How I Was Screwed By Virgin Mobil

I have been using Virgin Mobil for 4 years+. The service is mediocre, but that is not the issue at hand.
This is it: On 1/17/08, I purchased online a car phone charger, which turned out to be the wrong one. The representative said I could return it, at my expense, and get a refund or credit. Since I use Paypal with Virgin Mobil, the funds would be credited to my account. He gave me the RA #, told me to write it on the box, & insure the package (at my own expense).
Here is the info copied & pasted from the confirmation email, which I saved.
Subject: Virgin Mobile Return Confirmation and Auth#
Date: 1/23/2008 12:09:13 A.M. Eastern Standard Time
From: ourteam-services@virginmobileusa.com
Reply To: ourteam@virginmobileusa.com
To: MissezPremise@aol.com
>>Hey LAURA,
We're sorry you had to return your Virgin Mobile phone to us. This email is just to provide you with your return merchandise authorization number (RMA). That number is: VMU210326786.
Thank you,
If you need to contact us, please call Virgin Mobile At Your Service on (888) 322-1122 or *VM from your Virgin Mobile cell phone. Alternatively visit us at www.virginmobileusa.com<<

I heard nothing more from them, and on Thursday, 2/14/08, I got an email from Paypal telling me that Virgin Mobil had refunded $34.22 to my account.
Friday afternoon, I discovered my phone had no service, and I was unable to log into my account to check it out.
I called the customer service #, and, after 45 minutes of pressing 1 for English, typing in my # , codes, & whatnot, and being placed on Eternal Hold for at least a half hour at a time, I got a representative who at best mumbled to me in broken English something about my account being automatically suspended due to a Paypal "chargeback".
When I asked for a manager, I was put on hold for another eternity, and got yet another belligerent person who kept mumbling into the phone about their finance dept, chargebacks, and how I had to contact Paypal to reverse the "chargeback" (which is actually my refund!) before they could reinstate my service. They then hung up on me.
I called Paypal, and when I eventually was connected to a Paypal representative, they were helpful, courteous, and understanding. He reviewed my account with me and assured me that there were NO "chargebacks", and, in fact, Paypal does not *do* chargebacks as they are not a credit card company. Virgin Mobil, did, in fact, refund me money for an item I returned. My money.
There is nothing for Paypal to "reverse"!
I called Virgin Mobil back again, and, after going through a multitude of menus, number pressing, and eternal hold, I was connected to one of the very same geniuses with whom I'd had the extreme pleasure of being told that my account was suspended until Paypal "reversed" the "chargeback" which, in reality, is my refund for the charger that I'd returned to them. They insisted that this was the ONLY way that I could have my service back on and that I would have to wait until Tuesday because of the long holiday weekend and the banks are closed. HOWEVER, PAYPAL IS NOT A BANK AND NEITHER IS VIRGIN MOBIL!!!!Then they hung up on me. Again.
Needless to say, I was and am very upset.
I called Paypal back, and after telling yet another rep the whole story, he was as dumbfounded as I was, and still am!!!! The paypal rep again went through my whole account, saw nothing wrong, confirmed my refund (and confirmed that Virgin Mobil placed the funds in my account), and reassured me that he could see nothing wrong on my part. The Paypal rep stated, again, that although he would love to help me, there was no way he could reverse a “chargeback” because it didn’t exist. He also suggested I contact the Better Business Bureau. And here I am.
Now what? How many others has Virgin Mobil screwed over like this? I await your response.
Thank you.

The Center for Disease Control has issued a warning about a new virulent strain of Sexually Transmitted Disease. The disease is contracted through dangerous and high-risk behavior. The disease is called Gonorrhea Lectim and pronounced "gonna re-elect him."

Many victims contracted it in 2004, after having been screwed for the past four years. Cognitive characteristics of individuals infected include: anti-social personality disorders, delusions of grandeur with messianic overtones, extreme cognitive dissonance, inability to incorporate new information, pronounced xenophobia and paranoia, inability to accept responsibility for own actions, cowardice masked by misplaced bravado, uncontrolled facial smirking, ignorance of geography and history, tendencies toward evangelical theocracy, categorical all-or-nothing behavior.

Naturalists and epidemiologists are amazed at how this destructive disease originated only a few years ago from a bush found in Texas

You are a black cat, stubborn yet friendly, you
stick to your values and preferences, and no
one can convince you otherwise! You are the
legendary cat of mystery.


