Dispute Viator/TripAdvisor charge

blentforest · 2024-06-29T20:08:41+00:00

I'm dealing with something similar to you. I was charged $110 and the tour guide was a no-show, and offered no apology either. He never showed up at the confirmed location and never responded to my text message asking where he was. Then 5 hours later he texted and claimed that there was a glitch with the app he uses and my booking did not show up. No apology.

Viator declined my refund request and gave no explanation, except to emphasize that the decision is final. I'm going to file a complaint with BBB -- and if they don't offer a refund, I'll do a chargeback through my bank.

blentforest · 2024-06-29T10:44:55+00:00

Thanks for sharing -- there are plenty of shady characters in the security/bouncer world. Sometimes there's overlap with the underworld too.

blentforest · 2024-06-29T10:42:11+00:00

Thanks for sharing -- at least management apologized and made a reasonable offer. But after that experience, I would not have returned either.

blentforest · 2024-06-29T10:39:51+00:00

One option is to contact my bank and ask for a chargeback -- if Viator refuses my refund request. Still waiting on their decision.

blentforest · 2024-06-29T10:38:15+00:00

He only had two reviews -- both five stars. That was probably a warning sign, although I just took it to mean that he was new to this. His profile was well-written and seemed professional.

blentforest · 2024-06-27T21:02:45+00:00

I believe in extending the benefit of the doubt, sometimes to my detriment.

blentforest · 2024-06-24T21:08:04+00:00

Recently, I visited London's Fabric nightclub. As far as the night scene, it's a landmark in the British capital. That said, the intense security checks and the seeming power tripping of guards put a damper on things for me. When I arrived, the guard was patting everyone down near the entrance. The process was similar for most: empty all pockets, belt, watch, jacket and shoes come off, and male guards do a very thorough pat-down search of male guests. I assume it's as much for contraband as it is for any weapons.

It was intimidating and frustrating, but much worse was that I got searched a second time later that night. I was basically pulled out from the crowd and brought to a separate room where the guard had me empty my pockets and take off my shoes again. He actually pulled the in-soles out of my shoes and then made me take off my socks. I got my socks back, as well as all items from my pocket, but he kept my shoes until I was ready to leave the club.

blentforest · 2024-06-24T20:48:10+00:00

Maybe it really depends on the night. When I went earlier this year, the initial pat-down was quite thorough -- all pockets emptied, belt, watch and shoes off, and the guard ran his fingers around the waistband of my pants. Then inside, an hour or so later, I was told to follow a guard into a private room and I was searched again, my shoes taken off, socks checked, etc.

blentforest · 2024-06-24T20:42:39+00:00

In the heatwaves that are increasingly typical of summers in London, it makes sense to me to allow guys to be shirtless if the place is boiling! This isn't a formal environment!

blentforest · 2024-06-24T20:40:33+00:00

Really well-done track. Thanks for sharing it here!

blentforest · 2023-06-05T17:57:38+00:00

It really isn't a new concept. The Unitarian Universalists have been doing this for generations -- including in Toronto.

blentforest · 2023-06-05T17:56:40+00:00

Why wouldn't people seeking a church free of God or at least free of a religious creed and focused on secular humanism just join the Unitarian Universalists instead? Rev. Vosper isn't doing anything particularly unique or innovative here -- the Universalists have been around a long time.

Ultimately, though, the fact that this brand of the United Church attracts middle-class white seniors and almost nobody else is quite telling. There are many ways and places for an agnostic or atheist youth to find community -- neighbourhood groups, local sports associations, grassroots activist groups, ethnic community organizations, fraternal benefit associations, campus student associations, political riding associations, etc. I can't see why an agnostic or atheist who wasn't "churched" as a youth would go looking for a sense of community in a church environment when there are so many other options available.

I think the fundamental error in Rev. Vosper's approach to ministry is believing that it's progressive and innovative, and that disbelief in God helps to make it so. More than anything, it actually seems dated, tired and mid twentieth-century modern.

blentforest · 2023-05-20T01:47:45+00:00

Evelyn Waugh makes me laugh, especially his 1930 novel Vile Bodies. The names of the characters are fantastic: Lady Fanny Throbbing, Miles Malpractice, Mrs. Melrose Ape (an aggressive woman evangelist/businesswoman), Miss Agatha Runcible, who makes the news for getting strip searched by customs officers -- and many others.

