Sunday, 27 February 2011
Friday, 18 February 2011
How Not To Apply For Backdated Unemployment Benefit
I recently sent the following letter re my request for backdated unemployment benefit:
Dear Sir/Madam,
I recently received a correspondence from you re my appeal for backdated Job Seeker’s Allowance.
I asked the JobCentre in a recent letter what formed ‘good cause’ -as stated by them- for not making this back payment and, in response, they sent me a short novel of 18 pages. English is my mother tongue but I must admit that I was defeated by this document and could not make head or tail of it and certainly did not see any response to my query.
I then received the correspondence from your office saying that my appeal had been forwarded to a Tribunal Service. For the princely sum of £261.80, they are willing to waste an enormous amount of people’s time, including my own, to deliberate on what justifies ‘good cause’. I’m sure this effort will cost more than £261.80 but then perhaps the Department for Work and Pensions needs the amount they are withholding from me to actually pay towards the process of not paying me. That perhaps forms a ‘good cause’ for them but less so for me.
You kindly ask if I need help completing the form but what I really need is help understanding the Department for Work and Pensions. As a tax payer for most of my adult life, I am baffled by their inability to explain what constitutes ‘good cause’. By all means, let us all continue wasting our time with this appeal but I, or any representative, will not be attending the hearing.
Yours etc.,
Needless to say, they turned down my appeal. More annoyingly, they still didn't answer the question re 'good cause'...
Dear Sir/Madam,
I recently received a correspondence from you re my appeal for backdated Job Seeker’s Allowance.
I asked the JobCentre in a recent letter what formed ‘good cause’ -as stated by them- for not making this back payment and, in response, they sent me a short novel of 18 pages. English is my mother tongue but I must admit that I was defeated by this document and could not make head or tail of it and certainly did not see any response to my query.
I then received the correspondence from your office saying that my appeal had been forwarded to a Tribunal Service. For the princely sum of £261.80, they are willing to waste an enormous amount of people’s time, including my own, to deliberate on what justifies ‘good cause’. I’m sure this effort will cost more than £261.80 but then perhaps the Department for Work and Pensions needs the amount they are withholding from me to actually pay towards the process of not paying me. That perhaps forms a ‘good cause’ for them but less so for me.
You kindly ask if I need help completing the form but what I really need is help understanding the Department for Work and Pensions. As a tax payer for most of my adult life, I am baffled by their inability to explain what constitutes ‘good cause’. By all means, let us all continue wasting our time with this appeal but I, or any representative, will not be attending the hearing.
Yours etc.,
Needless to say, they turned down my appeal. More annoyingly, they still didn't answer the question re 'good cause'...
Sunday, 13 February 2011
Subjectivistically Speaking
"We don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are" said Anais Nin.
Between puzzling over what my next business card will say about me and shaking my head at the commodification of love that is Valentine’s Day, I have also been pondering if one can see things as they really are without the distortions of one’s own views and emotions.
I mean, is it possible to have objective knowledge when the only way to gather knowledge is subjective?
I’m asking myself this because I was chatting to this blonde the other night and objectively she was attractive but she then talked to another guy which subjectively made her a skank.
Between puzzling over what my next business card will say about me and shaking my head at the commodification of love that is Valentine’s Day, I have also been pondering if one can see things as they really are without the distortions of one’s own views and emotions.
I mean, is it possible to have objective knowledge when the only way to gather knowledge is subjective?
I’m asking myself this because I was chatting to this blonde the other night and objectively she was attractive but she then talked to another guy which subjectively made her a skank.
Wednesday, 9 February 2011
Interview
‘OK, well I have no further questions, Sebastian. Is there anything you would like to ask me?’
‘Yes. Do you think I’m here because social determinism dictates that I should be?’
‘I’m sorry?’
‘Well, I guess I’m wondering if embracing absurdity and lack of meaning is more valid than trying to slip into the straightjacket roles that society offers us…?’
‘I’m not sure I follow…’
‘I mean, why try so hard to be someone? If you have to try then surely it isn’t really you…’
‘Uh, well, we can come back to that… Do you have any other questions?’
‘Yes, do you offer luncheon vouchers?’
‘Yes. Do you think I’m here because social determinism dictates that I should be?’
‘I’m sorry?’
‘Well, I guess I’m wondering if embracing absurdity and lack of meaning is more valid than trying to slip into the straightjacket roles that society offers us…?’
‘I’m not sure I follow…’
‘I mean, why try so hard to be someone? If you have to try then surely it isn’t really you…’
‘Uh, well, we can come back to that… Do you have any other questions?’
‘Yes, do you offer luncheon vouchers?’
Thursday, 3 February 2011
Stupid Young Man
I tried to pass her on the left but she drifted that way.
She was elderly, had a cane and walked slowly.
I stopped, then started to walk past her on the right.
She decided she wanted to go that way and turned. Her cane hit my leg.
"Stupid young man!" she said.
I looked at her.
What was I supposed to do: engage her on the fact that frustration with her situation was nothing to do with me or rugby tackle her yelling 'Who's your Daddy?'?
"Sorry," I said.
I walked on, shaking my head.
Still, she did call me young.
She was elderly, had a cane and walked slowly.
I stopped, then started to walk past her on the right.
She decided she wanted to go that way and turned. Her cane hit my leg.
"Stupid young man!" she said.
I looked at her.
What was I supposed to do: engage her on the fact that frustration with her situation was nothing to do with me or rugby tackle her yelling 'Who's your Daddy?'?
"Sorry," I said.
I walked on, shaking my head.
Still, she did call me young.
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