Entries Tagged as 'technology'

moneytechnology

A Brush with Techno-Corporate-Bureaucracy

Even though I teach an entire 10-week undergrad course on Franz Kafka, sometimes the absurdity and our powerlessness in the face of techno-corporate-bureaucracy still take me by surprise. (I get that there are bigger problems in the world and I’m fortunate this is the worst thing that happened to me yesterday. But I’m going to tell you about it anyway.)

Our son lives in on-campus housing run by a company called American Campus Communities. Last year, we paid his rent monthly on a credit card and each month there was a $19.95 fee for a one-time payment. This year, we switched to automatic payments from our checking account so there would not be the $20 monthly fee and there’d be no chance of rent being paid late. That has been going smoothly since September 2022.

Yesterday, when I’m in the car on the way to pick up a prescription from the pharmacy, my son calls me because he is (along with friends) applying to live off campus and has to show his rent-payment history to the prospective new landlord, and when he went to print it he saw that there is a late fee for the current month and his rent hasn’t been paid yet. I’m sure that can’t be accurate, because we’re signed up for automatic payments and how can our payment be late if it’s automatic?

I call the property management office and ask them how it’s possible there’s a late fee and the rent hasn’t been withdrawn from our account when we are signed up for automatic payments. The worker who answers the phone doesn’t know, says I need to call a different company that processes the payments.

That company is Zego, which on its website describes itself as “a PropTech company that frees management companies to elevate the resident experience by easing friction, building connections, & making a difference.”

I wait on hold around 15 minutes. My friction is not feeling eased. The hold music is haunting, all intense, sad violins. Several times the hold music is interrupted and a voice tells me to remain on hold, my call will be answered in the order it was received, then more intense, sad violins. Finally, a person picks up.

The person is very nice, says some boilerplate line like, “How can I make your day better?” which is very encouraging. I explain about the automatic payment not being automatic and the late fee and that the property company said I had to call Zego.

I want my day to be better and the person is trying to be helpful, but it still takes a while for them to figure out why our automatic payment was not automatic. Why didn’t they withdraw the money from my bank, like I signed up for them to do and like they have done every month until now?

After consulting with others at Zego, the person I am talking to tells me that on the day of the scheduled withdrawal, the property’s website (or whatever it is) had “populated” (whatever that means) our balance to show zero money was owed, so nothing was withdrawn.

“Huh?” I ask.

It’s not Zego’s fault, they say. There must have been a problem on the property management’s site or portal or whatever they use. I don’t have to worry, though—Zego can take a one-time payment for the rent over the phone. By the way, they tell me, there is a $19.95 charge for making a one-time payment. I start laughing. Is there a hidden camera somewhere? No, and no, the charge can’t be waived. It’s automatic. I explain how absurd this is, but I pay the rent and the $20 for the one-time payment because my son’s rent is late even though we signed up for automatic payments. I ask, What about the late fee? Since I signed up for automatic payments, surely I’m not responsible for paying a late fee for some technical problem on their end, right? Zego doesn’t manage the late fee, they say. They tell me I have to talk to the property management company about that.

Yes, I have to call American Campus Communities, the people who told me I had to call Zego because that’s who processes payments. Meanwhile, my son is texting to see if this has been resolved yet because he has to print out his rent payment record to show to the potential future landlord.

I ask Zego if they can provide documentation of the error/problem on the part of American Campus Communities, and they tell me they cannot. I’m flabbergasted and ask, am I just supposed to tell the property manager this whole story without any evidence and hope they’ll believe me and remove the late fee? Yes, I’m told, Zego can’t give me documentation and that’s my only choice.

So, I call American Campus Communities and ask to talk to a manager. By now I am frustrated and wondering if my name has been changed to Josef K. I try to sound measured and calm but there’s an edge to my voice. The manager is immediately defensive. I try to explain the past hour of absurdity, how the automatic payments were not made automatically and how Zego told me to call the property manager because they handle late fees. Maybe I sound like a raving lunatic breathlessly recounting the whole thing, because the property manager asks, “Are you done?” They say the error can’t be on their end. Their records show we owed the rent. I understand, I say, but according to Zego, the system didn’t show that when the time came for the automatic withdrawal payment, so the automatic withdrawal payment wasn’t made. The manager says that’s not how it works, it’s not possible, and now I’m in The Twilight Zone.

