Services INCREASE – Price DECREASE!

Renewing services contracts for TV-Internet-Phone is worse than prepping for a colonoscopy.  And if you understand the differences between what you have and what they’re selling – you’re (1) a genius, or (2) dealing with Verizon.

I was with DirecTV from 1995 until 2011 when I moved to a location where the only providers for the 3-services bundle are Comcast and Verizon.  Keeping DirecTV for TV and using Verizon or Comcast for phone & internet was/is just too cost prohibitive.

As of last month, the phone + 50/50 internet + TV service for 3 TVs (2 DVRs) with a recording capability of 4 simultaneous recordings and whole-house access was costing $178 per month.

The services worked pretty well – every system has glitches now and then.  M major complaint was managing and coordinating the 2 DVRs and their recordings schedules.

I called (800) VER-IZON and talked with a nice lady who offered to upgrade me to Quantum.  The difference is that the DVR is 1 box that can record 6 shows simultaneously, any TV can FULLY control the DVR, and every TV can PAUSE live TV.

2-year price lock at $173/month.  2 additional recordings, $5 bucks less.  And yeah, I’m limited to 100 hours, but there’s an eSATA plug… and for $10/mo., I can expand to 12 recordings and 200 hours. 

Longhorn Steakhouse got me again…

I wanted a steak.  I wanted a filet mignon.  I wanted to try Willy’s in Shrewsbury.  Due to a series of Murphy’s Law events we ended up at the Longhorn Steakhouse in Marlborough. 

We’d been there before – several times.  Very good food, good service, reasonable prices.  But don’t go there looking for a “Filet Mignon”

We asked our server if there were any “specials” – she handed us their Specials Menu.  When she came back to take our order, my wife held up the specials menu and pointed to the salmon.  With the specials menu in my hand, I said I’d have the 8 oz. filet with the Caesar salad and a loaded baked potato.

 

Harvest Mushroom Filet*

Our most tender center-cut filet topped with a trio of shiitake, oyster and cremini mushrooms in a hearty bordelaise. Served with choice of side & a hand-chopped salad.

The above is the picture that was on the menu.  Does that look great, or what!

When our meals came, this is what was placed in front of me…

Not quite the same…..

I questioned our server as to where my “filet” was.  She said something about this was their filet, and while it may not look great, it “…sure does taste good…!”

About then, déjà vu hit.  The last time I was at this same Longhorn Steakhouse, I’d ordered a filet from their specials menu.  Different menu, different filet special, but same bait-n-switch.

A “filet” is any boneless cut if meat (or fish).  A “filet mignon” is cut only from the beef tenderloin muscle.  It’s a fairly long and tubular muscle with the grain running lengthwise.  When you cut a filet mignon, you cut a cross-section of that muscle.  When serving, you stand it up so that the grain is up & down (see the top pic which does look like a filet mignon).

So, while I did get a “filet”, it certainly was NOT of the same cut as the picture on the menu.  Yeah, it was cooked correctly, and yep, it tasted great.  But it’s texture wasn’t buttery, it’s flavor not subtle, and it wasn’t the same cut as in the menu’s picture.

That’s TWICE that I was fooled by the picture….damn…