Here is a collection of letters I have written and correspondences I have recieved on different issues listed below. In each I have posted my original letter, replies if any, any further courses of action I may or may not have taken, and the end result, if any.

Closed Lily’s BBQ

I planned my whole day around going to Lily’s BBQ for a pulled pork and slaw BBQ sandwich. I got there and they were closed (at 1:50pm on a Thursday). I was not amused.

• 2006-08-17 - Initial letter sent.

MSNBC Free Podcasts

I discovered free podcasts from MSNBC and was so impressed by this free service, that I just had to write a letter to MSNBC to thank them.

• 2005-12-09 - Initial letter sent.

Google business model

I really admire Google as a company for several reasons, but their source of revenue is not one of these reasons. Due to the size of their company and the frequency which I use their services, I have decided to write them a letter to voice my opinion.

• 2005-11-18 - Initial letter sent.

Ads on washingtonpost.com

I find the amount of ads on washingtonpost.com to be rather obtrusive. Might as well write them a letter . . .

• 2005-11-02 - Initial letter sent.

Bad post office customer service

The post office near my new apartment has a customer service problem. I don’t intend to let this stand.

• 2005-12-02 - Of course, the post office didn’t bother responding, so I sent a letter to Postmaster General John Potter.
• 2005-11-02 - Initial letter sent.

Macy’s credit card

When I received my Macy’s credit card in the mail, I noticed a glaring security problem. Read below for more details.

• unknown date - I should mention that at some point, probably late November 2005 or early December 2005, I did receive a response from Macy’s. They made up some excuse about what happened. But on the plus side, they sent me a $50 gift card. Score.
• 2005-11-18 - Macy’s didn’t bother responding, but they did manage to send me two mailings regarding promotions and sales. So I’ve written them a second letter and copied the California Office of Privacy Protection. Hopefully we can get some results soon.
• 2005-10-05 - Letter sent to Macy’s regarding their horrible credit card mailing methods.

Maryland road construction

Over the course of a couple of years, I have driven through the construction being done on route 32 in Anne Arundel County in between route 198 and route 295. Considerable progress was made early on in a relatively short amount of time, but contruction has since grinded to a halt. This reflects the progress of many other state roadway projects.

• Note - I have received a letter in return. It was well-written and addressed my concerns. When/if I find it, I will post it here.
• 2004-10-21 - Letter sent to the Maryland State Highway Administration.

Pat Hiban’s car

Pat Hiban’s car has been stolen! I was driving home from school, and I saw someone other than Pat Hiban driving a car that clearly had “Pat Hiban” written on the side.

• 2004-10-21 - Pat Hiban hasn’t written back. I do not expect that he will. I guess I will leave the poor guy alone.
• Original letter sent to Pat Hiban.

Chevy’s rice and beans

Chevy’s Fresh Mex restaurant serves rice and beans with many of their meals. These two items often do not get eaten, and I aim to get Chevy’s to make these items included only if the customer wants them.

• 2004-10-21 - A few days ago, I recieved this letter from Chevy’s. I also recieved 5 $5-off coupons! I really appreciate Chevy’s responsiveness to my concerns.
• 2004-09-17 - Sent this letter to Chevy’s.
• 2004-09-14 - Used the web form to request the address of their corporate office. No response as of yet from “Chevy’s fan”. The short letter.
• 2004-09-11 - Sent an email to a “Chevy’s fan” to get the address of Chevy’s corporate headquarters. I plan to suggest in my letter to Chevy’s that they include this address on their website. I will post the email that I sent to “Chevy’s fan” if she gives me the go-ahead.

OTC newspaper prices

The OTC store at UMBC has newspaper prices which are more expensive than you would find in a newspaper machine. This doesn’t seem right at a university.

• 2004-09-18 - Recieved a letter from OTC. I suspect their price on the Washington Post may still be unnecessary.
• 2004-09-07 - Original letter sent