Purple Realm

Crazy Man At The Door

Friday, October 9, 2009 5:21:12 PM

Ok, so we were just sitting here, playing Left 4 Dead, when someone knocked at the door. I decided to answer and was greeted by a scruffy man with an Ipsos Mori clipboard and identity badge.
He introduces himself on behalf of Ipsos Mori and the BBC, and asks if I'd mind taking a survey about listening to the radio.
I tell him I never listen to the radio - that is a truth - and he says that it's okay, it's all part of the research. So I say "okay".
Mik comes to the door and the man fills him in. He asks if our block of flats is student accommodation - I tell him it is strictly no students.
So, he says "I'll leave this with you, and pick it up on Monday then?" proffering a paper booklet - the survey.
"Yes, that's fine," I say, and smile.
He then asks which of us will be filling it in, seeing as they need the age and sex of the person.
Mik and I look at each other, and we audibly come to the decision that it doesn't really matter, we'll figure it out when we fill it in. I go to take the form and he pulls it back.
The man then looks... Well, like his feelings are hurt, raises his hand and says, "No, it's fine. I can see you're not really interested!" has a face like I just shot his dog or something, and walks off!
confused

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Comments

Gavin Tripp-Sheedygarlingmatthews Friday, October 9, 2009 5:25:03 PM

Oookay, that guy's in the wrong line of work.

Darkogdare Friday, October 9, 2009 7:55:04 PM

Are you sure he was not a spy, MI5, MI6, undercover agent, spec ops, NYPD, CCTV, etc, etc?
pssst I just watched Miami Vice p

Spaggyj Friday, October 9, 2009 7:58:44 PM

Gavin - my thoughts exactly! What a weirdo!

Dark - He's pretty crap at getting information for an undercover agent if that's the case! Miami Vice? I thought you didn't watch tv p

Darkogdare Friday, October 9, 2009 8:28:21 PM

No, I do not. It was a DVD, a new movie with Colin Farrel and ...errr *takes a look* Jamie Foxx. Not that old show with Don Johnson left

Spaggyj Friday, October 9, 2009 8:36:27 PM

Ah, so you watch dvds! Then you can watch tv on dvd bigsmile

Darkogdare Friday, October 9, 2009 8:39:37 PM

No, I use my PC bigsmile

Spaggyj Friday, October 9, 2009 8:41:56 PM

You're a difficult git sometimes lol

Gavin Tripp-Sheedygarlingmatthews Friday, October 9, 2009 8:48:09 PM

I haven't turned on the T.V. more than once this year.

Spaggyj Friday, October 9, 2009 8:49:22 PM

bigeyes really??

Darkogdare Friday, October 9, 2009 8:59:00 PM

I know happy

Wait.... left

Gavin Tripp-Sheedygarlingmatthews Friday, October 9, 2009 8:59:08 PM

Yes. My ex used to watch T.V. all of the time; American Idol, Top Model, all of that; I just got enough of T.V.

Spaggyj Friday, October 9, 2009 9:12:21 PM

Dark - you should smile p .

Gavin - oh, you mean tv channels? We don't recieve tv by choice. You watch dvds and stuff right?

Gavin Tripp-Sheedygarlingmatthews Friday, October 9, 2009 9:21:40 PM

I do, on ze Mac. Adz zuck yuck

Spaggyj Friday, October 9, 2009 9:36:28 PM

Ah. Then we're almost alike. Our tv is here just for xbox and dvd purposes, no aerial.

Gavin Tripp-Sheedygarlingmatthews Friday, October 9, 2009 9:48:21 PM

But you still have to pay the licence :/

Spaggyj Friday, October 9, 2009 9:51:16 PM

I don't! You do?

Gavin Tripp-Sheedygarlingmatthews Friday, October 9, 2009 9:58:18 PM

I do. Soon, we'll have to pay it just for having the internet. Isn't there a huge fine there? There isn't here, I'm just that stupid. I even pay for downloads.

Spaggyj Friday, October 9, 2009 10:03:33 PM

Yeah, you can get a massive fine here. They think we recieve tv according to "threatening" letters they've seen sending for over a year rolleyes I wish they'd just come and see!
You can get charged just for using the net? irked . Paying for downloads is a good thing smile

Gavin Tripp-Sheedygarlingmatthews Friday, October 9, 2009 10:09:43 PM

Thing is, legally you just need to have a receiver, not actual access, so they would fine you; so don't open the door!

Not yet, but as soon as S.V.T. (Sweden's B.B.C.) start broadcasting T.V. online, which will be soon.

They were talking about a media tax that every-one would have to pay. If it comes to that, they should stick it on income tax, so that those who can afford it would pay more, and those who don't less; as they do in Australia and New Zealand. And it would cost less to collect. Thinks me.

Spaggyj Friday, October 9, 2009 10:28:18 PM

Ah, but I was looking through the masses of bumph they sent with the threats and it's only if you use an aerial, set-top box, satellite, or even tv recording device, which we have none of.

I hope for everyone's sake that they add this media tax to the income tax as you suggest! bigeyes It's a great idea.

Dacotah Friday, October 9, 2009 10:36:34 PM

That was a really strange reaction from him.

Gavin Tripp-Sheedygarlingmatthews Friday, October 9, 2009 10:45:39 PM

Cool. In Ireland and Sweden, possession of a T.V. is enough, because it contains a receiver. Netto, the Danish chain, ended up paying a fee for every branch in Sweden, because they'd sold T.V.s for a limited time, none of them being taken out of the box.

