Auroral

It was recently announced that ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) will be opening the book on tld’s but I’m really not sure that’s such a good idea.

For those that don’t know ICANN are basically the guys who regulate domain name extentions like .co.uk or .com and tld simply means top level domain.

When they open this tin of worms initially it will be a costly process so we may not see too much change straight away however, but imagine the cost to protects ones brand once the costs come down. You already have idiots running around buying up cool domain names and then trying to make their millions reselling those names. So what when theyhave unlimited possibilities.

Personally I’d like to see more restrictions on how people can get those names and more laws to make them hand em over for real reason. If they use the domain fine, but it annoys me when they buy these domains simple to put them on a drop page or use a page generator, you know those annoying search pages with only google ad’s or some other form of advertising. They contribute nothing to any society or anything on the web, they only server as an annoyance.

So in the future we could see domains ending in .msn, .england, .wales, .scotland, .ireland, or any amount of endless possibilities. Could you image E-mail addresses like jim@college.england

The thought of it is cool, but I just hope it’s done with caution I’d hate to see become harder for the small guy or gal to protect their business brand and label. It will become more costly for them protect their brands and labels for sure. .com .org. co.uk .info .net .ws .sc .ca .fr .de .es . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  and thousands more coming this way soon.

You can read more about this over at Yahoo

First of all this blog is thanks to Anders from http://www.andersramsay.com

I installed FireFox 3 and it was driving me nuts, there seemed to be no back button to go back several pages at once. So at first I was clicking and clicking until I was on the verge of going back to an older FireFox version. I did a quick google search after figuring out I couldn’t be the only one annoyed at this, it was then that I found anders website.

These snap shots are also taken from Anders website:

As you see in Firefox there is only one drop down next to the back and forward buttons, which implied to me that you could only go forward.

However as pointed out by Anders, this drop down allows you to back and forwards. It shows you which point you are at with the black dot next to the one your currently veiwing:

Personally I think this should be between the back and next buttons, but now I know it’s there I’m happy.

There are still a couple of other annoyances though, but on a whole I’m now happier with FireFox 3.

So once again, thanks Anders.

Well finally some justice in this world. I should of wrote this on Friday but had other priorities to take care off.

I finally got a response from the DVLA telling me they were sorry for the inconvenience and would drop the case against me, freeing me from the penalty and to right too. I will also get some form of compensation not as much as the stress has caused, but perhaps enough to cover some of those basic expenses. There sending me a grand total of……………… **Drum roll**……………………… Are you sitting down?

£10, yup they are sending me £10 to compensate me.

I’m just happy there is some justice in this world.

If I get a chance then I’ll post there letter up here at some point (but I’m rather busy at the moment).

Well it seems something is now starting to happen, apparently the DVLA have only just contacted Philips today to stop them harassing me, despite telling me in writing this would stop before now.

If you saw my last blog you will of seen I sent another E-mail to them both, and I got a reply from Philips Collection Service:

Dear Mr Bowers,

Thank you for the copy of the recent email sent to the DVLA.

I can confirm that we have been contacted by the DVLA today, 28.05.08 at 11:11 whereupon they have requested the case be returned back to them. This has now been done and further contact should not be received from us at this time.

Our records show that we noted your concerns onto your account and that an official Complaints Form was sent to you on 15.05.08. Once this has been returned by you we will be happy to investigate the matter in question.

In the meantime if you have any further queries please do not hesitate to contact our office.

Kind Regards

Philips

And I fired off a reply back:

I will continue to copy both Philips and the DVLA Here

The DVLA had informed me this would stop long before now, so in their slowness to act my family and I have continued to be harassed by text messages to a land line phone which gives out my personal details and circumstances without care for the data protection act.

Philips I write this E-mail because only a few minutes ago I received another text message to the land line telephone telling me my case is being passed for further action or my balance is still outstanding.

Yet more incompetence, and then to ask me to fill in another complaints form I care not for your procedures in hoping the public are to lazy to fill in a form and then no further action can be taken.I care only for the time lost and the cost incurred by myself in other words you have my complaint in writing I see no reason why I should waste more of my life on this matter except to receive justice.

I’m not sure of whom I dealt with on the phone, it could of even been you for all I know and care, my suggestion though is you send your staff on a customer relations course and train them that mistakes happen and therefore shouldn’t make accusations that a person is a criminal regardless of whether it was done direct or indirect.

