Are credit card companies over extended?

Are the credit card companies feeling the pinch more than they would care to admit?

In the last decade or so, many of us will have been aware of credit card companies thrusting increased spending limits on people, when they are nearing their current limit and use of the card has slowed.

We are all unfortunately used to what you might call postal SPAM, urging us to take out new cards together with partially completed (where do they get the details?) application forms that we then have to destroy in order to avoid the threat of identity theft.

Recently I have become aware of instances of credit limits being reduced, presumably because of some new panicked arcane algorithms applied to the owners spending habits.

I became aware of a new one the other day though. A credit card actually pulling out of the agreement - for no discernable reason at all. The person pays all their bills on time. In withdrawing the company wrote assuring that there was no problem with the person’s credit record and they could continue to make payments (how kind of them).

Given the current financial climate the owner had prudently cut back on using it and was just making the regular payments in order to reduce it. With the intent of maintain this until some assets were freed up and they could clear the card - though it is surely unlikely the card operator could have known this. Though it does rather smack of breaking up with someone before they can call it off with you.

One can only conclude that the company may be becoming slightly desperate and also possibly needs to look more carefully at it’s computer algorithms as they have lost the sort of reliable customer one would think they would be desperate to hang on to.

Let's hope we arn't going to see any more 'Northern Rocks' too soon - Do we all need to worry more than the Government would have us believe?

It would be interesting to know if anyone can add to this.

Quote of the day

" With or without it, you'd have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things. But for good people to do evil things, it takes religion."

Steven Weinberg

Arch Bishop suggests adoption of aspects of Sharia Law in the UK

About now there must be quite a few people, especially in the corridors of power and possibly within the Anglican Church tuning over the phrase: “Will no one rid me of this turbulent priest?” in their minds - or possibly paraphrasing it and substituting turbulent for pestilential.

Not content to be presiding over the apparent disintegration of the Anglican Church the Arch Bishop of Canterbury Dr Williams has chosen to start stirring things up by unhelpfully suggesting the adoption of some of Sharia law in the UK appeared to be “unavoidable”, attracting criticism from across the (rather narrow these days) political spectrum.

Such comments can only put back the possibility of Moslem integration into British society.

He did raise some valid points in his speech, identifying problems - but his conclusions, solutions and ideas; betray him as misguided, weak and rather foolish.

If the law of the land does not apply equally and fairly for all then it is not the law of the land at all. Ghettos where different laws apply will just entrench the no-go areas the Bishop of Rochester, Rt Rev Michael Nazir-Ali spoke of.

Better we separate religion from the state formally and entirely.

Parliament should be the place the law is decided and it should be uniform - though unfortunately that is becoming less so, as more and more, actual power, is brazenly transferred to the EU, amid political denial.

It seems almost traditional now that Arch Bishops of Canterbury will say something controversial from time to time, possibly in an attempt to appear ‘relevant’.

But maybe it is time for this one to consider stepping down in favour of a more capable pair of hands – and who knows – converting ;-)

Quote of the day

" Tis not the eating, nor 'tis not the drinking that is to be blamed, but the excess

John Selden (1584-1684)

" The excess of our youth are checks written against our age and they are payable with interest thirty years later"

Charles Caleb Colton (1780-1832)

Study shows predisposition to ‘obesity’ is largely inherited

An authoratitive study indicates that so-called ‘obesity’ is strongly influenced by genetic predisposition. The figure they quote is 77%.

Interesting news that, based on past performance, the Government Health fascists will probably do their best to ignore, or claim proves the exact opposite of what it means.

Also it should be remembered the ‘obesity’ definitions were tweaked to take in more people. Increasing the numbers of officially overweight, or obese, in the US alone by 28 million over night.

This does not mean that, because you are predisposed towards being fatter you will actually be fatter - Just that you will probably have to work much harder at avoiding it than others.

Much what many people have been convinced of for years…

Quote of the day

" To make laws that man cannot - and will not obey, serves to bring all law into contempt."

Elizabeth Cady Stanton

UK Government objectivity is ‘questionable’ over water flouridisation

It appears the Government are doing a ‘WMD dossier’ on water flouridisation. Health Secretary, Alan Johnson, has taken an authoritative report that shows tooth decay in children across Europe has fallen - irrespective of whether there is fluoride in the water or not - and is using selected bits of it to push the agenda for the compulsory adulteration of water supplies with fluoride.

Some studies have suggested a link between water flouridisation and increased levels of bladder cancer and hip fracture.

It seems Johnson is also pushing the agenda by bribing strategic health authorities to add fluoride with the prospect of an extra £14 million over a three year period.

He claimed: "Fluoridation is scientifically supported, it is legal, and it is our policy, but only two or three areas currently have it and we need to go much further in areas where dental health needs to be improved.”

Concerning the falling tooth decay the report’s authors state: "This trend has occurred regardless of the concentration of fluoride in water, or the use of fluoridated salt and it probably reflects use of fluoridated toothpastes and other factors, including perhaps nutrition."

You have a choice as to what sort of toothpaste you use, with tap water it is Hobson's choice.

Lets hope the authors can manage to steer clear of Harrowdown Hill.

Quote of the day

" The way to see by faith is to shut the eye of reason."

Benjamin Franklin

Global warming could produce sudden climate shifts later, rather than gradual evidence sooner

It seems that ‘climate scientists’ are now suggesting that ‘global warming’ may result in sudden climate shifts later in the century, rather than in a gradual process.

This would account for any problems in actually detecting, or measuring, a clear, real, obvious, linear change in climatic conditions and puts off the prospect of having to accept that their absence may put the theory into question - until long after the current passengers on the climatic gravy train have well and truly left the platform..

What will happen if the mothership never turns up? Right or wrong, it all has a worrying hint of a millennial religious belief.