The Lozowick family canceled its subscription to Haaretz during the Gaza operation of January 2009, feeling silly for paying for hatred. Six months later, however, we were offered a really good deal, and the aggravation had receded a bit, so we renewed.
In April this year we canceled again. The behavior of the paper during the Anat Kamm case was so blatantly beyond the pale that we saw no possibility of continuing our support. The main problem we had was technical: the lines to the subscription department were busy because hundreds (or more) of similarly minded folks were competing with us.
Then began the comic part. Although we had canceled and were no longer paying, the paper kept on arriving at our doorstep at 5:45 every morning. We called in, then called in again, to point out that we really meant it and would they please stop delivering. This went on for another month or two, until eventually they got their act together.
This morning they called: according to their records we've been reading their paper for a long time (I've been reading it since the late 1960s, but I doubt they know that), for whatever reason we seemed recently to have stopped, it's still a fine newspaper, and perhaps we'd like to fix the mistake and renew our subscription. We had the following conversation:
- Haaretz: long tme subscribers etc
- Yaacov: Is that fellow back from London?
- Haaretz: huh?
- Yaacov: the fellow who was staying in London and refusing to come back.
- Haaretz: No, he's still there.
- Yaacov: OK then, that's my answer.
- Haaretz: But...
- Yaacov: If you insist, you can call me one year after he gets back.
- Haaretz: Really? Can I write that in the system? We'll call you a year after he gets back?
- Yaacov: On second thought, no. Don't call us at all.
- Haaretz: But it's such a fine paper. You've been reading it for years, you know how good it is.
- Yaacov: I've been reading it far longer than you think, and indeed it was a fine newspaper. It certainly isn't anymore.
- Haaretz: So you really don't want us to call again?
- Yaacov. Really. Have a good day.
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11 comments:
Yaacov
you really should have spared Didi that one ...
there he is spending his days trying to catch you out on something, then he hits "success" and now this
thanks for sharing - I'll get a lot of chuckling out of that one
Silke
PS:
was it really not necessary for you to utter the name Blau? If yes I am impressed because that means tha you must have really well educated newspaper subscription calling centers. The one pestering me would never know or admit to knowing what I would be talking about if I spelled out whatever in slow motion to usually her. I understand they are not allowed to deviate from their pre-written scripts and monitored - so lucky you that they still allow them to talk to you in their own sentences.
Very funny!
Silke -
Blau's name was never mentioned. There was no need, we all know who he is.
Yaacov, You just made my day!
DJG
You go, Yaacov.
And speaking of Haaretz (but apropos of nothing else), is the story about the "conversion reform" bill big news in Israel? If so, how do you think most Israelis are responding to it?
As a potential Diaspora Jew who would indeed be affected by the bill if conversions must be approved by the Rabbinate, I would be much obliged if you could offer a sabra view of the matter.
OT- Latest flotilla news
The "man on the hill" (Miki Gurdus) has been monitoring communications with the Libyan ship. The captain agreed to go to El-Arish and is heard saying that's where he is going. He was given the coordinates for El-Arish by the Israeli Navy and changed its course to El-Arish. The ship is now about 75 miles from El-Arish,
But it's not over until it's over.
Thata's 75 km
Sylvia
any idea how long that ship will take for the distance i.e. when it is due to arrive?
and thanks for the reminder that there are important things happening in the here and now
Silke
BREAKING FLOTILLA NEWS!
The ship is now at sea, it is stopped. The Cuban captain is saying that the ship's engine and compressor have broken down.
Trick?
They are in my view trying to get the Israelis on the ship but maybe they're telling the truth. I'll post here if there is a new development.
Earlier, the Egyptians said they are expecting it in El Arish as per request by the captain.
The Libyan sponsors said that the ship is maintaining its course to the port of Gaza.
PS: It was 75 miles - not km.
Elder of Ziyon had this link to a marrine map posted
http://www.marinetraffic.com/ais/de/default.aspx#
about an hour ago the ship was still there kind of in between pointing to gaza and Al Arish now it is gone and somewhere on google news it said that the IDF is muting its radio
maybe the IDF has been taking care of the ship's electronic too if they have something like that - please let none of them get hurt
Silke
The ship is at sea between Gaza and El Arish, according to the captain they can't go further until they fix their main engine which has broken down,
The IDF is watching very closely - Miki Gurdus said they are at "zero distance" from the Libyan ship trying to get them to hurry up.
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