What color of cat are you?
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Is GWB Another JFK?

We think they have a lot in common (and not)



By: Bill Bohannon
11.22.2005







There's more to this country than meets the eye. Who would ever put together JFK and GWB in one sentence? Well, we would of course, and here's Bill Bohannon to prove it:


What is it now? Forty-two years? Forty-three? Who knows? Who cares? Time flies when you're suckin' eggs.

Every year, I try to remind people, "Hey, today's the day." Every year, fewer and fewer people want to hear.

Why is it important to remember? "The past is past." "It's water under the bridge." "He was a womanizer, anyway (I LOVE that one.)!"

Well, try this: November 22, 1963 was the absolute high-water mark of American history. Think about it. You don't think it's been pretty much downhill every since that day, for the good ol' USA? Ask a European. Ask an Aborigine.

Have you ever stopped to think how really classic JFK was, as an American President? Rich, big East Coast dynasty, got us entangled in foreign affairs, got shot (Hey, we're still in first place on that one!), liked girls, military background etc.

Here's a second point: Have you ever stopped to think how very much JFK and GWB are alike (except for the getting whacked part, of course)?

Both of their fathers got 'em elected president. JFK NEVER carried Cook County, Illinois, and "W" damn sure didn't win Florida in 2000 (or 2004, or 2008 either). But, money talks. Ballots walk. Both were rich Daddy Warbuck's boys, with Ivy League credentials ( Though, you must admit that JFK speaks a LOT better for Harvard than "W" does for Yale.).

They both had smilin', wavin' wives. Bush has Condi. Jack had all of the above.

Both had big brushes with big wars. JFK found himself trapped in the middle of one, in the middle of the South Pacific, and had to swim and fight his way out of it, saving his entire crew, in the process. Bush had to lie, cheat and steal his way out of 'Nam, and later (possibly due to deep personal regrets for such deplorable actions in his youth), started his own damn war, against some beaten-down, innocent people on the other side of the world, that had no clue how to defend themselves (But, they seem to be kinda learnin' how to now, don't they?).

Well, the comparisons go on. What makes these two men so utterly different, so diametrically opposed, and so opposite in how the whole world will remember them?

Simple: John Fitzgerald Kennedy was worth a shit. Dubya ain't. Jack turned out to be a winner! Jack Kennedy was a spoiled-rotten, rich, playboy kid, for sure. But, damn it, when the chips were down, he stood his ground and did his job. And, he did it well. He and his brothers, Joe and Bobby, stuck their necks out, and put their lives on the front line of democracy, day after day; till one day, sadly, they didn't have to do that any more.

That worthless damn twit, George W. Bush hasn't done ONE THING right yet! The BEST part of his "presidency" was the first eight months, before whatever happened, happened on 9/11. Back then, all he did was play golf. He didn't "think". So, he didn't have a chance to screw things up.

Look, Jack Kennedy never wanted to be President. His Dad wanted to be President, and he couldn't, and Joe was dead. So, Jack got to be President. So, what did Jack do? He said, well, here I am. So, while I'm here, I may as well do everything I can to turn America into the America that everybody in the world THINKS exists, but doesn't. And, screw 'em all, if they don't like it!

Did John Kennedy KNOW he was gonna get whacked? I don't know. But, John Kennedy never impressed ME as stupid. Did he you? Of course he knew they were gunnin' for him!

And, that brings up yet another JFK and GWB similarity: JFK got whacked by the CIA/FBI/mob etc., and GWB works for them. So, who's the smartest, really? JFK "questioned authority". GWB sucks their asses every day. Which system do YOU admire? Which system would YOU rather LIVE under?

Well too bad, Sparky, 'cause the mob's already made that decision for you ... on November twenty-second, nineteen hundred and sixty-three, in Dealey Plaza, on the grassy knoll (?), in Dallas, Texas (Aw, there's that word, "Texas", again. I predict that someday, the word "Texas" will come to mean "Evil", in any child's Webster's Dictionary.).

John F. Kennedy was a good man. He tried hard, in his brief time, to do the right thing for his country. And, as simple as that is; it's the best that anyone's tried to do, in a long, long time.

God help America. God bless John Kennedy.
"It was many years ago.
But still I wonder why, The Worst of men must fight.
And the best of men must die."

