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3.1.07

It’s not too late. You can have a Macbook Pro too!

You’re in luck! They have another macbook pro offer listed!

For more info and tips, go to www.joshclark.com or just give me a call.
Good Luck!

*URGENT UPDATE*

The offering company, NuiTech (or maybe they’re called Net Radiance), has drastically altered the terms and conditions of their agreement (link here). Apparently, they’ve had enough of the Josh Clarks of the world, and have deemed the practice of signing up — or helping others sign up — for these offers for the sole purpose of getting a gift as “fraudulent.”

If you began this process before they issued the new terms and conditions, I have no idea what position the company will take regarding the so-called fraudulent activity. The most prudent course would be to wait and see before completing any more “offers” on the website. For your reading enjoyment, I’ve pasted the most relevant portion of the amended terms and conditions below:

Posting information on a website, forum, or auction that has to do with “canceling the offers” included, but not limited to, cancellation phone numbers, cancellation time frames, and any encouragement or direction to cancel the offers after signing up with them, is strictly prohibited and constitutes grounds for termination of account and disqualification from receiving any gifts. Users that are found to have fraudulently created orders on advertisers’ sites solely for the purpose of receiving credit towards a gift will be disqualified from receiving a gift. For purposes of participation in this program a user will be deemed to be Fraudulent if the user signs up for advertiser’s offers and subsequently cancels three (3) or more of those offers for which a purchase has been made within a 90 day time period from the date of signing up for the offer.

Additionally, any user that is deemed to be Fraudulent will not be given credit for any other offers that were previously completed and will be banned forever from participating in the company’s programs.

Users agree to submit accurate and valid information on all Advertiser offers. Failure to submit accurate information or valid credit card information will be considered Fraudulent and the Company will have no further obligation to provide a gift and the User will lose all credit for previous offers completed towards a gift. Additionally, any user that submits inaccurate information will be forbidden from ever participating in the company’s programs.

A user may not “walk” a prospective member through the creation of an account or any subsequent campaign activity on our sites and give directions on how to make orders on our advertisers’ sites and immediately canceling the order after receiving credit. If a user is found to have “walked” a prospective member through the signup and/or offer process with instructions on which offers to complete and then cancel after receiving credit, all involved parties (both the users making the posting and the users signing up through the posting and the canceling their advertiser orders) will have their accounts placed on hold and disqualified from receiving a gift.

Filed in: free mac

by Sally

comment
March 5, 2007 - 6:30 pm

Kristen - Good Luck with that, NuiTech!

2.28.07

Mac Probook has arrived!

Final cost about $50. You can’t beat that. I’m giddy. It feels great to have a new computer. And not just any computer, this thing is my dream computer. A screaming fast Probook. This is actually a little faster than my G4 titanium tower that I do all of my work on. So I suspect this will quickly replace it. It will be so nice to sit and watch a movie and work from the living room instead of being upstairs in the guest room/office.

So for all of you skeptics out there, the proof is right in front of you. And if you were thinking, I’ll wait to see if she gets her computer and THEN I’ll sign up… sad news, the deal is over. It ended a couple of weeks ago. However, there are a number of other deals for PC laptops and 42″ plasmas, etc. I’ll post those links when I have some more time. Currently I have two monkeys jumping all around me!

Disclosure: While the final cost of $50 is correct in terms of cash outlay, you should also consider the income tax consequences of participating in these deals. The promotions company, NuiTech, issues an IRS form 1099 for the value of each “gift” that they ship. While it appears that our 1099 might be sent to a non-existent address, we’ve incurred a tax liability for some percentage of the retail price of a MacBook Pro.

Filed in: free mac

by Sally

comment
February 28, 2007 - 9:40 pm

Kristen - Congratulations, Sally cat! We really couldn't be happier for you.

March 1, 2007 - 2:00 am

Drew, Amber and Megan - Dang! I can't believe it! Andrew was waiting to see if you got yours, I guess he is out of luck. That's awesome, good for you Sally!!!

March 13, 2007 - 2:59 pm

Alison - No way, Sal!!! I can't believe it! I've been looking for one of these! Share the wealth, I'll give you a call.

2.22.07

Netflix Update

You may remember that about a month ago, I stupidly mailed our wedding DVD to Netflix. Not long after that, I received the following email from Netflix:

Hi,

Thank you for contacting Netflix.com customer support!

