FIA CARD SERVICES ARE UNFAIR MONEY GOUGERS!

Get this! I made a payment in November that was one day late, over the phone. The person who took my payment assured me I would not be charged a late fee since the payment was due on a Sunday and I was paying on a Monday. Contrary to electronic wisdom, mail payments are still received and I am sure that if a payment is due Sunday (when the postal service does not deliver) and received on Monday it is not counted late (as was the custom in the good old days).

Since I am moving toward total electronic living, I get my statement online (saving trees, I hope). I didn't look at my November or December statements and made the standard payment through my bank's electronic system. However, the company did charge me a late fee in November thus making my December payment $3.00 short. Yes. Three dollars. What did FIA Card Services do? Did I get a friendly email advising me my payment was short? Did I get a nice phone call from a friendly employee? No. They charged me a $39.00 late fee and raised my interest rate to 27.99%. UN-BLOODY-BUH-LEEVABLE!!!

I am now in the process of closing the account by paying off the total amount. So, good bye FIA Card! My new loan will be at 5.47% and my card will be paid off in three years.

For those of you interested, I have been with this same card, administered by FIA Card, for over six years. I make regular payments. Although I have been late only twice (really!), I have also made extra and large payments. The amount I owe is less than half of my credit limit. Yet for three friggin' dollars they sell me up the creek.

By the way, I've always wondered about the wisdom that says, "Since you can't pay us we're going to ask you to pay us more by raising your interest rate."

xmas again

Well, I was going to post my homey little lights photo from last year, but then I found this: Katalyst Films Holiday Video

Much better, don't you think?

the myth of age

Everybody, I mean everybody (except the AARP) is after the below 30 crowd. I understand you have to include them. After all they have to learn how to lead and to be involved and engaged. On the other hand, I'm not planning on retiring and if I were to retire it wouldn't be to sit in a rocking chair or play shuffle board. Let's understand here that I have the health once associated with a 40-year-old and I'm way passed that mark. Heck, if I exercised more I could stay at that mark for a very long time indeed. People living to 65 have about another 20 years to go and mostly in pretty good health. I'm beginning to get worried that maybe the protesting sit-in, be-in, love-in generation may take that up again. After all, we have less to lose now. We can risk it. You young people watch out!

And that went totally somewhere else than I thought it would. What I mean is, boomers still have a lot going on and they have the resources to do it. It's silly to try to place old paradigms on us. I am not some white-haired, grandchild-focused, retired lay about. And don't think anyone from my generation is. So, why are we treated that way? I'm still looking forward and planning my next life. And a great life it will be, too.

You know, here I am with all this experience, really good experience and the finely honed ability to work and some social leaders are ready to put me on the back burner. It's a criminal waste of resources.

Okay. I'm off the box now.

instant shameless commerce

Yes, you too can have an instant store on Zazzle.com. Go! Be instantly prosperous!

I have discovered XKCD

And so fun it is too! Here's a favoriteGrownups. I'd put the comic in here but it's too wide. Go and have fun.

My Highest Rated Movies: Another Widget

But a very nice one.