would smell as sweet, so the phrase goes. But, a person by any other name is not the same. Once I investigated the death of a little boy in an apartment fire and discovered that his mother and another lady had just gone to bed at 10 am after a night of partying with a teen aged house guest. The two ladies were high on crack and alcohol when they laid down to sleep.
To find the truth I first had to find the people involved in the fire and after several years of searching, I finally found one of them, totally by mistake. She was "working" in Greensboro under an alias and called herself Robin Dee Lynn. Shortly after I made contact with her she was arrested by the Greensboro Police Department and it was while she was incarcerated that I discovered that she was indeed Tammy James, the person I had searched for.
Since I had figured it out, she admitted to the authorities that she was Tammy James, which at the time saved her some jail time as she was not prosecuted for filing false documents, i.e., lying under oath about her name.
While she was in prison, a detainer was issued by Cumberland county against her. I know detainer is not a real word but it is a term used by the NC Prison system designating that an inmate is wanted and when their term in prison is up, they are to be remanded into custody of the detaining party.
At the time I spoke with the DA of Cumberland County and solicted an agreement that they would drop the detainer and not seek to prosecute Tammy James as long as she agreed to stay out of Cumberland county. She willingly did so as she was facing a year in prison at the time.
Five years later she was arrested and is now in the Cumberland County jail on those charges.
I have since discovered that law enforcement believes that her real name is Robin Dee Lynn and that Tammy James is an alias. If Tammy James really doesn't exist, then my agreement with Cumberland County is null and void.
Her use of another person's identity has come back to bite her.
There was a little girl who told a little lie, white of course.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Good for her
69-year-old Ala. woman shoots 18-year-old intruder
Published - Aug 31 2010 02:19PM EST
Email
Thank You
The email should be sent shortly.
* RequiredYour Name Your Email Address * Recipient Name Recipient Email Address * Submit» Cancel
Share
» Facebook » MySpace » delicious » digg » reddit » StumbleUpon » twitter» Close
PrintAAASingle Page View
(AP Photo/Decatur Daily, Jeronimo Nisa)
Sixty nine year-old Ethel Jones poses with her .38 caliber snubnose revolver behind the glass door window she shattered when she fired three shots at a burglar who broke into her Decatur, Alabama home Monday, August 30, 2010. An 18-year-old suspect was taken to Huntsville Hospital with a gunshot wound to the abdomen.
DECATUR, Ala. — A pistol-packing 69-year-old woman in northern Alabama believes intruders will think twice before messing with her again. Police said Ethel Jones shot an 18-year-old man in the stomach when she found him inside her bedroom at her home in Decatur. Jones said she sleeps with her gun under a pillow next to her and said she grabbed it after hearing a door rattle shortly before 3 a.m. Monday.
Police said the suspect removed a window air conditioner to get inside the home. He was in the hospital and faces a charge of second-degree burglary.
___
Information from: The Decatur Daily, http://www.decaturdaily.com/decaturdaily/index.shtml
Published - Aug 31 2010 02:19PM EST
Thank You
The email should be sent shortly.
* RequiredYour Name Your Email Address * Recipient Name Recipient Email Address * Submit» Cancel
Share
» Facebook » MySpace » delicious » digg » reddit » StumbleUpon » twitter» Close
PrintAAASingle Page View
(AP Photo/Decatur Daily, Jeronimo Nisa)
Sixty nine year-old Ethel Jones poses with her .38 caliber snubnose revolver behind the glass door window she shattered when she fired three shots at a burglar who broke into her Decatur, Alabama home Monday, August 30, 2010. An 18-year-old suspect was taken to Huntsville Hospital with a gunshot wound to the abdomen.
DECATUR, Ala. — A pistol-packing 69-year-old woman in northern Alabama believes intruders will think twice before messing with her again. Police said Ethel Jones shot an 18-year-old man in the stomach when she found him inside her bedroom at her home in Decatur. Jones said she sleeps with her gun under a pillow next to her and said she grabbed it after hearing a door rattle shortly before 3 a.m. Monday.
