Satellite Radio.

I had to call Sirius radio about canceling my service - what a fiasco that was. First a little background to the story.

I bought a laptop computer from Dell a while back and Windows did an upgrade on the day I bought it. When I received the computer in the mail it wouldn't run correctly due to a lack of RAM or whatever. I checked with the Geek Squad and got no where, called Dell and wasted a bunch of time talking to a tech, he finally gave up and transferred me to another guy who said it was a software problem, not a hardware problem so I was on my own.

I had also bought a Dell computer for the house and the hard drive needed to be replaced. This was when I was dealing with the new well and I took the computer and the hard drive, which Dell warrantied, to the Geek Squad thinking they could knock that out lickety-split. But no. It was going to have to be sent out, gone for three weeks or so and they were going to charge me to transfer the files. No Bueno.

When I got the computer through Best Buy I got an anti-virus software as part of the deal. However, since I wasn't real happy with the service at Best Buy or with Dell, I didn't want to re-subscribe, figuring I'll take all my future computer business to the shop uptown and get McAfee anti-virus or something. In the meantime, my credit card provider had changed due to Bass Pro buying out Cabela's. I wasn't real happy with the new card because as they were changing over from Cabela's Visa to the new Master Card, someone changed my address without my permission, I didn't receive a statement and I had to spend time on the phone bird-dogging the issue and, at least as I interpreted it over the phone, they didn't sound too concerned.

Meanwhile back at the Geek Squad, I didn't renew my anti-virus because I didn't wish to do business with them again. However, it got renewed by Master Card. They took it upon themselves to give out my number so it got renewed. I called Cabela's Capitol One first thing and was told it wasn't them but the card company what did the deed. I called Master Card and they told me because the charge is pending, I should call Best Buy and see what I can work out with them. Two important things here. I dislike talking on the phone and it's impossible to call any of the places and get a human without wasting a lot of time going through a bunch of razz-ma-tazz first.

If you're still with me, the same scenario was starting to play out with the satellite radio. My subscription was going to run out, the old card number was on file and I didn't want to renew because I'm going to switch to a new credit card company and I didn't want Master Card giving out my number again. I call Sirius XM before the service runs out and after going through a bunch of phone prompts, I tell the guy when the subscription runs out in a few days, just let it expire, when I get a new credit card I'll call back and re-instate the radio if I decide to continue with the service. I figured that would do it. But no. I get e-mails saying they couldn't re-new because of an invalid card number and I'm going to be billed for the service.

I call them again yesterday, 10 days after the first call. Once again I have to wade through the phone prompts until I get a human. I start to explain my situation and I get cut off. I call back and once again I have to go through all the phone prompts to finally get a human. This time I get an ESL tech who I can hardly understand and start the explanation again. He does most everything in his power to keep me subscribed. I tell him I'm leaving the country, I've cancelled my credit card, so even if I wanted to keep my subscription in force I have no way of paying him. He finally relents and cancels me out. But he tells me I owe them $6.00. I tell him no way I'm paying because I called ten days ago to cancel and I don't have a credit card. He says OK and then we were done. Took at least 30-40 minutes to accomplish all this.

You would think if they look up your account, verify who you are, this should be less than a five minute transaction. Instead, they've pissed me off to the point I'm done with them completely. I've now added SiriusXM and Master Card to the growing list of places who will no longer have me for a customer.  However, the song I posted above was playing during one of the several times I was on hold. Nice tune, the only enjoyable part of wasting all that time on the phone.

On a happier note, it was a beautiful day yesterday and I got a lot done including some time in the shop.

I drilled and tapped the holes in the end plates on the roll and then got them tacked on to the base plates. I still the need the bushings the rollers ride in and I need to decide if I should get some thrust washers to put in between the rollers and the end plates. I don't think the plans call for those but I'm thinking some bronze washers wouldn't hurt a thing. I think I've got most everything else now except the pipe. I do need to change the position of the feet. I modified things a bit from the plan and where I tacked them on they're going to interfere with the adjustment screws. They would work there but the clearance will be a bit tight and I don't need to scuff my knuckles every time I want to use the roll. The feet are just tacked in place so it won't take much to move them.

The weather's turning cold again so I don't know how much I'll get done in the next few days, but there's not a lot left to do on the roll.