Why am I trying to persuade the manager that American Campus Communities is responsible for the error? Why am I the go-between for these two corporations? I didn’t choose Zego. That’s the company American Campus Communities uses to process the payments. All I did was sign up for automatic payments, which should be automatic so I don’t have to navigate hellscape voicemail systems to talk about late payments in the first place.

The property manager is annoyed with me. This is not their fault—they don’t just give people late fees for no reason. I assure them I don’t think anyone intentionally gave me a late fee, I understand it’s automatic, but what am I supposed to do? I signed up for automatic payments using the company they told me to use, the link they provide on their site, my only option, and the automatic payment wasn’t made. How is that my fault?

Finally, the property manager agrees to remove the late fee, but they tell me I’d better check next time because they won’t remove the late fee if it happens again. That’s right. I have to make sure the company, Zego, that American Campus Communities uses to process automatic payments, does its job, even though Zego says it was American Campus Communities’ fault the bill didn’t get paid.

I ask how soon they can remove the late fee so my son can print out a clean record of on-time payments. The answer is whenever the bookkeeper gets to it. That’s all they can do and all I can do, so I tell my son to explain this to future landlord when he gives them the record of his rental payments. It’s been an hour since he first called me about the late charge. I’ve been pacing in the parking lot of the pharmacy the whole time talking to Zego and the property manager.

Now it’s 1:32 and I go into the store to get my prescription. There is a printed sign at the pharmacy counter informing customers that the pharmacy is closed from 1:30-2:00 for lunch. I almost laugh again, because I have read a lot of Kafka. I leave instead of standing around for a half hour waiting for the pharmacy.

I can go back to get my prescription later. And this absurdity will hopefully not interfere with my son getting the apartment he’s applying for. We’re fortunate to be able to afford to pay his rent and deal with this. There are worse problems to have. Obviously.

But I know not everyone has the time and resources to navigate this kind of thing. How many people can’t afford the $20 fee Zego made me pay? How many can’t spend an hour during a workday on the phone waiting to get through the voicemail system to talk to people who don’t have answers, and end up getting more late fees as a result? How much of this infects all of our systems, including the ones that put people in jail and decide if health insurance will pay for the liver transplant? It’s no wonder we’re all crazy.

technologyvirtual children by Scott Warnock

I’m getting ChatGPT’ed left and right–or at least I should be

Recently my daughter told me she was in the midst of an email feud over an injustice she had suffered at the hands of some organization.

I couldn’t be prouder.

There’s a chip off the old block. See, I have been known to write a bit in the genre of “customer/citizen discontent response”… alright, I’ll be honest: I’ve written about 1,000 letters of complaint to all kinds of organizations. It’s a special kind of madness. Organizations beware: You cross me, you’re gonna hear it. At one time, for better or worse, my most prolific published writing was op-eds and letters railing against the Philadelphia Parking Authority (PPA).

My friends, without a trace of humor, point out that there are certainly thick files on me out there in drawers labeled something like “Loonies.”

Organizations occasionally respond, usually wearily, and often with some kind of autoresponse.

Now there are AI chatbots like ChatGPT. I’m sticking to my guns that these AI language generators aren’t going to ruin the world, but they are out there for all to use.

As a teacher, I’m aware of AI’s potential. While I’m not up at night worrying about student authenticity, suddenly I have this new fascination that the organizations that receive my, uh, constructively critical e-missives should be mindful of these new technologies. In short, in replying, they can do better! A few examples will be instructive.

I recently complained to NJTransit about the inconsistency of the RiverLine (sigh, again). Equipment malfunctions, signal problems, equipment unavailability (?)–it’s always something. While I was at it, I tossed in a comment about how there are hardly ever any ticket checkers on the train. This is a light rail that requires riders to punch a ticket before riding: You don’t pass through a gate or agent to board. I ride the RiverLine several times a week, and I can’t remember the last time I saw a checker.

