Sexy?
Posted: Thu 2 February, 2006 Filed under: Cynicism, Thoughts Leave a comment »Nice to see that a lot of people have no taste whatsoever.
Secure?
Posted: Mon 30 January, 2006 Filed under: Cynicism, Thoughts, Weirdness 2 Comments »As most people in the UK know, credit and debit cards have been switching over to the “Chip and PIN” system, which is supposedly more secure against credit-card fraud and the like.
On February 14, anyone with a “chip and PIN” card will no longer be able to sign a credit-card slip for their purchases, and must know their PIN number instead.
Anyway, that’s a minor digression. The main thrust is that supposedly “Chip and PIN” is more secure. It’s supposed to stop credit card fraud, and all this bollocks. We’ll ignore the fact that anyone can “shoulder-surf” and get the PIN number. And the fact that the PIN number is the same whether you’re using a cash machine or doing a transaction – which means that if someone gets your PIN number and card (you know, by shoulder-surfing the number in a shop, then grabbing the bag on the way out – that’s just one example, of course) then they can get the maximum cash transaction out like *that* (clicks fingers), which of course renders the card owner liable, as they’re not likely to have called the card company in that couple of minutes and registered the card as stolen. And, of course, the bank will say “Well, you let someone see your PIN number. Therefore you’re in breach of your agreement with us, and thus liable for all losses on that account/card”.
Again, a minor digression there.
My point is this : If “Chip and PIN” is so secure, how come I’ve just seen the following transaction…
“Did you know your PIN number’s locked on this card?” (ie you can’t use the PIN, because you’ve had three goes and failed to get it right)
“Yes, I was trying to use it in the supermarket, and got all flustered with everyone behind me, so I forgot the number, and now it’s locked”
“OK, just sign on the slip here”
“Thanks”
“And there’s your card back”
WHAT? So you can have a locked PIN, which signifies three failed attempts at the number, and instead of cancelling the card, or keeping it, it’s been given back once, then used just on the signature again, and then given back yet again? How the blue blazing fiddly fuck is that a secure transaction?
Strokes of Genius
Posted: Thu 29 December, 2005 Filed under: Cynicism, Thoughts 1 Comment »Today in Bracknell is hovering around the 0°C mark. In other words, pretty much freezing cold.
So one of the people up the road has decided to wash their car. The path is now covered in ice.
Fucking genius. You just couldn’t make it up.
Homeless
Posted: Wed 21 December, 2005 Filed under: Cynicism, Festering Season, Thoughts 1 Comment »
As some regular readers may recall, around this time last year I did a bundle of photography (and got paid for it!) for a charity in Manchester that worked with the homeless and prostitutes.
This year, my eye was caught by something in one of Herself’s magazines that deals with nursing and care. It was talking about a document called “A Christian Response To Street Homelessness” (I’ve saved a copy on d4d™, it’s an 810Kb PDF if you’re interested) which has a lot of suggestions and ideas, primarily for the London area of Westminster.
The final page of the document is called “Ten tips to help a rough sleeper in Westminster”, and one of the suggestions made me absolutely howl with laughter…
Think about what subjects you might talk about and read up on them – remember that very few rough sleepers have TV sets, so talking about the latest plot of ‘Emmerdale’ might not work.
I mean, how stupid would you have to be?
“So, you’ve been homeless for 8 months, and sleeping on the street?”
“yeah”
“Blimey, that’s rough. So, did you see Emmerdale last night?”
Nom de Plume
Posted: Sat 17 December, 2005 Filed under: Cynicism, Thoughts Leave a comment »While I remember (and thanks to the people who asked) I would like to say once and for all that no, I have not written a book under the names Alan MacArthur or Steve Lowe.
However, if I’d thought of it first, I possibly would have done so.
Sometimes life’s shit, and there’s absolutely knack-all you can do about it.
Lights Out?
Posted: Fri 11 November, 2005 Filed under: Cynicism, Festering Season Leave a comment »
Ah, it’s good to see the spirit of Christmas is alive and well in Sonning, Berkshire.
In one private road (very posh, don’t you know?) the majority of the householders are hoping to pay off the houseowner with the glowing Christmas house decorations. This guy collects from this, and then gives to charity – last year he raised £5000 – and now the residents are hoping to pay him off. Which, frankly, sucks.
It’s no secret that I’m no fan of the Festering Season, and that I think the Home Alone-inspired glowing house decorations should all be trashed and burned. But while I dislike/despise them, I don’t try to get people to take the things down. They’re nasty, manky, and cheap – and I’m intrigued by the comment in the story that “Thames Valley Police said more than 40 crimes committed in the area last year were “directly linked” to the lights” – and I despair in general of the people who have this kind of tat and think it’s attractive.
But it’s still beyond me that people would try to pay someone off in order to stop them having this kind of thing on their house. Twats.
Afterthought : Of course, it’s also made me quite tempted to go over later in the year and take some photos, just for the hell of it. I probably won’t , but it’s made me think about it.