I’ve been using Stumble Upon lately (feel free to add me as a friend) to do some browsing, and obviously plug some content.
It wasn’t long before I had my first super stumble, which caused a server to crash after reaching over 17,000 visits! The lesson there? If you’re planning on some super viral marketing, make sure your server is up to the challenge.
Just heard that Paris Hilton has been banged up again after being released from prison. Thank shite for that, if that bitch can get away with it what hope the rest of us?
I do think that if that Nicole Ritchie bird goes down as well they may as well just film another series of the Simple Life in the jail. I had to review the first season on DVD, and after watching that awful bollocks they both deserve to go down.
Sponsored Review
Time to blatantly plug another blog now in an obvious Internet whoring sort of way; this time it’s www.stevekinsey.com. This blog is very similar to my own in that it’s a Website Promotion, Affiliate Marketing and .Net Development Blog. The main difference is of course that this blog doesn’t feature all of the aggression and hatred towards organsiations and individuals that mine does.
In all seriousness though, this is a great blog with masses of content focusing on website promotion and affiliate marketing. Just like myself, Steve is a South Walian and posts the odd DVD review, in fact I’m a little surprised we haven’t met as I used to work in Cardiff.
Any road, Steve is a specialist in .Net and has built websites such as www.digitallard.com (similar again to my WhatDVD.Net site, are we separated at birth or what). Steve’s blog, just like this one, occasionally features Review Me reviews but they are few and far between and even when they do crop up they are honest and informative.
His blog has been running since April 2006 and has quite a wealth of content to look at, including loads of blogs about programming offering advice and information.
I’ll be dropping Steve an email after this to put myself in touch, we must meet up.
I just heard on the radio that the CSA (child support agency) are to be given more powers to name and shame non paying fathers on their website, and to take money directly out of people’s bank accounts.
Hmm, this can’t be good. You see, the CSA are the most incompetent bunch of morons you could ever have the displeasure of meeting. I received a letter from Steve Gibson at the CSA this weekend requesting information from me that he originally requested in March.
I sent this information to him in March. Not only did I send it, but they replied returning my receipts! So Steve, you’ve had my bloody information and you’ve replied you muppet.
If these idiots are given access to dip their chubby fingers into people’s bank accounts expect news of accounts being cleared out for people who don’t even have kids. They are that useless, it will happen.
I’ve just sent this letter to Direct Line:
Chris Moat
Direct Line Insurance
3 Edridge Road
Croydon
CR9 1AGWednesday June 5th 2007
RE: BMW Z3 Registration P192 PLR
Dear Sir, it is with regret that I must complain about the actions of Direct Line Insurance and its employees over the theft of my car, one BMW Z3 (P192 PLR). I have spoken to the financial ombudsman and they have requested I make this complaint to you in writing, giving you a period of 8 weeks to resolve the issue.
My car was stolen last summer from the Hillcroft Garage in Langstone, Newport. I notified Direct Line immediately and spoke to a Sarah from your claims department. She and I both agreed that the theft of the car was the fault of the garage, and thus their insurance company (Royal Sun Alliance) would be liable. She requested information from me, including a photo copy of my estranged wife’s driving licence.
I notified the wife by phone of Direct Line’s request. Rather than give me the information however, she took the insurance forms from my house when I was in work, and contacted Direct Line to remove me from the policy.
When I telephoned Sarah a few days later with the information she requested, she stopped me dead and explained she could not speak to me due to data protection.
At this stage Direct Line did not have the insurance details for the garage, nor did they have a crime number from the police. As they would not speak to me, I could not give it to them.
The car was then recovered some weeks later, and Royal Sun Alliance paid for the repairs to the car as it required a new engine.
It was then I discovered from my solicitor that my soon to be ex wife had claimed on my car, after it had been recovered and received over GBP6,000.
Sarah phoned me around December asking me to turn over the car to her, and wanted to know why I hadn’t informed Direct Line of its recovery. I explained that I did phone them, but she wouldn’t speak to me, and Direct Line never returned my calls.
