Verizon review: forcing internet service on media phones 95

As an addendum: Our 52-inch big screen TV died a few months ago (paid cash for that) :( 52-inch flat screens were a bit too expensive, and we didn't want another projection TV, so we settled for a 46"... paid cash of course. It's not like we're miserly or anything. We buy what we really want and/or need. We just couldn't see laying out the cash they wanted for something only a few inches bigger. The price differential was too wide. I still miss my 52-incher, but we find that the new one has more clarity and definition, and is more energy-efficient. So, it's all good.

Irish lady: It's refreshing to hear all this. I know what your husband has ahead of him. I built our log home on Table Rock Lake in southwest Missouri by myself. It is the seventh one I have built by myself. Most of them were in Colorado. That is a very large undertaking, but if he's anything like me he will enjoy doing it. There is a great sense of accomplishment associated with having done it with your own two hands. Although, while your hands feel proud your back can sure end up pretty sore. LOL . But still worth it.

As for the financial end I must say I have a great deal of respect and admiration for the both of you. You actually (I have to admit it) seem to have made some better decisions than I have. We cut our cards up years ago, and life is better for us for doing so. We don't often have the cash to outright buy things, but then we weren't always so practical. We do however try to 'minimize' . We do without some luxuries, but try to make that philosophy work in other areas. Living on a lake is of course next to impossible without at least some access to its pleasures. We decided just this past week to purchase a boat. We had to wait five years to do it, but it's been worth the wait. I had the credit, and wherewithall to purchase a new one, but like my truck, rather than buy a new F-150 I purchased a 97 one owner that was like showroom for 5300.00. The boat is just a sixteen foot jon (Tracker with a 40HP Merc), and I picked it up complete with foot operated trolling motor, areated livewell for 3000.00. That way, instead of spending 25k on just a truck, we now have a truck and a boat for 8300.00. I know that a boat can be seen as an uneccessary and frivilous thing, but I try to justify it by using the lake as my excuse LOL. We also have a sixteen year old son still in high school, and I have always believed that if you keep them busy doing good things, they tend less to look for trouble. Anyway based on what you have told me, I wish the people in Washington would think more like you good folks do. My hat's off to the both of you, and I'm very proud of your husband for the labor he puts in, I know how much work that is. He's a good man...you're good people. Don't know that I can say the same for MartMart. I wonder how hard (or little) he's had to work, and where he is today as a result. The TV thing is a sore subject with me. We have a 42 inch plasma (my other son bought for us as a gift two years ago). I had to have it repaired six months ago, and it cost 300.00. But then again, it was after all a gift, so that was a small price to pay. Besides, for us that was part of minimizing. We used to have Dishnetwork but decided we could spend more family time on the water by giving up something less important. Today we get two chanels out of arkansas, but we get to fish a lot more. It was a trade off, but the whole thing with appliances gets my goat. Everything is disposable! Makes me mad. My grandmother bought her first washing mahine when she married, and 56 years later, when she passed away, it still worked. I built my home six years ago, put all new appliances in it, and have already been through 2 dishwahers, 3 washing machines, 2 refrigerators, and am getting our cook top worked on today. They build nothing but junk today! And there are only three of us here, and not here a lot. Seems like today we pay more to get less. They take advantage of the consumer. I think I just said I am on your side...LOL. Anyway, after communicating with you I'm glad to know you both (even if indirectly). God bless you and yours. Michael

MartMart. I don't know about you, but I have learned a valuable lesson in this forum. "Before we judge someone, we should get to know more about who they are". I started out agreeing with you, but now I could not disagree with you more. I think irishlady and her husband would make great neighbors and friends. They have worked hard for what they have, and for me to have only Assumed was flat out wrong! Read her posts, then tell me you have the right to condescend. They are true, hard working Americans who, probably moreso than you or I, have thought carefully about what is wise, and what is waste. If you are worth the keystrokes you made in order to prove an unwarranted point then you will man up, and apologize to these good people. If not, then your words are only waste, and will be argued by any decent person. Shame on the both of us.

