Monthly Archives: October 2012

And Another Thing (No Boingo Wifi at MIA)

Posted on October 10, 2012 by Michael Froomkin

While I’m on a tear about bad customer service experiences (are we jinxed?) I should mention my unhappy discovery that Miami International Airport (MIA) has reconfigured its wifi services to try to milk the customer as much as possible. It used to be that you could get roaming access at MIA through Boingo, just as you can at almost every other major US airport. If you flew an average of once a month this was a good option — wifi on this end and that end of the journey, for about half the price of two day passes, plus access at random other hotspots here and there. If you had stopovers or connections Boingo just paid for itself further.

But now although MIA still boasts about having Boingo, it doesn’t. I called Boingo the other day to ask why they don’t serve MIA any more and Boingo said that I had to ask MIA, it was their decision.

The current wifi carrier list at MIA is:

AT&T
BT Openzone
T-Mobile Polska
Orange
PT WIFI
Tata Indicom
Telenor
TeliaSonera
WeRoam

WeRoam is I think a placeholder for some other services, but Boingo isn’t one of them. Of the suppliers on that list, only AT&T is a US-based service, and it charges $19.95/month — about double what Boingo wants…if you can even find the very well hidden signup page for AT&T’s “premium” (includes airports) service. I got as far as this page and gave up when the “buy now” button produced a “not found” error.

No doubt many people will say I either shouldn’t bother, bring a book, or just accept being ripped off for $7.95 for one day’s wifi, even though that’s almost what Boingo charges for a month, just like I have to accept being ripped off for bottled water inside security. Yet it does seem like a remarkably customer-unfriendly move for MIA. I’ve emailed MDAD Deputy Director of Business Retention and Develoopment Miguel Southwell to ask about this, but I’m not hopeful. Hey guys, don’t you know that FLL offers free wifi throughout the terminal?

Posted in Shopping | 2 Comments

The Consumerist

Posted on October 10, 2012 by Michael Froomkin

The Consumerist linked to and summarized my treadmill saga with a typically pungent headline, Sears Annoys The Crap Out Of Customer For Weeks, Still Doesn’t Deliver Treadmill.

[Next Installment: Final Sears Treadmill Delivery Disaster Post]

Posted in Blogs, Shopping | 1 Comment

An Important Vote in Florida: Retain our Supreme Court Justices

Posted on October 10, 2012 by Michael Froomkin

The Florida Supreme Court is actually one of the better courts in the land. Now comes the Republican Part of Florida and “Americans for Prosperity” (a front group financed by the Koch brothers), in an attempt to politicize and destroy the independence of the Florida Supreme Court.

Don’t let them get away with it. Somewhere nearish the top of your lengthy Florida ballot vote to RETAIN all three Florida Supreme Court Justices: R. Fred Lewis, Barbara Pariente, Peggy Quince. Vote YES at 62, 64 and 66. Non-retention would be terrible on its own terms: these Justices have done a fine job. Removing them from office would reward the worst sort of partisanship, the less-than-forthright sort promoted by Koch bros. money.

Non-retention would also set off a power grab — although which set of Republicans will get to appoint up to three Justices depends in part on whether proposed Florida Constitutional Amendment #5 passes. If it doesn’t then the Governor will appoint; if it does, the Senate will confirm. Despite the fact that it could push the court even more to the right, Senate confirmation is actually OK with me. Nevertheless, I’m voting against Amendment 5, and you should too, because of all the other nasty stuff in there.

If you want to know about Good Justices, Unfairly Attacked see the Defend Justice from Politics webpages.

Video by Defend Justice from Politics — a group run by Republican Stanley Tate and former City of Coral Gables general counsel Elizabeth M. Herhandez along with local litigator Rosalyn Sia Baker-Barnes. Read about them at the Buzz.

Previously: Vote NO on Florida Constitutional Amendment 4 and A Bunch of Horrible Florida Constitutional Amendments.

Posted in 2012 Election, Florida | 3 Comments

(866) 960-8263 “Study America” Takes Over From Independent Voter Research

Posted on October 9, 2012 by Michael Froomkin

It’s a different voice, but just about exactly the same script as the call from (866) 540-3140. Similar demographic questions as before too.

The only difference from the old script was that when out of boredom I lied and said I was undecided, it asked me if I had voted early by absentee and which way I was leaning. Don’t know if that’s an addition to the old script or if the new voice also asks that if you say you are voting for Obama. The robot also asked about the Senate race, but didn’t offer me the chance to be undecided.

Now that I’m undecided, perhaps the Romney campaign will now spend more money wooing me?

I called (866) 960-8263 to find out who they are. This produces “Thank you for calling Study America. We’re sorry that we missed you. All agents are unavailable at this time. Have a nice day.” Then it hangs up. That’s not identical to what I got calling the old number, but it’s similar enough.

Previously: The (866) 540-3140 Mystery (8/15/12) and “Independent Voter Research” Mystery Continues (9/12/12) and Independent Voter Research Strikes Again! (Updated) (9/20/12).

Posted in 2012 Election | 10 Comments

Overkill

Posted on October 9, 2012 by Michael Froomkin

Barack Obama approved this message? Really?

Posted in 2012 Election | Comments Off on Overkill

A Different Way to Spend a New York Minute

Posted on October 9, 2012 by Michael Froomkin

I was recently in New York, and encountered this sign as I was walking about.

Rhett was being groomed next to the sign and he was indeed a handsome specimen but even so I thought the idea of renting a dog for $1/minute was a bit strange.

On the other hand, my local guide had a different view: $60/ hour is cheap! Therapists charge much more per hour!

Posted in Completely Different | 1 Comment