"Hello, this is Dell, would you like a slushie?"

I don't really expect any of you to actually read this whole post...

Unless you have been under a rock lately, you know that most large companies out source much of their menial tasks to places that pay their workers less than $100 per month...Welp, Dell, Inc. is one of em...

If you are into reading, you should take a stab at The World is Flat, by Thomas Freidman. It is a book about globalization in the 21st century. Pretty informative read...

Tonight I thought, instead of contacting Dell through the phone, I'll try the chat feature. Maybe it will be easier to understand the written word rather than a thick Indian accent. Well, it was for me...but not him.

My part of the conversation is in bold...Note my anger...I withheld though...

12:02:49 AM System

You are now being connected to an agent. Thank you for using Dell Chat

12:02:49 AM System

Connected with SLCg_Benjamin_187319

12:03:09 AM SLCg_Benjamin_187319

Thank you for contacting Dell Hardware Warranty Support. My Name is Ben. How may I help you?

12:03:33 AM Bryan McDonald

I was just connected with a Bradley in session ID 20489906...but got disconnected from the dell server somehow...

12:04:32 AM Bryan McDonald

My service tag # is 3Q956D1 and I need to find out how to receive Complete Care warranty service...

12:05:16 AM Bryan McDonald

Yesterday I accidently dropped my computer bag and part of the clop that holds the LCD to the keyboard broke...

12:05:27 AM SLCg_Benjamin_187319

Ok it looks like you were working on replacing a broken hinge or something?

12:06:32 AM Bryan McDonald

Also, in the bottom right hand corner of the bottom section (near where the Vista icon sticker is located) chipped and there is a hole on both the gray plastic and black plastic

12:07:02 AM Bryan McDonald

Not really a hinge....more of a slide....the thing that clips the two halves together

12:08:08 AM SLCg_Benjamin_187319

Ok so you are just looking to get those parts replaced. Am I correct?

12:08:21 AM Bryan McDonald

Yes

12:09:08 AM Bryan McDonald

I also noticed on my warranty info that I purchased something called, "Next Business Day, Includes Nights/Weekends." does that mean that you guys pick up the shipping???

12:10:32 AM SLCg_Benjamin_187319

Ok and this sis on your Ispiron 1525?

12:10:49 AM Bryan McDonald

No, 1521

12:11:09 AM Bryan McDonald

Service tag 3Q956D1

12:11:21 AM Bryan McDonald

The 1525 is my wife's

12:13:14 AM SLCg_Benjamin_187319

Can you tell were the break is in the screen is it on the screen part the bottom part or both for the hinge.

12:13:21 AM SLCg_Benjamin_187319

Thanks

12:14:11 AM Bryan McDonald

It is just on the clip part...the screen itself is not damaged as far as I can tell....

12:14:18 AM SLCg_Benjamin_187319

Yes we pick up the shipping.

12:14:58 AM Bryan McDonald

Actually, it is only the clip on the right side...

12:17:30 AM SLCg_Benjamin_187319

So it's just the plastic on the bottom of the screen that is damaged. nothing on the base of the laptop.

12:20:04 AM Bryan McDonald

OK...There are two things that are damaged....

1. The Plastic Clip that holds the screen to the base. The screen is not broken or damaged, just the clip that holds it.

2. On the bottom right hand corner of the base. There are two pieces of plastic that come together...one is grey (top) the other is black (bottom). Both of these are cracked/broken as well.

12:20:41 AM System

Thank you. Your Dell Chat session has ended.

12:20:44 AM System

Thank you. Your Dell Chat session has ended.

12:20:49 AM System

Thank you. Your Dell Chat session has ended.

12:20:56 AM System

Thank you. Your Dell Chat session has ended.

12:21:57 AM System

Thank you. Your Dell Chat session has ended.

12:22:13 AM System

Thank you. Your Dell Chat session has ended.

12:22:21 AM System

Thank you. Your Dell Chat session has ended.

12:22:26 AM System

Thank you. Your Dell Chat session has ended.

12:22:30 AM System

Thank you. Your Dell Chat session has ended.

12:22:35 AM System

Thank you. Your Dell Chat session has ended.

12:22:41 AM System

Thank you. Your Dell Chat session has ended.

I guess he No Speak English...

