Things Noticeable this week

[Greenman]

Well Jingle my Bells! Its December already and Christmas isn't that far off now, you know I shouldn't do it but you just can't help getting caught up in the excitement as it builds-I don't normally get into the Christmas groove until the first weekend has gone and I am about to go shopping but it seems to bring out (usually) the best in people and goodwill abounds-shame it doesn't last all year. Before that of course is Chanukah which is the 11th this year and then that weekend we put up the decorations-if nothing else it makes the room look nice.

I learnt a valuable lesson - if you sign up for something online and it comes with an extra of a 3-day trial of something else, for heavens sake cancel it immediately(if you don't want it) or get charged per month-I reckon I've lost over £100 GBP because I didn't make a note of something to cancel this off after the trial period-always print stuff out as hard copy or make a note somewhere and keep it safe-I solved it this morning and managed to cancel the recurring payment and now I am a relieve person. I know it sounds crazy, but sometimes the most obvious is the best thing-in this case don't rub out a written copy of anything-get it printed out. I think it might also explain my 'mood' on here the last month so I apologise to you all for being uppity at times-worry does that to you.

[Oswald]

'Tis the season to be jolly - so the famous saying goes. I have learned, through bitter experience, never ever leave your Christmas shopping until the last minute - i.e., Christmas Eve. Presents you've had on your 'to buy' list have all been sold, there are no suitable alternatives which means you'll end up having to buy rubbish - the shops are packed to the gunnel's and the food shopping will leave you bereft as the mad rush of the other fractious shoppers mean the shelves will be literally empty.

[Greenman]

I tell you one thing you can do is if you see it, buy it then and there, because the number of times I have thought "hmm I'll get that next week" and the damn thing has either sold out or not available-so that impulse of getting your loved one a great present should be greater now rather than later-alternatively get it online as they never run out(or so they would have you believe )

[Greenman]

Wow! What a programme, this Kit Williams(tonight on BBC4) was a genius. Okay he was a bit of an oddball but his eye for minute detail is extraordinary and of course he had a childlike quality when it came to women-his paintings regularly featured them nude & naked in fanciful tableaus but the vivid colours and attention to detail is something that even if you don't like art you couldn't fail to stand gobsmacked looking at. The jewelled hare finally came home, albeit for one day, but it brought back memories of the whole saga and the mystery surrounding it-no wonder the book Masquerade sold millions but you needed to be a college professor to work out the clues.

[windymiller]

It's reported in the news that the board of the Royal Bank of Scotland have threatened to resign if the government refuse to allow them to pay this years round of bumper bonuses to their top investment bankers. They argue that if these bonuses are not paid then their "top talent" will choose to go work somewhere else. Er.....where's the catch? This is a golden chance for the government to get rid of every single one of these greedy, corrupt and downright incompetent f***ers who've cost the taxpayer tens of billions of pounds. A bill we'll all be paying for many years to come. Here's hoping Gordon Brown will find the balls, for once in his life, to stick to his guns and tell them to get stuffed.

[Clouddancer]

Originally Posted by windymiller

It's reported in the news that the board of the Royal Bank of Scotland have threatened to resign if the government refuse to allow them to pay this years round of bumper bonuses to their top investment bankers. They argue that if these bonuses are not paid then their "top talent" will choose to go work somewhere else. Er.....where's the catch? This is a golden chance for the government to get rid of every single one of these greedy, corrupt and downright incompetent f***ers who've cost the taxpayer tens of billions of pounds. A bill we'll all be paying for many years to come. Here's hoping Gordon Brown will find the balls, for once in his life, to stick to his guns and tell them to get stuffed.

I am absolutely apoplectic, with rage at temerity of these basstards, if an ordinary person had performed his or her job at the levels these fuckers had, the very least that would have happened, would that they would have been fired.
I believe they actually should be jailed, at the vey least.
I dare not sayany more, but Iwish I could meet one of them.!!!

[tabler]

Ah hah hah...last year our village lights were switched on by David Platt (Corry) and the villagers egged him and I missed it....Tonight they have just been switched on by Eric Pollard (Emmerdale)...and they pellted him to bits I laughed so hard I nearly wet myself!

Welcome to the Twillight Zone...

[Devius]

Originally Posted by Clouddancer

I am absolutely apoplectic, with rage at temerity of these basstards, if an ordinary person had performed his or her job at the levels these fuckers had, the very least that would have happened, would that they would have been fired.
I believe they actually should be jailed, at the vey least.
I dare not sayany more, but Iwish I could meet one of them.!!!

Back in October, a spokesman for the Royal Bank of Scotland Group (RBS) confirmed the following story in the Financial Times:

20 key managers at RBS Coutts Singapore resigned along with around 50 support staff in a move the newspaper said could be related to a lack of annual bonus prospects.

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/46db8d28-b...nclick_check=1


Therefore as a taxpayer, I would agree with your sentiments. RBS shouldn't see a penny.

If I was a person who works in financial services however, I would understand the anger from RBS. Not everyone who works in the City of London or Canary Wharf are grasping, money-hungry basterds.
And if I was a RBS staff member unconnected with those responsible for the current problems at the bank, I would be pi$$ed to hear that my hard work for 2009, which might include coming in early to cover the Far East & Australian markets, staying late to cover the US markets, working through UK bank holidays to cover those European, Japanese and American markets which will be open - will not see any reward.
In short I'd tell RBS "bog off" and look elsewhere.
That's the dilemma RBS (and a certain A. Darling) has...

[Greenman]

A whip is too good for them-a trained lion would be more effective and a lot more fun-they might like the whip too much.

A great British actor Richard Todd has died at the age of 90-he played a lot of war heroes although his own experiences were nothing like those he played-most notably(and for some inexplicable reason being remade soon) the great Wing Commander Guy Gibson who led the raid on the dams of Germany in "The Dam Busters," he died peacefully in his sleep on Thursday. He will be greatly missed and is up there with some of the greatest actors in the world-like Sir Ralph Richardson, Sir John Gielgud and Sir Laurence Olivier. Last seen at Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance in November.

Although we are in recession and soon to come out of it, although it will take a decade to return to normality I am willing to bet that when I start my Christmas shopping next week there will be these idiots spending money on their credit cards like it is going out of fashion-perhaps a slogan to discourage overspenders should be "Buy now, really pay later!" Spend wisely is the watch phrase or just use cash like I do and save the worry of waiting for that elusive statement in January.

[Mal Hombre]

I fear the January credit card statement is inevitable rather than elusive,glad i got rid of mine.