Recession proof

We all understand the urge to fight a parking ticket. After all, none of us like to think that we may have broken some sort of law when we were pulling our vehicles up to a curb, and that money we're supposed to send off to our local government center would be better served by getting a few DVDs and a bottle of wine.

But some people take it a little too far, as is the case with a retired man from New York. He fought his $115 ticket, so far to the tune of $7500.

Of course, the man was fighting the ticket because it was the right thing to do. Well, that, and he had extra spare time, having retired from being the vice president of a company. True, the ticket may have been a mistake, and true, the man plans on donating the money of his appeals (should he win it back) to education, but there are much easier ways to go about being a philanthropist. Our first suggestion? Instead of hoping that you get your money back in an appeal, just go ahead and donate it right away.

It is somewhat comforting to know that, even in these dark economic times, someone can fight so hard (and waste so much money) for what seems to be, to them at least, a frivolous matter. We also find ourselves assuming that this man spends at least $1000 to complain that his gallon of milk shouldn't have cost so much.

Meanwhile, in a few short months, we fully expect to see another vice president spending money to combat the shocking lack of quality and nutrition in a bowl full of kittens.