Whilst typing this mail I have another message on my phone, that’s two but the first one I put the phone down on, perhaps that’s the message system redelivering.

And I won’t contact your office on the phone to discuss anything, last time we know what happened and look now I’m still being harassed.

Kind Regards
Tim Bowers

I certainly won’t contact them on the phone, the last time I tried to get help from a human in their company they basically accused me of being a criminal and a lier.

Can’t deal with automate systems and can’t deal with real people, this world is screwed.

Well they are still at it, yet another illegal message on an answering machine which my family and friends have access to. If the call had been answered the listener has the chance to key a button to get more of my details (They send some kind of text message to the land line phone).

I tried calling but again a message came on telling my about how they are busy and that I could renew my tax on-line and then it put the phone down on me, so I couldn’t deal with a real person, I couldn’t wait on the line for one either. AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!

So I sent an E-mail to them.

Now I’m starting to get annoyed with your incompetence, your a useless bunch of people. This E-mail is being sent to both the DVLA and Philips Unprofessionally Collection Services. (note the e-mails this is being sent too)

You (DVLA) informed me that you would stop Philips Collection Services from breaking the data protection act on my telephone, by leaving messages for my family and friends to hear. You told me this would stop and you would look into the situation of you misplacing my details about my car being written off by my insurance company in 2006, but they are still hounding. Can’t you people and your own departments communicate, or do you lack some form of intelligence?

I will seek legal action for your incompetence in this matter unless a prompt resolution is found along with substantial compensation for the increasing time and money I loose along with the immense stress you are placing me and my family under, breaking the data protection act is illegal, and you have no grounds to base any legal action against me I did my duty as required, you failed yours!!

http://auroral.co.uk/2008/05/14/dvla-philips-collection-services-ltd-are-taking-me-for-a-ride/

http://auroral.co.uk/2008/05/26/philips-collection-services-and-the-dvla-are-useless/

Note: When searching for Philips Collection Services on Google we display on the front page to your prospective clients.

I will continue to make public posts about your incompetence in this matter.

Kind Regards
The guy who will be suing you.
Timothy Bowers.

Well this still involves the DVLA issue which you can read on the link below:

DVLA & Philips Collections Services LTD Are Taking Me For A Ride

I received a letter from the DVLA informing me they were looking into the matter and would put a hold on the work by Philips Collection Services, well it seems they apparently can’t even control that. Philips Collection Services Left another few messages on my answering machine telling me they are taking further legal action, they again state my name, my penalty. This answering machine is accessible by my friends and family along with people who visit my house, because when you press play it plays out aloud.

If I were in shared accommodation then other people would know my business so the fact is that Philips Collection Services and the DVLA are now illegally breaking the Data Protection Act by making available personally identifiable information without my consent, in a way that others have access to it.

What a waste of tax payers money!!!

Well I called them to complain again only this time I was told my complaint and the original one (see link above) would only deal with the certain issues and if I intended not to pay the fine/penalty then I’d also need to write to another department within the DVLA which is ridiculous how can they not communicate together and sort the mess out they cause. Was it not obvious I’m not going to pay a penalty for something I don’t owe, my car was written off I informed them of such hence my work is done.

Here’s the new letter that’s being sent out to them:

 

Timothy Bowers
## #### ####
#########
Doncaster
#### ###

26th May 2008
Philips Reference: #######
DVLA Reference: ########

Re: Cover Letter - Renault Laguna RT – ### ###

Philips/DVLA

This letter is in addition to my complaint filed on the 12th May 2008.

I’m now being forced to waste yet more of my time on this matter, because apparently your departments cannot coordinate nor communicate with each other directly, This is ridiculous.

You will see in the complaint which is attached with this letter the issues which require addressing.

I have no intention of paying this £80 fine as I’m sure you understand it’s not my debt to pay. I also understand you may deal with tax evasion on a daily basis however even if you claim that you didn’t receive correspondence from me then you will be able to see that this vehicle was written off by my insurance company shortly after the SORN application.

Now there is another issue and one which I’m contemplating legal action on. The company Philips Collection Services, that you viciously set upon me have broken the Data Protection Act by leaving messages on an answering machine. This answering machine is available by my whole house hold, when leaving a message or playing back it’s done out aloud, my friends and family are now aware of this current situation. If I had been in share accommodation other people would know my full name, the debt you claim I owe and that your apparently taking further action. This message left personally identifiable information about me.