Police said the suspect removed a window air conditioner to get inside the home. He was in the hospital and faces a charge of second-degree burglary.
___
Information from: The Decatur Daily, http://www.decaturdaily.com/decaturdaily/index.shtml
Monday, August 30, 2010
It's Not Mine
I'm sure the cops are tired of hearing this excuse but wrong doers keep thinking that this denial will be convincing and the police will let them go. One man said the pants he was wearing were not his, one man said the wallet with is ID and money and credit cards were his but the drugs in the wallet were not. On man claimed that although he was the only person in a car being pursued by the police and was behind the wheel when police pulled him from the vehicle he wasn't driving.
If you have ever watched just one episode of Cops you will have heard at least one person claim the drugs found in their car, in their purse, in their wallet, tied to their scrotum via a string, and even insert in their anus was not theirs. so it doesn't surprise me that Paris Hilton, with all her money, had to borrow a purse and did not notice the vial of drugs inside it. Everything in that purse was hers except for the drugs, of course. Now one would think that someone as rich and wordly as Paris Hilton could have come up with a line a little more original that "it isn't mine."
From that it's hard to believe her stupidity is just an act.
If you have ever watched just one episode of Cops you will have heard at least one person claim the drugs found in their car, in their purse, in their wallet, tied to their scrotum via a string, and even insert in their anus was not theirs. so it doesn't surprise me that Paris Hilton, with all her money, had to borrow a purse and did not notice the vial of drugs inside it. Everything in that purse was hers except for the drugs, of course. Now one would think that someone as rich and wordly as Paris Hilton could have come up with a line a little more original that "it isn't mine."
From that it's hard to believe her stupidity is just an act.
Copper
I read the law log every day and it seems the most common target of thieves in this area is copper. Air conditioning units, industrial sites, new construction, and gas lines seem to be an inviting source of copper for these thieves. it might be a good idea to check out your property checking for copper and if one can afford it, replace the copper or if not, then maybe enhance security of that copper to make stealing more difficult.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
The finger
My neighbor has two boxer pups. Back in the spring I saw one of them digginh up flowers in my flower bed but I had no idea then where the dog came from. I called animal control but they said I had to call the police so I did. On several occasions after that the dog, or as I found out later, dogs have been in my yard and for some reason feel they have to dig something up or tear something down. Each time i have notified the police but they say they can't do anything about the dogs unless the police actually see the dog off the owners property.
Now why does that sound familiar? (See my post abpout being attacked in Morganton a few months ago).
Two weeks ago one of the dogs jumped into my water pond. I had wondered why one of my baby koi died and now I have a good suspicion as to how and why. Anyway, i called the police again and again the dog was back home before the cops got there. Thursday I went to Hickory to see Mom and my wife called me to tell me one of the boxers tried to get into the pond but seemed confused by the net. She said she told the neighbor her dog was trying to get into the pond and the lady shot my ife a good view of her middle finger and said "F..k you and your f..king husband."
When the police arrived the women told the cops the only pet problems in the neighborhood was our cat coming in their yard and bothering their dogs. first of all, we don't have a cat and secondly I can't believe two boxers would be intimitated by a cat.
The responsible thing to dowould be for either our neighbors make sure to follow the law and lease their pets or build a fence (even if it is an invisible fence) or find another home for their dogs. Boxers are fairly large dogs and not the most friendly of pets and they have caused me plenty of property damage. i hate having to call the police but the people next door keep promising to take proper precautions but repeatedly fail to do so.
Now why does that sound familiar? (See my post abpout being attacked in Morganton a few months ago).
Two weeks ago one of the dogs jumped into my water pond. I had wondered why one of my baby koi died and now I have a good suspicion as to how and why. Anyway, i called the police again and again the dog was back home before the cops got there. Thursday I went to Hickory to see Mom and my wife called me to tell me one of the boxers tried to get into the pond but seemed confused by the net. She said she told the neighbor her dog was trying to get into the pond and the lady shot my ife a good view of her middle finger and said "F..k you and your f..king husband."
