The post previously published in this space
is now available as a separate blog:
is now available as a separate blog:
The Atlanta Fandom Guide
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Thursday, March 25, 2010
De-Stress Yourself
Another entry for "T-Shirt Design Travesties":
Because it's only when you give yourself a massage
that you're guaranteed a happy ending.
that you're guaranteed a happy ending.
Shirt photographed Feb. 2010 by Craig Crumpton at a thrift store in Duluth, GA.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Goodbye, Books-A-Million
Media retailer Books-A-Million recently changed their return policy which allows for a refund or exchange only with receipt within 14 days of purchase. And furthermore, they now offer no store credit without a receipt.
I was not aware that their policy had changed and tried returning a couple items I bought as gifts (after I learned that the person I'd bought them for already had them). I was only a few days behind the 14 days and explained that I live nowhere close to the mall and could they at least offer store credit. They flatly refused, stating that because it was printed on my receipt (which I didn't think to check because most stores have a 30 day policy) and because the register recognized it as an expired receipt there was nothing they could do for me. (I added that there was nothing I could do for them either because their policy was anti-customer and I would no longer shop at their store.)
Since the store's management was so completely non-helpful, I called their corporate office.
They said they could issue me a gift card, but I said that was not acceptable because their mall store where I made the purchases was out of the way and had already cost me gas just to return the items. Returning yet again to redeem a gift card would just be paying more out of pocket.
I was then told that they would "try" to get a refund check for me, but that even if it was approved would take 2-4 weeks to process. I asked her to please try because I wasn't going to go any more out of pocket just to get an exchange.
It blows my mind that both their site and their store's advertising push making purchases as gifts, but their own store policy is anti-gift purchasing because unless you: a) remember to get a gift receipt; b) give the gift well under 14 days of purchase -- whomever you give the gift to cannot return or exchange the gift.
I explained to the customer service phone rep that their new policy is anti-customer and that once my refund is received I will not be making any future purchases at any of their stores or online, where I used to spend an average of $400-500 a year. This kind of customer-No-Service policy is what has led other retail companies into bankruptcy. I would encourage others to keep this in mind before shopping there in the future.
I was not aware that their policy had changed and tried returning a couple items I bought as gifts (after I learned that the person I'd bought them for already had them). I was only a few days behind the 14 days and explained that I live nowhere close to the mall and could they at least offer store credit. They flatly refused, stating that because it was printed on my receipt (which I didn't think to check because most stores have a 30 day policy) and because the register recognized it as an expired receipt there was nothing they could do for me. (I added that there was nothing I could do for them either because their policy was anti-customer and I would no longer shop at their store.)
Since the store's management was so completely non-helpful, I called their corporate office.
They said they could issue me a gift card, but I said that was not acceptable because their mall store where I made the purchases was out of the way and had already cost me gas just to return the items. Returning yet again to redeem a gift card would just be paying more out of pocket.
I was then told that they would "try" to get a refund check for me, but that even if it was approved would take 2-4 weeks to process. I asked her to please try because I wasn't going to go any more out of pocket just to get an exchange.
It blows my mind that both their site and their store's advertising push making purchases as gifts, but their own store policy is anti-gift purchasing because unless you: a) remember to get a gift receipt; b) give the gift well under 14 days of purchase -- whomever you give the gift to cannot return or exchange the gift.
I explained to the customer service phone rep that their new policy is anti-customer and that once my refund is received I will not be making any future purchases at any of their stores or online, where I used to spend an average of $400-500 a year. This kind of customer-No-Service policy is what has led other retail companies into bankruptcy. I would encourage others to keep this in mind before shopping there in the future.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Just Peachy
Another entry for "T-Shirt Design Travesties"
...as well as "Top 10 Worst Day Care Center Names Ever":
* Shirt photographed Jan. 2010 by Craig Crumpton at a thrift store in Duluth, GA.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Review: Loose Cannons
Loose Cannons (1990) ***
Director: Bob Clark (A Christmas Story, Porky's series)
Starring: Dan Aykroyd, Gene Hackman
Buddy cop comedy with Aykroyd in top comedic form. Not a great movie by any means, but Aykroyd's performance is amusing enough (also supported by the comic talents of the late Dom DeLuise) that it's at least worth the rental if you're a fan of his work.
Director: Bob Clark (A Christmas Story, Porky's series)
Starring: Dan Aykroyd, Gene Hackman
Buddy cop comedy with Aykroyd in top comedic form. Not a great movie by any means, but Aykroyd's performance is amusing enough (also supported by the comic talents of the late Dom DeLuise) that it's at least worth the rental if you're a fan of his work.
Review: Penny Dreadful
Penny Dreadful (2006) - not even worth half an asterisk
Director/Writer: Richard Brandes (who also wrote/directed/produced/acted in several other low-budget B-movie thrillers)
Starring: Rachel Miner, Mimi Rogers
"Dreadful" describes this flick perfectly. It's a boring mess of a horror movie about a teen who's trapped in a car and terrorized by... something, I guess. It's difficult to decipher what the heck's going on: the plot is awkward and nonsensical, and you spend most of the movie waiting for something to happen. But the suspense never pays off. In the behind-the-scenes featurette, the director says he wanted to give the audience "the sense of being inside the car." Well, if I'd wanted to experience that, I'd have just gone out and sat in my car for 90 minutes instead of watching this movie.
Director/Writer: Richard Brandes (who also wrote/directed/produced/acted in several other low-budget B-movie thrillers)
Starring: Rachel Miner, Mimi Rogers
"Dreadful" describes this flick perfectly. It's a boring mess of a horror movie about a teen who's trapped in a car and terrorized by... something, I guess. It's difficult to decipher what the heck's going on: the plot is awkward and nonsensical, and you spend most of the movie waiting for something to happen. But the suspense never pays off. In the behind-the-scenes featurette, the director says he wanted to give the audience "the sense of being inside the car." Well, if I'd wanted to experience that, I'd have just gone out and sat in my car for 90 minutes instead of watching this movie.
Review: A Simple Plan
A Simple Plan (1998) **** (out of 5 asterisks)
Director: Sam Raimi (Evil Dead trilogy, Spider-Man trilogy)
Starring: Bill Paxton, Billy Bob Thornton
Fascinating moral tale about greed and how it can corrupt even good,
decent people. Great thriller. Highly recommended.
Director: Sam Raimi (Evil Dead trilogy, Spider-Man trilogy)
Starring: Bill Paxton, Billy Bob Thornton
Fascinating moral tale about greed and how it can corrupt even good,
decent people. Great thriller. Highly recommended.
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