Job hunting is a thankless task. For every hundred jobs you apply for (and, if you are claiming benefits, you have to apply for anything 'they' deem appropriate - even if they don't actually understand what an Instructional Designer is or does or, that their system doesn't, actually, have a category for e-learning.

Personally, I feel that only applying for jobs that you stand a chance of getting is the most sensible approach. If I don't think I can do a job or, that I am not qualified to do it, what is the point of applying? Every job I have ever taken has been pretty easy to land. Let me explain.

I know when I apply, if I am suitable. If, after reading my CV, they want to see me, the chances are that, I will get the job. I'm not being big-headed, that's just the way it has gone. They want to see me because of what is in my CV.

So, looking for a job, the other day, I came across one that I thought: Oh, that sounds right up my street. And, it was. Head of Training for a company in Warrington. Fantastic. Pretty good salary too, about £70K. It would do me. Then, of course, I saw who it was for...

Given my relationship with Talk Talk, an application was never going to succeed. All they had to do was run my name through their computer system and all manner of shit and corruption would be going down. My last communication with them ended with: 'I'll see you in court.'

So, I thought that I would take a different route. Part of being successful with job applications is being noticed, usually, in a good way. You can say good things about me, you can say bad things about me, but, please, just say something about me, is my modus vivendi. So, I decided to go for an unusual approach. The sensible approach hasn't worked in the last couple of years! Below is the text of my covering letter...

Please find attached, my CV, in respect of this vacancy.

Why have I applied? Well, besides the fact that I am qualified, I was, for a short time, a customer of Talk Talk.

You need my experience and knowledge because your company is a nightmare to do business with. Your customer satisfaction rating is the worst of any telecoms company and your employees are poorly trained and do a bad job. Most of your call centre staff are woefully incompetent or, badly trained.

In short, your company is a shambles and your Training Manager should not be taken back after her maternity leave finishes.

You need me because I have suffered at the hands of your corporate incompetence and I know what the problems are. Moreover, with 25 years of experience, I know how to implement a solution.

However, I doubt that you will give me the time of day. Talk Talk thinks it is fantastic and can only be taken down by Kryptonite so, you will view this application with disdain and file it in the round cabinet. Nevertheless, I shall post this on my website, just because I can, and we shall see if you actually have any moral fibre in the company. Someone who genuinely wants Talk Talk to be a good company would, at least, phone me.

I look forward to hearing from you, at your earliest convenience.

Yours sincerely,

Mark L. Potts

I'll let you know if I hear anything. I dare Talk Talk to invite me for an interview!

After a bit of a hiatus, shouting at BT, and a few others, I finally got back on the TV Licensing trail. I emailed them...

Mark L. Potts 13:25 (21 hours ago)
to foi

Dear Sir,

TV Licensing informs me that they cannot answer my query and recommended that I email this address. Whilst I doubt that you will be able to - or willing to - answer my question.

I would like to know what percentage of the TV Licences that I have been forced to buy in the last 30 years have been spent on programming and what percentage was spent on providing premises and opportunity for activities and behaviour that I do not approve of. Given recent revelations, I no longer have faith in the BBC and fail to see why I should be FORCED to support such a disreputable organisation.

Before you lecture me about NOT having a license, check your records.

However, what would you do if I refused to pay? Just out of curiosity. Would you take me to court and be prepared to answer this question in court?

Yours,

Mark L. Potts

FOI Enquiries <FOIEnquiries@bbc.co.uk> 10:54 (1 hour ago)
to me

Dear Mr Potts,

Thank you for your request for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, as detailed in your email below. Your request was received on 4th December 2012.  We will deal with your request as promptly as possible, and at the latest within 20 working days. If you have any queries about your request, please contact us at the address below.

The reference number for your request is RFI20121442.

Kind regards

The Information Policy & Compliance Team

BBC Freedom of Information
BC2 B6, Broadcast Centre
201 Wood Lane
London W12 7TP

www.bbc.co.uk/foi
Email: foi@bbc.co.uk

Tel: 020 8008 2882
Fax: 020 8008 2398

I have included the contact details so, if you fancy dropping them an email...

I can't wait for their reply!

This morning, I contacted BT, to cancel my Dad's broadband...

On May 4th 2009, I set up a broadband and phone account for him, so that he could stay in touch with me (when I was living in Munich) and his family around the UK.

Back then, his laptop was fairly new and his eyesight was much better. As of 2012, his laptop is dead and he doesn't want another one; it is too much for him to deal with. He will be 80 next year.

Long story short: after waiting over 20 minutes on the BT website for online chat with a BT drone, 'Stevie' finally came online. It turns out that they are wanting to charge him £75.77 for REMOVING the broadband from his account, leaving only the telephone.

Sounds simple.

No. This is BT.

Apparently, in June 2012 he agreed to a new contract which runs until June 2013.

News to me.

Thing is, all he remembers is complaining to me that they were trying to increase his direct debit from £30 a month, to £70 a month. He remembers nothing about agreeing to a new contract.

