picture taken with my cell phone
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Sunday, January 07, 2007
What a stupid design!
OK, this is the sink in my bathroom. There are 2 faucets, one for hot water, the other for cold water. Can you think of anything wrong with it?
Well, hot water is too hot, and cold water is too cold, to wash hands or face. How do you get water with intermedia temperature? Pour the water into the basin. Comparing to the sink with single faucet and two controls (like the one in my kitchen), this design definitely wastes some materials and it also wastes water. If you want to wash hands with warm water, you have to fill the basin with certain amount of water, which is usually more than the amount that is really needed for washing hands. The same goes if you want to wash face.
And this is a very popular design for bathroom in Ireland. Most of the sinks I have seen so far are using this design. Who comes up with such a stupid design?!
Banking in Ireland
There is no debit card with Visa/Mastercard logo in Ireland. What they have is a Laser card, which can be used to withdraw cash from ATMs in the Cirrus network. The number on Laser card has 19 digits. Since it doesn't has a Visa/Master logo, its online use is very limited.
The relocation agent who helped me settle down in Ireland told me the Irish people 'prefer' to use a debit card to pay for daily expenses such as grocery because it's 'real money', not a loan in the form of a credit card. Yeah, it's real money, especially when someone steals your card and withdraws cash after he/she sees your PIN over your shoulders when you make payments.
This is even true for credit cards issued in Ireland, because they ask you to key in your PIN instead of asking you to sign a piece of paper. They are saying 'you are not supposed to sign anything anymore'. OK, which is harder for the thief who steals your card, to duplicate your signiture or to key in your PIN which they can see over your shoulders?
I was told it's not easy to open a bank account here in Ireland. I could open an account simply because my company has a deal with Bank of Ireland. What I got is a checking account, called current account in Ireland, with no free checks given. To get a savings account? Wait until 'you have a current account with us for at least three months'.
Online banking? You have to phone them first to set up the online banking account. They will mail you a 6-digit user ID number plus 6-digit password number. You don't have the option to change the user ID number to a username, which would be much easier to remember. Online payment? 'To "Add a beneficiary" account please call 1890 365 200'.
Bank branches business time is as follows: Monday - Friday 10am to 4pm with the exception of Thusday 10am to 5pm. So if you want to do something in the bank branch, you will have to take your time off from work.
There is no reloadable prepaid Visa/Mastercard card, which would be useful to send money to China.
There may be a lot of hedge funds operating in Ireland. But it's still a long way to go for she to have an advanced personal banking business.
The relocation agent who helped me settle down in Ireland told me the Irish people 'prefer' to use a debit card to pay for daily expenses such as grocery because it's 'real money', not a loan in the form of a credit card. Yeah, it's real money, especially when someone steals your card and withdraws cash after he/she sees your PIN over your shoulders when you make payments.
This is even true for credit cards issued in Ireland, because they ask you to key in your PIN instead of asking you to sign a piece of paper. They are saying 'you are not supposed to sign anything anymore'. OK, which is harder for the thief who steals your card, to duplicate your signiture or to key in your PIN which they can see over your shoulders?
I was told it's not easy to open a bank account here in Ireland. I could open an account simply because my company has a deal with Bank of Ireland. What I got is a checking account, called current account in Ireland, with no free checks given. To get a savings account? Wait until 'you have a current account with us for at least three months'.
Online banking? You have to phone them first to set up the online banking account. They will mail you a 6-digit user ID number plus 6-digit password number. You don't have the option to change the user ID number to a username, which would be much easier to remember. Online payment? 'To "Add a beneficiary" account please call 1890 365 200'.
Bank branches business time is as follows: Monday - Friday 10am to 4pm with the exception of Thusday 10am to 5pm. So if you want to do something in the bank branch, you will have to take your time off from work.
There is no reloadable prepaid Visa/Mastercard card, which would be useful to send money to China.
There may be a lot of hedge funds operating in Ireland. But it's still a long way to go for she to have an advanced personal banking business.
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