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contes-de-rheio · 6 years ago

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Creating an army

For the needs of Rising Queens, I had to create an army. Since I'm an accountant and have never served in the military nor lived sometime between 1650 and 1820... I knew nothing about how to do that, so I researched, not a lot, but enough I think to give some tips and directions to anyone planning to do the same crazy thing.

Let's get started. Please note this is for fantasy writers, a number of elements do not apply to modern or futuristic armies. (words with a * are translated in French at the end, because I'm a little chauvinist)

1. How big is your army ?

So, if your army is a professional army, in clear if soldiers are soldiers all year long and paid for it, the size of your army is limited. Mostly because resources are not infinite, and your army depends on the rest of the population to be fed. This rule would also apply for mercenaries, as your nation must still be able to pay them.

In consequence, its size should not be more than 1% of the population. This number was true in the past, and is still true today. And 1% is the upper limit, it assumes your nation is able to collect taxes efficiently!! If it's not, your army must be smaller, or your nation will go bankrupt.

If your army is not professional, then the problem is a little different: your soldiers are no longer working all year long. The question is how big can your army be during x time? The longer the war/conflict lasts, the smaller your army will be, as your resources are limited and you need people to tend to the land. Or you can have a big starving army, your choice (or a starving population... or both...). After some research, it happens that number is 7% of the population for a period of 90 days (which was the length of a campaign season).

2. Support

So, yes, your soldiers are soldiering, or at least a part of them is... the rest is working as support, they are the spine of your army, without them everything could crumble. Without them you don't have supplies, or meals, or doctors, or clothes, or payslips or...

Among the various support departments in military, we will first start with one that probably was the biggest: Supplies (aka Furir*). They originally were in charge of housing and food for men and animals, but over time they came to be in charge of all supplies, including their logistics. In the French Navy, they once were in charge of payslips. Without them, you don’t have food, but you also don’t have uniforms, weapons, or munitions...

While we are here, let's note that most armies, while away from home, survived through plunder of the land around them. Which is great if you're not staying in the same place too long, and if your enemy does not decide to burn everything left behind. Mercenaries, who were not paid by their employer, also plundered the land of their employer as a form of revenge.

The Postal Service* is like a web, they have a presence everywhere in the military organisation (including schools, jails, navy...). Not only do they make sure the letters are sent to the right person, but they also take care of censoring the letters of the soldiers. This is a job that require discretion as you might end up in the confidence of secrets that do not concern you nor the public.

The War Commissaries* are in charge of the administration of the army, which includes: finances, human resources, audit and control, law assistance, accounting. In some cases, Furir and Postal Services are also incorporated under their supervision.

One of the support functions we probably don’t think much about are the surgeons. Doctors, especially, surgeons were a priority on a battlefield. Mostly they acted after the battle, but they also took care of the soldiers all year long in a professional army. Military hospitals were created, some of them were used as medical schools too, and not all of them were situated in a military base. I haven’t been able to find if any ancient military hospital was opened to the public, but I personally don’t see why not. Generally each company (about 100 men) had one surgeon.

I will not discuss soldier being soldier, if you want more information on this, I will leave some links at the end of this article, please refer to it.

3. Army or Not ?

Some people, depending of your organisation, of your country, may be considered part of your army, even though their role is unrelated to the protection of the country against foreign forces, such as: police, spies, customs...

It really depends on how you see your organisation as a whole, and also who pay who, or what Minister these people depend from. For example, the police might be paid directly by the city thanks to local taxes, while customs are under the supervision of the Finance Minister, and spies answer directly to the Crown. Or you can incorporate them in your army.

4. Equipment

The main question in regards to equipment is who provides what. There have been times, when each soldier was expected to procure themselves their own equipment: armor and weapons, horse, sometimes even food. You could tell a soldier's social background with just a look.

In some cases, the obligation to procure one's own equipment was attached to citizenship. Only citizens were required by law to serve in the army, and to be citizen you were required to have a given level of revenues.

At all times, heavier weapons (for siege, and later canons) were provided by the State or the lords.

5. Hierarchy

There are two main type of hierarchies: hierarchical (or traditional) and flat. My partner could tell you all about the advantages and disadvantages of both in details (and how mixed/new models exist), but for our purposes let's keep it simple.

Here is a drawing of both systems:

The bigger your army is, the less likely your hierarchy will be flat, for the very simple reason that your general in chief (or king, or whatever their actual title is) cannot be everywhere at once and has to delegate their power to keep the whole system working. In fact, at some point, the higher men in the hierarchy become strategists and/or administrators. Furthermore, if the official leader of your army is indeed the king, they might still need to delegate as 1) they are running a kingdom, and might need the time for something else, 2) they are very bad at leading an army (not everybody can be Frederic II or Napoleon...).

Next thing to determine is the numbers of levels in your hierarchy. I would advise to keep it as simple as possible. As an example, in Rising Queens, my army has 7 levels of hierarchy (including the soldiers without rank). Each rank correspond to an unity (i.e. company, regiment...). I merely added some nuances to distinguish some Navy ranks: a General and an Admiral have the same rank, but the later serves in the Navy.

If you want to get an idea of what ranking system you can implement, I would suggest you hit Wikipedia, as they have the organisations of a few armies listed. Just never forget reality is always more complex than fiction.

6. Magic

If you have magic in your universe, consider how it changes war strategy and organisation.

And since someone wrote extensively on the subject, allow me to redirect you to @warsofasoiaf post, right here.

Don't hesitate to drop me a message for questions, clarifications or comments :)

Some Useful Links

On Demography

Medieval Demography made easy (French version)

Notes on Medieval Population Geography

Medieval WorldBuilding Mega-Tutorial (includes info about army, and many other details)

On Armies and fighting

@transcriptroopers is a great resource about the life of modern soldiers.

@writenavy for anything related to Navy, both ancient and modern.

@howtofightwrite advices for anything regarding fighting, in nearly any context.

Medieval Warfare

Writing a War

Vocabulary - French translations

Furir - Fourrière (du mot fourrage)

Postal service - Vaguemestre

Commissaries - Commissaires (du mot commission, dans le sens de paie)

#writing #writeblr #worldbuilding #writing tips #writing resources #my writing tips #tip military #cdr writes #fantasy writer #fantasy

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drferox · 6 years ago

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How do you feel about the way Greencross is seemingly trying to build a monopoly of vet practices in Australia? Concerning, or not as alarming as people think it is?

Mate, I have many potent, insider opinions about GreenX and the rise of corporate medicine. I have been considering writing on this topic for a while, but now seems as good a time as any.

But first, full disclosure of where I stand within the veterinary industry. I am an associate veterinarian, which means I work in a practice but don’t own it, and I work two jobs. My full time job is in private practice owned by a single vet who actually works there. My casual job is at an emergency center, owned by GreenX. I have also done relief work at a GreenX clinic.

And frankly, the more I work for GreenX, the more it makes me cheer on worker-owned co-ops.

GreenX is just one of the multi-practice corporate vet chains which are popping up not just in Australia, but overseas. GreenX is just the largest and is actually on the stock exchange. You can buy shares in GreenX. That means GreenX is accountable to its shareholders and expected to make a healthy profit.

GreenX owns large numbers of vet practices across Australia, but also owns all the Animal Emergency Centers, all the Petbarn brand pet stores, an external veterinary diagnostic laboratory, at least one crematorium, a number of specialist hospitals and runs the admin side for at least one university teaching hospital.

It also currently operates a ‘Healthy Pets Plus’ program, where for just $450 a year you can get free consults, and is working on bringing out its own pet insurance line.

How are you feeling about this? A little uneasy?

I have concerns about a monopoly, because in my neck of the woods GreenX owns the 4 closest 24 hour emergency vet clinics, in addition to all the others around the city, so I don’t really have much of a choice where to send my patients. They also own quite a lot of the general practices in my local region, so that’s hard to compete with.

For a few years there, they also sent a letter to my boss every year offering to buy his practice. Just a form letter, which I assume they sent out to lots of practices in a similar way.

They pay for all their vet employees to be Australian Veterinary Association members, which grants us all a voice and vote in relevant matters, but not to receive the Australian Veterinary Journal. I don’t know whether GreenX gets corporate discounts for signing up so many members. This makes me uneasy because Banfield in the USA, which is owned by Mars, financially rewards its employees for taking up leadership positions with the various representative organizations over there. Which means if it ever comes up, corporation is paying for a lot of people to be there if an important vote ever comes up…

I mean, I’m not a conspiracy nut, but I’m not exactly happy.

But that is the corporation side, the people on the ground are not the corporation. They are by and large decent vets and nurses hamstrung by the corporate rules they’re obliged to follow. For some this works out fine, particularly in their early years. They have a structured training plan and can see where to advance in the corporation. It provides a willing buyer for a practice owner who might otherwise have been unable to receive the price they were seeking (another issue for another day). It has removed some of the management stress from vets in many clinics and dispersed it, allowing a pool of locums to be drawn from to fill in absences.

Doing so has added a lot of middle management and a lot of red tape. They are frequently recruiting at industry events, and promoting their chain at events like the Dog Lovers Show.

Working on the ground as one of their casual emergency vets I am profoundly dissatisfied. Considering we are supposed to be a top of the line intensive care clinic some of my complaints and concerns have included:

The introduction of Healthy Pets Plus robbing the clinic of its emergency consult fee ($165) and crediting only $10 to our ‘income’ for that month.

Then having the gall to turn around and say that because we are not making as much money this quarter as we used to, our budget is reduced.

Not offering staff a worthwhile wage to do night shift, so unable to retain them very long.

Not paying emergency nurses anything above the award wage (minimum wage for the industry), even if they have been employed at that practice multiple years.

Nowhere to advance unless you pursue a position in management.

Not granting even a cost of living pay rise (in line with inflation) despite meeting expected profit targets for three years.

Telling employees they are not allowed to discuss their wages with each other, which I’m pretty damn sure is illegal and is definitely shady.

Not paying superannuation properly.

Not paying vets and nurses in management positions their backpay in a timely manner.

Making it ridiculously difficult to access your payslips to see if you were paid properly.

Needing to get approval months in advance to order extra stock for busy times of year

Watching the sheer stress of being a manager at these clinics wear good people down to the bone or brink of madness.

Once GreenX has bought into a practice, it’s nearly impossible to get rid of them.

Acquiring a practice and promising ‘nothing will change’, that all the things we like will stay the same. Only to change those things, slowly, over the following 3-5 years to match the other clinics in the chain.

Mandatory tea break.

I have also listened to management-types of GreenX make arguments for having unpaid internships in general practice for newly graduated veterinarians, for 12 weeks.

And just about lost my banana over it.

Unpaid. For Twelve weeks. Straight after graduation where they’ve qualified as veterinarians.

Oh hell no.

Interns typically get paid less anyway, and a new grad vet wage isn’t all that much. But they wanted to pay nothing for the first 3 months.

Why? Because new graduate vets are not profitable at the start, they typically cost the practice money as they get themselves established. Everyone knows this, it’s part of the deal when you take on a new grad.

Having to work 3 months straight out of uni for zero pay is insane, it’s almost murderous, and it’s simply evil. This plan was ripe for abuse.

It was also vocally shouted down at the PANPAC conference where it was suggested, thankfully, but these are non-vet, corporate types of people trying to run a series of vet practices for profit.

I just want to be the friendly neighborhood vet on the corner, you know? Just local, quality service where I can get to know the pets over time, and schoolkids aren’t afraid to bring in an injured bird if they find one in the playground. To be part of that community.

And this is what most vet practices have been. You own your job, you don’t need to make a massive profit, just enough to keep doing what you want to do.

But now GreenX has shareholders. The business owners are not on the ground with the rest of us. I have concerns and I don’t like it.

That is not to be negative to those working for Greencross, the boots on the ground that are probably not being treated as well as they should, but need a job to keep the lights on. For some the structure suits them. For some it’s just a job. It is the team on the ground that is the only reason I started working for them in the first place, and stayed.

But do I wish it was something other than GreenX? Yes.

