Saturday, June 20, 2015

MISLEADING ADVERTISEMENT GETS EVIL RESPONSE


A BAD MAIL OFFER GETS AN EVIL RESPONSE
 
I really didn’t plan on writing yet another GNoT blog today.  Hey, yesterday I was busy helping spread the word about a FB Fix and today, well, thanks to a stupid piece of mail from an equally stupid company, here I go again.

I was torn whether to post this as a GNoT (Gold Nuggets of Truth) blog or add it to my solar blog, Journey to Sunland.  I opted for GNoT with a future link to JtS.

Whenever I get a piece of mail that reads like the smell of week old fish left in 100 + degree heat, I must check it out to be sure I’m correct.  I was so dead on with this one.

AND SO IT BEGINS….

Yesterday, a letter from Sunrun Solar included a code and a website where I could go to see if I was eligible for $500.  Now the fact that I have had solar panels for more than a year now SHOULD mean that I was scrubbed from this mailing.  I guess mailing list scrubbing isn’t as good as it used to be, or maybe I should say, “good as it should be.”

Companies buy mailing lists that meet certain criteria.  Usually it’s an age group, an income level, home ownership requirements, debt level, etc.  Often it must meet several of the above.  I will say with a very large amount of certainty Sunrun bought my name in a mailing list. 

I would think one of the criteria would be that the person getting the ad would not already be a solar panel owner.  That would have left me out, but since they chose to include me, my actions and response if fair game.  Did I ever mention that sometimes I can be a massive prick?  

After opening the letter and reading it, I was compelled to go on line to see if I qualified.  Even before I did that I would have been willing to bet a month of income I would qualify.  Yes, I would have won.  But don’t stop reading because you know that because this gets out and out funny.

When I went on line and entered the ‘CODE’ it redirected me to a website asking me a few simple questions.  

 1)  What is my typical electric bill?  I responded $15.00 which is true.  That alone should have been enough to make us ineligible, but there was one more question. 

 2) There was a google map picture of our home, complete with existing solar panels.  I was asked to move the big red circle over the top of my house to verify my address.  Seriously??  If anyone at Sunrun had seen that picture they would have known we have solar panels.  

Then I was asked to click the magic button to see if I qualify.  CLICK!  And not to my surprise, I QUALIFIED.  

You can just imagine I was thrilled to the point that I almost pissed myself.  

The next part I just loved.  To get the intimate details on how all of this works they want my phone number and an email address.  It states in the fine print that by suppling that information I am granting them permission to make a robo call(s) that will connect me to a ‘SOLAR SPECIALIST’ and I am granting them permission to contact me via email.

Yes, friends, I love that part….BECAUSE……
    

       1)        I can filter any email they can send and it will go it immediately into my trash AND….   
       
     2)       I’ve installed a device on my phone that will have their robo dialer calling me for weeks
                   or months and NEVER make my home phone ring.  It just keeps taking their calls into a
             never ending loop.  It also works great with political and survey callers too.  Oh, before
                  it ever takes them into the loop it plays that loud, obnoxious, and annoying 3 tone phone
                  disconnected sounder with a nice message that tells them to forth unto all corners of the
                  world and multiply themselves.  

   Did I mention earlier I can be a massive prick?  Yeah, I thought so.  

© Krystalco LLC 2015  Any publication or reuse of the information on this blog, in part or 
    whole, without express written consent is prohibited.

 
 

Friday, June 19, 2015

FACEBOOK FIX



FACEBOOK FIX



I did not plan on writing this today.  I had so many other projects to get done, but sometimes when something is important enough you need to adjust the old schedule.

For the past year or so I’ve been trying to find a way to keep FACEBOOK News Feed from changing my settings.  I always want it set for ‘recent stories’ but it self-changes to ‘Top Stories’.  This seemingly never ending battle between computer application and me really pisses me off.  Based on my readings, I’m not the only one.  

I searched for the longest time for a solution and yesterday, VOILA, I found it.  I found the FIX, installed it, and damned if it didn’t solve my problem.  Today and for all future time I will share it with you.

BUT FIRST……..

Let me tell you what happened when I tried to share it with you as a FACEBOOK post. 

FACEBOOK would not let me post it.  Use this fix, try posting about it, and watch what happens.  Posting about this is a FB NO NO.

Here’s why…..This lets you take more control of FB and filter out things you don’t what.  Remember FB is constantly tracking you and they want you to see, what they consider, are relevant ads.  It’s how they make money.  When you control what you see and what you want it becomes less beneficial to FB and its advertisers.  Bottom line…if you install the app I’m going to tell you about you will kick FB in the proverbial nuts.  You win.  They lose.  You gain control.  They lose control.  Maybe it’s just the rebel in me but there is some poetic justice in that.  

Before I give you the name and location of this app there are a few caveats you need to know. 

This app will work with Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, Safari, Opera, and Maxthon.  It will NOT work with Internet Explorer.  

It installs quickly and gives you tons of filter options.  It is donationware.  Oh, be sure to download it from its parent site and not from some off chute site connections.  I’ve been informed some of those off chute sites can contain malware.

After this installed when you open your FB Page on the blue bar at the top you will see your page name, ‘Home’ and a new tag called FBP.  Click on FBP to adjust your settings.

Here’s what you’ve been waiting for:  The name of the app is F.B. Purity and the site to download from is www.fbpurity.com   

You’re welcome.  As I mentioned above, just for kicks, try and post anything about this on FACEBOOK and watch what happens.  

Again, you’re welcome.

© Krystalco LLC 2015  Any publication or reuse of the information on this blog, in part or 
    whole, without express written consent is prohibited.