Interesting day worthy of some comment.

Letter from the MOTHER!@@#%#$# at my Credit Card company

Went to my mailbox today and discovered a letter from one of my creditcard companies telling me that they were lowering my credit limit from $9,000 to $300. This was due to inactivity. Which company you ask? Well, I ain't namin' no names, but they have commercials with a little red piggy bank getting fat on nickels, dimes and quarters. It also appears that their credit card division likes to get fat charging consumers outrageous interest and fees. I am disgusted by their swinish behavior. I guess they were upset that they couldn't nickel dime me for outrageous interest and fees.

It appears that I am not the only one. I did a Google search on credit limit decrease turned up 323,000 hits on the subject. The news is full of stories of people who have been stiffed by their credit card company. I was fortunate. I had recently charged $22 on that card so I was not ripped off because I was over the $300 limit. It appears that it is legal and while I may complain to various legislators and governmental agencies it will have little difference. I think I am going to write to local officials about this. The litte piggy bank company needs a "clipping."

Credit card companies have decided that one way to reduce risk, is to punish people who use their credit wisely. This is, in my opinion, self-defeating in the long-run. I spent three days in Sacramento this month and charged on a low-interest credit card from my local credit union. There is money to be made by providing people with this service. Not tremendous amounts of money, but a steady reliable source of income. Unfortunately the greedy pigs at my other credit card company have not realized this fact.

Bakersfield Drunk Driver Sentenced to 18 to Life in prison

Jose Hernandez, 39, was convicted of "The 39-year-old defendant was convicted of second-degree murder and vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence while driving drunk," according to the Bakersfield Californian. On October 14, 2007, Hernandez, who had been drinking all day was street racing on Stockdale Highway when he ran a red light at 81 mph and hit a Mercedes driven by John and Barbara Blair. Mrs. Blair, 61, was killed, John Blair was seriously injured. Hernandez' daughter 2-year-old daughter Ciara was also injured in crash. Ryan Weissrock, 22, was also involved in the accident and "has pleaded not guilty to charges of vehicular manslaughter, speed contest and hit-and-run causing injury," according to the Bakersfield Californian. His trail is scheduled for June 1, 2009.

I was driving to have coffee with a friend about 6:30 p.m. on the night of the accident. The police blocked-off nearly two blocks of Stockdale Hwy that night. I often think about that crash, and Jose Hernandez. When I ride my bike, I usually ride up into The Park at River Walk, where Hernandez drank the last two of 16 beers and watched people playing in the water. Before he got into his Chevy Tahoe to head home a friend tried to stop him from driving. Hernandez refused to surrender his car keys. It is not comforting to be riding one's bike on Bakersfields 55 mph streets, realizing that a certain percentage of drivers on the road on a Saturday or Sunday even are driving under the influence of alcohol.

As I read the article in The Californian, I was saddened for all involved. It has taken over a year and a half to resolve this case. The state has rightfully decided that Hernandez will spend the rest of his life in prison. His alcoholism will no longer be the cause of future suffering of innocent people. He will not get to see his daugher Ciara grow up. She will only get to see her father on visiting days. Ryan Weissrock, will also probably spend a considerable amount of his adult life in prison. The Barbara Blair's husband and family will spend their lives without her love and kindness.

Capitano Tedeschi

30