You informed me in writing and over the phone that you would stop further action and pestering from Philips Collection Services until you had investigated this matter, well they haven’t stopped they are now sending messages to my phone informing my friends and family of further action that your apparently taking.

I now expect suitable compensation far greater than I originally requested in my other letter, I also require a formal apology.

To notify you, I’m also documenting these incidents on-line along with all letters I send you.

Kindest Regards
Timothy Bowers

Philips Collection Services did send me a complaints form to fill in along with a letter informing me I should provide proof that I informed the DVLA that the vehicle was off the road, well sorry to say but I’m not wasting my time filling in this crap I’ll deal with the organ grinder and not the monkey. I should ask them for proof I didn’t, bloody pratts.

In life it seems very much like you have to deal with idiot after idiot after idiot.

So the latest gripe with two, one being the DVLA and the second being their hounds AKA Philips Collection Services LTD.

So here is where the story starts, it was around the 7th Of November 2006. My wife and I had gone over Manchester with another lady called Diane. On our return we’d come over the Pennines and past the Stocksbridge bypas, we wasn’t too far from Rotherham or Sheffield but as you do, we got stuck in some standing traffic near a round-a-bout, now this road is a good two or three miles in clear sight (ie before the first bend takes the road behind us out of view), anyway this white van driver comes ploughing down at national speed limit, I could see him in my rear view mirror, I knew he wouldn’t be able to stop, I then saw the tyres smoking as he stepped on his breaks, This all happened within seconds and I shouted out ‘Hold on tight’. The van driver said he didn’t see us, but how he didn’t I have no bloody idea, that road is long in sight and it was a clear day, perhaps he should of gone to spec-savers.

Anyway that’s pretty much the story, although of course there is more to it.

I knew the care would be a write off, but had to wait for the insurance company to confirm, so in the meantime I made my Renault Laguna SORN (Statutory Off Road Notice) I left the vehicle off road and awaited my insurance companies instructions.

My insurance company then confirmed the vehicle was a write off which was a sad day for me, I’d had this car for years it hadn’t let me down once and was always good with fuel. They then asked for my log book also known as V5C I believe and would deal with DVLA, so I sent them what they required, and also sent a covering letter to the DVLA to inform them the vehicle was a write off and would no longer be in my name or possession. It was so long ago, but I’m sure I called the DVLA to inform them of the vehicle first and they advised me to send this covering letter as I didn’t have the log book any longer.

Anyway time went on and then I started to receive letters telling me they had issued an £80 penalty against me for failing to renew my car tax. So I tried to call the number provided and got the automated response something like “We’re experiencing high call columns at present please call back later” or something to that affect. I decided to stop calling after a while as I wasn’t going to keep wasting my money calling them to correct their mistake.

I then received a letter from unprofessional company Philips Collection Services LTD, I called them hoping for a more human response and instead I got some woman who acted and responded like she should be working at the bottom of a fast food chain. (No offence meant to people working those jobs, and although stereotypical people in those jobs tend to lack people skills - Not all the time though I know).

She wouldn’t deal with me till I gave her my phone number, I knew they’d hound me if they had it but hey I’m the innocent guy here and hoping to sort out someones incompetence, but she was rude, there was no compassion to the actual situation and said there is no proof I was right and therefore I’m wrong, so she called me a lier and because the of the situation technically a thief.

The call ended with me angry and telling her to ‘Go Screw Herself’.

I’m no receiving harassment calls from this company, and stupid text message to home phone number, I think they should know that harassment is a serious matter, and I may contemplate legal action.

So I’ve now written to the DVLA and to Philips ‘unprofessional and rude’ Collection Services LTD, here is my letter:

Timothy Bowers
## ######## ###
##########
Doncaster
#### ###

12th May 2008

Philips Reference: *#######*
DVLA Reference: *########*

Re: *Renault Laguna RT – ######*

Philips/DVLA

I’m writing the same letter to both Philips Collection Services LTD & DVLA, to save my time which you both apparently like wasting.

The above mentioned Car was involved in a road traffic accident (RTA), on the 7th November 2006 where a van driver hit the rear end of the vehicle whilst in standing traffic coming up to a roundabout, it was believed the insurance company would write the vehicle off and as such a SORN notice was made on-line with the DVLA, however until my insurance company had confirmed these details I choose to keep hold of the log book. After the insurance company had assessed the damage they did in fact confirm the vehicle was to be written off.