When the police arrived the women told the cops the only pet problems in the neighborhood was our cat coming in their yard and bothering their dogs. first of all, we don't have a cat and secondly I can't believe two boxers would be intimitated by a cat.
The responsible thing to dowould be for either our neighbors make sure to follow the law and lease their pets or build a fence (even if it is an invisible fence) or find another home for their dogs. Boxers are fairly large dogs and not the most friendly of pets and they have caused me plenty of property damage. i hate having to call the police but the people next door keep promising to take proper precautions but repeatedly fail to do so.
Clorox is good: just not this good.
I saw a clorox commercial today where Clorox was used to clean a toliet. the last line of the commercial stated "Clorox : keeping toliets clean for a hundred years"
I seriously doubt that any product will clean my toliet doe a hundred years. a couple of days, max.
.
I seriously doubt that any product will clean my toliet doe a hundred years. a couple of days, max.
.
Friday, August 27, 2010
committe to elect a democractic senate
Tell Sarah: Keep Your Claws Off the Senate
Sarah Palin is playing kingmaker: she’s traveled the country building up candidates she calls “Mama Grizzlies” – super conservatives who’ll use Palin as a political role model.
It’s time to put the “Mama Grizzlies” in a political cage before they get loose in our nation’s capital.
Sign the petition below, and give Sarah Palin a piece of your mind. Tell her to go back to ignoring the people of Alaska instead of playing political games with our nation’s future.
No, you can't sign the petition here. I like Sarah Palin but not as the President of the United States. But she would be much preferred over Nancy Pelosi.
I'm not sugesting one vote Republican this Novmber--just don't vote for a Democrat.
I suppose that in the minds of the present leadership they believe they are doing a good job but in reality they arn't. The economy is stagnant, jobs are hard to come by, everyone place is trying to raise revenue to keep in place progrmas they have already passed (though some may need to be cut or eliminated).
In my family, if my income goes down, I have to look for ways to cut expenses or increase my income. government does the same thing except that government produces nothing. They claim they do things for the public good but in reality they can only take from you and give to some one else.
I have no way to combat higher sales taxes but to spend less. if we go to the value added tax, I may have to resort to making my own stuff or getting rid of some of the stuff I already have.
I like to grill out but charcoal is expensive. I enjoy my fish pond but I may have to drain the pond and eat thr fish. I may have to learn to make candles and turn off a few lights around the house. I don't need any more fairy tale "hope I can believe in" promises, any more good for me government programs, or nervous feelings about an uncertain future.
Like me, the government needs to learn to spend only what they have and to let the normal ebbs and flows of life take it course with only gentle guidance from above, a more dimplomatic approach to solving the worlds problems and more pragmatic solutions to solving our own.
We don't need political parties unwilling to solve the immigration problems because they are trying to woe the minority vote in order to remain in power. We don't need a dominate political power because once we have such a system in place, the ballot box no longer controls the politicians. Just like the econmy gets out of wack and needs a guiding hand to lead it back in the right direction, our political system gets out of wack and needs a vote to steer us correctly, Lately, things have gotten so out of whack and Republicans and Democrats have become enemies insteak of just adversaries that the pulls, pushing and jerks of the wheel are threatning to tear this country apart rather than gentle guide it down the path.
we need candidates that can tell use why they should be elected rather tahn candidates telling us why their opponents should be defeated. We don't need to remake this country into something different but we do need to keep it on course. Our country was designed to be controlled from the bottom up and not the top down and I believe our leaders have forgotten that. we need a way to find our way back to where we were so we can continue to be the great nation we once were.
Sarah Palin is playing kingmaker: she’s traveled the country building up candidates she calls “Mama Grizzlies” – super conservatives who’ll use Palin as a political role model.
It’s time to put the “Mama Grizzlies” in a political cage before they get loose in our nation’s capital.
Sign the petition below, and give Sarah Palin a piece of your mind. Tell her to go back to ignoring the people of Alaska instead of playing political games with our nation’s future.
