Get Off My Lawn!

How many of you have had the "Oh my, I really am an adult now" moment? You know, one of those instances where you turn into one of your parents? This isn't to say that I haven't realized I'm an adult until now.

This past weekend I had a very definitive "adult" experience. Rachel and I were sitting in the living room easing into our day when I heard a ruckus (a sure sign of adulthood when you use words such as ruckus) across the street. As many of you know, our house is behind an eye clinic. At this clinic there is a fenced off rear entrance (so we can't see what is really going on in there...). From behind this fence I can hear several kids messing around hitting things. So, I go outside to see what these future fry cooks are doing. Once I step on the porch 3 boys (of course) around the age of 7 emerge from the fence. I was just going to stand there and watch them leave but they forced my hand. Right then they all picked up handfuls of river rock and started throwing them, including at each other.

At this moment my Dad entered my head and I yelled, "You kids knock it off. Put down those rocks right now!" They all turned with a look on their faces I imagine I displayed at that age MANY times. Much to my delight, one of them took off like the cops were coming (perhaps preparing for the future?), one walked away defiantly (I'm sure I'll see him many many times in the coming years), and the last shuffled off stealing sheepish glances while slowly letting go of the rocks.

I come back in the house to see Rachel giggling, to which I responded, "When did I become to grumpy man on the street?".

This was after we were awoken at 7am by our lovely neighbor's dog who they left outside in the rain. It was also after I screamed out the window, "Put your dog inside" and "It's raining, let your dog in!"

I look forward to keeping Frisbees and sports balls that enter my yard.

And we are friends with them because....? Part 3

http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/03/09/saudi.arabia.lashes/index.html

40 lashes for mingling with unrelated men? For a 75 year old woman? Really? Your interpretation of a holy book tells you this is OK? You see nothing wrong with this Saudi Arabia?

The Wells Fargo Wagon is a' Comin Down

Only this time they aren't delivering mail or money. This time they are picking our pockets and laughing all the way to the roulette table. Check out this article

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hZg0wsnVaTqOQUQlur8hH6NR8k_gD964B2VG0

To steal from SNL, Really? You took $25 Billion of tax payer dollars and you are spending part of it on a rewards trip to Vegas? Really? And not just any hotel, you chose the Wynn and the Encore. Why not choose Bellagio while you're at it? Why not order up lobster, Kobe beef steaks, Cristal, and caviar? How about serving Bald Eagle? Do you want rose petals strewn about the rooms every night?

I'm sure their argument is that they have to reward their top producers or else those people will leave. I call bullshit for a number of reasons.

1. These are the same producers that generated thousands of sub-prime loans.
2. Where are they going to go? Is there a big market for mortgage brokers right now?
3. If the above two are false, why the lavish spread? There isn't some other way to reward them?
4. Forget that, you took $25,000,000,000.00 from us. Many tax payers are out of work because of a problem YOU helped create. And now you spit in our face?

I for one am not giving any business to Wells Fargo until the present executives are gone. And then I will track where those executives go, and not give their future employers any of my business. Here are their names:

Howard I. Atkins, Senior EVP, Chief Financial Officer

Patricia R. Callahan, EVP, Office of Transition

David M. Carroll, Senior EVP, Wealth, Brokerage & Retirement Services

David A. Hoyt, Senior EVP, Wholesale Banking

Richard M. Kovacevich, Chairman

Richard D. Levy, EVP, Controller

Michael J. Loughlin, EVP and Chief Credit Officer

Mark C. Oman, Senior EVP, Home and Consumer Finance

Kevin A. Rhein, EVP, (Card Services and Consumer Lending)

James M. Strother, EVP, General Counsel, Law and Government Relations

John G. Stumpf, President and Chief Executive Officer

Carrie L. Tolstedt, Senior EVP, Community Banking

Julie M. White, EVP, Director of Human Resources

I know I probably sound like a raving madman but this really cheese's me off. I just can't fathom the lack of ethics and corrupted thought processes this requires. Do they have no common sense?

I hope this pisses other people off as much as me.

Citibank Can Kiss My Ass

I arrived home today to find a notice from my credit card company Citibank informing me of a rate increase. If my memory serves me correct, this is the second increase in less than a year. Now, this really doesn't affect me as I pay my balance in full every month. But, the action basically smacks me in the face for two reasons.

1. I've been a loyal customer for years. I've always paid my balance. I've always paid on time. They've basically never had a problem with me. No fraud. No lost cards. No shady purchases. I always call before I go on vacation. You get the picture.

2. This is the even more distasteful one. Citi has begged for and received at least $20 Billion (with a capital B) of taxpayer funds to pay for their horrible business decisions. We are also on the hook for $100 Billion (that B again) of bad assets should they fail.

Now, has any of the decision makers been fired at Citi? No. Has Citi performed any goodwill services to the citizens of this country? No. Have they even THANKED us? No.

Why should they? They can sit in their executive offices and make horrible greedy decision after horrible greedy decision with no accountability whatsoever.

So, in my anger I called Citi to express my displeasure. I told the customer service representative that my forthcoming vent was not directed at her and that I sympathized with her because I've been on the receiving end many times. She gave me some spiel about the price of borrowing money has increased and blah blah blah. I gave my $0.02 (probably $0.002 with inflation though Citi would charge me $20 for it) and was asked if there was anything else. I told her no and to have a good day.

Well Citibank, you've definitely lost a customer today. I will still keep the account open to keep my credit score up, and since it is tied to my American Airlines frequent flier miles (who I have a bone to pick with too), but rest assured I will use my State Farm Bank card when I need to use one. At least they haven't asked for a bailout.