A Media Artist's Response To Failing Diplomacy

When BriAnna Olson's pacifist views were confronted by an adamant American couple, she decided to heed their challenge and head to Tehran-- the epicenter of the Axis of Evil nation.

Amongst a landscape of failed diplomacy and media smear campaigns, she and fellow artist Michael Pope found a society far more alive and hospitable than they'd ever been led to believe.

Like jesters of a modern-day Magellan, they've returned with stories and insights to a culture few American's have seen first hand.

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Fundraising // Paypal = terrible

I. Me. BriAnna just lost $360 thanks to Ebay/Paypal and that is totally NOT cool. I sold my phone to help pay for my trip to Berlin for Biennial Tehran. It sold on Ebay, money was delivered to my paypal account, and I went to Berlin. Then, as it turns out, the buyer claimed account fraud and the money was returned to him BUT HE ALSO KEPT THE PHONE. ugh. According to NoPaypal.com, this is quite common (the first post I saw had the same story). I have proof that this guy knew what he was doing, but Paypal won't listen and says I'm unqualified for protection. Then there is no human being at Paypal to actually talk to. And apparently they outsource their customer service halfway around the world.

That said, being also executor of the Iran projects account, I am obligated to suspend fundraising activities until instituting a new transaction system (I'm carefully looking in to Merchant Inc.) But please do check back soon and consider donating/buying a tshirt to help offset the thousands of $$ I've spent to make this project happen.

I'm back to the starving artist status that I thought I'd escaped- collecting pennies from the couch cushions, again. =)

Ok. Enough kvetching... back to superawesome things.
Posted by BriAnna Olson at 11:58 AM
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4 comments:

  1. AnonymousDecember 2, 2008 at 2:02 PM

    I am so sorry to hear this has happened to you and to thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands or even millions of others around the globe at the hands of current and previous ebay CEOs, John Donahoe & Meg Whitman's "Disruptive Innovation" scheme against ebay/Paypal users and shareholders. The internet and ebay's own discussion boards, such as "Seller Central" and "Paypal" are full of those damaged by ebay/Paypal's unsafe and unfair policies.

    PLEASE search "Ebay Stockholders and Sellers Calling For Immediate Termination of John Donohoe CEO" on the internet (found at petitiononline) to read others experiences and to sign the petition to REMOVE Donahoe and his policies from ebay.

    Please pass this info on to thers!

    http://www.petitiononline.com/jdonohoe/petition.html

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousDecember 2, 2008 at 2:29 PM

    May I suggest Google Checkout?

    ReplyDelete
  3. MikaDecember 2, 2008 at 8:27 PM

    That's soooooo AWFUL!!!!! :^(

    ReplyDelete
  4. BriAnna OlsonDecember 5, 2008 at 2:20 PM

    Update! Shirts back on sale! (via Google Checkout).

    ReplyDelete

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