BTW martmart. Whether you agree, or disagree with someone does not mean they don't deserve respect.

Michael...you are very kind and seem very thoughtful and extremely smart as well! I'm very impressed with your commentary about market studies and such, although a bit over my head. LOL You sound like just the sort of people I'd like to have as neighbors as well. You and my husband would have a lot to talk about for sure and I can see us having some lively, intelligent debates..without all the childish name-calling. Respect for each other's opinions. What fun!

We used to have a 30-foot cabin cruiser in our younger days. How can you live near all this water and not have a boat? Loved it...had a ball with it. But it's time had come. It was, as they say, a hole in the water you throw money into and we came to the realization that we had to turn our focus to our future. Sometime after that, the company I had worked for for 25 years was bought out and moved to Houston. I had the choice of taking my year's severance pay, or moving to Houston, or traveling 75% of the time. With 2 boys entering their teens, it was not practical. I took my buy-out, as my husband was still making very good money. I was able to be home for my boys when they really needed the guidance. Then 9/11 happened, the economy tanked and it was not long after that my husband lost his job. We went thru a rough period. Fortunately, we had gotten rid of the boat and paid off all our cards with my severance and also purchased our land up north. His truck was nearly paid for. Our child-support payments canceled each other out.

He continued to freelance and also worked odd home-improvement jobs. One of his freelance jobs paid off and we used that to buy me a car cash. I had been driving a 73 Monte Carlo that my husband had restored. Not great gas mileage. We used my severance to buy that and a couple more classic cars for him to restore as a hobby, while he was still working. When he lost his job, we sold those. Those proceeds, and the rest of the freelance pay, together with unemployment compensation got us by. As the boys got older, I went back to school, working part-time. Then started working but at a really low pay rate, until I gained experience and was able to command better pay. My husband also switched career paths. We eked by, barely. And prayed neither of us got sick because we had no insurance. That was a rough period. At one point we were down to our last $200. My husband (to my dismay-what was he thinking?) bet on a Superbowl square and won $1400. Whew! Lucky SOB! Just as we are looming on ruination, something comes along to stave it off. LOL

Eventually, he landed a good-paying, but not permanent job with the help of some guys he had helped out when things were tough for them...giving them freelance jobs. What goes around comes around and they helped us. Because of the cutbacks we had already made, we were able to accumulate some savings to live on after that job finished. We cleared our land and used some of that money to start building. While trying like hell not to lose our home, we figured if we had to walk away from it, we could move to the cabin and live there. Contingency planning. Eventually, I landed a pretty good job with good benefits, thank God. Am (at least for now) able to work quite a bit of O/T and I do the books for a company part-time. Lots of hours though. Tiring! That's got us by pretty well, with his part-time work and home-improvements. My husband recently went back working at another long-term, but temporary job again and we are banking all of his pay and living off of mine. It's not all roses. But when you don't have all the bills you can manage. Taking advantage of the insurance and getting delayed dental work done, glasses, etc. Fortunately we had my insurance when I got appendicitis. Whew! Luck is holding out...$25, 000 in medical bills we didn't have to pay...only about $1200.

As to building that cabin, my husband is 56 years old and it's getting a lot harder for him. He's a go-getter, but a lot of it got up and went! LOL Housing values tanked. Thankfully, in 2000, my husband built an addition onto our home which has increased it's value. I think we will be able to sell it if necessary. We are not under water and have a good fixed rate. Even more thankfully, we didn't consider it necessary to buy a huge home when we were making $175, 000/yr between us and buy new cars all the time. Some good decisions there. My husband is not stupid by any means.

As you say...we've worked very hard all our lives for what we have.

