Hi, all! You'd be surprised how popular the monthly donation method is here in the U.S. Public radio and television stations particularly use it. Countless people give their bank account numbers and credit card numbers for this monthly billing! I pinch my pennies a bit more tightly than that; I do not at all like the idea of a business or company joining me in managing my money.
It is also common here to let utilities companies (water, gas, etc.) charge a bank account directly. In these cases, the customer doesn't even know ahead of time the amount that will be withdrawn! Is this common practise in the UK?
Hi J, They have what they call direct debit accounts here,where the water,gas,etc., take a set amount out of your bank account monthly to cover the yearly costs of those utilities. I don't do that at the moment like you I like to keep my pennies a bit more tighter than that, I don't want to pay them in advance and think of those companies reaping the benefit of interest when I can make the most of it in my own bank account till the bill is due.
Hi Morph, I remember the days when the Sally Army girls went round the pubs with collection boxes,I was facinated with those bonnets they wore and always wanted one!
If anyone feels the need to share their accounts I will gladly make every effort to spend all your money on wine, women and song. If I sing more will pay to shut me up.
It figures it's an American idea J..........I am convinced if America decided to pay people in carrots we'd be doing it a week later. We import most of your ideas (trick or treat!) and then we make a mess of carrying them out (trick or treat!).
" . . . if America decided to pay people in carrots . . ."
You're a follower of American politics, right? I wish I could remember her name, but I can't. There was a presidential candidate about two elections ago that gave stand-up comics more material than they could handle. She suggested -- seriously, now, I'm not making this up -- that we return to the barter system so that poor people could pay their doctors in chickens. You can imagine how many chicken jokes followed! She was as dumb as Sarah Palin.
Well, my post just vanished, then mysteriously returned to the screen! I'm going to stop and post it quickly.
I do follow politics J, because it allows me to use profane language, shouting at the TV, without Mrs Morph complaining.
At the moment we are bombarded by claim and counter claim as we approach the general election. I keep expecting Ed Millipede to put his thumb on the end of his nose.........waggle his fingers at Cameroon and shout ner ner ne ner ner at any moment.
I have seen school boys behave with more decorum than these two buffoons.
I don't know how you all view O'Barmy, but from what I see of him over here, he looks more sedate and logical than our two main clowns.
His latest idea of taxing the rich a little more and helping the poor sounds a good idea. The super rich are obscene these days.........although I do like Bill Gates attitude to his vast fortune. It's nice to see humanity still has a place in this crazy world.
Yes, politics can be amusing. Every so often I turn on he BBC channel here and watch the Prime Minister fend off attacks from members of Parliament. It's similar to our Congressional debates, only the participants are articulate. Our buffoons can out-buffoon yours! As far as Obama goes, I think he has done a fantastic job in some areas (such as fiscal policy) and a mediocre job in others. But it has been refreshing having a truly intelligent President for a change, even if he cannot always implement his policies against the opposition of Congress. We on the two coasts of the country continue to be baffled by the middle of the country, which votes so conservatively. Like you, I think Obama's social policies are generally beneficial; there actually are some politicians in that line of work to perform social service. At present, my two favourite politicians are Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders. I hope they hold higher and higher offices.
We have a little man called Tim Farron for our member of Parliament. He is a Liberal. I feel a bit sorry for him because he doesn't fit the usual arrogant MP style and he belongs to a party in the minority.
On several occasions I have asked him for information, I always get a reply and he always consults the person in charge of the relevant department for an explanation.
He has worked tirelessly for our local hospital.
There is no chance they will ever be in power as a party, but this man is a fine example of what an MP should be.
If you can get BBC try taking a look at question time on a Thursday evening, chaired by David Dimbleby.
Normally you will see Labour and Conservative bickering like two small kids......it is akin to ner ner ne ner ner at times.........while if they have managed to get a couple of sensible captains of industry on the panel, it makes you wonder why anyone listens to MP's.
Occasionally the get celebrities, they tend to talk complete rubbish, but add to the general Fred Karno atmosphere.
If per chance you get Vince Cable you will hear common sense more often than not.
Then there are the independents. They just argue against everyone while living in cuckoo land. All they want is £1 in and £2 out.
