just checking in to let everyone know that i am alive. all 1 subscriber (woohoo!).
that is all. you may continue with your lives.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
indentity theft crisis
i ended up selling my old nissan altima to a neighbor this weekend and sent ren, my wife to the bank yesterday to deposit the money into our bill account. i usually like to check my bank accounts after large deposits (large being $100 or more) to make sure they posted. when i logged in, i noticed that our account balance was *quite* low, so i clicked on the transactions link to look at what's been up with the account. then it was there. a debit transaction for $2,050 that neither of us had authorized to a "DeMarist, Howell, and Associates" in Louisville, KY.
So right now, we're out of $2,050 until the bank get's everything situated. Of course that money is intended for our bills, so bills will have to go unpaid until we get that money back.
oh and the funny part of all of this? the bank's little banner at the top of my account details page. it reads:
"To learn how we are protecting your accounts from credit and debit fraud click here"
once this is all situated. i am going to be pulling my money from the bank of western massachusetts. they blow. big donkey balls.
So right now, we're out of $2,050 until the bank get's everything situated. Of course that money is intended for our bills, so bills will have to go unpaid until we get that money back.
oh and the funny part of all of this? the bank's little banner at the top of my account details page. it reads:
"To learn how we are protecting your accounts from credit and debit fraud click here"
once this is all situated. i am going to be pulling my money from the bank of western massachusetts. they blow. big donkey balls.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
I am a belittling, moronic, ignorant ass
So...I get an email forward from a friend. It's a petition originating from an AM radio station based out of Springfield, MA (WHYN) that is opposed to the proposed increase to the Massachusetts gas tax ($0.19/gallon). Because my friend had sent the email out as an informational email (kind of as a 'huh, look at this') I noticed that this string originated at my best friend's wife. I decided to create a conversation with Danielle (the friend who forwarded me the email), Mike (my best friend), Kellie (his wife), and Rich (another friend of Mike's and mine), and share my opinion on the matter.
Well this didn't go over very well...Mike over IM basically told me that I am an ass, I belittle people, and am ignorant. Kellie sent me a nice email flame saying I am a moron and that I should move closer to my work and that she wasn't about to pay for my commute. Nice friends, eh?
Well, anyways I wrote a letter to WHYN and emailed it to them. First here is the text of the petition:
"To: His Excellency The Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Deval Patrick and any and all members of the Government of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts…
To Whom It May Concern;
WE, THE UNDERSIGNED OF WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS, formally state our objection to any proposed legislation that results in any increase of taxes or associated fees of gasoline in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
We submit that any increase in said gasoline taxes at this time will not benefit taxpayers in the Commonwealth, in any appreciable or meaningful way, especially with the current state of the economy.
Furthermore, we believe it’s not fair to put the burden of overspending and mismanagement of projects in the eastern part of the Commonwealth on citizens of the western part of the Commonwealth. Western Massachusetts citizens rarely, if ever, use these projects (Big Dig, MBTA). Therefore, we don’t feel we should be responsible for “digging” these agencies out of this financial burden.
We respectfully submit this request in the spirit of continuing to exercise our ability to purchase gasoline at a price that allows us to work, take care of our families, and in every other way contribute to the common good of the economy of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Sincerely, "
************************************************************************************
And here is my response (you can determine whether I am a belittling, moronic, ignorant ass):
To whom it may concern,
I find the premise of your web petition concerning the increase in the Massachusetts Taxes, simply put, retarded. Let me start off to say that I do agree that the Turnpike Authority and Big Dig has been historically mismanaged.
The text I am referring to is:
"Furthermore, we believe it’s not fair to put the burden of overspending and mismanagement of projects in the eastern part of the Commonwealth on citizens of the western part of the Commonwealth. Western Massachusetts citizens rarely, if ever, use these projects (Big Dig, MBTA). Therefore, we don’t feel we should be responsible for “digging” these agencies out of this financial burden."
It is as if you view Western Massachusetts as its own sovereign state. Just because we don't use the projects doesn't mean we are not ultimately responsible for the funding of the infrastructure. Here are some examples, there are many taxpayers who do not have children, by using this petition as a model, should those taxpayers be required to pay for public schools? Or what about this? I own my own car, why should my taxes go to help fund public transit? I don't use it. See where I am going with this?