Diabolical Friday, October 9, 2009 11:00:36 PM

Poor dude.. awww walked upon madmen.. whistle

Cleanclean Friday, October 9, 2009 11:18:38 PM

lol

Told you you were a meanie! wink

KittyliciousZaphira Saturday, October 10, 2009 4:32:58 AM

What an absolute weirdo! bigeyes I would have been like that confused as well! rolleyes

Spaggyj Saturday, October 10, 2009 8:12:45 AM

Carol - I know, right? I can't figure out why scared .

Gavin - bloody hell. Seems a little unfair to me worried !

CB - what the hell are you on about? left .

David - well, I am... devil but not then! no p .

Kitty - tell me about it. That look on his face... Half outrage, half crushed... I'll never forget it! scared

Gavin Tripp-Sheedygarlingmatthews Saturday, October 10, 2009 8:31:40 AM

A tad.

In Ireland, a friend to my best friend got rid of his T.V.; the inspectors started turning at his house at two in the morning. He had to go the police and file a complaint for harassment. From a department of the post office.

Spaggyj Saturday, October 10, 2009 8:41:37 AM

Holy crap! That's ridiculous mad !

Dacotah Saturday, October 10, 2009 8:59:56 AM

I was trying to think of why he would react that why before I left a comment but couldn't think of one.

Spaggyj Saturday, October 10, 2009 9:23:59 AM

Me either lol

r♡serose-marie Saturday, October 10, 2009 11:32:36 AM

Haha! Weird! He seems to be taking the surveys a little bit too personally. p

Gavin Tripp-Sheedygarlingmatthews Saturday, October 10, 2009 11:34:46 AM

Interesting tactic, though. Are you worthy enough to take me survey? cool

Spaggyj Saturday, October 10, 2009 12:02:55 PM

Rose, I think Gavin could be right lol

Dacotah Saturday, October 10, 2009 2:05:17 PM

lol

theoddmissusfunz81 Monday, October 12, 2009 10:34:41 AM

meh, I bet he was having his PMS left

pssst I miss the days back home when I don't have to pay for tv licence, no pricey council tax... it was grrrrreat! lol

Mad Scientistqlue Tuesday, October 13, 2009 5:24:57 AM

This reminds me about an incident about ten years ago. The tv licence inspector knocked on my door, showed a tv licence card, as if it were an identity card and asked for my tv licence. With both the radio and the tv playing in the background, I told him I don't have a tv. p.
He never botherd to come back again! lol.
Actually, judging from the thickness of the dust on top of my tv, I could probably grow potatoes there! scared.
my tv hasn't been plugged in for way more than a year! rolleyes.

theoddbod Tuesday, October 13, 2009 7:08:46 AM

Got to watch out for the TV license people - they're pretty pushy. And the BBC ideally want everyone with internet access here to get a license now...
We have a license, but I'm not happy about paying it irked

Spaggyj Tuesday, October 13, 2009 5:33:31 PM

Fan - PMS lol .

Aadil - huh, that's lucky. I remember my dad having a tv licence inspection a couple of years ago - the inspector charged through my dad's house looking in his cupboards and whatnot, convinced there was an aerial hidden somewhere!

Mart - that's the kicker. It says you need a licence if you use a tv, phone or computer to watch programmes as they're shown. How do you prove you don't? I reckon we'll soon be forced to pay for just owning any of the three things.

Gavin Tripp-Sheedygarlingmatthews Tuesday, October 13, 2009 5:36:14 PM

Are they allowed do that? Here, they can't even enter with-out consent.

As said they've talked about just making it universally compulsory here.

theoddbod Tuesday, October 13, 2009 7:04:03 PM

They're not allowed to, but most people don't have the confidence to call them on it.
But the license is a relic - hard to justify its existence these days when the BBC isn't any different to the other channels apart from no official adverts.

Gavin Tripp-Sheedygarlingmatthews Tuesday, October 13, 2009 7:06:23 PM

I don't know about that, they do a lot of stuff that you just won't find on commercial T.V.

theoddbod Tuesday, October 13, 2009 7:43:51 PM

Like what? They've got no monopoly on good documentaries, or dramas, or comedy, or anything else - there's as much dross as any other channel. They never do anything brave anymore, nothing groundbreaking.

Cleanclean Tuesday, October 13, 2009 9:39:16 PM

* ahem *

No licence for TV needed over here, folks ... whistle

theoddbod Wednesday, October 14, 2009 7:34:24 AM

Not much point when Ruddy wants to censor/filter just about everything under the sun p

Gavin Tripp-Sheedygarlingmatthews Wednesday, October 14, 2009 8:42:28 AM

Well, I'm a bit out of touch, but they used to have opinion pieces by people like Jonathan Meade, programmes on architecture, Attenborough... stuff that wouldn't interest commercial T.V.

Cleanclean Wednesday, October 14, 2009 9:36:42 AM

That's a good point, Mart! lol

Gavin, that's pretty much what we have on ABC over here. Often more interesting than the stuff on commerical networks. lol

Gavin Tripp-Sheedygarlingmatthews Wednesday, October 14, 2009 10:23:24 AM

Sweden has pretty good state media too. Although the conservative government is trying to pull it's teeth.

Mad Scientistqlue Wednesday, October 14, 2009 5:26:21 PM

The tv licence inspector is not allowed to enter your home unless you invite him in. (at least in South Africa)
that, together with the fact that the security gate was locked and I had no intention of opening it, kept him from coming in. p.
I still don't know if he was a genuine Licence inspector or a crook trying his luck. rolleyes.

Gavin Tripp-Sheedygarlingmatthews Wednesday, October 14, 2009 6:28:56 PM

Yeah, damn T.V.-licience stealing crooks p

theoddbod Wednesday, October 14, 2009 10:13:59 PM

The BBC mostly lives on past glories, plus the one or two good documentaries/shows a year they produce. There's nothing they do now that the commercials don't do as well.

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