Mood and Attitude

The UK banks won their case to not have to repay bank charges on unauthorised overdrafts.  Unfortunately for all those who disagree, seriously how on earth did you think you were going to win?  I like this on the BBC website: “Campaigners said they were shocked and disappointed with the decision”.  Do these people live in cloud cuckoo land? How could they possibly be shocked? Did they seriously think that they would basically borrow money and not be charged a fee? We live in a world where the UK government is prepared to take billions of tax payers money in order to bail out the banks, yet put no money into the average person who lost everything over the last couple of years (via floods/redundancy etc).  The banks do whatever they please because they know they will be bailed out by our hard earned cash (that we don’t even get to see).  But you will not be bailed out.  Not even if you are starving.  the bank will want practically your blood if you go overdrawn on your overdraft.  I’m the least financially orientated person on the planet, yet I know if I don’t live within my income I’m effed.  Overdrafts and borrowing except for a mortgage should be banned.  That would solve a whole load of problems and probably end such a thing as a recession for ever and prices would be a hell of a lot cheaper as a result of no borrowing.  Maybe we should all learn to live within our means or do something to make more money, not borrow it via unauthorised overdrafts, then wonder why you get charged.

I’m very interested in this story because I would prefer to have a Civil Partnership over a marriage and I think all couples whether straight or gay should have the option to choose which one they prefer.  I don’t like the religious connection the word or institution of “marriage”, however I do believe those of us who are heterosexual who want to celebrate and formalise a relationship should be allowed via the true civil route.  A registry office wedding is still considered a marriage and I don’t really like that idea.

The BBC have run a story today about a couple who were refused the right to register for a Civil Partnership.  The council’s reason was that it could not break the law.  they say “An Islington Council spokesman said:  “The law dictates that a civil partnership is only for couples of the same sex”, however I don’t remember seeing that wording (but I might not have been paying full attention when I read it).  When I researched this a while back myself I could not find any wording in the law that specifically said heterosexual couples could not have a Civil Partnership.  You can read the story here.

I shall be interested in the outcome of this.  I don’t see how a change or slight alteration in the law can be refused.  I reckon Europe will be all over it.

I thought I’d check this to see how easy people could be conned into entering this. People generally don’t read smallprint/terms and conditions/instructions.  I do.

The prize being plastered all over adverts is not guaranteed and the promoter can decide not to pay it.   If you win you will have to agree to publicity including giving an interview and having you photograph plastered all over the promoters advertising.  Your name will be available to anyone who asks.  Best of all, don’t be fooled into entering; it’s not like a lottery jackpot.  If you win the £8,888,888 it will be paid by monthly instalments over 18 YEARS.  You might think well £41152.26 a month is good, well I’m sure in the UK getting the payments monthly makes them subject to tax and national insurance.  So say good bye to around 50% of that, meaning you’ll probably get around 20k per month.  Still nice you think.  Well if you win less than a million on the lottery, it’s generally advisable to keep it to yourself as you won’t be able to do things like pay off relatives mortgages and keep enough for yourself to give up work.  With this prize since everyone will know you won and bno-one is going to believe that you didn’t get a check for £8,888,888 – it will cause loads of arguments.  You won’t be able to get a mortgage using the fact that you receive monthly payments because it’s not guaranteed income, so you will have to save for around a year to be able to buy a 250K house outright.  Then anything could happen in 18 years and since the prize is not guaranteed, if the promoter goes bust you get nothing.  You also need to download software which I bet is unlikely to be removable and probably contains some kind of spyware and is probably programmed to ensure no-one wins.  Also in the small print, if the software produces numerous winners, it is highly likely to be considered a bug and again no-one wins.  I would say the adverts for the prize are misleading.  Not that I would have been entering as I don’t trust gambling sites; I just wanted to see how easy it is to con people.  Read the small print.

This is an interesting test.  It asks lots of quite personal questions but doesn’t say who exactly at the BBC will get access to your results.  You don’t have to give your name but they do want a date of birth and a postcode.  My results revealed why I was loath to give those details.

