Virgin Post Paid Woes

Virgins disappointed us with its service - it first stopped our internet at 1GB and when we called to find out they said ops sorry, you have internet worth 5GB.

So far so good, they apologized. Then they go and charge us for AUD 650 of calls we never made and now we've been asked to wait for the bill to prove it.

As I guessed there are other complainers and suggestions I could find to tackle this:

----

the operator said the call was for around 1h 40 mins.

it was a landline which is charged at the same rate as a mobile call.

im resigned to accepting the fact of having to pay $250 for that 1 call. i cant think of any way of proving them wrong.

I'd suggest waiting for the bill to arrive. Personally, I wouldn't rely on what I was told by 3 Care, especially if it seems unusual.

If you're absolutely certain you only spoke for 15-20 minutes, you could try lodging a complaint with the TIO. If 3 still refuses to credit the disputed amount, and you think it would make you feel better, keep escalating the complaint all the way to Level 4. If 3 is using their system to screw you out of $250, you may as well use the TIO's system to screw them out of $1000 (the approximate amount 3 has to pay the TIO for each Level 4 complaint).

---

In the dealings I've had with Three, I've found the call centre is good at dealing with simple stuff. For difficult issues, I've found it easier to go to a Three store (not a dealer) and ask them. They will usually try to help and have a more practical outlook on the situation than the call centre staff sometimes do.

---

I too had a bad experience going from Virgin prepaid to Virgin postpaid. The problem was in phone number porting — they had extreme trouble doing that and it took them nearly three weeks! To top that off, they stuffed up my next few bills too (billing me for two numbers etc)! Virgin mobile postpaid is really really terrible — avoid it at all costs (unless all mobile carriers are on a par with them; in which case stick with prepaid!).

The Virgin Mobile philosophy: If we stuff our customers around enough, they will have to give in and pay us money!

----

What does a person do to get this resolved?

Write to "Matt Davey, General Manager, Virgin Mobile" *BY REGISTERED POSTAL MAIL*:

Mr. Matt Davey
Virgin Mobile
Locked Bag 17
Royal Exchange
NSW 1225

and ask for a WRITTEN REPLY BY POSTAL MAIL.

Not call them, not email them, not fax them.

Ensure you tell them that they need to "hire a programmer to fix systemic problems once and for all".

That's the only way you'll get the matter resolved permanently.

---

http://www.tio.com.au/

Forward your letter of complaint to them.
My friend has had similar problems with Virgin customer service. Demand to speak to an Australian call centre and express your dismay at their poor levels of service.

August Book Fairs

Combining both sites information, there are book fairs in August:

1. Newcastle university

2. Lifeline (northern)

3. Edinburgh Intl

4. Aus childrens

5. Geelong rotary club

BCL:

• Friends of the University of Newcastle Book Fair - 1 to 8 August 2009. Great Hall of the University of Newcastle, Cnr King and Auckland St, Newcastle, New South Wales.
  
• Edinburgh International Book Festival - 15 to 31 August 2009. Edinburgh, Scotland.
  
• Australian Children's Book Week - 22 to 28 August 2009. This year's theme is 'Fuel your mind.'
  
• Lifeline Book Fair Northern Beaches - 28 to 30 August 2009. Entry by gold coin donation. Cnr Jackson and Boondah Rds, Warriewood, New South Wales.

Lifeline:

1-8 University of Newcastle Bookfair
14-16 Rotary Club of Geelong Book Fair
23 Fifties Fair, Historic Houses Trust, Sydney
28-30 Lifeline Northern Beaches Book Fair

BCL Books

Besides Lifeline, there is another site I came across; now its going to be combining info from both sites so each month will have its book fairs list in my organizer.

Site:
http://www.bclbooks.com.au/bookfestandfairs.htm

Word Of The Day - Nemesis

1. By extension, a “nemesis” is an avenger. One's nemesis is that which will bring on one's destruction or downfall.

2. A source of harm or ruin: Uncritical trust is my nemesis.
3. Retributive justice in its execution or outcome: To follow the proposed course of action is to invite nemesis.
4. An opponent that cannot be beaten or overcome.
5. One that inflicts retribution or vengeance.
6. Greek Mythology The goddess of retributive justice or vengeance.

