Random Thoughts Part 4 - Split Thread

[HomogenousCow]

Bank account application was rejected due to credit score. Thing is I haven't borrowed a cent in my life, never even had an account in my name. What the hell.

 

[Ibix]

It could be your bank being odd (there are, I think, occasional peculiar behaviours in their credit scoring systems). However, I'm sorry to say that just because you haven't borrowed money in your name doesn't mean that no-one has. You might want to check your credit record. At least in the UK it's pretty straightforward to do.

 

[HomogenousCow]

It could be your bank being odd (there are, I think, occasional peculiar behaviours in their credit scoring systems). However, I'm sorry to say that just because you haven't borrowed money in your name doesn't mean that no-one has. You might want to check your credit record. At least in the UK it's pretty straightforward to do.

Tried doing that, they asked for my credit card number which doesn't exist. Being a Chinese citizen, I don't see how it's possible for someone here to steal my identity and borrow money. (currently studying in the UK)

 

[zoobyshoe]

Bank account application was rejected due to credit score. Thing is I haven't borrowed a cent in my life, never even had an account in my name. What the hell.

Tried doing that, they asked for my credit card number which doesn't exist. Being a Chinese citizen, I don't see how it's possible for someone here to steal my identity and borrow money. (currently studying in the UK)

I think I see the problem. "Due to credit score," probably means, in your case, you have no credit score. You are a credit risk because you're a credit unknown.

 

[HomogenousCow]

I think I see the problem. "Due to credit score," probably means, in your case, you have no credit score. You are a credit risk because you're a credit unknown.

I'm so confused, can't they just deny any loans if I ask from them? I just need an account to receive money.

 

[zoobyshoe]

I'm so confused, can't they just deny any loans if I ask from them? I just need an account to receive money.

I think the problem is that a credit card account can be linked directly to a bank account such that items charged on the card are automatically paid for from the bank account. That is: the monthly credit card bill is automatically paid from the bank account. I believe that's actually what most people do. So, a person can exceed their credit limit without the bank being consulted. Therefore, they want people with a solid history of paying off their credit card bill.

The risk for them here is that, if they give you a bank account, you might then go out and get a credit card and link it to that account and then overextend your credit.

 

[Ibix]

I take it you've just moved countries, in which case I agree with Zooby's analysis.

The UK has a requirement that banks provide a "Basic Account" expressly for people lacking a credit history (or with a loooong one) who still need to get paid electronically. You can pay money in by all the usual means, but you can only get cash in the bank or an ATM. No credit/debit card, no overdraft, and no direct debits (I think). Don't know if the US has something similar.

 

[HomogenousCow]

I take it you've just moved countries, in which case I agree with Zooby's analysis.

The UK has a requirement that banks provide a "Basic Account" expressly for people lacking a credit history (or with a loooong one) who still need to get paid electronically. You can pay money in by all the usual means, but you can only get cash in the bank or an ATM. No credit/debit card, no overdraft, and no direct debits (I think). Don't know if the US has something similar.

I guess I'll get one of those, borrow small sums of money, sit on it and then give it back for credit score.

 

[WWGD]

I guess I'll get one of those, borrow small sums of money, sit on it and then give it back for credit score.

Or buy something that does not cost much on credit and pay it on time. They may give you a credit line if the amount is not too high.

 

[HomogenousCow]

Or buy something that does not cost much on credit and pay it on time. They may give you a credit line if the amount is not too high.

You know, how is it that one can't just keep borrowing small amounts of money for very short periods of time to steadily increase their credit score? I imagine you could probably get a small loan for a day or something.

EDIT: Just realized that's what a credit card allows you to do

 

[WWGD]

You know, how is it that one can't just keep borrowing small amounts of money for very short periods of time to steadily increase their credit score? I imagine you could probably get a small loan for a day or something.

EDIT: Just realized that's what does a credit card allows you to do

I wish I knew more about it to offer a solution, sorry, I have been fortunate to not have problems despite rarely borrowing or buying on credit. But, yes, maybe getting a credit card and paying it on time will also help.

 

[fresh_42]

Shouldn't someone start a thread where we can make fun of what is written elsewhere in the serious ones? I just read a new one titled: "What is pressure?" - I have at least three answers in mind which of all are not suitable to be posted ... And that happens often. @andrewkirk asked today for the conclusion "living in Sydney implies living in Australia". Hell, that has been difficult to form an answer around Nova Scotia.

