While playing "Guitar Hero" with my kids, one of the songs we were to "play" was "Holiday In Cambodia" by the Dead Kennedys. Of course, the historical references were lost to my boys, their history education severely lacking in the genocide department. I tried in vain to explain to them who Pol Pot was and the terrible things he did to the Cambodian people.
Because those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it, I rented "The Killing Fields" and watched with my kids. Afterwards, we had a great discussion about genocide and how we mustn't forget those horrible crimes against humanity because if we know how they look we can recognize them later.
That story of Dith Pran's historic and arduous trials in Cambodia hold a lesson humanity must never forget.
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
If This Isn't Just Ridiculous ...
Back in December I went to the local Texas AG office to "negotiate" my child support payments. This was after they accused me of being behind and the subsequent mess I went through to prove I wasn't. (If you're interested you can read the history here)
After the paperwork was all done, I was told I had to pay the court costs. This was supposed to cover the filing fee for the paperwork since we didn't actually go into court. The lady at the AG office who did the paperwork told me how much it was and that I had to pay it by the end of March.
So, being a procrastinator I waiting until March 1st to send in the payment. When I checked all the paperwork I got that day from the AG office, there was no mention of how much I was supposed to pay. Having slept numerous times between December and March, I couldn't remember how much it was.
Being the web-savvy guy that I am, I checked the local District Court's web site. It's hard to figure out and I couldn't find out for sure how much I was supposed to pay. To find out the amount, I emailed the District Court office.
After I week, I got a response to the effect of: "It's $20. We sent you a bill in December." I didn't remember getting anything from the District Court, and I mentioned that in my reply. At the end of the email I sent I mentioned something like "No matter if I didn't get the bill, I'll just send you a check." The email bounced.
The next day I mailed my check. And, I foolishly thought that was the end of it.
I got my check back today in the mail. Enclosed was a copy of the bill with the text highlighted at the bottom "No Personal Checks!"
I can't tell you how ticked off I am right now. Why didn't the person who responded to my email mention that little fact. Now, not only do I still owe the money, I wasted the postage, the cost of the check (a pittance, but waste nonetheless), and my time. Now I have to either invest enough time to go a buy a money order and mail it, or drive down to the office on my lunch hour and pay it in person in cash.
OK, I'm calmer now. Thank you for letting me vent.
After the paperwork was all done, I was told I had to pay the court costs. This was supposed to cover the filing fee for the paperwork since we didn't actually go into court. The lady at the AG office who did the paperwork told me how much it was and that I had to pay it by the end of March.
So, being a procrastinator I waiting until March 1st to send in the payment. When I checked all the paperwork I got that day from the AG office, there was no mention of how much I was supposed to pay. Having slept numerous times between December and March, I couldn't remember how much it was.
Being the web-savvy guy that I am, I checked the local District Court's web site. It's hard to figure out and I couldn't find out for sure how much I was supposed to pay. To find out the amount, I emailed the District Court office.
After I week, I got a response to the effect of: "It's $20. We sent you a bill in December." I didn't remember getting anything from the District Court, and I mentioned that in my reply. At the end of the email I sent I mentioned something like "No matter if I didn't get the bill, I'll just send you a check." The email bounced.
The next day I mailed my check. And, I foolishly thought that was the end of it.
I got my check back today in the mail. Enclosed was a copy of the bill with the text highlighted at the bottom "No Personal Checks!"
I can't tell you how ticked off I am right now. Why didn't the person who responded to my email mention that little fact. Now, not only do I still owe the money, I wasted the postage, the cost of the check (a pittance, but waste nonetheless), and my time. Now I have to either invest enough time to go a buy a money order and mail it, or drive down to the office on my lunch hour and pay it in person in cash.
OK, I'm calmer now. Thank you for letting me vent.
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