UPDATE: I’d like to contribute in this discussion some ‘advice’ that was shared on Facebook. Members of this particular group are warned to be careful what they post as it’s not a private group and anybody can take a screenshot, so I think that’s fair game.

I do not like this. I do not like this at all. I can’t even tell if it’s satire or trolling, because it’s too close to the truth.

Not only does it make it look like it’s now all about the money (which it is, for the shareholders) it reduces veterinary medicine to a numbers game. By this metric, a ‘good vet’ is one that earns $300 per consult, and twice as much of their billing comes from lab fees as consult fees. They also admit almost a third of their consults.

Doesn’t matter if clients like them, if they solve cases or achieve good medical outcomes. All the qualitative stuff is gone, just the dollar values.

(Oh, and if you meet those metrics, you’re in no way guaranteed to get a pay rise. From experience).

Now it is entirely possible to meet those metrics just by working your cases appropriately and seeing a lot of them, but thinking like this pushes vets, especially young vets who want a pay rise so they can afford their own car, home, etc, to be thinking of the dollars and not the animal or client as they practice.

Maybe I am old fashioned or a dying breed during the rise of corporate veterinary medicine, but I am profoundly uncomfortable with this. Worse, it leaves a bitter taste in my mouth, and a strong feeling of this is not my veterinary medicine.

I am heartened to see most of the comments on that thread from angry, like-minded vets insulted at being reduced to ‘trained monkeys’ and focusing on these metrics instead of patient outcomes and client satisfaction, but as GreenX picks up more and more young vets, training them to fit its mold, I am afraid of more of them being modeled into what GreenX wants, or becoming disillusioned and leaving the profession early.

#veterinarian #vetblr #corporate medicine #vet industry #vet school #ethics #collusion #corruption #greenX #greencross #vet

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touyanii · 6 years ago

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my s6 edge kicked the bucket today, and i need a new phone, and it will be expensive and i’m not looking forward to that. and i sure as hell hope the phone.. provider thing doesn’t ask for new payslips or anything since i don’t have a job at the time. they did ask some when i first got the s6 with a subscription with them. so i hope them to just change it to a new one plus the phone and not like a new contract. like i’m pretty sure they’ll ask for payslips with a new contract, but i’m already client so, uh please give me phone.i still have my s4 as back up but.. it’s so old and ugh, but that fucker was better than my s6. atleast mine had a lot of issues.

oh and let’s not foget i got two custom cases for the s6 only like 3 months ago. now i can’t use my beautiful dabi case anymore. and redbubble doesn’t seem to have the picture anymore either AND they don’t have cases for the s10 yet, that i’m considering buying, so fuck all this.

#personal #phone #smartphone

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hoodkerry · 3 years ago

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Why use a reverse proxy?

1. Create a single point of access to the file transfer serverAs long as you configure your firewall and reverse proxy correctly, no one has direct access to any of your file transfer servers. Everyone has to go through a reverse proxy. When this happens, you can focus on monitoring what is coming in and out through the reverse proxy.

2. Simplify access control tasksBecause you have only one access point, you can focus access control on that single point. For example, instead of specifying an IP address to allow connections on each server, you can simply create a set of IP access rules on the reverse proxy. If a user tries to connect from an unauthorized IP, the reverse proxy can immediately terminate the attempt.

3. Move user credentials to a more secure placeMost user credentials are stored only on the file transfer server itself. Therefore, if your file transfer servers are located in the DMZ, they can be easily obtained by an aggressive attacker. By moving the server to an internal network and deploying a reverse proxy to control access, you can provide better security for these credentials, and therefore for the data they protect.

4. Reduce the risk of sensitive dataGiven the extensive information we regularly share with our business partners, customers and field employees, I'm pretty sure some of this information is not available to the public. I'm sure you don't want personal information, trade secrets, prototype blueprints, payslips, or financial data to get out to the public or fall into the wrong hands.However, if your file transfer server is located in a DMZ, then all the confidential data stored on its hard drives is attractive to identity thieves, corporate spies, fraudsters, and other scammers. One way to mitigate this risk is to deploy a reverse proxy.With a reverse proxy, you can choose to move YOUR DMZ based file transfer servers to your internal network, where they will be less vulnerable to attack.

5. Help achieve regulatory complianceMany de facto standards and government-enforced regulations do not allow data to be stored in highly vulnerable zones such as the DMZ. For example, PCI-DSS (Payment card Industry-Data Security Standard) explicitly requires that credit card information be stored in an internal network separated from the DMZ.

If you need multiple different proxy IP, we recommend using RoxLabs proxy, including global Residential proxi

#proxy

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rickiweaber-blog · 3 years ago

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Best Licensed Moneylenders: Guide to Borrowing Personal Loans From Legal Moneylenders (Singapore)

Are you looking for a list of the best licensed moneylenders in Singapore?

Singapore is among the most expensive countries in the world, so it’s no wonder you may be strapped for cash. With inflation and the high cost of living, we often find ourselves in a financial pinch.

Renovating your home, purchasing a car, and paying for your studies are worth a king’s ransom in Singapore. To pay for these, you might need the help of a personal loan or a renovation loan.

What can you do to ease your financial burdens?

The solution is choosing the right moneylender.

Wait, are there other options aside from banks? What if I have a poor credit score, or that I need a personal loan fast?

Well, there is a solution. In Singapore, other than banks, borrowers can consider getting a personal loan from licensed moneylenders. These licensed moneylenders are unlike loan sharks. They are private financial institutions that are mandated by the Ministry of Law. They help to provide another option for individuals with financial difficulties.

If you’re unfamiliar with loan packages and their terms, you’re on the right page. We don’t want to be cheated or fall prey to a loan scam.

In this guide to borrowing, we’ll explain the factors to consider, how much you can borrow, and the legal documents needed. We’ll also tell you about licensed moneylenders’ maximum allowed fees, how to avoid loan sharks, and what organisations can help with your financial difficulties.

Let’s get started!

WHAT DO YOU NEED TO DO BEFORE BORROWING FROM A LICENSED MONEYLENDER?

MinLaw advises people to consider several factors before taking up a loan that can be summed up in two main categories:

All the alternatives: potential government schemes for which you qualify and different moneylenders that offer favourable financial packages

The conditions: make sure you understand the contract and that you can repay your installments according to schedule

These factors ensure you’re getting a fair loan, but let’s see how you can get the right loan:

Decide On The Type Of Loan You Need

Before applying for a personal loan in Singapore, you need to understand the differences between a secured and an unsecured loan.

There are different types of loans you can get, and although the legal slang can be confusing, it’s worth the effort to decipher it. You can’t pick the right option without genuinely understanding your alternatives.

Secured loans: You guarantee your loan with collateral. This choice ensures access to more significant amounts and lower interest rates, though there’s always the risk of losing your collateral. Examples of collateral include a house, a car or any valuable asset you own.

Unsecured loans: You do not need to provide any collateral. How much you can borrow depends on your monthly income. For some, they can borrow up to six times of their monthly earnings.

Other specific loans can be included in these two categories, such as:

Personal loans

Urgent cash loans

Car loans

Home loans

Renovation loans

Transfer loans

Payday loans

Line of credit

Balance transfer

Wedding loans

Personal installment loans

And so forth

All the options above are usually amassed under the name of personal loans, though they have different characteristics.

For instance, you can use personal installment loans for anything you want – a holiday, a wedding, or even a Secretlab chair.

Now let’s say you need that money to renovate your apartment. In this case, a renovation loan could be better because it usually features lower interest rates. However, the money will go directly to your contractor, and it doesn’t cover certain things, such as that new Aeron.

So the personal installment loan option is better for versatility, whereas the customised renovation loan is best if you want a more affordable option.

What Is A Credit Score And How Will It Affect Your Loan Application?

A credit score affects loan applications because it’s a number that quantifies your financial trustworthiness.

Your credit rating is based on your past financial transactions, purchasing habits, and previous loans. So basically, if you don’t have bad debt or erratic purchasing patterns, chances are your credit score is high.

But it doesn’t hurt to check it at Credit Bureau Singapore.

When you apply for a personal loan with a licensed moneylender, the professionals will be able to check on your credit score as well.

Oftentimes, those with a higher or good credit score can borrow a larger loan amount. The better score reflects their reliability and loan repayment ability.

For those with a bad credit score, it might be harder for them to get a loan from banks.

However, as mentioned at the start of the article, licensed moneylenders are here to provide individuals with an alternative to banks. Licensed moneylenders are a lot more lenient than banks when it comes to personal loan applications.

In short, most legal moneylenders in Singapore put less emphasis on your credit score compared to banks, but they want to see your dependability.

To improve your credit score, start paying your old bills and debt to show them you’re a financially responsible person.

HOW MUCH CAN YOU BORROW FROM A LICENSED MONEYLENDER IN SINGAPORE?

The Ministry of Law established the following maximum amounts that you can borrow from a licensed moneylender in Singapore.

Annual income

Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents (PRs)

Foreigners residing in Singapore

Less than $10,000

$3,000$500

At least $10,000 and less than $20,000

$3,000$3,000

At least $20,000 and above

6 times of their monthly income6 times of their monthly income

Most moneylenders will stick to these guidelines, but some financial institutions may impose additional conditions. That’s usually the case with banks, which set a minimum threshold of $30,000/year income or a specific age between 21-65 years.

PREPARE THESE DOCUMENTS BEFORE VISITING THE MONEYLENDER’S OFFICE

Proof of identity: If you’re a citizen, have your Identification card. If you’re a permanent resident or foreigner, get your Employment Pass and passport ready.

Proof of address: Documents that attest to your residential address include utility bills with your name, rental agreements, letters addressed to you, etc.

Proof of income: 3-month computerised payslips/ 12-month CPF statement/ Last Income Tax Notice of Assessment/ bank statement

Let’s say you’ve changed jobs recently and your current salary is smaller than the one before. In this case, it’s better to add your past 12-month CPF statement.

If you have additional income sources apart from your employment (e.g., renting properties, investments, or divorce settlements), include your NOA.

IS THERE A CAP ON THE COSTS LICENSED MONEYLENDERS CAN CHARGE? HOW MUCH CAN LICENSED MONEYLENDERS CHARGE?

Many people in Singapore are wary about getting a personal loan from a moneylender because they’re afraid they’ll be ripped off. Many of the stories you’ve heard through the grapevine are myths or refer to loan sharks.

But we’ll deal with loan scams below.

For now, let’s see how much a licensed moneylender can charge so that you can avoid falling to loan sharks. Once you get entangled with loan sharks, you won’t be able to get any peace at all!

We’ll use MinLaw as our source:

Interest Rates

Starting in October 2015, licensed moneylenders can’t ask for over 4%/month interest rates.

This threshold doesn’t depend on your income or the secured/unsecured nature of your loan. So, if a financial provider claims you should pay more interest because your income is small, that’s probably a loan shark. Or a licensed moneylender who’s trying to commit fraud.

The 4%/month interest rate applies for late interest too.

Here’s an example:

You took a $10,000 loan with a $300 monthly installment and a 4% interest rate. You’ve repaid $7,000 of that loan. Thus, the remaining 4% interest rate is calculated from the remaining $3,000, not from the entire sum.

Let’s say that you can’t repay that $300 this month. The late interest rate can only be charged on that $300, not on the whole $3,000 that you have left. So, the late interest rate is $12, not $120.

Additional Fees

Licensed moneylenders in Singapore can charge the following fees:

$60/month maximum late repayment fee

10% inititial fee for an administrative fee after you receive the loan. Only loan sharks will ask for payment before disbursing the loan. They’ll claim that they need to check on the authenticity of your bank account or that it is a compulsory fee. It’s all a scam.

Legal costs decided by a court in case of any proceedings in case of loan default

Pro tip: Interest rates + late interest + late repayment fees + administrative charges should not be more than the value of your loan.

For example, if you borrowed $5,000, these charges and rates should be less than $5,000.

HOW DO I KNOW IF I’M DEALING WITH A LICENSED MONEYLENDER OR A LOAN SCAM?