- The Good Rubin James,
American folk song

+------------ Bizarre Halloween Trivia -----------+

* Jack o’ lanterns originated in Ireland where people placed
candles in hollowed-out turnips to keep away spirits and
ghosts on the Samhain holiday.

* Halloween was brought to North America by immigrants from
Europe who would celebrate the harvest around a bonfire,
share ghost stories, sing, dance and tell fortunes.

* Tootsie Rolls were the first wrapped penny candy in
America.

* The ancient Celts thought that spirits and ghosts roamed
the countryside on Halloween night. They began wearing masks
and costumes to avoid being recognized as human.

* Halloween candy sales average about 2 billion dollars
annually in the United States.

* There really are so-called vampire bats, but they're not
from Transylvania. They live in Central and South America
and feed on the blood of cattle, horses and birds.

* If you see a spider on Halloween, it is the spirit of a
loved on watching over you.

* Bobbing for apples is thought to have originated from the
roman harvest festival that honors Pamona, the goddess of
fruit trees.

* Black cats were once believed to be witch's familiars who
protected their powers.


***

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Donald Rumsfeld is giving the president his daily briefing.

He concludes by saying: "Yesterday, three Brazilian soldiers were killed."

"OH NO!" Bush exclaims. "That's terrible!"

Bush's staff is stunned at this display of emotion, nervously watching as the president sits with head in hands.

Finally, the president looks up and asks, "How many is a brazillion?"

A Letter From A Friend ...

Got this from my friend Neal today... in response to another email a friend had sent us....




Well everybody's got an opinion & U know me, I always stick my 2 cents in...

The day Katrina hit, B4 it was over & when we knew NO was under water the Schoharie County Board of Supervisors unanimously voted 2 send the county's only hovercraft, (Remember, there is a major river that flows thru this county so we deal with floods here regularly), down there. They asked the only 2 civilians in the whole county who R certified to operate it, (U'rs truly being 1 of them), 2 go with it. So, my good friend K.J. McCabe & myself piled into an RV furnished by Alpin Haus, an RV dealer in Amsterdam, NY which was fully loaded with food, 250 gallons of purified drinking water as well as 250 gallons of all purpose water, 250 gallons of gas along with the hovercraft & we were there in less than 24 hours. We were among the 1st 2 respond, (Hence the term "1st Responders"), along with about a hundred other civilians from all walks of life who came from all over 2 help. Many came from far away towing row boats & fishing boats. We met a guy & his son from Colorado who brought along a small row boat with a trolling motor on it. There were many regular people there 2 help, but NO OFFICIAL PEOPLE AT ALL, besides the NO police, who were absolutely fantastic to deal with, & U know me, I'm not a lover of law enforcement people. These guys were soooo happy 2 C us as they hadn't even heard from anybody in an official capacity at all, not from the local, state, NOR FEDERAL levels. Some of the NO police were victims themselves having homes completely under water, some with missing family members but they were out there trying 2 do whatever they could 2 help others. They bent over backwards 2 help us.

I don't want 2 gross U out by trying 2 describe the smell that is still stuck in my head, a combination of decaying bodies, raw sewage, gasoline, ocean, rotting fish & trash, or with descriptions of decaying bodies floating face down in the water, bodies of adults yes but also of children and animals partially eaten by gators. Let's just say that Apocalypse Now was mild in comparison. I can't begin 2 describe the infected oozing rash I have broken out with from the waist down from spending 2 weeks walking in it. The point is that there was absolutely NO help AT ALL on ANY government level until about 3 days into this. NONE, NADA, ZIP! Everything broke down completely on the local, state and especially the federal level. I agree with U Steve, the Mayor blew it as did the Governor, absolutely. But so did the boy george's administration. The government did NOTHING. We all knew this was gonna B devastating a couple of days B4 it made landfall. In my opinion george should have declared martial law & sent the guard in there regardless of whether they were asked or not. If they can take U'r property by eminent domain 2 build something 2 better the community then they sure as hell can march in & start removing people who otherwise have no place 2 go & no way 2 get there. Steve, U live in Fla's panhandle so I'm sure U've C'n poverty up close. The south has some of the most extreme poverty I've ever C'n. There R a lot of folks there that quite literally don't have a pot 2 piss in nor a window 2 throw it out of. This is very well known, as much as nobody wants 2 talk about it. There R some so poor there that they can't even identify their bodies with dental records as many R so poor that they have never C'n a dentist & have no dental records. I don't think george has quite grasped the concept that U lead by example. The NO Mayor & LA Governor were looking 2 him 2 lead but he has no clue how. HE was the 1 who should've taken the bull by the horns & sent the guard in there B4 the storm hit. Now granted, we have never had 2 deal with anything of this magnitude here B4 & I don't think anybody really knew just how devastating this was gonna B nor how 2 deal with it but complacency was certainly not the order of the day, & that's just what the government did, they took a wait & C, reactive stance instead of being proactive & getting the poor, elderly & invalid out of harm's way. There is certainly enough blame 2 go around here & this is not all george's fault but everybody followed his lead & did nothing until it was 2 late. He is the prez, the big dog, the 1 everybody looks 2 4 direction in times like these. A leader leads by example & everybody followed his lead & did nothing. If he was more proactive then maybe others would have been as well & maybe things would have been different.

