Cheques: does anybody still use them?

[Nick Armstrong]

Didn't realise that you were into prestidigitation, Cali

It was rather your dexterity with your page layouts that I had in mind...

[ahinton]

YES WE DO USE EFFING CHEQUES

You mean that some of you do - and, as I've already pointed out, you're welcome to continue to do so if that suits you until they've been abolished and, when that happens, I'm supremely confident that you'll all find satisfactory alternatives!

now go and get a life

I have one already, thanks!

or piano lessons

Why those in particular? I'm already better aware than most that I am an utterly useless pianist, but...

or something worth bothering with

I have plenty to do that's worth bothering with, thanks; at the moment, I'm just taking a very short break in the midst of uploading sample score pages to be displayed on the Sorabji Archive website at www.sorabji-archive.co.uk, as it happens.

[Petrushka]

You mean that some of you do - and, as I've already pointed out, you're welcome to continue to do so if that suits you until they've been abolished and, when that happens, I'm supremely confident that you'll all find satisfactory alternatives!


I have one already, thanks!


Why those in particular? I'm already better aware than most that I am an utterly useless pianist, but...


I have plenty to do that's worth bothering with, thanks; at the moment, I'm just taking a very short break in the midst of uploading sample score pages to be displayed on the Sorabji Archive website at www.sorabji-archive.co.uk, as it happens.

Oh for heaven's sake!

[ahinton]

I thought - reading through this thread - that had been made abundantly clear? A host of tradespeople like to be paid by cheque (if not cash). Therefore, one needs cheques to pay them. In my own case - electrician, plumber, painter, builder, firewood merchant.....

As I mentioned, a few still do but when I've asked them politely and uncoercively if they'd prefer direct transfer they've all gone for it; they didn't have to if they hadn't wanted to!

[ahinton]

I have given two examples in message 88 and others have given similar reasons for using cheques. ahinton does seem to read very selectively. I wonder if s/he is a politician!

It's he - and God forbid I don't read selectively; I just happen not to have been convinced by the reasoning that I've read so far, but that doesn't mean that i wish to do any more than encourage people to think about whether they'd like to consider an alternative. Everyone else here is entitled to hold and express his/her opinion; I assume that I am as well unless someone can convince me otherwise!

[ahinton]

if you are SELF EMPLOYED there's no difference between "business income" and "personal income"
what's "personal income " anyway ? if you earn stuff it goes on the tex return ........

Some self-employed people have investment income, income from employment and all manner of other kinds of income that isn't generated by their businesses; some or all of it might indeed have to be entered on a tax return, but not as business profits.

I did a project with the Vienna Vegetable Orchestra and one of my expenses that year was a large quantity of carrots

Better to have them as expenses than be paid in them, I imagine!

You go to a branch of your bank and stick them in a machine, most banks have lots of these and unless you live on Benbecula they are rather easy to spot, I guess if you did live in the Outer Hebrides you could probably pop along to the post office with them..........

I've never posted a cheque to my bank in my life , what on earth are you on about ?

If you don't have a bank branch within many miles (as I'd thought that you'd said that you yourself don't), how do you get these cheques into your account, then?

[EdgeleyRob]

Then in the former case you are fortunate and sensible (only in my view, of course) but in the latter you are very fortunate indeed - because you have the most wonderful experience awaiting you! Lose no time; get to listen to it as soon as you are able! Quite how Schönberg managed to develop an orchestral skill that put him into the same league as Mahler and Strauss at their very best - especially at so young an age - I have no idea, but he did - and there's much more to appreciate besides that in this monumental and still, I think, underappreciated work.

Thanks ah,I will.

[ahinton]

But several have provided detailed and what they consider convincing reasons. I suspect by now that if you’re waiting for reasons that would convince you, you’ll have to wait for ever. So best to agree to differ and drop it?

Yes - and they're welcome to them and that's absolutely fine. I may not have to wait forever, however, but it doesn't matter really. When the things have gone, they'll have gone.

I've heard no one raise such passionate objections to firms of all sizes using digital imaging for file keeping and I do not therefore understand what's thought to be so different about cheques.

Anyway, there we go...

[JFLL]

Oh lor, how many more has he got to reply to?

[Nick Armstrong]

Anyway, there we go...

Does that mean it's all over, and we can come out now??

[Resurrection Man]

....

In stark contrast, I started a thread to mark the 100th anniversary of the premiere of Schoenberg's Gurrelieder. It seemed a good opportunity to reappraise the work a century on especially in the light of how music was to be shaken to its foundations just a few months later in Paris. A good discussion could have been had. It was hard work to get any response at all and this on a forum dedicated to classical music (mostly). Something isn't right somewhere...

Speaking for myself, I don't really have the confidence or knowledge to enter into any 'serious' discussion on classical music. I do not play any musical instrument, vaguely read a score, have no theoretical appreciation of the differences between a crotchet and a quaver! I suspect that there are others in a similar position which might explain why we don't post. That's not to say that we don't read, enjoy and inwardly digest. Have to confess that I may have missed the Gurrelieder thread....so something to look forward to!

[teamsaint]

Speaking for myself, I don't really have the confidence or knowledge to enter into any 'serious' discussion on classical music. I do not play any musical instrument, vaguely read a score, have no theoretical appreciation of the differences between a crotchet and a quaver! I suspect that there are others in a similar position which might explain why we don't post. That's not to say that we don't read, enjoy and inwardly digest. Have to confess that I may have missed the Gurrelieder thread....so something to look forward to!

You have a good point RM. I ask a lot of questions, weigh in with an opinion where I can , or perhaps the odd recommendation here and there.
But if it's a weighty musical issue, there will be those with better formed opinions,or with far greater experience and i am happy to learn from others.
The evening concerts are a good example of this, where i frequently read what others have to say, but as I don't have much to add, I tend to refrain from comment.

[ahinton]

Oh lor, how many more has he got to reply to?

Only yours, sir - and that only for the purpose of saying that, having endeavoured to provide reasons for my views as clearly as possible, all that I wish to add at this point is that Bliss's ballet score Cheque, Mate is all very well but I prefer the music of BACS.

[MrGongGong]

Frankly, I wonder how Mr GG and ahinton have so much time to spare on here in fruitless argument.

It's NOT important at all (which i'm sure I said somewhere ? )
given what the other things I was doing yesterday it was welcome relief to poke about at random times
Gurrelieder demands a much higher level of attention all together

I do think that some peoples obsession with the minutiae of "financial matters" can be tedious but i'm glad my accountant finds it fascinating.

[french frank]

It's a fallacy to assume (as some do) that all Radio 3 listeners are well informed about music, 'connoisseurs' (as they think) just because they love to listen to it - and have done for years. The fact that we find a lot to inform on these boards merely serves to underline that we would welcome similar comment on Radio 3 (about music, that is, not about cheques), preferably not processed in advance for 5 and 8 year-olds.

Speaking for myself, I don't really have the confidence or knowledge to enter into any 'serious' discussion on classical music. I do not play any musical instrument, vaguely read a score, have no theoretical appreciation of the differences between a crotchet and a quaver! I suspect that there are others in a similar position which might explain why we don't post. That's not to say that we don't read, enjoy and inwardly digest. Have to confess that I may have missed the Gurrelieder thread....so something to look forward to!