Falling for a loan scam is probably the greatest fear for most.

In the section above, we promised that we’d explain more about loan scams. We’ll take you through some dead giveaways that point to Ah Longs and how you can avoid them.

Refer And Check The Ministry Of Law’s List Of Licensed Moneylenders

MinLaw lists all legal moneylenders operating in Singapore, which you can find on their website. Always check a company’s name on this register to ensure your financial provider is licensed. This list of licensed moneylenders is updated monthly.

Remember:

Some loan sharks have very compelling and professional-looking websites. Don’t take their word for it, even if these websites claim the Ah Longs are licensed.

Don’t trust financial providers who claim MinLaw’s list is incomplete or mistaken. MinLaw updates every month.

Contact the Registry of Moneylenders at 1800-2255-529 or the police if you have significant doubts about a certain moneylender.

Look Out For The Form Of Advertisement By The Moneylender

MinLaw decided in 2011 that licensed moneylenders can advertise their activity on limited channels:

Business directories

Consumer directories

Their websites

Their physical business premises (walls, windows, doors, hallways, etc.)

It’s a scam if it is: A flyer, text message (SMS), WhatsApp message, or e-mail from supposedly legal moneylenders should set your alarm bells ringing.

In this case, you should contact the Registry of Moneylenders or make your report through the MinLaw website here.

Check The Interest Rate And Fees Offered By The Moneylender

In the previous section, we outlined the main rules regarding moneylender’s interest rates and charges. Here’s a quick reminder:

Maximum 4% interest rate/month calculated from the remaining amount, not from the entire initial sum

Maximum 4% late interest rate/month of being late calculated from that month’s installment

Maximum $60 late fee/month

Maximum 10% admin fee after loan approval. Loan sharks may demand a sum before loan approval as a condition to facilitate your loan or to lend you more money

Also, these sums can’t amount to more than what you’re borrowing.

Check If The Licensed Moneylender Has A Physical Address

Illegal moneylenders don’t have physical addresses because that way, the police could pinpoint them quickly. Instead, they may approach you in a parking lot, a park or even outside your bank.

Ah Longs will try to close the deal in an e-mail or a shady place. Depending on your loan amount, some can ask you to a fancy restaurant.

Remember: Authorised moneylenders are obligated to do due diligence at their headquarters before signing the loan contract, although you can apply on their website. Loans can only be disbursed after meeting you.

Licensed Moneylenders Will Ask You For A Face-To-Face Verification

This face-to-face verification is essential and obligatory before loan approval.

However, to save time and speed up the process, many licensed moneylenders allow you to submit your paperwork and application online.

Remember: After approving your loan request and before transferring you the cash, the moneylender must do face-to-face verification at their headquarters.

WHAT SHOULD YOU TAKE NOTE OF WHEN DEALING WITH A LICENSED MONEYLENDER?

Even licensed moneylenders can use illegal practices sometimes. Be wary and report the following behaviours:

Threats

Abusive language

Physical assault

Asking to withhold your ID

Asking you to disclose your Singpass or bank account passwords

Asking to use your credit card

Not explaining your contract

Asking you to sign blank or incomplete contracts

Avoiding due diligence

Asking for extra charges and interest than the legally established ones

If anything like this happens to you, contact the Police and the Registry of Moneylenders.

#LICENSED MONEYLENDER

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mattyunijourneybrief13 · 4 years ago

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An Investigation into Potential Job Roles & Agencies - Part 1

Geographically, I would like to stay in the area of Leeds and Manchester. My family are in this area and I get homesick so at this moment in time it is not negotiable.

In terms of a dream career if I wasn’t tied down anywhere, working for Apple in California would be the ultimate aim but for now I would like to stay in England.

I also enjoy working from home; this pandemic has made me realise that it isn’t necessary to rush into an office 5 days a week, however I would like to have a mix to stay sane! I understand that at first this may not be possible however once I am established in my career this is my goal.

What would my perfect job look like?

To get a feel for what my perfect job would look like I decided to collate some imagery and create a list of what I’d like to do (I’m aware life isn’t like this but I can dream! and it will help me in my job search).

1. Laid-back office

I love laid back offices where people are dressed in their own clothes, with an aesthetically pleasing office space. Being creative helps when you are in a creative environment with art on the walls and comfy furniture, rather than offices which make you feel like a number on a payslip rather than an employee who is cared for. It is vital to get some down time and to not feel like work is na chore, so an office with a table tennis or snooker table in for example would be fantastic.

I am aware however that this is unrealistic at the moment.

2. Enthusiastic employees who are on the same page as me

I know this is asking for the virtually impossible, but I love the feeling of being in an environment with other like-minded creatives. It helps to bring everyones creativeness out of them. It would also be nice to make some new friends and socialise with them outside of work and in work too.

3. Fun UX design projects to get my teeth into

I love doing projects I love. I mean that sounds obvious, right? What I mean by that is I love doing a project on a subject that I care for or I’m interested in, or that means a great deal to people.

For example, I love the app called Be My Eyes. It is an app that has enabled blind people to get help from volunteers to ‘borrow’ their eyes and be assisted when trying to read something. For example I helped a blind person who was trying to read what was on a can. That simple gesture by me costed nothing and it helped that person. To work on a project like that would be a dream come true.

There needs to be a desire to design for someone otherwise there is no point in being a designer.

4. I want to get to the point where I don’t mind Mondays

Life is too short and living for the weekend is not what I would like to do.

5. Most if not all of the jobs I find need to be an entry level/junior role

I want to do the best job possible and I don’t feel like I am ready to take a regular role just yet due to my coding skills.

Job Role Investigation

To gain a bigger understanding the career path I can go down, I will investigate existing job roles using various websites.

1. UX/UI Designer

https://www.prospects.ac.uk/job-profiles/ux-designer

UX Design stands for User Experience Design, and UI Design stands for User Interface Design. UX/UI Designers are responsible for the design and development of digital applications such as smartphone applications or websites. The experience that the user has when interacting with the product is down to you. As a user of many apps, I always strive for better experiences, and I get frustrated when applications don’t deliver.

UX Designers work alongside UX researchers, who look into target users and their needs and frustrations, which the UX Designer uses to mould the experience. UX researcher is a job role that doesn’t interest me, as I like to focus on the design of the products rather than solely the research side by going out to speak to users. I would compare it to being a football referee; as a big football fan I could never become one as the urge to kick the ball would be too great for me to handle!

UX Designers work as part of a team, with their own digital team and the wider business to ensure that their products meet the needs of the clients.

Digital products are part of our everyday life now, and I would like to create services that benefit lives in some way, even if it is to save someone 10 minutes of their day by tapping on their screen instead of physically having to do something. That 10 minutes saved in their day could end up being time for them to spend doing more meaningful tasks or spending quality time with family.

UX Designers can also work with User Interface Designers, who are responsible for the design of the visual graphic user interface and its elements, such as menus, tabs and widgets. UX designers however are usually responsible for both jobs, so it comes under the same bracket.

The positive aspect of becoming a UX Designer is that coding isn’t a requirement sometimes, however it can be necessary in the long run as a lot of employers prefer their UX designers to have coding experience. The fact that I plan to learn how to code alongside my UX design job if and when I get one will work in my favour as I can start without knowing how to code as of yet.

Responsibilities

meet with clients to gather information about their requirements

propose and sketch out a range of visual concepts both on paper and using software applications

create user personas, user journeys and site maps

translate concepts into wireframes, prototypes and user flows using specialist tools such as Axure, InVision, Marvel, OmniGraffle, Visio and Sketch, as well as the Adobe product suite

work on cross-platform applications to develop user experiences covering mobile phones, tablets and computers

work collaboratively with other designers, product design and development teams, business analysts, engineers and project managers

liaise regularly with clients to ensure that designs meet their requirements and core business objectives

attend meetings to discuss and review progress on the project

run workshops for clients and internal stakeholders

work with the research team to plan and conduct remote and on-site user research and usability testing with real users to ensure the end-product design provides users with the optimum experience in terms of efficiency, effectiveness and engagement

write reports and communicate the results of your work

identify areas for improvement

redesign websites to make them more responsive

redesign or create mobile apps that are easy to use and configured appropriately for smartphones and tablets

keep up to date with technological innovations and new tools.

In a senior role that I could aim for in the future, I will need to:

ensure design standards, guidelines and best practices are adhered to

oversee research and insight projects to understand user needs

manage, mentor and support more junior members of the UX design team

ensure that all colleagues in the organisation have an understanding of UX design practices.

Salary

Starting salaries for graduate junior UX designers are typically between £19,000 and £25,000, depending on your experience and location.

Experienced UX designers can earn between £30,000 and £50,000.

Senior UX designers and consultants can earn salaries of £40,000 to £65,000 or more.

Salaries can vary depending on the sector of work, the type of employer (e.g. public or private sector), skills and experience, and the location. Salaries in London and the surrounding areas are usually higher, due to the higher cost of living there.

Salary at this moment in time is not much of an issue to me, as long as I can live from it. My main aim at this moment is to gain work experience and move up the ladder.

Working hours

The working week is (like many jobs) usually 37 to 39 hours a week, Monday to Friday. Occasionally, I will be required to work evenings and weekends to attend events, or when working on a special project with short deadlines.

Skills

To become a UX Designer, you need to have:

excellent problem-solving skills

to be a concept thinker with a keen visual awareness and willingness to learn specialist programmes

an interest in, and knowledge of, coding and design principles

effective communication skills to liaise with team members and clients to ensure that high quality end-user designs meet customer requirements

empathy with the customer so that you can understand what they want from the website/app

excellent written communication skills, with an eye for detail

design and spatial skills to gauge the usability of the website or application

an aptitude for using a logical, step-by-step approach to ensure designs are user friendly and simple for end users

a high level of concentration and resilience to stay focused on a project to the end and meet client deadlines

an open, flexible and adaptable mindset to cope with a rapidly changing set of tasks in an area of emerging, new technologies

the ability to relate well to other professionals and work in a specialist team

a willingness to keep up to date with software applications and new techniques in a rapidly changing profession.

Qualifications

Usually, to become a UX Designer I will need a degree, as well as a strong interest in the subject.

Relevant degree subjects include:

computer science

digital design/media

digital marketing

graphic design

media technology

web design.

However, having a degree isn't the only path into this field of work. It is possible to self-teach yourself the skills needed and the relevant software. It would still be beneficial and the best option for me to have a degree, though.

Career prospects

To begin, I will start as a junior, trainee or graduate UX designer. Hopefully, I can expect to be promoted to UX designer roles within two years.

After around five years' experience, I should be eligible for a role as a senior UX designer. Something I could do in the future is relocate to enhance my work opportunities, as UX is a worldwide career. For now though, I would like to stay in England.

2. Graphic Designer

https://www.prospects.ac.uk/job-profiles/graphic-designer

If I can not find a UX or UI design job, I have experience as a graphic designer and currently have a job as one, so this is something that I can fall back on hopefully.

A graphic designer is responsible for creating digital and printed visuals for clients. Work can vary from layout design such as posters, magazines, websites etc. to branding, illustration, packaging design etc.

A designer works to a brief set by the client, and will have set deadlines to meet. The job responsibilities will involve making more than one idea for the client to choose from. The job demands someone with creative talent that can come up with a design instantly, as well as being organised by sticking to deadlines.

Responsibilities

meeting clients or account managers to discuss the business objectives and requirements of the job

estimating the time required to complete a job and providing quotes for clients

developing design briefs that suit the client's purpose

thinking creatively to produce new ideas and concepts and developing interactive design

using innovation to redefine a design brief within time and cost constraints

presenting finalised ideas and concepts to clients or account managers

working with a range of media, including computer-aided design (CAD), and keeping up to date with emerging technologies

proofreading to produce accurate and high-quality work

demonstrating illustrative skills with rough sketches and working on layouts ready for print

commissioning illustrators and photographers

working as part of a team with printers, copywriters, photographers, stylists, illustrators, other designers, account executives, web developers and marketing specialists.

