Gone...

I was robbed 8 days ago. Thieves broke the back mini window in the back of the Jeep and took my purse while Mabel and I were hiking. It took 6 solid hours of phone calls and errands to close bank accounts, credit cards and get my window fixed. I'm still dealing with the aftermath of re-routing direct debit and automatic credit card payments, and waiting for a new driver's license.

Aside from my cheap, Ross Dress for Less purse and the 20 bucks in my wallet, they did get a free tank of gas of my Visa...which Visa will pay for. Funny, but I canceled my Discover Card waiting for the cops because I could remember their phone number - 1-800-Discover. But I didn't know Visa's... I do now: 1-800-Visa-911. (You must know the name of your issuing bank; then this number can refer your to the proper theft / fraud phone numbers.)

But the one thing I mourn the most is my wallet. My big time Hollywood producer wallet. Those stupid-ass thieves certainly have no appreciation for that wallet, Il Bisonte #C237. And I fear I will never be able to afford to own it again.

I have loved and adored this wallet - mine was black - for two decades. This was actually my second one. I carelessly left the first in a McDonald's bathroom in Anaheim a decade ago. Then as now, I pray that whoever took her, loves and adores that wallet the way I did.

I seriously planned a blog post about my Il Bisonte over the winter. That wallet and a coat with an inside pocket are my favorite way of safely moving about large crowded places. I was so excited to have found a ladies winter coat with an inside pocket at Penney's Outlet. This little luxury is normally saved for men...which is why I wear men's coats. And this purple ladies jacket had an inside pocket that fit my Il Bisonte.

It wasn't that it was made from fine Bison leather that grew so soft and supple with age. The Il Bisonte was the elegant and super functional design. It was a must for any international traveler or production person.

I'm going to blame owning this wallet and my need of jackets with inside pockets on Catherine MacDonald. She was our travel coordinator on the movie I worked on in Argentina. A raven haired beauty from Texas who settled in New York, Catherine moved about the world with such ease and confidence. She prepared well for potentially dangerous encounters (purse snatchers were notorious in Buenos Aires) and then she rolled with the punches. I'm certain she taught me about the Il Bisonte.

Later when I found myself in Manhattan wrapping a job, I made my way to the Il Bisonte store and ponied up the $130 for my first one. The wallet is extra wide - not so much an issue with the advent of the Euro. But in my heavy duty travel days, I quickly discovered that not all currency was the same size at the dollar. Many countries had wider money. It would stick out and people could see what I had and the money got torn. Or I folded it up, which made my wallet too fat to close.

I quickly fell in love with this Il Bisonte for other prodution needs. Keeping track of receipts for the company? No problem...lots of nooks and crannies. Needing a safe place for my passport? It fit in the wallet when it was all folded up. And the Il Bisonte has an elastic band that wraps around the wallet when you put too much junk in it...so it holds together no matter what!

Without fail, everyone in production who saw my Il Bisonte, bought one! I remember being at a dinner with two art directors and five or six production people. When it came time to pay, we all had the same wallet! And they blame their love of this wallet on me!

But sadly, I am no longer grossly overpaid for my time and the now $237 price tag is too much for my paltry income. I bought a seven dollar wallet at Ross. And I hate it. And I probably always will.

What the Banks Don't Want You to Know

I was little shocked while opening bills the other day. One of my accounts had a service charge. It is the loan on my townhouse. I have had this particular loan for well over 16 years. I've had the money withdrawn directly from my checking since that time. So what was the service fee for???

I called... got India and got frustrated. I finally understood the person on the other end. She explained the service charge was a late fee.

"Late fee? I have direct debit...how can that be late?" I asked.

"Because you pay on the 10th."

"Right but it's not late til the 15th... It says so on my statement."

"But we charge a service charge on any direct debit after the 8th."

????? I ask for a manager. And get an American.

I ask how can this be. Luckily, this had just gone into effect so I haven't been paying this money for nothing for months on end.

He offered to move my payment up a few days. I refused. Not when I can walk into the bank right around the corner and pay until the 15th. You guys are just taking money for nothing.

After he refunded my money and we hung up, I started thinking about this. They are refusing money that is processed by a computer direct into their bank... money they've been receiving in this manner for years on end... all to have a human being process a check and have the funds arrive days later?? This didn't really make sense.... Until I talked to the best friend's sister.

