Update on Customer Service

     Just in case you were wondering... I did in fact get all my movies back into my iTunes.  Not because I called Customer Service, I didn't.  I actually was smart enough to have them backed up on my external hard drive.  So, avoided that hassle.  Still though, a huge congratulations still to Apple Customer Service.  That's all I have for now... sorry!  Til next time...

Astonishing Effort in Customer Service

     About two months ago I purchased an iPod Touch.  I love it.  I use it all the time to listen to music, to play games, to watch movies, and when there's a wi-fi network around I surf the web... that is until I got a Droid 2 and have 3g coverage, but that's off topic.  My iPod battery died and I realized that I hadn't synced it in a while. So I created a playlist that I had been meaning to anyway and hooked up my iPod.  Lo and behold, an iPod software update is available.  I believe it was 4.1 IOS for those of you who were curious.  Anyway, it begins downloading and is simultaneously sync my iPod.  As you have guessed, something went wrong.


I'm not sure exactly why, but a few select songs didn't want to sync.  Ok, no big deal, I'll fix that later.  So everything else is fine and dandy and I unplug my iPod to put it in the dock so that I can listen to music while I clean my room.  I turn on the iPod and all of my apps are gone.  Some of them were free so they weren't worrying me but the ones that I paid for were also missing.  They weren't just not on my iPod they also weren't anywhere to be seen on my computer.  So I began doing some google research to see how I can reacquire my apps.  Now I'm not entirely sure if it was just my apps that were missing from my computer or if anything else was as well (but we'll get to that later).  All my music and movies were still on my iPod as well so that wasn't the concern either.  Google had links that offered many different selections many of which seemed helpful in any other situation but mine.  So I went to the Apple website to see what they had to offer.  Not a whole lot, at least not that would have helped me.  So I decided I would do the unthinkable.  I pulled out my phone.

     I dialed the 800 number for Apple Customer Service and was immediately put to an automated voice activated operator.  The AVAO (new acronym...) asked what product I was calling about and then gave me a list of options for common problems for my product.  I chose the "none of these" options.  Then the AVAO told me it was transferring me to a customer service agent that would be best suited to help me with my problem.  Then told me that all customer service reps were currently busy and that they would take my call as soon as possible.  So I was put on hold.

     In this day and age being put on hold is like a death sentence.  Typically companies have constant ads for their own services or products or muzak that is so painful to the ears that I'd rather have a chorus of two-year-olds who screaming inches from my ears.  Ok, maybe that's an exaggeration but you get my point.  And then after what seems like an hour you get transferred to an operator who is noticeably Indian or native to some other country and answers to the name "Bob" or "Peggy."  Then "Bob" and "Peggy" listen to your problem, whether or not they understand your problem is another issue entirely.  And after 30 minutes or arguing with "Bob" and "Peggy" you give up and hang up without an answer to your problem.  This is what I was expecting.

     It was a pleasant surprise when I was first put on hold to first off hear an actual song with lyrics and everything and then it happens to be a song I actually know.  I can't remember what song it was, unfortunately, but I did know it, and was actually singing along.  The whole song played and then a new one started.  I did not know this one, but knew that it was a popular tune with the kids these days!  Every song they played was recognizable and pleasant to listen to.  After a relatively modest 10 minutes or so of being on hold I was transferred to Andy who sounded like he was in an office somewhere in town, a local boy as it were.  Granted, he was probably in some Apple Corp corporate building wherever.  But he sounded native.  He then asked me a few questions regarding my iPod and such to verify that I was indeed the owner and had the proper iPod, SOP I'm sure.  From there I told him my issue and how it was all caused by the new update and what solution I was hoping for.  He then said that he will make a call over to the iTunes people and ask them to activate a re-download for me.  I was then put back on hold to listen to the same pop music as before.  However, this was a different set of songs.  Which makes me curious exactly how many songs are on the "Apple Caller Hold Playlist."  I was also confused as to why the "iPod Customer Service Rep" had to call an "iTunes Customer Service Rep."  I would think that it would make more sense to train everyone for every problem and have less people on staff.  But this is a testament to Apple's Customer Service and their dedication to customer service that they have a number of different reps for each individual software.

