Agenda 2019

  http://www.theguardian.com/business/2013/nov/29/fights-asda-black-friday-us-shoppers Black Friday chaos as fights break out over televisions Black Friday, seems to have been  imported into the UK   My e-mail inbox has been inundated over the last week or so, with mail from Asda. Amazon, Curry's, Big Fish Games, Lights for Fun, Argos and what seems to be a hundred other retail outlets, all telling me how many "wonderful deals" are available for their "Black Friday" event. It seems to me that yet another "Americanism" has crept into the British way of life, but Black Friday is perhaps the most insidious one to arrive on British shores so far. Coming as it does just 25 days prior to Christmas, Black Friday provides another opportunity for the "hard pressed" shops and supermarkets to capitalise on the potential of an artificially created consumer market. However, many see it as just another exercise to persuade shoppers to bu...

  http://www.theguardian.com/money/2013/nov/10/payday-loans-ads-childrens-tv-labour-ed-miliband Labour would force payday loan ads off children's TV Ed Miliband: ads are bad for families   It is a stunning indictment of Payday loan companies and the people who run them, that their greed and cynicism extends to advertising these loans on children's television, knowing all too well that such loans are available only to those aged 18 or over. Targeting parents through their children to take out such loans shows the depths to which the parasitic money lenders will sink to "grow their business" and the callous attitude to  that this present government has in allowing such malpractice to take place. Miliband says that he will force these parasites off children's television by legislation if necessary, should the Advertising Standards Authority fail to act.  The companies have demonstrated time and time again that they are incapable of, or even have the inc...

  http://www.independent.co.uk/money/loans-credit/payday-loans-defended-by-new-consumer-champion-8906441.html   Payday loans defended by new consumer champion Sue Lewis, head of the FCA consumer panel   Sue Lewis, the new chair of a City watchdog for consumers, is clearly living in a world of her own creation. The example of a £50 charge on her credit card for a meal as being no different than the usury practiced by many if not all of the so called "Payday loan" companies in the high street or on the internet, is both facile and patronising. To the vast majority of those having to resort to the "services" of these parasitic money lenders, the notion of paying £50.00 for a meal is completely scandalous when they may have only that amount for food for a week or even a fortnight to feed their families. A sample of the payday loan companies    Only recently, Wonga one of the biggest money lending companies reported profits of £84...