Yes, I Love My Bank

Actually my bank is a credit union, based in Georgia. It was once for employees of an airline, then became a community credit union.

I had a problem which involved having no money in the account, but there was another one with them which I was under a misconception about. I thought you could go online and just pull money as you chose. It requires filling out a form; some sort of federal tyranny thing.

So, in the mean time they covered a charge on the accounts and charged me a deadbeat fee. Fair enough. I know I should be on top f this stuff. I'm defective and I sometimes have to pay for that. No hard feelings.

Well, as I am on the phone after signing, scanning in and emailing the form, I call to see if they got it and how quick it can be processed. In the course of the conversation I explain my ignorant misconception and concern about the accounts. "Oh I see you've kept a nice account with us and never had any issues so I'll remove that charge from your account."

Holy smoke. My last bank would have found a way to up the fee to hundreds of dollars and then refused to even consider reducing it, even when the upcoming deposit amount which came in automatically was already showing and would be there in a day. I once had it showing the deposit was coming and I thought it was in and over a ten dollar debit charge, I ended up with about a hundred dollars in deadbeat penalties before it was over.

That's another thing, if the account has no money, why do they let a debit get approved? And if so, why do they not cover it when there is a pending deposit showing?

The credit union does that--covers it when they see money on the way. Or they won't approve the debit card if the system sees no source of funds. That is how I knew I'd screwed up. They covered one thing, charged a fee, then said no soap. Then they take the fee off when I get it all fixed, even though it was all my fault and they could have nailed me and I would not complain.

So that is why I do not bother to get a local bank. They are no good to deal with compared to the credit union. I make deposits at local C/Us which are full service and network with others. It is not that big a hassle. It is worth finding them. I hope the feds don't ruin that form of banking, although I would expect them to since it is not torture to deal with them. Anything that operates other than under the old USSR model appears to be on big brother's hit list.

I find it amazing that "Becky" so cheerfully and voluntarily refunded the deadbeat charge, even though I never denied being a deadbeat. I am thinking about paying attention and seeing if I can find a way to make some money and keep track. At least keep track.

The Trouble With Rallies and News

As it turned out, I wouldn't have made the powerlink protest anyway. But I was torn over it. Something about sign carrying and marching and all that is just not me. Can't put my finger on it, but even if I agree with a group I don't find myself moved to be a demonstrator. For one thing I usually agree for different reasons.

As I suspected, the message that came out of the downtown powerlink rally was incohesive and muddled. The one thing I saw that made the best point was a video of a commissioner speaking. She was on topic and kept it as simple and focussed as possible.

There were signs that made no sense, and ones that made sense. (I saw all this on someone's facebook) The news reports did the effort no good, as I figured would be the case. They presented it as "protesting the SDGE Powerlink, which will bring clean, renewable energy to over a half million people in San Diego". That makes it sound like you have to be nuts to argue with wonerful clean power. Would you take power away from half a million people? You Luddite!!!

Of course, the powerlink is not supplying San Diego, and it is not bringing in clean, happy face energy. And it will cost the rate payers more money than they are now paying, which is plenty.

I saw the clips from the various news stations and I can only believe it would not sway the undecided or uninformed citizen. If I did not already know the story I would have thought, "Oh great, now the global warming crowd is protesting clean energy. I guess baby boomers will protest anything. This is sad."

There was the obligatory sign that mentioned global warming and pollution in relation to the powerlink. That is sure to make enemies. I imagine it said the powerlink would kill seals and polar bears on the flip side.

That is a point I'm sure I cannot get across to my friends, and won't try. It is too bad they could all have got together on a single message--Higher Rates--fire hazard. Everything else may be even more important, but it is too hard to get the point across, and to get those, whose property and business won't be screwed up, to feel like it makes some difference to them.

That is the only way to get to people; how it will it affect them in some obvious way. Right and wrong do not motivate most people. Money in or out of the wallet is the big motivation. Doesn't matter how that part works as long as it is legal enough that they won't go to jail.

So, the judge hearing this particular lawsuit decided not to have a trial but to rule on written arguments. I guess on the stuff already submitted. I have no idea how that works. It could be a positive thing--who knows.

I still wonder how you combat a thing that is dishonest, involves a lot of unearned money and has other faults, without marching, picketing and all that. It doesn't seem like the best approach to me. Maybe I am wrong. I just can't define why it bothers me, and that bothers me a lot. I'd like to know why I feel this way, and what I think is a better way.

I guess the event kept those who have formed organizations and raised money to fight this boondoggle motivated and together.

This is one of those issues where the lockstep dems would normally be all for anything labelled green, and the lockstep repubs would be for anything that looks like industrial progress, and both are wrong. It is scheme which will serve some at the expense of others. The power will go north and SD will pay, and back country people will suffer higher fire risk, confiscated property, and other unpleasantries.

And there is no shortage of power here. Maybe it is the result of when people were duped into thinking they were short on power due to enron manipulation and such. Can't let a crisis, even a long gone crisis, go to waste.