Salary

Starting salaries for junior graphic designers are in the region of £15,000 to £19,000. Once you've gained some experience, salaries can rise to £27,000.

At a middle level, you can expect to earn £25,000 to £35,000.

Salaries for senior graphic designers or creative leads range from £35,000 to £55,000. A creative director can make £60,000+.

As a freelancer, you can earn between £200 and £400 a day with experience. You'll be able to charge more once you have an impressive track record and recommendations.

Again, salary doesn’t mean much to me at this stage, however looking at my long term future, I would be better off becoming a UX Designer as that is what I am aiming to do.

Working hours

Working hours are typically 37 hours a week, usually with some flexibility around start and finish times. Like most design jobs, I would have to work extra hours when deadlines are approaching. This isn’t a problem, as I am interested in design so I would most likely be doing something design related at home anyway.

What to expect

It's likely you'll be based in a shared studio as some jobs involve working in teams, although you may also work alone on occasions. If you're a freelancer you could share offices, rent studio space or work from home.

Design work often involves sitting and working at a computer for long periods of time.

Job satisfaction comes from creating high-quality artwork and building a reputation.

Jobs are available in major cities and towns, with advertising agencies predominantly based in London, the South East, Manchester and Leeds. There's also a demand for British graphic designers internationally with opportunities in Europe, Japan, Australia and the USA, but it's advisable to work in the UK for a year before seeking work abroad.

Although work is mostly studio-based, travel within the working day to meet clients may be required. Working away is rare.

Qualifications

Relevant subjects for graphic design work include those that involve visual arts. In particular, a degree or HND in the following subjects may increase your chances:

3D design

communication design

film and television

fine art

graphic design

illustration

photography

visual art.

A large majority of graphic designers have degrees, so it is beneficial to have one. It isn’t essential however it is better to have one in terms of getting your foot in the door with agencies.

Skills

passion and enthusiasm for design, with a creative flair

a flexible approach when working in a team

excellent communication skills to interpret and negotiate briefs with clients

good presentation skills and the confidence to explain and sell ideas to clients and colleagues

time management skills and the ability to cope with several projects at once

accuracy and attention to detail when finalising designs

being open to feedback and willing to make changes to your designs

effective networking skills to build contacts.

Work experience

When starting out in Graphic Design, an internship or work placement experience is really useful. It can give you the experience you need to then move onto a paid job, as well as gathering a reference who can recommend you to future employers.

Career prospects

Initial progression from a junior graphic designer usually happens in two or three years. You can progress if you network and grow your reputation through your social media channels and your portfolio.

I may be eligible to apply for a senior design position after three to five years. Another positive of this career is that with my design degree and design experience, I will be able to transfer between graphic and UX Design if needed/possible as the two career paths are linked.

To gain more insight into how to become a UX Designer, I looked at a case study that I found interesting:

UX Design Case Study: Senior UX Designer, Polly Fullerton

https://www.prospects.ac.uk/case-studies/senior-ux-designer-polly-fullerton

Polly studied English Language at University, which is interesting as it shows there is another route that can be taken; you don’t necessarily have to study the subject at university.

Her degree benefitted her by giving her the communication skills needed to meet designers. Combined with independent learning, she moved into UX Design.

Her path began at a company called THG as an SEO manager. She began this job after graduating, and after 6 months she decided that she didn’t want to continue, and instead become a UX Designer.

Luckily for her, she was inside a company so she had the opportunity to move within it. It is crucial to get your foot in the door somewhere; everything gets easier once that first step is made.

To learn UX, she used online courses and went to meet-ups to improve her design skills and climb up the ladder. Once she got up to speed, she made a pitch to the UX manager at her company, and she was taken on as a junior UX designer. Since then, she has gone on to work for comparethemarket.com, firstly as a mid-weight UX designer and now as a senior UX designer.

She says that her typical work day is starting at 8:30am, and finishing at 5pm. However, her company is flexible with deciding work hours or working from home. Usually her day consists of design work such as sketching and making prototypes, as well as being in stakeholder meetings and design reviews.

Her degree is relevant because using clear language is crucial in UX design, when presenting to stakeholders and clients.

Her role as a junior and mid-weight designer consisted of her supporting more senior team members on their projects. As a senior designer she now takes on her own projects, which makes sense as a natural progression. Being a senior designer she says brings more responsibility but more freedom.

Here is the advice she has given to others who want to get into UX design:

Don't be put off if you don't have a technical background - some of the most brilliant UX designers I know transitioned into the industry from something totally different.

Make the most of free UX resources before committing to a paid course - it's amazing what you can learn on your own.

Try and get in touch with established UX designers, especially via local meet-ups

I will ensure that I (when possible) can engage in meet-ups, as this is what I feel I personally lack; I am quite a shy person so I need to get out there and network.

Job Opportunities & Design Agencies I like the look of

1. UX Design Graduate Trainee Scheme

https://www.bbc.co.uk/careers/trainee-schemes-and-apprenticeships/trainee-schemes/ux-design

This opportunity sounds perfect for me, as although I feel confident enough in designing user experiences, I don’t know a coding language and the fact that this role is a trainee scheme I feel like I can network as well as work at such a reputable institution as the BBC. If they don’t offer coding help however, I will still have the time to use a Udemy course outside of work to gain the skillset that way.

First of all, the location is perfect. I like the professionalism and aesthetic of MediaCity; it is an attractive place to work. The scheme starts in September 2021 which I am accustomed to after doing 3 years of university so it would give me a summer break which I would like to have to rest mentally and prepare.

I would like to join a team of people like me who are just starting out in their UX career, rather than with more experienced people and being the only one who is beginning their journey. What I mean by that is that there will be more than one trainee there (it looks like a group of 6 from their instagram account) so I can work alongside them as well as with the more experienced people at the BBC, rather than jumping in at the deep end.

I like to work in teams of people who are just as passionate as me in the subject, and I don’t feel like there is a better opportunity than to work at the BBC. The BBC as an institution is seen as the pinnacle in the UK amongst many British people, so I am aware it will be tough to gain a place. However, I am optimistic and I believe in my ability to get where I want to get to, whether that be at the BBC on this trainee scheme or another pathway.

The UX Design Graduate Trainee Scheme is a one year programme, where on successful completion you will automatically move into a role in the UX&D team.

They like people who are:

enthusiastic about what they do, and a delight to work with

motivated and full of ideas

geeky about design

geeky about technology

I tick every box!

The job involves rotating across a range of products – from iPlayer to News, from Sport to CBeebies.

I will be working on real projects with senior members of UX, as well as technical and editorial teams from across the BBC. Along the way I will gain unparalleled experience with user research, information architecture, content analysis, interaction design, visual design, prototyping and much more.

The job application requires a portfolio as will every other design job, so I will need to make sure mine is the best it can possibly be.

2. Bolser Design Agency

https://bolser.co.uk

Bolser are a digital design agency based in Leeds that have been in business since 2001. They have developed from a direct-response marketing business to a digital agency.

They build websites, apps and content management systems for clients such as Microsoft, Xbox, McDonald’s, EE, Discovery, AIG, Taco Bell, Jet2, Battersea Power Station and KFC.

What I like about Bolser is that their ethos is putting the customer first. I know that sounds simple but when I design the user is the most important person.

Also, the perks are incredible. It sounds like a close-knit team environment:

The office itself looks industrial and spacey which is what I like too:

My favourite projects of theirs are:

McDonald’s App

Bolser helped to increase awareness and utilisation of the My McDonald’s app in the UK, through app store optimisation. In a three month period they were able to impact massively on the utilisation of the app.

App Store ratings for the app increased from 3 stars to 4.8 stars.

EE App Redesign

They used the latest usability software, including eye tracking. They also removed any unnecessary content, creating a visual hierarchy that mapped with the user priorities.

Sadly they don’t have any jobs at this moment in time but they will be hearing from me in the future there is no doubt about that. As it says in the text below, they want to hear from enthusiastic digital people, and I certainly would class myself as that. It is better to try than not to try. The fact that it is in the heart of Leeds is hugely attractive to me, as Leeds is my home where I grew up.

3. Lucky Duck

To look for some more agencies in and around the Leeds area, I looked at a website called clutch:

https://clutch.co/uk/agencies/ui-ux/leeds

I like the fact that they include service focus, and put percentages to show you if the role you want to do is important to them. For example, Lucky Duck are an agency that have full focus on UI/UX Design, which would be ideal for me.

I decided to look at Lucky Duck first, and the website was fantastic on first viewing. The user experience was slick and easy to use.

If an agency has a sufficient website it tells me that they are a serious agency that has high standards, which is attractive to me as a designer and potential future employee.

I love the simple layout of their portfolio. The main reason I love it so much is the simple fact that the work is parallel to each other but lower on the right hand side, as we read from left to right. This is a something I would like to add in my own personal portfolio. It may seem like a small difference, but it really helps me when I am reading each piece of work.

The project that stuck out to me was the app they did for SOLUS+. They were responsible for creating the user experience for a smart heating mobile companion app, and the design and build of an eCommerce store.

The app includes a lot of smart features, which helps the user to manage their heating more effectively, and to save money as well as reducing their impact on the environment, which is a very important aspect of life in 2020.

Like many agencies, jobs are hard to come by, but they have a contact us page that looks simple and friendly. I will certainly get in touch in the near future for a job opportunity whenever one comes available.