I am so very sorry Matthew. When I came upon the note to give you a call, it was still too late to call as I am on the West Coast. Often, by the time we are finished answering phone calls and move on to our emails, it is too late to call. What we would like to do instead is to have you call us. This way we can help resolve the situation on your time and at your convenience. We are so sorry to hear that this problem occurred and we all wish that we could get your disc back to you, unfortunately we are just unable to do so. Please give us a call so that we can, at the very least, try to compensate you for this loss.

We can be reached by phone at 1-888-638-3549 M-F between the hours of 6:00am and 7:00pm, Sat-Sun between 6:00am and 2:30pm. Pacific Standard Time.

Thanks,
Carmen
Netflix Customer Service

Frustrated by the loss of the disk, but intrigued by the unexpected offer of compensation, I called the number. A very kind customer service agent told me that it was “impossible” to search for disks inadvertently returned by customers. She also said the most compensation she could offer was one month’s fees, or $17.99.

I told the agent that, although I appreciated their kind offer, it was important to me that she distinguish between actual impossibility and the (quite reasonable) company decision not to search for such disks. She refused to be diverted from her script, so I thanked her and asked to speak with a manager.

After a very short wait, the manager immediately conceded this distinction, which probably would have been enough for me. She then asked what compensation would make me happy. I told her that it would cost us $50 to replace the disk, so that would make me very happy and keep me as a loyal netflix customer. “No problem,” she said, and within hours my credit card was credited 3 months at $17.99 a piece.

To summarize, Netflix credited me $53.97 for a screw-up that was 100% my fault.

There are several morals to this story. First, Netflix has great customer support. Second, when dealing with customer support, always ask to speak to the manager. And finally, make sure you know which DVD you’re sliding into that Netflix shipping envelope.

Filed in: customer support

by Sally

comment
February 22, 2007 - 1:32 pm

Kristen - It still seems a bit weird that they won't sort out the wrong disc. Don't they charge you if instead of sending back "10 Ways to Lose a Man" you sent back just blank DVDs? So they have to know… even if there is no return address on the "wrong disk file", you'd still think there would be a pile of 'em somewhere . . .

2.20.07

Beau

THIS VIDEO IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE BECAUSE OF A COPYRIGHT CLAIM BY CARSON PRODUCTIONS (against youtube.com, not me).

[Read the poem yourself, and imagine Stewart reading it on the Tonight Show. Does anyone think Carson’s estate lost a single dollar because of this video being on youtube? I think the opposite is more likely; watching this snippet might have encouraged me to go out and buy the Carson box set.]

Just look at me: reduced to tears listening to an 81-year old Jimmy Stewart read a poem about his dog Beau on the Tonight Show. Watch this video and appreciate the unabashed sincerity of the great actor.

I waste a lot of time wishing that things were as good as they used to be. I don’t want to be one of those guys who’s always saying, “back in my day . . .” First of all, I’m not old enough, but it does seem obvious that certain things just aren’t what they used to be. Take entertainment. We used to have Frank; now we have Justin. We used to have Marilyn; now we have (had) Anna Nicole. Then: Cary Grant, now: Marky Mark. Before all you people who prefer not to live in the past jump on me and point out all of the talented artists around here, I concede their talent. It strikes me, though, that the most popular people now are a far bit less something than the most popular people then. For whatever reason, Mr. Johnny Carson comes to mind when I think about this something.

It’s not just that Johnny sits by as Jimmy reads a long, heartfelt poem about his dog. It’s that he does it without conveying the slightest bit of patronizing indulgence. Like viewers, he was genuinely touched to be sitting there, listening to this aging statesman of an actor read a poem he wrote about the passing life of a dog.

Filed in: Uncategorized

by Sally

comment
February 20, 2007 - 12:58 pm

Kristen - Good stuff. The video reminds me of my Purdy girl and how she was gone too soon, but what a lesson she taught this adult in grieving for a pet. I'll always love a dog named Purdy.

2.18.07

Sledding at Taylor Park


Sledding
Originally uploaded by The Gulde Family.

Bright and early Saturday morning, we met up with the Breits and Perriers at our local favorite pancake house (George’s on Oak Park Ave.), and headed to the sledding hill. The kids had a blast. Francis took just one ride down the hill, and preferred to watch and encourage Noah and Ellie. We also ran into our friend Chris and his son. It’s nice to bump into people you know. It makes this place feel like home. 😉

Filed in: family fun | francis | george