If they ever get their way the country would soon reach Greek style chaos.
I sit and laugh at their idiocracies.......but I shouldn't, because these clowns affect millions of lives.
Maybe one day we will get mature professional people who understand accountancy and aren't as self important as some of these puffed up nonentities are.
Yes, quite a good rant! You covered just about everybody, didn't you?
I'm not going to get started in that direction, though: I feel too peaceful and content today to annoy myself with politics. For some reason, in January we are having spring weather! Temperatures are comfortable; the days are sunny. I fully expect we'll have a snowy February to balance this, but it has been a pleasant surprise. Meanwhile, on the other coast, several states are facing a blizzard!
Lunchtime is approaching. Then I'm off to some shops and then a workout at the gym.
Sorry I havent been around for awhile. Have just been reading the posts and was surprised to see that politics seem to be a favourite subject. I am not politically minded and over the recent last few years have become totally disillusioned by the constant, lies, deceit and stealing that has occurred. And I will be interested to see how the next election goes. Who knows. When Winston Churchill failed to win the election post war it was a shock.
However J, Pleased to hear you enjoyed the bit of good weather cos itssssssssssss orrible now.
Please, Morph, they're not MY blizzards! I don't want them either. I live on the other coast in the nice, temperate zone of northern Oregon. And having said that, I expect we'll be buried under a freak snowstorm next week! Really, though, I'm looking out on a glorious sunny day, with lots of tall fir trees as a backdrop to my neighbourhood scene.
And no sneaky politicians in sight . . . The political arena is getting interesting now, however, as all those who intend to try for the Presidential nomination from their parties are fighting for TV and online coverage. At this early point (two years in advance!) there are dozens, most of them laughably ill-qualified. I've seen some hilarious TV footage of a few potential candidates just trying to formulate two simple sentences and proving unequal to the task without the teleprompter!
Enough of that -- outdoors now to enjoy this false spring weather!
Sorry I attributed the storms to you. However by association (being an American) it just came out that way.
As a transatlantic export to our shores, after you have finished with them, we find them very much to our dislike. Please export some sunshine.
I know you have some because our friend is working in Miami at the moment. Mrs Morph gets regular up dates from her and photos that make us feel decidedly envious.
We have had more wind than a cart horse on a diet of baked beans.
We try to share our sunshine and mild weather, but I suspect those East Coasters grab it in transit so that it never reaches you. Miami, yes, they really get sunshine! Most of the year it's like Hawaii, I believe. But the crime rate is reputedly still very high. Has your friend mentioned any problems along those lines?
This is a brief response, but it is dinnertime on this side of the Atlantic now, and I had a meagre lunch. More later . . .
The weather, well arguably climate change is with us, nothing can be done to change that, however the people who year after year ignored all the scientific evidence and turned a blind eye to the ever growing plummet to Armageddon in order to stoke the boilers of corruption allegedly ,? are still here and its because of politicians of all parties in all countries, that we are now up crap creek without a outboard, or even a paddle, I can remember heated arguments in sixth form back in 67 , I argued that by the turn of the century we would see massive droughts in the worlds grain belts, frequent very severe floods especially on flood plains which of course are now heavily populated, and flood frequently,starvation in 3/4 of the worlds population, while that population is still rocketing upward like a English Electric Lightning,in full afterburner (impressive) not to be confused with the LOCKHEED MARTIN F35 LIGHTNING2 which as yet is not proving reiable, politishuns should spend six weeks on ISS then they can see our world dying as a direct result of their policies, the ejected into space.
I doubt our friend sees much of the bad side J. She works on a millionaires yacht ( more like a small ocean going liner) She has worked in America most of her working life. I know her through Mrs Morph.
She had a very bad car accident when she was young and that is when she met Mrs Morph (not in the accident I hasten to add). They became very good friends before she decided to cross the pond to work.
Every time she comes back she calls her up to spend time together. She has never forgotten Mrs Morphs kindness. I class her as a loyal friend, of which Mrs Morph has several. I have made some really good friends through Mrs Morph and she gets on with mine..
We now live near her Mother and sister (walking distance) so they will find it easier to get together when she is in UK.