No, you can't sign the petition here. I like Sarah Palin but not as the President of the United States. But she would be much preferred over Nancy Pelosi.
I'm not sugesting one vote Republican this Novmber--just don't vote for a Democrat.
I suppose that in the minds of the present leadership they believe they are doing a good job but in reality they arn't. The economy is stagnant, jobs are hard to come by, everyone place is trying to raise revenue to keep in place progrmas they have already passed (though some may need to be cut or eliminated).
In my family, if my income goes down, I have to look for ways to cut expenses or increase my income. government does the same thing except that government produces nothing. They claim they do things for the public good but in reality they can only take from you and give to some one else.
I have no way to combat higher sales taxes but to spend less. if we go to the value added tax, I may have to resort to making my own stuff or getting rid of some of the stuff I already have.
I like to grill out but charcoal is expensive. I enjoy my fish pond but I may have to drain the pond and eat thr fish. I may have to learn to make candles and turn off a few lights around the house. I don't need any more fairy tale "hope I can believe in" promises, any more good for me government programs, or nervous feelings about an uncertain future.
Like me, the government needs to learn to spend only what they have and to let the normal ebbs and flows of life take it course with only gentle guidance from above, a more dimplomatic approach to solving the worlds problems and more pragmatic solutions to solving our own.
We don't need political parties unwilling to solve the immigration problems because they are trying to woe the minority vote in order to remain in power. We don't need a dominate political power because once we have such a system in place, the ballot box no longer controls the politicians. Just like the econmy gets out of wack and needs a guiding hand to lead it back in the right direction, our political system gets out of wack and needs a vote to steer us correctly, Lately, things have gotten so out of whack and Republicans and Democrats have become enemies insteak of just adversaries that the pulls, pushing and jerks of the wheel are threatning to tear this country apart rather than gentle guide it down the path.
we need candidates that can tell use why they should be elected rather tahn candidates telling us why their opponents should be defeated. We don't need to remake this country into something different but we do need to keep it on course. Our country was designed to be controlled from the bottom up and not the top down and I believe our leaders have forgotten that. we need a way to find our way back to where we were so we can continue to be the great nation we once were.
American Released
Mr. Gomes was released from a North Korean prison this week after former president Jimmy Carter visited that country seeking Gnomes' release. It is speculated that Gomes may have crossed into North Korea in protest of another American arrested there a month earlier. He may have had his own agenda but his reasons will be up to him to state.
Gomes was sentenced in April to eight years of hard labor and fined $700,000 for illegally entering the country. Gomes' relatives have declined to say much about him or his situation, though they pleaded for his release on humanitarian grounds after North Korea's state-run media reported last month that he'd attempted suicide.
North Korea has a lot to learn from the United States. To reach our humanitarian standards, mr. Gomes should have been provided with a job, an apartment, food stamps and welfare payments, and free dental and medical care. And if any North Korean officials didn't like the fact that he was there then the President of North Korea could have filed a lawsuit against them like we do here in America.
Gomes was sentenced in April to eight years of hard labor and fined $700,000 for illegally entering the country. Gomes' relatives have declined to say much about him or his situation, though they pleaded for his release on humanitarian grounds after North Korea's state-run media reported last month that he'd attempted suicide.
North Korea has a lot to learn from the United States. To reach our humanitarian standards, mr. Gomes should have been provided with a job, an apartment, food stamps and welfare payments, and free dental and medical care. And if any North Korean officials didn't like the fact that he was there then the President of North Korea could have filed a lawsuit against them like we do here in America.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Harold Dow 1947-2010
48 hour mystery, a CBS production, was one of my favorite shows and Harold Dow, was one of my favorite reporters. He will be missed.
Miss Universe
Miss Mexico won the Miss Universe contest proving once again that it is a polical contest. it seems that want ever the hot bed issue is involving another country, the lady from that country wins.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Cookie-Cutter Communities
Communities, towns,and cities were build near rivers and lakes as a reliable source of water was needed to feed the animals, run the factories, and quench the thrist of its citizens. People built stuff because it was needed or wanted and each place was different. Sure, each town had places to eat, schools and churches. and retail shops but maybe Mabel in South Fork baked a better pie and Sally in in Smithtown but the Smithtown blacksmith was more reliable than any other.
