Paypal's ILLEGAL fees for EU transactions.
European paypal members owe me one. Last month paypal mailed members in the eurozone a message titled "Lower Fees for Your EU Transactions". The paragraph that caught my attention reads as follows:
"Effective immediately, when you receive Euro-currency payments from customers in other European Union countries,* PayPal will subtract 0.5% from your current cross-border fees. Those savings translate into more opportunities to reach customers and grow your international business."
Drawing on the expertise I amassed while working doing propaganda for the EU during the euro launch, I asked paypal to check up on the legality of imposing *any* charges for transactions within the euro zone.
"I'm not sure if it is legal to charge *any* "cross-border" charges within the euro zone. Perhaps you should check this out with the European Commission, now that you have brought these to your customers' attention."After a few weeks considering the matter they realised their mistake. (Presumably they have been imposing these charges illegally since 1999, I wonder how much I have saved my fellow members in eurozone transaction charges).
From their reply:
"In order to remain compliant with the regulations of The European Parliament and the Council of the European Union, PayPal is pleased to waive the cross-border fee for any Euro-denominated payment that you receive into your PayPal account. The reason for this change is that all Euro-denominated payments are considered domestic payments within the European Union; therefore, the cross-border payment rules within the PayPal system do not apply."Anyway, if paypal had offered me a job a few years ago, they may have had someone on the staff to alert them to the EU legal setup. But apparenly an MA in European Studies cuts no ice with these financial types. Unfortunately it's quite a while since I've had a cross-border donation to
www.holisto.com/donate.php . Maybe someday.
More Benildus memories
Scanned a few old photos brought to mind by my earlier post.
Legend Michael Daly surprised by a kissagram on the last day of school. Also, Maurice McMahon (right) and at the back: Dermot Dunne (if I remember correctly).
Above: Michael Daly's favourite pupil. Also known as "Francis Fearon, Hearon-fearon boy...boy in the corner". Good at 'math'.
Liam McLoughlin at the last class of 6.2 before the Leaving Cert 1985.
Some student reviewer on ratemyteachers.ie writes:
In his class people OPENLY read books, listen to music or sleep with their heads down on the desk right in front of his face. I kid you not. Oh grow up, or get Daddy to send you to the institute or something.
See below for a more appreciative assessment.
Complementary Health Regulation: Inclusive Policy making gone mad
It is really sad to read about the Coroner's inquest into the death of Paul Howie. It is even more sad that it has taken a death to bring the Department of Health to their senses in this area of policy, the regulation of complementary health pracitioners . A couple of weeks ago on a radio show with a miniscule listenership [Behind the Issues on Anna Livia FM], I outlined the appaling lack of urgency displayed by the government, who have instigated a crazy slow motion system of policy making in this area. Working group after report after working group. Consultation seminars with all the practitioner organisations. More submissions. All views taken on board. Weekly minuted meetings going nowhere (despite the presence of the excellent Dr. Brian Kennedy). No leadership. More reports. What are Minister's for? (Even counselling is unregulated. Anyone in this coutry can put a brass plate on a door and call themselves a counsellor). Try to get something done before the next election or reshuffle please.
As well as the crazy system of no regulation, we have no leaderhship on the efficacy of treatments. It's all very fine using rescue remedy for stress, but for the more serious issues ( I went into into depression and cancer in some detail), the public deserve leadership and protection. There is a duty on Health body's to provide guidance, even if people retain the right to refuse treatment, or seek a tratment of their choice. There has been no urgency to protect people in very vulnerable situations. And rather than reverting uncritically to the received wisdom of the biomedical model, policy makers could try to get their heads around an evidence-based integrative medical model. In the same arena, other recent deaths call into question the regulatory regime for pharmaceuticals. The public interest is not being advanced urgently enough in this area where huge corporate interests have been shown to be less than forthcoming with the potential risks of SSRIs for instance.
Rating my teachers from Benildus
I checked out
www.ratemyteachers.ie to see what all the fuss is about. Most of the feedback is very positive. I checked out St. Benildus College and I was gratified to see glowing comments for Michael Daly, the man who raise me up to B standard in French. See
http://www.ratemyteachers.ie/ShowRatings.php?tid=5677&type=0Michael Daly was also a reknowned English teacher, but I don't think I would have swapped Liam McLoughlin for anyone. I had been lucky with english teachers all the way up (Páiricín Ní Mhaoláin of Scoil Naithí, Ms. Jordan and Brian Doolin in C.U.S.). But Liam McLoughlin was a quiet educational hero. He had a deeper focus than mere exam results and was eager to expand the syllabus to include Joyce and Beckett (then proscribed). He got us to think about the philisophical and political context in which literature is produced.
I found an essay at home I had wrote for him at 14, and in his lengthy comments were wise words about politics, family and other issues. In the privacy of "corrections" I found validation and mentoring. He was also happy to share his bookcase with us; I remember bringing home a copy of "Night in Tunisia" by Neil Jordan in 1983. Liam was always happy to give considered feedback on any poetry or short story I had to offer. He also nurtured creativity through the annual
Creative Writing competition, and was happy to see pupils push the boundaries. Only after leaving did I find out that he had gone out on a limb to champion my right to free artistic expression. Others on the staff had considered a particular poem too sexually charged! Liam also encouraged me to speak in front of a group for the first time, as he developed debaters for the school team. I didn't amount to much of a debater at the time, but his encouragement was sorely appreciated. Finally my neurotic and cavalier approach to exams must have tested his patience, and I never got a chance to thank him for helping me on that front also.
He nurtured depth, and self expression.
I hope he is keeping well.
