More Thoughts (Sirius and Camel Jockeys)

On Sirius, and damn ferners.

1) It would be nice if radio had an option for dimming the display. Its awfully blue, and awfully bright. My brother has a similar radio (same pricepoint and features) on XM and it comes with a scrolling choice of display colors and brightness. As it is, its awfully distracting to have on at night - and I could see the glare from it on the windhsield causing an accident.

2) The FM Modulator sucks - seriously. Its ok if Im listening to talk radio - I guess - and willing to deal with a little static. But beyond that - for music (I was trying to listen to some opera and jazz today) it makes it almost unbearable. Of course, it might be my actual unit - I have to bring it back in to the store.

3) Still, Sirius - or at least their tech support staff was fully less than helpful. If your going to have a tech support line, at least staff it with people who know the language spoken by 99% of your customers, don't have a camel jockey's attitude, and know basic things about your products (like the fact that nearly all Sirius Radios use an FM Modulator to transmit the broadcast from teh Sirius Radio to the car stereo.


Which brings me to a rant on these people generally.

Here I am, in a small small town in North Georgia and I go to the gas station to use their air pump and fill up the tires on my kids bike. Its the local Chevron, and right next to the building is an air pump. These days, they charge for air, and so I dutifully deposit my 50 cents. Nothing happens.

I go inside and the Indian kid behind the counter (his mere presence is shock enough) tries to explain to me that they don't control the pump, that someone leases the space from them, and that they ought to put up a sign saying its broken. All is well, and civil, till I ask for a refund of my 50 cents (not so much cause it was 50 cents, but cause I needed to get air somewhere else and they were the only 2 quarters I had on me). Immediatly, he bagan to fiegn no understanding of english. Wouldn't answer me. Told me - not our pump. I only emplyee. I asked who I should speak to, he again says - I only employee. I asked who owned the store - his response - I don't speak english, I only employee.

At that point, I had enough, and needed to get back to make it into Chattanooga to see Night at the Museum and left.

There was a major NY Times article on the race relation problems that have erupted in this county in Georgia between the recent indian immigrants who are working (and owning) all the convience stores and the local population. The sheriff busted hundreds of them in alarge meth sting and the NY Times screamed foul. Frankly, as far as I am concerned, if even a small percentage are as dishonest as this piece of shit was (and from what our neighbors tell us, they are) then the whole lot ought to be thrown out.