Communities gained their reputation by how good the residents were at fufilling certain needs whether it be farming, manufacturing, entertainment, or the basic needs of life. Today, it is still the indiviual businesses that give a place charater and charm. Like Seagrove (which is neither by the sea or filled with groves). When one thinks of Seagrove one thinks of pottery but I travel there only to visit Jugtown cafe and their Rueben sandwich.
Unfortunately, too many towns are becoming like Randleman. There is a Wal-mart, a toco bell, a bonjangles, a mcDonalds, a waffle house, a papa johns, dominoes, and a hardees. Don't forget an auto zone and the quick lube place. Randlemans latest addition is a McPersons bar and grill.
They call in Randleman lake but you can't get to it from Randleman. Downtown is full of antique stores, really stores filled with old stuff that gives some lonely soul somewhere to go and sit all day and fell like they have a purpose but only serves to fill up a dirty old building with something.
There is the cupcake store which sells cupcakes that aren't all that special. The young ladies who run the place are cute and try hard and offer a large variety of cup cakes that can make an occasion special like my Mom's birthday. But it is places like that that give a town aa scence of character and uniqueness and charm. Read "Our State" magazine and when they feature a North Carolina town it isn't the chain stores that get featured but the things the locals do that is different than from anywhere else.
I suppose that is one of the reasons I dislike the big box stores so much. maybe they enable a small town like Randleman to survive but maybe they rob places of their identity.
Communities gained their reputation by how good the residents were at fufilling certain needs whether it be farming, manufacturing, entertainment, or the basic needs of life. Today, it is still the indiviual businesses that give a place charater and charm. Like Seagrove (which is neither by the sea or filled with groves). When one thinks of Seagrove one thinks of pottery but I travel there only to visit Jugtown cafe and their Rueben sandwich.
Unfortunately, too many towns are becoming like Randleman. There is a Wal-mart, a toco bell, a bonjangles, a mcDonalds, a waffle house, a papa johns, dominoes, and a hardees. Don't forget an auto zone and the quick lube place. Randlemans latest addition is a McPersons bar and grill.
They call in Randleman lake but you can't get to it from Randleman. Downtown is full of antique stores, really stores filled with old stuff that gives some lonely soul somewhere to go and sit all day and fell like they have a purpose but only serves to fill up a dirty old building with something.
There is the cupcake store which sells cupcakes that aren't all that special. The young ladies who run the place are cute and try hard and offer a large variety of cup cakes that can make an occasion special like my Mom's birthday. But it is places like that that give a town aa scence of character and uniqueness and charm. Read "Our State" magazine and when they feature a North Carolina town it isn't the chain stores that get featured but the things the locals do that is different than from anywhere else.
I suppose that is one of the reasons I dislike the big box stores so much. maybe they enable a small town like Randleman to survive but maybe they rob places of their identity.
Friday, August 20, 2010
winterizing my pond
It's a little early, I know, but with the neighbor's dog constantly jumping into the pond I thought it might be a good idea to do the big one anyway. It really doesn't take long if you don't mind getting a little wet.
The first thing you have to do is remove all the floaters. I started with five; three in the big pond and two in the small pond. I had over 1,100 in the big pond when I cleaned them out. Floaters don't winter over and will die and decay if not removed. Do not throw them in the lake! use them for fertilizer for your gardens.
The next step is to trim all your pond plants.
Once the plants are taken care of, just cover with a pond or tree net and you are good to go until next year.
Yahoo insight
"Even big-name celebrities can end up on the wrong side of the law. Check out photos of famous mug shots.…" is the opening line in a photo shoot display.
The truth is, Congeressmen, senators, both federal and state, governors, presidents, and even preachers, youth pastors, and Sunday School teachers end up on the wrong side of the law. Hell, even hospital adminitrators, doctors, nurses, and dentist do wrong. Can't think of any group of people whose members are blaneless.
