# Fuck You, Citibank! And The Horse Upon In Which You Rode **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 27, 2008, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-citibank-and-the-horse-upon-in-which-you-rode/474649 "2008-11-27T02:55:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2008, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-citibank-and-the-horse-upon-in-which-you-rode/474649/61 "2008-11-28T12:54:34Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > I have a Citibank credit card. One of those “cashback rewards” dealies where I can get up to $300/year back in cash based on 1% or 2% of every purchase. > > When I got it I had a decent rate, 11.99% I think. Over the past coupla years it’s gone down. Now at it’s lowest 9.49%. I’m one of those folks who does pay interest every month. Maybe like $15-30 a month over the life of the card. > > I got a letter in the mail the other day telling me that my new rate is going to be 16.99% starting Dec 3 - just 'cuz. Not because I paid late or because I overdrew. Just 'cuz. I wish I had received a letter like yours! 'Cause the letter\*\*\* I\*\*\* got from those bastards said they are raising my interest rate from 12.99% to a _minimum_ of **24.99%**!!! I have never been late with any payments or anything else like that, and this credit card had a supposedly “fixed rate”. It’s not so “fixed” anymore. Naw, it’s done broken now. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2008, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-citibank-and-the-horse-upon-in-which-you-rode/474649/62 "2008-11-28T13:23:59Z")
> [@Paul in Saudi](#): > > Remember when we used to name our stadia after war heros and veterans? I guess they are not so important to us any more. I think you’ll find that this was more an exception than a rule. What war did Wrigley ever fight in? ---
**Author:** ![BJMoose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5fc32e/32.png) [@BJMoose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BJMoose)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2008, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-citibank-and-the-horse-upon-in-which-you-rode/474649/63 "2008-11-28T14:54:19Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > When King Farouk of Egypt was deposed, he made off with the treasury, such as it were. In a show of generosity and contrition, he offered to endow a university in Cairo, so long as it was named after him. His offer was declined when it was pointed out that the school must necessarily be known as “Farouk U” > > That’s a true fact, you could look it up. Reminds me: some folks like to refer to Wichita’s Friends University as Friends University of Central Kansas so as to have fun with the resulting acronym. Anyway. A bit of a response to **Terrifel** : I’m not so sure CitiBank “succeeded” because they managed their business well. It seems their main business for the past decade or two has been buying up other banks simply so they could become gargantuan. As long as they kept shoveling more eggs into the basket, the plan seemed to work and everyone was happy. (Ponzi Schemes _do_ tend to work so long as they maintain momentum.) But now that the basket aforesaid is headed toward Hell . . . ---
**Author:** ![Bookkeeper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bookkeeper/32/281_2.png) [@Bookkeeper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bookkeeper)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2008, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-citibank-and-the-horse-upon-in-which-you-rode/474649/64 "2008-11-28T15:37:29Z")
> [@Terrifel](#): > > (Talking of advertising and branding and the like: is there a proper term for the phenomenon of “neologistic variant spelling” seen in business names like “Citibank,” “Pik-Qwik,” “Stride-Rite,”\* etc.?) > \*I assume that the name intends to suggest ‘correctness of stride,’ not that there is a rite performed in association with the shoe. IAMNAL but my understanding is that it makes it easier to trademark the name. “City Bank” is a descriptive phrase which, even if trademarked, could legitimately be argued as a legal defence against a charge of trademark abuse. “CitiBank” is newly coined and therefore not vulnerable to this defence. ---
**Author:** ![peedin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peedin/32/14095_2.png) [@peedin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peedin)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2008, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-citibank-and-the-horse-upon-in-which-you-rode/474649/65 "2008-11-28T16:35:18Z")
I thought I was the only member of the club. However, my rate is going up to 19.99%. I can “opt out” which means my interest rate (which I think is at 16%–I pay it off every month) will not go up and my account will be closed when the card expires. I got 2 words for you, Citi, and they ain’t “let’s dance.” ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2008, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-citibank-and-the-horse-upon-in-which-you-rode/474649/66 "2008-11-28T17:12:50Z")
