Thursday

80+ here today.  Summer hot.  But not much humidity.

I was able to get in a 15 mile ride on the bike path this evening starting as late as 6:25.  This is a good sign.  In a couple of weeks, that evening ride will be a lay up.  In a month, we'll be able to get out in the morning before work.  Suite.

Got the pre-emergent on the yard this week too.  For as much snow as we had this Winter, and as late as it stayed, I'm surprised at how hard the ground is now.  A little rain wouldn't be a bad thing.

2 just stopped in with a girl friend to bum a glass of wine.  2's dealing with stress issues at work, and had more stress with a team project this evening with her Iowa class, so Liberty School seemed like a good call.  One of the advantages of having fam down the street, is the unplanned little visits.  Very cool.

My disappointment with the Direct TV NCAA tournament package for the 2009 tournament is the gift that keeps on giving.  As you may recall, I had no small amount of buyer's remorse last year as the package was weighted down by the fact that, regardless of the anything else, the only feed for the games was the CBS broadcast.  Thus, once you get past the first weekend, there's really not much to be gained by the supposedly greater access.  So there was no way that I was going to sign-up for the service for the 2010 games.

Ah, contrare, my non-reader of the fine print.

When I got my AmEx bill this week, which includes the monthly Direct TV auto-bill debit, there was the monthly charge, up about $75 over the normal fee.  Say what?  So I go to the Direct TV site, pull up the March billing, and there's the line-item of $69.99 plus tax for the NCAA full coverage service.  Somewhere in the Terms of Service that I'm certain I didn't read last year, but did check that I agreed to, it must have said that it was an automatic renewal until canceled.  Shame on PC for the fatal assumption.

These are the kind of things that make consumers distrust companies that game their services.  Let's see, how can we trick a buyer to pay more than they otherwise might choose to do?  I've encountered this practice in a variety of subscription services, even with various vendors in our business.  Annual tax books, or computational programs from on-line providers frequently will send you the update.  And a bill.  (In those situations, after year 2, you at least know the way the game is played.)

Anyway, I have since cooled down, and when I call them tomorrow, my argument will not be for a refund, but rather for a couple of free months of HBO or Showtime.  Surely they'll give me something for their left-handed theft.

And I will be canceling the NCAA package for 2011, thank you very much.l

Gotta say I didn't get the Topeka - Google switcheroo for April Fool's Day.  Still don't.  Aren't April Fool's jokes supposed to have a chance at being funny?

My only comment on the NCAA plan to expand the field to 96 teams is, uh, why?  A better tournament?  Hardly.  The NIT goes away, and the 32 teams that have at least given viewers something to see on off-nights become participants in the equivalent of 16 "play-in" games.  Most of winners then being gone in the new 2nd round.  I'm sure the NCAA pinheads are counting $$$$'s.  It always comes down to money.

1 and 1.1 have themselves a new set of wheels.  The Monte is history.  1.01 need a four-door vehicle.  How did I get through that phase with a pick-em-up truck?  Another example of how the girls made it through childhood (and after) in spite of the parents.

Off to bed.  Make it a Good Friday.

BCOT