The truth is, Congeressmen, senators, both federal and state, governors, presidents, and even preachers, youth pastors, and Sunday School teachers end up on the wrong side of the law. Hell, even hospital adminitrators, doctors, nurses, and dentist do wrong. Can't think of any group of people whose members are blaneless.
alan Comb's show
I don't know if that is how he spells his name-it's a talk radio show-liberal Alan Comb had a guest host the other night would made the opening statement that he didn't believe americans spit of Vietnnam War veterans.
They did.
Thelast few years I've had a few people say "Thanks" for your service but no one has every said "i'm sorry" for the way vets were viewed and treated. Until I get an "I'm sorry" it is impossible to feel good about a thanks.
They did.
Thelast few years I've had a few people say "Thanks" for your service but no one has every said "i'm sorry" for the way vets were viewed and treated. Until I get an "I'm sorry" it is impossible to feel good about a thanks.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
The commitee to elect a Democractic Congress
Sign our Petition
Demand that Rush Help Clean Up the Spill
Rush Limbaugh said, “The ocean will take care of this on its own…It’s as natural as the ocean water is.”
Cyanide is natural too, but that doesn’t mean we should let it into our water supply.
Rush Limbaugh should see for himself that there’s nothing “natural” about birds, fish, beaches and marshland coated with oil. Demand that Rush pull on some rubber gloves and go help with cleanup effort. It’s the least he can do after a career of spewing his own crude over the American airwaves.
Your Information
Email:* .
Zip:* . .Add Your Message
Add your comments here: (Optional)
Rush Limbaughi isn't running for any office. Why are the Democractics campaigning against him?
Demand that Rush Help Clean Up the Spill
Rush Limbaugh said, “The ocean will take care of this on its own…It’s as natural as the ocean water is.”
Cyanide is natural too, but that doesn’t mean we should let it into our water supply.
Rush Limbaugh should see for himself that there’s nothing “natural” about birds, fish, beaches and marshland coated with oil. Demand that Rush pull on some rubber gloves and go help with cleanup effort. It’s the least he can do after a career of spewing his own crude over the American airwaves.
Your Information
Email:* .
Zip:* . .Add Your Message
Add your comments here: (Optional)
Rush Limbaughi isn't running for any office. Why are the Democractics campaigning against him?
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
To build or not
There is a lot of controversy about whether to allow a Mosque to be built near ground zero in New York. Those against cite the building would be an affront to America and to the victims of 911 (we all are victims to some extent). Others cite our freedom of religion as a reason we should allow it to be built. One writer to the Asheboro paper says that to allow the building of the Mosque would be a victory for the America way of life and a loss for the haters of America.
Refusing to allow the building of the Mosque is not a freedom of religion issue. preventing the building does not restrict anyone from practicing Islam. There are already 30 Mosques in New York City. people just don't like the idea that the enemy can rub our noses in the 9-11 tragedy.
It isn't my decision to make whether to allow the building of the Mosque or not but I do not agree with Obama that it is a religious issue either. Its kind of like when the president of BP went to the yacht races right after the oil leak. It was an affront to the people of the gulf coast but not illegal by any means.
if the Mosque is built, which it probably will be, then perhaps we, meaning America, would best be served by building something that not only memorializes the victims of the twin towers, but promotes peace and harmony and tolerance and understanding towards all people and their beliefs, including those who do not believe in any deity. in other words, build something that embodies the America spirit and the American way of life, or what represents the way America was meant to be.
Refusing to allow the building of the Mosque is not a freedom of religion issue. preventing the building does not restrict anyone from practicing Islam. There are already 30 Mosques in New York City. people just don't like the idea that the enemy can rub our noses in the 9-11 tragedy.
It isn't my decision to make whether to allow the building of the Mosque or not but I do not agree with Obama that it is a religious issue either. Its kind of like when the president of BP went to the yacht races right after the oil leak. It was an affront to the people of the gulf coast but not illegal by any means.
if the Mosque is built, which it probably will be, then perhaps we, meaning America, would best be served by building something that not only memorializes the victims of the twin towers, but promotes peace and harmony and tolerance and understanding towards all people and their beliefs, including those who do not believe in any deity. in other words, build something that embodies the America spirit and the American way of life, or what represents the way America was meant to be.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Courtesy, yea right!