 

[WWGD]

Shouldn't someone start a thread where we can make fun of what is written elsewhere in the serious ones? I just read a new one titled: "What is pressure?" - I have at least three answers in mind which of all are not suitable to be posted ... And that happens often. @andrewkirk asked today for the conclusion "living in Sydney implies living in Australia". Hell, that has been difficult to form an answer around Nova Scotia.

There was an apartment complex around here called the Sydney apartments. And, just in case, there is a Melbourne in Florida.

 

[zoobyshoe]

You know, how is it that one can't just keep borrowing small amounts of money for very short periods of time to steadily increase their credit score? I imagine you could probably get a small loan for a day or something.

EDIT: Just realized that's what a credit card allows you to do

For years I only used my credit card to pay for one bill a month, my internet dial up service, which was less than $30.00 US. The fact I always paid on time earned me some sort of spectacular credit rating. My credit limit was raised, and every other credit card wanted me to get one of theirs. It is not the amount, it's your dependability they care about. I guess unreliable people demonstrate they are unreliable with even small amounts.

Regardless, I would get one of those "basic accounts" Ibix referred to. That sounds much simpler.

 

[fresh_42]

There was an apartment complex ...

Did you realize you threw the next pass to be caught?

 

[zoobyshoe]

Shouldn't someone start a thread where we can make fun of what is written elsewhere in the serious ones?

There is, in fact, just such a thread. That is not it's express purpose, but it can easily be bent to that purpose. It used to be a healthy and thriving thread, but something strange happened at PF a while back and the people with no sense of humor somehow came to greatly exceed those with a sense of humor. The last great PF humorist, JimmySnyder, (JimmySnider?) departed PF one day a few years back, never to be seen again, leaving only the words, "PF is stupid." in his wake.

PF used to be an hysterically funny place. People often even made wise cracks in the serious forums now and then.

 

[HomogenousCow]

There is, in fact, just such a thread. That is not it's express purpose, but it can easily be bent to that purpose. It used to be a healthy and thriving thread, but something strange happened at PF a while back and the people with no sense of humor somehow came to greatly exceed those with a sense of humor. The last great PF humorist, JimmySnyder, (JimmySnider?) departed PF one day a few years back, never to be seen again, leaving only the words, "PF is stupid." in his wake.

PF used to be an hysterically funny place. People often even made wise cracks in the serious forums now and then.

This one time someone was trying to present a personal theory when he posted a link which lead to a 404 page, to which someone replied

"I too have stared at the 404 page and wondered about its significance"
I guess it was more funny at time.

 

[fresh_42]

I understand that it's hard to keep trolls out or to avoid drifting into pure comic. However, sometimes I got the impression that the slightest funny remark would have led to immediate deletion. It somehow comforts me that I'm not the only one who is delighted by a good joke from time to time.

 

[zoobyshoe]

We had a pretty heavy rain this afternoon. There were a few new rivers in the neighborhood for a while, and I understand other parts of the city got flooded. Another big storm expected tomorrow.

 

[fresh_42]

Another idea for a thread: "Things I haven't said." (I just deleted: I guess we still have to wait for another Ramanujan.)
If I remember right it was Bernard Shaw who has been asked to be a little more polite in answering a letter and he replied: "You should have read what I didn't write by politeness."

 

[Silicon Waffle]

I deleted my post because I find it is like a word salad and have incorrect conclusions about mental disorders.

 

[fresh_42]

I deleted my post because I find it is like a word salad and have incorrect conclusions about mental disorders.

I didn't mind the mental disorders. Guess it's kind of a professional disease. But the rest was interesting: I love Dadaism.

 

[Silicon Waffle]

I didn't mind the mental disorders. Guess it's kind of a professional disease. But the rest was interesting: I love Dadaism.

It's an inspiration for image processing in suspense and horror movies.

 

[WWGD]

I never really got into the show " How I met Your Mother" . Too bad, because it is on at least 5 times daily. It is the type of show I almost like but I never end up really getting into. I prefer " Two and a Half Men" , which seems to be on much less often.

 

[fresh_42]

Here they have both in a seemingly endless loop. I don't like neither. It's like "Sex and the city" for boys. Not even near own experiences.

 

[WWGD]

Here they have both in a seemingly endless loop. I don't like neither. It's like "Sex and the city" for boys. Not even near own experiences.

