As I noted previously, 80% of Americans don’t believe that the government can be successful.  By and large, we Americans believe that the government is broken.  Yet, we still maintain that America is the best country in the world.  We don’t have nearly the best education system, nor healthcare system, nor justice system.  But, apparently, we’re still the best.  We don’t have totally equal rights for women, for gay people, for minorities.  We don’t have the highest standard of living.  We don’t have a strong economy (right now).  But– WE’RE STILL THE BEST!

I’m curious, given our dissatisfaction with the government and the way the country is run, why we still believe that America is the best country in the world.  Undoubtedly, there’s a lot of great things about this country…but I still think that the zealous patriotism espoused by many Americans is little uncalled for.

In one breath a person can begrudge the government for screwing up everything in his life: his kids’ classroom size; the cost of his prescriptions; the cost of his mortgage; the price of gas; the taxing of this or that; his 401K account balance; his job security; his marriage; the weather; and so on and so forth — and still proclaim from the highest purple mountain’s majesty that America is the best country in the world.  How is that?  Are we loyal to our government — the American “way of life” — for no good reason?

If we’re not the greatest country in the world (how is that defined?!), would we revolt like so many before us have?  If every last person in this country believed that the government is broken beyond repair, would we take up arms? Would we march on Washington and demand the dissolution of Congress? Burn the Constitution and start fresh?  Cede and start a new, better country?

No, I don’t think we would.  We’ve lost that revolutionary spirit.  We’re too preoccupied, distracted, busy; we have given up and given in.  Of course we have: American Idol is on.

Image courtesy of Mobilissimo

On September 25, 2009 AT&T launched Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) on the iPhone–something that the iPhone had been technically capable to do for months but was not supported by the AT&T network.  The capability, available on other phones on the market for years, lead bloggers and users to exclaim, “Welcome, AT&T iPhone, to 2003“.  While iPhone users in other countries around the world–users not forced to subscribe to the AT&T network–were happily sending pictures and video to their friends, the resentment of U.S. users toward AT&T was becoming palpable.

In fact, the outrage became so intense that AT&T issued a YouTube video featuring an unknown, jittery spokesman explaining why AT&T had failed so hardcore.  The lasting impression, however, was a chiding from AT&T for iPhone users’ usage of the network.  Over 172,000 people have seen the video and instead of appeasing it’s indentured users, many openly criticized the company.  For now, AT&T has nothing to worry about because it has an exclusivity agreement with Apple which prohibits iPhone users from (legally) using any other service provider other than AT&T.  But the exclusivity agreement won’t last forever.

According to a recent study by CFI Group, 92% of iPhone users believe they have the best phone around, leading the pack in satisfaction when compared to its competition.  But while users like myself love the phone, we can’t STAND AT&T.  Given the chance, half of all iPhone users would switch to another provider. Not surprisingly, AT&T received only a 69% satisfaction rating, the lowest among service providers.  Experiencing the poor service for the first time are the 40% of all iPhone users who switched from another service provider to AT&T in order to use the iPhone, myself included.

So while we iPhone users continue to get frustrated with dropped calls in urban metropolitan areas, AT&T will spend $18 billion this year on top of the $20.1 billion it spent last year to upgrade its network–which is ironically called by AT&T spokesman Mark Siegel: “A strong, high-quality mobile broadband network. It is the nation’s fastest 3G network, now in 350 major metropolitan areas.”  AT&T does itself a great disservice by rejecting the comments and complains of its’ customers who must cope with dropped calls, a hard-to-access network, high plan fees and extra SMS costs.

And while users continue to shout their complaints into deaf ears, AT&T’s Siegel says that “The surest indication of customer satisfaction is churn.  And ours is at record-low levels. Our own internal data suggests that our iPhone customers are very satisfied with AT&T.”  Churn rate is that rate at which users switch service providers and AT&T’s is the lowest in the industry–1.09% as of July.  But will that number stay so low once the exclusivity agreement ends?  My bet is no.

