Rant Thread

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When I was working, I used to put (Mrs) after my name at the end of formal letters. Purely to help anyone replying not having to dither about whether I was a Miss/Ms/Mrs. If I’d been a chap, there would have been no problem at all, I have a feeling that the ease of using “Mr” has never occurred to the majority of men!
Ms never seems to have caught on.
 
Harry said:
When I was working, I used to put (Mrs) after my name at the end of formal letters. Purely to help anyone replying not having to dither about whether I was a Miss/Ms/Mrs. If I’d been a chap, there would have been no problem at all, I have a feeling that the ease of using “Mr” has never occurred to the majority of men!
Ms never seems to have caught on.
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Where a woman signed off with her preferred prefix/title, I found this tremendously helpful in business communications. When there was ambiguity, it usually did occur to me, that this was another instance of how lucky I was to be born a male. Which often reminded me that this is still a man's world and that, as with most things in life, change comes more slowly than one would wish.
I seem to recall that many women students that were contemporaries in the 80's and bound for professions used Ms.
What subsequent generations use, I have no clue.
 
Harry said:
When I was working, I used to put (Mrs) after my name at the end of formal letters. Purely to help anyone replying not having to dither about whether I was a Miss/Ms/Mrs. If I’d been a chap, there would have been no problem at all, I have a feeling that the ease of using “Mr” has never occurred to the majority of men!
Ms never seems to have caught on.
Click to expand...

If unaware, I was always taught that 'Ms.' was neutral and therefore the correct method. But had someone referred to you as 'Miss' would you have been offended?

C
 
Opening business bank accounts.

Why, when you have banked with a certain bank for 10+ years do you have to have an appointment with a Business Banker (not sure if that is a euphemism) to open another?
However, you have to have a phone call first.

What's worse is that my local branch can't even have a call with me until the 10th June!
But Bexley can on Friday. So my new bank account will be opened at the Bexley branch of what used to be called Abbey National! :rolleyes:

Don't get me started on other banks either, tried to open one with Nat West, it would be easier getting hold of Putin to speak to as opposed to someone in that shower of a bank to try an open an account!

And breathe.......
 
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GeoffCapes said:
Opening business bank accounts.
Why, when you have banked with a certain bank for 10+ years do you have to have an appointment with a Business Banker (not sure if that is a euphemism) to open another?.....
Click to expand...

I tried to open a new business bank account with Barclays (already a personal and business customer, and an ex employee) by talking to my local branch; they offered me an interview 3 months ahead. Lloyds were the same.
Then someone in a Barclays branch gave me a 'secret' link for an online banking application and I had all the paperwork in the post 3 days later. Absurd.

Even more silly, we tried to open a non-Barclays business account to stash some extra cash from our usual Barclays business account (for safety and deposit guarantees), but ALL the banks refused, as MrsMarkMas was listed as a director under her maiden name but all her identity documents were under her married name. One bank suggested that she solve their bureaucratic problem by changing her name by deed poll back to her maiden name. I offered to bring in a copy of Who's Who which gives both her names (!), but apparently that wasn't on the list of valid identity documents. Grr.
 
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Ebenezer said:
I'm a Stephen but invariably it got shortened to Steve by work colleagues. So I started signing emails Stephe. Cue much consternation over the years. Which gender? How to pronounce? What nationality?

Eb is easier!
Eb
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I always thought it was pronounced Stephé
 
Ebenezer said:
I'm a Stephen but invariably it got shortened to Steve by work colleagues. So I started signing emails Stephe. Cue much consternation over the years. Which gender? How to pronounce? What nationality?

Eb is easier!
Eb
Click to expand...

Did you write this?

Urban Dictionary: Stephe

Stephe: A shortened form of [Stephen]. Not commonly used, but the most awesome. People named Stephen who [shorten] their name to Steve are [posers].
www.urbandictionary.com www.urbandictionary.com

100293
 
MarkMas said:
I tried to open a new business bank account with Barclays (already a personal and business customer, and an ex employee) by talking to my local branch; they offered me an interview 3 months ahead. Lloyds were the same.
Then someone in a Barclays branch gave me a 'secret' link for an online banking application and I had all the paperwork in the post 3 days later. Absurd.

Even more silly, we tried to open a non-Barclays business account to stash some extra cash from our usual Barclays business account (for safety and deposit guarantees), but ALL the banks refused, as MrsMarkMas was listed as a director under her maiden name but all her identity documents were under her married name. One bank suggested that she solve their bureaucratic problem by changing her name by deed poll back to her maiden name. I offered to bring in a copy of Who's Who which gives both names (!), but apparently that wasn't on the list of valid identity documents. Grr.
Click to expand...

I actually wanted to open a corporate account, but figured that would be far too taxing, so I'm opening a business one, and when they see the amount going into the account they can change it themselves!
Dare I tell them I want it in Euros? :beat_brick:
 
HMRC...
Me: Why is my tax code not 1275?
Them: There's a potential underpayment on the 21-22 Tax year
Me: Potential?
Them: Yes, we think you may have not paid enough tax last year
Me: But I've not done my self assessment yet
Them: No, that's why it's a potential one
Me: Did you tell me about this at all?
Them: Well we told you what your tax code was
Me: No, I mean about the underpayment
Them: No, it's only a potential....

OTOH they did answer on the first ring....

C
 
GeoffCapes said:
I actually wanted to open a corporate account, but figured that would be far too taxing, so I'm opening a business one, and when they see the amount going into the account they can change it themselves!
...
Click to expand...

I thought a 'corporate account' and a 'business account' were the same thing.
 
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