Nice People Thread No. 14, all Nice and Proper

Generali

I had a 'turned out nice again' morning.

Got on the train which was packed but found a nice seat in the corner by the window. Then the signals failed so we all got turfed out at Central (like all the termini in London in one but smaller because we have fewer trains).

I went to get another train the rest of the way but it was chaos: staff and passengers didn't have a Scooby what was going on so I thought, 'beggur it, I'll walk'. It was the perfect weather for it, cool (for Sydney) and sunny. It was a bit short of a couple of miles I reckon. A good stroll.

I still got to work in good time and knocked off the last nasty part of a project that people have been failing on for a decade that I'm 3 months in to.

Then home for steak, red wine sauce and saut! pots with salad. Nom!

michaels

GDB2222 wrote: »

S & D Electrics - Shareskill Ltd

Thank you...

michaels

Generali wrote: »

I had a 'turned out nice again' morning.

Got on the train which was packed but found a nice seat in the corner by the window. Then the signals failed so we all got turfed out at Central (like all the termini in London in one but smaller because we have fewer trains).

I went to get another train the rest of the way but it was chaos: staff and passengers didn't have a Scooby what was going on so I thought, 'beggur it, I'll walk'. It was the perfect weather for it, cool (for Sydney) and sunny. It was a bit short of a couple of miles I reckon. A good stroll.

I still got to work in good time and knocked off the last nasty part of a project that people have been failing on for a decade that I'm 3 months in to.

Then home for steak, red wine sauce and saut! pots with salad. Nom!

You definitely shouldn't consider a career as a contracter, long running projects are there to be milked, not to be resolved....

Percy1983

Better late than never.



Mini me doing a fist pump (must have been the bon jovi we had been listening to)

GDB2222

Percy1983 wrote: »

Better late than never.



Mini me doing a fist pump (must have been the bon jovi we had been listening to)

I'm useless at interpreting these scans. Looks a bit like a baby seal to me. Hopefully, I'm wrong about that.

vivatifosi

No NP around this evening? Hope you are all ok.

Have been watching a series on Sky about what it's like to be a billionaire. Tonight it was about security.I don't think I'd like to be a billionaire who USA constant target of organised crime and feeling unable to trust anyone. It came across as extremely removed from reality for many.

The end part was about philanthropy and how America has driven the growth if philanthropic billionaires looking to give away50% of their wealth. Even if philanthropic billionaires aren't the focus, one fact I heard and had to write down was that the average billionaire leaves $100m to philanthropic causes.

I may have to take a more benign view of non doms now.

Nikkster

I'm here :wave:
I've just been so grumpy this afternoon even I don't want to talk to me

Think it's a combination of feeling tired, a bit fed up at work and PMT :eek:

I'm also being hassled about next week... various people asking what I'm doing when I have no idea (I might even be counting postal vote every evening, if I ever hear back about that...). And there is a chance I'll be getting my new front door. They're trying to be nice (it'll be a year since my last birthday) but I hate organising things like that, let alone if there is even a hint of it revolving around me.

CKhalvashi

vivatifosi wrote: »

I may have to take a more benign view of non doms now.

More than half of my money (well, ok, some belongs to HSBC too) is invested in Eastern Europe, with a rather large portion in my home country and a fair amount in the Eastern European country that everyone seems to hate.

I'm not a billionaire, and I want a return on it, but surely any attempt to create/keep jobs in developing countries is better than nothing. I agreed to match fund 50% of a respite weekend for 30 disabled kids last year (about £3000), and gave about another £5k to various small charities/volunteer groups on top of this.

It's important to remember that the main company does very little trade in the UK (the office/staff/vehicles are here, but about 90% of our trade is EU and only about 2% in the UK), and the way the business is run coincidentally messes with my tax status each year. I have been tax resident for the 6 of the last 10 years.

I remember saying to someone 4-5 years ago that if they have a problem with my tax status I'll happily take 80 jobs (around 55 of whom are UK nationals) abroad with me. They were very quickly quiet.

Can't sleep, my body aches everywhere and I have a meeting at 10am.....This is going to be fun!

Generali

CKhalvashi wrote: »

I'm not a billionaire, and I want a return on it, but surely any attempt to create/keep jobs in developing countries is better than nothing. I agreed to match fund 50% of a respite weekend for 30 disabled kids last year (about £3000), and gave about another £5k to various small charities/volunteer groups on top of this.

Good on you CKhalvashi. Supporting unfashionable causes is important: 'everyone' gives money to the RSPCA and Oxfam.

I give to Alzheimer's, advocacy for children in care and the homeless. Now I'm working part-time once I have resolved some personal issues I want to start doing some volunteering to help homeless people.

CKhalvashi

Generali wrote: »

Good on you CKhalvashi. Supporting unfashionable causes is important: 'everyone' gives money to the RSPCA and Oxfam.

I give to Alzheimer's, advocacy for children in care and the homeless. Now I'm working part-time once I have resolved some personal issues I want to start doing some volunteering to help homeless people.

Good on you Gen!

It's the small charities that can do the most valuable work, and often don't get any recognition for it.

For the match funding this year (I've agreed to sponsor 50% again) I've teamed with a property developer (small local concern, building no more than maybe 15-20 properties a year) to raise the other half.

I don't mind giving to small charities, but I have a very specific list when it comes to funding anything; largely that I want the charity to raise half the money, they must be local and they mustn't be any bigger than necessary.

My main hobby in my spare time is jigsaws, and I'll usually buy a batch of about 10-12 in a charity shop, for them to be returned to the shop several weeks later. I buy/donate to/from a local hospice again, rather than one of the big ones that is probably well funded already.