I had a good chuckle while reading the article on the reson banking rule changes, especially now that customers have to opt in to get the "overdraft protection" from banks that they once extended to all customers as a courtesy. That is as big a bunch of crap as I have ever read. The way overdraft protection workds is this:
Let's say you wrote five checks, one for your car payment for $350.00, one to starbucks for $12.75, one for $60.00, for for $14.52 and one for $23.00. The five checks total $460.27 and you check book shows a balance of $461.00 so you think you are okay but are shocked to discover that a $1.00 fee had been attacked to your checking account when you used your ATM to purchase gas so you are 27 cents short of having enough to cover your checks.
Your bank charges $35.00 per bounched check and as hard as that wuill be for you to deal with it is something you will survive. All five checks show up at the bank at the same time and to your additional horror you discover you had made a mistake in your accounting and your balance was only $360.00. Still enough to cover four of the five checks.
The banks, explain later that they figured you would rather pay the larger account first, pays your car payment and bounces the four smaller checks. Actually, they didn't bounce them, they extended you the courtesy of overdraft protection. Because of this protection you now owe the bank 4 times $35.00 or $140.00 because they made a judgement call on your behalf and extended you a courtesy.
Now the bank wants you to sign up for the same rip off scheme they had been pulling on their customers for years.
Back when I was young, the banks paid the smaller checks first, and if you were a really good customer and the amount in the bank and the amount of the check were close in amount, the bank would pay it for you so you owed no one anything.
When I was it college I had to work and payday was Tuesdays and every Tuesday I deposited my paycheck. One day for whatever reason I had more checks outstanding than money in the bank but knowing that I deposited money on Tuesday, the bank paid my check on Monday and got their money back the next day. Today, that smae bank would have charged me as a struggling college student a $35.00 courtesy fee for that $150 mistake.
So when the bank offers you this overdraft courtesy, smiles sweetly and say Thanks but no thanks.
Let's say you wrote five checks, one for your car payment for $350.00, one to starbucks for $12.75, one for $60.00, for for $14.52 and one for $23.00. The five checks total $460.27 and you check book shows a balance of $461.00 so you think you are okay but are shocked to discover that a $1.00 fee had been attacked to your checking account when you used your ATM to purchase gas so you are 27 cents short of having enough to cover your checks.
Your bank charges $35.00 per bounched check and as hard as that wuill be for you to deal with it is something you will survive. All five checks show up at the bank at the same time and to your additional horror you discover you had made a mistake in your accounting and your balance was only $360.00. Still enough to cover four of the five checks.
The banks, explain later that they figured you would rather pay the larger account first, pays your car payment and bounces the four smaller checks. Actually, they didn't bounce them, they extended you the courtesy of overdraft protection. Because of this protection you now owe the bank 4 times $35.00 or $140.00 because they made a judgement call on your behalf and extended you a courtesy.
Now the bank wants you to sign up for the same rip off scheme they had been pulling on their customers for years.
Back when I was young, the banks paid the smaller checks first, and if you were a really good customer and the amount in the bank and the amount of the check were close in amount, the bank would pay it for you so you owed no one anything.
When I was it college I had to work and payday was Tuesdays and every Tuesday I deposited my paycheck. One day for whatever reason I had more checks outstanding than money in the bank but knowing that I deposited money on Tuesday, the bank paid my check on Monday and got their money back the next day. Today, that smae bank would have charged me as a struggling college student a $35.00 courtesy fee for that $150 mistake.
So when the bank offers you this overdraft courtesy, smiles sweetly and say Thanks but no thanks.
Friday, August 13, 2010
Old system
Now that I have a new desk top (my wife is getting the laptop) Ihave an old one that needs a good home. It is a windows XP Athlon tan in color. The only flaw is the front ports don't work but other than that it is a good system. Anyone know of a deserving family that would appreciate and use it?
