The Reading Vent & Rant Thread

[Karellen]

Originally Posted by Quoth

annual gov fitness test

What is that? I've never heard of such a thing. What are they testing for and why?

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Quoth

No idea. I forget where I read his comments. He also mentioned in that article that he got a bit fed up with Midsommer Murders. I never saw any of it, but realistically you need a metropolis, or a succession of villages, not one. I did watch quite a few of Folye's War. I wasn't too fussed on his Sherlock Holmes novels. I thought Rider, Diamond Brothers (spoof detective series), Power of Five etc. better. The Falcon's Malteser was a quite decent film adaptation. He is really quite versitile.

Also I don't watch anything on streaming, so only: DVD, BD and real FTA TV stations (via aerial or dish). But not often now. Reading takes up too much time.

I only have subscription / recurring payment on the unavoidable: domain names, hosting, internet access, car tax/insurance/annual gov fitness test, property tax and refuse collection.

Everything else is pay as I go (phone, petrol, food, electricity, home heating).

I've seen all of Foyle's War. I quite liked it. I've also seen most of Midsommer Murders that I've liked.

[Karellen]

Originally Posted by Quoth

Also I don't watch anything on streaming, so only: DVD, BD and real FTA TV stations (via aerial or dish). But not often now. Reading takes up too much time.

Yep, me too. No streaming, only FTA or Blurays. I wait for the local JB HiFi to have their Buy 1, get 1 Free sale (which is on now) and pick up a handful of current release movies quite cheap.

But I have to say that the last few years, tv has not been my go to chill out past time anymore. In fact I sometimes find it difficult to sit still and watch tv. I prefer to read. Just finished The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith (JK Rowling) and loved it.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by Quoth

How does that work?

She means that possession of a checkbook is proof that a person is of a certain age. She’s kidding.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by Karellen

Yep, me too. No streaming, only FTA or Blurays. I wait for the local JB HiFi to have their Buy 1, get 1 Free sale (which is on now) and pick up a handful of current release movies quite cheap.

While I watch almost everything on streaming - I only buy physical media if there is no other option to watch something I really, really want to watch. The same with books. I don't want DVDs, BluRays etc to clutter my home, just like I no longer want paper books to collect dust on the shelves. And I don't watch TV at all, free or not. (Well, FIFA World Cup is the only exception).

But yeah, these days I seldom watch anything at all, as I prefer reading for my entertainment.

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by issybird

She means that possession of a checkbook is proof that a person is of a certain age. She’s kidding.

Like about 90 here
My relatives in the UK still use them.

Obviously the hay fever has made me unable to tune in.

[Renate]

Originally Posted by issybird

She means that possession of a checkbook is proof that a person is of a certain age.

But to get real respect the check number has to be four digits.

[mbovenka]

Originally Posted by Quoth

No idea. I forget where I read his comments. He also mentioned in that article that he got a bit fed up with Midsommer Murders. I never saw any of it, but realistically you need a metropolis, or a succession of villages, not one.

Midsomer Murders is a succession of villages, all (or at least most of them) called Midsomer <something>. Midsomer itself is a county.

[DNSB]

A month or so back, I was in a local SaveOn Foods and one older couple (late 60's, early 70's) had trouble understanding why they could not write a cheque for their grocery shopping—they always pay for their groceries by cheque. The cashier wasted quite a bit of time explaining that SaveOn Foods had not accepted cheques since the mid-80's and when they did accept cheques, they only accepted in-province cheques.

Busily eavesdropping, I was a bit surprised to find out that in whatever American town this couple came from, almost every store still accepted cheques. They finally produced a charge card and used it.

[Renate]

Back in the day when somebody had a trivial check for a refund or something with a worth of a dollar or so we used to:

Pay to the order of Alice Smith
(signed) John Doe

Pay to the order of Bob Jones
(signed) Alice Smith

Pay to the order of...

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by DNSB

A month or so back, I was in a local SaveOn Foods and one older couple (late 60's, early 70's) had trouble understanding why they could not write a cheque for their grocery shopping—they always pay for their groceries by cheque. The cashier wasted quite a bit of time explaining that SaveOn Foods had not accepted cheques since the mid-80's and when they did accept cheques, they only accepted in-province cheques.

Busily eavesdropping, I was a bit surprised to find out that in whatever American town this couple came from, almost every store still accepted cheques. They finally produced a charge card and used it.

I remember back when checks used be used in a supermarket. It was really annoying having to wait for check to be written and the transaction to be finished.

I cannot see the need at all for personal checks.

[Renate]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I cannot see the need at all for personal checks.

You're pretty much correct.

In the US there are many unattended Forestry Service camping areas where a campsites costs $4 or so. You never have the correct change. Recently you can write down all your credit card info and they accept that. Probably you can also do it all online too. Still, in some ways checks were/are more convenient. It usually took them about two months to cash it though.

[Deskisamess]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I remember back when checks used be used in a supermarket. It was really annoying having to wait for check to be written and the transaction to be finished.

I cannot see the need at all for personal checks.

We've had some small home improvements made recently, and every one of the companies charge 2-3% if we use a credit card. So we pay with checks. This fee is not unusual, it is more the norm now than ever with plumbers etc.

We only get 1% on those purchases, so it doesn't make sense to use the cards. It's annoying, but the way it is.

Typically, we only write a few checks per year. I'll use my online bill pay if the company is set up to receive electronic payments, but most of these companies are not. If I use online bill pay to pay a bill and the company doesn't accept electronic payments, the bank prints a paper check and mails it snail mail. 2 payments sent that way went missing, so I no longer do that.

[Apache]

I write a check to my city water department because they charge extra if you pay online. The lawncare company does not have an online payment set up. And I will write a check for anything that comes up without an online payment option.
Apache

[maddz]

I still use cheques occasionally, mostly because I never set up online banking. This is because it took years for my bank to support Macs, and by the time they did, the horror stories had started trickling through... At least it allows me to snigger at phishing emails.

Most of my transactions are cash (rarely) or payment card. About the only cheque payments are to the window cleaner if I or they don't have change, or to my handyman. I pay market traders via card these days, and things like subscriptions via direct debit.