Updated: Fun w/XM Radio

So on Friday, April 9th I could no longer login to my XM Online account. I'd get an error that my account was deactivated and when I attempted to update my subscribed Radio ID, it told me it was not valid and kicked me out. Now, this has been working fine since I paid the $2.99/mo fee in March when the bastards changed the contract to exclude XM Online for free on subscribed radios. I balked but then paid, mainly cause I enjoy catching the same shows at work.

With my XM Online account not working, I decided to send an email to their support team. face-palms ensue.

From Me to XM:
Greetings, up until yesterday my xm-online stopped working. Today when I try to go through it told me my subscription isn't valid and to put my radio ID in there. When I do, I now get an error saying my Radio ID (-removed-) does not have a valid subscription. I check on my XM account and it is valid and working (and I just got billed for it). Any ideas whats going on?

Thanks,
Brandon
"The normal make a living, the deranged make history." - Christopher Titus

XM to Me
Dear Mr. Titus, [ed: Titus??]

Thank you for contacting XM.

We are sorry to hear about the difficulties you had experienced with your XM Radio Online. We will be more than happy to assist you. Please note that the XM Radio Online listening platform has been upgraded to deliver a higher quality digital audio but is no longer provided free as a part of a base satellite subscription. [no shit, that's why I was subscribed] Internet streaming has been upgraded to 128Kbps and is available for $2.99 when you add Premium XM Radio Online to your account. We do apologize for any inconvenience caused.

If we can be of further assistance, please feel free to send an additional email or you may contact a Listener Care Representative directly at 1-800-XM RADIO (800-967-2346). Our Listener Care Center's hours of operation are as follows:

Monday-Saturday: 8 AM-11 PM ET
Sunday: 8AM-8PM ET

Thank you,
Alicia


XM Radio Inc.
1500 Eckington Place NE
Washington, D.C. 20002
www.xmradio.com
XM Listener Care: 1-800-967-2346

Me to XM
Greetings,
I understand that I need to pay extra for XM Online Radio and have been for about a month. While I'm not pleased that a service I once got for free is now $2.99/mo extra but I can live with that. What I emailed about was the fact that now when I attempt to login to the Web Site I get an error saying my XM Online subscription has been disabled, then it asks me to input my current, valid XM Radio ID. When I do that I get the following message;

The Radio ID you registered is not eligible for XM Radio Online. However, you can subscribe to XM Radio Online by visiting http://listen.xmradio.com. If you feel that you have received this message in error, please email XM Listener Care at lccstreaming@xmradio.com for assistance.

Now, even if I do decide to pay $7.99/mo without using my radio for the upgrade, i doesn't work. I *still* get the account deactivated error.

So basically, my XM Radio Online account doesn't work, period. Can you please fix?

Also, my name is Brandon Butler, not Christopher Titus (Titus is the comedian that came up with the quote at the end of my email.)

Thanks,
Brandon

XM to Me
Dear Mr. Titus, [ed: I'm not TITUS dammit!]

Thank you for contacting XM.

We have received your email and we must apologize for the difficulties that you have encountered accessing online listening. In addition, we are sorry to hear about the difficulties that you have encountered adding the Online Premium package ($2.99 plus applicable taxes) to your subscription. If you would like for us to apply the Online Premium package for you, please send us an additional email and we would be happy to assist you.

If we can be of further assistance, please feel free to send an additional email or you may contact a Listener Care Representative directly at 1-800-XM RADIO (800-967-2346). Our Listener Care Centers hours of operation are as follows:

Monday-Saturday 8 AM - 11 PM ET
Sunday 8AM - 8 PM ET

Thank you,
Claudia

XM Radio Inc.
1500 Eckington Place NE
Washington, D.C. 20002
www.xmradio.com
XM Listener Care: 1-800-967-2346

I finally just sent an email saying "Just update it for me." We'll see what happens next.

Update: Just heard back from XM/Sirius

Dear Mr. Titus, [Titus again!? ARG!]

Thank you for contacting XM.

We are more than willing to provide assistance regarding your request.

Unfortunately, we were unable to create the premium XM Radio Online account for you, as we have received the ?invalid? error message. As such, we have submitted a ticket to our Technical Department to report the problem. Upon resolution we will contact you at the following telephone number and/or email address.

Telephone Number: (XXX) XXX-XXXX
Email Address: XXXX@XXXX.XXX

Your patience in this matter is appreciated.

