BWC is Now The Law of the Land!

While Congress and our so-called leaders debate who caused what or who spied on whom or who can we blame for whatever we don't agree with corporations are continuing to rape American consumer any way they see fit!  And while this goes on the charade that is the Republican Majority in the House of Congress will once again try to repeal the health care bill aimed at helping the average citizen!
A perfect example came today in my cell phone bill from AT&T which included a slight increase, as always!
I decided to have an on-line chat with an AT&T agent about this latest slap at a long time moron, I mean customer.
What appears below is that chat.  Please read it and see if it rings true with your experience dealing with impersonal corporations these days.

Thank you for your patience!

Your AT&T Representative will be with you shortly.

Welcome! You are now chatting with 'I removed the name lest the person be fired for possible honesty' 

BRUCE M RESCH: Hi AT&T Person

AT&T Person: Hi Bruce, I can help you with the charges on your account.

BRUCE M RESCH: My bill has been $197.82 for ages and while it's way too high for the actual service provided at least it was a constant.  Now the bill is over $200 and it looks as though the rise was merely a BWC increase.  Is that true?

AT&T Person: I can have that check for you. Let me review your bill.

BRUCE M RESCH: ok

AT&T Person: Please give me 2-3 minutes to run through your bill.

BRUCE M RESCH: sure

AT&T Person: Thank you for waiting.  Upon reviewing your account, I found out that your monthly bill is always $197.99.

AT&T Person: The reason why your bill went up to $200.70 is because of the additional fee that was being charged to each of your line.

BRUCE M RESCH: An additional fee for what may I ask?

AT&T Person: If you will take a look on your bill, each line has a corresponding surcharges and other fees.

BRUCE M RESCH: yes I see that

AT&T Person: The additional fee that was added on each line was the Administrative fee which costs $0.61.

BRUCE M RESCH: So I was right, It's a BWC

AT&T Person: What is BWC?

BRUCE M RESCH: BWC stands for "Because We Can!" It's a fee charged by all large impersonal anti-human corporations to make even more money for doing nothing and causing those of us who must go along with their greed to suffer. In other words, bullshit!

AT&T Person: I understand you. But the the Administrative fee covers a small portion of certain expenses AT&T incurs, including but not limited to: Charges AT&T or its agents pay to interconnect with other carriers to deliver calls from AT&T customer to their customers Costs and charges associated with cell site rents and maintenance

BRUCE M RESCH: Did you actually type that with a straight face? Forget it - I cannot beat you guys. But when I decide to leave because your inane unfair extra fees are too much you will NEVER get me back no matter what you do.

BRUCE M RESCH: It's truly a crock of shit! The small increase of which you speak in AT&T costs could easily be covered by the unbelievably high rate you charge for nothing! I am speaking of texts etc. which cost you zero! In fact you had to invent a way to keep track of texts just so you could charge for them! But as I said I can not win & I realize it is not you personally who is at fault so I'm done here - Have a nice life.

AT&T Person: I understand where you're coming from. That's the initial reaction of most of our customers when they learned about this fee.

BRUCE M RESCH: I wonder why!

BRUCE M RESCH: Most Americans have not gotten a raise in years but AT&T & others like you continue to raise fees and make more profits and hand over our hard earned money to a bunch of useless shits at the top of the corporation who think only of how to make even more money on the backs of the customer. As I said - This is not personal but THEY are criminals!

AT&T Person: I understand you. We all work hard to earn money and who does like to have their money wasted? No one. I understand how you feel.
BRUCE M RESCH: enjoy the weekend - I'm out of here - Have to think about this situation further. Thanks

Note the line about having to pay increased costs due to connecting with other carriers.  Of course those carriers are using that same bull shit line to collect their own BWCs.

The collusion is on all sides of the equation and the only ones being hurt are the customers!

If anyone cares to add all the bills they pay and track the changes in each of them since we handed control of the country over to the large corporations who now own Congress I believe they will notice the same trend toward new BWCs.

Can we stem the tide of corporate greed?

Can we get Congress on the side of the people who actually vote them into office?

Can we make it through a month without House Republicans attempting to repeal the ACA aka Obamacare?

Sadly I feel the answer is a definitive NO WAY!

But still I rant and still I complain and at least in a small way I am a thorn in the side of corporate hypocrisy.

Never turn your back on these criminals and do not let them get away with what they do without at least complaining.  Who knows, maybe one day the meek really will inherit the Earth.

And by the way, when we do I'm going to hit all the bastards of the former corporate world with so many BWCs they heads'll fall off!

Cell vs. Cell

For years there has been a debate over cell phones and their effect on the user.  Typically people hold their phones pressed against their ear for the duration of a call and many males wear them on their belts when not in use.
In order for a cell phone to work it must send and receive a signal from somewhere usually a nearby transmitting structure known as a cell tower.
Scientists have claimed there might be a danger of brain tumors or other long term damage to the brain for regular users.  They claim the proximity to the brain of these powerful transmitter/receiver may be scrambling more than voices.
Naturally cell phone manufacturers and service providers as well as the companies who erect the towers pooh-pooh these claims stating the signals are very weak and cannot cause human cell damage.  Even the FCC which is one might hope is on the side of the consumer has come out on the 'not that bad' side of the argument.
These debates flare up once in a while but in our sound bite world they tend to fade away when new issues arise such as, for example an economic meltdown caused by greedy bankers and Wall St. billionaires.
But on Long Island the issue has reared it's ugly wireless head as the towers are once again casting a scary shadow over the Town of Hempstead.
With certain restrictions the town council voted to ban the placement of new towers from being built near schools and residences.  This move should drastically limit their numbers.
The dilemma for consumers however is the ever increasing demand for better phone service and fewer 'dropped calls.'
Now, in a twist with a touch of irony FCC spokesman Bruce Romano (I do like his first name) is telling people that more transmitters would be better for the public and his reasoning is interesting.
Mr. Romano says that a phone will receive better service the closer it is to a cell tower and therefore more cell towers is a good thing.  He states that the increase in the handset's "bars' will show this.
He goes on in his effort to sell the cell by explaining that with more towers the phone would have to emit less energy while pressed against one's ear.
In other words he is admitting that there is a problem and has been one for years!
He is asking us to allow the placement of more wireless signal emitting towers so as to create a more comprehensive mesh of signals within which our phones will work better.
That sounds like a plan.  Build more towers to alleviate the danger of brain tumors due to cell phone use.  Of course in doing so you increase the risk of other types of cancers somewhere else on the body.
Interesting trade off, right?
Perhaps the battle of cell vs. cell is not yet over and more research work needs to be done.  None of us have definitive answers.
Oh and Mr. Romano, don't call me, I'll call you!