Ashley (or ASSly, going forward) Furniture Needs a Vegas-Style Implosion

Thus begins the rant of the day:

There is nothing more enjoyable on a fall Saturday morning than strolling down to your local furniture dealer and shopping, unless you have an ice pick handy and want to poke out your eyeballs while a grizzly bear disembowels you.  They are nearly equal in pleasure and satisfaction.  The difference if you shop at Ashley Furniture: the grizzly bear is much more customer centric and the experience is pleasant, comparatively.  My wife and I recently made a stop into the aforementioned Ashley Furniture on Martin Luther King and US 95, as we had a credit from a lay-away issue that Ashley completely botched (which began the joy).  My wife was holding a new bed for our rapidly growing son, and when we financed it they decided that the lay-away money would not be applied to the purchase for some unknown reason (that they still have not disclosed) and therefore gave us a credit to apply to a future purchase.  Great way to keep the revenue flowing into the store; scam artist 101, class number 5 apparently.  The salesman mentioned that they had great nightstands in their clearance center that we would be able to use the credit on, (as we needed these as well).  We explored the clearance center this Saturday morning, found some nightstands that I made an offer on (as they need a bit of work to return to pristine condition, but is not too bad) and the offer was accepted.  This pleased my wife and I (as we were looking at these same nightstands in the regular showroom for 600% more EACH), and decided that these would work great with a bit of sanding and re-staining, which I am easily able to do.

As we made our way to pay for these items, the "cashier" decided to inform us that the credit we were supposed to have was not yet applied, despite the fact that they could CLEARLY see it in the system.  They would not honor the credit until Monday at the earliest, and the nightstands that we were purchasing could not be held.  We were told that the credit was not available due to THEM not processing the paperwork until the next night and it wouldn't be available until Monday.  Ridiculous!  So, needless to say, this particular Irishman was quite livid at the lack of customer service, as well as the fact that they did not want to let the credit be used.  We were told to speak to the manager, and that he could make the decision on what to do.  As we approached two "gentlemen" sitting at a desk, my wife asked if one of them was the manager.  They both quickly and rudely stated that they were BOTH managers, and what did we want.  REALLY??  They got up to speed on the situation and quickly ascertained that they would not assist us with it as this was policy based on the time that the credit was processed.  This was THEIR fault, but WE had to pay the price for it.  Somehow, customer service has not only died in this country, but it was shot in the head, executioner-style!

At this point, after fighting with these mental midgets two days ago, I had enough and announced that they clearly did not want business or sales, and decided I should remove myself from the store before I was escorted out.  My wife, bless her heart, was not done with them and decided to inform them of what they should have already thought of, despite the clear lack of intelligence on either manager's part.  She essentially had to tell them how to do their jobs and once the contact of an attorney for return of the aforementioned deposit, they suddenly decided that they could do that and included it as part of our delivery for our son's bed.  I can honestly say I have RARELY dealt with a business quite as inept as Ashley Furniture.  I don't care HOW good a deal might be at this den of thieves, DO NOT fall for it!  You will be sucked into the abyss of furniture store hell, likely to be thrown to the hell hounds for an afternoon snack!  Step away slowly from the dinette set and make your way to the exits before your wallet (and your sanity) is sucked out by the evil vortex of Ashley.  Do not make the mistake of giving a penny to these charlatans.

Nevada Officials: Get Off Your Butts and Fix the Budget!

