A Status Update

Posted on December 19, 2011 by mmunson

I wrote to the Los Angeles Times reporter who wrote about the euthanasia malpractice at the Los Angeles City Animal Control center and encouraged him to investigate the issue at Devore which San Bernardino County mismanages.

School was average, got a A- or B+ in Geography class about world regions and a B- in World History after 1500, last class this Spring so I can transfer to Western Governor’s University. Also I am hoping there will be a tutoring vacancy at Chaffey College’s success center so I can help students on Political Science.

I donated some money to Ron Paul’s campaign. I may not agree with him entirely, but he is one of the best front runners, I was warm to Jon Huntsman, but he was for intervention in Iran and that removed him from primary consideration.

Road Runner becomes Pricey

Posted on December 6, 2011 by mmunson

New price increases for the January bill in effect, your communications and entertainment will cost MORE money. I did write previous articles since 2008 about this issue and you can see some of them here.

Expect Road Runner Standard in the Los Angeles area to cost us now $52.99 from $50.99, when will these price increases end? We cant absorb this much longer. However if they don’t cap data for the time being to a fair use standard then the price suggested for their service is still a good deal.

Too Many People on a Black Friday

Posted on November 26, 2011 by mmunson

After my shift on Friday I decided to visit another store to see if there was any deals left over and it became more of a bother than it was worth. I am generally a nice person, but when I am not paid to deal with the general public the niceness can dissipate rather easily. ‘

I was hoping to get a laptop since I returned to school to hopefully get my credential eventually so I could become a school teacher.

However with the parking lot crowded and people crowding the parking lot surrounding Best Buy, it was hard to make a decision on what to buy. I also had some tween girls going on Facebook, but if it is the most crowded time in the store web browsing should be quick and short so customers can investigate products so people can actually BUY stuff.

Also I noticed when I was looking at the screen while trying to get an opportunity to check to see if the pc was worth buying. The 11 or 12 year old girl was faking she was 21 to get on Facebook, I hope no expecting guys think she’s legal due to her status information on her profile page. I tried to tell the tween and her friends that I will report her to Facebook to kill her account if she doesn’t let me use the pc due to breaking Facebook regulations. But even if they vanished from that pc, and I bought that laptop waiting in line in that zoo was a bad idea. I saved a hundred dollars just buying elsewhere. (Parents, please monitor your child’s online activity and even if you do not give them online access. Check their names to see if they signed up without your permission.)

Best Buy was not a fun visit, I ended up picking up this at the Microsoft Store. I hope it turns out to be a good laptop. It may not have the good gaming graphics. However it can play most of the indie games on Steam and Final Fantasy 11.

Retail Life

Posted on November 18, 2011 by mmunson

I feel weird when I am on break or off duty and visit the other stores next to my store and customers from those stores ask for help. I was at CVS and had my mobile phone on and a bottle of chocolate milk to buy, and the lady asked me “Do You Work Here”, I told her in a sarcastic tone “Nope”, “But I will be happy to help you at the other store I work at”. I usually try to be respectful even when I am off duty, but it gets annoying when even when you are not wearing the colors of the store, it becomes more of a bother.

Medicare for Dummies

Posted on November 11, 2011 by mmunson

My father is turning 65 next year and he is bewildered about how to navigate the world of Medicare. The mail box is filled with pitches with insurance companies offering to be your best buddy if you sign up for the year with them, but my father does intend to work until 67 or until his body says the show is over so he is reluctant to sign up for Medicare Part C or D.

I wish there was something well done for the people who do not want to utilize computers to find out what is the right Medicare combination that would fit them well.

I know the Wiley Company has one about Medicare Part D, but maybe a Medicare for Dummies that covers the spectrum of Medicare plans might be a good idea. Pack the book with an interactive program people can fire up on their mac or pc made with Adobe AIR and we could get something that might sell big copies since many baby boomers are entering the system and would help make it better for those individuals.

Common questions should be answered such as:

If I am currently working, do I still need to sign up?

What do Medicare Advantage plans (Part C) offer and how do they differ from each other?

Will I owe any extra money if I am still working if I enroll for Medicare Part A, while I am still working?

Right Here Right Now

Posted on October 31, 2011 by mmunson

I was supposed to complete three classes at Chaffey College, but I could not stand one particular instructor so I only am working on two classes currently. Geography and World History after 1500 are doing pretty decent, I expect to get a high B in Geography and an A in World History.

Working on getting US History post 1865 enrolled again is going to be a fun challenge, I could either CLEP it or take it at Riverside Community College’s summer session. I want to make sure I start my credentialing program at Western Governor’s University by March at the latest.