I phoned again in January and spoke to Ray Harper and then Chloe O’Driscol, explaining my situation. She said she would investigate and get back to me. Naturally, she never did. I phoned again in May and once again requested to know what was going on. Chloe apologised for not doing anything, and said that if I sent my V5 in to her to prove the car was mine she would see about getting the marker removed.
I did this, but rather than get the marker removed Chloe said she was keeping the V5 and they were still insistent that they had acted properly, and wanted the car.
Chloe claimed that the policy holder (Mrs Jamieson – now my ex-wife) was entitled to have her own insurance company pay out on the car, even though the garage was clearly liable. It seems that Direct Line did not think there was anything suspicious about a person claiming on their own insurance for a theft that was not their fault, after barring Direct Line from speaking to the legal owner of the car!!!
If your car is stolen and someone else is liable, you don’t claim on your own policy… unless you have something to hide, such as the car isn’t yours.
I was tricked into sending the V5. Chloe said I would receive a letter explaining Direct Line’s decision. I never did.
I have to date not received any correspondence by post from Direct Line pertaining to my car.
Obviously I am extremely angry about the whole situation, as not only was my car stolen but the insurance money for it was also stolen, and I am the victim of crime twice.
Direct Line negligently paid out the wrong person, AFTER the car had been recovered without ever contacting the liable party’s insurance company or speaking to the police to get a crime number. Had they done either of these things they would have known the car had been recovered. Had they spoken to the owner of the car they would have known the car had been recovered.
I have since bought another car as obviously I required one for work, costing me over GBP200 per month. I am now repaying 2 cars and have been since September. I am of course still paying the loan on the Z3, and have over GBP6,000 to pay; hence I will not be handing over the car to Direct Line to cover their mistake. They paid the money to Mrs Jamieson, she was not the owner of the car, and they can get the money back from her.
As previously mentioned I am the victim of crime in that my car was stolen, with the Hillcroft garage admitting liability. I am not going to be made a victim again by Direct Line.
I would like this matter resolved within 8 weeks of the date of this letter, which is Wednesday August 1st. If the matter is not resolved the information will be passed on the financial ombudsman for them to deal with.
What I demand from Direct Line is the following:
- The return of my V5
- The marker removed from my car so that I can sell it
- Financial remuneration for the depreciation of the car since it has been off the road, GBP1,000
- Financial remuneration for the amount I have repaid in the loan on the car since it has been off the road, GBP190 per month and counting…
- Financial remuneration for storage of the Z3, GBP50 per week since December 2006 and counting…
- A written apology from Direct Line
Please reply to this letter on or before August 1st 2007. If the reply does not meet with my satisfaction a complaint will be made to financial ombudsman.
Kind Regards
Darren Jamieson
Just a quick update on my stolen car. I’ve spoken to the finanical ombudsman and he’s suggested I give Direct Line 8 weeks to respond to my complaint.
I just phoned Ray Harper at Direct Line to let him know I’d be sending him a letter and outlined what I wanted:
My V5 returned
The marker removed from my car
1,000GBP for the depreciation on my car
2,090GBP for the amount I have paid in loans on the car since it was stolen
Ray in his defence was disgusted at the decision from Chloe O’Driscol, and said he’d be investigating himself. He gave me the name of Chris Moat, who is the motor division manager. He’s the person to address my letter to.
I will of course post the full letter here when I write it, so stay tuned for more rants and raves.
Sponsored review
For those of you wanting to make money online, and lord knows I do, you’ll be interested to know a few resources on the Internet that offer you help and advice on the subject. Obviously MrDaz.com is one of them, and is always filled with useful if somewhat opinionated advice, but another blog that has just launched is one called GetRank.
This blog only launched in May and promises to offer news and reviews on the latest technology as well as some tips on making money online.
It currently features a review of the IBM ThinkPad T43, which looks a tasty piece of kit to me. This blog also offers useful hints on buying a new computer, which I certainly need as my desktop is constantly uninstalling hardware and refuses to find my external hard drive with all of my photographs on it.
This is a new blog with little content at present, so obviously needs time to develop. The few articles that are currently on the site are informative and original, but whether the standard will continue only time will tell.
I’ll certainly keep an eye on the website though over the next few weeks, and hopefully pick up some advice on replacing my PC.