All of that being said, and at the risk of losing your respect, let me say that we are Democrats. We have no problem paying taxes for entitlement programs. At the risk of soap-boxing, let me explain. We always took the position that "there but for the Grace of God go I, " even though we really didn't think it would happen to us. We work hard and always have..we're not lazy. We are smart and capable. We think we are good people. We try to be. My husband clears the snow from the homes of the THREE elderly widows on our court (in addition to our own) without pay all Michigan winter long. I crochet lap blankets for nursing homes and hats for cancer wards. Collect every single pop top I see to give to my mom for charity. We raised good kids. Taught them to work for what they want. At the time, they sometimes thought we were being unfair, when so many of their friends' parents were giving their kids things on a silver platter. They don't think that way now that they are adults, though. They see that we were giving them life skills instead. They see some of their friends are practically helpless and lazy. Our boys didn't have cell phones til they could pay for them themselves. Paid for their own car insurance. We helped them get cars...didn't give them cars outright. They were Varsity athletes, while working jobs. GPA's ABOVE 4.0. Had curfews. They worked their butts off. Good looking, popular, nice to other people. Don't dress like gangstas. (Although my youngest likes to wear his hat weird, but likes country music too. LOL) Respectful of their elders. My elderly neighbors just love our boys...they always say hi, stop to talk with them, and help them out when needed. They're not trouble makers. We were doing everything right, weren't we? I thought so. We could do more, but hey...wouldn't you think we'd have accumulated some good karma?

Well...there we did go for awhile. Bad things happen to good people too. We cleaned out our retirement account trying to make ends meet there for awhile. We eventually cashed in on some of the taxes we've been paying for these programs. The state paid for my schooling along with a Federal Pell Grant. We just needed some help during a bad economy that was not our fault, until we could get back on our feet. And we pretty much are. For now. Maybe we did build up some good karma after all. But things can change damn fast and before you know it, you wonder what the hell happened.

My mom's health has been bad for a long time. My dad's is now failing. They have retirement savings and pension, but the health issues and expenses are catching up with them and they need our help now. Not much, but I can see it's going to get worse for them. My dad is proud though. Won't ask for help. Fortunately, my dad planned for retirement and did a lot of improvements and repairs to their home before then. Oh boy! All of this can change your perspective toward the idea of paying for something you don't want or need.

Sure there are greedy, undeserving folks on the dole. Those scamming the system. Of course there are! It's unfortunate that we have to legislate morality. There are a lot of wealthy scammers out there too. Because we've worked hard all our lives, if our taxes help even a few deserving, ordinary folks that are and always have been hard-working, then it's all worth it. I would rather see someone undeserving get away with it, than see one deserving person go without and lose everything. We'd have been up the creek. Is that right? Is it fair? We have an acquaintance who is on Social Security Disability, all the while lamenting and campaigning against entitlement programs! Where would he be without it? Oh...it's Social Security...he paid into it. I see. Well our taxes pay into the other programs as well. And they should be there if needed. It seems it's the greediest of people who are against helping others until they need help themselves...then that's different. I will never understand it. Maybe they justify that attitude by convincing themselves that it's ONLY the lazy, dead wood who don't have jobs and refuse to get one. Not true! Nobody is immune to hard times and possible ruination. A lot of these greedy, heartless people may just end up like us, age discrimination and all. But there are a LOT of good folks out there without the gumption and wherewithal my husband has that won't end up as well as we did because we trimmed a lot BEFORE disaster struck. I hope not. I truly do. I wouldn't wish this on anybody. I also hope for kinder thoughts and kinder actions for those less fortunate. Because even after a lifetime of hard work and trying to do things right, things can go to hell in a hand-basket quicker than you think.