If we can be of further assistance, please feel free to send an additional email or you may contact a Listener Care Representative directly at 1-800-XM RADIO (800-967-2346). Our Listener Care Centers hours of operation are as follows:

Monday - Saturday: 8AM ? 11PM EST
Sunday: 8AM - 8PM EST

Thank you,
Nadine

XM Radio Inc.
1500 Eckington Place NE
Washington, D.C. 20002
www.xmradio.com
XM Listener Care: 1-800-967-2346

Professor explains stimulus package (joke)

Friend of mine forwarded me this joke earlier today and with all the recent discussion on twitter about the stim package, I figured it was appropriate, enjoy.

Shortly after class, an economics student approaches his professor and says,

"I don't understand this stimulus bill. Can you explain it to me?"

The professor replied, "I don't have any time to explain it at my office, but if you come over to my house on Saturday and help me with my weekend project, I'll be glad to explain it to you."

The student agreed.

At the agreed-upon time, the student showed up at the professor's house. The professor stated that the weekend project involved his backyard pool. They both went out back to the pool, and the professor handed the student a bucket. Demonstrating with his own bucket, the professor said, "First, go over to the deep end, and fill your bucket with as much water as you can."
The student did as he was instructed.

The professor then continued, "Follow me over to the shallow end, and then dump all the water from your bucket into it."

The student was naturally confused, but did as he was told.

The professor then explained they were going to do this many more times, and began walking back to the deep end of the pool.

The confused student asked, "Excuse me, but why are we doing this?"

The professor matter-of-factly stated that he was trying to make the shallow end much deeper.

The student didn't think the economics professor was serious, but figured that he would find out the real story soon enough. However, after the 6th trip between the shallow end and the deep end, the student began to become worried that his economics professor had gone mad. The student finally replied, "All we're doing is wasting valuable time and effort on unproductive pursuits. Even worse, when this process is all over, everything will be at the same level it was before, so all you'll really have accomplished is the destruction of what could have been truly productive action!"

The professor put down his bucket and replied with a smile, "Congratulations. You now understand the stimulus bill."

Random Thought Friday for the last week of Feb.

Another random thought Friday, and a pay Friday (for me) at that! It's been a long week, that's for sure. Today's RTF includes continuation of the pirate bay trial and various other things that caught my attention over the past week or so, Enjoy.

Pirate Bay Witness' wife overwhelmed with flowers
http://torrentfreak.com/pirate-bay-witness-wife-overwhelmed-with-flowers-090227/

Pirate Bay trail day 9
http://torrentfreak.com/pirate-bay-trial-day-9-bittorrent-is-not-evil-090226/

Divers find hotel 300ft deep in Lake Jocassee
http://www.inquisitr.com/18788/lake-jocassee/

Illegal Immigrant slavery in Florida's tomato picking industry
http://www.gourmet.com/magazine/2000s/2009/03/politics-of-the-plate-the-price-of-tomatoes

Microsoft suing TomTom, 3 of the 8 claims refer to filesystem patents the Microsoft owns
http://gadgets.boingboing.net/2009/02/25/its-on-microsoft-sue.html

UCPA runs "Snip City" campaign, invites men to schedule a March Madness vasectomy
http://www.urologycp.com/SNIP_CITY_Press.html

Herpes rise linked to Beer Pong
http://www.asylum.com/2009/02/24/herpes-rise-linked-to-beer-pong/

Russian man dies of Viagra Overdoes, goes out on top!
http://www.asylum.com/2009/02/27/russian-man-dies-of-viagra-overdose-goes-out-on-top/?icid=200100397x1219546649x1201338291

Top 5 misleading propaganda videos from the 40s, 50s and 60s
http://www.esquire.com/blogs/lists/five-funny-propaganda-videos-110708

The Pirate Bay trials...

I've been keeping up with The Pirate Bay trials recently and there is some very interesting day to day coverage over at TorrentFreak (http://www.torrentfreak.com/search/pirate%20bay%20trial). Whether you believe file-sharing is morally wrong or not, its interesting to see it being challenged in a place that has different laws than here in the States. For the most part, file-sharing is largely legal in Sweden, at least for now.

It is interesting how little knowledge prosecutors have of disorganized, well, organizations. I didn't expect them to know a whole lot about the underlying tech of torrents but to not understand there is no 'kingpin' that runs TPB in these days just seems a little odd to me. There are some good quotes as well in the trial notes by torrent freak, such as the revelation that the IFPI was going to sue google for infringement.