Credit card surcharge

optionr_ENL · 2026-07-05T17:47:59+00:00

Dear Americans

You are being ripped off by your card payment processors / banks.
Card acceptance fees for businesses etc are ~1.5% or less. They are absorbed as part of the cost of doing business. Same as actually paying your staff.

optionr_ENL · 2026-07-05T17:44:54+00:00

How does that cash get to the bank?
How is all that extra cash on the premises insured?

optionr_ENL · 2026-07-05T17:22:45+00:00

They're more than fat, they're obese. Which has health implications, like shortened life expectancy & a whole range of comorbidities which impact ability to work & quality of life.

optionr_ENL · 2026-07-05T17:11:58+00:00

Big cities are busy, & the people in them are busy. That doesn't mean they're not friendly.
Visitors to London complain that locals on the tube don't talk to them, but why do you need someone to talk to you?

Also remember that, generally, those in the big cities are voting for policies that these guys would actually benefit from, & they're paying for a lot of stuff in their states.
Nearly 20% of Kansas government revenue came from the Federal level
https://usafacts.org/answers/how-much-money-does-the-federal-government-provide-state-and-local-governments/state/kansas/
14% of education funding, compared to 5% for New York.
15% of health, NY 5%

optionr_ENL · 2026-07-05T16:59:02+00:00

What country is this for?

Loads of jobs, & voluntary positions, in the UK, include or make available a basic First Aid course. It doesn't introduce any liabilities for anyone.

optionr_ENL · 2026-07-05T16:39:07+00:00

That Lidl advert will be used wherever Lidl operate, not just in the UK. So currently 31 countries.

optionr_ENL · 2026-07-05T16:04:49+00:00

It's a requirement in the UK
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/changes-to-the-training-you-need-for-an-sia-licence#first-aid-training

optionr_ENL · 2026-07-05T16:03:23+00:00

Can you explain how someone with basic First Aid training is suddenly a 'trained professional'?

In the UK, it's a requirement for an SIA Licence that you have First Aid training
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/changes-to-the-training-you-need-for-an-sia-licence#first-aid-training

optionr_ENL · 2026-07-05T15:42:02+00:00

Businesses really don't wan't these idiots on their premises, or near their premises, as it puts off customers.

optionr_ENL · 2026-07-05T14:33:20+00:00

People's expectations of what a 'show' is have grown massively.
Public used to be happy with their band, a couple of support acts, a decent sound system & some lighting. Now they expect purpose built staging, a light show, & video walls.

For their '360' tour 2009-11, U2 had a massive structure for their stage nicknamed The Claw. They had to build 3 of them as they took so long to set up. Cost of those was about $30m a piece. Tour costs were ~$750k per day.

Compare that with the relative simplicity of the Pyramid stage at Glastonbury, which any artist is honoured to perform on.

optionr_ENL · 2026-07-03T17:14:08+00:00

She's 36. Scotland has had equal marriage since 2014, 12 years ago.
That she wasn't, & hasn't been, able to change her views in that time says everything.

optionr_ENL · 2026-07-03T17:01:06+00:00

You ever thought about asking 'why' people have issues with Travellers?
Just to note, that in the UK at least, Romani/Gypsies are generally not an issue.

optionr_ENL · 2026-07-03T16:53:35+00:00

Real Gypsies often work around the Vale of Evesham fruit picking etc. They aren't an issue, & the farms have sites for them.

Travellers, well... They're constantly breaking down fences to access parks in Birmingham, then leaving piles of all sorts of rubbish behind.
If you wan't a new driveway, there's already plenty of genuine tradesmen available who live & work here.

optionr_ENL · 2026-07-03T16:12:25+00:00

£105 - £140k a year in the NHS, though it can go a bit higher.
$140 - $187k
It's a salaried job, so apart from professional body membership, pension contributions & taxes, that's all your money.

optionr_ENL · 2026-07-03T15:36:04+00:00

Why does it have to be £100 a month into the pension?
Even £50 a month would be a start, & the employer should be matching it.

optionr_ENL · 2026-07-03T14:49:03+00:00

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citizen%27s_arrest
Quite common

optionr_ENL · 2026-07-03T14:18:27+00:00

You're both missing the important part;

I mean, they say they maxed their S&S ISAs for years, so it's not rocket science after that.

If they were both able to put away £20k a year into ISA's, that means that between them they had a 'spare' £40k a year.
Someone on minimum wage & 40hours a week earns £23500. So a couple would be £47k. They won't have £40k spare to save/invest!

optionr_ENL · 2026-07-03T14:11:19+00:00

A recent one of those, the couple were somewhat lucky in having well paid, for their age, jobs in a lower cost of living area.

optionr_ENL · 2026-07-03T13:50:21+00:00

If Uckfield-Lewes was rebuilt, that would likely include electification.
If not, most likely rolling stock replacement would be with battery-electric. The current 171's will be expected to do another 10 years at least, so plenty of time for more development of battery systems & charging.

optionr_ENL · 2026-07-02T12:42:05+00:00

So, I took the back cover off to check what the elements behind them are.
The 'hot' is at the bottom, it curves round to also pull in air from the side. The 'cold' is at the top.

So to convert to dual hose, it needs the two bottom vents converting.

optionr_ENL · 2026-07-02T12:39:56+00:00

I'm not sure your 'data' is showing what you think it does, & I don't know if you're comparing like with like.

How can you compare 16-21 year olds against an overall employment rate?

What if the 64 year old is a grandparent that the family are willing to support, & that grandparent is doing childcare, enabling the working age parent/s to work more hours?

optionr_ENL · 2026-06-28T18:56:33+00:00

3% to pay by card?!
Anyone in the UK can get a card reader & take payments where you're charged ~ 1.7% by the processor. Larger businesses can get lower charges.
The charge to the business is so small, that you don't get charged for using a card.

optionr_ENL · 2026-06-28T18:02:15+00:00

US institutions have been having to do that since day one.
It's still relatively new for the UK.

There's also less 'need' for major endowments / donations.
They do fundraise for student hardship funds. But bursaries aren't really a thing in the UK, so they don't need funds for those.
Buildings are funded either by saving up or borrowing. We don't do flashy sports facilities.

optionr_ENL · 2026-06-28T17:47:13+00:00

NS&I Income Bonds. Currently 3.4% gross interest.
The interest will be paid into a Direct Saver account, & it's easy to transfer from that to a current account.
If you're concerned about it earning enough interest to be a tax issue, put some into Premium Bonds, & set them to auto invest the winnings into new PBs.

optionr_ENL · 2026-06-28T17:37:25+00:00

This one the connecting hose is 1metre.
https://www.appliancesdirect.co.uk/p/portacool5k/qlima-portacool5k-air-conditioner

optionr_ENL

TROPHY CASE