Schwarzenegger plans Veterinary Tax - Pets: Family or Furniture?

My eight-year-old, black Labrador Retriever, Layla, wags her tail and jumps up and down in pure excitement as she watches me reach for her leash. She does not care that she has a purple robe tied around her or that her crown appears to be a tad too small for her head. All she cares about is being with me and going for a walk. We drive to the Humane Society’s annual Halloween party and Layla shows off her royal costume. She is a part of the family, an irreplaceable companion. However, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger does not appear to share this view.

On November 6^th, Schwarzenegger announced his plans to “[broaden] the sales tax to include certain services such as appliance and furniture repair, vehicle repair, golf and veterinarian services” (Tax hikes). In other words he is saying that these items are “luxuries” or items that you want as opposed to need, like certain consumer goods. For instance, you do not have to have that 36” flatscreen television or that iphone. Now, Schwarzenegger is also saying you do not need to repair that old sofa or treat your dog’s broken leg: those are just extra, unnecessary spending. He is equating pets with furniture or disposable items as opposed to family members. I do not believe veterinarian services are a choice. If my dog, Layla, has a health problem such as a broken leg, eye infection, or ear infection, then she must be seen by a veterinarian and treated. It is inhumane to allow her to suffer. If left untreated her ear infection could lead to hearing loss, her eye infection to blindness, her broken leg to the amputation of the limb.

This added expense to veterinarian services may prove too much of a financial burden for many pet lovers, inevitably leading to increased animal suffering from lack of treatment and an increase in pet euthanasia and the number of animals in shelters because the owners can no longer afford the vet bill. Veterinarian services are already expensive and with this economic downturn this new tax may be too much of a burden for pet parents to take on.

This tax initiative will do more harm than good. Pets are not furniture, but family members, queen costume and all.

Reality Bytes.

Please check out this site to e-mail Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to protest this tax initiative: https://secure2.convio.net/aspca/site/Advocacy?pagename=homepage&page=UserAction&id=2445&JServSessionIdr004=6q48hsmux1.app20b

Works Cited:

Yi, Matthew. "Governor: Tax hikes, spending cuts to fix budget." SFGate. 7 Nov. 2008.

San Francisco Chronicle. 28 Nov. 2008 <http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/11/07/MN2C13VJ0N.DTL>

Circuit City Strikes Again

What happened you ask? Well, it all started when my laptop's volume pooped out on me. I had a warranty with Fire Dog at Circuit City so I trekked down to the nearest store to have it fixed. The techie I talked to said he could take a look at it. I asked if it would be finished by Monday because I needed it for school. I took it in on a Thursday. He guaranteed he would have it finished by the end of the weekend. I left feeling relieved.

I called Sunday morning and asked if my laptop was ready to be picked up. They said the Fire Dog technicians didn't come in on Sundays so they did not know if it was finished. Frustrated I called back on Monday. The guy said he would work on it that day and that I could pick it up that night. I took the bus to the Circuit City. When I got to the Fire Dog counter the guy told me that he hadn't solved the problem. He then asked another technician to take a look at it. Then he told me that he was going to have to take down the whole system. When I very first brought in my laptop we had already talked about this and I told him it was fine for him to take it down. In fact, I thought that was what he was going to do anyway. He said it was going to take 2 HOURS! I was like are you kidding me? I was so upset. I had taken the bus there, which is at least a half hour trip. So there was no way I was going to take the bus back to school just to pay to take the bus back to pick up my laptop. I needed my laptop for this project and several homework assignments I had due that week. So I had to kill 2 hours, eventhough when I called them that morning I was under the impression it would be finished by the time I got there, when in fact they hadn't worked on it at all. Thankfully, there was a mall within walking distance that I could pass some time in.

When the two hours were up I made my way back to the Circuit City and who do I see crossing the street in the opposite direction? The Fire Dog guy who is supposed to be working on my computer! I know he sees me because we pass by each other as we cross the street. I was going to say something but he was running by me with some girl. I huffed in to the Circuit City and when I got the Fire Dog counter no one was there. Surprise, surprise. I was so frustrated and on the verge of tears. I found a group of employees standing around chatting with each other. I explained my situation, telling the other guy that I needed to pick up my laptop. He told me that the guy just went on his break; so I would have to wait a half hour for him to come back.

When he said that I think smoke started coming out of my ears I was so angry. "NO I HAVE ALREADY KILLED 2 HOURS WAITING FOR HIM TO FIX MY LAPTOP AND I NEED IT FOR SCHOOL." Well, that finally got his attention and he started acting like he gave a rat's patootie. Although he did take his sweet time finding some other guy who had the keys to get my laptop. Then he turned on my laptop to see if it worked. He tested the volume and it worked. So I grabbed my laptop case and laptop and got the heck out of dodge.

If it wasn't going to be finished by the end of the weekend, then just tell me that in the beginning. Don't guarantee something unless you intend to follow through. And don't tell me you are going to fix it and then you don't work on it at all. Apparently you have to ride their behinds to get anything accomplished. I never went back to that store.

The reason I went to Circuit City was because that's where I bought the laptop and had free tech support. Isnt' it funny how the very thing I purchased at Circuit City is now the reason that I will never shop there again. Now that's what I call irony. Looks like it turned out to byte them in the bum.

Reality Bytes.


Circuit City
1251 4th Street
Santa Monica, CA 90401
(310) 395-4411

Circuit City: Customer Service Stops Here

Whatever happened to the customer is always right? Today, the reality appears to be that Customer Service is going down the tubes or getting all tangled up in the wires at Circuit City.

So today I was in a pleasant mood, excited to be home for the holidays. My mother, sister, and I decided to accomplish some errands before our annual Christmas trip. First stop, Circuit City to return the USB chord for my camera and the webcam that my mother spent an eternity picking out and talking to Circuit City representatives (plural) who guaranteed they would work.