It boggles my mind that AT&T has made no effort to establish itself as a brand that cares.  Where is the customer appreciation?  I was even threatened by an AT&T collection agency operator who said that I have to pay $40 for some unknown charge or it would go on my credit report.  When asked what the charge was, she couldn’t explain other than that it was a “service fee”.  I’d have to formally write my dispute in a letter and it would be reviewed.  Don’t bother to call or visit an AT&T store, she said, because they would refer me back to the collection agency.  Best to just pay the fee and move on–”You don’t want that on your credit file, just for a $40 fee,” she said.  What did I do?  Luckily, I kept the card of the guy who helped me at the AT&T store when I bought my iPhone.  I gave him a ring and told him the situation and he was able to fix the “AT&T oversight” for me in five minutes.  I called the collection agency the next day and they said it had been resolved.  Now what was that for?  To ensure that I would hate AT&T forever?  Mission accomplished.

Long story short, when the exclusivity agreement ends and I am released from my shackles to use my iPhone through any service, I don’t plan on using AT&T for anything ever again.  But how long will I have to wait?

By: Aaron Endré

There is that place
deep inside
that burns white hot
and twists and curls.
An electrical fire
with noxious black smoke
that rises up,
up through the chimney
and into the sky.

Do not idolize me America,
I sing not what you want to hear.

The U.S. Department of Transportation released the findings of a study on Wednesday that details the dramatic rise in impaired driving among women between 1998 and 2007: a remarkable 28.8%.  During that same period, impaired driving among men FELL 7.5%.  Yet, impaired driving arrests among men outnumber those for women by a staggering 4-to-1.

While I am saddened by these statistics, I’m not terribly shocked.  What I am shocked at is the sexist tone and complacency that Mothers Against Drunk Driving (M.A.D.D.) President Laura Dean-Moody exhibited when questioned by CNN about the issue:

“Women are unfortunately picking up some of the same terrible, reckless behaviors that men have exhibited.” — As if men invented drunk driving and women are simply imitating the behavior.

When asked why women are increasingly driving while impaired she speculated, “Women are under more pressure. They’re now perhaps the breadwinner with the unemployment rate.” — Sounds a little sympathetic to me.  I wonder if this reason would have been cited if the statistics were reversed–this recession affects both sexes, after all.  She adds, “TV shows have made it look hip or cool to be a mom that stays home and drinks.” — Well, if the mom is STAYING HOME and drinking it wouldn’t be a problem, now would it?

My advice? People of the world: men, women, children (?!) please stop drinking and driving!

P.S. I think it’s lame that only mothers can be against drunk driving.  I cry sexism!  What about fathers?  Maybe there should be a Fathers Against Drunk Driving.  Hmm, “F.A.D.D.” almost makes it sound cool.  Ok then, an all-inclusive Parents Against Drunk Driving. “P.A.D.D.”? No, that won’t work either.  What about Citizens…I think “C.A.D.D.” works out alright…

Color-coded map of the same-sex marriage laws in the United States.

If you didn’t hear the news today, Maine became the fifth U.S. state (sixth if you count the brief time that it was legal in California before Proposition 8 passed) to legalize same-sex marriage, and the third this year alone.

I really enjoy looking at the map above. Too much red and not enough purple!  But to put it in perspective, let’s consider this map:

What is perhaps most disgraceful about this small tirade crafted by North Carolina Congresswoman Virginia Foxx at a packed House hearing about the ultimately passed hate crimes bill was that Mrs. Shepard, Matthew’s mother, watched in horror as her son’s vicious murder was trivialized and called a hoax.

For those not familiar, read the full account of what is positively an undoubtedly (and proven judiciously) a crime motivated and driven by homophobia and hatred that led to the gruesome death of 21-yr old Matthew Shepard in 1998.

Keith Olbermann gave Rep. Foxx a vicious word-slapping (and rightfully so) during his “Worst Person in the World” segment, shown below:

And to close it out, I’ll just put this: