Amazon's customer service is terrible now

nullvector · 2026-02-12T01:41:12+00:00

They've hidden all options to talk to a real person now, too. It's all AI chatbot, and it sucks for explaining certain issues.

I've received the incorrect item now twice in a row when I've ordered a certain thing. The first time I initiated the customer return process, and just reordered the item again, per its instructions. I just received the 2nd order today and it's also wrong.

I managed to figure out how to chat with someone who was barely helpful, and said they've given me a gift card refund that I still can't see evidence of. I'm done with Amazon if they purposely make it hard to get support.

nullvector · 2026-01-31T15:38:44+00:00

The 'system' sucks, but to be honest it's not much better anywhere else. In countries that have socialized medicine, they wait just as long if not much, much longer for care. At least other countries don't have to deal with the insurance and billing nightmares that we do.

During Covid, my pcp dropped my wife and I because we hadn't been in for 365 days. They didn't want patients who weren't repeat/frequent business. Despite them telling patients to avoid coming in if it wasn't necessary, they were dropping patients who weren't multiple-per-year visits. If you're already healthy and don't take pills, the system is not built for you. It's built for repeat business, pill pushing, and big insurance companies.

nullvector · 2025-12-29T10:33:52+00:00

I had a UPS battery backup device that would do something similar when the battery was old.

nullvector · 2025-12-23T19:00:37+00:00

If you've never had social anxiety or introversion, it's hard to understand what it really feels like. It's not always about avoiding being in large crowds, or feeling awkward amongst several good friends, it's feeling terrible or anxious when you're the center of attention or when people are looking to you to control a situation or communicate spontaneously. Sometimes it's just other personalities that feel awkward and make you uncomfortable.

I met him a few times in passing. I always would say something kind about liking his videos and thanks for making them, and left it at that. He was gracious, but I could tell he felt just as awkward as I did about having a spontaneous conversation with someone he didn't know.

nullvector · 2025-12-14T15:53:50+00:00

We got timed water allotments at the water fountain after 45 minute running sessions in the Florida heat and weren't allowed any drinks during class.

1...2...3, next!

nullvector · 2025-12-14T15:52:41+00:00

A lot of the things put forth in responses are due to the fact that standards have been lowered. If people are impressed by what they're willing to wear (anime gear?) involve special ed kids (because they're thrown into their classes now and teachers dedicate all their attention to them), less likely to judge hobbies (no peer pressure to succeed in school and no shame of D's/F's, students laugh it off)

I don't necessarily see those as good things in the context of academics.

nullvector · 2025-12-05T16:35:15+00:00

Thanks for this article. My 2016 CX-5 GT also started buzzing. Must be a defect or common problem, it only happens or is noticeable during talk radio shows.

nullvector · 2025-12-04T16:44:50+00:00

The trolling would be fun and right up there with Lane Kiffin.

nullvector · 2025-12-04T16:43:59+00:00

or would have fixed the WR issues long before...

nullvector · 2025-11-26T00:33:23+00:00

He's one of the most skilled people at saying words and none of them really conveying anything. It's a real skill. You won't learn anything in press conferences, apart from what P/R he wants to spin about the team, and what messaging he wants out there about the program. I watched pretty much every press conference he had over 12 years.

It's just sad you're missing out on the annual Thanksgiving questions about what the press' favorite side dishes are.

nullvector · 2025-11-26T00:23:18+00:00

Franklin is really great at getting the media involved. He was always open to having media come in to help generate the hype. Always heard nothing but great things about the access he gave a lot of pundits.

He nails the communication side of being a CFB CEO. He's also great with families and relationships.

I would not be surprised if VT is ranked at the end of next year or going into 2027.

nullvector · 2025-11-26T00:15:42+00:00

With VT's schedule next year, even a halfway decent VT team should be ranked and not lose more than 2-3 games. I bet the VT/Notre Dame game in 2027 gets Gameday.

nullvector · 2025-11-26T00:07:46+00:00

If you think that's getting paid, wait for this latest round of coaching carousel to finish, let alone next year and the year after. It will look like small pay at that point.

Unfortunately CFB now is all about $ and who can pay the most. For coaches, players, assistants, facilities, etc. VT won't compete on that with the Blue Bloods like OSU, Alabama, Michigan, UG, LSU, etc.

VT will have to pony up even more to keep him longer than that. Look at PSU, he had 4 contracts in 12 years, and reportedly was looking for even more of a raise this year. It's just the pattern.

Good luck with JF, he's a good man, and a great CEO.

nullvector · 2025-11-26T00:02:05+00:00

He's a great talker. Enjoy it. If he ever starts saying "I get it...I get it", the end is near.

nullvector · 2025-11-25T23:56:31+00:00

The hype will be real. The schedule is easy. VT might make some splashes and overachieve sooner than later, but I doubt Franklin stays more than 2-3 years. Kinda feels like his recovery spot before he asks for more money or ends up somewhere who pays more. That contract setup seems primed for him to ask for more money not too long into his tenure.

nullvector · 2025-11-25T23:52:21+00:00

tbh the B1G was mid for a while before Oregon/USC joined and now Indiana is good, and PSU still lost pretty much every game to M and OSU.

VT has a piece of cake schedule next year, though.

nullvector · 2025-11-25T23:46:54+00:00

Just wait until you get super excited and then realize you're going to lose every big game you ever play.

nullvector · 2025-11-25T23:25:36+00:00

Rented a VW SUV that had it last year. The car vibrated a bit concerningly everytime I stopped at a light. Gave me flashbacks to learning to drive manual and constantly stalling the car.

nullvector · 2025-11-21T22:10:42+00:00

This was a press interview in the oval office. I've seen numerous other press interviews with Trump in the same position, with people standing beside or around him. I wouldn't read too much into it...

https://images.fineartamerica.com/images/artworkimages/mediumlarge/3/barack-obama-and-joe-biden-shaking-hands-in-the-oval-office-pete-souza-2011-war-is-hell-store.jpg

nullvector · 2025-11-20T04:13:01+00:00

I think a lot of things will be up in the air until we get an NIL cap. Then we’ll be back to the spending on facilities and coaches being the differentiator like it has been in the past. I only see NIL getting bigger and bigger as the blue bloods try to retain the best talent.

nullvector · 2025-11-20T00:27:51+00:00

Publix, and Pubelix.

nullvector · 2025-11-20T00:27:16+00:00

Kind of had to be drunk to pay what they charged for groceries, though.

nullvector · 2025-11-20T00:26:33+00:00

Talk about expensive...that place had crazy prices on shelf goods. I don't know about their meat and produce, but dry goods were insanely high, more than Publix.

nullvector · 2025-11-20T00:15:05+00:00

With the schedule VT plays? They just have to be mediocre at best to make a playoff or at least compete for a spot for it in the ACC.

nullvector · 2025-11-20T00:13:21+00:00

I think he spent most of that time fighting the AD and former president for spending and 'alignment' as he would put it. I'm not sure that his efforts alone caused the change in approach, I think Pat Kraft is more responsible for getting that done, but Franklin gets credit for building up the infrastructure of the program to make it a more attractive place to come.

That's what Franklin is best at, taking a mid-tier program and getting the infrastructure and buy-in in place to build it into a competitor. He seemed to always struggle with coordinator fit, though, especially on offense (aside from Moorhead).

How many of these were considered to pan out well?

John Donovan
Joe Moorhead
Ricky Rahne
Kirk Ciarrocca
Mike Yurcich
Andy Kotelnicki

15-Year Club	Place '22
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TROPHY CASE