Why I am ready to leave AT&T

AT&T will not have my service for much longer. They are a bunch of money hungry you know whats!!

I have been a customer for many years. I recived my last bill and the prices are ridiculous. Start with my main phone. I was paying $31.00/month for the Complete Choice package that includes unlimited local and most features that they offer. I was also paying $23.99/month for unlimited long distance. That should come out to be $54.99 but my bill is $71.25. The rest ($16.26) is in taxes and fees. I don't use the long distance that much since I have a cell phone and many of the features I don't use either.

Time to change. I go online to make the changes. I choose the Preferred Pack Plan which includes unlimited local and 5 features (the ones that I uses) for $28.00/month. I choose the One Rate Basic Plan for long distance which is $0.12/minute with no monthly fee. Basically I should be saving $26.99 before taxes and fees.

Now here is my problem... I am charged $1.00 for making the changes, no big deal. When I print my confirmation, I notice one feature was not taken off my account and it cost $7.00/month. I cannot remove it online, so I have to call them. After calling them, and getting through the push 1 for this, etc. including telling it 3 different times I wanted English, I am told that it is not on my account. They recheck and tell me that it is and they will remove it. Then I bring up the $1.00 charge. I ask what it is for. I am told, since I am not a Complete Choice customer, I am charged for any changes to my account and that the fee really is a little over $5.00.

I don't understand how they can justify the fee for changing my service when there is nothing that they have to do... everything was done online without any human interaction. The fees, they are a joke too.

On the local service:
$4.68 in local, state, and federal taxes and fees (I am fine with these)
$6.50 FCC Authorized Charge for Network Access
$0.73 Fed Univ Svc Chrg

On my long distance service:
$1.79 NC - State/Local Tax (I am fine with this)
$0.99 Carrier Cost Recovery Fee (Isn't this part of my regular fee?)
$1.59 Federal Universal Service Fund Fee (What me paying it on my local service isn't enough?)

OK, that is on my main line... did I mention that I have 2 lines?

My second line is my "data" line that I use for faxing and my DSL. It is a basic line with unlimited local service only ($18.75) and 3MB DSL ($37.95).

So lets look at taxes and fees again.
$3.47 in local, state, and federal taxes and fees (again, I am fine with these)
$6.50 FCC Authorized Charge for Network Access
$0.71 Fed Univ Svc Chrg

To sum it up. I pay $26.96 per month in taxes and fees on my two lines.

I didn't even mention that even after paying all of these fees to upgrade their system and to keep it up to date, I still cannot get 6MB DSL. I have been told for over 2 years this is because their computer will not let them turn it on for me, even though the technicians have checked my line and I do have the ability and bandwidth, it is just a matter of allowing 6MB service to my account.

New Again - Brad Paisley & Sara Evans

We Remember

The proud warriors of Baker Company wanted to do something to pay tribute To our fallen comrades. So since we are part of the only Marine Infantry Battalion left in Iraq the one way that we could think of doing that is By taking a picture of Baker Company saying the way we feel. It would be awesome if you could find a way to share this with our fellow countrymen. I was wondering if there was any way to get this into your papers to let the world know that "WE HAVE NOT FORGOTTEN" and are proud to serve our country.

Semper Fi
1stSgt Dave Jobe

The attached photo was forwarded from one of the last U.S. Marine companies in Iraq. They would like to have it passed to as many people as possible, to let the folks back home know that they remember why they're there and that they remember those who've been lost.

Quotes - Part 2 of 2

Quotes - Part 1 of 2

Our Bank Account

A 92-year-old, petite, well-poised and proud man, who is fully dressed each morning by eight o'clock, with his hair fashionably combed and shaved perfectly, even though he is legally blind, moved to a nursing home today.  His wife of 70 years recently passed away, making the move necessary.

After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, he smiled sweetly when told his room was ready.  As he maneuvered his walker to the elevator, I provided a visual description of his tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been hung on his window.

"I love it," he stated with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old having just been presented with a new puppy.

"Mr. Jones, you haven't seen the room; just wait."

"That doesn't have anything to do with it," he replied.

"Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time.  Whether I like my room or not doesn't depend on how the furniture is arranged ...  it's how I arrange my mind. I already decided to love it. "It's a decision I make every morning when I wake up. I have a choice; I can spend the day in bed recounting the difficulty I have with the parts of my body that no longer work, or get out of bed and be thankful for the ones that do.  Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open, I'll focus on the new day and all the happy memories I've stored away. Just for this time in my life.

