I can understand

[Katharine]

in the way that my daughter, an English rose if ever there was one, always states her ethnicity to be Afro-Caribbean. But I decided it wasn't worth the postage.

Michael - you have met my son Patrick, for others that have not he has very fair hair. He delights in saying that he is from Pakistan - well he was born there.
When we lived in Brunei we had to fill in our race on entry forms each time we entered the state. When our sons were coming for school holidays they delighted in never having the same race! They were never detained.

[sejintenej]

Oh yes ! --- I think I'll try that !

I do so hope that you won't, NEILL.

Think about it. Imagine working at a call centre. Long hours of misery with people slamming down the phone, being abusive, trying to waste your time, knowing that persevering at this job just might get your mortgage paid/pay off your student loan/help pay for your child's music lessons.

I know of an Old Girl who I respect very much, who did some call centre work whilst applying for a new job. I understand that she found the job awful. My middle daughter stuck it out for two weeks whilst a student for some extra dosh. She's a strong-minded girl, but found people's rudeness appalling.

We know that you are rolling in loadsamoney, NEILL, but why not think with courtesy and consideration of the person doing their job at the other end of the phone?

Angela:
There are (at least) two types of call centre; those which (try to and often fail) answer customers' queries and those which cold call trying to dispose of what is often junk.

We are registered with TPS and I am convinced that UK companies arrange for sales calls to be made from abroad simply to get around the regulations. A few even claim to be making market surveys (which TPS allows) as introductions to heavy selling.
I had one of those as day or two back trying to get personal information and then sell insulation - my son took the call and they were so rude to him that I told the caller in Portuguese that he would have to use that language (which resulted in a load of English jabber jabber which "nao entendo") so eventually I simply cut the call. He was actually calling from some agency on behalf of my utility company who have consequently been told in very detailed and extensive legalese that they are prohibited from even mentioning my existance, address, phone number, email address.............. to anyone whether physical or corporate without leave from the courts.

I have no problems with call centres where I initiate the contact - it is the others which I have got totally fed up with.

[dinahcat]

CHdad-the school did trial emailing everything a while back but it was hopeless.You can't read emails of such great length as comfortably as you can read a hard copy, we had to print them off which wasn't always convenient and also there were often bits missing so you ended up with loads of disconnected bits of paper or not in my case as I could never get time to print them. I agree with lonelymom as I get three copies of everything and I am sure there must be a way of getting siblings paperwork in the same envelope.

[Requested Removal 18]

Such questionnaires are simply for those that like to tick boxes i.e. not the person filling them in, but the data analyst in a small office somewhere who can collate the information and make it appear everyone who went to the school is successful.

I have had a chequered career path and as I am not particularly academic, my "achievements" will probably bring the averages down a bit. I am not embarrassed by how my life has turned out, but I steadfastly refuse to "grease my way up the old boy/girl network" as I HATE it when someone is offered a job simply because they once had a cup of tea with Mr Allerton's cousin from Maine B back in 1987. What I am is HAPPY - something money and working all the hours under the sun cannot always bring.

I dislike any sort of marketing - this questionnaire is in my opinion for the sole purpose of advertising the school; how accurate it will be is irrelevant - the analyst and the marketing people will make sure that they put enough spin on it to make it look fantastic!

[englishangel]

Well WE have all bu**ered that then.

Frances, I also receive a pittance, but there is only one person round here who does the "keeping".

[Mid A 15]

I happen to agree with all of the above, BUT, as a responsible (?) OB, I completed and returned.

My query is over the details of 'Parent', bearing in mind, my father died in 1954, an my Mother 19 years ago !

Hence:- OCCUPATION - DECEASED !

John,

when you say you agree with ALL of the above does that mean that you think I'm (and EA) a grumpy old git?

[J.R.]

I happen to agree with all of the above, BUT, as a responsible (?) OB, I completed and returned.

My query is over the details of 'Parent', bearing in mind, my father died in 1954, an my Mother 19 years ago !

Hence:- OCCUPATION - DECEASED !

John,

when you say you agree with ALL of the above does that mean that you think I'm (and EA) a grumpy old git?