Next, in relation to the total population of the state, how does Western Massachusetts fit in? Perhaps 1/6th to 1/5th of the total population of the State? Your petition almost makes it sound like we are bearing the full brunt of the financial burden of this effort. It almost seems like the elimination of the tolls on the Massachusetts Turnpike has entitled Western Massachusetts to not be responsible for any of the road infrastructure in the State. So ultimately, who is paying the maintenance of the Massachusetts Turnpike west of exit 6? That would most likely be the people traveling from the East. I haven't heard any rumblings that they think that is unfair from them.
Lastly, coming from a time where were were paying $4/gallon for gas, and going back down to under $2/gallon, $0.19/gallon is not a big stretch. People adjusted and survived to the rising prices of gas during the last administration, and they will adjust and survive this hike in the gas tax.
Sincerely,
David Bunten
Well this didn't go over very well...Mike over IM basically told me that I am an ass, I belittle people, and am ignorant. Kellie sent me a nice email flame saying I am a moron and that I should move closer to my work and that she wasn't about to pay for my commute. Nice friends, eh?
Well, anyways I wrote a letter to WHYN and emailed it to them. First here is the text of the petition:
"To: His Excellency The Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Deval Patrick and any and all members of the Government of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts…
To Whom It May Concern;
WE, THE UNDERSIGNED OF WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS, formally state our objection to any proposed legislation that results in any increase of taxes or associated fees of gasoline in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
We submit that any increase in said gasoline taxes at this time will not benefit taxpayers in the Commonwealth, in any appreciable or meaningful way, especially with the current state of the economy.
Furthermore, we believe it’s not fair to put the burden of overspending and mismanagement of projects in the eastern part of the Commonwealth on citizens of the western part of the Commonwealth. Western Massachusetts citizens rarely, if ever, use these projects (Big Dig, MBTA). Therefore, we don’t feel we should be responsible for “digging” these agencies out of this financial burden.
We respectfully submit this request in the spirit of continuing to exercise our ability to purchase gasoline at a price that allows us to work, take care of our families, and in every other way contribute to the common good of the economy of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Sincerely, "
************************************************************************************
And here is my response (you can determine whether I am a belittling, moronic, ignorant ass):
To whom it may concern,
I find the premise of your web petition concerning the increase in the Massachusetts Taxes, simply put, retarded. Let me start off to say that I do agree that the Turnpike Authority and Big Dig has been historically mismanaged.
The text I am referring to is:
"Furthermore, we believe it’s not fair to put the burden of overspending and mismanagement of projects in the eastern part of the Commonwealth on citizens of the western part of the Commonwealth. Western Massachusetts citizens rarely, if ever, use these projects (Big Dig, MBTA). Therefore, we don’t feel we should be responsible for “digging” these agencies out of this financial burden."
It is as if you view Western Massachusetts as its own sovereign state. Just because we don't use the projects doesn't mean we are not ultimately responsible for the funding of the infrastructure. Here are some examples, there are many taxpayers who do not have children, by using this petition as a model, should those taxpayers be required to pay for public schools? Or what about this? I own my own car, why should my taxes go to help fund public transit? I don't use it. See where I am going with this?
Next, in relation to the total population of the state, how does Western Massachusetts fit in? Perhaps 1/6th to 1/5th of the total population of the State? Your petition almost makes it sound like we are bearing the full brunt of the financial burden of this effort. It almost seems like the elimination of the tolls on the Massachusetts Turnpike has entitled Western Massachusetts to not be responsible for any of the road infrastructure in the State. So ultimately, who is paying the maintenance of the Massachusetts Turnpike west of exit 6? That would most likely be the people traveling from the East. I haven't heard any rumblings that they think that is unfair from them.
Lastly, coming from a time where were were paying $4/gallon for gas, and going back down to under $2/gallon, $0.19/gallon is not a big stretch. People adjusted and survived to the rising prices of gas during the last administration, and they will adjust and survive this hike in the gas tax.
Sincerely,
David Bunten
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