I let ’em know.

NJTransit punked me with an autoresponse, and they didn’t even try. Again, I complained about 1) inconsistent trains and 2) a lack of ticket checkers. It “wrote” this back:

NJ TRANSIT has an obligation to ensure that revenue is collected on all services to support operating and maintenance expenses, and to minimize our reliance on public support. Therefore, enforcement of our fare policies is a necessary responsibility of this agency.

I guarantee ChatGPT would hit the mark more accurately. You better believe NJT is getting another message.

Here’s another situation I have somehow found myself in: my American Airlines frequent flyer miles expired. Like many people during the pandemic, I didn’t fly. AA was generous in extending the deadline, but in March 2022, my miles were finally expiring. So I did what AA said I should: I used miles to buy something at their online store, thus extending my miles for 18 months. I bought some sporty (if I don’t mind saying) shorts to keep my 70,000+ miles.

But when I checked my miles balance, it was zero! I hastily wrote them to correct the situation. This was part of the reply:

I understand that you are concerned that your account is expiring. I have added 5 miles to your shopping account at this time. Please allow up to 3-5 business days for this to post to your account.

As for the missing rewards associated with your order # _ the order can’t be rewarded for missing miles as the order is over a year old.

They–yeah sure, there’s an “I” behind this–did nothing to address my problem and gave me a measly five miles!

Be confident I’m not done with them either.

A couple of my students have used AI chatbots. We talked it over. First, I’m mad at myself for the assignments, which I think left the door open for such plagiarism. Second, because in both cases it happened early in the writing process, I was able to push them to do better. In one case, the student took to the coaching and composed a great project.

At least they’re exploring this new technology, while companies and organizations are using the same old autoresponses to flick their customers’ communications off their shoulders like so much dialogic dandruff.

Oh great American entities, I’m hellbent on making sure you are aware that I’m onto to you, that at least until you try harder I know you’re not there.

technologyvirtual children by Scott Warnock

Zero your inbox–it can be done!

We just took the boys, teenagers both, to the pediatrician. Now that they’re 15 and 18, that paper we get listing healthy behaviors is more complicated and involved than when they were five and eight. Eat fresh fruit, don’t do drugs, look both ways before crossing the street–but you really wanna help your kids have healthy, happy lives?: Teach them how to zero out their email inboxes. [Read more →]


Bob Sullivan's top ten everythingtechnology

Top ten technology one-liners

10. The Internet: Where men are men, women are men, and children are FBI agents.

9. I can still remember a time when I knew more than my phone.

8. My brain just logged me out due to inactivity, and now I can’t remember my password.

7. A computer once beat me at chess, but it was no match for me at kickboxing.

6. I’m at my most insecure when Word asks me if I want to save my changes, and I don’t remember making any.

5. Twitter is worth $4 billion, and that’s just in lost productivity.

4. I pushed too hard against my eardrum with a Q-tip and reset my brain.

3. Whatever my obituary says, I just hope it’s not, “He is survived by his Internet history.”

2. The only thing Google can’t tell you is what you were looking up in the first place.

1. Smartphone owners, that blurred bit just off the edge of the screen is called life.
 

Bob Sullivan’s Top Ten Everything appears every Monday.



ends & oddtechnology

All a-twitter over Twitter

I’m confronted with what one of my boys would call a “first world problem” …

Last week, Twitter launched an experiment, expanding the number of characters allowed on posts to 280 from the original limit of 140. The test, I read later, involves a small, random group of users (a single-digit percentage of the total users). It seems I’m one of the select few.

“We few, we happy few …”

Hmmmm, happy? Maybe not … at least, not in my case,. I rather liked the 140-character limit. It was a challenge to me. Could I communicate my thoughts successfully – and succinctly! – in my tweets? It required me to stretch my vocabulary, use punctuation more effectively, and move away from rambling rants and towards brief bullet-points.

Sort of a haiku for the new millenium.