If the cap fits................


My Grand-Children are proud of the fact they have a Grumpy Old Git as a Grand-Dad. As my Grand-Son says, "You ain't afraid to say it like it is, Grand-Dad!"

[NEILL THE NOTORIOUS]

Oh Dear !

I see that, once again, Angela Woodford is getting personal, in her remarks about me.

She now makes comments about my, presumed, financial sotuation.

I believe that I, at least, heve the good manners not to indulge in such insulting remarks, with a lady.

I am happy to get comments from JR, with whom I have some disagreements. But I believe that these are always good humoured, and therefore welcome.

I shall say no more.

[Angela Woodford]

She now makes comments about my, presumed, financial sotuation.I shall say no more.

Oh.... but what about your revelation on December 4 that

"Today, this Household of TBA (71) and NPE (82) received a total of £400 in Winter Fuel Payment.

With an Income of 5 Pensions, and Stock Dividends --- we don't need it !" ?

I have to say - this sotuation sounds very healthy!

[NEILL THE NOTORIOUS]

No -- I am not going to be drawn into personal matters.

In the absence of "Moderator Action" I shall act in my own interest and read no more of Angela Woodfords posts.

I do not believe that the CH Forum was intended for this

[Angela Woodford]

Well... you did give details of your sotuation...

And I do feel that your glee at leaving some poor call-centre person hanging endlessly on the line is unkind and inappropriate! It's not very Blue. " ". I spoke to my middle daughter, who assures me , with a great deal of mirth, that your "just hang on" technique is very familiar. It gives the employee a chance to put you on hold and do another call.... and earn a little more money. Sorry, NEILL.

Please, NEILL, please. Don't respond to my posts. Don't! But it is hard not to encounter you everywhere.

Tommy? You rock, Tommy!

[Ajarn Philip]

Delighted to see that little has changed in my absence! Neill, you are most certainly robust enough for the rough and tumble of forum exchanges (very mild here, it must be said), and ignoring la Woodford would strike me very much as a face-spiting nose amputation. Now, back to your corners, and prepare for Round 2...

[Fjgrogan]

Good to see you back Philip. We have missed you. I hope this means that your health is improving?

[Vièr Bliu]

Getting back to the questionnaire... I lost the will to cooperate when I looked at the Employment Sector section. Listing "The Arts" under T didn't inspire confidence and one would assume that design would fall under that category, although "Author/Writer" and "Music" don't, apparently. Then there's education split several unhelpful ways - and "Education - Higher" and "University/College Lecturer" manages to baffle even someone who works in the higher education sector. Are there many geologists/meteorologists to go in the strangely spatchcocked "Geologist/Meteorologist" category? Are "Distribution" and "Transport\Distribution" particularly distinguishable? It's nice that "Property" and "Estate Agency" seem to be. Apparently "Local Government" isn't "Government/Politics", and "Banking/Investment" isn't "Investment Management" or "Finance"....

[sejintenej]

Getting back to the questionnaire... I lost the will to cooperate when I looked at the Employment Sector section. Listing "The Arts" under T didn't inspire confidence and one would assume that design would fall under that category, although "Author/Writer" and "Music" don't, apparently. Then there's education split several unhelpful ways - and "Education - Higher" and "University/College Lecturer" manages to baffle even someone who works in the higher education sector. Are there many geologists/meteorologists to go in the strangely spatchcocked "Geologist/Meteorologist" category? Are "Distribution" and "Transport\Distribution" particularly distinguishable? It's nice that "Property" and "Estate Agency" seem to be. Apparently "Local Government" isn't "Government/Politics", and "Banking/Investment" isn't "Investment Management" or "Finance"....

As apparently in this case these things are often pretty stupid. Taking banking as an industry, a moderate sized bank will employ most of: electricians, chefs, distribution drivers, builders, decorators, surveyors, medically qualified personnel, legally qualified personnel (often covering a variety of jurisdictions) chauffeurs, typists, secretaries and PAs, all the IT trades, linguists, and, as definite minority, cashiers............... No wonder these surveys are often a pile of bovine excrement