0 notes

elevenhoursinfront-blog · 7 years ago

Text

14th September 2017

Steve woke up the moment the alarm went off and left the room. Weird for him, but I presumed he was going to wet himself. He usually plays of his phone for 15 minutes and then goes for a wee. He came back after 10 minutes and he had made us both a coffee! What a lovely surprise. Neither of us have had a hot drink since we were in Tasmania. We got ready for work and jumped in the van. I took my GoPro in to take some photos and videos. I wanted to make a really good film in the shed and I've planned what filming I need to take. It's going to take the rest of my time here to make it, but it'll be worth it. It'll keep me busy! I took a few photos of some people as we were waiting for the bell to start. I was at the back with Maggie and we found out that we only had 2.5 trailers to do. We normally complete 26 trailers per day so we should be done within an hour or so. It just goes to show how fast we work. There are around 60 tree bunches on each trailer. There are are 8 hands to each tree bunch and a singular hand has about 20 bananas on. Noah worked out that in his 3 months of working at the banana farm, he would've seen 9 million individual bananas, roughly. Any way, back to where I was actually going with that. We should be finished today by the first break which means a long weekend again. I can't hide my excitement to be off but I'm sad about losing money. I'm not sure what we'll do if our days keep getting shorter. I was working away and I was so hyper. Really, really hyper. Maggie and I were singing along to songs stupidly, splashing each other with water, having a great laugh. Time went by so quickly. I was messing about with my GoPro with Cait and Mitch too. I filmed them being stupid, I filmed the shit shoot to show how many bananas are thrown away. I also put the GoPro into one of my banana boxes to go through the machine - don't worry though Dad, Cait was well aware and got it out before it was sent away. Mitchel took my GoPro too and did some funny films. I had a great morning. We finished packing the bananas after about 1-2 hours. I got started on the cleaning whilst the two other belts finished. Top belt always finished first. We did a big clean, a really big clean which became boring after a while. There's so many of us girls that the jobs run out pretty quickly. It was 0950 when we all stopped, went to the break area and waited for the bell to go. I went around taking pictures and filming Steve doing some cleaning as that's a rare sight. He ended up turning the industrial hose on at me so I was absolutely soaked. My feet started to foam like fairy up liquid. At the start of our shifts, we have to go through a metal tray type thing of liquid and chemicals that stops us bringing in any diseases that could harm the bananas. That's why I started foaming. The bell went and we had our lunch. April, one of the older ladies that works there, told me that we weren't going home now. We were staying to help Jenny outside for a little while. I was dead excited - outside! Finally. It's like a prisoner getting to leave the cell. I told the girls and made sure everyone of us put factor 50 sun cream on. Vicki got us as many hats as she could find too. The bell went for work again and I was very excited. We all lined up outside and waited for the actual outside staff to leave so we could go. We walked about 5 minutes, not even that to the first paddock. It was the closest one to the shed. Jenny put us all into pairs, female with male. I was put with Maggie's Matt and Steve was put with Maggie. We were given a massive knife that was almost like a machete and was told to get on with it. We had to go to each individual tree, untie the banana bag and take it off, then pull the string down and put them into separate bags. One bag for bags and the other for string. The paddock is 400m long and the trees are pretty much on top of each other. Matt and I got into the swing of it fairly quickly. He would untie the knot as I couldn't reach them and I would pull the bag off the bananas and put them into the bag. I was carrying the bags and he would carry the knife. The knife would be to cut the bunch down should it be too high for Matt to untie which wasn't too often because he's quite tall. We took about an hour to do the whole line which went really fast. We were in the sun and I was loving it. I desperately needed my water though and you don't have the hands to carry it around with you. No wonder the guys pass out. Once we finished the first line, we walked back to get water which was strange for Jenny. She just said "go have a water break". Jenny is all about hard graft. Matt said to Steve that he was worried because we were basically chopping down perfectly fine bananas to rot into the ground. This paddock was only planted last year. How strange. We did another line (of trees, not cocaine) before Jenny said we were heading back. We were told we'd be finished helping the odd job by 1230. I was happy, I really enjoyed being outside. I wish I could work outside permanently. I might say something to Vicki should the opportunity arise but it's a bit too far down the line. We all got back to the shed and sat in the break area. We have to wait for Vicki to come out and say you can go home before just leaving. There could be more work that’s needed. We waited for about 10 minutes and most of the staff turned up, waiting around. Steve and I saw Blayde and little Matt who were on holiday this week. We knew then that something was not right. We asked why they were here and Blayde said his mum said he had to come in (Vicki). Oh god. What was happening? Were we losing our jobs? What was going on? We all started to worry, saying that what would we do if we were to lose our jobs. We saw the big staff in the office upstairs through the window. We waited about 20 minutes before Graham, the owner came out. He stood on the bench and said "There's just no easy way to say this so I'm just going to say it. We are closing the farm, as of today. We've tried for two long years to get this working but we can't." He started to cry. He carried on saying "I want to thank you all for your hard work and I'm so, sorry. There's too many bananas in Australia and the market is no longer there". Everyone was silent. Completely silent. Someone said "Thank you Graham". I started to clap and everyone joined in. People started to cry, including me. Vicki and Jenny were in absolute pieces. Their whole lives have just stopped. Tristan, our supervisor from the Philippians could not stop crying. He was on sponsorship to provide money for his whole family back home. Anthony, the outside supervisor, just stood up and walked out. Got in his car and left. He didn't say a single word. I don't blame him. Supervisors had the right to know beforehand, the company should've had the respect to tell the exec staff first. Give them notice what was going on. The big managers had meetings with their financial advisers who said on Friday evening to cut their losses and shut. Vicki and Jenny found out on their lunch time, as casual chat, that they were losing their jobs on Thursday. Vicki had to leave the shed because she couldn't face anyone. She drove the buggy into the paddocks and spent the afternoon crying. She has a house to pay for, she's 49 years old and she only gets 8 weeks redundancy pay. Jenny is well off so money isn't her problem, her house is paid off. It's her family business though so it's heartbreaking for them. I was shocked. I didn't know what to think. Vicki stood up and said "We will call your names out individually and you can come and collect your letter, if you don’t have one, come and see me after". We got our letters which contained our final payslip, a letter of contract termination and a final tax summary for taxback/visa purposes. Those that didn’t have their letter, were getting their second year visa granted by the owners. They were only doing it for those who had 1-2 weeks left of working which is completely fair and I’m so pleased they did that. They would have to wait for their payslips to be processed next week to show that they did their 3 months.

We started to say our goodbyes to staff and eventually left. Gobsmacked. I couldn't stop crying. What were we going to do now? Our plan was completely ruined. We drove the other hostel home and pulled up outside ours. The guys at the hostel came walking out with cold beers to help the mood as they found out which was nice. I couldn't help but feel sorry for the full time staff. People who's lives were just completely ruined. Bills for homes and children that have to be paid. They had been fired on the spot, with no warning or help. I saw many men crying because they couldn't support themselves or their family anymore. It's an awful situation. In fact, awful isn't the word to even describe it. I rang the Seafarm the moment I got back and the man told me to go in to fill in the application form. The waiting list would be about 4 weeks which is far too long for me but any options I have is better than none. We jumped in the van straight away and drove to the farm. We got the forms and they told us to bring them back tomorrow. On the way back to the hostel, I jumped out at one of the cafes called Annie's Kitchen to see whether they were hiring. They said they were quiet at the moment, maybe in a months time.

The problem is, Cardwell is going to go downhill now. Backpackers bring in so much money the whole town because of the banana farm. The farm was the only reason we came to this small little town and now nobody will come. Leonie was panicking because she relies on backpacker money for her income. She said she's going to have to get another job now. She reckons things will be closed down after a while. It's going to have a bad domino affect throughout the whole town which is absolutely crazy. Steve and I got showered and sat in the room. We were just silent. I didn't know what to say, I didn't know what to say. I started to cry and Steve laid there with me. He said that we'd write today off and talk about it tomorrow. I felt sorry for us and everyone else at the same time. We went outside after a while and sat chatting to everyone. We were all in a pity-party. We were talking about it for hours. I text my family and told them the news but they weren't awake yet. Steve started to feel hungry so he went to the kitchen to make us dinner. He wanted to make us chicken curry pasta which I've never heard of before. Steve said his mum used to make it and that it was nice so I went with it. He bought it down whilst we were chatting still and we ate away. It was nice to be fair. It would've been better with a different curry sauce. It was Ciar, Matt, Caiome and Bines last night tonight so we were all meant to be going to the pub for a drink at happy hour. None of us were feeling up to it really but we had to go. We left around 1700 and walked the 5 minutes down the road to Yasi. It was shut but the owner came out and said we could sit in the garden as the inside had been hired out for a private fishing event. Fishing is so big here. We chilled for an hour or two. Steve and I got one beer each which was $4.50. I didn't want to buy anything because we no longer had a drink but Steve's an avid spender. I wanted to FaceTime my Dad so we left earlier than everyone else. We got called boring and what not, as we always do. Last Saturday, Ciar came over to me in the entertainment room when we were all drinking and she said "You don't have friends because you're always in your room". If I'm honest, I was hurt. I don't want those types of 'friends' if they make me feel like rubbish for not doing something everyone else is doing. Yes, I'm actually a fairly boring person and I do enjoy chilling in my room of an evening after work. Whatever. I called Dad whilst he was eating his porridge. He asked what our plan was, which we don't have. At all. The call ended fairly quickly and Steve and I went outside. We chatted to people. The majority were still down. I spoke to Cait the most. She and I are the most devastated. We waited for everyone to come back from the pub and then we went to the entertainment room. Everyone was enjoying a good few drinks as it was probably going to be the last time with people here... We played a drinking game called Arrogance. You have one cup and you pour a bit of your drink in. The player next to you will flip a coin. Heads or tails - you guess. You get it right, you pass the cup on. You get it wrong, you drink. Eventually, our cup was filled with beer, cider, goon and peppermint tea (thank you Harriet). That got people fairly drunk and before you know it, we were up on the benches dancing and laughing away. The boys were on the grass playing "see who can kick the ball through the window first". Steve won! He shot it in first which was great because the game had been going on for ages. Luckily, the window was smashed a few weeks beforehand so none of the lads could do it this time. The drinking, laughs and what not continued. Steve and I didn't really drink much. Scrap that - I just asked him and he said he was drunk. I didn't realise. I didn't really drink much, in fact, I wasn't even tipsy in the slightest. I was still very deflated after the words longest, most rubbish day ever. I kept wondering when my bad luck streak would end... Bines had a go at kicking the football through the gap in the window and ended up kicking his trainer onto the roof. Bad idea for someone who was leaving in the morning. We had to get the trainer down and luckily Nick was able to get it. Cahoime wanted to try but she was very drunk. We weren't letting anyone too drunk climb up on the roof. The trainer was saved and the night carried on. I went to bed around 2330. Steve stayed up but he joined me after about half an hour. We fell asleep straight away. Thank God, the day is finally over.

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girl-next-door-writes · 8 years ago

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Work For Free - Part 8

Characters: Reader, Fili, Bilbo, Bard, Faramir, Smaug, Eowyn, Tauriel, Eomer… anyone else I fancy just throwing in.

Summary: Here is the tale of a day, just one day, confined within the four walls of a small but perfectly formed Tea Room. There is drama and romance and probably a bit of slapstick thrown in to break it up a bit but I’m not promising anything.

Word Count: words

Prompt: Coffee Shop AU (I may have taken a little bit of a liberty with this.) and Neglected Characters from the Tolkeinverse.

A/N: There are some ideas that just take hold and won’t let you go until you have captured them on the page. This is one of those ideas.

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7

Through a door in a wall there was a tea room. Not a nasty, sticky, damp tea room filled with incontinent old ladies complaining and the faint smell of wee, nor yet a minimalist, ironic hipster take on a tea room with beanbags you can’t get out of and strange ergonomic chairs that dig into your spine: it was Bilbo Baggins tea room, and that means comfort.

The shop had been in his family for as long as he could remember and although it never made millions it made enough money for Bilbo to live quite comfortably. He had a home, a nice apartment of his very own but… well, he spent most of his time right here in the cozy, warm cocoon that was Bagend and lately he had become even more grateful for the hustle and bustle of the place, it was familiar and comforting as he was about to embark upon something so far from his own comfort zone that he sometimes wondered what would become of him.

Standing behind the counter with his trusty notebook he was doing a manual stock take, not entirely trusting this new-fangled modern technology. Fili was busy setting up the tables when the little bell tinkled and a bright voice called out, “Morning Boss.”

“Good morning? Is it a good morning?” He grumbled as the numbers on his page seemed to dance. How could it possibly be a good morning? What good had happened so far to qualify it as such. Bilbo continued with his task, looking up only when you passed him by to hang up your coat. He noticed the way Fili’s expression would soften whenever his eyes fell upon you and he wondered when the boy would actually pluck up the courage to say something to you. There was definitely a difference between him and his brother and while quiet caution had its place sometimes in matters of the heart bravery has more sway. “Are you going to stand there day dreaming all day Master Fili?” he chastised, biting back a fond smile as Fili grinned sheepishly.

“Awww, come on Bilbo, cut the poor boy some slack, he had a hot date last night. Right Fi?” Bilbo looked at the young man with a raised eyebrow and shook his head with a sigh, it didn’t look like the lovesick brooding was about to come to an end any time soon.

“Yeah, yeah that…that didn’t really… erm… it didn’t work out.” Fili rubbed the back of his neck, avoiding all eye contact and Bilbo felt a pang of pity for the boy. To spend all your time with someone you have feelings for and never reveal them must be hard, especially when, like now, that person was offering some sort of comfort.

“You’ll find her Fi. She’s probably out there right now just waiting for you to show up.” Bilbo wanted to shout ‘HE’S IN LOVE WITH YOU! WHY CAN’T YOU SEE THAT!’ but he held it in, the door opening to reveal the first customer of the day providing a timely distraction. “Morning Faramir, you want the usual? Just set up at your table and I’ll bring it over to you.”

“Thank you.” The nervous man replied before scuttling off towards the back corner to a table next to an electrical socket.

“It’s not his table, it’s my table and my electricity he comes in here using every day.” His usual tone of mild annoyance present as he wandered off to the small office at the back of the shop muttering to himself at the general liberties people were taking.