I’ll be interested in learning the results of this experiment. For my part, I’ll be contributing to the 140-character end of the bell-shaped curve (or whatever) illustrating those results.

Just because I get twice as much space doesn’t mean I have to fill it. If I have more than can be said in 140 characters, I could always post something on “When Falls the Coliseum.”

 


technologyThe Emperor decrees

The Emperor decrees that sound engineers will stop squishy-mouth, immediately

I have been declared Emperor of the World. Let us not waste time explaining why or how; let’s all simply accept the fact that we are better off, as a result; hence, my next decree:

Emperor’s Decree No PE-15: Spit, sloshing around and clicking in the mouths of professional radio personalities is the most disgusting sound in the world. (No! It is even more disgusting than that. Sh. Yes it is.) Sound engineers for these radio programs need to fix this, now.  Right now. Turn down the “highs.” Move the microphone away from your proximity-effect-addicted bosses. Do whatever you need to do to end this. Carl Castle, for instance, sounds like his face is ground meat that someone is squishing his hands through. We can’t take it anymore. Sound engineers, heed this warning.

The Punishment: Engineers who do not rectify this squishy issue – today! – will be hung upside-down and lowered into a vat of ground beef and water. They will remain suspended this way until they cease to be.

The Emperor will grace the world with a new decree each Tuesday morning.


technologyvirtual children by Scott Warnock

Adults, put your devices away!

Dang kids and their confounded digital whatchamacallits! I mean, it’s exgasperating when they’re out there all the time Chirping, Twitching, Facenoting on the old InterWeb. It’s even dangerous, as this kids-go-bump-in-the day story about cellphone-using Penn zombies shows.

[Read more →]


technologyThe Emperor decrees

The Emperor decrees that YouTube commenters must be eliminated

I have been declared Emperor of the World. Let us not waste time explaining why or how; let’s all simply accept the fact that we are better off, as a result; hence, my next decree:

Emperor’s Decree No. 559944: The Emperor has thought long and hard about ways to raise the average intelligence quotient of the general populace. He has has had several ideas, ranging from sending the Air Force to attack pop concerts to having the Imperial assassins stationed on rooftops pick-off people who make particular wardrobe choices. While each of these solutions would certainly be effective, they might not be, strictly-speaking, ethical. But, if those who were eliminated were, without question, deserving of elimination, who could complain? Therefore, having concluded that the lowest form of human beings are, without question, YouTube commenters, the Emperor will target them. The world should no longer be forced to endure “dude – your [sic] a retard” or pseudo-intellectual intonations of “clearly, you know nothing about music if you think that so-and-so is a bad guitarist.” The trigger comment for the Emperor’s new decree was this one: “Dude, you’re 30m away and the camera is shaking like you’re in the middle of the battle. I’d make a better video with my dick.” (This was in response to a video of Anthony Kiedis in a scuffle with security guards at Philadelphia’s “Four Seasons” hotel [which, by the way, most of the commenters referred to as a “motel.”]) This is absurd. Everyone knows male genetalia can neither record nor store video data. (Though, admittedly, it would be cool. But I  imagine there would be a whole different dynamic to family videos. “Dad! What the hell are you doing? — oh, I forgot. Haaaaiii! Merry Christmas!!!”)

The Punishment: Just click the mouse to submit a YouTube comment and you will find out.

Now, go forth and obey.

The Emperor will grace the world with a new decree each Tuesday morning.


advicedamned lies

Final Grades: Or, Jay’s Last Lecture

It’s the end of the Spring semester, 2013. That means college undergraduates all over the country are freaking out over final grades. It’s odd how these grades become important to them at the end of the semester in a way that they weren’t at any other time during the semester, but I digress. What follows is a final email sent to my students this morning in response to a number of emails I received from them over the weekend: [Read more →]


technologyThe Emperor decrees

The Emperor decrees that all cell phones are banned

I have been declared Emperor of the World. Let us not waste time explaining why or how; let’s all simply accept the fact that we are better off, as a result; hence, my next decree:

Emperor’s Decree No. 555-3342: Seriously, with the cell phones, people. Sweet Jesu. Enough. It’s pathetic. Besides, the only call you really need to hear is the Emperor’s call, n’est-ce pas? All minions of the Empire will surrender their cell phones by midnight, Thursday, so that they may be summarily destroyed. Yes, you heard correctly.

