Cynical Optimist

Is today.

John Stuart Mill once said, “War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things; the decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks nothing worth a war, is worse.” The moment we believe our freedoms inevitable, we cease to live in history and sour the soldier’s sacrifice. Our freedoms–purchased on the battlefield–are indeed “worthy of war.”

This is the time we honor our veterans for their sacrifices on our behalf. Take the time throughout the day to say “thank you” to any veterans you may meet. Write a letter to the editor. Hang the Flag at your house. Put together a care package and send it to the troops. Hire a vet. Make a contribution to a veterans organization. Say a prayer.

There are many ways to honor our veterans, and should not be limited to one day a year. It’s your choice. Many people fought and died so you could have a choice. Make one.

Thank you veterans. Today and every day.

Tags: Politics, Random Thoughts, War by Cynical Optimist
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Saw this on a blog written by a soldier currently deployed to Afghanistan.

So I get an email the other day that says my XBox live membership is due to automatically renew in a month. Huh?!?! So I go online to the page for my account and what do you know there is no option to not automatically renew or to cancel. According to their FAQ to do that you need to call. Well here is the dilemma. Believe it or not I have internet access here but no phone access. It’s only every now and then that I get to a phone. So I fired off an email explaining my situation. I was very polite and expected some kind of help. Here is the reply I got.

Thank you for writing to Xbox Live. We are sorry to hear that you want to cancel your Xbox Live subscription. As much as I would like to help you over email, all cancellation problems are being addressed through our phone support line. We at email support line do not have the capabilities to pull up your account, since this issue has a degree of sensitivity. Be advised that by canceling your subscription, you will lose any remaining time on the service in addition to your gamer tag and game rankings.If you still want to cancel, please call our Xbox Phone Support. We may require personal information for verification which cannot be divulged over email. When you call, immediate action will be given to your inquiries or request.

My response

Did you even read my email? I am in Afghanistan! I DO NOT HAVE ANY MEANS OF USING A PHONE. If I can bank over the internet you can cancel my lowly little xbox live account over the internet. Thousands of businesses are capable of identifying me over the internet, I’m pretty sure Microsoft can.Your website will even let me add another credit card or change any other aspect of my membership but it won’t let me choose not to automaticly renew or cancel. Yea right, I’m sure that has to do with “personal information being passed over email.” While you may not have the ability to help me you need to forward this to someone who can. If my membership is renewed and I am charged for xbox live when I have no means of using it then I will never ever purchase another piece of Microsoft software again.

Their response

Thank you for contacting Microsoft online support for XBOX. I am (Name) and I will be helping you today with this issue. I apologize for the inconvenience. I understand that you are from Afghanistan and need to call Xbox Customer Support to cancel your account. You may call any of the numbers listed below that is nearest your region:

My response

Apparently you did not read my message either. I am not from Afghanistan. I am an American serviceman deployed to Afghanistan. I HAVE NO ACCESS TO A PHONE. DO NOT RENEW MY XBOX LIVE MEMBERSHIP!!!!!!!! I AM GETTING TIRED OF REPEATING MYSELF. This is all strangely reminiscent of the whole AOL cancellation debacle. You all have no security issues with me changing a credit card or any other sensitive aspect of my account online yet for me to not want to automatically renew is too sensitive to pass over email?!?! So, (Name) for the last time, pretty please with a cherry on top let me make myself perfectly clear, I WILL NEVER PURCHASE ANOTHER PIECE OF MICROSOFT ANYTHING IF MY XBOX LIVE MEMBERSHIP IS AUTOMATICALLY RENEWED!!!

What is wrong with people! So frustrating.

It reminds me of way back when the only way you could cancel your AOL membership was to call, but the numbers were 1) hard as hell to find, or 2) you were on terminal hold.

Obviously this guy can’t even make the call nor, if he could call, spend any time on hold. If there is anyone out there that can help him please click through to the link and do what you can.

Thanks.

Tags: Random Thoughts, War by Cynical Optimist
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I’m sure you know this song (as least part of it) from a General Electric commercial where a little boy catches wind in a jar and runs back to help the old man blow out birthday candles. I wondered who it was so I looked it up.

It’s by Donovan, a 60’s British folk singer, and it’s called “Catch the Wind.”

Here are the lyrics.

In the chilly hours and minutes,
Of uncertainty, I want to be,
In the warm hold of your loving mind.

To feel you all around me,
And to take your hand, along the sand,
Ah, but I may as well try and catch the wind.

When sundown pales the sky,
I wanna to hide a while, behind your smile,
And everywhere I’d look, your eyes I’d find.

For me to love you now,
Would be the sweetest thing, ‘twould make me sing,
Ah, but I may as well, try and catch the wind.

When rain has hung the leaves with tears,
I want you near, to kill my fears
To help me to leave all my blues behind.

For standin’ in your heart,
Is where I want to be, and I long to be,
Ah, but I may as well, try and catch the wind.

Ah, but I may as well, try and catch the wind.

Many of Donovan’s songs have stood the test of time, and the retro inclined should definitely check him out.

Tags: Random Thoughts by Cynical Optimist
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This series of videos are not just any old YouTube videos. They come from a documentary made about the Weather Underground. They are fascinatingly interesting in a perverse sort of way. It’s like looking, for 90 minutes, at the vile putrid underbelly of society that you just can’t understand.

It’s clear from watching these videos that Bill Ayers and Bernadine Dorhn were the intellectual, as well as operational leaders of this quasi-communist far left group. At the end, ask yourself why Barack Obama, or anyone else, would willingly associate with anyone of these people.

The documentary is divided into 9 parts, each about 10 minutes long. Enjoy.

Freedom of Speech is paramount in the society I live in, and freedom of speech is what you have with your vote.

Make the right choice with it.

Tags: Politics, Random Thoughts by Cynical Optimist
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