William Reardon’s Blog

I don’t use Paypal. I don’t care about Paypal. Yes, I know you Ebay whores are baffled, but it’s true, there is someone who doesn’t care enough about retired Precious Moments figurines to expose their checking account to Internet fraud. Go figure.

Apparently, even more startling to Paypal there is someone who doesn’t care about their newsletters. Shocking, I know. Take a second to gather yourself before continuing. So, if you don’t care about Paypal, which if you haven’t caught on, I don’t, what do you have to do, to get off their email lists?

You have to fax a photo ID to Paypal.

No, I’m not shitting you. Yes, they really have created things this way.

How, you ask? Follow my path of woe, dear reader.

I start getting spam by Paypal. Apparently, they decided to start a newsletter. Good for them. I’m sure that’s what they need to thwart off the impending cock-punching from Google’s GBuy or whatever. Go newsletter.

So I get newsletter. Mistakenly, I think it’s a semi-reputiable company, and read through an entire page of fine print (pdf here) to find the unsubscribe link. Click. “To unsubscribe, log in to your account.” Damn it, I got the link from your email, you should be able to unsubscribe me automatically!

Fine, whatever. Click on Login.

“Enter name & password.” I don’t know. I don’t care abot Paypal. I just want off their damn newsletter. I try various passwords. None work. Fuck.

“Click here if you forgot your password.” Fine, click.

“Answer your security question.” What? I don’t know. I don’t care! Guess answers fail. I don’t care about Paypal, I don’t care about this account, I just want off their damn email lists

“Click here to email Customer Service.” Fine, click. Short explanation. I don’t care about the account, I don’t use Paypal, I don’t need my password, just please remove me from your email lists.

In a nutshell, their response:

   1.  Fax the cover page and following documents to 1-402-537-5734.
      ·   Valid photo ID
      ·   Bank statement, credit card statement, proof of address (phone or
            utility bill) listing your CURRENT address
   2.  Click "Continue to Fax Cover Sheet".
   3.  Fill out the form and click "Print Page".

To unsubscribe. From a motherfucking newletter.

I hope Google fucking destroys them.

Update: Digg this. Hopefully if it gets on Digg, someone at Paypal will pull their collective head out their asses.

Vader on vocals.
Rebel pilots, backup.
Stormtroopers on bass.
Obi Wan & Boba Fett on keyboard.
Chewie on drums.

Does it get more awesome than Gnarls Barkley at the 2006 MTV Movie Awards?

My hands-down favorite artist, Leonard Cohen, was on Fresh Air a few weeks back. Check it out.

Updates:

Holy Crap #1: Searching Amazon, I was annoyed I wasn’t able to find the 2005 documentary mentioned, Leonard Cohen: I’m Your Man. Finding the site, I discovered that’s because it’s being released to theatres next week. I am so there.

Holy Crap #2: He has a profile on myspace!

Since before becoming a Johnny Cash fan, I’d know that one my favorite childhood authors, Shel Silverstein, was the one who penned A Boy Named Sue.

What I didn’t know was that Shel followed it up The Father of a Boy Named Sue.

Amusing, but not as good as the original. And those last few lines are… odd.

I just got a few invites to the Farecast Beta. As John Battelle describes, it’s an awesome way to help buy airfare and figure out when the best time is. If you’d like one, ping me or leave a comment below.