Thus begins the rant of the day: I am in amazement that the State of Nevada continues to blast news of dwindling coffers and over-budget arguments when the state representatives refuse to look at the one area that can and would get us out of our hole with the expediency of a Space Shuttle launch: the casinos. It is a fact that the average state gaming tax in this country is 30% (figures contained within this blog come from the American Gaming Association website). While other states figure out that gaming taxes can be directly earmarked to pay for improved education, infrastructure and state programs, such as Medicaid, the State of Nevada has the LOWEST gaming tax in the nation, at 6.75%! We have the most gaming revenue of ANY state in the Union (and this is by a large percentage) and yet Nevada continues to allow the casinos to operate with massive profits (even with lower patron numbers, which by the way are very much skewed) and not have them pay their share. Our teachers are struggling to survive on an average wage of $27,957, while the median income for other workers in the state is $44,426 (teacherportal.com), and there are more cuts proposed. Gee, let's see if we can figure out why our state education rank is 49 (and 50 in some categories)! Until this state gets off its collective duff and start doing something about this short-fall in the state gaming tax, we will continue to see these numbers drop, and our student dropout rate will continue to rise. There is no way to attract better teachers to a state that refuses to provide them with adequate resources and salaries. A proposal that was put forth recently by the state legislature suggests implementing a state lottery to help pay for education and other needed programs, but of course the big casinos in Las Vegas want nothing to do with the "competition", as that means less money in their pockets. Let me propose this to the state...FORCE THE CASINOS' HAND (no pun intended). Give them an ultimatum: Pony up more money by way of a gaming tax increase, or we implement the lottery! Anyone who has travelled out to Primm to go over into California and purchase lottery tickets knows how busy the station that sells lottery tickets gets. Lines go around the building, sometimes two to three times. This is just one location! There are statistics that show how successful state lotteries can be in earmarking money for needed programs and departments, such as education. The casinos know that this is a legitimate threat, and will do anything to keep this from happening. That being the case, it is time to hold our elected officials responsible and make our opinions known! Remember, this is OUR government. We don't answer to them, they answer to US! Stand up for our state and call your representatives to send a clear message: no elected official will get support from their constituancy if they are not willing to make this ultimatum a reality! One voice CAN make a difference! It's time for the citizens of Nevada to stop complaining and start taking our government back!

Medicare Part D - Part Cruel Joke!

Thus begins the rant of the day: Though I have been away from my writing lately, I want to bring a very glaring issue to my readers as soon as possible. This issue is regarding Medicare Part D, extra assistance for low-income individuals, and the ineptitude of the government to properly oversee this plan. My girlfriend's mother is on Medicare Part D and has had the special assistance offered by Social Security to help low-income citizens with the monthly cost of the plan. She has been on the same plan with the same income level since the inception of the Part D plan offered by CMS (The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services). To give a bit of background on how the additional assistance works, it is something that is applied for through Social Security and provides assistance to those who cannot afford the monthly payments that are required to be on the Part D Prescription Plan. Not to bore you with the details, those who have income and assets that total less than $13,000 qualify for the extra help. My girlfriend's mother qualified originally, and continues to qualify. This year, in the infinite stupidity of CMS and Social Security, letters were sent out to several hundred thousand people who qualified in the past to contact Social Security to "re-verify" their status to receive the extra assistance. For those of you who have not worked in the industry (I used to administer a Part D plan for a company based here in Las Vegas) this is CMS and Social Security code for "we screwed up and lost the information for several of our qualifying members and we need to get your information again". The issue that I have with this is that the letters sent to members are VERY confusing, mis-leading and generally contradictory. Many senior citizens who receive these letters were unaware of what they meant, and according to a direct quote from a Social Security representative that we spoke to today: "We have only received about 10% response to the letters". This means that hundreds of thousands of low-income seniors are starting to receive coupon books from their Part D plans telling them they have to pay full price for the plan, or they will be dropped from the plan! The fact that these low-income seniors could potentially lose their coverage because of yet ANOTHER mistake made by CMS and Social Security is no surprise, but is extremely maddening. This plan has been poorly managed and riddled with red-tape, confusing and undecipherable correspondence and general mis-direction since the beginning. A used car salesman would baulk at the deception that this program has continually spewed forth! To make matters worse, my girlfriend, with my assistance as I have good knowledge of how the game works, contacted the Social Security number that was listed on the letter, and received...wait for it...the runaround! Another item that lacks surprise when dealing with the government. When she spoke to the person at Social Security, she was told that everything was fine in their system back in February when the letter was first received. Of course, she still received a letter just this past week from the provider of the plan and a coupon book for full price of copayments every month. Curious. She called the same office again and was now told that she has qualified every year, but this year her qualification was strangely not in the system; again code for "we lost her data". She was then told BY SOCIAL SECURITY that she needed to contact Medicare, as they are the ones who determine eligibility for the extra assistance. This is ABSOLUTELY false; consider the fact that the letter saying that she needed to re-verify status CAME from Social Security! She then contacted Medicare and after a 20 minute wait was told that it was in fact Social Security that handles this. Correct answer, but a waste of 20 minutes. She finally decided to take more time out of her day and take her mother down to the local Social Security office and get this settled once and for all. This is where she was told about the letters going out to so many others, and that she now has to RESUBMIT proof of qualification for extra assistance! A process that can take 8-10 weeks! Are you KIDDING ME? My girlfriend's mother is extremely fortunate to have someone who can take the time and has the resources to not only pay for the plan while the issue is resolved, but who actually can make time to get this issue cleared up in the first place! So many of our seniors do not have this luxury, and don't have the means or mode to either sit on the phone with several departments or go to their local Social Security office to get this cleared up. Yes, this is another in the LONG list of governmental agencies managed by crooks, devils and general swindlers. The American public HAS to stop allowing the government to operate in a way that any private business would be bankrupt in a matter of days! Hold your local, state and federal representatives responsible for their actions and actually take control of OUR government back from the cheating, corrupt and unmoral "leadership" before it is too late! Pass this information along to anyone you know who may be on Medicare Part D and low-income. Contact your representation to lodge complaints against the inadequate operation of Medicare and get something DONE about this and other abuses!

