The Day I Switched to DSL

I switched to AT&T (formerly SBC) DSL a little more than a year ago.  I so regret that day.  DSL is slower, much slower, a lot slower.  I’ve had several outages.  I ran on Optimum Online cable for almost ten years.  I can’t even remember if I ever had an outage.   I have had a multi-day outage with AT&T and several multi-hour ones.  The setup is simpler with cable. DSL’s PPPoE really sucks!  Don’t you just hate those stupid, ugly filters you have to put on every phone line?

I switched to DSL to save money.  Although, I wonder if I really saved myself any money considering the amount of time I’ve lost due to outages and because DSL is so much slower.  When I first started with DSL, if I had technical issues I usually got through to someone in St. Louis (I think).  Because I also provide computer and network support to customers I got to where I could recognize the technician’s voice. When you call AT&T now you must first go through an automated call director — make sure you enunciate clearly or you’ll be sent to telephone hll. St. Louis is no longer an option (based on my last several calls). Now it’s India.

India fascinates me.  I’d like to go there someday.  Based on my many conversations with technicians it must be a very polite society.  Formerly when calling AT&T tech support the tech would start with something like “Hi, this is Bob. How can I help you?”  Casual, polite, to the point wouldn’t you agree?  Now, when you’re shuttled half way around the world to India you are wooed by their extreme politeness. “Hello, and thank you for allowing AT&T to be your DSL provider. My name is Sridiharamthadthagupta, badge number 9-8-3-5-2-6-4-1.  It is my goal today to make sure that you are absolutely satisfied with my service and that all your technical problems are resolved in a fast, efficient, and most wonderful way.   In what way may I help you with DSL technical support issues today? Please.”  I wonder if AT&T pays themselves by the minute for the long-distance phone costs? When I ask them questions rarely do I get a “yes” or “no” response.  It’s usually something like, “Ah Sir, that is absolutely correct. You did hear me correctly.”

Maybe cable wasn’t so expensive after all.

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The Lure of Free Money

I recently saw a headline in the Milford Mirror that said something like “DeLauro focuses on economy!”  The first thought that popped into my head was, “What has she been focusing on?”  Why is she just now focusing on the economy?  The easy answer is that the elections are Tuesday (2008-11-04) and now is the time to tell everyone how your going to save their lifestyle.  In the article she says that a previous economic stimulation bill was too small.  Her bill would be around a 150 BILLION dollars. Here’s my beef, from where is she going to get 150 BILLION dollars?

On Tuesday we elect a new president and a host of other public servants.  PLEASE vote.  And for your own sake PLEASE remember that whomever you elect has the power to levy taxes.  Politicians seem to throw around words like BILLION as if they have no weight.  But you and I are the ones who have to work our jobs and run our business to pay those taxes that they so easily levy. I’ll bet you or I could live comfortably on just the interest on a BILLION dollars.  When “the government” bails out a company, gives someone free food or housing without requiring them to work, sends men to war, or goes on a junket in a resort, that money comes out of the pockets of you and I.

I do not believe that taxes, in and of themselves, are bad.  It’s how the money is spent that is the issue.  Think about this.  We elect a representative or senator to represent us in congress.  If that person does a lousy job they incur no penalty.  Is that how it works at your job? As long as they don’t get caught doing anything illegal they can run their course and collect their pay without fear of getting fired.  Is your job like that?  Except for illegal conduct (even then many are slick as teflon) the only thing we can do is vote in a replacement or hound them with letters and phone calls.

So the next time you hear or see phrases like “economic stimulus” or “bank bailout” or “welfare” remember that they all translate into taxes somewhere, somehow.  Uncle Sam wants YOU to pay those taxes.  If we have little or no control over those who vote the taxes in what amount of control do you think we have over those who spend the money?  The money you’d like to spend on art, family, friends, housing, food or vacations must be diverted to paying taxes because a group in congress believe that handing out free money will make the problems go away.

Both Obama and McCain, as senators have had a hand in creating the taxes laws and economic issues that we’re paying for right now.  So, remember that the tax laws that govern our net income will outlive the president and members of congress that voted the law into existence.

I love this country.  I have visited several others and I believe we really have something great going here.  Despite the problems we face, it’s a great place to live.  Your vote is your voice. Please vote!  If you don’t then please don’t bother bitching, moaning, whining, complaining or any other such criticism if you didn’t have the guts to excercize the right that was purchased for you by the blood of those who came before you.

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