Idunno...this thing is a horror show all the way around & it is not all bush's fault & we can all play arm chair quarterback but hind site is always perfect. Look how fast the Guard was in North Carolina today. That just proves how quickly help could've been sent without a lot of red tape. I don't think the ball was dropped, I don't think it was picked up in the 1st place. This just proves that we're not as well prepared as the government would like us 2 believe. bush is still the worst prez of our time & the polls & his approval rating prove it. This was not all his fault but it is just another example of his lack of leadership qualities.

I have been a Red Cross Disaster Relief 1st responder 4 nigh on 20 years now & I hope I never, ever have 2 C anything like this again. The only thing that even came remotely close is when the Tennessee Gas pipeline that runs through the southern end of this county exploded & completely removed the town of Blenheim from the map along with all of it's residents, and then only 147 were killed & it was instantaneous. We was in NO 2 weeks & as we were fixin' 2 leave a National Guard craft had just pulled a 74 year old man out of his house 2 weeks after the storm. He had no food nor water & was barely alive, emaciated & hardly breathing. There R STILL people trapped down there. The good part of this is that KJ & I were able 2 pull a bunch of people out & I know that we saved some lives down there & made a difference in some people's lives. People who's names I don't even know. I know that I feel good about that but that feeling is overshadowed by the sight of the 1's floating by & buried under rubble & those who initially survived the storm but died later because there was nobody 2 help them. I feel that the government, on ALL levels, let it's citizens down terribly. 4 being the wealthiest country on the planet we sure do have a gross inequity between our citizens, an inequity that seems more times than not 2 follow along racial lines. This is just my observation but there has got 2 B a better way 4 us 2 take care of our citizens. People should not B left 2 die just because they R 2 poor 2 get out of the way. I feel that Martial Law should have been declared B4 the storm hit & the Guard should've been sent in to help evacuate. The levee system has been a political football 4 many years & no doubt the $$ was used 4 other things but it was common knowledge that a storm much bigger than a Cat 3 was gonna do the levee system in & flood the city. Everybody knew this but still the gov't did nothing 2 help the people get out of the way & I feel bush is directly responsible 4 that, along with the Mayor & Governor. But again, george is the top dog & it was his place 2 do something but he chose 2 do nothing.

Thanks Ria....:-D

Teenagers are like Cats:
Neither teenagers nor cats turn their heads when you call them by name.

No matter what you do for them, it is not enough. Indeed, all humane efforts are barely adequate to compensate for the privilege of waiting on them hand and foot.

You rarely see a cat walking outside of the house with an adult human being, and it can be safely said that no teenager in his or her right mind wants to be seen in public with his or her parents.

Even if you tell jokes as well as Jay Leno, neither your cat nor your teen will ever crack a smile.

No cat or teenager shares your taste in music.

Cats and teenagers can lie on the living-room sofa for hours on end without moving, barely breathing.

Cats have nine lives. Teenagers carry on as if they did.

Cats and teenagers yawn in exactly the same manner, communicating that ultimate human ecstasy -- a sense of complete and utter boredom.

Cats and teenagers do not improve anyone's furniture.

Cats that are free to roam outside sometimes have been known to return in the middle of the night to deposit a dead animal in your bedroom. Teenagers are not above that sort of behavior.

Thus, if you must raise teenagers, the best sources of advice are not other parents, but veterinarians. It is also a good idea to keep a guidebook on cats at hand at all times. And remember, above all else, put out the food and do not make any sudden moves in their direction. When they make up their minds, they will finally come to you for some affection and comfort, and it will be a triumphant moment for all concerned.