It took all of six minutes for the Executive Services VIP Analyst to settle my account. She apologized profusely and refunded every penny of the $630. With an additional $75 "service credit," my balance due dropped to -$20.

Six minutes.

I am very thankful. My heart rate has returned to normal. I've lifted my boycott on the Nextel Cup, and can start watching Ron Livingston movies again.

Do I have any confidence that Sprint won't screw me again? No, absolutely none. But it's a depressing industry. Tales identical to this happen all the time, even to Cingular and T-Mobile and Verizon customers. For now, Sprint and I have made up. Better the devil you know. Especially the devil whose Executive Services VIP Analyst's phone number you know.

I appreciate all the comments and emails and insider tips. Where do we go from here? Out of this little ordeal will come two things. First, a renewed interest in finding examples of great customer service. Gotta balance out the negativity I've poured in the ocean. Second, if you've gotten your ass kicked by a cell phone provider (or any large entity), I'd be happy to help you demand satisfaction. No guarantees. Just fire me an email.

But I can't stop thinking that being the anti-cellphone company is fertile ground for a newcomer, the way jetBlue made the stodgy old airlines seem obsolescent. What if Apple had announced the iPhone would only be made available through this non-existent carrier? Oh well. I'm locked in with Sprint for another 23 months. Maybe by then someone will have filled the void. Sir Branson?

We now return to regularly scheduled shenanigans.

Previous Entries:
My Marathon With Sprint
An Open Letter to Sprint CEO Gary Forsee
Update: Sprint CEO Emails Me

"The Host (Gwoemul)" ** (out of four): An Eastern monster movie with a decidedly Western influence, director Bong Joon-ho's wildly uneven CGI extravaganza lacks focus but delivers a few chuckles and scares along the way.

“The Host (Gwoemul)” - an old fashioned monster movie with big budget effects from Korean director Bong Joon-ho - starts off with a reverent homage to monster movies of old. An evil (American) morgue technician orders his hapless (Korean) assistant to pour gallons of toxic chemicals down the drain, polluting the Han River. A scant six years later, something horrific appears from the river’s depths to wreck havoc on downtown Seoul. Gang-du (Song Kang-ho) – a perpetually sleepy single-father working at the family food-stand – witnesses the monster’s first appearance, as it makes mincemeat of unsuspecting riverside revelers. No sooner does Gang-du spring into action than the monster snatches his young daughter before his eyes and disappears into the watery depths.

Read More on BigPictureBigSound...

Like the sight of a car crash, you can't look away...

Yeah, its viral marketing for Herbal Essense, but still funny! Also see Cupid in his rap video and a pole dance audition.

Today on the veg...Winter Sports

Valentines Day sucks. I can hear you nodding and agreeing with me. But everyone hates Valentines Day in their own way.

To me, its just another candy holiday for the kids. Even when I was married, Valentine’s Day was just another day. My ex-husband maintained that it was a contrived tradition. It doesn’t mean anything to give gifts on a certain day just because we’re supposed to. He didn’t give gifts on any other days, either. My last husband preferred not to do Valentine’s Day because he had no job, and it made him feel awful to spend my money on frivolous things, no matter how much I wanted him to.

How do we hate Valentines Day? Let me count the ways. Here’s the top ten.

...but after seeing Letters from Iwo Jima, I can safely say it would be a crime if this flick doesn't get Best Picture and Clint get Best Director. If you haven't seen it, it's basically a masterpiece. The kind of film you refer back to when you're talking about great films in the history of friggin' films. The kind of film that's gives you a new perspective. The kind of film you wish everybody would watch. Basically what I'm saying is, I liked it. You should see it.

PS: Here's our resident film critic giving it the major thumbs up about a month and a haf ago...takes me a while to get caught up.

PPS: By the way, what's with Clint. He goes through life being the awesome badass, then makes movies like Every Which Way but Loose, then turns ino this cinema genius in his seventies...I don't get it.

Eleni's Cookies, maker's of all things delicious but extremely expensive, has brought out their annual crop of Academy Award cookies, for Oscar parties all across the country. This year, to honor the previously mentioned masterpiece, you can nibble on a Japanese military cap, or letter to a loved one. Or if the celebs are more your thing, you can sample a Forest Whitiker or Dame Judy Dench...ummm, Denchy.

- Just another clip of Andy Dick being physically removed from a talk show for touching a Trump.
- Ever wonder what a really tiny but really expensive studio apt looks like? Check out NYC Inside.
- Did you know combining gluttony and pride gets you fat men in speedos? That's just the beginning.
- I used to love Whose Line is it Anyway (both versions). Here's a fun clip with Whoopi Goldberg
- And have you noticed SNL is really good lately. Exhibit number one...the Dakota Fanning Show