fact checking supreme

about a month ago i got a loan and paid off my credit cards. primarily because of a dumb decision a while ago to get one of those cheap-for-6-months-and-astronomical-after-that-cards so that i could go overseas. dumb.

anyway, i had much pleasure in paying off that card and closing the account. i hated being part of that particular bank and their claustrophobic fees and charges. in fact, when i went into the branch to close it and the oh-so-funky salesperson feigned dismay in asking me why i was closing it, my reply was "because it's shit". no oh-so-funky response after that.

anyway, since closing it, the true colours of the bank have shown through: numerous calls a week from their sales department trying to sell me stuff; a suggestion at the end of my final statement that, if i changed my mind within 60 days, all would be forgiven and i could have my old $5000 credit back and then, last week, this hilarious piece of direct mail: credit card cover - because you can't always see what's coming.

never a truer word spoken, obviously.

i bet they never saw the line in the database next to my name: account closed. perhaps i should send them a shard from my cut up card?

given the shit that the global economy is in thanks to the dynamic between ignorant consumers and a manipulative banking sector, i should think that banks really do need to be on their best behaviour. in fact, perhaps in line with the alcohol industry, we need to start seeing 'responsible financing' disclaimers appearing on all marketing materials from consumer lenders. maybe i need to get over it.

anyway, at a very basic level, surely it helps if the various arms of an organisation are at least running off the same information so that they don't end up looking like a bag of dicks.