WARNING: RANT

Most of you know that I am earning a masters in education (Educational Leadership). I feel very confident in my ability to get a job as a principal in the near future due to the fact that there are many, MANY people in the program who are, shall we say, incompetent to say the least. This semester we were assigned a budget simulation project where we took the state minimum salary schedule and our own school’s salary schedule and compared them. We were to complete a budget as to how we spent categorical funds, write a two page summary, and make a PowerPoint presentation displaying the data. Some of these “educators” (and I use that term VERY loosely) need to do a quick Google search and learn some better techniques for making presentations. Below is a shortened list of things that have annoyed me this morning:

1. Too many words

2. Hard to see color

3. Font too small

4. Graphs too small

5. USING ALL CAPS

6. Annoying clipart

7. Unable to open presentation from flash drive

…and possibly the WORST one of all,

8. Reading the entire presentation

Another pet peeve that I have had with this experience is the fact that I am paying for a master’s level education and professors are still assigning busy work.

Why assign questions at the end of chapters? Discuss them.

Why assign students to teach the chapter? That is why I am paying YOU $300+ to teach.

I truly feel regret for students and teachers who will have these future instructional leaders.

Snopes and Obama

I love arguing politics with people...especially with Wayne & Rhonda...especially Rhonda...because she gets so ruffled up!

One thing that particularly gets on my nerves though is when people (especially those who know my political views) forward emails to me defaming political candidates. I have received no less than 27 emails on subjects ranging from Obama's not pledging to the flag, to his values, to his campaign financing, to distorted family photos. The problem is most of these email forwards claim to have checked out on snopes.com, a website dedicated to determining the truthfulness of email forwards and other urban legends. However, when you actually READ the article on snopes.com the forwards are proven wrong...People, people, people...check your sources...nothing makes you look like a donkey's behind more than passing along these things. I like a funny picture, a joke, whatever, as much as the next guy, but please, for the love of Mike, the three of you that may read this, check your sources!

200+ Brinkley Students Boycott Benchmark Testing

It was reported Wednesday that more than 200 minority students refused to attend school (it is benchmark week in Arkansas). They were led by a local minister. His reasoning was that there are not enough black teachers and administrators in the district. I agree with the superintendent:

"It is indeed a sad comment on our society when certain individuals use their children as pawns to further their own misguided political agenda. This is a personal issue and should not reflect poorly on the fine parents and students of the Brinkley school district. The person leading this action has a long, colorful history of these types of distorted antics."

This action will only hurt the school district because funds are allocated according to test scores. I think the minister responsible should be held liable. I think the Brinkley school district should bring it before a judge and fine all those involved for truancy.

If he is as intelligent as he thinks he is he should look at the number of minoritied who hold a masters and are certified to be an administrator that are in the area. Let's face it. Brinkley is in the delta. Delta schools do not pay as much. You do the math.

This is disgraceful...

Bryant Teacher Charged With Sexual Assault

Twenty five-year old Joseph Bresnahan is the Assistant Band Director at Bryant High School when he arrived on campus Tuesday morning, he was sent home, suspended with pay.

Tuesday afternoon, he was arrested at his home in Bryant on four counts of sexual assault. The victim was a 15-year old male student. Word of the arrest spread quickly as parents picked their kids up at Bryant North.

"Well, if it's true, they need to fire him and throw him in jail," says Randy Sanders.

Police say the assaults of the 15-year old boy occurred at Bresnahan's apartment in Bryant. Four separate assaults over three months and the last one occurred in recent days.

"It is very important for the parents to pay attention to their kids and start watching what they're doing and pay attention to their reactions to the phone calls they receive and so on," says Sgt. Harold Edmonson with the Bryant Police Department.

FOX16 knocked on Bresnahan's door, but no one answered.

"It's terribly shocking, I mean this is such a nice community, it's such a Christian faith based place, and it is shocking," says Jerry Bowers.

Bryant Police said it's the first time they've ever investigated an alleged sexual assault of a teacher against a student.

Randy Sanders says, "You wouldn't expect it to happen anywhere, but it seems like it happens everywhere. So you just deal with it, I've got a good kid, I'm not worried about her, but you never know."

"You know, of course it's disgusting that anybody in authority would do something like that, it's horrible," says Jerry Bowers.

Sources close to the investigation confirmed to FOX16 that it was the mother of the victim who alerted police Tuesday morning.

Bryant is not Joseph Bresnahan's first teaching job, after graduating from Harding University, he was a Band Director at Vilonia High School for three years.

He goes before a judge Wednesday morning.

This Guy Dosen't Even Deserve to Be Alive!

Man Electrocuted While Trying to Steal Copper

March 11, 2007--Posted at 12:40 pm CST
WIDENER- Authorities say a man trying to steal copper from highline electric poles was electrocuted when he touched a live wire.
36 year-old Terry Padgett of Shell Lake, died overnight Thursday. His body was spotted on U.S. 70 near Widener by a motorist, who alerted St. Francis County authorities.
When deputies arrived, they discovered Padgett had been holding a long pole with a cutter on the end. Investigators said downed wire cut from other poles was found nearby.
Copper theft has been a problem for more than a year because of high prices paid at scrap yards.