Taxes on my Taxes

So, yesterday I got my electricity bill and it was a little over 180 bucks. It’s Gainesville and hot, so I expected a decently high electricity bill. Add air conditioning with more cooking (and a bunch of hot showers) and $180 is expected.

Of course, my real electricity bill is $150. There was $30 in taxes.  Continue reading

Florida First Credit Union Phishing Attack

So, today at work I got a call on my cell from a blocked number. I normally don’t answer blocked numbers, but for some reason I did. Anyway, text-to-speech engine identifies itself as Florida First Credit Union and that my credit card was suspended. I hung up.

I honestly assumed this was a legit call. You see, I recently changed my cell phone to AT&T and get a few calls a week for the former owner. Then, about an hour or so later, Yeni gets a call on her cell from 377-372-5939. She didn’t recognize the number (and also gets a few wrong numbers) and handed me the phone.  Continue reading

Bank of America

For some mistaken reason, one of my business credit cards uses Bank of America. The twitter version? My card number is used fraudulently almost 4 times/year.

Once a quarter I am forced to change my card, change my billing, etc. Either this is blatantly poor security or it’s a genius move to get me to use someone else’s bank.

Chocolate Cake, Oh Yes.

Chocolate Ganache Cake

Chocolate Cake with Ganache

Growing up, my mom did something amazing every time the school year ended. On the last day of school, when I walked into the door, a layered cake would greet me. As most normal kids, my usual cake was a single-tiered cake with frosting on top. Special birthdays might have a two-layered cake with the thinest of thin layers of frosting separating them. But this was different. Continue reading