Sky's the Limit

Man, those call centres are frustrating. I have absolutely no problem with a multicultural and multiracial society, or indeed a global economy. But do we really have to outsource call-centres where the staff don't have a strong enough understanding of the customers' language - come on guys, it's just not acceptable.

I have just spent the best part of an hour on the phone to Sky, trying to resolve an issue with my direct debit that they had caused. This has been going on for six months! It turns out that the reason for the problem, that I have finally been told [thank you, Chris, who spoke perfect English and was in their London call centre] is that you can not set up a direct debit for a joint account over the phone.

So the first 40 minutes were spent firstly getting nowhere with two operatives who's first language was not English who advised that I keep calling back 'until I get through to someone in the UK.' Really? After four attempts, step in Google search, which happily located the following.

Hallelujah

TELEPHONE CHEAT CODES FOR MAJOR COMPANIES

Company Phone number

PRESS <0> <#> IN QUICK SUCCESSION

Alliance & Leicester 0870 9011001
American Express 01273 576576
Bank of Scotland 0845 7213141
Barclays 0845 7555555
BUPA 0845 6090111
Capital One 0800 9525150
Comet 0870 542 5425
Dell 0870 152 4699
DHL 0870 1100300
DVLA 0870 240009
Egg 0845 1233233
Goldfish 0141 2049005
Halifax 0845 7203040
HSBC 0845 7404404
Lloyds TSB 0800 0969779
NatWest 0870 3331993
NHS Direct 0845 4647
O2 0870 2410202
PC World 0870 2420444
Royal Mail 0845 7740740
Sainsbury's Bank 0845 3055888
Sky 0870 2404040
Tesco 0845 6040409
3Mobile 07782 333333

DON'T PRESS ANYTHING
Carphone Warehouse 0870 111 7400
Onetel 0800 957 0523
P&O 08705 212121
Southern Electric 0845 7444555
Southern Water 0845 2720845
Virgin Holidays 0870 220 2707

ENTER WRONG MOBILE No 3 TIMES
Orange 450 from Orange mobile

PRESS <*> <0> EACH TIME YOUHEAR AUTOMATEDVOICE
BT 0800 800 150

PRESS <0> THREE TIMES SLOWLY
T-Mobile 0845 412 5000

As the Sky cheat really helped me out, it's only fair to post the link for more stuff

Life's Rich Tapestry

Life's Rich Tapestry...

A philosophy professor stood before his class and had some items in front of him.

When the class began, wordlessly he picked up a large empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with rocks, rocks about 2" in diameter. He then asked the students if the jar was full?
They agreed that it was.

So the professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles, of course, rolled into the open areas between the rocks. He then asked the students again if the jar was full.

They agreed that it was.

The students laughed as the professor picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else.

"Now," said the professor, "I want you to recognise that this is your life. The rocks are the important things - your family, your partner, your health,your children - things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house, your car. The sand is everything else. The small stuff.
If you put the sand into the jar first, there is no room for the pebbles or the rocks. The same goes for your life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your partner out dancing. There will always be time to go to work, clean the house, give a dinner party and fix the disposal."
"Take care of the rocks first - the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand."

But then...

A student then took the jar which the other students and the professor agreed was full, and proceeded to pour in a glass of beer. Of course the beer filled the remaining spaces within the jar making the jar
truly full.

The moral of this tale is:

That no matter how full your life is, there is always room for BEER.