     This time I was on hold for quite a while.  So long in fact that I was tired of holding my phone so I tried the speaker phone.  But this only made the relatively pleasant music distorted and annoying so I connected my bluetooth headset.  Easy enough, until I tried to readjust the headset in my ear and accidentally hit the end call button.  Fail.  So I called the 800 number back hoping that I can get through to someone who can either talk to Andy or transfer me to Andy or something.  And while I'm answering the questions of the AVAO my call is interrupted from an incoming call.  It was a 916 area code which is Sacramento, CA.  So I answer it and I hear "Hi Jeremy, it's Andy from Apple Customer Service..."  WOW!  Never in a million years would I expect a customer service representative who was hung up on (accidental or not) to call back the client that hung up on them and continue to help them.  Andy then walked me through exactly how to get to the downloads that the iTunes people reactivated for me.  And after making sure I had begun downloading said items he then cordially thanked me for my patience and wished me a pleasant rest of the day.

     Unfortunately when I the 309 downloads finished that was ALL that was in my iTunes.  All of my old music had disappeared as well.  Granted this is less of a pressing matter because I had it all on my computer and it was all still on my iPod.  So I simple added the folder back and voila there's all of my things.  Now the issue is, that some of my movies which were ripped from Digital Copies of Blu-Rays (therefore only available to download once) were unchecked at the original sync and then since lost in this whole confusion.  So I began poking through all the folders on my computer and they were still not there.  Uh-oh.  Back to Google we go.  I found a message board that allowed me to breathe easier.  Apparently one person had a similar issue regarding their digital copies and upon calling Apple Customer Service were issued replacement registration numbers and were given their movies back.  So tomorrow I will be on the phone again with Apple Customer Service asking them for a similar solution.  I hope I can talk to Andy again, but I don't think it will be much of an issue regardless of who answers the call.

     In a world where most customer service telephone services are outsourced to foreign countries where a company teaches reps to pretend to act and sound American and pretend to know what they're talking about, Apple is leading the way when it comes to helping their customers.  With personal and friendly representatives who can actually help you, I can only hope that the rest of corporate America follows Apple's lead.  Doubtful, but it'd be nice.  So thank you Andy, and thank you Apple.  You turned my utter panic and hatred into mild frustration as now I have to go and re-fix my iPod and iTunes... but it won't cost me anymore money that I don't have.  And while, I still like operating with Windows better... you certainly have gained points in my book... and now if you want to know how likely my purchasing of a Mac is... well... take a look:






     I will update you all tomorrow as to whether or not I got my missing movies back... because I know you're all just dying to find out. Til then "I'll be right back. Don't you go dying on me!"

Nine Years Later... Never Forget

     On this, the ninth anniversary of the September 11th terrorists attacks, I'd like to take a look at that day and the events following.  First off, let's talk about the day itself.  In what was the single greatest loss of life from one event on American soil, a group of radical Islamic terrorists forever changed America and the world.  I remember that day vividly.  I was 13 years old and in 8th grade.  Thinking back, I figure as best I could that I was in Ms. Michaeli science class when the first plane crashed into the North Tower.  The reason why I am not sure, is that we were not told of the events during the school day.  In a school that was K-8, the administration did not want to worry the younger children and decided rather to have them find out from their parents.  Some of them wanted to tell the older kids but figured they would then tell the younger kids.  Instead, the teachers were told during lunch time and asked to go about business as usual.  I only found out what had happened earlier in the day around 3:15 or so while on the bus ride home.  Having no idea what the high school students on the bus with me were talking about I asked a question.  The response I got was: "Yea, it was so bad that they canceled all the baseball and football games for the near future."  Keep in mind, I still had no idea what had happened.

      I then continued to listen in and ask what happened and when they had told me that four planes had crashed into both towers of the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and a field in Shanksville, PA I laughed at them because I thought they were joking.  I was sadly mistaken.  It took me a few minutes to realize that they were all telling the truth.  While I then acknowledged that they were in fact correct, I brushed it off as not really a big deal.  And then I got home.  I have never been so glued to a television as I was that day.  I still remember flipping through the channels and seeing every channel carrying network feeds of the tragic events.  I still remember flipping past MTV which, being owned by Viacom, was airing Dan Rather's CBS News report.  I remember thinking to myself that this may be the only time where I don't get yelled at for watching MTV... that lasted about an hour before I had to switch because my dad was listening to MTV and CBS who were a split second difference in their timing.  I had to switch to CBS because the other TV did not have cable at the time. 

