No. This time it isn’t a hurricane. Not any natural disaster has or can bring the long lasting destruction that off shore oil drilling has already brought. Bush wants even more.
I remember when the coast of Mississippi was brilliant white sand. By the end of the ’80’s it was brown and dirty. They said it was from the waste and run off from the wells off of the coast. The fishing industry has been messed up. Boating isn’t as fun anymore as the water is dirty and oily.
Bush announced today that he is lifting bans on off shore drilling and hopes Congress approves it.
Nancy Pelosi calls it a election year hoax.
John McCain supports it. Same Ol’ Bushit for him.
Obama’s campaign opposes it because it wouldn’t give any short term relief at the pumps.
Yeah. I know. They are a big corporation that only cares about the bottom line. I know I am just a disabled working guy that doesn’t have any pull. I know that the relationship with big companies and the Average Joe usually ends up with the corporation winning but today I am furious. Here’s why.
I had been getting horrible service since August of 2007. I called the service department of Dish Network because the DVR kept displaying that it had a critical hard drive malfunction and needed service. They promised they would send a box for me to return it and they would replace it. Never happened.
On November 21 of 2007 I switched my service to a local cable company for better reliability, phone and internet service. When I called Dish Network to have my service discontinued they told me they would send a box to return my equipment in. They also told me I would owe them $40 for breaking my 18 month contract early. Cool. That was something I knew about and had even signed paperwork saying that I agreed to do. I didn’t mind.
I never received communication from them after that. No box. No bills. No deduction of the $40. Nothing.
I called them just before the Christmas holiday season wondering about the box. They told me that no box had been sent because the call on Nov. 21 had been disconnected and that I should have called them back right away. They indicated this was my fault and should know about it. I was then promised a box again and was told that I would be responsible only for the $40 as their mistake would be rewarded by me not having to pay for services they had provided from October to November. Cool again. No box.
On January 8 I noticed they were hitting my bank accounts debit card that was on file for $2, $48, $2, $9.50….. I called them again. They promised a box would be sent again. Still no box.
They continued hitting my card for amounts ranging from $2 to $157. three or four charges a day. I called again. Over and over I have called. They said the charges were for equipment rental for the reciever I hadn’t returned.
I said no box. They have agreed to send the box every time I called. Still no box.
The last time I called I offered to send the equipment at my shipping expense. They told me that this wasn’t possible. I had to have the proper numbers for their records. I asked the guy to give me the numbers and was told that they were only issued with the box and label they would send me. But they aren’t sending a box so what the fuck!!!
Today I received my Social Security payment directly deposited into my account. Yes. the check I rely on to pay my rent, utilities and phone. But….But…But…you are right. Dish Network had already taken it all plus I am over drawn $3.54.
Rent can’t be paid. Phone and electric may get shut off. No groceries will be bought. My medicine will have to be put on hold. My life has been shut down.
Dish Networks representatives have repeatedly told me that it is my fault. I haven’t sent them the equipment so it is out of their hands. The only way it is my fault that I can see is that I signed on with them in the first place.
This morning I told my room mate Cat about this. She Googled “Dish Network Complaints”. She didn’t expect that it would return 238,000 hits under this search. I guess this blog will be 238,001.