WE LAUGH, BUT THIS IS BASICALLY HOW GOVERNMENT FINANCE WORKS

Man tries to pay bill with spider drawing

(Thanks to Steve "The Amazing Steve™" Pietrowicz)

UPDATE: Turns out this is a hoax, which makes it even more like government finance.

(Thanks to Andrew Hoenig)

Comments

[Beth]

Cute spider. I'd have credited the bill five cents, at least after he put the other leg on.

[crossgirl]

if anyone needs me, i'll be busy stuffing crosses into payment envelopes. obviously email is not the way to go.

[Joe the Philanthropist]

Dear Mr. Paulson: I am attaching a drawing of a spider with TEN legs. I realize this is two more than the usual arachnid, but I understand the economy needs the additional help.

I assume that this will resolve all of your recent concerns over Ford, GM, job loss, Dow-Jones, etc.

Sincerely,

[Punkin]

This is strange. MY electric company accepted the melons I paid them wi

[Punkins' electric company (PEC)]

Please note that Punkin will be out of service until her overripe melons have been resolved.

[Mahatma Kane Jeeves ‹(•¿•)›]

They probably would have accepted a photograph of a real spider.

[Jazzzz]

apparently inflation has devalued the worth of spider drawings..... troubling times indeed...

[oldmanatee]

Or punkin's real melons.

[H. Simpson, Director of Customer Disposal, Monolith Energy Corp.]

Dear Sir:

In light of your preferred payment method, please be advised that small adjustments to your electric services will be made in the near future. Also, we will be installing new generating equipment on the property adjoining your home.

If you have any questions regarding your account or service, please call our customer service hotline at 1-800-URS-CRUD.

[SW]

I guess his account was overdrawn.

I'll bet he can now sell the drawing on ebay for $233.

[Meanie the Blue]

SW, if you follow the related links at the side of the story, that is exactly what he did, with a minimum bid price of $233.49. The winning bid was $15,000, but the winner is refusing to pay, saying it was all a joke and he is not bound by his winning bid. The artist thinks that is perfectly appropriate.

It's all quite hilarious, and the artist's website (also hilarious) has coffee mugs for sale with the spider on it.

[Mahatma Kane Jeeves ‹(•¿•)›]

SW: Actually the bidding is much lower . . .

[Steve (The 24 Guy)]

SW,

Someone took you up on that idea. It's on Ebay now.

[Steve (The 24 Guy)]

I should have investigated further...M the B has the right story.

[Margaritaville]

But can you trust that guy to be selling you a real authentic spider drawing print?

[Siouxie]

Too funny! She definitely had a sense of humor.

[Siouxie]

LOL @ his website.

Disclaimer: I may use the money to buy drugs instead. In the event of the mug not being available, an item of equal value will be substituted*

* Quite possible.

[padraig]

Scott Adams publishes true stories of inDUHviduals on his Dilbert web site, and many of the stories of tech-challenged people involve fax machines. My favorite was when the tech had to walk someone through sending a fax of an important document. The tech said, "OK, got it, we're done." The sender replied, "Wait a minute, you have my original, you have to send it back."

The tech paused for 30 seconds (maybe made some fax noises if he was really clever) and then told the guy, "OK, it should be back in your fax machine now."

[insomniac]

but can he draw spiders by candlelight?

[frodolives]

padraig, don't remember where, but long ago I read one even better. Back when all FAX machines used thermal paper, the new-to-techno staff member had a discussion with the service tech about why the FAX someone sent her was not printing. After all the usual suspects were exhausted, the tech realized her FAX was out of paper and described how it came in rolls, how to load it, etc. The staff member said, "Well, I don't have any of that, could you fax me some?"

[eilbeback]

*considers sending REAL spider to electric company*

[Braniff]

Maybe the Attleboro city councilman can pay the bill.

[padraig]

eile, make sure it's one of them bird-eatin' spiders. All the chaos in the office, they won't send out a bill for a week!

[kittyinasock]

This story says that the seven-legged version sold for $15,000

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=665808&_cobr=optus

[eilbeback]

http://www.wthr.com/Global/story.asp?S=9373224&nav=menu188_2

I don't know how to do the linky thing, but I wonder how many spiders it would take to pay THIS?

[Annie Where-but-here]

I'm guessing there's a publishing deal coming soon. "Stupid human tricks" or some sort.

[Cat R]

Another website, picturesofpegs.com, "would contain pictures of pegs, allowing the user to have access to pictures of pegs whenever they need them".

When you click on picturesofpegs.com:

"Website coming soon. Check back in a couple of days. Yes ladies, I'm single!"

snork!