What is more, we contacted BT over that matter. I have included the content of the letter dated 13th June 2012. It is pretty self-explanatory.

Derek Potts
[Address Removed]

Wed 13th June 2012

BT Correspondence Centre
Providence Row
Durham
DH98 1BT

Re : Account - LC XXXX XXXX

Dear sir,

Since I signed up with BT, I have been neither happy nor, especially unhappy with your service. It has been adequate, no more, for a rather expensive monthly amount.

I signed up to pay around a third of that amount per month, by direct debit, how can I possibly be in arrears by the amount you state? If I am then, it is your fault, not mine!

Now, you send me a bill, telling me that you are now going to increase my MONTHLY DIRECT DEBIT TO 70.50 PER MONTH? I don't think so. I am 79 years old and I do not need to spend that much money on a service I barely use. Even you can't argue that this is a ridiculously excessive amount and if you insist that this is correct, you will be losing my custom.

As I don't really understand the bill, my son, Mark L. Potts will deal with you on my behalf. To confirm this you may contact him as below:

[details removed]

You may phone me to obtain confirmation but I DO NOT want to discuss this with you. Contact my son and he will give you the account password and he has full authority to deal with you on my behalf, indeed, if he wishes to cancel the account, he has my agreement to do so.

You have until the close of business on 22/6/2012 to respond to my son, otherwise the account will be cancelled as of 30th June 2012.

Yours,

Derek Potts

He remembers them phoning HIM and agreeing to leave his bill as it was. Did I mention that he is 79 years old?

Even though the letter of 13th June is quite specific, I wasn't contacted by them, at all. However, at the time, I did not take the matter further, as it was settled, in his favour.

They are going to dig out that phone call and listen to it. I have requested a copy of it. I should like to hear how they got a 79 year old, who had written and told them:

'You may phone me to obtain confirmation but I DO NOT want to discuss this with you. Contact my son and he will give you the account password and he has full authority to deal with you on my behalf, indeed, if he wishes to cancel the account, he has my agreement to do so.'

I think I am justified in being angry with BT.

Their move.

Mark  L. Potts
The God of Thunder

3rd December 2012

Do you have to be a cretin to enter politics or, is it that you get lobotomised once they count the rigged votes?

What this country needs is an end to the current political system. Get rid of these chinless assholes. If these tossers had to send their CVs in to apply for these positions, they wouldn't get the job so, why should we let them ruin our country?

                            WE DIDN'T EVEN VOTE THIS ASSHAT INTO POWER!

                                       WE CERTAINLY DON'T WANT HIM NOW!

"Oh, you're so wrong. You're violent and want to return to the old days, like Chairman Mao"

No! You're an idiot! Shut up!

I grew up in the 70s. It was far from perfect. I had a few slaps, a hell of a lot of blackboard rubbers and chalk thrown at me and, yes, I got a clip round the ear from a copper, more than once. What's more, I deserved every single one of those reprimands.

Did I beat the shit out of my children?

No. But, I didn't allow them to behave badly in public, either. I may just kick your ass, though.

How did my children turn out? More sense, more ability, and more potential than I had.

What this country needs is common sense. I know some people still have it. I talk to people and no one I have talked to believes in this government. EVERYONE, I would wager, WITHOUT EXCEPTION, believes this government to be corrupt and untrustworthy.

                        SO, WHY ARE WE PUTTING UP WITH THESE MORONS?

I'm with The Beserker. Time to get Icelandic on our 'leaders' and return some dignity to the UK. In 2009, the Icelandic people turned on their leaders and overthrew it's government.

What? You didn't know?

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/27/world/europe/27iceland.html

Yep. Really.

So, here's the short version of what happened in Iceland:

• The entire Government was forced to resign.
• The Bank was nationalised.
• A referendum was held so that people could decide their economic policies.
• The lying, cheating scum bags responsible, ended up in prison.
• The constitution was re-written, by the people.

Although we will have to wait and see how it turns out, Iceland's future is looking pretty rosy, right now. Meanwhile, we are being raped by the unelected Scameron and his evil posse of slime monsters and Bliar is the peace envoy for the war he created with his lies and duplicity.

You really want to change things? How badly do you want it?

Mark L. Potts
The God of Thunder

24th November 2012

Fluoride. It's all the stupidity of the modern world rolled into one, convenient, pile of crap. It is an ongoing, almighty argument.

Now, take a step back. It is something that really, should not be an issue. The fact that it is our leaders, effectively, poisoning us, is just the tip of the iceberg.

But, fluoride is good for teeth.

No, there is no scientific evidence to prove that. The fluoride they put into the water supply is a man made chemical.

It makes our teeth whiter.

Actually, no, it doesn't. It has never been proven that it does anything of the sort. IT may help to prevent cavities but, if a cavity has already formed, it makes matters worse. See, the thing is, it was always assumed that in medieval times everyone had rotten teeth. Not, actually true, when you think about it. There were no refined sugars back then, which is what causes most tooth decay.

So, ask yourself: Why do they put fluoride in the water?

Mark L. Potts
The God of Thunder

24th November 2012