The positive thing I would like to state is at least I am working on future progress, it may not be immediate. However it is getting there.

Also I did get some criticism for eating at Subway due to their sponsorship of Michael Vick. Problem is its not my personal choice to eat there, my sister drags me there. Anyways just like how people pay carbon offsets, I guess I could donate to an animal shelter or a rescue to make up for that. However Subway is not endorsing him per say, but the award in the BET awards was sponsored by them in general.

My other website is here, its my future political website. I am pondering my options and will make a formal announcement if I get the right connections to make political realities come true.

Unclaimed Property

Posted on October 21, 2011 by mmunson

My local state senator had an email of a workshop about unclaimed property and out of curiosity I searched for members of my family to see if any money was due to any of us.

My sister was noted on the Unclaimed Property search site for 39 cents owed to her. But for her to get the money back she has to mail a form which costs more money than that unclaimed money, how about my sister could give it back to the state and she can take that 39 cents off her taxes. How about making a regulation that states that any unclaimed money under the current cost of a stamp can be taken care of without a signature towards credit off taxes.

I would like to see my state senator and member of the board of equalization to consider legislation on this issue.

Best,
Matt Munson
Ontario California

My Letter to Los Angeles Times Executives

Posted on September 25, 2011 by mmunson

This was sent to Tribune President AND the Chief Operating Officer of the newspaper.

To the operating officer and publisher of the Los Angeles Times

The Times is still one of the best newspapers in the west coast of the United States, but many customers are livid on how your distribution partners for home delivery have basically screwed the pooch big time. I know that your owners the Tribune Company wants to improve their circulation numbers, but with this madness your partners have perpetrated I don’t know how the paper can stay in business in an increasing online society.

I don’t know how the other leading Los Angeles County newspapers from the Media News Group are being co-mingled with the Los Angeles Times, but would it be easier if your carriers just threw one company’s newspapers so they would not make so many mistakes that make the lives of your customer service agents miserable?

Your publication’s carriers haven’t made this many mistakes until this month, and even when I gave them a chance after I called your hotline the first time they still kept on making these mistakes. The second call I called to cancel, but I know you are trying to save circulation and rebound your business for the Tribune Company. But your account specialist says the same old canned line that we will get this resolved, but it will not get resolved from prior experience.

I have emailed myaccount and social media service addresses at your newspaper, and I honestly want out. I want the unused portion of my subscription refunded to my American Express account and maybe you can win my business in the future when your team reforms your customer service center and your delivery carriers.

My father was once a newspaper carrier twenty years ago and if he got all these complaints he would be fired. Even though I am getting bill credit, it is the matter of principle. Maybe you guys need to apologize in print in the editorial page to your subscribers who help keep your circulation levels high for your advertisers and be frank and honest like what the Netflix guys did recently.

Food Truck Solution

Posted on September 19, 2011 by mmunson

I have some solutions where people can enjoy their mobile restaurants and still help out communities at the same time. Food trucks can rent space at the local parks in our county and help out the parks and recreation budgets of the parks that located where they are parked.

Cities and county officials in San Bernardino County are worried that these food trucks will kill off business from existing food establishments. Placing these trucks in our local parks parking lots would be a good compromise. We can drive one of the most popular culinary concepts and help provide some money for our local economy. Food trucks can bid for 2 day permits that allow them to open for 3 hours a day at a particular city park and pay weekly rent to the government agency who runs the park.

Or cities can do what Austin Texas has done and build a promenade for these establishments so they would have a regular home to open up shop. It would be like a mobile home park for these food trucks. We can set up a place with a few restrooms, benches, and a sink where people can wash their hands and go from there. This might be one case of redevelopment I could truly support.

Where is my $#@! Paper!

Posted on September 18, 2011 by mmunson

I have been paying for my newspaper subscription off and on since I started at UC Riverside in 2001. Unfortunately for the last three days my newspaper has not been on my driveway for the last three days. Even though its nice not having to pay for the newspaper you never received, its very disturbing when the company fails to notify their customers about problems they may have had particularly in the 91762 and surrounding areas.

I currently have the Thursday thru Sunday plan since I do not really read the paper all the time and why waste precious trees for a newspaper you barely read aside from the increasing cost of taking the subscription on. Not getting the Sunday paper from delivery will be sadly the death knell of my patience.

I do like the Los Angeles Times for the advertisements, coupons and the occasional articles. However with the increased price of service, customers expect better service for the increased money you have to pay for the newspaper.

Inland Utopia

Life in the Inland Valley

Category Archives: life