7. something that a person cannot conquer, achieve, etc.: The performance test proved to be my nemesis.

8. an opponent or rival whom a person cannot best or overcome.

9. (initial capital letter) Classical Mythology. the goddess of divine retribution.

10. an agent or act of retribution or punishment.

Globophobes

Book: Fences & windows by Naomi Klein

Rating: 3/5 ***

Here are some quotes from the book:

• '...it is possible to challenge imperialism while embracing plurality, progress and deep democracy...to expose all the invisble worlds between the economic fundamentalism of mcworld and the religious fundamentalism of jihad. The strength of the movement of movements has ben that it offers a real alternative to the homogenization & centralization represented by globalization. No one sector or country can claim it, no one intellectual elite can control it and that is its secret weapon.'
• 'In this new kind of war terrorists are finding their weapons in our tattered public infrastructures. This is true not only in rich countries such as the US but also in poor countries, where fundamentalism has been spreading rapidly. Where debt and war have ravaged infrastructure, fanatical sugar daddies like bin laden are able to swoop in and start providing basic services that should be the job of government: road, schools, health clinics, even basic sanitation. In Sudan, it was bin laden who built the road that enabled the construction of the talisman oil pipeline pumping resoiurces to the fovernment for its brutal ethnic war. The extreme islamic seminaries in Pakistan that indoctrinated so many taliban leaders thrive precisely because they fill a huge social welfare gap. In a country that spends 90% of its budget on its military & debt and a pittance on its education, the madrassas offer not only free classrooms but also food and shelter for poor children.'
• 'What do we hold on to when so much that is powerful is virtual - currency trades, stock prices, intellectual property and arcane trade agreements?'
• 'Marcos in gay in San Francisco, black in South Africa, an Asian in Europe, a Palestinian in Israel, a Mayan Indian in the streets of San Cristobal, a Jew in Germany, a gypsy n Poland, a Mohawk in Quebec, a pacifist in Bosnia, a single woman on the Metro @ 10pm, a peasant without land, a gang member in the slims, an unemployed worker, an unhappy student and of course a Zapatista in the mountains.'
• '...NGOs that might otherwise collaborate often compete with one another for publicity and funding.'
• 'If they are angry, as millions clearly are, its because they have seen the promises betrayed by the US policy. Despite president bushs insistence that Americas enemies resent its liberties, most critics of the US dont actually object to Americas stated values. Instead, they point to US unilateralism in the face of international laws, widening welath disparities, crackdowns on immigrants and human rights violators - most recently in the prison camps of Guantanamo Bay. The anger comes not only from the facts of each case but also from a clear perception of false advertising. In other words, Americas problem is not with its brand - which could scarcely be stronger - but with its product.'
• '...first create a climate of fear and tension, then suspend constitutional rights in the interest of protecting public order.'
• 'Napster defenders argue that they dont pirate CDs but rather swap mix tapes. They get to know and trust one anothers taste and they argue they end up buying more music becayse they are exposed to more of it. They also say they have been driven to create this alternative by inflated CD prices & the hideously homogenous rotation of pop on video stations & commerical radio.'
• 'It increasingly seems that what is on trial in Europe is the tyranny of economies of scale that governs every aspect of food production, distribution and consimption.'
• 'When we debate this model, we are not discussing the merits of trading goods and services across borders but the effects of profound corporatization aroudn the world; the ways in which the commons is being transformed and rearranged - cut back, privatized, deregulated - all in t he name of participating and competing in the global trading system. What is being designed at the WTO is not rules for trade but a template for one-size-fits-all-government, a kind of 'McRule'. And its this template that is under dispute.'
• '...their direct experience with communism & capitalism has taught them tha the two sustems have something in common : they both centralize power in the hands of a few, and they both treat people as if they are less than fully humans. Where communism saw them only as potential producers, capitalism sees them only as potential consumers; where communism starved their beautiful capital, capitalism has overfed it, turning Prague into a Velvet Revolution theme park.'
  

