Saving the Planet - Not (rant)

I have great difficulty with all phrases that imply the planet is having any kind of problem and that we can save it. The planet is not dying, the planet has no need of saving, it is absolutely fine, hardly noticed we are here. It's been around for 4.5 billion years or so and will be around for billions more. The environment on it's skin is changing, as is has continuously changed since it's birth and whether we caused a slight warming or a few volcanoes were responsible makes little difference from the planets point of view. The planet, (and there are other ones as well) has been very hot and an very cold, it's had massive eruptions of volcanoes that have made the rain as acid as a car battery. And yet it just keeps spinning away and life on it's surface evolved to suit the ever changing conditions.

So let's get over ourselves. The plant is fine, it's us that are in trouble and imagining that we are such powerful beings that we can 'save' a whole planet if we choose is arrogant in the extreme. Maybe if we understood ourselves as part of a huge system that nobody controls but that we can all influence in a small way, we might find better ways of changing that which we can and adapting to that which we can't.

Irish Economy in Recession - It's official

I have a low opinion of economists in general (with a few notable exceptions), especially when it comes to forecasting. They seem blinkered by their world of numbers and seem only able to roll forward the current situation and add a bit of sugar (after all if they predict bad news it will happen) and hope for the best. The housing boom wasn't going to end, until it did. Then we were going to have a soft landing, despite the experience of every other country, and today they announce we are not. 

But never fear, our predictions for 2009 are a smart recovery. On what basis might I ask? Oil has peaked/plateaued and the outlook is for a period of unstable but overall rising prices. Food prices are on the increase worldwide for reasons mainly liked to climate change and the increase in energy price. The price of many commodities such as copper and steel are on the rise, and at home the housing boom has ended and it is hard to see what is going to pick up the slack. Which leaves me wondering why do we keep listening to economists when they've got it so wrong lately and look set to get it wrong again?

I know we are not supposed to talk about the economy in a negative way because we will talk ourselves into a depression, but is that not child-like behaviour? Wouldn't it be more grown up to say, "Yes we have a problem, we understand what it is, and this is what we are going to do about it. There may be some pain for a while but this will give us a sustainable economy in the longer term." It's called leadership and it's sadly lacking in my view.

Yes the problems are very big - out 20th century economy was based on cheap oil - but there also many opportunities and much we can do, if we want to.

Economists are not without a sense of humour however, I saw this title of an ESRI report which made me smile: "A Stern Reply to the Reply to the Review of the Stern Review"

We've got to fight dangerous climate change - Not

"We've got to fight dangerous climate change". A little sound bite from Hilary Benn, Secretary of Status in the UK on the TV programme Dispatches tonight when asked whether incentives for biofuel production was a good idea given rising food prices. Who are we fighting exactly? It takes two to start a war and I don't think the climate gives a toss about us. But clearly climate is 'dangerous' and what we do when things are dangerous? We fight!! This piece of misdirection avoids laying any blame and implies there is an enemy somewhere to be afraid of but this government is on our side and we are going to fight together. Hurrah!

I see no reason to use such emotive language. Climate change is a massive problem that requires us all to engage and find out how it affects each of us. What does it mean for me and my family? What can I do, individually and collectively? The qualities that will see us through this are ingenuity, leadership, creativity and collaboration. Qualities not inspired by fearful citizens ready to fight off the invaders, which is the image that comes to my mind by this sound bite.

Barclays again

Need to urgently transfer back some money to my cousin, so went to barclays.co.uk

So I don't have the pin to go with the card sentry thing that the online banking system wants, so I click on "No got your card sentry?" link and it asks for my date of birth and connect card details. So I go out to the car and get my wallet and the card and fill in the details and it says "If you want access to accounts then please call us on 0845 600 2323*"!!!!! So what exactly was the point of entering that data?  

I am writing this as I am on hold for the number above.  Apparently all the advisors are busy as demand for this service is extremely high at the moment.   What a surprise.
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Still holding.
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It's 21:02 on a sunday.  I wonder if the long wait is due to a lots of frustrated people trying to use online banking or that barclays call centre staff are sensibly at home on a sunday.
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Can Barclays get away with this because
a) most people are too lazy/busy to change their bank.
b) other banks provide a similar service
c) customers have run  up huge loans/overdrafts with barclays that no other bank would take on
d) Barclays are actually better than other banks
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So if I hang up now will I have a longer and more expensive call tomorrow morning?
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"We are sorry for keeping me waiting."
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Just worked out how to use Leopard spaces.  Cool.  I going to have one space just or mail.
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21:15 I give up.  Not going to have my Sunday ruined by another Barclays frustration.
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To be continued (unfortunately)....

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Rant on Barclays

I dread having to deal with Barclays Bank. It always turns into a protracted nightmare of calls until finally I find someone very helpful who is able to resolve the problem, or not. It's not the people, who are almost without exception friendly and as helpful as they are able to be, it's the systems.

I have been banking with Barclays for more than 25 years now and do I get any special treatment? I went overdrawn last year just before Christmas and as I am in Ireland I knew there was no way I was going to be able to post a cheque into them before Christmas hit so I asked if they could give me a £500 overdraft until the new year. No my recent transactions didn't qualify me!

Today I spent half an hour on the phone, trying to find out if I did indeed have an overdaft as the online system said I had. 4 transfers later and it turns out that I don't but whereas the online system appeared happy to give me a £1975 overdraft if I filled out just one page (until it said I already had an overdraft), the telephone adviser wanted my life history before giving me £500 overdraft. I gave up half way though the life history. Just not worth the hassle. And that's not to mention the calculator thing that I will need to use in future every time I use online banking. Yet another thing to lose.

Despite all this frustration have I changed banks? No. Not yet. And it would be so easy to keep my happy and banking with Barclays for the rest of my life. I think Barcays should have a policy of giving all account holders over 15 years a free premium service. Make us feel valued. If you treat us the same as the person who has only had an account with you for a year, then why stay?

I shall be moving to an internet only bank who want to provide me with a good service and welcome any recommendations.

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