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| Each week our Boomer-In-Charge, Hershel Chicowitz, has something to say about life, society, or what's going on... from the perspective of a baby boomer. This is what's on his mind the week of November 8: |
The concerned citizens of San Francisco taught us a lesson last week by voting to force the government to prohibit bank surcharges on automatic teller machine (ATM) transactions. Well, now there was a nailbiter if I ever saw one! Do you want the free use of any ATM, or do you want the greedy banks to be able to charge whatever they can get away with? Gees, this was a no-brainer! Who's gonna' vote no on that?
Twenty years ago the banks couldn't pay us to use an ATM; today they are so essential that the government has to restrict the cost of ATM transactions. This is a terrific idea. I just wonder why it took us so long to figure out this simple solution to this vexing social problem. The ban would save me over $50 a year. Can't get any better than that, can it?
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| We have a mid-week update on this story: On Wednesday, Bank of America and Wells Fargo Bank began restricting access to their ATM's to customers of their banks only! Just who do these banks think they are, dictating who can and who can't use their ATM's? Throw these guys in jail! On Thursday, Rush Limbaugh asked, "What are ATM machines now, just a God-given right to everybody?" Just where on earth does he get the right to ask that question? Do you see what's going on here, people? |
And wait just a cotton pickin' minute. I bought three cases of Cokes at a grocery store last week for seven bucks. (That's $2.33 per case, or 19 cents per can.) A local convenience store charges me $3.49 per case. And when I buy a Coke from a vending machine, it costs about 75 cents! What a ripoff! And I buy hundreds of Cokes every year. I figure I am overpaying to the tune of at least $125 a year for Cokes. Screw the ATM charges, I am getting ripped off big time by the convenience stores and vending machines! So where is the government when I really need them? The voters in San Francisco went for the small fish when there was a huge Marlin out there just waiting to be snatched. So roll up your sleeves, folks. There's work to be done!
Last year, I bought a Rickie Martin CD for my former college roommate's daughter as a graduation present. It cost me $15.95. Last week I saw the same CD at the same record store for $9.95. I demand a rebate! This is simply not fair.
Pro golfer Tiger Woods gets paid ten cents for every Wheaties box on which his face appears. The farmer who grew and harvested the wheat inside the box gets paid a nickel. No justice, no peace!!
At the local Sports R Us store, an FSU (Florida State University) cap costs $13.95; a cap for UF (Univesity of Florida) costs only $10.95. This is an outrage! Does FSU coach Bowden know about this? Wait a minute, maybe he is getting a kickback on the FSU caps... does Louie Freeh know about this? What is Janet Reno's e-mail address?
I bought a pair of Levi's 509 jeans at the Gap for $19.95. The same jeans at Burdines carries a price tag of $44.95. Those people at Burdines should be in jail! I don't give a hoot about prison overcrowding; lock those people up!
And let's not even talk about that king of thieves, Bill Gates! Oh, don't get me started on this so-called entrepreneur! He got his money the old-fashioned way: he stole it!
This is outright thievery, folks; larceny right before our eyes! And where is the government on this stuff? Too busy discussing arms control treaties and saving the social security system, huh? Meanwhile, we're absolutely dying out here!
Of course, nobody seems to complain that the president went to over 150 Democratic fundraising events last year, all paid for with government money. But I guess that's the point; it was the government's money, not ours.
And what about movie theatre popcorn? Since when do they get off charging $4.50 for a box of popcorn? Don't these lawmakers ever go to a picture show? Or does the government pay for that, too? When was the last time Bill Clinton paid for a box of popcorn? Like crap, he feels our pain!
I did some research on the Internet last night. I learned about a compassionate system in which the government, truly concerned about the rights of its citizens, does monitor and regulate the prices of goods and services to ensure fairness and equality. It's called communism. We don't hear much about communism any more. I can see why. Our government does not want us to know what a great deal it is.
"Teach... your children well." Lead on, San Francisco, lead on!
If you want to write more, we're open to offerings from other boomers. If you have something to say of interest to boomers, write it as well as you can in 700-900 words, and send it to us. We can't guarantee we'll publish it, but we'll surely consider it.
For more of Hershel's essays, check the BBHQ Archives or the Boomer Essays.
If you like what we're doing here at BBHQ, please help us by buying stuff through our link to Amazon.com:
| The BBHQ Album of the Month is "Old Friends Live on Stage (Deluxe Edition) (2 CD/1 DVD)," by Simon & Garfunkel. If you were fortunate enough to see them in concert last year, I do not have to sell you. The concert was terrific! This album collection includes 55 songs, plus their new recording, "Citizen of the Planet," and one of the songs sung by the Everly Brothers during the concert. The DVD was recorded during their concert in Madison Square Garden in 2003. For any S&G fan, this is a must have! But then, you knew that already, didn't you? |
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The BBHQ Book of the Month is
"Vinyl Highway," by
Dee Dee Phelps. You remember her as Dee Dee, of Dick and Dee Dee.
Together, they took a decade long ride on the rock and roll roller
coaster. It was a heck of a ride! Dick Clark, Quincy Jones, the Beach
Boys, Glenn Campbell, Dionne Warwick, Bobby Vinton... Dick and Dee Dee
rubbed shoulders with all of them. This is her "behind the scenes" story.
It's pretty cool.
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