Kath is a Realtor and very savvy. She too was recently confused to find her new mortgage charged her a service fee to use direct debit at all...no matter the date. But the fact of the matter is, if you pay by check, chances are you will be late at least once or twice over the life of the loan. And the late fee is steep. So by adding a surcharge to direct debits, the bank is trying to force you to be late and make them more money.

It reminds me of a gag Rick Dees used to run on his morning talk show here. Pretending to be Sean Connery, Rick would interview himself as Sean. Eventually, he would get "Sean" to say he had to get to Citibank. Only, with the Scottish brogue, it came out "Shitty Bank."

Shitty Bank indeed!

**************************************

BITACLE.ORG steals content. JESUS GLEZ is a THIEF. If you are reading this post on BITACLE.ORG, you are supporting theft of intellectual property. This post was written and copyrighted by CREEKHIKER, who has not given consent for material to be reproduced. Please visit CREEKHIKER to enjoy this content LEGALLY.

If you want to know why this message is at the bottom of every post, read this post.

*****************

Internet Scams

BITACLE.ORG steals content. JESUS GLEZ is a THIEF. If you are reading this post on BITACLE.ORG, you are supporting theft of intellectual property. This post was
written and copyrighted by CREEKHIKER, who has not given consent for material to be reproduced. Please visit CREEKHIKER to enjoy this content LEGALLY.

If you want to know why this message is at the top of every post, read this post.

**********************************

I received the email below today. Normally I just delete but I was in an "entertain me" sort of mood. I wanted to see how good this jerk thief's plea for money was.

We've probably all seen the warnings on t.v. about people who fell for this sort of thing and are now in debt up to their eyeballs or the woman who just thought she had found a work from home job and was completely surprised when the FBI showed up and arrested her for laundering money.

I read this with an open mind trying to figure out what on earth would make someone think this is legit. As I read his promises of 1.6 million dollars in return for my assistance, the thing that makes me the warning bells start going off in my head (why not in other heads???) is "why me?" Out of all the millions of well known people with money in the world, a) why me, and b) why not contact me a more legitimate way???

The fact of the matter is this guy has sent millions of emails just like the one below and I am but a pawn in his game. And the email address was harvested by some robot... notice the email contains no personal reference to me??? (Since when am I a sir??) It really makes me sad that so many fall for this.

I am posting his email below with links and whatever other contact info he included... I feel no guilt about this as he has probably already hurt many with this scam. And as for the Icard which this thief is using to make himself seem legitimate, what do you want to bet, we could all go over there and create a business card for ourselves? Maybe I will be president of the U.S. on mine....

************************************************************************

chungu mimi wants you to check out iCardme.com!

Sir,

My name is Mimi Chungu I am from Luanda Norte in the Central district of Angola. I am presently in Cote d'Ivoire where I am on transit. I am contacting you for assistance in the clearance and transfer of Eight Million three Hundred Thousand Euro which was deposited in Finance Security Firm in Cote d'Ivoire.

This deposit came from private mining of diamond in our region which represent the major deposit of diamonds in my country. Coupled with the rebels activities which are sponsored by illegitimate sales of diamonds to foreign companies.

The local district heads conducted there activities for personal gains due to conflict in my region which has provided a heaven for local district heads before the intervention of the government forces which controls our areas forcing most of the locals out of the country.

Hence I will require your assistance in transfer and receivership of this deposit and for your compensation you will have 20 percent of the total amount and five percent will be used for logistics.

For further details please call me directly on this number +225-08-541-351 Please remember that this offer is very confidential and requires strict confidentiality. Waiting for your response.

Sincerly,
Mimi Chungu
chungumimi@hotmail.com

View my iCard at http://www.iCardme.com/100727

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

What is an iCard?
iCard is an online business card. This electronic business card is like a mini
web page for your mobile phone, desktop and laptop computer. Share your contact
information, music, audio narrations and photos fast and easy! Great for mobile
advertising and the .mobi world! Cellular Advertising Has Arrived!

Do you have a Business iCard and a Personal iCard?
Take advantage of our LIMITED TIME FREE OFFER and order additional iCards today.
Have fun with personalized iCard stickers � a fun and new way to meet people!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To order your free iCard visit http://www.icardme.com