I just dumped half my lunch in the microwave. At least my coworkers will be pleased that the microwave try is now sparkling clean.

This is not my best day ever.

how is having someone manually open an envelope or take a deposit slip, enter the information, cancel the check, and smile-say-thank-you costing them less than direct deposit though?

I'd pay the fee for the convenience. OK, maybe not at this job, since my bank is across the street, but in general for sure I'd pay a dollar not to have to deal with it.

how is having someone manually open an envelope or take a deposit slip, enter the information, cancel the check, and smile-say-thank-you costing them less than direct deposit though?

It's not so much the actual cost recovery, as the "hey, here's a place we can charge a fee that we aren't already charging".

Bastages.

Oh, brenda, that's so sad.

From the picky eater's article:

Over in New Jersey, the Bakers changed their November family vacation to accommodate Sasha, an 11-year-old so averse to fruits and vegetables that the smell of orange juice once made him faint. Instead of flying to Prague, Sasha’s parents decided to go to Barcelona, where they hope the food will be more to his liking.

Aside from being insane, how is going to the coast where they produce Valencia oranges a better idea than Prague?

If I have to pay for direct deposit at my bank (washington mutual which has huge mortgage-related liability), then I might just transfer everything to the extremely slow ING account.

Then again, my wamu account is free checking so maybe not.

the Bakers changed their November family vacation to accommodate Sasha, an 11-year-old so averse to fruits and vegetables that the smell of orange juice once made him faint.

Okay, so maybe this is a legitimate medical thing but I'm thinking it's just a case of a kid getting whatever he wants and that he is growing up to be a very unpleasant adult.

Brenda, that is so sad. Bicyclists being killed/injured is especially horriying to me.

When that 11 year old grows up I do not want him in my classes. How can altering your vacation plans to suit him help him learn to deal with getting along in life, where there are apt to be fruits and vegetables along the way?

A cellist friend of mine used to complain bitterly that kids trained in high schools and so on were never taught to hold the bow correctly, as this means a whole lot of difference in tone and loudness, as well as avoiding RSIs.

Ooh, that's perfect--nice and simple. Thanks!

if my checking starts charging fees my plan is to move all checking to my insurance and mortgage company all online bank - which would limit my monthly ATM use and would be slower, but I do not think they were hit by subprime-a-dodo, so at least they will be fee free.