"I can help you over here," the unenthusiastic cashier said as she directed us to her register. She then proceeded to tell us that because it was past the 30 day return policy she could only offer us store credit. The amount was over $250.

My mother firmly replied, "That is unacceptable. That is way too much money for store credit only. Can't you offer us a refund?" The unhappy, underpaid cashier pawned us off to another employee, which we could only assume was her manager. We waited at least 15minutes as she helped another customer and went back and forth between some secret back room and the customer service desk. Finally, she came over to us and curtly explained that they had a 30 day return policy and we were overdue. My mother explained to her that she spent a great amount of time picking these items out with several employees. She had brought in model numbers letting them know the exact laptop and camera that the items were supposed to be compatible with. Then she gave them to me at school in LA and they didn't work.

"We weren't going to ship them back and forth just to return them."
"You couldn't have returned them in LA?" The (assumed) manager asked in a tone which can only be described as heated.
"I didn't have the receipt nor the credit card it was bought on nor a car to get to the Circuit City," I replied. Plus hasn't she heard of a little thing called midterms or finals?

Obviously, stumped as to what to do with us, the lady disappeared in to the secret back room once more. In her place appeared a very large man with the name Eric displayed on his name tag. He exuded anger. He walked over to us and firmly placed his hands on the counter looking my mother squarely in the face and explained that what he was going to do was offer her store credit. Apparently, the nark (aka the aforementioned manager) had had a little pow wow with him in the back office and already visibly agitated him and there was no negotiating.
My mother ignored this and stood her ground, informing him that that was not good enough. We had patronized this store and spent a lot of money in previous trips here. Furthermore, she had spent time and energy (with help from sales assistants) carefully choosing these items that, in the end, did not work. Her daughter was away at college without a vehicle and we waited until we got back to return it. And that was a large sum of money for store credit. Is it so unreasonable to ask for a refund?

He then tersely informed us that it could have been returned in LA without the receipt or the credit card because they could have looked up the number and yadda yadda yadda. How was I supposed to know that? Does he not have any sympathy for a college student who is struggling to pay tuition as it is?

"The return policy is clearly stated on the receipt," He spat. (I'm serious. I think I saw a little spit fly out of his mouth.)
Is it now? Is all of that technical information clearly stated on the receipt? I assumed I had to have the credit card to return the items. That is how it is at most stores. So why would I waste time and money trying to figure out a way to get to a Circuit City in LA just to be told it couldn't be returned without the credit card used to purchase it.

"I can offer you store credit," he said, acting as if he was doing us a favor by even accepting the defected items. The cashier was going to give us store credit. That is not good enough. It is too much money for store credit.
"What so I can spend it on stuff that won't work anyway? I want a refund."
"I cannot do that. Is there anything else I can help you with, Ma'am?" he said sternly. He said Ma'am like it was a vile word contaminating his tongue. A few expletives crossed my mind but I abstained from expressing them.

And so the stand off began. My 5' 2'' mother and this 6' 2'' man each looking each other directly in the eyes. Neither side giving in. The cantankerous man simply repeating "I can only offer you store credit. Is there anything else I can help you with Ma'am?" over and over again like a recording machine. "No, I want a refund." My mother reasoned, If he can repeat himself, then so can I.

Apparent that we were getting nowhere, my mother asked him what his position was there. A little flustered at having to stray from his well-rehearsed message, he stumbled before relaying his title. We then asked for his manager's name and if his manager was in. "Dakota Page and no he wasn't in."
*raised eyebrow* hmm...not in...riiigghht. I contemplated walking up to one of the other employees in the store and asking them to direct me to Dakota Page. Plus...he? Isn't Dakota a girl's name? As in Dakota Fanning. hmm...

We finally conceded to take the store credit along with his manager's name and contact information. He set his jaw and huffed over to the cash register where he proceeded to pound the keys.
Determined not to wave the white flag just yet, my mother and I loudly discussed telling everyone in the store not to shop here. (I swear the pounding got louder.) When he returned, he grudgingly showed us the receipt and the gift card with the $250 some dollars on it.
"Wait. What about your manager's name?" I asked.
His jaw tightened, the little vein on his forehead bulged, and his hand shook (I'm guessing with anger) as he wrote down his boss's name and mumbled something about having forgotten.
....mhmm...yes...conveniently "forgotten"
And we left, vowing never to come back to this particular Circuit City again.

Why did he refuse to give us a refund? Is policy the law of the land? Or does Customer Service trump all? Does it matter that it's the holidays? (I ask Eric, what happened to the Christmas spirit, Mr. Grinch?) Does it matter that we are in an economic crisis? How does he know we don't need that money to pay our bills? Especially with this economic downturn, that is a large chunk of money to have to spend at the store on items that most likely won't work anyway.
He had the power to give us a refund and he refused. He had the authority to overlook the fact that it was past the 30 day return policy and take in to consideration the busy holiday season, the difficulty of returning it while I was away at college, the fact that the other employees were wrong about the products (despite the model #'s my mother brought in), but he flatly refused. Policy is policy. There is no bending of the rules. No gray area.

It seems to me Circuit City is so regimented that they have forgotten Customer Service.

Now we know why they are going out of business. If you want our business back...bring back your customer service.

Reality Bytes.

8820 Grossmont Blvd
La Mesa, CA 91941-4027
(619) 463-0214

Hi! How are you :)

Hi! Welcome to my new blog. Normally, I'm not a cynical person and try to see the good in everyone. However, several injustices have happened recently and need to be publicized. I hope that you at least find some entertainment or humor out of this blog and maybe some necessary information about the unfortunate reality that often bytes us in the bum.