FINALLY! ANOTHER POST!

Ok, I know I have taken a bit of time off from writing, so let's get back to the good stuff. Where oh where has the Roaming Gnome been lately? Well, let me say that it has been a year full of travel and intrigue. I can say that the adventures have not taken me internationally as of late, but I certainly have been able to tour around the central part of our fine country! This year I have gone to the following cities/towns/truckstops: Phoenix/Scottsdale, New Mexico, Why, Arizona (which is a question AND a town), Sonoma, California, Chicago (yes, again), Missouri, Upper Michigan, Wisconsin, South Dakota, and currently I am in Kansas. No, not the fun part of Kansas...I am in Dodge City, which is a contradiction in terms. I am in Dodge, but I would say that a city should have more than one gate at their airport.

The travel that I have been doing has been wonderful, truthfully. I have had the opportunity to visit downtown Chicago again, which I LOVE, see Mount Rushmore, attend a Green Bay Packers game at legendary Lambeau Field (even though it is my Vikings mortal enemy, it is a MUST to see a game there), and enjoy the fine wines of Sonoma County, all while getting paid to be there! Pictures will soon follow from some of the stops on my way. I am most thrilled to be getting back to the blog, and promise my 3 or 4 readers that I will return to writing more often! Until then, ciao!

New Week, New City!

Well, here I am in one of the U.S.' greatest cities: Chicago! I must admit, this is my first time in this city, and it will NOT be my last! This is the most INCREDIBLE place! It is amazing to think that I get PAID to travel to these wonderful places! I am truly a blessed individual!

Another indication of my truly good luck is the timing of my visit! This last Saturday was "Venetian Night", which is a celebration of the Italian influence in the city, highlighted by a evening lighted boat parade and a fireworks display, launched from barges on Lake Michigan. I was told by one of the locals that this fireworks display is second in size to the 4th of July display. I must say, if this was 2nd, I cannot IMAGINE what the 4th looks like! Unreal! I also made the brilliant move to check on a boat tour of the city that evening, which wound up being an architectural tour of the city down the Chicago River, followed by a trip onto Lake Michigan for a lake view of the fireworks. I cannot begin to describe the wonder and beauty of seeing some of the most spectacular fireworks I have ever seen, and to see them against the majesty of the Chicago skyline! What an experience! If you ever want to take a trip to Chicago, make sure to come during Venetian Night and take this cruise! You will never forget it!

Seeing the Chicago skyline at night is another reason that taking a boat tour of the city toward the evening is a great idea. Try to go on the last tour, or the sunset tour. I assure that you won't be disappointed! The beauty of the sun setting behind the metal mountains of Chicago is breathtaking to say the least! The tour that I took (aboard "Chicago's Little Lady") was a marvelous way to see the city, and learn incredibly interesting facts about the city. There are things that you may never discover about the city if you don't take one of these tours. For an example, we passed a building that in itself was beautiful (a 6-7 story red brick building covered in ivy), but the building was not the impressive part; what occured on that site was. This was the very spot that Abraham Lincoln was given the nomination for President of the United States. The tour guides are incredibly knowledgeable, funny, and insightful. The guide that we had was also somewhat of a local celebrity, as he appeared in a scene of the movie "Risky Business". He was the waiter in the scene where Tom Cruise and Rebecca De Mornay are dining in the restaurant on top of the John Hancock tower. While you may not end up with this local legend as your tour guide, I assure you will get just as good of a tour from any of the guides. This is a great way to see the city!

