Author: Dick

As many folks already know and companies — Coca-Cola? — have learned new hardly equates with better. Hopefully, Bank of Ameica is finding that out.

The company is replacing thousands of ATMs nationwide, touting these new machines which require no envelopes or deposit slips as some sort of space-aged miracle. But after my experience with one of these new machines today I realized this new technology was more like a nightmare. To put it bluntly, the ATM ate my cash.

I stopped at the ATM at lunch to deposit $160 in cash. Now I have deposited a check in this new machine once before. At that time I had no problem. One can get a scanned copy of the check from the machine after it is deposited, and I think I did just to see if it worked. But today was my first time to feed the machine cash without benefit of an envelope. So I slipped my money in but it wouldn’t all go down into the bowels of the ATM. Most of the money finally came out at the bottom of the machine. At least, $100 did. However, $60 did not. I also didn’t get a receipt.

Next, I sat in my truck for the next 30 minutes either on hold between talking to Bank of America “customer service” — an oxymoron if there ever was one — people and those who take claims for misplaced money. I learned that the deposit had not gone through. Then someone else told me it had. All $160. But that couldn’t be because I still had $100 of it. Who’s on first?

The bank has a drive-through around the corner, so I drove into a lane and pushed a button to ask the teller a question before I deposited the $100 that came back to me. No one answered. I pushed again. The teller began speaking to a guy who pulled up in the lane next to me.

So I drove across the street to the walk-in bank. This time I was able to successfully deposit my remaining $100 although by then I thought about just keeping the money in my pocket.

The idea of the “improved” ATMs, according to the bank, is to make banking easier and quicker. I figure that transaction took me almost an hour. Oh well at least I can take comfort in knowing I am not the only problem who has had problems with the new BOA ATMs.

One new machine in Connecticut at a large banking center chewed up nearly a dozen ATM cards belonging to Bank of America employees. That same machine reportedly broke down at least six times during the month.

When the new machine was first installed I noticed immediately something I disliked: The machine no longer serves up “fast cash” in the amount of $10, the lowest amount is now $20. That day, Bank of America stationed an employee at the ATM to answer questions. Perhaps they should place a maintenance person next to the machine as well.

It seems I have been having more than my share of computer problems. Perhaps it is just circumstances beyond my control. Or maybe it’s just something I ate dreamed. Who knows what it is but it has been happening too much to me lately.

Last night I did something while working on my blog, what I am not certain, but I ended up with a blank screen and unable to access said blog. Thankfully, Paul who has been helping set me up on Word Press from Japan was able get everything back on track albeit it was not without first seeing my blog minus an archive. Thank goodness that’s back to normal.

Anyway, we will figure it all out eventually. You might say this is a work in progress.

Speaking of Michael Jackson (who was?) it certainly seems if the tumultuous after-death phase in this saga is off to as raucous a start as I could have predicted. It will be interesting to see how many lawsuits are filed in Jackson’s wake over money, debt, the children and the ultimate custody of Bubbles the Chimp. I suppose Bubbles is still alive. Maybe not. I guess I should have found that out before I wrote it. No biggie.

Jackson’s post-life celebration certainly seems tamer than one might imagine. I figure he would do something really trippy such as freezing his head, or whole body for that matter, for the afterlife as did baseball great Ted Williams. And really, wouldn’t Ted Williams’ Frozen Head be a kick-ass band name?

One of these days we’ll figure out what kind of look we want for the blog as well as a format that doesn’t make your eyes cross looking at code. My Tokyo friend Paul changed the look sometime between now and last night. I like it. I will have to see now if I can navigate within it.

Like all large and lucrative industries, the television industry doesn’t like to be told what do by government regulators. So industry officials have agreed to set standards for themselves which would soften loud TV commercials.

The TV bigwigs announced their pledge to self-regulate at a recent hearing concerning legislation by California Democratic Rep. Anna Eshoo (Bless you!) which would have required the FCC to set volume levels for commercials.

Currently, the level for TV ads should be no louder during commercials than the peak volume within the show being broadcast. But these ads are often placed next to very quiet moments during the show, or so the explanation goes.

Since it was hotter than blue blazes this past weekend where I live — in Southeast Texas — I decided the healthy thing to do was stay inside read and watch TV if something decent was on the tube. I had read recently about this proposed law and I thought it was a good idea if it would make a difference in lowering ad volumes. My thoughts on this matter surfaced more than once this weekend when commercials by Time-Warner cable almost jarred me from my chair.

I am sure that if the TV industry (including Time-Warner) actually does something to soften the loudness, they’ll find other ways to annoy their customers. And, I am talking about something more than leaving callers on hold indefinitely or giving the viewer poor customer service.