I just thought, before you commit to your opinion of us...you should know who we are and where we come from. You may not agree now that you know. But good people are good people, regardless of politics, don't you think?

irishlady. You two are not so different from us. Perhaps when I laid claim to 'liberal' thinking in my first post I might have at least had the common decency to counter that impression with what I believe about conservatives. I truly do believe that If conservative thinking were any smarter they wouldn't tout on the one hand, that we need to get jobs going, and then do a 180 by giving all the cards to big conglomerates whose only mission is to make money. No, the truth is that I simply do not have a lot of faith in either party. You see, I believe that we are people first. Being a good person is not a prerequisite to politics, nor is it 'party' specific, any more than it is required to be a good person in order to register for a party. We all have something to bring to the table, and we all take something away. I have been called a moderate at times because, while I believe that some things make sense, Americans tend to take their views too seriously to ever resolve anything. Hence the lack of compromise. I'll give you an example; Conservatives say NO abortion- NO exceptions, yet it seems that liberals tend to defend abortion without any conviction. How can that extreme thinking ever find compromise. My position is simply this; A woman has a right to choose, however that "Clear" cut view is as vague as NO Abortions - NO exceptions. If I were president (and thank God I'm not), I would say that, while not taking a life is what God might smile on, I can't say that I think a 12year old incest or rape victim should have to give "Her" life because of the thoughtlessness of some selfish pervert. So, for compromise conservatives must be willing to bend enough to admit that there ARE in fact exceptions. Likewise the left should admit that, using abortion as a form of birth control is as extreme as the opposing view. My take? Abortion should be legal, it should be paid for through insurance to insure safety, and it should be used as a last resort, rather than just another way to support irresponsibility. I think to say "Well, they're going to do it anyway" "So why not arm them", is accepting defeat, it is defeatism. To me compromise means that everyone gets "some' of what they wanted. Yet, if you listen to the heads of each party you hear the same things we heard all through the debt ceiling debate. " We presented a bill, and they blocked it - they will not compromise". Leaving out of course (each party) "The bill that we presented was what WE wanted".

Both parties are liars, they are corrupt, and will never do anything but keep us brainwashed into thinking that, in order to solve any problem in this country we must choose only one of two solutions. So pick either Dillinger, or Capone. I also know that, as long as there is an Electoral College, we will forever be given one of those two choices. People say that is not so "We have independents, liberatarians, green parties. When is the last time one was in the white house? If I were president, I would NEVER campaign on the premise that, "I" would turn things around. I am not a tax expert - I am not a business man - and I could therefore not promise any of that. What I WOULD promise is that, with regard to any of this great country's problems, I would bring in the best minds in that relative field. Shame on Bush Sr. for saying "No New Taxes". What the hell does he know about taxation, or what it will do to an economy. And shame on Obama for promising jobs, when he has zero experience in business. The problem is that, they claim to bring in the experts, yet if you look at these so called experts, you find that they too are only failures who are in bed with those who benefit them. Tim Geithner. "Forgets to pay taxes for four years" = in charge of our monetary system? That's the best mind they could come up with? Geez.

People make fun of Donald Trump, and much of it with good reason. He's been bankrupt 3 times! And yeah, his hair is rather freakish. On the other hand, with each fall he came back to amass even greater fortune. Would he make a great president? NO. Should he be brought to the table for his ideas on how to boost our economy? Absolutely! He's correct when he says that other countries are eating our lunch, and taking our milk money. China, Korea, OPEC, just to name a few, are abusing our good nature, and give nothing in return. China pays nothing to import their goods into America - ZERO. America pays the highest import taxes in the world! Yet we have leaders on both sides quoting such things as "Reliance on foreign oil", and how we need to stop them, yet except for the occasional fleeting comment about it, our leaders (on both sides of the isle) do nothing more than give lip service. Obama is right about taxing windfall profits from OPEC. But he is not enough of a leader to get it done. He says he cares, but other than a few pretty words, we are not much better off than we were with the first Bush, or even Clinton for that matter. The smoothest talkers that, make us feel the warmest and fuzziest seem to get the job. But once they move into the house they don't get the job DONE. And that, is because they are then the new mouthpiece. We need a kick -a@@ "Take no prisoners" kind of leader, who will not apologize for America. One who will bring in tough negotiators, and ask the questions, such as, what does it take to create a job. What do we need to do to get money moving and people working. How should we handle this healthcare thing? Instead they ask people like Geithner, or Dick Cheney? These are the best they can come up with? I think not, I think these are the ones they play golf with. The best way to rate a candidate during a campaign is to listen to their promise about earmarks. Since Nixon (to include Reagank, Bush, Clinton, Bush, and Obama) we have heard NO EARMARKS! Yet, to date earmarks remain the wreckless but traditionally most effective way to buy house votes. They're all liars, and it's time to get to cleaning house. But I can tell you unequivically that, the next best used car salesman, who makes us feel warm and fuzzy will get the job, but not get the job done. And without doubt he, or she WILL be a democrat or a republican. Thank you Electoral College for more of the same.