> [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](#): > > I wish I had received a letter like yours! 'Cause the letter\*\*\* I\*\*\* got from those bastards said they are raising my interest rate from 12.99% to a _minimum_ of **24.99%**!!! I have never been late with any payments or anything else like that, and this credit card had a supposedly “fixed rate”. It’s not so “fixed” anymore. Naw, it’s done broken now. The Buch admin allowed the credit companies to write the laws how they wanted. This shit is unjustifiable but we let them make the rules . They will rob you at every chance and expect you to like it. The bill was a payoff for their campaign support. It is way past time for public financing of elections. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2008, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-citibank-and-the-horse-upon-in-which-you-rode/474649/67 "2008-11-29T03:24:38Z")
[AIG Pulls Fast One -- "Cash Awards" Going To Managers | HuffPost Impact](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jonathan-tasini/aig-pulls-fast-one--cash_b_147005.html) Heres AIG trying to find a way to give bonuses. They just call it something else. They do not and will not get it. fire up the torches and get out the pitchforks. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2008, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-citibank-and-the-horse-upon-in-which-you-rode/474649/68 "2008-11-29T03:34:10Z")
I am beginning to suspect, **Gonzo** , that you are implying that the financial sector wields inordinate and malefic power. It is, I admit, an intriguing notion. I regret that you veer so dangerously close to denying the shining glory that is the Free Market. Take care, sir, that you not go too far! ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2008, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-citibank-and-the-horse-upon-in-which-you-rode/474649/69 "2008-11-29T04:43:28Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > First, the $850 million cost of the stadium itself is being subsidised to the tune of about $450 million by the city, the state, and the federal government. How the hell are they getting federal money? Aside from the whole Citibank thing, which doesn’t bother me too much since I assume they’d be on the hook for the money whether or not we were bailing them out, THAT pisses me off. I don’t give a shit where the Mets play. Why are my tax dollars paying for their luxury boxes? ---
**Author:** ![BJMoose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5fc32e/32.png) [@BJMoose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BJMoose)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2008, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-citibank-and-the-horse-upon-in-which-you-rode/474649/70 "2008-11-29T15:59:20Z")
**RNATB** ’s post made me think of something (I’m not sure how), something about how government bailouts maybe _shoud_ work. It is this: Let the frickin’ company _fail_. _Then_ spend public money on “damage control”. Betcha it’d cost a lot less this way. ---
**Author:** ![BJMoose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5fc32e/32.png) [@BJMoose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BJMoose)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2008, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-citibank-and-the-horse-upon-in-which-you-rode/474649/71 "2008-11-29T16:04:52Z")
Just after I posted the above the little moosette, looking through the bills, announced that CitiMortgage was dunning us for and extra fifteen bucks simply for having made a recent payment by phone. Fuck you, CitiBank. Fuck your horse. Fuck you with your horse! ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2008, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-citibank-and-the-horse-upon-in-which-you-rode/474649/72 "2008-11-29T16:31:34Z")
Oh, come on, can we PLEASE leave the poor damn horses out of all this? They sure as hell didn’t ask to have all those idiots saddling them up for a ride into town, and trust me; they’re really, really not into the whole whips and spurs thing. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tao_s_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2008, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-citibank-and-the-horse-upon-in-which-you-rode/474649/73 "2008-11-29T17:22:27Z")
> [@chacoguy420](#): > > Oh, right, we should continue to trust the ‘mature’ view of the dumb cunts that got us into this mess in the first place. :rolleyes: > Here’s another vote for face punching and crotch stomping.:mad: I think you added the crotch stomping on your own. My only complaint with that is you didn’t specify metal spiked golf cleats. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2008, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-citibank-and-the-horse-upon-in-which-you-rode/474649/74 "2008-11-29T17:33:46Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > I am beginning to suspect, **Gonzo** , that you are implying that the financial sector wields inordinate and malefic power. It is, I admit, an intriguing notion. I regret that you veer so dangerously close to denying the shining glory that is the Free Market. > > Take care, sir, that you not go too far! The people are convinced by corporations that we have a free market. After all we can see how that would benefit the consumer, But, the thieves in charge are only trying to maximize profits and insure their own jobs. Collusion is the way it is done. Get rid of that competition thing,it is bad for businessmen. ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2008, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-citibank-and-the-horse-upon-in-which-you-rode/474649/75 "2008-11-30T00:51:16Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > I am beginning to suspect, **Gonzo** , that you are implying that the financial sector wields inordinate and malefic power. It is, I admit, an intriguing notion. I regret that you veer so dangerously close to denying the shining glory that is the Free Market. > > Take care, sir, that you not go too far! Dude, the Hand is Invisible for a reason. Don’t you worry your pretty little head over that which you cannot see. Trust in the Invisible Hand! It knows all, It sees all! To paraphrase a great and powerful man: Pay no attention to that Hand behind the curtain of Invisibility!!! ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2008, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-citibank-and-the-horse-upon-in-which-you-rode/474649/76 "2008-11-30T04:25:15Z")
