This BBC Learning English article sheds some light on this issue.
Thanks to Jacqui Birnie for providing the link.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Call for end to phone books
T Wright complains about being ripped off for paper-based phone and broadband bills (Mailbox, July 21). I think it is all a matter of perspective and/or marketing angle.
When paperless bills were first introduced, companies offered a discount for customers such as myself who opted for the more environment-friendly and surely more economic paperless billing method.
It shouldn't come as a surprise that some customers aren't amused if they are suddenly charged extra for a paper bill, rather than receiving a discount for paperless billing.
In any case, when it comes to telephone services, it seems to me that a very environmentally and economically sensible way forward would be to confine the annual ritual of distributing paper-based phone books and Yellow Pages to the scrapheap of history.
Herbert Eppel, Leicester.
Published in the Leicester Mercury.
When paperless bills were first introduced, companies offered a discount for customers such as myself who opted for the more environment-friendly and surely more economic paperless billing method.
It shouldn't come as a surprise that some customers aren't amused if they are suddenly charged extra for a paper bill, rather than receiving a discount for paperless billing.
In any case, when it comes to telephone services, it seems to me that a very environmentally and economically sensible way forward would be to confine the annual ritual of distributing paper-based phone books and Yellow Pages to the scrapheap of history.
Herbert Eppel, Leicester.
Published in the Leicester Mercury.
Friday, July 24, 2009
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
British industry faces a long slog out of the recession, CBI says
For Guardian article and my comment click here.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Staff occupy Isle of Wight wind turbine plant in protest against closure
For Guardian article and my comment click here.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Senioren fit am Steuer
Not directly translation related, but here is part of a message I just sent to my brother, with "süddeutsche Reisegruppe" referring to my mother and her cousin:
Anbei die Titelseite der aktuellen VDI-Nachrichten mit einem Leitartikel, der insbesondere für die süddeutsche Reisegruppe von Interesse sein dürfte, aber auch für Zeitgenossen mit Midlife Crisis-Risko interessant sein dürfte.
Anbei die Titelseite der aktuellen VDI-Nachrichten mit einem Leitartikel, der insbesondere für die süddeutsche Reisegruppe von Interesse sein dürfte, aber auch für Zeitgenossen mit Midlife Crisis-Risko interessant sein dürfte.
Swinford inquiry underway
Exciting times - the Swinford wind farm inquiry is underway.
Here is a link to an article and plenty of comments in today's Leicester Mercury.
Here is a link to an article and plenty of comments in today's Leicester Mercury.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Britain's green revolution will power economic recovery
Great stuff, I just wish they would stop portraying nuclear power as green!
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Tool Kit Newsletter
The 144th edition of the Tool Kit newsletter arrived today - interesting and useful as ever.
Friday, July 10, 2009
Wednesday, July 08, 2009
Lucky Strike
Brilliant photograph on the front page of today's Leicester Mercury showing lightning striking the Seventh Day Adventist Church in London Road.
Climate denial 'astroturfers' should stop hiding behind pseudonyms online
I have been thinking along similar lines for some time, i.e. the media should find some way to stop anonymous blathering on comments pages.
I rarely read comments pages because I usually regard them as a high blood pressure health risk.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/georgemonbiot/2009/jul/08/climate-denial-astroturfers-pseudonyms
I rarely read comments pages because I usually regard them as a high blood pressure health risk.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/georgemonbiot/2009/jul/08/climate-denial-astroturfers-pseudonyms
Saturday, July 04, 2009
Dinosaur v. High-tech Windmills
Ken Whiton, President of Republicans for Environmental Protection's New Mexico Chapter, hit the nail on the head by saying "I believe the solution is to phase out the dinosaurs of the past and embrace the technologies and solutions of the 21st century". Quite right!
Thursday, July 02, 2009
Paying tax by direct debit
Having recently discovered that one can set up a direct debit with HMRC I did this right away, (perhaps somewhat naively) assuming that I would no longer have to worry about/bother with six-monthly payments.
However, as it turns out, the six-monthly payment liability doesn't go away (although the amount to pay is reduced by whatever DD payments have been made in the preceding months).
Sorry if this is obvious to others - it wasn't to me until I spoke to HMRC this afternoon.
On further reflection, their so-called Direct Debit is in fact more like a Standing Order (they also refer to it as budget payment plan), i.e. the tax payer specifies the amount he or she intends to pay.
Why they call it Direct Debit is a mystery.
However, as it turns out, the six-monthly payment liability doesn't go away (although the amount to pay is reduced by whatever DD payments have been made in the preceding months).
Sorry if this is obvious to others - it wasn't to me until I spoke to HMRC this afternoon.
On further reflection, their so-called Direct Debit is in fact more like a Standing Order (they also refer to it as budget payment plan), i.e. the tax payer specifies the amount he or she intends to pay.
Why they call it Direct Debit is a mystery.
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