Now onto a brighter note. It really would be fun to be neighbors. I would bet that between you folks and us, we could come up with the best scenario for today's world without bickering. How fun would that be. A couple of drinks and we could probably create a better world! LOL Don't worry about the hat your son wears strangely. My son wears silk swimming trunks, a Hawiaiin necklace, a hunting cap, and cowboy boots - all at once. But I know that he will one day meet a girl, and that will change. God bless her...LOL.

irishlady. one final thought. I feel like I left out any emotional, or caring for others politically, and I did. I just want to say, so that you know we're not just hardliners. I believe that we should love one another. I believe we should take care of those in need. I have never been against entitlements. I myself, after my first wife passed away, had to get food stamps. I got one months worth but it came in very handy. I later took in a foster child, after having raised 14 kids. I do believe that America should in fact show the world that we are a caring nation in every regard. Perhaps at times I think in mathematical terms which, can often make one seem uncarring but, I believe that in order for America to truly be giving we must first position ourselves in such a way that it does not create an unbearable future for its people. I mean, how can I feed my neighbor if I have no food? Sure, I can share the two pieces of bread I have left, but when that is consumed we (myself and family, and my neighbor) will all perish. We must make good decisions about the future of our own people before we can pass it on to others. That may mean we must do what is against the priciples of our own people. No one likes to see so many suffer while others seem to just reap benefits. On the other hand we have to decide what it is that will make companies hire, money flow, and people go back to work so that they too can prosper. The problem lies in the politician's false promises to please everyone at once. I try to think that, while it is unfair for these big companies to rip off the little guy, I also know that, it is these same big companies that hire people. Companies should pay their fair share, I will never argue that point. My thinking (and I would love your input) is that, if business, large or small, is where jobs come from, and we need and want for them to hire, would we be wiser to let them flourish first, then gradually adjust their perks? I guess if I had to put it bluntly I would say "Hey, if they can get unemployment down to 3.0%, then let the ### eat cake! THEN go after them, gradually increasing their tax, and healthcare burden. I mean think about it. No one complained about big business in the nineties. Because everyone (almost) was working and making money. Today these same companies are viewed as even more evil because so many are now so much worse off. I'm not sure, as you can probably tell lol, what the answer is. But I think that when you tell someone "you are going to start paying more, and you are going to start paying for more benefits, and we are going to limit how you can do business", you can't just create that kind of ambiguity, and then turn around and say "Oh, and by the way, could you hire 3500 more workers before the next election"? PLEASE, PLEASE PLEASE - don't let what I've said make you think I'm pro corporate America, or hardline conservative. All I'm saying is that we are in a catch 22. I think if I were president, I would put the ball back in the people's court. I would turn to the American people and ask "Ok, you are asking me to make these big companies pay their fair share "Nothing wrong with doing right" I agree. "You are asking me to make them provide your healthcare, and pay you more" Fair enough "who doesn't want that" I agree. But - you are also asking me to convince them that after all we want from them, that they hire all of you, so that they can pay those higher wages, benefits, more taxes and restrictions. My question to the American people would be. Fair enough, just could you please tell me how to do this?

