Another pointless thread

It is expensive isn't it.


So to today's mystery. There was a card in the letter box this morning when I fished out the newspaper.
The envelope was handwritten with just our first names, no address, so clearly local. I opened it and found a card inside - but it is completely blank. I have no idea who it is from or what it is for. Very odd.
I don't recognise the writing - just generic Dutch handwriting, nothing special about it.

If I see a neighbour later I may ask them if they know anything about it.

Go to Cuba by yourself!

It's 100% safe and friendly and a fabulous place for photography.

I've thought of that, but it would be nice if his nibs came too. At least I could practice my Spanish there .
Would have to leave the GPS logger at home though .

No further with the card mystery. Not from any kids or friends - haven't seen the neighbours yet so I hope one of them can supply the answer.

Meanwhile I have missed a delivery - between and 12 and 4 they said. I went shopping this morning and was back by 11.15 - and found a note saying they'd been .
Phoned the number on the note - answer machine, no one there until 2 pm, even though it says they are open from 9-5. I am not happy as it is something I need for this evening when we go to my son's ma-in-law's 65th birthday party.

I've just had another of those scam phone calls from Megabyte Solutions (of Birmingham!!). But the accent suggester elsewhere.

I went along with it for a change just for some fun and led him up the garden path a bit - he got a little annoyed. This must be at least the 10th call I've had of this nature in the last 12 months. Guess there's no way to stop these calls.

Cheers....John

Do you not have a no-call register in the UK?
Since they introduced one here all that sort of call has stopped thank goodness.

Mystery of the card solved. Sadly nothing exciting.

The next door neighbours are having a party tomorrow night - complete with tent in the garden, and sent cards around the immediate neighbours to warn them. Didn't get an invite (which would have been the tactical thing to do :wink though.
A pity it isn't tonight when we are at the 65th birthday party .

Knowing how loud their parties can be I think we may be looking for an escape tomorrow night.

Problem is, the TPS is entirely voluntary. We've even had charity fundraisers call with the opening line "I know you're on the TPS list but..."

Being a charity does not give you any right to ignore our preferences! I will not answer the phone if the number is withheld and I won't even confirm a name to an unexpected caller.

What astonishes me is that banks seem to think you'll be happy to give them all sorts of personal data over the phone. It's very simple to spoof a phone number, so we've no way of proving they are who they claim to be. I won't even confirm the name when dealing with them now, as there's no telling what they might be able to pull together.

If everyone refused to give details or buy anything from cold callers then they'd stop within a month. This also goes for companies such as British Gas and Swinton Insurance who seem to regard it as perfectly ok to harass their existing customers with unwanted calls, even after being told repeatedly that we don't want anything else.

Here the list is binding. Companies who call anyway can, and do, get fined. However if you are all ready a customer I believe they can call you, but if you say you don't want them to call they are not allowed to call again.

I used to answer the phone and as they started their blurb say a very firm No Thank you and hang up.

I actually feel sorry (well slightly sorry) for those working in call centres having to do that cold calling lark. Terrible way to earn a living.

Me too. They don't usually have any other option!

I try to be as polite as possible to the person (I will never hurl abuse. Picking the phone up and immediately putting it down again if I recognise the number as being a marketing call is more my style). The problem is that their managers don't take the blindest bit of notice. You'd expect comments such as "If you keep harassing us like this we will be changing supplier" to filter up and change policy, but apparently not!

Having worked for 4 years on telesales ( frozen food company accounts )I am somewhat sympathitic,and as a gentleman I refuse to be overly rude ( I know all the words,I don`t have to use them ! ).My patience is sorely tried by the bucket shop,landbanking,sharedealing,fine wine,CO2 selling,accident recompense,double glazing,loft insulation,mis-sold payment protection scammers though..................I have opted out of phone calls and mail order and removed myself from the electoral rolls - to no avail - complete waste of time really. I am sorely tempted to be rude but to what end ? Many of these people are "furriners",many very badly trained,and mostly out of touch with what they are doing.Some I string along as it helps spend their phone bills,some I will listen and decline,often we get the "dead line" as they use an auto dialler and don`t pick me.Occasionally there is a recorded message.
nd to add insult to injury , I have had the same mobile number for 9 years with Virgin and never had a spam text - just changed to Orange ( same number ) and had at least 5 in the first 4 months ???????

Rant over

Tony

One of my favourites games to ask them to hold on for a second while I go and get a pen, put my phone on mute, continue what I was doing and see how long they wait before hanging up. My record is nearly 20 minutes!

Gwyn,
Have you considered Vienna, a great destination for a special birthday.
Not too far from Holland (Netherlands -?which is correct), so may not be too expensive. And there's always the hop across the Danube to Prague

You're the 4th person from Holland I've come across this month who is learning Spanish - are you planning an invasion?



double glazing,loft insulation, cavity wall insulation, conservatories etc
I love to play along with these and then when they think they're onto a winner I suggest they contact my landlord (ficticious of course but they don't know that)


regards
Bernard

I have so far only taught my other half one expression in Spanish. The only one she needs:

¡no es aceptable para mí!

Frogherder - Spanish has always appealed. I wanted ot learn Spanish at school, but Spanish and Sciences was an unacceptable combination at my school .
I've tried to learn it a few times but never really succeeded. I've always struggled when trying to learn it through Dutch, so I'm doing it myself this time, from English, with slightly more success. My poor brain gets addled though and I can't always come up with the right language!

I would happily move to Spain, his nibs is considering it.

The first time we went to La Palma, many years ago our son and daughter in law went with us. We did our own thing in the day and met up to eat together in the evening. My daughter in law learned one phrase in Spanish - la cuenta por favor. Not that she ever paid la cuenta but she was very good at asking for it . We still have a laugh about it whenever we go for a meal together.

I shall bear Vienna in mind, but I'm hoping for somewhere a bit warmer after the lousy summer and before the coming winter. Though that should be the mildest on record since I've just bought new snow boots

I've had a couple of the "claim compensation" spam messages now, both as SMS and as a recorded message which played when I answered the phone. What baffles me is that the company behind them manages to stay in business - surely there's a legal industry regulatory body which would take a dim view of their antics and strike them off?

They don't use a withheld number, so tracking them to a physical address and company is child's play!