I scored:

Low on Conscientiousness

This means that I relish spontaneity, rarely plan my life, am less anxious & treat myself on a whim (all true).  I’ll generally turn up when I’m ready and do not like to make appointments to a set time – that causes people with this personality huge stress issues.  This score is apparently most closely related to job success and people with this score are non-conformists (that’s me) who are actually more useful than those with higher scores.  Interesting.  I am pretty non-conformist -  don’t like be pushed down a certain path in life at all.  My ultimate job would be hippy or free spirit.  A rich one that writes novels!

Low on Agreeableness

Don’t come to me for charity!  I apparently don’t worry too much about what others are thinking, will not find it hard to put myself first and will grab opportunities (that is true.  I will cancel meetings to do something for myself).  I could be described as tough minded and direct.  That’s true, though I get very frustrated when people interfere especially at work.  I have been known to call a room of Directors a bunch of idiots.  Yesterday I believe I told the Chief Exec that I didn’t believe his Directors were clinically qualified in anything.  Well they act as if they are not!  Fortunately, the less agreeable are better on the work front; those with this score do better in their chosen field of work.  This score really interests me as I will say things and it never occurs to me that people don’t actually want to here the truth.  I have never been able to pander to anyone for any reason.  When I was student nurse, I refused to make the consultant and his team coffee for the end of their ward round.  I told the sister I was there to nurse patients  and learn my profession, not to pander to the pathetic doctors’ needs as some kind of housemaid.  He heard me too.  He never expected coffee again.

Scored High on Openness

I’m imaginative and curious however I am prone to day dreaming (that is true).  I also probably hold unusual beliefs such as conspiracy theories (also true; I like abstract and obscure things.  I should probably use that to research material for a good novel).  Apparently innovators, investigators and creators score highly in openness.  This score also reveals that I like different artforms (true), new places (hmm – not on my own generally), different cultures and different foods (very true).  I once never went on a second date with a guy because he refused to eat anything except traditional English food.  He’d  never even tasted Spag Bog in his life and he was 25! :O  He was a model, however he became very ugly to me after he said that.  Though I draw the line at eating  raw fish, obscure foods (like emu) and offal!

Medium on Extroversion.

I thought I’d score low on this.  Apparently a medium score means you have a generally positive outlook (true – i was totally pissed off with work and the people I am doomed to work with to the point of crying today, however once I got home my attitude was “work schmirk” it’s just a job.  Go get another.  People with this score also have a gift for leadership.  I love to lead. And I don’t mean ringleader (I’m saying nothing more.  Okay, I am a ringleader).

Medium on Neuroticism

I thought I would score high as I’m always worrying about crap that doesn’t matter.  But that’s probably because I have an over-active imagination.  This score means I’m level headed, unless faced with uncertainty or unfamiliar situations.  I told a friend that the other day.  When things change and I don’t know why, I get panicky, especially in relation to the friend, who I feel very protective towards.

To do the test go to: The Big Personality Test.

Angels and Demons

I thought this was a much better film than the first one.  I read the books long before the films and I thought the Angels and Demons book was better than the da Vinci Code.  The lead lady was a bit more believable in this one (though how many mega-scientist also look like supermodels)?

Worth watching and I’ll probably buy this one.

Twilight

I totally forgot about this film until I saw them talking about the new one on BBC breakfast and how it had sucked in grown women (who, like me, should know better) along with the thousands of teenage girls.  Firstly it’s a vampire film.  Can’t go wrong there – vampires are always a good thing for film material (yes they are blood sucking monsters – call a psychologist to discuss why the idea of them is so appealing).  Combine that with romance and a winning combination is born.  I thought it was excellent.  I shall probably get all the books now!

May as well step on that bandwagon.  If you don’t know the story, read it here.

