That never happens anywhere else. Ever. Only in the desert.

Every city starts out looking like a cookie cutter. New York and Chicago are not exempt just because the buildings are older and you are nostalgic towards them for whatever reason. In fact, huge portions of Chicago are WORSE than cookie cutter because they are SEARS houses. So wtf are you on about exactly? That's all ANY city has.

@spudaroo:
Your meth point is interesting, considering that the midwest is far more meth addicted, mainly because the ARIZONA Hells Angels exported their drugs to those poorer, stupider states where they knew they could establish a market for it.
You know, I'm not a big fan of Phoenix because it and the surrounding areas are considered the cess pool of Arizona by other Arizonans, but c'mon, whitey had established itself in Arizona well before the depression. When you say that "these people were too lazy to keep going for the honey" you're making a fool out of yourself, because Phoenix was established as an outpost/farm at that location on purpose, not because they were too lazy to keep going to California or wherever you consider the honey to be or wherever you think it was at that time. You clearly know little about Arizona in general, so you probably don't realize that right about the time Phoenix was first established, there were 2 Arizona towns that were thriving called Prescott and Tucson due to mining and farming. Now, I'm no geography expert, but let's just pull up a map and look at where Phoenix happens to be located. Well call you a fucking moron and slap your mama, look at that. Right in the middle.

@katstermonster: Xenophobia? Nowhere in the article was it mentioned that the mother was not American.

There was a chance she'd misheard me, and thought I said Mexico, so I said, "Um, I'm moving to NEW Mexico."
Her: "Right, New Mexico. That's why you need to make sure that you pay in US currency."
Me: "Um, New Mexico is a state."
Her: "..."
Me: "A US state. It's next to Arizona. And Texas."
Her: "..."
Me: "You've got that right in my account, right? I'm moving to Albuquerque, New Mexico."
Her: "Yes, ma'am. Just be sure to make your payment in US dollars and to allow time for international mail."

I gave up.

I went through Phoenix in the middle of the night once on the bus. We had to change buses there and I had time to run outside and smoke a cigarette.

When I stepped out the door, I nearly died. It was one o'clock in the morning and it was so hot I could hardly stand to smoke. I was like, "How do people LIVE here!?"

Stop perpetrating the myth that the government cares one whit about your well being, regardless of who's in charge.

Oh and a bank can't tell if a checks has cleared unless it is the only check from that institution that day.

That's all this city has!

[www.thinkgeek.com]

I am altering the deal. Pray I don't alter it any further.

One wonders why they would not have pesos at the very least.

the sand dollars is the winner!

@CameraShoe_GitEmSteveDave: 'this is not the currency you are looking for'

But you definitely need pesos in the desert, that's for sure.

@Kimaroo: Oh.. I forgot to mention.. We're from Texas.. Which is why I thought of the whole thing.

@katstermonster: That may or may not be true.. I have a great aunt that sounds like she's from Georgia (Actually she sounds JUST like Paula Deen if you know of her.) but she has never even been to Georgia.. and none of her siblings sound like that.

We don't really know where she got that accent.. but it sure is cute on her.

This reminds me of the time a Best Buy employee argued with me about whether or not my house-hold had a wireless network. There's no wires. I hook up to the internet wirelessly.

Uhg. Sometimes you just want to smack the stupid out of people.

Anyway, to set the record straight, there are a handful of specially designated branches that do carry common foreign currencies, such as pounds, euros and pesos. Those branches are most often located in areas of town heavily frequented by more affluent customers, business travelers and students. If you're in the Valley of the Sun, Scottsdale and Tempe are your best bets, but my advice is to call either the branch directly or the customer service line to see where the closest RFX branch is.