I wish my life was more like Charlie's. For many (possibly including me, to some degree) , it is about living the life by proxy, although there is a kind of dark underside to the show . I wish there had more episodes; it seems these shows only put out around 20 episodes per year, for totals at around 200, so the repeats start hapenning relatively soon. Do you like " Old Christine"?

 

[fresh_42]

Do you like " Old Christine"?

I have only seen a few. But the answer is yes.

 

[andrewkirk]

I just read a new one titled: "What is pressure?"

That reminds me of one of my favourite quotes.
Keith Miller was a great Australian cricketer who played in the late forties and fifties, and was also a pilot for the RAF in the second world war.
One day a sports journalist asked him how he handled the pressure of going out to bat in front of tens of thousands of fans. His answer was something like:
'Pressure? That's not pressure! Pressure is having a Messerschmidt up your arse!'

 

[WWGD]

That reminds me of one of my favourite quotes.
Keith Miller was a great Australian cricketer who played in the late forties and fifties, and was also a pilot for the RAF in the second world war.
One day a sports journalist asked him how he handled the pressure of going out to bat in front of tens of thousands of fans. His answer was something like:
'Pressure? That's not pressure! Pressure is having a Messerschmidt up your arse!'

Reggie Jackson, a Baseball player, was asked, before an important game, how much pressure he was feeling. He said: " 200 feet per square inch, at sea level".

 

[Silicon Waffle]

... He said: " 200 feet per square inch, at sea level".

Google is getting sensitive. I highlight "200 feet per square inch" and right click my mouse to look up the phrase in google. The search results displayed are different from those being shown when I do for the same phrase with just an extra comma at the end of it, that is, "200 feet per square inch,"

 

[WWGD]

Google is getting sensitive. I highlight "200 feet per square inch" and right click my mouse to look up the phrase in google. The search results displayed are different from those being shown when I do for the same phrase with just an extra comma at the end of it, that is, "200 feet per square inch,"

Maybe because I made a mistake. It should be 200 pounds per square inch, or 200 pounds per square feet. Otherwise what I wrote does not make much if any sense. And the quote may be made up; I read it in a book and did not hear it personally.

 

[andrewkirk]

It should be 200 pounds per square inch, or 200 pounds per square feet. Otherwise what I wrote does not make much if any sense.

I'm glad that's been cleared up, because I was reluctant to ask, for fear of revealing my ignorance. I wasn't sure whether the story was (1) about Reggie Jackson mocking the silly question he had been asked, or (2) Reggie Jackson revealing how little he understood about physics or (3) something to do with the height of a column of mercury or alcohol (but then I couldn't see how the 'per square inch' fitted in).

 

[WWGD]

I'm glad that's been cleared up, because I was reluctant to ask, for fear of revealing my ignorance. I wasn't sure whether the story was (1) about Reggie Jackson mocking the silly question he had been asked, or (2) Reggie Jackson revealing how little he understood about physics or (3) something to do with the height of a column of mercury or alcohol (but then I couldn't see how the 'per square inch' fitted in).

If you want one about ignorant statements, we had a basketball player who said he would do more than a 180 turn on his team, he would help his team do a full 360 turn on its performance. You know, if a 180 turn is a big deal, imagine doing a full 360!
EDIT: It was Jason Kidd, who wanted to turn his team around 360 degrees:

http://www.vh1.com/photos/gallery/?fid=1541125&pid=1610910

See top quote.

 

[fresh_42]

I'm glad that's been cleared up, because I was reluctant to ask, for fear of revealing my ignorance. I wasn't sure whether the story was (1) about Reggie Jackson mocking the silly question he had been asked, or (2) Reggie Jackson revealing how little he understood about physics or (3) something to do with the height of a column of mercury or alcohol (but then I couldn't see how the 'per square inch' fitted in).

I'm obviously a simple minded person. I just thought (4) wrong, but I know what's been meant

 

[fresh_42]

If you want one about ignorant statements, we had a basketball player who said he would do more than a 180 turn on his team, he would help his team do a full 360 turn on its performance. You know, if a 180 turn is a big deal, imagine doing a full 360!
EDIT: It was Jason Kidd, who wanted to turn his team around 360 degrees:

http://www.vh1.com/photos/gallery/?fid=1541125&pid=1610910

See top quote.

Did he succeed?

Sportsmen are famous for telling non-sense. A famous quote of a football (soccer, grrr...) player here says: "Madrid, Milan, ... main thing is Italy!" Or: "The paramedic immediately laid me an invasion."
There is even a website for it.