Mundane News

[postman]

Ladieeeeees and gentlemen,Postman will be undertaking his first ride of the year on Tuesday morning.Going to try and get to Otley.Short ride twelve miles each way.I am soooooo excited.

 

[Grant Fondo]

My word ... David Cameron's got a new look in that ambulance chasing advert.

 

[oldwheels]

No machine has no limit some shops invent one blaming card fees. Just a way to make money really.

Not really as card fees are a significant drain on profit in a small business. I was a director of a local Arts Centre with a cafe and when we decided to start taking cards the bank wanted 7.5% of the price charged for say a cup of coffee. How much profit does that leave bearing in mind that the premises and wages are part of the cost?
The charge was on turnover and was negotiable and as a former shopkeeper I was involved.
The only person making money is the bank.

 

[oldwheels]

Yes and No.
There shouldn't be a minimum limit, the same as if you'd used cash, but some places stick a "bank enforced minimum spend" in place. The banks place no minimum spend on their machines. The retailers do to try and cover the cost of using the machine.
They're charged for banking cash, but they don't seem to bother about that.

Not only banking cash but if you want change for the till there is also a charge. Our shop was opposite a phone box and we were constantly pestered by people wanting small change which actually cost us to get. We directed them to the nearby bank which was not well received as we would very soon run out of change for genuine customers.
Some bought a 10p postcard and tendered a £10 or £20 note. It was easier and cheaper for us to just give them the postcard for nothing.
This was obviously before mobile phones become universal.

 

[oldwheels]

I hate weekends apart from very early. My afternoon walk yesterday involved meeting families and groups walking side by side that wouldn't bloody budge to let you past. Even coming home walking on a narrow pavement, I was always the one that had to step off onto the road to let them past. I bloody hate ignorance and lack of courtesy.

Had a 10k run setting out before 6am this morning in lovely peace and quiet. Hard work, but enjoyed it.

Daily life here and we cannot drive or cycle on the carriageway without obstruction. I had very noisy brakes on the bike I used for travel between shop and workshop and used to get really close to them and jam on the brakes. Nobody actually dropped dead from shock but it was close sometimes.

 

[classic33]

Not really as card fees are a significant drain on profit in a small business. I was a director of a local Arts Centre with a cafe and when we decided to start taking cards the bank wanted 7.5% of the price charged for say a cup of coffee. How much profit does that leave bearing in mind that the premises and wages are part of the cost?
The charge was on turnover and was negotiable and as a former shopkeeper I was involved.
The only person making money is the bank.

That fee, imposed by the banks, was known about before the retailer got the machine(s). And has been there from the start, they were never supplied with free use.
The rise over the last few years of people paying by card, has been taken by many as a means of passing on their charges for something they want to use. There's not many will tell you it'll cost extra to use cash as a payment method because the banks charge them for using cash.

 

[oldwheels]

That fee, imposed by the banks, was known about before the retailer got the machine(s). And has been there from the start, they were never supplied with free use.
The rise over the last few years of people paying by card, has been taken by many as a means of passing on their charges for something they want to use. There's not many will tell you it'll cost extra to use cash as a payment method because the banks charge them for using cash.

Trouble is the fee is variable and can cost a lot more than banking cash. It is a bit unfair that some businesses have nearly free use and others quite a large chunk of profit is lost.

 

[Andy in Germany]

Just shout " Athlete coming through " Mo, it works for me 😉

Elder son has created a song to the tune of 'Ode to Joy ' which asks people to move let him pass. Apparently it works .

 

[Mike_P]

Wonders of having a food allergy and finding out the only local stockist of brown bread flour that I can use appears to have stopped stocking it. Amazons price is ridiculous. So a 16kg bag from the makers and a tedious couple of hours vacuum packing, all that did not go into the flour container, into small packages. Apparently should stay good that way for 1-2 years. Now sat in a basket in the north facing unheated porch as being the coolest place outside of the fridge.

 

[Tenkaykev]

Elder son has created a song to the tune of 'Ode to Joy ' which asks people to move let him pass. Apparently it works .

Let me guess, it goes something like this:

🎶 Get out the effing way, you bunch of useless w*nkers 🎶

 

[biggs682]

Rear lawn has been cut ready for no mow may
Just realised that the socks i put on at 10.15 am are on inside out and i can't be arsed to change them around now

 

[oldwheels]

Back home and mostly unpacked after a fast run up the road from the ferry.
I was told my preferred ferry was fully booked but I just went and tried for a standby place. Since I am known as local by the check in staff they have always got me on.
When arrived home a neighbour happened to be about and he volunteered to carry some of my shopping up to my door which saved me a trip back to the car and a possible hernia tho' I now have a couple of trolleys I use for heavy loads.
I had a gastroscopy on Thursday but the appointment letter for this has still not arrived. Allegedly Oban office does not bother sending a van over some days and north Mull has had no mail for a couple of days.
The person who went off Connel Bridge has been found alive apparently and according to one person is being "well looked after".
This sounds a bit like the time I wanted to speak to a trader in some railway arches in Glasgow. The next door man said he was not available being in "intensive care" ie Barlinnie jail.
I have a comment on the gastroscopy but better in medical matters I think.

 

[Andy in Germany]

Let me guess, it goes something like this:

🎶 Get out the effing way, you bunch of useless w*nkers 🎶

I don't even know how you'd translate that into German.

 

[PeteXXX]

I don't even know how you'd translate that into German.

Geh raus aus dem flippin' du, haufen nutzloser wichs

?

 

[Andy in Germany]

Geh raus aus dem flippin' du, haufen nutzloser wichs

?

3/10