My wife has been a cardmember of Citibank and she also received the letter stating her rates were going up, unless she opts out. Lovely how they gave us a week’s notice before this goes into effect and it states on the letter that it will go up regardless of whether you even get the letter or a bill that month. Naturally she chose to take the opt out. She called the company up and spoke to a representative. My wife told the woman on the phone that she’s had the card for ten years now, never been late on her payments and has a credit score of 750+. The rep was sympathetic but couldn’t do anything. She’d been baraged with calls and she simply didn’t have the power to lower the APR. “OK, but if you don’t do that, I’m going to have to cancel the card. I simply won’t be a cardmember anymore.” “That’s your choice ma’am. The only thing I can do is write a note that states you’re unhappy with your service.” “But you can’t actually lower my rates?” “No.” So we’re opting out. Then, in a few months, we’re cancelling the card. Part of me wonders what happens if we don’t pay the balance. Will we get bailed out? What if Citibank tanks during that time? We still have to pay it off? Idle thoughts, I suppose, from a soon to be ex-cardmember. I’m thinking we won’t be close to the only ones. ---
**Author:** ![BJMoose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5fc32e/32.png) [@BJMoose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BJMoose)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2008, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-citibank-and-the-horse-upon-in-which-you-rode/474649/77 "2008-11-30T20:12:08Z")
> [@EddyTeddyFreddy](#): > > Oh, come on, can we PLEASE leave the poor damn horses out of all this? They sure as hell didn’t ask to have all those idiots saddling them up for a ride into town, and trust me; they’re really, really not into the whole whips and spurs thing. A thousand pardons. Let me assure you that no horse was killed, maimed, whipped, spurred, electro-ejaculated (do they do that with horses?) or sneezed upon in the production of this thread. Besides, **'luci** started it. (saving **pr[sup]2[/sup]** the trouble [underscores added]🙂 > [@BJMoose](#): > > . . . the title shoud read . . . > [@BJMoose](#): > > . . . bailouts maybe shoud work . . . Caramel covered horse apples! What is it with me and _should_ in this thread?? ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2008, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-citibank-and-the-horse-upon-in-which-you-rode/474649/78 "2008-11-30T21:14:36Z")
> [@Enderw24](#): > > My wife has been a cardmember of Citibank and she also received the letter stating her rates were going up, unless she opts out. Lovely how they gave us a week’s notice before this goes into effect and it states on the letter that it will go up regardless of whether you even get the letter or a bill that month. > > Naturally she chose to take the opt out. She called the company up and spoke to a representative. My wife told the woman on the phone that she’s had the card for ten years now, never been late on her payments and has a credit score of 750+. The rep was sympathetic but couldn’t do anything. She’d been baraged with calls and she simply didn’t have the power to lower the APR. > “OK, but if you don’t do that, I’m going to have to cancel the card. I simply won’t be a cardmember anymore.” > “That’s your choice ma’am. The only thing I can do is write a note that states you’re unhappy with your service.” > “But you can’t actually lower my rates?” > “No.” > > So we’re opting out. Then, in a few months, we’re cancelling the card. > Part of me wonders what happens if we don’t pay the balance. Will we get bailed out? > What if Citibank tanks during that time? We still have to pay it off? > > Idle thoughts, I suppose, from a soon to be ex-cardmember. I’m thinking we won’t be close to the only ones. So you are going to bailout Citibank. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2008, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-citibank-and-the-horse-upon-in-which-you-rode/474649/79 "2008-12-01T00:33:36Z")
> [@BJMoose](#): > > Let me assure you that no horse was killed, maimed, whipped, spurred, electro-ejaculated (do they do that with horses?) [Why, yes. Yes, they do, in a manner of speaking.](http://www.equine-reproduction.com/articles/collection.htm) _Note_ Caption of linked page is “SEMEN COLLECTION USING A PHANTOM MARE” and written description of process is followed by illustrative photographs. Not recommended for those unduly perturbed by livestock libido. No guarantees of future terrier participation offered. Participants in collection efforts are solely responsible for provision of “look[s] of panic and determination.” > [@](#): > > Some people also like to cover the phantom with an old section of carpet, and some stallions really seem to like the longer pile rugs or carpets. 😛 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-citibank-and-the-horse-upon-in-which-you-rode/474649.md?page=3)