Another great way is by taking a ride to the top of the Sears Tower. This was breathtaking! The line to purchase tickets and ascend in the elevators is very long, so be sure to go very early, as part of a tour group, or around 5:00 pm, as this is the slow period (as it is dinner time). This is a must do in Chicago. The ability to stand atop (or nearly the top) of the 3rd highest building in the world (and the highest tower in the United States) is something you cannot miss. On a clear day, you are able to see 4 states (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin). Unfortunately during my visit, there was not a lot of wind and was therefore quite hazy. Nevertheless, the view is one you cannot describe with words. I have placed a few pics on the site for you to see. This is one terrific site!

Oh, and let me just say that I got one of the greatest thrills a sports fan can have...I attended a Cubs game at the iconic Wrigley Field! "The Friendly Confines", as it is so nicknamed, is one of the most incredible places to see a game! I was able to get a wonderful seat (15 rows from the field, just above the Cubs dugout) and to see a game here HAS to be experienced. The history of the park, the splendor of the ivy-covered outfield walls, and the insane crowd are things that make a trip to Wrigley Field something that must be experienced even if you aren't a baseball fan! It was magical. The energy was amazing, and the fans of the Cubs are some of the most entertaining and wonderful I have ever been around! What a blast!

Needless to say, my time in Chicago has been marvelous! Next stop, back to Mississippi! I will be traveling to Vicksburg, MS (near the Louisiana border) for a project. I am looking forward to my return. It is actually a very lovely state, and hopefully there will be time for me to get to New Orleans while I am there. It is about a 3 hour drive, but it would be WELL worth it!

Home at LAST!

Well, I have managed to make it home for a few days before my departure to another adventure! I came back from New Mexico and immediately made my way back to the beauty and temperate climate of Temecula, CA. I LOVE it there, and I really would consider making that my home down the road. I spend the better part of a week there before returning to Vegas.

I'll be heading out to Chicago on Thursday, which will be very exciting, as I have never been able to explore the city before. Hopefully I will be able to make it to Wrigley Field and catch a Cubs game while I'm there! More from the road later!

Changing of the format

Thus begins the rant of the day:

Ok, so now that I AM the roaming gnome, I thought this would be a good spot to let all family, friends, and anyone else who might be interested, know about my travels around the country and the world as a corporate trainer in the gaming business! Having said that, I will catch everyone up on where I have been in the last two months.

June saw me starting out in Tunica, Mississippi (one week after my knee surgery, by the way!) I flew into Memphis, and drove 30 miles over the Mississippi border to Tunica. It is a very quaint area, and getting to see the Southern leg of the mighty Mississippi River was awe-inspiring! It is quite amusing to have seen the start of the river while living in Minnesota, and now the Southern portion! While on this trip, I was able to shoot back up to Memphis to tour Graceland (Elvis Presley's home), as well as Beale Street, the home of the Blues! The food was AMAZING! I got to eat world famous ribs at the Blues City Cafe (featured on the Food Network). I will post a few pics of the trip for all to enjoy!

Next I went to Espanola, New Mexico (15 miles North of Santa Fe). I was able to spend time in Santa Fe, as well as meeting up with Millie and Ben (my aunt and uncle) and Jeff (my cousin) who lives nearby. The weather was challenging, but it is wonderful to see rain for once! Unfortunately, the system that we were installing was not functioning, so I wound up leaving the property and going to Temecula, California for a week.

Temecula is one of my favorite spots. It is just North of San Diego, one of my absolute favorite places in the world! I was able to visit Zarco's Cigar Lounge in old town Temecula, as well as get to some of the wonderful wineries in the Temecula Valley! I also enjoyed a jazz concert at Thornton Winery, and as most of you know, I am a HUGE jazz fan! I saw Hiroshima and Acoustic Alchemy. They were FANTASTIC! What a great show! An intimate atmosphere in the winery's courtyard, and only about 500 people there! It was like a private concert!

Today, I have returned to New Mexico to finish the project we began a few weeks ago. My fingers are crossed that things will finally be back on track so that we can complete the training. Next week, I will be back in Temecula. YEAH! Mom, Dad, and Kristie are coming out to meet me there! I am so excited!