As for the teller, I think he is a symptom of deeper issues within Wells Fargo. Their retail banking system is one that values and promotes sales numbers, not investing their payroll into dedicated, ethical and long-term employees. In my 8 years with the company, I saw those who lied and cheated customers be rewarded with company trips and quick promotions to leadership positions. Those who had 25+ years with the company with numerous personal connections, loyal customers and a track record of intelligent, competent internal and external service were left in the branches to whither and while away their time until they could leave and begin collecting their retirement. Meanwhile, these new, young, inexperienced people are molded and rewarded for their cheating. Their heads can grow large and they feel that they know everything because they sold the most credit cards last month.

I feel your pain out there, fellow WF customers. My advice is to just let the teller process the transaction you came in for originally. If you have questions that could be considered "outside the box" (as in foreign currency questions, etc.), ask to speak to a banker or preferably, a manager. Even many managers out there are inexperienced, sales bots. If you're still not happy, go up the chain. As high as you need to go.

I count those more as accessories. As in, the rock your face is pressed against as you lay dying out in the desert? a mineral. The thing picking at your flesh two hours later? Bird.

I lived in Phoenix for a while and, coming from the midwest, it is something to get used to.

Among my favorites:

the frequent discovery of corpses in parked cars at roadside parks.

the firemen collecting money in boots at intersections..to help poor people put fences around their pools.

exploding windshields

cars stalking parking places at the mall...not closest to the door, but the ones with shade.

I always thought they used sand dollars in the desert. Now I know why.

@Tiny L. Bug: Good to know, thanks!

Full disclosure: I was born in the same hospital as Dubya. Unfortunate.

A little training may be in in order.

I grew up in, and still live, in Tucson, AZ. I am shocked, SHOCKED to see people walking through plants without a care when I go hiking elsewhere. Not out of any love for the plants, mind you, but out of love for not bleeding.

@verucalise-T minus 17 days:

When I ditched Verizon almost two years ago for Alltel I was sooooooooooooooooooooooo happy to be rid of Verizon. Then Verizon bought Alltel...

It does not help your case that Bush grew up as a privileged Ivy League child in New England, which is, as it turns out, quite close to an ocean.

@redskull:
It sounds like a wretched hive of scum and villainy.

And you just keep GWB quotes laying around to post them in a blog comment section that has absolutely nothing to do with politics?

*Loser!*

There are few things as annoying to customers as employees too lazy to ask their superiors for information. Smart person admit ignorance, stupid people pretend to know.

Is the wet-behind-the-ears punk trying to prove he's higher up than he really is? Or is he just too arrogant to admit he doesn't know something?

Me master, me run Bartertown! Not shit, energy! No energy, no town! Embargo on!

I bought a new van this year, financed it with Wachovia... was so excited to be rid of Wells Fargo for my loan needs.

Got a notice 2 months later saying Wells Fargo bought Wachovia. Never even thought about it. Fuck, I hate Wells Fargo.

The only way to be safe is to ask them if they have reached final settlement with the payor bank for that instrument. It's important to use the correct terminology because they're still not liable even if they tell you "the check has cleared", because "the term 'cleared' is not employed in the UCC and, as commonly used, is not the equivalent of 'final settlement.'" [studentorgs.law.unc.edu]

First rule of the desert:

"Everything, be it animal, vegitable, or mineral, is actively trying to kill you"

Hell, just taking a walk during the wrong time of the year can be a fatal mistake

"I didn't grow up in the ocean -- as a matter of fact -- near the ocean -- I grew up in the desert. Therefore, it was a pleasant contrast to see the ocean. And I particularly like it when I'm fishing." --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Sept. 26, 2008

BTW, almost all major foreign currencies are available at the WF or BofA in downtown Phoenix. You will know you are in the right place at the WF when it looks like the guys from "Heat" are going to drop in and rob the bank.

Consider the fact that these parts were settled by folks too dumb, uninspired or lazy to make it the rest of the way to the land of milk and honey during the last depression.

If you are passing through, please do us a favor, round us up from the parking lot and bring us inside. Some folks get stuck out in the heat, staring at the sun.