way lately. I'm hoping for the better though! 

In the meantime, if I can find something that works, I'll make an update. 

Until things get sorted... do your research and do some (light) reading.

Cheers;

See Also:

• Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch―A Humorous Fantasy About Armageddon - this is the Amazon link with the paperback version
  
• Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch (Cover may vary) - this is the Amazon link with the mass market version. 
  
• Sangre De Toro by Rachael Adam - this is my friend Rachael's book.
  
• The Omen - the 1976 Gregory Peck movie
  
• Sookie Stackhouse / True Blood series by Charlaine Harris via Amazon Kindle
  
• Amazon Prime page - information on price and item breakdowns
  
• Apple Lightning to Digital AV Adapter via Amazon
  
• Apple Lightning to USB 3 Camera Adapter via Amazon
  
• Apple USB-C to Lightning Adapter via Amazon
  
• Anker USB C Adapter (2 Pack), USB C to USB Adapter High-Speed Data Transfer for MacBook Pro 2020, iPad Pro 2020, Samsung Notebook 9, Dell XPS and More Type C Devices
  
• Anker Cable [2 Pack 3ft], USB A to USB C Cable for iPhone 17 Series,Samsung Galaxy S10 S10+, LG V30, Beats Fit Pro and More (Black)
  
• Zagg phone cases on Amazon