A few folk are asking how I got on... so in 3 paragraphs...

Ironically I was late for the appointment because two number 5 buses didn't turn up. Brian Adam MSP is a very approachable guy, and listened intently to my complaints despite the announcement of the WPR being made during our chat. He is aware of the problems First Bus are having, and encouraged me to get my thoughts down on paper which he will then forward to Bob Dorr for comment. Brian was also keen to make a note of when the problems started (Feb 2009) and how the service has degraded.

Rather than write down some unproductive moaning Brian has suggest that I put down some positive ideas for how to fix the repeating problems - something I am going to do over the next 2 weeks. I should have a letter to be sent just after the Christmas break.

Whilst Brian can only have little influence on First, and I'm sure that my voice will not match the impact of, say, the Put Me First Facebook campaign, it felt really good to be able to actually speak to someone in a constructive manner rather than leave yet another voice mail complaint which First Bus will ignore. I'll publish my letter on here once it's been sent.

I have to write to my MSP.

I've never written to my MSP before, but now First Bus have actually ignored, and by ignored, I mean completely not responded to messages left with their "complaints department"... well... that's unfair to call it that - in actual fact its... "Mary who deals with complaints".

I had a shockingly bad experience on Friday night, and on Monday morning my girlfriend had abuse shouted at her by a driver. Its ONLY because he didn't swear that we cant put in a complaint with the Police.

48 hours later - no-one has contact us, because no-one cares.

The problem is, I've got so much rage built up inside that I keep putting off writing to my MSP as I really dont want to be in a bad mood for the rest of the day.

The single, most important point of the G1 has been missed by three people I know, and I think T-Mobile, HTC and Google have failed BIG TIME.

I'm not going to say anything about the poor battery life, slow software, lack of headphone socket.. it's all been said before.

This story comes about because these two needed to take their G1's back to the shop to be repaired.

Both of those people and, stunningly, the t-mobile shop manager did not know that the G1 integrates with your Google account meaning your email, calender and contacts are all kept synchronised all the time. There is no need to "copy the numbers to the SIM card."

This isn't a dig at those three people for not knowing this, they are all intelligent people, it's a dig at the people who gave us these phones for not boasting about one of the most fundamental and game-changing features of the G1.

To these three people the G1 is just another phone albeit with Internet access and fancy applications.

To me its a bit of kit that allows me to be fundamental better organised and connected in both my work and play.

I think its a real shame the boat has clearly sailed on this one.

"We should be flying around in space ships by now." That was a comment we always used to make back in early 2000 when companies insisted on using Fax as their prime means of communication. Sadly - it's still being uttered in late 2009.

Last night both myself and my friend independently tried to order a take away to be delivered.

I've been a bit fan of the pricey Eagle May for 9 years, but recently their customer service level has dropped significantly. When you are selling a commodity such as Asian food, especially in a large city, you simply cannot tell people "45 minutes", then take 1 HOUR AND 50 MINUTES! It was the second time they have badly let me down so now, despite loving their food, I have to go elsewhere.

I tried searching online for someone else but quickly gave up, which is where I hand this story over to my friend.

After hearing of the bad service from the Eagle May, he decided to go online to find something nice. Here's the important bit - he wasn't expecting to be able to order online [inexplicably that simple process seems to be reserved for the big pizza chains] Amazingly, almost without exception, the information online about Aberdeen take away is either none existent, or hopelessly out of date.

So - instead of moaning (not like me) - here is a simple plan for every take-away/delivery company in Aberdeen.

Before you blow another £100 on awful English-centric webshite or some crappy newspaper advertising....

1. Register your domain name - £6-£10.
2. Point your domain name at your blog (FREE)
   
3. Fill your blog with... [it doesn't have to be 'designed' - just type it yourself up neatly and professionally] (FREE) :
   • Your Menu - WITH prices
   • Your Opening Hours (be honest please - if you wont deliver after 10.30 just say so)
   • Your Specials - updated weekly at a minimum
   • Your Address
   • A google map for your location (FREE)
     
4. Submit your site to the major search engines (FREE)
   
5. Create your Google Places Page so you can be found easily (FREE)
6. Create your entries in Qype, Yelp and similar review services (FREE)
   
7. Update the website at least once a week - even if it's just to acknowledge the time of year (FREE)

Are you surprised? It's (nearly) all FREE! Therefore some takeaways [geddit?] Please belive...

YOU ARE SELLING A COMMODITY

YOU NEED TO BE ONLINE

THERE IS NO EXCUSE

IT IS NOT 1997

On a positive note, if you would like help setting all this us (and only if you are prepared to update your information weekly) please get in touch.