Archive for December, 2004
Power Shifts in Time
Dec 31st
Fascinating that women have needed to struggle to attain equal rights and freedoms and indeed in some parts of the world still do not even have basic human rights. Iran, a country among those who wont yet allow women rights as equals appears in their ancient past to have accorded women considerable power according to recent archeological finds: 5000 Years Ago, Women Held Power in Burnt City
No tags for this post.End of the 2004 Road
Dec 31st
Well, this is the last day of year. Usually a time to wander back over the previous year and think about what one wants for the year to come. A lot of people call this making resolutions. I learned a long time ago that I could come up with some preferred goals for the year ahead but resolutions, well they were not real likely to be kept. Read the rest of this entry »
No tags for this post.Introductory Posting
Dec 30th
Welcome, this blog is here for me to write and you to read if you feel so inclined. What will I write about? Anything I choose to on whatever subject which strikes my interest. I may choose to write to an audience or to myself, my mood will decide. Read the rest of this entry ยป
No tags for this post.link — It’s My Universe
Dec 27th
Originally published July 2004
I’ve entered a link to a log that I follow in my link list. Actually, I don’t just follow this log, the writer is my niece who may very well want to shoot me when she sees me spreading her pearls around. Read the rest of this entry »
No tags for this post.Reflecting on Canada and the Iraq Issue
Dec 27th
It is always easy and SOOO intelligent to look at an issue with hindsight rather than foresight. For me, the issue of whether Canada should have joined the coalition to invade Iraq was largely a non-issue. I supported and continue to support Chretien’s decision to stay out of it unless sanctioned by the UN. Even then, had the UN sanctioned the invasion, I’m not sure I would have supported that either.
There are far too many dictators with brutal regimes in the world to justify going after just the one which happened to be one that the Bush family has had a blood feud of sorts with. It is Bush that makes me glad Canada had the courage and fortitude to say NO to sending our young men and women to be dying there. I’m sad enough to see so many other young people dying fighting in a struggle which will never end.
The only thing that has been attained from the invasion is that Saddam was removed from power. It is yet to be seen if the country has been turned into a democracy or if the new leadership is biding its time until the US and its partners are officially out of the country and then they will return to what is familiar to them. Having had the experience of being invaded by the US once, the next power to arise in Iraq will be preparing from the outset for a second invasion and will be far more formidable an opponent than they were this time.
Bush in the meantime is probably one of the most dangerous leaders in the world. I can only watch and hope that enough of the deceits and misrepresentations by him and those who surround him will come to light that the American people will remove him from office in November.
I watched the media reports closely when 9/11 happened. At that point, I felt that Bush did what he had to do to keep the country calm in the face of a horrific attack. I actually admired his response and the dignity he demonstrated. Then I watched some more, as his popularity rose and stayed high, it was as though he started to believe that line of BS that so many are heard to utter, classing the US President as the ‘leader of the free world’. He’s not my leader, never will be, praise the Lord.
Power intoxicates and it is clear that Bush is intoxicated on his perceived power. Somewhat understandable when from all outward appearances his intelligence level is rather below average. That is one of the reasons he is dangerous, he must trust and rely on advisors instead of thinking for himself. That makes him a manipulated leader — a figurehead head-of-state.
Canada has a figurehead head-of-state — she’s smart enough not to try to call herself our leader. She leaves that to the Prime Minister.
No tags for this post.Par-O-Law Canada
Dec 27th
A new link has appeared on the right, it’s to my employer, Par-O-Law Canada. We’re a financial default management firm, specializing in representation of debtors in dealing with their credit problems. We work with our clients to get their credit under control based on their ability to pay. Read the rest of this entry »
No tags for this post.Writing for the Web
Dec 27th
Many will tell you how to write for and on the web but few that I’ve seen do so with the simply clarity of Dennis Mahoney in his article on How to Write a Better Weblog at A List Apart, one of the weblogs I follow.
A List Apart is a must visit site for anyone thinking about doing something on the web, building a website, having a website built or doing a weblog. The wealth of information that site provides can be an eye opener of just how much is involved in doing a truly good job in online presentation.
Web design is another area of my talents. I don’t design as many sites as I used to but I do try to keep an eye on what is going on in the field. I have to really, or I’d be no benefit to the sites I do work on.
No tags for this post.Rogue Collection Agents
Dec 27th
Ever get those phone calls….. “we are calling you about your XXX account that hasn’t been paid”? You’re not alone. Collection agents tend to be a bit of a different breed. For the debtors who are truly deadbeats, it takes some real aggression to get their attention and get them to pay up. I’m quite sure that a lot of collection agents either come to believe or are taught to believe that all debtors who don’t pay are deadbeats.
With that belief firmly in their mind, collection agents often resort to bullying rather than listening. They employ guerrilla tactics, contacting friends, family and places of employment in the hunt to get their target. They ignore the laws which govern them and capitalize on their targets ignorance of the law to intimidate and terrify them in an attempt to make them pay up no matter how they get the money to do that. As long as the collection agent can get the file paid and off their desk it really doesn’t matter to them what it does to their target.
I’m on the other side of the coin. I’m one of the people who cares about the target and when the collection agent’s tactics come to my attention it is usually because it is something they are doing to a client. I encountered one of those situations last week. The collection agent really pressed my buttons when she allegedly told the almost 80 year old father of the person she was trying to collect from that he had to tell her where to contact his daughter or she’d keep calling until he either told or died.
In the province of Ontario the Ministry of Consumer and Business Services is the regulatory body which is responsible for enforcing the Collection Agencies Act. They provide a form on their website for a consumer to post their complaints and that includes complaints about collection agents. You need to gather as much information about the agent as you can, the firm they work for, their name, phone number and extension and the name of the firm they are collecting on behalf of.
Be reasonable when complaining. A collection agent yelling at you once isn’t necessarily grounds to complain. We all have bad days and even good collection agents will let stress get to them. Now, a collection agent yelling during more than one call, name calling, calling friends, neighbours, relatives and even your work (other than to verify employment) should be reported. Their job is to collect not to use the phone to abuse other people.
So what did I do about the rogue agent mentioned above? I had a chat with her manager, which came after I’d tracked down the person responsible for enforcement of the Act at the Ministry and sent him an email. He responded the following morning and asked for details of the situation so they could investigate. What will become of the agent? I don’t know. That situation was serious enough she should be looking for another line of work but time will tell.
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