Sitting down in his favourite chair, the leather padding of the seat encased him like a warm hug as his body filled the perfect imprint he had spent years cultivating, Bilbo let out a frustrated sigh. His phone was vibrating on his desk as yet another of his greedy relatives tried to get hold of him to once more request some form of cash injection. Shaking his head, he ignored the insistent thrumming against the wooden surface and picked up his ledger. Running his fingers carefully across its cover he gingerly opened the tome and cast an eye down the figures there. When he had first agreed to this foolhardy plan it had been out of indignance that his friend hadn’t even asked him. Surely Thorin knew that he would help in any way he could, he had, after all, employed both of his nephews after the family fortune was practically stolen from them. They were so close now. It had taken over a year on this adventure of sorts but within his hands Bilbo nearly had the extend of the fraud and when he passed it onto the IRS then a certain customer was going to find himself without the price of a cup of tea to his name. He only hoped his little stint as a cat burglar getting his hands on the original files didn’t come back to haunt him. As it was he was going to have to take great lengths delivering this evidence so it could not be traced. Even so far as hiding whenever Smaug entered the tea shop for fear of being recognised. The one thought that kept him going was that after all this there was a chance his dear friend could once again call Erebor his home once more and his family name would be restored to where it belonged. He only hoped Fili got the girl before that otherwise there may always be that doubt as to if it was him or the status she had finally fallen for. Rubbing his chin his brow furrowed as he checked the figures once again. Yes, this would all be worth the heart stopping panic that he had begun to feel each morning.

Bilbo had spent all day in his office only briefly pausing in his work to take some lunch. The afternoon was taken up with the stock take, putting together the new order and filling out payslips. “You do realise it’d be easier if you let me set all the accounts up on a computer for you.” The voice caught him off guard for a moment, he hadn’t realised it was that time already.

“I don’t trust those things.” He frowned, glaring suspiciously at the computer on the corner of his desk.

“I know but Bilbo it would be…”

“I saw Fili defending your honor earlier.” That seemed to shut her up. It was amazing the things Bilbo had witnessed in that shop and after seeing how she had looked at the lad after he had stepped in the kindly owner decided maybe it was an opportune moment to give them a push. He knew Fili wasn’t about to take that step but this one, well, if she gave him a little encouragement then perhaps that would change. “He’s a good lad.” Bilbo looked up at her and she nodded as she placed the money down on the desk. Smiling to himself, Bilbo suspected he had caught on something there and as she turned to go he called after her. “You could do far worse.” Shaking his head he placed the money into the safe and made his way into the shop just in time to catch the sweetest moment between Fili and the woman who had captured his heart.

Fili leaned on the broom in his hand, his cheeks a little flushed and a dopey grin on his face. “Well Master Fili, if that doesn’t stir you to move then maybe you don’t deserve her.” Bilbo stated, schooling his face into a stern expression inspite of his amusement.

“What?” Fili nearly fell over his own feet, startled by the voice and then a little confusion at the statement.

“The girl thanks you and gives you a kiss on the cheek and you just let her walk away? Favor fortunes the brave my boy. Go after her because you may never get the chance again.” Bilbo smiled kindly and took the broom from Fili who took a moment to catch on. Grabbing his jacket, he shot his employer a thankful look and darted out of the door. Bilbo sighed and locked the door. No matter what happened he always found a sense of peace in this place. There was nowhere in the world he would rather spend his time than at Bagend Tea Emporium.

Tag: @deanxfuckingadorablexwinchester@nea90sweetie@knittingknerdy@feelmyroarrrr@vintagevalentinexx@cojootromuelle@sdavid09@luckynumber1213@zombi3gyrl07@neeadinghugs@hobbithorse19@fromthedeskoftheraven@everyjourneylove @rosa-kirk @palaiasaurus64 @like-a-bag-of-potatoes@luckynumber1213 @littleblue5mcdork

#myfic #something I wrote #nomoreneglectedcharacters #middleearthcoffee

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iamcediesmom · 8 years ago

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Philippine IMMIGRATION experience (and some TIPS)

Just a little bit of information about me.

I am a work-at-home mom. I am an ESL online teacher for two and a half years now. I have no ITR (yet). My company deducts my taxes but they don’t provide a BIR 2316 just a 2307 (which is like a breakdown of the taxes I already paid each quarter).

It was my first time travelling abroad last October 2016; I used to go on domestic trips around the Philippines but I’ve never ventured out of the country before. My friend and I were planning the trip for like six months. She has been to other countries in Asia before but this was her first time to go to HK and Macau.

I was so excited I read all kinds of blogs regarding my situation. That’s when I discovered something….OFFLOADING… I’ve never heard of OFFLOADING before and I didn’t know what it meant. Some of the stories I’ve read online only made me nervous and I somehow dreaded my trip because of it.

Okay, so now here goes my story. (sorry for the long introduction hihi)

My friend and I decided to meet at the airport 3 hours before our flight. Our reason was we just want to be extra early. Maybe it’s the excitement?? OR we had a feeling of what’s about to happen??

We filled up the arrival/departure cards and proceeded to the Immigration queue for Philippine Passport Holders. There were four windows open 2 guys and 3 girls. I told my friend that we should go to one of the guy's windows because I thought it might help that we are girls and that we can somehow use our charms (??hahaha) Anyway, she said NO and we ended up lining up into a window were there were 2 women. I was a bit suspicious but my friend said that they looked very approachable. There were only a few travelers during the time so we only waited for a bit. My friend went first. I wasn’t nervous at all but I overheard their conversation and the line of questioning they had.

At first, they asked standard questions like;

Where are you going? : HK /Macau

Who are you going with? : My friend (and she pointed to me)

Where are you going to stay? : At my Aunt’s house (she gave the address)

They asked a few more questions about their relationship…

Where do you work? Can I see your ID?

Where did you study? Can I see your school ID?

>>> My friend didn’t expect this at all and she didn’t bring her College ID or her Alumni card. All she had was an ID from a school she took some classes from for her job. They allowed it. When I heard this I looked for my school ID and I was glad it was in my wallet.(hahahaha)

Have you traveled before? How many times? When?(while turning the pages of her passport) : Two Times, SG and Thailand. Last year (2015).

This time I was a little bit scared because I heard once you’ve traveled before there would only be a few questions asked. Then they finally allowed her to pass through and stamped her passport.

FINALLY, it was my turn. I smiled and said Hello. Both of them just nodded. They asked almost the same questions at first and I had the same answers as my friend. Then they asked…

Where do you work? Can I see your ID? : I work at an ONLINE ENGLISH SCHOOL. I don’t have an ID because it’s HOME BASED.

Are you a certified teacher? : No.

What and who do you teach? : English grammar; Japanese, Taiwanese and Korean students.

Do you have a COE? : Yes

Where did you study? What’s your major? : I showed them my ID. MIT-Manila; BS Chemistry.

Then they started to ask about my friend.

How long have you known your friend? : Since 2011.

How did you meet? : We met at work, at a call center.

When’s her birthday? : (I’m totally forgetful about this information, I only know my family’s birthdays, luckily I remembered my sister and my friend’s birthdays were the same.)

Are you sure? : Yes.

Do you have a picture of you together in 2011? : (yeah! I know right? Shocking!! I had those but the night before I just deleted old pictures from my phone to free up some space for the trip, I asked if I can open Facebook and they approved. During this time the internet connection at the airport wasn’t very fast and I couldn’t get to the bottom of my picture albums. I showed them a picture of us together from 2 years ago and then they said NO I want a picture from 2011. I started getting irritated.)

Then the woman said: MAM, I think you should follow me. I will refer your case to my superior because you did not pass the initial screening. Then she said, actually it would have been okay if you have an ID.

I butted in. I don’t have an ID because I work-at-home. (IS SHE THICK IN THE HEAD? WHY CAN'T SHE UNDERSTAND THAT AT ALL??)

And she continued, the COE that you showed me is fake.

My blood pressure was rising and I said “HOW CAN IT BE FAKE WHEN MY BOSS SENT IT TO ME BY EMAIL AND I JUST PRINTED IT?” I was trying SO hard to control my tone and said it through gritted teeth.

Anyway, she didn’t listen and just led the way.

I was told to fill up a form and wait in line. I was the third in line. There were no rooms. It was just a space with a lot of chairs beside the security check area. When my turn finally came, my heart was beating so fast I thought I was gonna have a heart attack.

I only waited for a few minutes then it was my turn. I was lucky because the woman who motioned for me to follow her looked really nice, and she was (Thank GOD!). She asked me to just give her all the documents that I have. I handed her my flight ticket, all my reservations to the attractions I was going to, marriage certificate, my son’s birth certificate, COE. Then she asked me to show her pictures of my friend and I together. I showed her my wedding pictures. She was a bit distracted because there was a man beside us who kept pleading to her to let him board his flight to Oman or SOMEWHERE. She stood up, I maybe waited for 3 minutes when she got back she said, “Oh mam! you’re still here? I thought I already approved you.” She signed my papers. Then I went back to the original window and the woman there said, “Mam if you had an ID you wouldn’t go through that.”

Because of what the IO said, I wondered if I should have made a fake ID? I’m really conflicted about that ID issue. Would that have been easier? Can’t she understand that I really can’t provide one since I don’t go to the office? I just do it all online, my salary, payslip, tax records can be accessed or sent to me online. I really don’t know why she can’t understand that.

Looking back to that experience, here were some things I learned.

1. Don’t go to a window with two people in it. They might be training the other one so they would ask twice as many questions as they normally would.

2. Wear something totally formal or something that would scream that you are RICH! I was only wearing a fitted black shirt and jeans with sneakers. I love comfy clothes and my thought was I was gonna arrive in HK at night I won’t take too much pictures so I didn’t made any effort. I didn’t have a suitcase just a backpack and a shoulder bag. I must’ve looked pathetic in their eyes. I didn’t wear any make-up too just some lipstick.

(a picture at the airport with my mother before CHECK-IN)

(Here’s a picture of me with my totally matching backpack and cross body bag)

3. Bring all of your documents and all your IDs. Print out everything and scan everything just to be sure.

4. Keep your answers short.

5. Control your voice even if you are already angry and if they say something ridiculous or ask something out of line. Stay calm and keep your cool.

I was able to go to HK and Macau. I had a blast but I would never forget my first Immigration interview.

(after the long and gruesome interview; I can finally smile again!)

Now, I’m preparing to go to Singapore with my sister in July, she’s 18 years old and it’s her first time. I have already booked the tickets and the hotel. I am going to buy the tickets for the Universal Studios online (klook.com) too. I would be the one financing this whole trip since it’s my birthday gift to her. What do you think I should do so that this situation won’t happen to me again? I don’t know. I’ll just keep on praying this will never happen again. I read somewhere that someone signed a waiver in Singapore stating that he has no intention of working there. Do I need to do that as well? Maybe. Do I need to make a fake ID? I want to but I’m scared it would make matters worse. Anyway, I just wanted to share my experience to whoever.

Ciao!

~KC~

P.S.

I would be posting my IT in HK-Macau and more pictures next time. Thanks for reading this. :) Totally appreciated.

#immigration #philippine immigration #airport #what not to do #what not to wear #first time traveler #first time abroad #hong kong #macau #philippines #naia #wanderlust #travel tips

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kissdrivingschool · 5 years ago

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Letter from DVSA Chief Executive to approved driving instructors about coronavirus (COVID-19)

Dear colleague,

I want to update you on what the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is doing to help slow the spread of the coronavirus, and advise you to look at what support the government has put in place for you.

Driving tests

As you know, we have suspended driving tests to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

We are continuing to provide emergency tests for those whose work is critical to the coronavirus response.

The details of how to apply for these have been published at www.gov.uk/dvsa.

We will continue to prioritise these and match them against 400 volunteer driving examiners across Great Britain.

Not all driving examiners are able to provide this service because those particularly vulnerable from coronavirus need to stay at home. However, those staying at home are helping to process requests for emergency tests.

Providing driving lessons for people whose work is critical to the coronavirus response

I’m aware that some of the people whose work is critical to the coronavirus response will need to finish their driving lessons and be able to use a vehicle for their test. I’m very grateful to those of you who are able to continue providing lessons for those who need them.

In line with our plans to only provide tests for candidates who have an essential need, when taking lessons, we recommend that you ask candidates to bring appropriate ID with them demonstrating the need for them to take lessons - for example, an ID badge, payslip or letter from their employer.

