The Daily Teaser — 6-6-2015

Ye GODS, but Amazon are sneaky bar-stewards … !

I’ll happily admit, they’re good at what they do: I’ve been using Amazon’s shopping site for a while, and — generally —don’t have a problem.

But at some point?   I’d signed up for a free trial of their Amazon Prime service.   It allows for free video streaming, music streaming … and for free deliveries of stuff you’ve ordered.

Which is why I’d signed up for the free trial.

But … ?   Well, yesterday, I tried ordering an internal hard-drive, along with a couple of other bits.   Only to find my card getting declined for a lack of funds.   Funds I’d believed were available.

It turns out they weren’t.   Amazon had automatically charged me £79 for a year’s subscription: without sending me a reminder email, or warning that the trial was over.

Now, from what I can tell, they do tell you, in the Terms and Conditions that they’ll do this.

But how many of us sit down and read those?

I’m … annoyed.   Yes, you’re right, I could well have read the terms and conditions.

But equally, Amazon could easily — oh so easily, I suspect, and much more preferably, from where I’m sitting — have sent out a reminder email: to tell me the trial was coming to an end, and asking if I’d like to continue using the service at such and such a price.

They didn’t.   I spent about half an hour, yesterday, phoning my bank to see what had happened: then then getting a refund from Amazon.

That’s due in within the next few days.

Now … annoyed?   Yes.   Angry?   Incredibly.   Frothing at the mouth?   You bet!

I could well have read the terms and conditions.   But in burying the explanation of what will happen in the terms and conditions, and in NOT sending a cancellation email?

In behaving like this, I believe Amazon* have indulged in the worst kind of sharp practise.   And would do themselves a huge favour, publicity-wise, in changing this practise.

Because I’m not the only one.

~≈Ê≈~

But let’s move on, shall we?

Yesterday’s Teaser saw Debbi† putting in her answers: and scoring five out of five.

Let’s see how everyone does with today’s questions, shall we?

Here they are, along with the How To, License and video … 

Q1) 6th June, 1947, saw the birth of actor, Robert Englund.   In which film franchise did he play Freddy Kruger?

Q2) Englund’s one of only two actors to play a horror film character in eight consecutive films.   Who’s the other actor?

Q3) 6th June is the National Day of Sweden.   Name either of the colours on Sweden’s flag.

Q4) 6th June, 1985, saw the exhumation of Wolfgang Gerhard: from his grave in Brazil.   As a result, Gerhard was shown to be which notorious Nazi?

Q5) 6th June, 2002, saw an explosion in the upper atmosphere: over the Mediterranean Sea, between Greece and Libya.   What was assumed to be the cause: a nuclear bomb, an exploding plane or an exploding asteroid?

Q6) Finally … 6th June saw Britain stay a member of the EEC: the (then) version of what’s now the European Union.   In which year?

Here’s yesterday’s questions and answers …

Q1) 5th June, 1949, saw Orapin Chaiyakan elected as the first female member of her country’s Parliament.   Which Far Eastern country is it?

A1) Thailand.

Q2) 5th May, 1723, saw the birth of Scottish philosopher, Adam Smith.   He was also a famous what: economist, physicist or chemist?

A2) Economist.

Q3) 5th June, 1917, saw the USA begin conscription: during World War 1.   Of what: nurses, sailors or soldiers?

A3) Soldiers.

Q4) US Secretary of State, George Marshall, gave the speech — on 5th June, 1947 — introducing economic aid to war torn Europe.   The aid was referred to as the what Plan?

A4) The Marshall Plan.

Q5) Finally … 5th June, 1850, saw the birth of Sheriff Pat Garrett.   Which noted outlaw did he kill?

A5) Billy The Kid.

I’ll leave you with this thought …

“Basically I started playing double handed on both my forehand and backhand side because my first racket was very heavy.”

Björn Borg, born 6th June, 1956.

This tune … 

And a suggestion.   Don’t sign up for Amazon Prime: unless you want to spend a fortune on phone bills!!

*        Are you familiar with the word, ‘shyster’?   It’s someone — usually a lawyer or barrister — who indulges in sharp practises: usually legal, but VERY tricky, underhanded and borderline immoral.   The word popped into my head, yesterday.   Amazon are shysters.

†        Never read it, myself: I only know it from Dumbo: and a mention in Julian May’s Intervention.