Saturday, May 10, 2008

Hollywood Blvd


Hollywood Blvd, originally uploaded by Itinerant.

Downtown LA


Downtown LA, originally uploaded by Itinerant.

Agita in LA

Let me see, what else can we pile on? Is there any more SHIT we can pile on top. Is it possible?

- Vinny Gambini in "My Cousin Vinny"


They keep trying to bring me down...

- Laptop died. Heat damage to the memory slots. I think I know how to fix it to keep running till I can replace it, but I havent been able to for reason below.

- The place Im staying keeps trying to evict because I didnt sign a voucher. Every time I confront them that I did sign their blessed voucher, they keep trying to say "You didnt sign.", with that dumb criminal tactic of holding on to a lie. Of course, they want me to lose my shit, so that they CAN toss me out. Naht gonna happen. But I can embarrass them by publicly showing theyre lying.

Apparently, Im the one in 100 that call them on this bullshit. *sigh*

- Bank of America is again trying to empty my account with fees. However, this time I caught and called them on this tactic. They tried to post a CASH deposit to a teller several days later, and then called everything between then an overdraft. I had to scream (literally) at a poor B of A clerk to get them to admit that they had no right to call this an overdraft.

"Im sorry Mr Pennant. That was indeed a cash deposit and that is a bank error. When we charge you the fees on Monday, we will rescind them."

Again, no money in the account until they (reluctantly) give me back my blasted money.

Holy shit, these criminals. I gotta get away from them.

Otherwise, apart from this agita (on top of having no money or a stable place) Im having a ball in LA.

----

I need to be a journalist, Im realizing now.

That's why this crap is happening, Brian. There IS a reason for this crap.

Friday, May 09, 2008

Huntington Library Gardens


Huntington Library Gardens, originally uploaded by Itinerant.

@ the Huntington Library Gardens

Downtown LA


Downtown LA, originally uploaded by Itinerant.

Downtown LA


Downtown LA, originally uploaded by Itinerant.

Hollywood and Highland subway station

The perfect shampoo for LA


The perfect shampoo for LA, originally uploaded by Itinerant.

Monday, May 05, 2008

I couldnt recognise a star if they came up and bit me. I THINK I may have seen Britney in a black audi convertible this morning, not sure. I need a star spotter, someone who knows them on sight.

Hollywood Blvd


Hollywood Blvd, originally uploaded by Itinerant.

Sunday, May 04, 2008

Santa Monica, CA


Santa Monica, CA, originally uploaded by Itinerant.

Santa Monica, CA


Santa Monica, CA, originally uploaded by Itinerant.

Bank of America.. no longer a bank for the people

If you know me at all, Im merely cynical about how corrupt corporations are. So for me to say this, it is serious.

If you bank or do business with Bank of America - check your statements, close your accounts, transfer your business elsewhere. I guarantee you, they are stealing money from you every quarter. Their banking practices are that corrupt.

If you dont already have a BofA account, do not ever do business with them.

First Union Corp (which bought Bank of America) had such a bad reputation ethically, that people were leaving them in droves, which is why they had to change their name, (nee Nations Bank, nee Bank South - plus other banks in the south theyve absorbed). It is the same company with the same practices, even in states where they are held in check, as theyve figured out ways to skirt these regulations.

Theyve hit me with many unexpected fees before, but never overdraft fees, as I always make sure I never spend more than I have. This past week, they literally forced an overdraft on my account (email me and I'll tell you how they can do that, a new trick I hadnt heard about) and with that emptied my bank account except for 5 dollars. I called them and the service rep refunded half my money and literally 1 hour after I got off that call (after banking hours), they added MORE fees on the account, wiping me out.

Once I checked into what recourse I had, I found out that what theyre doing might be criminal if you have a lawyer on your side, but it isnt illegal unless you call your congressman.More investigation yielded news that this has been standard operating procedure for the last 3 years with B of A.

http://www.my3cents.com/companyOverview.cgi?code=431

In particular, their shenanigans on overdrafts.

http://www.my3cents.com/productReview.cgi?compid=431&product=Overdraft+Fees

Nothing I can do either, as their posting records change like ether before they have to issue final paper statements. All I can do is consider my money gone (!), make sure I dont give them another excuse to slap another fee and have me owe them more money (so far, $170 in charges on an original $3.27 overdraft - I wish I were lying), and get as far away as I can from them.

Bank of America. Unethical. Corrupt, Criminal.

Yes, they are that bad.

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An anecdote to this, where I saw one of their OWN employees cry...

The guy who was helping me at the branch I went in angry, told me that they wrongly charged him over $2,400 of fees on $18,000 line of credit he had taken out with the bank. When he tried to get those fees taken off - THEY REFUSED. He had no recourse, and because he still works there, he had to pay that fee out of his own pocket EVEN THOUGH HE HAD OVER $8,000 left on his line of credit. That he was an employee of BofA for over 10 years mattered not.

Tears of frustration was coming down his face as he told me this in his office.

If they did this to one of their own employees, think what they'll try to get away with you.