Amazon.com Ban-nation, Vols/Bruins’ Thoughts, And Losing Jeff Kent is Addition by Subtraction?
Quick-hitters:
- Once again, I have allowed two rebates to go right up to the 30-day postmark deadline.
I guess this is a sign that I better start using MS Outlook or something :P.
- If I hear It’s Not My Time by 3 Doors Down one more time on Sirius Internet Radio, I might have to throw something through my computer screen.
Seriously…enough already! I almost miss the days where Sirius was (seemingly) contractually obligated to play one Coldplay song on one of its stations at all times.
Contrary to what you might believe, this is not a rant against Coldplay or 3 Doors Down. It is simply a rant against Sirius.
- So as many of you deal hunters probably know, Amazon has started swinging the ban stick at a number of individuals recently. Everyone who got banned got this rather vague email:
Hello from Amazon.com.
A careful review of your account indicates you’ve experienced an extraordinary number of incidents with your orders and corresponding shipments.
In the normal course of business, the occasional problem is inevitable. The rate at which such problems have occurred on your account is extraordinary, however, and cannot continue. Effective immediately, your Amazon.com account is closed and you are no longer able to shop in our store.
Please know that any accounts related to yours have also been closed. If you were to open a new account, the same will result and it will also be closed. In the event that you attempt to do so, we will not accept the return of any additional orders, nor will we issue further refunds in connection with any future orders. We appreciate your cooperation in refraining from using our web site.
If you require additional assistance, or have any concerns, feel free to contact us directly at account-appeals@amazon.com.
Please do not contact regular Customer Service again, as they will no longer be able to assist you.
If you read through the thread, apparently Amazon.com CSRs can’t offer a thorough explanation of what “an extraordinary number of incidents” really means, though speculation is that this is referring to a large number of returns and/or price matches.
I understand that Amazon.com has a right to choose who they want to do business with, but they couldn’t offer a warning? Also, reports are that not only are people unable to even log into their account to check their invoices, but individuals with outstanding gift certificate accounts may be SOL as well! Furthermore, some individuals with both buyer and seller accounts are getting both locked because of the activity on their buyer account!
I was surprised that it took nearly a week for this story to hit The Consumerist, and I can’t say that I’m surprised by the reactions of the readers there, though I do not agree with what most of them are saying. Yes, people that open multiple accounts to take advantage of the same promotion multiple times should be banned. Yes, people that have a ridiculously high return rate—and the number of actual returns, not just the percentage, should also matter!—should be banned. Nevertheless, shouldn’t these people be warned? Is that too much to ask for?
For the record, my account has not been banned. It would not surprise me in the least, though, if I find that email in my inbox in the coming days.
(The statement above is NOT an admission of guilt.)
- Quick thoughts on Monday’s Vols/Bruins’ game: did somebody replace QB Kevin Craft with Peyton Manning in the second half? How do you go from a guy throwing passes that a Pop Warner QB wouldn’t throw, to gunslinging passes into tight coverage to rally your team back from not one, but TWO second-half deficits? How does a team lose both its starting QBs in the preseason, and then lose three senior starters during the game, and yet muster enough to hold off a ranked opponent?
And how must Tennessee be feeling, knowing that the game was lost on a missed chip-shot field goal in OT, minutes after their kicker bombed a 47-yard kick to tie the game in regulation?
Unfortunately for Bruins fans, this game did not end without some controversy (what else is new?). Did Raymond Carter really get in on that 3-yard TD run? Also, wasn’t the pass to Ryan Moya that set up the go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter an illegal forward pass?
Finally, who knew that the Bruins’ defense would be THIS good? Sure, Tennessee is no USC or Florida, but the Vols’ offense looked really bad for three quarters against the blitzing Bruins’ D.
- I know we’re only talking about a four-game sample size. I know two of the four games were played against a really young ( = bad) Padres team. I know we ran into a pair of struggling aces (the D’Backs’ Webb and Haren).
However, do Dodger fans realize that the Boys in Blue are 4-0 since Jeff “Vin Scully talks too much” Kent went on the DL with a knee injury?
(Tangent: Yes, Kent is an idiot for saying that Vin Scully talks too much, even if he thinks he’s right. I realize that he might have been saying it in jest, but it still does not make it OK to slander “some guy” [his words, not mine] like Vinny.)
Sports enthusiasts always talk about chemistry and how important chemistry is to a championship. The Giants won the Super Bowl last year because Tiki Barker and Jeremy Shockey weren’t around to ruin the team chemistry, people might say.
(I’d argue that the Giants’ D-Line mauled Tom Brady and the Pats’ O-Line).
Could it be said that the Dodgers might actually be better without Jeff Kent? One would think not, seeing how well Kent has played since the Manny deal (despite what Kent might argue). Secondly, Kent’s replacement—one Blake DeWitt—does not exactly strike fear into opposing pitchers the way Kent would.
I cannot, with a straight face, say that the Dodgers are definitely better without Kent. However, if the Dodgers should string together a couple more victories—a 3-1 record to finish the homestand is not exactly a stretch!—I might have to entertain the thought.
And what happens when Kent returns? What if the Dodgers start losing games again with him back?
Whatever happens, this will be a very intriguing rest of the season in the NL Minor League Division, aka the West.