IMPERIAL SUBJECT: Oh, but Magnificent One, what about safety…

EMPEROR: [pinching fingertips and thumb together] PSHHHT!

SUBJECT: But, Emperor…I use mine for work…

EMPEROR: [pinching, again] PSHHHT!

SUBJECT: But, Emperor…I use the GPS…

EMPEROR: PSHHHHHHHHT!

SUBJECT: But… [Read more →]


technologytrusted media & news

Recalling old times through new connections

In the local media this past month, some attention devoted to the 25th anniversary of the rescue of Jessica McClure from a well in southwest Midland, Texas, where she was trapped for three days. That attention also provided for me an opportunity to connect with a one-time co-worker of mine – someone I have not seen for many, many years – and gain a renewed appreciation for how much smaller our world has become through the world wide web.
[Read more →]


technologyvirtual children by Scott Warnock

Friends and “Friends”

“Friend” is a suggestive word, loaded as it is with warmth, intimacy, harmlessness. Having a friend is always a good thing. The word was a shrewd choice to represent Facebook connections, because the word itself lulls you past any critical perspective about the relationships you clickably create.

[Read more →]


creative writingtechnology

Grizzly bear stories: a phone call to Apple

Recently, I spent four days trying to figure out how to activate my new iPhone 5. I’m not a very technology-savvy fellow, but I am extraordinarily stubborn, particularly when I know that asking for help will involve having to follow a robot’s instructions for a while, pressing a series of buttons, and sitting through a lengthy holding period before I actually reach a human being. But yesterday, I finally caved: I talked to a robot. I pressed buttons. I sat on hold for a while. And then Danielle from Apple was very helpful and got me up and running. The following is a completely factual account of what might have happened if Danielle had not been working, and had been replaced by a grizzly bear.

 

BEAR: Thank you for holding and welcome to Apple. This call may be recorded for quality assurance purposes. My name is Monty and I’m a bear. How can I help you today?

ME: Yeah, hi Monty. Did you just say you’re a bear?

[Read more →]


sciencetechnology

Is THIS the time for aerospace in West Texas?

A lot of space and time in the local news of West Texas – and in discussion of said news – being devoted to a recently-concluded deal between a private aerospace firm, the Midland City Council and the Midland Development Corporation, to bring that firm’s headquarters and research-and-development operations to the Tall City. [Read more →]


politics & governmenttechnology

Piglet and The Blustery Day

Oh, bother! Karl Rove has caught the wind and drifts higher, higher and higher. Piglet is your new name, replacing Boy Genius as W the Pooh called you when you were delivering modest electoral majorities by brokering devastating legislative rebukes of your constituents, your declared principles and that musty, dusty impediment to national greatness; The Constitution. Piglet’s sins are far from original. He mined the anti-Goldwaterites to differentiate Bush from a Primary throng in 2000, something W minded not at all. His family has a long record of bitter opposition to conservative philosophy and policy as demonstrated in their bilious rubbishing of Governor Reagan. This self-contradicting obstinacy re-reared it’s ugly head yesterday with the New Bush. JEB is his acronym. The once Florida governor invokes Reagan, saying that neither he, nor Bush the Elder nor Bush the Younger could have survived the primaries. Of course Bush the Elder did NOT survive the primaries but was tapped for VP to trowel over the cracks that threatened to leave Rockefeller Republicans without a home, possibly cleaving then to Carter. W himself ran AGAINST the party base as a Compassionate Conservative, in clear distinction from the ordinary kind, meaning what it always means; that the Republican will perpetuate the philisophical socialism of the Democrat but with better actuaries. “We have a responsibility that when somebody hurts, gubmint has got to move!” was the famous line. The results were attacked, quite rightly, by every candidate this year so JEB is correct. The party is now far too far to the Right to bring us another George or even another Karl. Whether Reagan would have succumbed to Romney in 2012 rests on a Bush’s definition of Reaganism. [Read more →]



technologyThe Emperor decrees

The Emperor decrees that Apple-ism shall cease

I have been declared Emperor of the World. Let us not waste time explaining why or how; let’s all simply accept the fact that we are better off, as a result; hence, my next decree:

