FOUR POINTING BACK

For several months...Cindy has not been able to send me text messages from her phone. For those several months...we agreed we needed to stop by AT&T and get her a new phone. Neither her or I are 'smart' phone users...but we thought that might be a direction we would have to go with Cindy.

Finally...yesterday...we found some time to stop by AT&T...and describe the problem that we were having with Cindy's phone. She could call and get calls to and from everyone...she could receive text messages from everyone...and she could send messages to everyone...except me.

As the phone guy was checking her phone...a light bulb finally came on above my head. I teasingly said..."maybe it's not her phone...maybe it's my phone that's not working...maybe my phone is blocking hers".

So I handed 'my' phone to the service guy...and sure enough...he clicked a few places here...and a few places there...and found that I had a 'block' on Cindy's text messages.

I don't know how I did it...but I apparently hit a few keys a few months ago and unknowingly blocked her phone.

I thought about the sayings my old elementary teachers warned me of..."remember when you point one finger at someone...four are pointing back at you".

Here I had been blaming Cindy and her phone for not sending messages to me...and all along it was my phone...blocking her.

We laughed...and she razzed me about blocking her phone so I didn't have to get messages from her...and we left with our old phones and headed home.


Dan

FRAUD

Got a call this morning from Chase Fraud Department...telling me they think one of my credit cards has some charges that may be fraudulent.

Sure enough...after investigation with Chase...and calling the company in California where the charges were taking place...there was someone in Atlanta trying to make 2 charges on my card...worth about $300.

While talking to the California company...they tracked down the 2 charges...and admitted to me that they had the address of the person making the fraudulent charges. I asked if 'they' do something about that...and they said...NO...I will need to do something about that. (Does that make them as guilty as the 'guy' who is trying to steal from me?)

So...I called the local police and a policeman came to the house and got the information. He in turn will give it to a detective...who is supposed to get hold of the Atlanta police...who in turn will call the California company...who hopefully will give them the name of the thief to the Atlanta police...and they will go find them and arrest them.

I'm thankful to Chase for their quick action.
I'm thankful to the police for their attempts to bring justice.
I'm none too pleased with the California company...New Egg.


Dan

WHY THE NINE-TENTHS?

For the second time in 2 weeks...our local gas prices have gone up to $3.99. A week or so ago...it jumped from $3.75...to $3.99...overnight. I can understand when it might have to go up a penny or two or three...but 25 cents overnight?

The price had eased its way back down a few cents since then. Some station owner thought that $3.97 might bring more customers...and then the guy down the street sees that that idea works...so he drops his to $3.95...and so on. So yesterday...the price had gotten down to $3.81 in a few places...until the seemingly unanimous decision to bump it to $3.99 again.

The part that is sorta funny...to me...well...not funny really...but thought-provokingly obvious to me...is that NONE...not one...of any of the local stations has bumped the price to $4.00...on either occasion. It's like...they think we won't buy gas...or that we'll raise a ruckus...if gas goes ALL THE WAY UP to $4.00.

So...every station has put the ceiling...twice in 2 weeks...at $3.99.

Now what bugs me...is the REAL price. The sign out at the street says $3.99. But the price on the pump is $3.99.9

What the hell is that about? What genius came up with the idea..."let's really charge an additional 9/10 of a cent more than listed?"

So in reality...our gas price is 1/10 of a cent from that dreaded $4.00. One-tenth of a cent! Imagine how much MORE the gas companies are making from that 9/10 of a cent. It may not seem like a lot when you're asked to pay it as a consumer...but when you add up all the 9/10 each person is paying per gallon...per day...at every station across the country...it's mind boggling.

All right all you gas industry big shots...let's lose this .9 cents crap...just tell me it's $4.00 and I'll buy it or I won't. But stop the disguise that it's "UNDER" $4.00. And quit making us try to believe you're not making any money. We know better.


Dan

THE LETTER

I am on call this weekend...Cindy has traveled to see her mother in Vincennes...it has been raining so it is not a great day to be out...so I am watching a little of the PBS special...The Civil War.

Toward the end of episode one...I caught the last few minutes of a discussion of a man named Sullivan Ballou. For several minutes...the narrator read a letter that Major Ballou wrote to his wife...a letter oozing with his knowledge of his certain death...a man fighting the love of his country and the love of his family...and some of the most beautiful words a man could write to his wife.

I've attached some information about Ballou. Be sure you read his eloquent letter. And if you get the chance to see the PBS special...listen to words as they are read by the narrator. It is truly moving.


Dan

THE MAN FROM VIETNAM

I met a very interesting man today. He was from Vietnam. He has lived in America for some 35 years...coming here after the end of American troop involvement in Vietnam. Remember those scenes at the end of the Vietnam War...of the large number of people trying to board the helicopters on top of the American Embassy? He was one of those people.

The need for him to get out of the country...stemmed from his involvement with America. He was a Navy Seal...a special ops force. He and his team were told by the CIA and American Command...where to go, what to do, and get the hell back out of there.

He showed me photos of him in his uniform. He showed me his document stating he was a Navy Seal...and the statement on the card that says if he is captured...he is not to be held or questioned...and if he is killed or injured...a specific agency was to be notified. He shared that on his actual missions...he carried no ID...so there would be no link to him and his profession and employer.

He was brought to the United States with the clothes he was wearing, a uniform in his duffel bag, and $5. I asked if he knew the English language well at the time (he still speaks pretty 'broken' English) and he said he knew the basics...'hello', 'how are you'...but didn't know the slang terms he would come to hear.

A painful story he shared was hearing that his parents were murdered after he left the country. He never told his parents what he was and what he was doing...he was never allowed to. But someone found out after he left...and they were killed for it.

He was also hurt...for awhile...by the ridicule he received in America. He was accused of being an illegal entrant into the country. Little did his accusers know...he was a recipient of 'The Purple Heart' and 'The Silver Star'...both awarded for gallantry...and for wounds incurred...for action against an enemy of the United States.

He was a very interesting man. A very proud man.


Dan

DAYS 7 & 8

Friday was a beautiful day. Cindy & I got to the pool early...slathered up...and warmed in the sun. Julie, Eric and Mason came over and joined us for the day and it was good. We cleaned up in the afternoon and filled our bellies at Joe's Crab Shack...then back to the hotel where Mason swam a little longer before we called it a night at poolside. We went to our room and relaxed and watched a movie. Mason spent the night with us so we could get to the airport early...so hugs and kisses and tears for Julie & Eric as they said goodbyes to their housemate of the last week. Saturday morning...we packed up...paid up...and headed to the airport. We turned the car in...checked our bags...found some breakfast...and jumped on our jet to get back to Indiana. We landed to 50 degree weather...after leaving 80 degrees. The 80 felt a lot better! It was a wonderful week to get away with Cindy and enjoy some nice weather and some time to regroup...and I know Mason enjoyed seeing his mom and Eric. We might have to do it again! Dan