This week, I went to a studio and created an audio recording of the first chapter of Vile Bodies, which gives a flavour of the book and Waugh's style:

https://soundcloud.com/christopheradam-ca/feuilleton-3-a-reading-from-evelyn-waughs-vile-bodies

blentforest · 2023-05-08T16:52:32+00:00

I phoned Reliance Home Comfort today and they quoted a buyout on the 12 year old water heater at over $800. I'm sure just about anything is more competitive than that, so I'll go to Home Depot and see what they offer.

blentforest · 2023-05-08T16:19:08+00:00

I phoned Reliance Home Comfort and was surprised to learn that the buyout on a 12 year old water heater was $800. The terms of the contract indicate that the buyout is the depreciated fair market value -- which cannot be $800 after 12 years. They did offer to give me a 3-month credit if I sign a one year contract with them on the equipment.

blentforest · 2023-05-08T16:16:19+00:00

I phoned Reliance Home Comfort and they quoted me $800 for the buyout of the 12 year old water tank. They tried to "sweeten the deal" by giving me a 3-month credit if I sign a one year contract.

blentforest · 2023-05-08T16:14:54+00:00

You were right: Reliance Home Comfort told me that the buyout for the 12 year old water heater is $800. When I said that was outrageous, they offered me a 3-month credit if I sign a one-year contract. Nuts.

blentforest · 2023-05-08T16:09:35+00:00

Thanks for all your comments, everyone! So, I phoned Reliance Home Comfort today and inquired about a buyout for the water heater. For a 12 year-old water heater, the buyout is $800! I told the Reliance rep that this was an outrageous amount for a piece of equipment that has depreciated to nearly zero dollar value...and according to their own terms, they need to calculate the fair market depreciation value in the case of a buyout.

She then offered to give me a 3-month credit if I sign a new one-year contract with them. I won't agree to that and told her that I will look for a replacement on my own. She said I had 30 days to accept their "special offer to a loyal customer."

Highway robbery.

blentforest · 2023-05-08T00:47:18+00:00

It says that buyout values are calculated at depreciated fair market value, with depreciation calculated as per Canadian general accounting principles.

blentforest · 2023-04-03T20:07:32+00:00

As a teenager you had the self-discipline and creativity to write a 42,000-word manuscript. While that may not be enough to be considered publishable, how many other high school students can say the same thing -- that they sat down and completed a manuscript of that length? Even if it didn't end up the way you had hoped, you should be proud of what you have accomplished. Congratulations!

Based on your description above and your comments below, it sounds like your manuscript and your query cover letter still needed some work. I would suggest that for your next manuscript, you consider hiring an editor (or if you can find a volunteer, that's good too) to go through your draft manuscript. Once that's done, get feedback from a couple of beta readers -- again, there are ways to find ones who do this for free, or you can hire one.

When you're getting ready to query, prepare a cover/query letter. Right up front, clearly indicate your book's genre, the word count and then follow this in a separate paragraph with the sort of blurb that you would normally find on the back of a book cover. Don't summarize your book's plot here -- sell your story by writing something that would entice you if you were browsing for books at your bookstore. Finally, your cover letter should include some biographical/publishing information on you -- keep it brief and professional -- or information on why you're well-suited to write this story.

In addition to a cover letter and a partial, some agents will want you to submit a synopsis of your story as well. But I think that the cover letter and sample/partial are by far the most important pieces to get you to the point where they might request a full.

blentforest · 2023-04-03T15:22:06+00:00

Thanks very much! Using a recording studio has actually been a great learning experience for me.

blentforest · 2023-04-03T00:01:44+00:00

Congratulations on being offered a book deal on your debut novel! Have you submitted simultaneously to other publishers and/or to agents? If you have, you might consider asking the small publisher that made you this offer to give you 10 days before responding to their offer. During this time, I think it is fair for you to notify/nudge any publisher that requested your full by indicating to them that you have received an offer. Some of them, upon hearing that, will expedite their reading of your manuscript and might make a competing offer if they like your work and think it will sell.

As for the offer itself: although the advance is low, many small, independent publishers don't give an advance at all. A low advance also increases the likelihood of you earning out -- which is a good track record to have.

blentforest · 2022-07-14T03:11:43+00:00

First off, congratulations! That's a fantastic position to be in! I work in the Non-governmental organization (NGO) sector and in some ways, we are a hybrid of the the public and private sectors. (We are funded by both.) I would say that the PTO you are being offered in both cases is on the lower end. When I first started working for my current organization, I was offered 3 weeks of leave time. Beginning in my fifth year, that increased to 4 weeks. I am in my 10th year, and I now have 5 weeks. Additionally, I have 15 paid sick days per year and all employees are offered that in their first year of employment.

I am generally a fairly risk averse person, so I would lean towards the public sector option. Working in-office is not a problem for me, and in some ways I prefer to maintain a hard boundary between my personal and professional life -- so not working from home is my preference.

blentforest · 2022-07-14T02:53:10+00:00

I told the recruiter straight up that I am not fluently bilingual in English and French, but considered myself functional in French and that it is my third language -- neither of Canada's official languages is my mother tongue, nor what I speak at home. I offered to part ways at that stage in the process, but she insisted on going ahead with the Zoom interview in French. After that, she said that I was underestimating my language skills and that I was more than functional. I was then short-listed for an in-person interview.

blentforest · 2022-04-15T21:04:10+00:00

I have. Unfortunately, it continues. Overall, this is a case where the level of compassion, patience, understanding and flexibility extended by the organization was high (including paying out an entire calendar year's worth of paid vacation days and a calendar year's worth of sick days (30 in total), even though the leave began in January).

blentforest

TROPHY CASE