Bank of America SUX

Bank of America –

I’ve been a customer of Bank of America for over 13 years now. I always thought your services were adequate, but in recent months I have become increasingly frustrated with your organization.

I checked my account balance today and noticed that I was charged an $11.99 fee for identity protection service that resulted in an overdraft fee (I don’t want to get into the BS about charging for such a service – as it’s your duty to protect my identity.) I don’t remember signing up for this service, only accepting a free credit report. Free month trials are designed as a deceptive practice in hopes that customers who were duped into signing up (as I was) will forget – and said businesses can charge away (which you have).

Basically, I feel this was a deceptive practice, and I feel that YOU ROBBED ME. I am now out almost $50 from a sloppy and deceptive communications error.

I find your customer service to be useless. The handful of times I have called to inquire about a transaction and rectify a dispute I’ve been told ‘Sorry’ and that’s about it. I’ve also been told that I only have only so many desk transactions on my account, and that I would need to pay a fee to deposit a check.

Basically you are telling me that you don’t want me as a customer and that I should take my money else where. I wish you would have just called me a few years ago and saved me the anguish while you continued to rob me.

I feel that you have constructed your business practices around deception in order to take more and more from your customers. Businesses rip off their customers all the time, but since you are so closely tied to my finances and my credit, I can no longer continue to have this happen. I am looking for a new bank.

I’ve started asking friends who they bank with and I have found that no one I know uses BoA. I am going to extend this survey by posting this on my blog and on message boards. I am going to STRONGLY encourage everyone I know to never consider banking with Bank of America and suggest that those people I meet that do bank with you to leave.

Birthday bbq/a world cup party

We couldn't start the fire...
But then, a group effort, Susie, JTR3 and Rami - got us some grey coals! I am a purist and refuse to use lighter fluid.

Here I am standing in front of the BBQ. The colorful 'tarp' kept the drops away.

Snacheges - all kinds of pork and chicken.

And then, the whole point of the gathering: the viewing of Mexico vs. Argentina.


Ok, so I am now 29. No more parties (at least for my 29th). I will be grilling all sunmmer though. Please feel free to drop buy this summer if you want some grilled mmmmeat.

Horoscope for a birthday

"Josef,
You may think that you are well-protected from the ill effects of the confusion around you, but you are not. You might believe that your adaptability will easily get you through this situation. It might, but you're going to have to make a difficult choice, for you cannot be everything to everyone. Don't stress about the outcome; any decision you make now will be better than making none at all."

Ugh, gross. WTF does this mean?

Mmmmeat

As part of the 29th year celebrations, I made a reservation for the 6 of us at Peter Luger’s. Supposedly being the best steak house in the country, they also supposedly have one of the best burgers known to man. They only serve the burger at lunch, so those are the reservations I made.



A cocktail to start


Butter w/ a side of bread

The menu (a porterhouse for 2 is $77)

Josh and Fay ventured for the steak (so glad they did!) while Monica, Susie, Aaron and I went for the burger.
Look at the blood on that burger!

That’s a piece of bacon.

The steak gets presented! (look at Josh’s face!)

OMG!

Half way there

Creamed spinach

Coffee and coins for desert



Did you see the china pattern with the ships? That is so cool.

Over all, was this the best burger and steak house in the world? Doesn’t really matter. The trip was definitely an experience. I went deaf when I took the first bite of the burger. It was an overwhelming meat experience, not unlike the first few times I went to
The Salt Lick (which Susie and I got the sample at the Big Apple BBQ fest last weekend.

Time to go back on South Beach.

More backyard fun things

Grandma just sent me this for the patio.



Should go nice with the grill I'm gonna get tomorrow.

Cover songs that were bigger hits than the original

I am putting together a mix of songs that were bigger as covers than as originals.

Songs like Tainted Love, Crimson and Clover, You Keep Me Hanging On, I'm a Believer, Blinded by the Light, Hard to Handle, Time is On My Side, Loco-Motion, I think we're alone now, Shake it up Baby, I Want Candy and I Fought the Law.

Please put songs in the comments section.

Mom sent me Crocs for the birthday

They are so comfy.

They are green.

I gotta have one of these next time I go to Texas.

Not to miss Taco Cabana either.

Computer say yes (cause I don't have cable and there’s nothing on after 11:30)

Yes!
I can now watch 14 episodes of one of my all time favorite late night trash TV shows: Elimidate. AOL's also posted The Ben Stiller Show. I never watched this bitd, and if I remember correctly, this is when Ben was still good, and not sucky. Reality Bites and Flirting with Disaster were great, everything post Your Friends and Neighbors crap. Yes, that means Zoolander. (Even though Dodgeball was kinda funny.)

Go see Mark, katie and Jay's movie - The Puffy Chair!

If you live in DC, Austin, Portland, Boston or Frisco, you should check out Mark and Katie's movie. (LA next week, New York the week after). Hit up Moviefone to find showtimes (playing in a legit movie house!!)

I lived on Katie's couch in LA for about 4 months and used to manage Mark's band - Volcano, I'm Still Excited!!!


Ebert and Roper gave it 2 thumbs up this past week, and it won something at Sundnace and SXSW.

Horrible cover of Smells Like Teen Spirit

Cousin Larry just IMed this to me...this is his band covering Nirvana for a high school talent show from like 1997-1998.

It's horrible.

Pizza in a cone looks GREAT

Even though that KFC thing looks crap, this looks great. Wonder how long before a box of 24 frozen from Costco will show up.
PIZZA CONE! - from Korea



As does the new Ultimate Chalupa. I'll always try the new Taco Bell food stuff!

KFC cheesy chicken bowl

This looks disgusting.

"Freshly prepared with layers of your KFC favorites - a generous serving of our creamy mashed potatoes, sweet kernel corn, bite size pieces of all-white meat crispy chicken, topped with our homestyle gravy and 3-cheese blend."



gravy AND cheese? why?