ATM God™ exists: I got a McMaster-Carr catalog

[Fabio Pettinati <Fabio.Pettinati@vsisinc.com>]

Trying to get a catalog from McMaster-Carr is not for the meek or faint of
heart. I tried asking for a catalog through their web page. Didn't work.
Tried to get their CD. Didn't work. Explained to them the company I work
for (a Mitsubishi Electric affiliate) needed that information. Didn't work.
I tried polite email messages. Didn't work. I tried sarcastic email
messages. Didn't work.

Then, two weeks ago, after a frustrating experience with their online
catalog, I got the phone number of their office in Los Angeles. Called them
up, and spoke with a very nice customer service representative who politely
told me the current catalog (104) was out of print, and that unfortunately
I'd have to wait until the end of the year to, hopefully, qualify for a
catalog.

I told that person that I was willing to pay for a catalog, and that I
would end up spending a sizeable amount of money on several differnt items.
Maybe it was luck, maybe the guy realized what a raving lunatic he could be
taling with. The bottom line is that four days after that call I had this
great epiphany: the mailman brought to my office this heavy, rectangular
package containing the McMaster-Carr catalog.

Wow, they sell all sorts of amazing s**t there--and for reasonable prices
too. Call me old fashioned, but when it comes to browsing, there is nothing
like paper--have you ever tried to mark pages with post-it notes on a CD? :-)

So, to all frustrated ATMers out there, call McMaster-Carr and beg for a
catalog. Whatever they tell you, don't hang up: chances are you too can get
that big fat yellow catalog.

Good Luck,

Fabio