Netflix quality control

I'm wondering if anyone else is having the same problem with Netflix.

Last night I was all set to watch a movie that I received over the weekend from Netflix. After waiting for my player to unsuccessfully read the disc, I ejected it and found a large crack in DVD.

This is not the first time this has happened to me.

I have returned three DVDs this year that were totally unplayable. This does not count the DVDs that skipped or froze, but were still somewhat viewable.

Netflix is always quick to send out a replacement DVD. That's not the issue. The issue is whether Netflix checks DVDs when they are returned or before they send them out again.

My sister has also experienced problems with her Netflix DVDs. Maybe they should start checking the DVDs before they go out. It must cost them a fortune just to ship out replacement movies.

I realize Netflix handles millions of DVD every year. I don't care. It's the DVDs I can't watch that annoy me.

Windows Live Writer

I just downloaded the Beta version of Windows Live Writer. The software is designed to be used with Windows Live Spaces, but it works with Wordpress.com blogs and I'm trying it with this Blogger blog. So far I like it very much.

There are several reviews of it available all over the web. Here's one and here's another.

Try Windows Live Writer for yourself.

President Bush assassinated in new TV movie

President George W. Bush is assassinated in a new TV movie that will be aired in Great Britain in October and at the Toronto Film Festival in September. British broadcaster Channel 4 portrays the Bush assassination during an anti-war rally in Chicago in October 2007. Apparently the investigation focuses on a Syrian-born man as the assassin.

No word from the White House on this bit of (I hope) fiction.

I can't imagine the public outcry if Jesse Jackson or Hillary Clinton were selected for elimination instead of President Bush.

The full story is here.

Sprint customer service experience

I have to give a shout-out for the wonderful customer service experience I recently received from Sprint. I recently returned the telephone I'm using as part of my participation in the Sprint Ambassador Program. I sent the phone back on Saturday, July 1 and expected it to take over a week due to the July 4th holiday. The brand-new phone was sent to me via FedEx on Monday, July 10th.

When I attempted to first use it, I discovered it had not been activated. My first phone was already activated when I received it so I thought this was curious. I called the customer service number that is dedicated to supporting Ambassador Program participants. After some researching, we discovered that my phone number was accidentally cancelled! What was amazing to me is that the customer service rep, Pam, took down my telephone number and called me back to re-activate my phone.

In this age of questionable customer service (i.e., Dell), I was gratified to see a company actually have their reps be an ally of a customer, rather than an antagonist. This is especially gratifying as I am testing this service free and am not a Sprint customer!

I returned my phone!

On Saturday I returned my Samsung A920 phone that I am testing as part of the Sprint Ambassador program. I've lately been having problems with it. When I make or receive a phone call, I cannot hear the other person very well. It almost sounds like they're whispering.

I wrote Sprint and they gave me a telephone number to call. I got through to the representative and made arrangements to return the phone and they are to ship me a replacement phone shortly. I mailed the phone back on Saturday so I'm assuming they received the phone on Wednesday (because of the July 4th holiday). Hopefully I'll receive it before the end of the week.

I like the phone a lot. I like downloading music, checking sports scores, reading news and so forth, but if it cannot fulfill it's main function, then it's useless.

I bought a Samsung Bluetooth headset on eBay so I'm anxious to try it out on the replacement phone.