I do not agree with how the Sun newspaper has used the soldier’s Mother to sell papers and assist in their anti-labour campaign, however I completely understand how and why she feels the way she does.  All those idiots who have come out in support of Brown haven’t any concept of how (when people are unexpectedly bereaved) might the smallest of things feel like an insult to a loved ones’ memory.  His letter was untidy, he misspelled the guys surname name and generally gave the impression of being heartless.  I got the feeling from it that Brown didn’t give a s***.  I wonder if he was thinking “well, your son volunteered by joining the armed forces to give his life for a political war. My child was a newborn when she died” kind of attitude.  He comes across as insincere.  I’m not a fan of Labour, however, I doubt Tony Blair would have made such an error of judgement.

….. I wanted two optional extras on my car to make driving for work easier: Carminat TomTom (the one specifically designed for Renault) and their USB plug and play so I can play my iPod through the car’s radio and use the controls on the steering wheel.  Neither of them fu**ing well works.  Excuse my language but I’m really annoyed as the car was delayed for four months whilst they arsed about fitting them and they were paid optional extras.  I thought I might as well have a couple useful extras since I will have to use the car for the next three years.

Let’s take the iPod (Mp3) first.  Renault failed to tell anyone, including their dealers that this device is only compatible with an iPhone.  It does not work with any other kind of device including new iPods.  So it was a complete waste of money.

Secondly the Carminat TomTom.  When they install it the maps are so out-of-date they give you a freebie download so they can be updated.  Unfortunately the SD card they give you to use with the Carminat is not compatible with Tom Tom’s “Home” software.  This is they only way to update the maps, so having been charged a couple of hundred quid for the privilege, I still have to resort to pen, paper and mobile to find my way to some of the more obscurely located services in my work location (which covers the whole of Suffolk and sometimes takes me to herfordshire, cambridge, norfolk).  There are not enough curse words in existence to convey may annoyance with Renault.  I think thieving lying bastards will have to do for now.

On the plus side, the car is quite economical with fuel.  And it’s black

The some cock and bull “research” saying that men should marry women who are five years younger than they are and also more intelligent.  What a crock.  All of my female friends who have husbands five years younger are all over 10 years later still married and in the case of one still living with her partner very happily (six couples).  of the seven friends who have husbands older, 3 have divorced (of those married), two (unmarried) have spilt up permanently and two couples are still married.  So I declare that research total bollocks.  I think the best things for a partnership apart from love, are honesty, being understanding &  not trying to change each other (unconditional acceptance), friendship and shared interests.  Those are things all the couples who are still together have in common, regardless of age differences.

…..and I’ve been awake now for 2 hours.  Yes the clocks went back indicating the start of the best time of year – late Autumn and Winter.  But even though I’ve been inexplicably over-tired lately, I couldn’t get to sleep and once I was, couldn’t stay asleep.  Meh.

Why is it every year some nana-heads spout the same old rubbish about the clocks going back and how stupid people are because they have accidents (won’t somebody think of the children style crap).  And they (those mysterious “they” again) want us to have double summer time.  They should just stick to GMT all year round then people will just be used to it.

I took delivery of my shiny new car this morning (and it really is very shiny).  I got it through work.  It’s a Renault Clio Sport Tourer one of those new kinder-to-the-environment type cars.  Because I have to drive 8000 miles plus for work each year is the reason I’m allowed one.  Makes a big difference.  You can’t smell any exhaust from it and so far it’s extremely economical.  It has lots of gadgets – I even have one of those parking proximity sensors and something essential – Sat Nav!  I have iPod connect but I need to go buy a “phono lead” whatever that is.  My choices were this car or a BMW 1 series.  Since everyone who drives for work seems to have the BMW and because the price was over £100 quid per month cheaper, I went with the Clio estate.  No-one else has one either which is quite nice.  Funny how you become all precious when you get a brand new car.    It came at 9.30 this morning and I’ve only just come in from playing about in it and taking it for a drive.  Now I have around 30 minutes to do my masters assignment (doh).