      As I watched the replays of the planes hitting the towers and the pentagon and then the subsequent collapses of each tower long after they had actually happened I ached as though I were viewing it all live.  I remember WTC building 7 collapsing and with it I breathed a sigh of relief.  Don't get me wrong, I was not celebrating its collapse, merely relieved that "it was finally over."  Of course it wasn't really over, but it at least seemed at that point that the violent devastation had ceased.  Now all that was left was to take a toll of the loss, unite, and begin rebuilding and pushing forward.  Many images still stand out in my mind, that of the towers burning, the civilians running for their lives as the building collapse, and the firefighters removing the American Flag from Ground Zero.  Another image that sits with me is that of Dan Rather who faced the news with a heroic brevity and delivering the tragedy to the American people only to suffer a momentary lapse and breaking down in tears for a short moment.  I can only imagine how tough it is, when most Americans are left speechless, the amount of strength it takes to continue talking about it hour after hour.  I was hoping to find a video of this, but unfortunately the only Dan Rather/Sept. 11 videos out there are from his appearance on Letterman and those saying that involved Rather with the multitude of 9/11 conspiracy theories.  I want to inform you that on this tragic day, Dan Rather seemed to be the most trustworthy man in America to my 13 year old self.

     As tragic and horrific as all of the events were, it is safe to say that it could have been much worse.  Before I begin this, let me just say I am not saying that this was a minor tragedy, I still am brought nearly to tears every year on Sept. 11 when watching the news reports.  But yet, every tragedy can always be far worse than it was.  First off, the architects of the twin towers should be commended.  They built the buildings strong enough to withstand a bombing attempt in 1993, and when the same group of terrorists attacked the towers in 2001 they were not quite strong enough.  However, they were designed in a way that should they ever come down (either by collapse or demolition) that they would pancake on themselves rather than toppling over sideways.  While I am in no way diminishing the value of the 2,753 lives of those lost in the towers or as the result of their collapse, but just think of how many more lives could have been lost if the towers had toppled over into the streets of New York.  As it was, debris from the buildings spread for blocks, but imagine if the buildings themselves had spread for blocks, as well as the other buildings that would have collapsed as a result.

     Also take into consideration that the attacks occurred around 9:00 am, many workers at the World Trade Center and the surrounding area had not yet made it into work.  If the attacks had occurred closer to 11:00 am (before lunch) or 2:00-3:00pm (before the end of the day) when the area was full of hard working unsuspecting Americans, the death toll would only have been higher. 

     In Washington D.C., the attacks on the Pentagon took the lives of 184 people.  Again, this number could have been higher.  The wing of the Pentagon that had been hit was under renovation and therefore featured many vacant offices.  It also was the area of the Pentagon best suited to withstand such an attack as a result of the renovation.  Take a look at what Wikipedia, yes Wikipedia, says about the Pentagon attack:

"It was the only area of the Pentagon with a sprinkler system, and it had been reconstructed with a web of steel columns and bars to withstand bomb blasts. The steel reinforcement, bolted together to form a continuous structure through all of the Pentagon's five floors, kept that section of the building from collapsing for 30 minutes—enough time for hundreds of people to crawl out to safety. The area struck by the plane also had blast-resistant windows—2 inches thick and 2,500 pounds each—that stayed intact during the crash and fire. It had fire doors that opened automatically and newly built exits that allowed people to get out."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_pentagon

     Perhaps the most heroic story of this tragic day was that of United 93.  You all know the outcome, the plane crashed in a field in Shanksville, PA.  Undoubtedly headed for Washington if you take a look at the flight path, United 93 inexplicably crashed in a vacant field.  It is still under debate what target the hijackers had intended to hit.  Many believe that the Capitol or even the White House were originally intended to be attacked.  Think of the impact that losing the Capitol and possibly many Congresspeople would have had.  The prospect of the attack hitting the White House, while still unthinkable, is less scary when you consider that President Bush was reading to elementary school kids at Booker Elementary School in Sarasota, FL.  At the same time, who knows how many cabinet members or other high ranking, influential government officials were in the White House at the time.  It was later learned that after being told about the other attacks by loved ones, the passengers of United 93 decided to retake the plane.  Todd Beamer's quote "Are you guys ready?  Okay.  Let's Roll."  to me, is the definition of heroism.  Knowing wholeheartedly that you are risking your lives and the lives of 29 other passengers and crew to save the lives of hundreds on the ground is inspirational.  It is still in doubt whether the passengers breached the cockpit or not, although it doesn't much matter.  The aircraft and the hijackers failed to reach their target.

     Nine years have passed and a lot has changed in that time.  The feeling of patriotism amongst Americans is significantly higher than it was on September 10, 2001.  We are also much more aware of the world around us and that the freedoms we take for granted paint a target on our back in the eyes of those who do not have such independence.  We strive to maintain these freedoms while tightening down on security to prevent another 9/11. 