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Customer Service
it seems the incident with the flight attendant has highlighted customer/ service personnel relationships from the employees point of view. I have worked in retail most of my life and sometimes situations develop that are hard to control. My first really bad incident came when a small boy tossed an item he was looking at in a place it didn't go and as part of my job, I picked the item up and placed it back where it belonged. For some reason, this act upset the child's father who preceded to rant at me and even threatened me with bodily harm My manager engaged the customer, explained I was only doing my job, and that he needed a better excuse to get angry than he didn't like my looks.
Once I had a customer pull a gun on me and promised to kill me. Unbelievably, he had already called the police to have them force me to let him into the store which wasn't open yet due to a power outage.
Once when i worked a second job in a convenience store, a woman preyed using a credit card for gas on pump 10. She went to her car and them moved it from pump ten to pump eight. When the pump won't come on, she came back into the store. I told her she moved from one pump to another so I had cancelled that transaction and would set her up on pump eight. I asked for her card again and she said she had already paid. I told her no, that transaction had been cancelled. She wanted me to issue her a credit and I said I could not because she was never charged.
She refused to move from in front of my register and the line was backing up. In just a few minutes I had over twenty people waiting behind her I finally told her that if she continued to interfere with business I would have to call the police.
One other time a customer became upset because I refused his ID as proof of age in order to purchase beer. He said he wasn't leaving the store until he got his beer and accused me of refusing to sell it to him just because I didn't like him. i explained that an out-of-state ID card was not acceptable in NC for proof of age to purchase alcohol but he only became more belligerent. He calmed down when I offered to call a policeman to explain the law to him. He liked that idea. unfortunately for him, the policeman placed him under arrest for carrying a concealed weapon.
I could write a book on bad behaviour of customers but suffice it to say that no matter how bizarre a person's actions were, I have never gotten angry, felt like striking them, or retaliated in any way. I understand that sometimes people are under stress, don't understand the procedures, or are just looking to cause trouble. If I can't handle the situation, I refer it to a higher authority.
Once I had a customer pull a gun on me and promised to kill me. Unbelievably, he had already called the police to have them force me to let him into the store which wasn't open yet due to a power outage.
Once when i worked a second job in a convenience store, a woman preyed using a credit card for gas on pump 10. She went to her car and them moved it from pump ten to pump eight. When the pump won't come on, she came back into the store. I told her she moved from one pump to another so I had cancelled that transaction and would set her up on pump eight. I asked for her card again and she said she had already paid. I told her no, that transaction had been cancelled. She wanted me to issue her a credit and I said I could not because she was never charged.
She refused to move from in front of my register and the line was backing up. In just a few minutes I had over twenty people waiting behind her I finally told her that if she continued to interfere with business I would have to call the police.
One other time a customer became upset because I refused his ID as proof of age in order to purchase beer. He said he wasn't leaving the store until he got his beer and accused me of refusing to sell it to him just because I didn't like him. i explained that an out-of-state ID card was not acceptable in NC for proof of age to purchase alcohol but he only became more belligerent. He calmed down when I offered to call a policeman to explain the law to him. He liked that idea. unfortunately for him, the policeman placed him under arrest for carrying a concealed weapon.
I could write a book on bad behaviour of customers but suffice it to say that no matter how bizarre a person's actions were, I have never gotten angry, felt like striking them, or retaliated in any way. I understand that sometimes people are under stress, don't understand the procedures, or are just looking to cause trouble. If I can't handle the situation, I refer it to a higher authority.
Eye Candy
Contestants in the 2010 Miss UNIVERSE CONTEST. One of my managers is from Guatamala, as is the woman from the top and the bottom photo. His wife and he just had a baby who they named Maximillian. Out manager trainne and his other half just had one too, who they named Thor. Thor was airlifted to another hospital where he was placed in an incubator. although he had a healthy weight, his lungs were filled with fluid and he is to be in the hospital for at least a week, which is through this coming Monday.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)