Macarthur Lifeline Shops

A list of all the outlets they have in my area, Macarthur:

Lifeline Outer West Retail Outlets

BARGO Treasures on Railside

Click here for more information

Rememberance Drive 2574

Ph/Fax 4684 1190

Mon - Fri 9:30am - 4:30pm Sat 9:00am - 1:00pm

CAMDEN Treasures on Argyle

Click here for more information

147 Argyle Street 2570

Ph 4655 8033 Fax 4655 8803

Mon - Fri 9:00am - 5:00pm Sat 9:00am - 1:00pm

CAMPBELLTOWN

Click here for more information

Shop 13 Dumaresq Street

Ph/Fax 4628 5451

Mon - Fri 9:00am - 5:00pm Sat 9:00am - 2:00pm

INGLEBURN

Click here for more information

64a Oxford Road 2565

Ph/Fax 9829 3057

Mon - Fri 9:00am - 5:00pm Sat 9:00am - 2:00pm

KATOOMBA

Click here for more information

142 Katoomba Street 2780

Ph/Fax 4782 7591

Mon - Fri 9:00am - 5.00pm Sat 10:00am - 2:00pm

LIVERPOOL Treasures on Macquarie

Click here for more information

Cnr Macquarie and Campbell Street 2571

Ph/Fax 9821 4901

Mon - Fri 9:30am - 4:30pm Sat 9:00am - 12:00pm

MOSS VALE

Click here for more information

418 Argyle Street 2577

Ph 4868 2283 Fax 4868 3287

Mon - Fri 9:00am - 5:00pm Sat 9:00am - 1:00pm

NARELLAN

Click here for more information

8-10 Queen Street 2567

Ph 4648 2224 Fax 4646 1734

Mon - Fri 9:00am - 5:00pm Sat 9:00am - 3:00pm

Plus the last Sunday of every month 10.00am - 2.00pm

THIS ONES THE BEST:

NARELLAN BOOK SHOP

Click here for more information

8-10 Queen Street 2567

Ph 4648 2224 Fax 4646 1734

Mon - Fri 9:00am - 5:00pm Sat 9:00am - 3:00pm

Plus the last Sunday of every Month 10.00am - 2.00pm

Lifeline Narellan’ s Own Book Shop

Lifeline Macarthur at Narellan has a house full of books at the Book Shop, next door to the Narellan Shop.

8-10 Queen Street 2567

Ph 4648 2224 Fax 4646 1734

Mon - Fri 9:00am - 5:00pm Sat 9:00am - 3:00pm

Plus the last Sunday of every Month 10.00am - 2.00pm

At the Book shop there are more than 30,000 second hand books to browse through.

There is something for everyone to be found with a variety of more than 100 different subjects. You’ll find romance, novels, hard cover soft cover, short stories, craft, travel, text, rare and collectable, teen, children, education, facts, fiction and magazines and more.

You may be looking for a particular Author or a book that is missing from your collection. Just come in and ask our wonderful staff and volunteers who will be more than happy to help you find what you’re looking for.

It will blow your mind whether you are a book lover or not. When you walk in its wall to wall books. New customers are so impressed with Lifelines book shop they walk out with a smile and comment in an non-Australian accent "I'll be back".

If you are a book lover and you are interested in volunteering, to help keep track of all these wonderful books, pop in to see our staff and they will be more than happy to have you join our wonderful team at Lifeline Macarthur.

It's like having book fairs in one spot all year round.