Old age is like a bank account. You withdraw from what you've put in.

So, my advice to you would be to deposit a lot of happiness in the bank account of memories!

Thank you for your part in filling my Memory bank.

I am still depositing. Remember the five simple rules to be happy:
1. Free your heart from hatred.
2. Free your mind from worries.
3. Live simply.
4. Give more.
5. Expect less.

Paul Harvey and Prayer

Paul Harvey says:

I don't believe in Santa Claus, but I'm not going to sue somebody for singing a Ho-Ho-Ho song in December.  I don't agree with Darwin, but I didn't go out and hire a lawyer when my high school teacher taught his theory of evolution. Life, liberty or your pursuit of happiness will not be endangered because someone says a 30-second prayer before a football game.

So what's the big deal? It's not like somebody is up there reading the entire book of Acts. They're just talking to a God they believe in and asking him to grant safety to the Players on the field and the fans going home from the game. But it's a Christian prayer, some will argue. Yes, and this is the United States of America, a country founded on Christian principles. According to our very own phone book, Christian churches outnumber all others better than 200 to 1.

If I went to a football game in Jerusalem, I would expect to hear a Jewish prayer.  If I went to a soccer game in Baghdad, I would expect to hear a Muslim prayer.  If I went to a ping pong match in China, I would expect to hear someone pray to Buddha.  And I wouldn't be offended. It wouldn't bother me one bit. When in Rome...

But what about the atheists is another argument.

What about them? Nobody is asking them to be baptized. We're not going to pass the collection plate. Just humor us for 30 seconds. If that's asking too much, bring a Walkman or a pair of ear plugs. Go to the bathroom. Visit the concession stand. Call your lawyer!  Unfortunately, one or two will make that call. One or two will tell thousands what they can and cannot do. I don't think a short prayer at a football game is going to shake the world's foundations.

Christians are just sick and tired of turning the other cheek while our courts strip us of all our rights.  Our parents and grandparents taught us to pray before eating; to pray before we go to sleep. Our Bible tells us to pray without ceasing. Now a handful of people and their lawyers are telling us to cease praying. God, help us. And if that last sentence offends you, well . Just sue me.

The silent majority has been silent too long. It's time we let that one or two who scream loud enough to be heard that the vast majority don't care what they want. It is time the majority rules!

It's time we tell them, you don't have to pray; you don't have to say the pledge of allegiance; you don't have to believe in God or attend services that honor Him. That is your right, and we will honor your right. But by golly, you are no longer going to take our rights away.

We are fighting back . And we WILL WIN! God bless us one and all, especially those who denounce Him. God bless America, despite all her faults. She is still the greatest nation of all.  God bless our service men that are fighting to protect our right to pray and worship God.

Hopefully 2007 will be the year the silent majority is heard and we put God back as the foundation of our families and institutions. Keep looking up.

It Was Only a Quarter

Several years ago, a preacher from out-of-state accepted a call to a church in Houston , Texas . Some weeks after he arrived, he had an occasion to ride the bus from his home to the downtown area. When he sat down, he discovered that the driver had accidentally given him a quarter too much change.

As he considered what to do, he thought to himself, "You'd better give the quarter back. It would be wrong to keep it." Then he thought, "Oh, forget it, it's only a quarter. Who would worry about this little amount? Anyway, the bus company gets too much fare; they will never miss it. Accept it as a 'gift from God' and keep quiet."

When his stop came, he paused momentarily at the door, then he handed the quarter to the driver and said, "Here, you gave me too much change."

The driver, with a smile, replied, "Aren't you the new preacher in town? I have been thinking a lot lately about going somewhere to worship. I just wanted to see what you would do if I gave you too much change. I'll see you at church on Sunday."

When the preacher stepped off of the bus, he literally grabbed the nearest light pole, held on, and said, "Oh God, I almost sold your Son for a quarter."

Our lives are the only Bible some people will ever read. This is a really scary example of how much people watch us as Christians and will put us to the test!

Always be on guard and remember that you carry the name of Christ on your shoulders when you call yourself "Christian."  Watch your thoughts; they become words. Watch your words; they become actions. Watch your actions; they become habits. Watch your habits; they become character. Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.