You know irishlady, I believe that is the sixty four million dollar question, and I think if anyone can come up with the answer to it, they will likely be worth more than a measley 64 million! LOL Anyway irishlady, I am giddy waiting for your next post. I have come to seriously respect your opinions, and really do look forward to your next post. I check it all the time, because that's how people find answers. I have a saying that I have always used and believed in. "You cannot substantiate something until you have challenged it" I love that, and I may be wrong, but I actually think I 'coined' that phrase, because I had never heard it when I first thought about it. Get back to me. Wish we had our own forum. Wow, a group of people who don't 'always' agree, but know how to show respect, and find compromise! imagine that...God bless.

Also irish lady. I am 58, my wife 57. Our lives, while different are not so different. We are, in spite of our views perhaps, still all Americans.

I would love to put forth the question, to anyone reading this. Knowing that our economy is in such dire need, Dont't agree with me, just tell me "What would YOU do to create jobs. We need answers, obviously congress and politics has not been the answer. Bring your ideas to the table, and let's challenge them. The next Nobel Prize winner may just be YOU! Let's hear it.

If anyone has any ideas on how to fix this thing we call the United States of America, go to my new web forum at http://nomorewarmandfuzzy.groupbox.com
and let's see what we can drum up. I decided, thanks to another poster here in this site, that perhaps people CAN work together to come up with ideas that will help our country, and actually unite Americans once again. This site is brand new, and so anyone who has an opinion or idea come and join me, ok?

irishlady: I did this because it was suggested to me. I truly believe there are those of us who, despite differences, can work together to create a better America. You have had a very strong influence in this decision. So I invite you folks first to join, and let's see what happens with it. Get other people like yourself involved. I'd be willing to bet that there are Democrats, Republicans, and then there are those who just want a better America, and are not too rigid to work with others. God bless you, and your husband. I would really love to meet him, both of you.

I rather resort to name calling having a failure to grasp a simple concept. Two can play this game

As for Irish Lady being neighbors and friends, no i would avoid her as her views are a bit too out there for me to relate and frankly find her a bit odd.

MartMart: "I rather resort to name calling having a failure to grasp a simple concept". Not sure what that means but, all I'm saying is that, while I tend to lean toward a more conservative opinion I don't think it's neccessary to call people names. If we have to then let's save it for those nutjobs that run planes through our buildings, and shoot innocent people (Gabby Giffords), instead of wasting our anger on someone who happens to disagree with a frickin phone plan. You can't possibly be that mad about how she feels, can you?
Yesterday, one month after getting my wife a droid x2 with an unlimited data plan, we purchased another droid x2. Only now I am told that the same data plan is no longer unlimited. We must pay more for the same thing. One month difference! I am still a Verizon fan over any other, but it's not calculus to see that, as time goes on these companies make it more and more profitable to exist. I really don't even mind that so much, because when companies prosper they hire, but at a time when people have less, charging more will not grow the business.
As for your opinions about being her neighbor. They have worked hard, saved, struggled, and supported this country. If you find that odd, then what does that say about you? I did not, nor will I ever vote liberal, but to treat them as though they are ignorant, or "Odd" just because they disagree, negates all of the fighting that three immediate members of my family fought and were killed in action for, thier right, and the freedom to have an opinion. As well it almost makes me ashamed of voting the conservative side, if in fact that is who you support. I suspect you voted for that loser in the white house though. We are people first! Then - we are Americans! Then, and only then do we differ. Get some anger management mister!

wtf does any of that have to do with what i said, i called her odd because of the way she thinks as it pertains to the topic on hand yet here you're off in your own world going on about random crap that doesn't even make sense. You sir have lost me

This company refused me entry to the store after i demanded they record my complaint in their system and print it out for me. They refused, said their "printer did not work". I am getting a "refurbished" phone replacement which has the same bugs as my present phone.