Renewal for my safe deposit box is up again this month with Union Bank. The bank decided to add a fee of $15 to our annual $85 safe deposit box fee because we do not have a checking account with that bank. I have all my bank accounts with a wonderful credit union, called Schools First. Credit unions are simply the best while banks, in my opinion, subscribe to the greed principal, and the $15 added fee, allegedly, was right…
The following is an edited version of actual correspondence. SC: I ran into Dr. T. I described to him, as I could best describe how you told me the way you perform in your classroom, not having viewed your “performance” but just what I could remember from your telling me, and passed out but a few phrases to Dr. T. He picked up on a small reoccurring theme from my most inadequate description of you and told me that sociology…
Our neighbors across the street called me in February, 2009 to tell me they were dissatisfied with a new bottle of wine. The husband refused to drink it. I was asked if I might want to try as the bottle was only a half glass shy of full. I said yes thinking that at the very least the wine could go into a crock pot in place of water to add some modicum of distinction. That evening I poured a…
We received a written complaint that Chicks On The Square, in Macom, Illinois, allegedly might be practicing racial discrimination in treating customers that walk into its establishment. Here is part of the complaint: “When we entered Chick’s at about 1:00 p.m., no one was ahead of us, and the establishment was not busy. Two employees … saw us enter, but both loitered behind the register just chatting and ignored us. We waited at the front door. Their behavior continued while…
Quite a few years back I found myself being a juror in a case (Riverside, California) where some alleged juvenile gang members shot up a neighborhood (Lake Elsinore). No one was injured. The gang members were after a young man who did not fit into their group. From my point of view, the trial was all but smooth and honest. The defense attorney, throughout the trial, gave hand signals to the teenagers who had to testify as to what to…
A previous post (490) was sent to an Assistant Professor of Sociology. I asked his opinion for the accuracy of the post. This is his response: I will be somewhat broad and brief since this is a rather complex issue. At the heart of the problem is the notion of patriarchy and power. In other words, it is a man’s world, hence men rule. This idea is inculcated through socialization, i.e. brainwashing of both girls and boys who are told…
See also the article Gatekeeping Young Women I have come across a number of middle aged women who might have made a mistake in one of life choices that can significantly impact their lives and the lives of their children. This article will spend time exploring one of these possible life choices because we see a pattern repeat over and over again and wish to alert young women about this possible problem. The life choice pattern we are concerned about…
My sister, in the early 1970’s, had to sit as a juror in a case where a family brought a lawsuit against a railroad company. This took place in the city of Riverside, California. Two young male teens died at a railroad crossing. One of the young men owned a motor scooter and let his friend ride on the scooter with him, which is against the motor vehicle laws, therefore illegal. The scooter was designed for one person only. For…
Prompted by a Wall Street Journal article Monday, January 26, 2009, front page title “Recession Batters Law Firms, Triggering Layoffs, Closings”, I sent off an e-mail to a law firm in San Bernardino County to elicit a response. Here are some bullet points: “Yes, a lot of firms are suffering. The ones doing the worst are the LARGE firm,s, with 600 $ + per hour rates, and the mega clients who would write checks to them without a thought and…
The top list of money donors to Obama’s campaign includes a number of top universities. Here is the list (from opensecrets.org) in order of amount donated: Top, first donor: University of California: $1,123,898 5th donor: Harvard University: $779,460 9th donor: Stanford University: $448,184 15th donor: Columbia University: $502,866 19th donor: University of Chicago: $456,209 The OpenSecrets web site prints this explanation: “The organizations themselves did not donate, rather the money came from the organization’s PAC, its individual members or employees…