PENRITH

Click here for more information

109 Henry Street 2750

Ph/Fax 4721 7603

Mon - Fri 9:00am - 5:00pm Sat 9:00am - 1:00pm

RIVERSTONE

Click here for more information

Shop 4, 15 Pitt Street 2765

Ph/Fax 9627 5436

Mon - Fri 9:00am - 4:00pm

SPRINGWOOD

Click here for more information

10-11 Raymond Mall,

cnr Raymond Road & Springwood Avenue 2777

Ph/Fax 4751 2137

Mon - Fri 9:00am - 4:00pm Sat 9:00am - 1:00pm

ST MARYS

Click here for more information

203 Queen Street 2760

Ph/Fax 9833 8146

Mon - Fri 9:00am - 4:30pm

TAHMOOR Treasures on the Drive

Click here for more information

Shop 3, 147 Rememberance Drive 2573

Ph/Fax 4683 0953

Mon - Fri 9:00am - 5:00pm Sat 9:00am - 2:00pm

For all the Lifeline shops in Australia, here is the site:

http://www.lifeline.org.au/learn_more/locations

Revolting For The Sake Of It

Though its been a very long time since the publishing of the Danish cartoons, a relatively new documentary 'Why Democarcy - Is God Democratic' has sparked my interests in the close mindedness and extremism thats dominating peoples minds. Its being happening from time immemorial - prejudices, revolutions, anarchists, revolts...plain and simple terror. Whats new with whats happening now in Iran or, as this documentary traces back, in 2005 in Denmark & France? Its only going to get worse.

I cant help but scoffle at the so-called experts of religion who claim that they are being laughed at, at which I immediately thought this - if you provoke your people to resort to violent, bloody riots, setting embassies on fire and the likes and then accept no responsibility, it just makes us laugh at you; further more, when they CHOOSE which path, violent over non-violent, to retaliate because of their "hurt feelings", yes, then, we DO laugh at them. How about if they asked themselves - if we take to the streets peacefully (just as those in the book Im reading, countless examples in Naomi Klein's 'fences & windows'), we could get our point across, that we do not accept this insult.

Would they react the same way about Jesus, who is also a prophet like Mohammed? Favouritism perhaps?

A shocking retaliation was an iranian cartoon competition editor who said that the west would never accept cartoons on the holocaust, so why should we accept theirs.

Turns out the French were a step ahead, or the Danish newspaper, Im not sure. They were prepared to publish them and said ok listen so if we do it, you gotta let us as well, But the iranians didnt even get back to them; no holocaust no mohammed. I guess they just refused to budge.

Its scary actually, the world in which we live in - on one end, there are pressing matters for both the west and the east, regardless of creed, culture and religion. On the other end, people take such small matters and blow it out of propotion. Of course its a small issue, has someone murdered, took away their home/shelter, food and clothing, any dire urgent need to get out there and burn stuff. What rights have actually been violated? Its really simple, people can say what they want about what you believe, its in the end your choice to react or not and most times, reacting doesnt get your anywhere.

Im watching one person after another coming off as arrogant and believe it or not, insulting to the Danish journalist and it angers me. What gave them the right to say :

- 'which planet do you think you come from and you teach us' (the interivewer was just trying to find an active demonstrator and pressing this guy when he said he needed permission to get to one part of Iran)

- 'you take that back otherwise I walk away from the interview' (in reaction to the interviewer asking him if he feels responsible for the riots that took place)

Numerous other examples of this attitude.

MY favourite cartoon was mohammed standing up in the clouds looking down and telling his followers - dont send any more bombers, we're running out of virgins. LOL.

And its not just islam, its christanity too (though Im christian, Im leaning more and more towards being agnostic), watch 'Jesus camp' and tell me otherwise. Both religions are pushing kids on being religios militants, fighting for this god, for this salvation. Where will these people go at the end of time?

or allah for that matter!

We are now not allowed to

• poke fun
• criticize
• challenge idealogies

Its not just a limitation for media, artisit, filmmakes, dramatists, its for all people - freedom of speech. That right there is to dampen true democracy. No one and nothing can restrict that freedom. Now, people are just scared, if we say or publish or enact something and we have another Danish riot replay, why bother. Lets just stick to political correctness, of course we still believe in freedom but with limits. Soon we wont be allowed to eat pork cause it will offend some. We might have to watch how we dress, walk, talk...Im not one to walk on egg shells, I dont know about you!

