The Vent and Rant Thread

[Stitchawl]

Originally Posted by wyndslash

. why is it that technology shouldn't be designed to help everyone?

I'm just guessing here, but most likely it comes down to money. If you are an inventor trying to make a living, are you going to spend your time making something that only a few people will buy, or will you spend your time and energy making something that a lot of people will buy?

In the US, many laws have been passed to help people with disabilities. For the blind, it's certainly helpful that there are now Braille numbers on elevator numbers. But because of the laws, they are also required on the touch screens of DRIVE-THROUGH ATM machines... Companies had to go through the expense of making new screens with Braille to help car drivers because they are blind? Car drivers... blind car drivers... Some things just don't quite click.

Stitchawl

[wyndslash]

@stitchawl: i guess that's because we live in a capitalist society. oh well. still, anything is possible. i watched a video about two kids who helped a blind kid play a game that he wanted to play for a long time by recording each move and button to press. it was really touching.

i think that anything's possible as long as people really want it badly enough D: you must think i'm a kid now xD

[DMcCunney]

Originally Posted by wyndslash

i'm not trying to start a fight with anyone, but whenever i read some threads in some other parts of the forum and encounter the usual debate about blind people and ereaders, i always get ticked off by some of the apparently callous remarks. it's like they're saying that the blind just should not use an ereader because it's not "for them". why is it that technology shouldn't be designed to help everyone? i don't know...maybe i've just lived too long in a 3rd world country. my parents always said i was too idealistic *sigh*

There's a awful lot of technology intended to assist the visually impaired. Some folks with poor vision like ereaders precisely because they can do things like increase the font size to something they find readable.

But for the legally blind, even that may not be sufficient. One of the long time MR posters has increasingly bad vision. She likes her iPad because she can read on it - she can no longer make out the print on her Sony Reader, even at the largest font setting. And some folks simply can't see at all. Their option is braille or an audio book, so whether an ereader will be useful will depend on whether it has audio capabilities and can play audio books, or whether it supports text-to-speech and can effectively read the book to them.

Even if the reader supports text-to-speech, the ebook may have it disabled.
A friend elsewhere was deeply unhappy about that: her mother is now legally blind. Mom was a geologist, and there was a geology tome she would love to read, but text-to-speech had been disabled on the electronic file available through Amazon. This was apparently a result of pressure by the Author's Guild on Amazon, because having it spoken would be considered a "performance". If there were an audio version of the book, it might generate an additional sale, but there isn't, so the Author's Guild guaranteed no sale to someone visually impaired who would otherwise have bought the book.

I'm unhappy at callous remarks, but people saying an ereader is the wrong solution for a blind person may be correct.
______
Dennis

[wyndslash]

@DMC: that's sad D: i absolutely hate callous remarks. why can't people just say something in a nice way? D: anyway, hopefully someone will eventually create a solution for this, as I think there is a market for it.

[phenomshel]

Originally Posted by DMcCunney

So that's why no one has seen you in daylight...
______
Dennis

Yes we have!

[DMcCunney]

Originally Posted by phenomshel

Yes we have!

Ah, the wonders of technology. Sunblock with a high SPF factor has so many uses...
______
Dennis

[mrscoach]

Argh, why do managers think the sun shines out of their backsides? I have an assistant manager that is driving me nuts. She sticks me on a register, then won't replace me when it is time for my shift to end. I have had ONE day in the past week and a half of working under 8 hours, and most of those days it was 8 straight, with no break. And she wanted me to stay an extra three hours tonight, even though I had already stayed 2 past my shift end. I would have pulled a 13 hour day, with one 30 minute break. In Texas you do not have to have a break. It's the law. (different rant) If you do have a break there are laws to follow.

I heard her yelling at our main manager that it wasn't right to leave her short handed just because 'they want to go home' (meaning me). Ummm, I had been there for 10 hours, and treating me like dog poo doesn't make me want to help her out. Most of the days I got no break I was working under her guidance.

The woman won't even talk to me because I stood up to her and wouldn't let her yell at me in front of customers. Everyone at our store hates her. She is loud and mean, and she is always short handed because no one wants to work for her. She belittles her crew members (workers) and then gets offended if someone objects to the treatment. Several people have quit, and directly attributed it to her attitude. Very unprofessional is the best way I can describe her.

In the end it wasn't her, but a shift manager that got me a relief person so I could leave. He just happened to ask me when I got off today and my response was "ten minutes ago". I was giving it 5 more minutes, then I was walking out and leaving the register unmanned. Let her explain that one to the owners.

I only agreed to the extra 2 hours to help out our main manager because we ARE so short staffed. Next time I'll leave when she comes in and tell them why I am leaving.

[wyndslash]

Originally Posted by mrscoach

Argh, why do managers think the sun shines out of their backsides? I have an assistant manager that is driving me nuts. She sticks me on a register, then won't replace me when it is time for my shift to end. I have had ONE day in the past week and a half of working under 8 hours, and most of those days it was 8 straight, with no break. And she wanted me to stay an extra three hours tonight, even though I had already stayed 2 past my shift end. I would have pulled a 13 hour day, with one 30 minute break. In Texas you do not have to have a break. It's the law. (different rant) If you do have a break there are laws to follow.