     We are also in the midst of a war overseas in Afghanistan and Iraq that is a direct result of the September 11 attacks.  While this war brings with it many controversy, it is essential that regardless of your thoughts on the war itself, that you support the troops.  Do not chastise those who are working to earn a living by risking their lives to protect those of us here back home and our freedoms.  Just think where we would be if there were as many protests during the Revolutionary War or the Civil War or World War II.  If Americans had protested those wars as greatly as they have this one and driven the morale of the soldiers down to the point of defeat we may very well still be British, or two separate countries, or German.  But this isn't exactly the relevant point.  The point is that everywhere you looked after 9/11 you saw American flags and "United We Stand" printed everywhere.  Yet here we stand divided again.  Split between those that support the war because "if we sit back and do nothing then the terrorists win," and those that oppose the war.  Even domestically we are battling issues stemming from the events of September 11.

     As I write this there are protests against and support rallies for the establishment of a Muslim community center two blocks from the site of Ground Zero.  I understand the feelings of resentment that many people have but you have to realize that Islam is a faith based on peace.  Like any faith, there are those that take their faith to the limit and do things that cast their entire religion with a bad light.  If you don't want to see a Mosque that close to Ground Zero then don't walk past it.  There are plenty of Americans who have positively impacted our country that have been Muslim.  Those who express their feelings of animosity towards those wishing to worship at the proposed Mosque, I implore you to say the same things towards Muhammad Ali, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Dave Chapelle, Shaq, among other beloved pop culture icons.  If we still want to "Stand United," then strive for peace, not revenge.

     While construction is underway on the new World Trade Center and a 1,776 foot "Freedom Tower" one can only be proud but skeptical.  As an American I am proud of the fact that we are honoring those lost by remembering them while pushing forwards for a better tomorrow.  Rebuilding the WTC shows that we will not be beat, and that we will be stronger than ever.  However, when you consider that the North Tower with antenna included only reached 1,727 feet coupled with the 1,362 foot South Tower served as a "pompous display of American ignorance" to the terrorist groups abroad.  One can't help but be pessimistic that a taller tower with a symbolic height will serve as a similar target.  I hope that we have learned from our past faults and our issues of security to ever have something like this happen again.

 
   It's been nine years since 19 hijackers took control of four planes and crashed into the World Trade Center; the Pentagon; and a field outside of Shanksville, PA taking with them their lives and the lives of 2,977 people, most of which Americans.  Every anniversary brings with it memorials and remembrance ceremonies.  These will be capped off tonight with the "Tribute in Light."  Many of you may remember the two blue light beams that shot skyward into the air for months after the attacks.  They will once again shine brightly tonight.

Welcome!

     Welcome and thank you for picking Bronto's Brain.  By choosing to invest your time in this page, you are going where few people have ever wanted to go... inside my mind.  It's a scary prospect I know.  But hey, what else are you going to do?  Let's start off by getting to know each other.

     I'm an avid sports fan.  I am a die hard Mets fan and am hopelessly optimistic that they will one day learn how to play baseball.  Yet at the same time, I don't necessarily die, or cry, with every loss because a) it's bound to happen and b) at the end of the day it's still just a game.  I do like other sports hockey, football, basketball, etc.  While I enjoy these sports I do not necessarily have one specific favorite team.  This allows me to keep my options open.  While I am not a bandwagon fan, I happen to start rooting for teams at the opportune moments.  For example, I started rooting for the Chicago Blackhawks during/after the Wrigley Field Winter Classic, and then considered myself a "fan" after my Be-A-Pro character in NHL 10 was drafted by the Hawks.  And then what do you know... they win the Stanley Cup.

     That being said... my primary focus of fandom belongs to my homestate of New York.  I'll root for any team in New York (or Jersey - Giants/Jets for those of you who want to get picky) before I root for any other team they're playing... unless of course it's the Yankees or the Islanders.  The Yankees are that team that I love to hate.  They are everything that is wrong with baseball, but yet I have to respect their history and what they mean to the game.  But boy do I hate them.  Also the Islanders... they're just annoying.  That's all I'll say about that.

     But this site is not solely devoted to sports.  Here I will enlighten you on my taste in movies, music, video games, television shows, special events (Oscars, Emmys, etc.), and pretty much anything else I feel like ranting about.  If there's anything that you want to get my opinion on please let me know and I will gladly share my thoughts.  Because after all "everyone is entitled to my opinion."

     I look forward to embarking on this journey in the days, weeks, and months to come.  I can only hope that you stay with me for the ride.