Life In Black & White

Crossing Paths

We often meet people who touch our lives and then we wonder if we'd cross paths again...

• delphine coultroup
• deepa c.j.
• saabrin jafar

I hope they are blessed as I am.

Discovering Bibliophiles

I was pleasantly surprised to find so many book lovers connected to Lifeline just like me. Its great just to know theyre out there not that I minded being the only one along with my husband. Being a geeky gurls not too bad. Now there are more out there. Shockers!

For me personally, being around books and being able to buy dirt cheap books, just means so much more after youve lived in countries that didnt offer oppurtunities to do the same. No school or university libraries worthy of any mention (barely can call themselves libraries), rare book shop finds good enough for a visit and finally places to buy off books cheap and stock up the book shelves. Most people probably think, oh big deal so shes found avenues to purchase and own books. Ohhhh trust me on this, you learn to appreciate it more once you've longed for it and finally get it, or something along those lines lol.

Now we just look at our books and we're smiling like this :-)

My husband says the books are so cheap they might as well pay as to rid them of the books, lol, I like that!

Good find:

I came across an article and I wonder if the letter was worth anything. Id probably have found out if it was worth anything just to quelch my curiosity and then frame it and hang it up the wall.
Its a letter from a world war 1 soldier, found after 91 yrs.

'A volunteer with Lifeline for 31 years, Mrs Symons said many unusual items had been found inside books over the years, including century-old photographs and postcards.'

Volunteer Mabel Symons with the letter she found inside a Bible, written by Sergeant Harry Michael Dean in 1917.
Picture: Wayne Venables (from Illawara Mercury)
site: http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/news/local/news/general/wwi-soldiers-letter-found-91-years-later/1248492.aspx

My Favourite Books

Heres a list of my favourite books in no particular order:

1. Freakonomics - Steven D. Levitt & Stephen J. Dubner
2. And then there were none - Agatha Christie
3. Bedknob & broomstick - Mary Norton
4. The wizard of oz - L. Frank Baum
5. Perfume, The story of a murderer - Patrick Suskind
6. In the hot zone - Kevin Sites
7. The beach - Alex Garland
8. To kill a mocking bird - Harper Lee
9. The hot zone - Richard Preston
10. The holy blood & the holy grail - Michael Baigent & Richard Leigh & Henry Lincoln
11. Love & marriage - Bill Cosby
12. Down under - Bill Bryson
13. Memoirs of a geisha - Arthur Golden
14. Like the flowing river - Paulo Coelho
15. Among the cannibals - Paul Raffaele
16. Malice - Danielle Steel
    

Another Book Fair

I came across this, what might possibly be our coming weekends highlight; looks good, but Im not sure if we'll go due to the driving distance, but here it is anyway:

nb: its also for a good cause so yay!!!

2009 RIDBC Book, Toy and Music Fair

	8am, 18 July 2009
	Free
	Kaye Bailey on (02) 9872 0329
	Tell someone about this event

Come pick up a bargain at the Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children’s annual Book, Toy and Music Fair. A great opportunity to donate or purchase items such as books, magazines, toys, CD’s, DVD’s, videos and records.

Date: Saturday 18 July and Sunday 19 July

Time: 8am – 3pm

Where: RIDBC Thomas Pattison School hall - RIDBC 361-365 North Rocks Road, North Rocks

Cost: Free entry

Enquiries: Kaye Bailey (02) 9872 0329 or Kaye.Bailey@ridbc.org.au

If you would like to donate books, DVD’s, CD’s, records and toys to the 2009 RIDBC Book, Toy and Music Fair, please contact Kaye.Bailey@ridbc.org.au at the Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children, 361-365 North Rocks Rd, North Rocks. Phone Kaye on 02 9872 0329.

Presented by the Abstract Committee, with all proceeds going to the Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children

For more information, please contact Kaye Bailey on (02) 9872 0329

Website:

http://www.ridbc.org.au/news/event.asp?id=128

Banksy...best of