My insurance company then requested my log book, which I sent them and in addition to this I also forwarded a letter to the DVLA informing that my vehicle would no longer be on the road or in my ownership.

I was away from my home from the 15th December 2007 until the 26th February 2008 I was then to leave the country on the 2nd March 2008 for a 2 week honeymoon. Between my return dates I obviously read my mail and noticed a letter from the DVLA informing me of this £80 fine, because the SORN had run out and the DVLA wanted to charge me for a late licensing penalty. I tried calling the number provided and got the message “We’re experiencing high call volumes at the moment, please try again later”, and then the automated response hung up on me.

So here are the issues, you were informed that the vehicle was written off and would no longer be in my ownership (You can either claim incompetence or blame the Royal Mail I don’t care) I believe back then I may of even called the DVLA before sending the letter to inform you and was in fact told to send that covering letter. When I received your penalty notice I tried calling your number numerous times but after a while of getting the same response mentioned above and then hung up on I decided to stop wasting my time and my money.

I’ve now been contacted by Philips Collection Services Ltd, who are rude, arrogant, unhelpful and show no compassion when this is quite clearly not my fault. The young lady on the phone had poor telephone manners and wound me to the point that I lost my temper. She refused to deal with me until she had my personal phone number (I initiated the call to sort this problem out), which will no doubt now be used to harass me for these funds I don’t owe.

In all honesty I don’t expect too much from the DVLA after all your pretty much the government, you fail the British public and Philips Collection Services Ltd compliment your outfit in an unprofessional way.

I’m now having to spend more time and more money sorting this problem out, I’m not entirely sure why I even have to write yet another letter, this is after all 2008 most companies in this era have something referred to as E-mail or at least FAX, some companies are even happy just dealing with matters like this over the phone.

I’d appreciate it if this matter could now be dealt with correctly as you can I have no intention of paying a penalty which has been applied falsely. I would also appreciate my costs being recovered for:-

Paper
Stamps
Envelopes
Phone charges
Time

The sum of £80 + Damages would cover the costs I’ve incurred and the time I’ve been force to waste by you, along with the rudeness from the young lady that would perhaps be more suited to working in a fast food chain.

Kindest Regards
Timothy Bowers

You know I get sick and tired of these companies, sending enormous amounts of junk mail through our letter box, and just recently to someone who doesn’t even live here anymore, we keep sending the mail back, and so do they.

I called them today to advise the person they are trying to reach no longer lives here, so please stop wasting paper and killing tree’s to send junk mail, the reply I got from this moron on the phone was “We can’t change the address details without the permission of the account holder, due to data protection”.

So that means it’s alright to keep harassing us until they get the person they need. I asked for his address, so I can annoy him, but he wasn’t going to give it.

Keep on killing those tree’s and keep on annoying people and you’ll be the next Northern Rock.

What a bunch of idiots, I for sure will never use them now.

According to the Telegraph Newspaper, the OGC paid £14,000 for a new logo, that simple looks like something a 5 year old could of come up with.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/04/24/nogc124.xml

The logo, for the Office of Government Commerce, was intended to signify a bold commitment to the body’s aim of “improving value for money by driving up standards and capability in procurement”.

The OGC was created in the early days of the Blair Government when the premier brought in Peter Gershon from GEC Marconi to improve spending efficiency.

I wonder if this is a government agency, then who funded the £14, was it the tax payer again?

Here is their £14,000 logo.

I just looked on E-bay and notice the Wii fit is selling close to £100 with one seller also charging £25 for P&P - Thats close to the cost of an actual Wii.

There are loads going for the same sort of price, why are people paying sill money for these things, I’ve just been to Argos, there in stock, I went to HMV and there also in stock there too and there all priced at the £69.99 RRP.

So why do people pay over the odds on E-bay when they could pay up to £60 less in the shops, and yes these shops do have stock when I checked today, the 25th of April 2008

The only reason we didn’t buy one was because I think it’s stupid you pay so much money and then you have to put batteries in like you do with the Wii remote, HMV do however over a USB battery pack that plugs into the Wii at an extra cost of something like £13 (But means you don’t have to keep pumping them with more costly batteries).

I think we can wait a little longer until the cost comes down some more.

If anyone reads this I suggest you check with your local retailers first, rather than joining the E-bay rip-off.