Author: Ruby Sinreich

Consider yourself… warned

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Sprint and Cingular are both on my shit list now. Since I got my fabulous Treo 600 almost 3 weeks ago, it has worked great.. EXCEPT you can’t call me on it. You can’t leave me a message either.

There is apparently a problem with the porting of my number from Cingular to Sprint. I have called Sprint 10-15 times now and spent about 8 hours trying to get them to provide the service I am being billed for. When I was a consultant, I would have billed about $550 for this time.

I have also spent some quality time (but not as much as I am going to) trying to explain to Sprint’s billing department why their charges for package minutes are bogus since I can’t actually use the minutes to receive calls. Out of the 350 minutes I paid for in the last billing cycle I used 1. Now that’s real fair.

I won’t go into all the different evasions and flat-out lies I have gotten from various Sprint technicians. At least not yet. But the longer I don’t have a phone number, the more frustrated I become. And the less charitable I feel. I just filed a complaint with the FCC. What else can I do to spread the word and/or apply some pressure? Is there any point in contacting the N.C. Utilities Commissiom? Or should I just get a lawyer?

Ug

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My brain hurts. I have gotten lots of good ideas this weekend. I definitely have new cogs churning in my creaky brain. But I’m reaching a saturation point.

Speech 2.0

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I enjoyed Esther Dyson‘s talk more than I expected. I don’t know why, but I think I expected her to be a smug know-it-all, but she actually seems quite kind and honest. And smart, but I already knew that.

Her brief history of ICANN was actually quite illuminating. But I think she’s too skeptical, or maybe too simplistic, about the potential of online communities to resolve issues (not just raise them). I’m also pleased to see that she has some strong social values of her own and is not solely focused on the business and tech side of the Internet.

Now we’re hearing from Ben about how he met Jerry in 5th grade P.E. He’s a funny and humble guy. I’d be pretty funny too if I had his experiences (and his money). Actually, I’d say that based on his work with True Majority and his generally good attitude, he’s the kind of rich guy we need a lot more of.

Values

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A number of people here have been saying that decentrized networks (a.k.a. bottom-out, network-centric, etc.) are inherently progressive. But those who make the tools claim they’re value-neutral.

The right wing has made great use of grassroots. Look at churches, or
the school-board takeovers of the 90’s. I hope these geeks don’t think
they’re making social change just because they’re making tools.

Bill says he doesn’t care who uses his tool. Would he do business with the Christian Coalition? I hope not.

HE-names

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I’m struggling to find the relevance of PlaNetwork’s “e-names.” The fact that it was apparently developed by a gaggle of white guys doesn’t help. The next panel is all white guys too. At least I know we’ll break out of it in the next session since I’ll be on the mic (among others)…

I have arrived

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Wow. I was not prepared for the feeling of lefty-geek-gone-to-Mecca that
hit me as soon as I left the San Francisco airport. I have to keep
remembering to shut my gaping jaw.

I walked my tushy off in the neighborhood south of the Presidio (near my
hotel) and finally am having some dinner (and lunch, I guess) at a
wonderful Chinese place called Eliza’s. My body thinks it’s after midnight.

Notes and links for my presentation today

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Some of our recent efforts:

Top five national advocacy campaigns since Jan 2003:

  1. Demand That Karen Hughes Apologize! 34,918
  2. PBA signing 22,873
  3. Pryor 22,777
  4. Send a Condom to the President 21,914
  5. Estrada Full Senate 21,715

Customer Service

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I just sent the following to US Air customer service. The next time I
spend this much time in the air, I want to land in another country.

I am writing this message at 6:00 pm aboard USAirways flight #57 from
Charlotte to San Francisco. I will send the message when we land. This
five-hour flight departed after a THREE-hour delay on the ground. In the
four hours I have spent on this plane so far, I have not been offerred
anything other than a $5 headset by any US Air crew members. Nor has the
mother traveling with two children seated next to me. Nor has anyone
within several rows of us, received any service or courtesy from your crew.

Fifteen minutes ago, we were notified that the plane is out of food, so
about a third of the passengers on this plane will not even be given the
opportunity to pay you $10 for a small meal which was advertised on this
lengthy flight. Mistakes happen – especially today, apparently – but I
expect your crew to at least pretend to show some minimal concern for our
comfort. Why not let us off the plane while we were delayed in Charlotte,
or offer vouchers so we fan get some food in San Fransicso? In my
seatmatels words, “the crew has displayed no customer service PERIOD.”

As a business traveller, I fly three to five times per month. I have
generally found your airline preferable to the other alternatives from my
home base at Raleigh-Durham airport. This experience is having a profound
effect on my loyalty. And I believe I’m not the only one on this flight
wishing I had chosen another airline.

Sincerely,
Ruby Sinreich
Dividend Miles # ******