Emperor’s Decree 2341-3A: The Apple computer company makes superior machines; however, “Apple People” must be stopped. At all cost. Any person who incessantly advertises for or praises the Apple computer company (who is not an employee of said company or the spouse of an employee thereof), is, henceforth, declared an outlaw. (They charge you three-million dollars for a computer and you energetically and actively advertise for free for them? Come — as they say — on.) Any driver who displays a once-bitten Apple insignia on the back of his or her car or who is seen wearing a T-shirt displaying the same insignia shall be taken prisoner. Similarly, anyone who posts numerous Facebook stati which extol the wonders of Apple will be summarily arrested by the Imperial Police. 2341-3B: As a sub-decree, while the Emperor believes in freedom of religion, it is, nevertheless, henceforth illegal to become either a congregate or a clergy member of the developing Church of Steve Jobs — the reasoning for this being that if Leonardo DaVinci doesn’t have his own church, Jobs shouldn’t either. Further, Apple is a company, my minions, not your kid. Stop posting pictures of the new iPhone next to little Bradley’s First Holy Communion shots. It’s creepy.

The Punishment: The Imperial Wizard has conjured a room of infinite black space. Within this room, there is an illuminated podium on which rests a gleaming new iPad. Violators will be released into this dark chamber. When they droolingly approach the iPod — which they will — a giggling, naked doppelgänger of Bill Gates will appear, snatch the iPad, and scamper off into the darkness. When the violator is tired of chasing the prestidigitated dodecazillionare (whom he will never catch), he or she will be released for another chance at well-balanced, rational life.

The Emperor shall grace the world with a new decree each Tuesday morning


technologyThe Emperor decrees

The Emperor decrees that ye will use the damned microphone they gave ye

I have been declared Emperor of the World. Let us not waste time explaining why or how; let’s all simply accept the fact that we are better off, as a result; hence, my next decree:

Emperor’s Decree No. XXIV: If there is a microphone provided, use it. Enough with the [begin nasal, whiny voice]: “Can you hear me back there? I don’t want to use this thing if I don’t have to…” [end nasal, whiny voice]. It’s 2012. Use the freaking microphone. Luddite. You’re not “warm” for not using it. You’re not “more personal.” You’re not lovably uncomfortable with technology. The only thing you are is “not loud enough,” so snap out of your naturally-acoustic hippie trance and take a courageous leap into the present tense.

The Punishment: The punishment (which shall not be described here, in detail, for fear of shocking those with sensitive constitutions) is, shall we say, one that is inspired by the generally tubular shape of your average microphone. Let it suffice to say that those metal windscreens are not, strictly speaking…comfortable.

The Emperor shall grace the world with a new decree each Tuesday morning


technologyvirtual children by Scott Warnock

Punktuation

On her birthday, the daughter of a friend of mine came to him in a tizzy. You see, she explained, so-and-so was disrespecting her on Facebook. My friend geared up for the worst as he went with her to view the offending post. And there he saw it. Someone had posted this on her homepage: “happy birthday.” [Read more →]


environment & naturetechnology

Powering a flat earth

Thank you, Mr President. You put the case fairly and well although if you really want to impress you might find an audience a bit more seasoned and a bit less willing to roll over and have their tummies rubbed. You have split your hand and doubled down on Green Alternative Energy so you must be holding at least twenty. Now it’s time to turn all the cards. I hope the White House searchbots have been comprehensive and found the odd moments when I Hoped to Believe in the Change you have promised but on the big question of how we power our modern world, yes, I have been a detractor. Your well documented expertise in engineering and physics should have given me caution but let my indictment show that I have also been fair, once in a while. Once in a very great while. [Read more →]


politics & governmenttechnology

How many bureaucrats does it take to screw in a light bulb?




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