We have shared details of the personal protective arrangements we’re putting in place for driving examiners with the driving instructors’ National Associations Strategy Partnership (NASP).

This partnership brings together the ADINJC, DIA and MSA GB associations. You may wish to consider similar arrangements if you’re providing lessons for those who need it.

Following the latest Public Health England guidance

We also recommend that you put in place appropriate measures in line with the latest guidance Public Heath England and Cabinet Office guidance, to prevent the spread of coronavirus. This includes guidance on:

· hand washing and use of hand sanitiser

· having good ventilation in place where possible

· cleaning shared surfaces in vehicles regularly

Visit www.gov.uk/coronavirus/business-support for the latest guidance.

Working with you and your associations

I know how challenging the current situation is. I appreciate the impact our decisions have on you, your customers, your business and your family. And I fully understand the uncertainty is worrying.

We are holding regular conference calls with NASP to make sure your questions and concerns are shared with DVSA. I lead these calls, and it’s a personal priority for me to make sure you have the information you need as soon as it’s available.

NASP has published our answers to your most frequently asked questions, and they have produced a pack of information which you can find at www.n-a-s-p.co.uk.

Individual associations are also providing extra information and support - to members and non-members alike - via webinars, email updates and support lines. Please take advantage of the help and support that’s available to you.

Financial support

The Chancellor of the Exchequer has set out plans that will see the self-employed receive up to £2,500 per month in grants for at least 3 months.

If you are eligible for the new scheme, HMRC will contact you and invite you to apply using a simple online form, with the cash being paid directly into your bank account.

HMRC aims to contact you by mid-May 2020, and will make payments by early June 2020.

The government is supporting businesses through a package of other measures during this period.

To find support, advice and information to help you with the impact of coronavirus on your business, please visit www.businesssupport.gov.uk. You can sign up for email alerts from there to get the latest information.

If your ADI registration expires by the end of June

If your ADI registration is due to expire by the end of June 2020, you can choose not to renew it right now.

You then have up to 12 months to re-register without having to take the qualifying tests again. However, you will not be able to charge money (or monies worth) for instruction while your registration has lapsed.

If you renewed your ADI registration in March

If you renewed your ADI registration in March 2020 and have stopped working, you can apply for a refund of your registration fee.

Email [email protected] with your name, ADI registration number, date of birth and postcode to apply.

You’ll then need to cut up your ADI certificate (badge). You will not be able to charge for instruction after you do this, but you can re-register as an ADI up to the end of March 2021 and start work again without retaking the qualifying test.

Stay at home, protect the NHS, save lives

The single most important action we can all take in fighting coronavirus is to follow government guidance and stay at home to protect the NHS and save lives.

I do not underestimate the challenges this brings for you and your pupils.

When the government relaxes its social-distancing measures, we will make sure we help you understand how this will affect DVSA’s services, your ability to return to work, and what it means for your pupils.

You can sign up to get email alerts from us at www.gov.uk/guidance/dvsa-email-alerts.

The priority for us now is to save lives in a different way than we usually do. But when things get back to normal, we will get back to our vital work of helping everyone stay safe on Britain’s roads.

Thank you for your patience and understanding.

I hope that you, your family and your friends stay safe.

Yours faithfully,

Gareth Llewellyn

Chief Executive Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency

#coronavirus #driving instructors #driving lessons #kiss driving school

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gyrlversion · 6 years ago

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Slave-masters used illegally-trafficked men to gather chickens

A pair of slave-masters forced illegally-trafficked Lithuanian men to catch live free-range chickens.

Darrell Houghton and Jackie Judge used Rottweilers to intimate the men to catch the chickens, which lay eggs for the suppliers of the Happy Egg Company, Gü Puds and Big & Fresh brands.

The cruel duo would withhold the small amount of wages they would pay the ‘workers’ if they even so much as left a dirty cup in the sink at their Kent farm’s lodgings.

Houghton and Judge, who ran DJ Houghton Catching Services, hired out their Lithuanian slaves to unsuspecting poultry farmers all over the country, to catch and move the hens.

And one of the companies which they supplied was Noble Foods – the parent organisation of several major retailers – which has not specified which of their brands used Houghton and Judge’s eggs.

Jackie Judge (left) and Darrell Houghton (right) would beat the workers if they failed to work fast enough

Their chicken-catching company was initially raided by the Gangmasters Licensing Authority in 2014 but police dropped criminal charges against them saying there was insufficient evidence of criminal action.

But Houghton, who was the director, and his partner Judge, who was the company secretary, were ordered to a pay six Lithuanian workers £1 million in compensation for loss of wages and poor working conditions after they brought a High Court action.

Now a second group of ten former employees have also won a High Court ruling.

The court found that the number of hours worked hugely exceeded the ‘entirely fictional’ number of hours recorded on payslips and that wages were withheld as a form of punishment.

The workers, who said they were trafficked from Lithuania, claimed they were harassed, assaulted, and threatened by supervisors and housed in ‘appalling conditions’.

Chickens were captured by the slaves at farms nationwide, to supply businesses such as Noble Foods, a leading egg producer and owner of the Happy Egg brand.

Workers said they were punched and taunted and that there was no respite from the harassment because they were housed in accommodation which the couple had constant access to – and would threaten them with aggressive Rottweilers.

The workers were forced to sleep in the back of a mini-bus between farms and were controlled by a specific Lithuanian ‘enforcer’ who would threaten to put them on the street if they stepped out of line.

Darrell Houghton being arrested by police during the raid in 2012

In 2016, the High Court found that the company had failed to pay workers according to minimum wage requirements, had made unlawful deductions from wages, and had failed to provide adequate facilities to wash, rest, eat and drink.

Following the £1 million settlement reached in December 2016, the claimants have been able to return to visit family in Lithuania.

The judgment delivered this week follows a four-day issue trial and summary judgement application in February, in which the workers gave evidence of their appalling living and working conditions, and how their wages could be withheld for entirely spurious reasons, such as leaving a cup in the sink.

On Monday the court found the company was liable for serious contractual and statutory breaches, including the failure to pay the applicable minimum wage, the charging of unlawful ’employment fees’, the arbitrary withholding of wages, and the failure to provide holiday pay.

Although the men signed no employment contracts, these breaches were committed in breach of contractual terms under the Agricultural Wages Act 1948 and the related Agricultural Wages Orders.

The court also ruled that Houghton and Judge were personally liable to the workers for the contractual breaches of their company.

Honourable Mr Justice Lane said that Houghton and Judge ‘cannot have honestly believed that what was being done by them to the chicken-catchers was morally or legally sound.’

The judgment opens the way for the workers to claim compensation directly from the couple.

Mary Westmacott, the solicitor representing the claimants, said: ‘This judgment is a salutary warning to company officers that they may be made personally liable for exploitation of their workers.

‘I’m delighted that the individuals responsible for my clients’ appalling exploitation have finally been held to account in court.

‘This case highlights how victims of modern slavery are hidden in plain sight in the UK.

‘Everyone can help prevent this abuse by being vigilant and reporting it.’

The couple and their Lithuanian middle-man Edikas Mankevicius are still facing a criminal trial in Lithuania, due to begin on September 3.

A spokesperson for Noble Foods said: ‘The welfare and treatment of all employees – whether directly or through third parties – is of paramount importance to Noble Foods.

‘When we were originally alerted to the situation with DJ Houghton Catching Services in 2012, we immediately and permanently terminated their services.

‘The case served as a watershed moment for us and since then we have built stronger and closer working relationships with the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority and Association of Labour Providers, who have helped us review and shape existing company systems and procedures to ensure that strict protocols are adhered to by all contractors.’

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piqaleemawby · 6 years ago

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Nightmare of the UK visa (Fiancé Visa)! - Part 2

As mentioned in my previous post, I am a Malaysian and I applied my UK fiancé visa in 2017 from Malaysia. Please refer to my Part 1 to understand my situation.

Also take note, currently I have a fiancé visa, married, living with my husband and in process of switching into spouse visa.

So how did I successfully apply my fiancé visa?

I applied online and also completed Appendix 2 and sponsorship form. So make sure you have internet access and an email to do this. I also provide tonnes of supporting documents.

Just some tips, make sure you scan and save all the documents you are going to send to the home office. Use an online storage like google drive or dropbox to keep all the documents.

Luckily, I keep all my documents when I was in the UK as a student like my utility bills, house contract, bank statements, my payslip (I worked part time), etc. Basically everything that I received through my mail and emails when I was in the UK for 3 years ish. Yep, just my anxiety that make me keep all things that are legit! Having all these documents make it easy for me to provide prove for the application.

So if I were you, I will not throw anything away. Anything with your name and details just keep it for maybe 7 years?

Right let’s look into the Appendix 2 form. Please take note that I applied the visa in 2017 so the form might have some changes or update since then, make sure you download the latest form from the home office website:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/application-for-uk-visa-for-family-settlement-form-vaf4a

Step 1: READ everything on the form. READ through all of it carefully. Anything you don’t understand please google or get some help. I found some of the questions were confusing (maybe I’m just stupid but hey I got the visa!).

For a start of the form, I crossed that box below:

The form have 5 Parts and you need to complete it based on your situation. I will go through only questions that I found difficult or confusing when I fill it in. Feel free to drop me a question that I have not explain in any of my blog.

I will try my best to reply and help you, however, bear in mind that I am not a professional in visa application. I only share based on my own experienced and research. I am not here to guarantee your application to be successful but I am here to share with you what I know.

At the same time, I will also mention the supporting documents that can be included with these form.

Besides the table of content that I have (check my Part 1 for example), I made a more details table of content for supporting documents for the Appendix 2 form. Here is an example:

PART 1

1.3 When did you first meet your sponsor?

We don’t have the exact date but we know roughly the month and year. So I leave the box for days blank and only filled in the boxes for month and year.

When we first met, we don’t really know each other. We were in the same sports club so back then we were kind of strangers to each other. At first, we wasn’t sure either to put the date when we went dating or when we went for club meeting. After looking into few more questions, we decided to choose the date when we were still strangers.

1.4 Where did you first meet in person?

As it was during club meeting so we gave details of the place like an address. So for example: Starbucks at XX Road, Sheffield. Give an exact address if you know or describe the place the best you can.

(Nope, we didn’t meet in a Starbuck, it was in a swimming pool, LOL. In case anyone is wondering)

1.5 When did your relationship begin?

Put the exact date if you remember if not the give a roughly estimated date. We don’t have exact date, our relationship kinda just bloom, LOL. So we had to discuss and decide a date to fill it in.

1.6 How often do you meet in person?

Right, I was a student when we were dating and then I left the UK once I completed my study. So we said we meet almost every day from -month- year until -month- year. Twice in -month- and -month- year.

Again try to give as much details as possible. Put in any date that you have meet your partner even for a short trip/vacation either in UK, your country or any other country.

1.8 How do you keep in touch with your sponsor?

Thanx to the advanced technology we have nowadays, I keep in touch with my husband (was fiancé) every single day using Facebook, WhatsApp, skype, messenger, etc. Thank you Internet! We love you! And yes, I am clingy!

Also it is best if there is supporting documents. Try to put it some conversation and calls history. Make sure nothing too distracting or personal like sexting (you know what I mean, cheeky!).

1.19 Have you lived with your sponsor in a relationship akin to marriage or civil partnership at any time?

For this, we lived together for like couple of months and luckily I have a proof of address which I included as supporting documents. We thought it will help to show that our relationship are genuine.

If you have lived together for even a short period, it will be worth it to mention it although you don’t have any proof of address.

From what I understand, staying in a hotel together for holiday doesn’t count.

For Part 1 supporting documents, beside the proof of address I also include:

Provisional booking for the civil ceremony

Booking for the venue for the reception

The more you read this, the more it is like telling you my love story, YIKES! Sorry will try my best to make it less of my love story and more UK fiancé visa story.

Here some roses to calm you down while filling in the Appendix 2 form ;)

PART 2

2.1 Where do you and your sponsor plan to live in the UK?

It was a bit tricky for me since my husband was renting a room at that point and obviously we haven’t look into renting any house together yet, also we both are not rich enough to buy a house. So we decided to use his parents’ house as the main address. Again we are lucky because Michael used that address for most of the important stuff like bank statement, student loan, etc. So for that we have enough proof that he was living in that address. By the way, we did stayed there when I came to give notice of marriage.

It is fine to use house address that owned by any family member for this as long there is enough room in the house for everyone.

We provided a letter of support from his parents and title deed as proof that they are the house owner and we are going to live there when I arrive. Also few proof of address that my husband live there.

2.8 Do you intend to work in the UK?

Since this is a fiancé visa obviously I am not allow to work until I switch my visa. It means No I am not intend to work while I have my fiancé visa but Yes I will want to find a job and work once I switch my visa. The whole point of fiancé visa is to get marry and switch to spouse visa once married.

So I crossed ‘YES’ and explained ‘once the spouse visa is approve and the proper authorisation allow me to work then I will look for work in a field that suitable with my experienced and qualification’

I guess it doesn’t matter either you answer yes or no as long you have a proper explanation.

Before we go to PART 3, here is a kitten to DE-stress you.

AWwww so cute! Right now we all are calmer here come,

PART 3

Here are some links that I refer to that help me to kind of understand what should I do and provide:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/immigration-rules/immigration-rules-appendix-fm-se-family-members-specified-evidence

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/270197/sup-docs-settlement.pdf

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/636618/Appendix_FM_1_7_Financial_Requirement_Final.pdf

Like I said before, there are lots of reading so get your reading glasses ready!

We were applying with no child dependent so the financial requirement for us is £18,600 a year.

Although my husband annual income meet the financial requirements but he has been working for less than 6 months when we were applying for the fiancé visa, hence, we were in Category B for Part 3A - ‘Income from Salaried Employment in the UK’.

We also using Part 3F - ‘Cash Saving’, Category D to meet the financial requirement. Yep, we were using 2 method in meeting the financial requirements. Why? Keep reading and you will understand.

Part 3 was a hassle and annoying for us. We have to provide lots of supporting documents to prove that we meet the financial requirement. We also wrote a cover letter specifically to explain our financial situation and how we meet the requirement.

3.20 What was your sponsor’s total income (before tax) from salaried employment in the 12 months prior to the application?

Here is where we realize our problem, the amount of his total income is less than £18,600. Well, he was only working for few months.

3.22 If your sponsor has not been employed by the same employer for 6 months prior to the application does their total income (before tax) from salaried employment received in the 12 months prior to your application meet or exceed the financial requirement you must meet?

Duh, obviously ‘No’.

It is annoyingly confusing since they said financial requirement ‘an income before tax of at least £18,600 a year’ which my husband annual income exceed that amount but then they ask how much in total he have earned prior to the application. Unfortunately his total income for the few months he has been working didn’t meet the requirement amount yet. After further reading and research, we found out we need to combine with other category to meet the financial requirements. So this is where we use the Cash Savings category.

Again, we are so lucky that my father created a trust fund for me and my siblings when we were young like 10 or 12 years old. Each of us have a trust fund in our name and my father have been putting in money ever since. Well, according to him it is his money and we all can only have it once he is ‘gone’. That’s fair. But according to the trust fund it is mine since it’s under my name so I can use it in cash savings category, pheewww!

Not all cash savings can be use in this category. There are some requirements to use this category. For a start, it must exceed £16,000. Since my fund is in RM, I need to multiply with 5.5 which give me RM88,000 and that’s a lots of money! Anyway again we are lucky, we kind of just meet the amount, pheeww! It was my father investment and saving since he was young so that took him more than 20 years. I am so grateful to have a father who always think in advance and prepare for the rainy days. He saved us! Hallelujah!

Right since it is in RM the total amount in the trust fund need to be converted to £ to prove the total amount exceed £16,000. Don’t use any online converter but use the one that specify by the Home Office which is OANDA; https://www.oanda.com/currency/converter/

This was in 2017 so please check at the home office website if OANDA still approve by the Home Office.

By the way, we also need to show proof for source of the trust fund. We provide documents proof for transaction with a large amount and explain in a letter that there are continuously small amount of transaction into the trust fund monthly.

Also some of the documents are in Malay so I need to take it to a certified translator to translate into English. And that people also cost me money, each page cost me RM50 and I have more than 5 pages =_=. Yes, money is the key to the visa application. Oh and also time, it took the translator 3 working days to translate all my documents.

Just for extra information, I went to the Magistrate Court to find a certified translator.

For Part 3 the documents that we provided are as follows:

From Sponsor:

Letter of employment

Employment contract

Bank statement (Printed and certified by the bank)

Payslips

From applicant:

Cover letter

Bank statement

Trust Fund statement

Trust fund Book

Transaction statement

Oanda currency converter

More than 40 pages of documents for just Part 3. Yes, It is a lots but better be safe than sorry.

Also all the bank and trust statement need to be certified and stamp.

Please take note according to Appendix FM 1.7: Financial Requirement:

3.3.8. Where Appendix FM-SE requires the applicant to provide specified evidence relating to a period which ends with the date of application, that evidence must be dated no earlier than 28 days before the date of application.

Yes, make sure you all the documents are dated within the 28 days before the date of application.

That is why I made a table of content so I know which documents need more time and what is still pending. Stay organize really help, if you find it hard try to get some help or use some apps.

After Part 3, I skip Part 4 since it is for those who exempt from the financial requirement. If you are exempted then Part 4 is for you. Unfortunately, I don’t have experienced for Part 4 so I am not able to help.

Part 5

Well, this is where you can add any information that you think will help with your application. I mentioned again about my Cash Savings and how I meet the financial requirements. Although I wrote a cover letter but just in case they miss the letter at least I say something at Part 5.

That is the end of Appendix 2 form and hopefully it helps anyone who was confuse to answer the questions.

Remember, try to provide any supporting documents that are relevant. This help to strengthen your application and it shows your relationship is genuine.

Also just to let you know, I made copies for all the supporting documents that I provide. I have 2 sets of documents, first set are original and certified to be true copy, and the other one is copies of the first set.

It is not necessary but I found it convenient when I submitted it at the VFS to be scanned especially I have few documents that is not in A4 size.

Right here is another cat photo to calm you down~~

and another one! ( I am not a crazy cat woman!)

Right, next blog coming soon!

#ukfiancevisa #uk visa #uk fiance visa #malaysian #Appendix2 #VAF4A #expat

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tintalizing · 6 years ago

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Hitting the Big 3...

This is by far the longest overdue blog I've written, usually in the past whenever I felt compelled to write, I will always find a way to do so, but with this, I really prayed hard that I will be able to convey the message that I wanted to convey and that God would be glorified in whatever things I have to say. Yes, I won't deny that most of us dread to discuss about age and the cons that come with it.

For me, I don't even tell people how old I am but instead I jokingly say to base it on my face, ahahha. Thank God I was blessed with a Filipino genes that could fool anyone about their age. But I'm not that conscious naman. But this blog is not about that, I wanted to share the things God has taught me upon hitting the big 3.

I am also just like you, concerned of how I look, do I look old na ba? or I am also concerned if kaya pa ba ng matres kong manganak? or will I end up being an old maid? or pano nako pag tumanda? and a lot more questions that would always rebuke me if Christian ba talaga ako? because you know these questions would always end up testing our faith. So here are the insights I want to share as I age.

1. Beauty is always defined by the world, but true beauty is defined by how you are in the sight of the Lord.

(1 Peter 3:3-4)Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.

As a Flight Attendant, beauty is of great value, especially if you are getting older, fine wrinkles appear, you gain weight even if you are not eating a lot, people will look at you and will mock you if you are not the best of yourself physically, though it is always important to look good and maintaining a good health, it is much more important to not let the world define your beauty. I always remind myself of this, coz I also have lots of insecurities, esp my nose :) but getting old is a normal and natural process to be embraced. What’s more important is you take care of your physical body as this is God’s holy temple.

2. God blesses those who abide in Him.

(John 15:7)If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

As an example, My birthday was on May 22. Blessed to have been given the opportunity to go home and have my vacation on my birth month and so I planned everything out ahead, from having a big celebration to inviting everyone out and making an alibi na I would share the gospel to my friends and family naman Lord so it's ok to spend more even if I won't have a spare money after. But God always looks at the heart of His children and so before I could go home, the payslip came, I remember I even cried upon seeing how small my payslip was. Again, a heart not of Christ na naman ako. I cried over money and I cried of worrying what to do with the small amount that I have in my hands, pero God is sovereign, He intended that I will have less so that I could trust on Him more and not with the things that I have. I still celebrated my birthday, hindi ganon ka garbo but I am super happy that I was able to spend it with my family. Triple celeb pa.

Imagine If I stayed on that attitude of worry, baka di nako umuwi and I would miss the joys of the celebration.

3. God’s plan is always the best plan, and so is His will.

(Jeremiah 29:11)For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Let’s take a look at my life 4 years ago, I am a nurse but due to some circumstances, I opted to work online, I didn’t gain new friends, I was not out that much, I still depended on my parents for major decision making, and I was contented with who I was, and what I was making. And then mid of 2013, I had my biggest heartbreak, later did I know that that year was the year of my breakthrough, I certainly lost myself, and yet I gained lots of friends, gained new experiences, learned to be more independent and later that year God opened an opportunity for me to work abroad. So I am certain, God intended my heartbreak to carry out His major plan in my life. I couldn’t imagine how it would be in any other way.

4. Worrying is a sign of faithlessness.

(Matthew 61:31-34)So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Why would I always emphasize this? Because I am such a worrier, I worry how will I be when I get old, I worry if I would ever get married, or have children, I worry if I will still enjoy the good life that I am having now, I worry if I’ll be happy after this job, I worry that If I stay in the Philippines and not anywhere else in the world, I’ll get poor. I worry, worry and worry. That is why I am always rebuked by the Lord when it comes to worrying. Again let’s look back to 2013. Since I was so heartbroken, I asked my boss, who is also a Christian, fo a month long leave coz I really can’t focus on my job. I also enrolled in another masteral class so I’ll be able to keep myself busy and stop overthinking, since I needed to heal, I spent long days going here and there while at the same time paying all the bills, and expenses of my moving on shenanigans. Life was tough but God has His own way of providing for me, He gave me a business that earns passively. I earn more even if I am travelling and not working, so looking back, I know God intended that to happen, coz He knows that I couldn’t handle the pain of being heartbroken and a bankrupt at the same time. God always make a way.

5. God is sovereign, Trust Him!

(Proverbs 3:5-6)Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

Honestly, trusting the Lord is a daily battle, from trusting Him to take care of my family who are away from me, from trusting Him to keep my loved ones healthy, from trusting Him for my future, from trusting Him for my safety and everyone else. Trusting the Lord amidst our brokenness and trials is somewhat unimaginable, but please do imagine anyway. Hehe.

When I was 5 years old, my parents separated, I knew nothing about brokenness, I knew nothing about how to comfort a grieving mom, nor how to keep my head high amidst the storm, but praise God, He is sovereign, He knows what He is doing, though it was never His plan to break a family, it was all His plan to deliver us from that storm. I understood now, and I will always be grateful on how it turned out coz in that season, I knew Jesus as my Savior and my eternal Father. You may have experienced worst that I did or have been experiencing a storm impossible to travail, but I am praying that you’ll trust God’s hands and not your circumstances.

One of my fave’s song lines goes this way:

God is too wise to be mistaken God is too good to be unkind So when you don't understand When don't see His plan When you can't trace His hand Trust His Heart Trust His Heart

So hitting the big 3 is not bad after all, coz with age comes a handful of learning and experiences worth sharing, I still struggle a lot, so please do pray for me, I still sin a lot and I still worry a lot. But the grace of God is greater than all of it. I am also like you, looking at a future so dim, wondering how and what tomorrow brings, but I know the God who has started His work in me is still working day by day.

God Bless!

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