I heard her yelling at our main manager that it wasn't right to leave her short handed just because 'they want to go home' (meaning me). Ummm, I had been there for 10 hours, and treating me like dog poo doesn't make me want to help her out. Most of the days I got no break I was working under her guidance.

The woman won't even talk to me because I stood up to her and wouldn't let her yell at me in front of customers. Everyone at our store hates her. She is loud and mean, and she is always short handed because no one wants to work for her. She belittles her crew members (workers) and then gets offended if someone objects to the treatment. Several people have quit, and directly attributed it to her attitude. Very unprofessional is the best way I can describe her.

In the end it wasn't her, but a shift manager that got me a relief person so I could leave. He just happened to ask me when I got off today and my response was "ten minutes ago". I was giving it 5 more minutes, then I was walking out and leaving the register unmanned. Let her explain that one to the owners.

I only agreed to the extra 2 hours to help out our main manager because we ARE so short staffed. Next time I'll leave when she comes in and tell them why I am leaving.

oh god. quit already D:

[kindlekitten]

Originally Posted by mrscoach

Argh, why do managers think the sun shines out of their backsides? I have an assistant manager that is driving me nuts. She sticks me on a register, then won't replace me when it is time for my shift to end. I have had ONE day in the past week and a half of working under 8 hours, and most of those days it was 8 straight, with no break. And she wanted me to stay an extra three hours tonight, even though I had already stayed 2 past my shift end. I would have pulled a 13 hour day, with one 30 minute break. In Texas you do not have to have a break. It's the law. (different rant) If you do have a break there are laws to follow.

I heard her yelling at our main manager that it wasn't right to leave her short handed just because 'they want to go home' (meaning me). Ummm, I had been there for 10 hours, and treating me like dog poo doesn't make me want to help her out. Most of the days I got no break I was working under her guidance.

The woman won't even talk to me because I stood up to her and wouldn't let her yell at me in front of customers. Everyone at our store hates her. She is loud and mean, and she is always short handed because no one wants to work for her. She belittles her crew members (workers) and then gets offended if someone objects to the treatment. Several people have quit, and directly attributed it to her attitude. Very unprofessional is the best way I can describe her.

In the end it wasn't her, but a shift manager that got me a relief person so I could leave. He just happened to ask me when I got off today and my response was "ten minutes ago". I was giving it 5 more minutes, then I was walking out and leaving the register unmanned. Let her explain that one to the owners.

I only agreed to the extra 2 hours to help out our main manager because we ARE so short staffed. Next time I'll leave when she comes in and tell them why I am leaving.

seriously? seriously? EVERY state I have worked in, and I have worked in a LOT because of contracting, requires a minimum of a 15 minute break during every 4 hour shift and a half hour break in-between. you need to double check your labor laws there. slavery ended quite some time ago

[phenomshel]

Originally Posted by kindlekitten

seriously? seriously? EVERY state I have worked in, and I have worked in a LOT because of contracting, requires a minimum of a 15 minute break during every 4 hour shift and a half hour break in-between. you need to double check your labor laws there. slavery ended quite some time ago

Oh, she's serious all right. Neither Texas nor Illinois have any legislation regarding breaks. They are provided out of the goodness of the employer's hearts (hear the sarcasm dripping from my words there...). Most employees are aware of the fact that slavery ended, but the employers haven't caught up yet.

[wyndslash]

jeez, don't they know that the more they run their employees ragged BEYOND REASON, the less efficient said employee will be at his or her job?

[phenomshel]

Originally Posted by wyndslash

jeez, don't they know that the more they run their employees ragged BEYOND REASON, the less efficient said employee will be at his or her job?

Oh, and to add insult to injury, at least in Mrs. Coach's case, you should see how they advertise jobs working where she works here. "Perfect for retirees" "Part-time". "Flexible scheduling". All of which are complete lies. I will give you that some managers are worse than others. But Mrs. Coach's experience isn't really all that unusual.
I'm stopping now, because if I don't, I will get into a rant about labor rights and unions and those topics don't belong in the Lounge.

[Mortis]

The retail industry is difficult for both staff and management without petty managers. These managers are more than likely not doing their jobs causing the staff to work extra shifts and or overtime. I don't know the laws in Texas, or for that matter most of the US, but it doesn't surprise me that the labor laws favor the employers.

Mrscoach, it sounds like your employer is out of touch, or at least your "Main" manager, if the assistant manager is causing so much trouble. In any company I have worked for, not retail, the managers are always expected to cover for staff when there is a shortage, because it is usually that managers fault, in your case you might want to suggest to your store manager that if they were to put the assistant manager on a till, there would be less reason for expensive overtime. I'm sure the assistant manager would have the scheduling sorted right quick if she was required to fill in

[nohmi2]

Originally Posted by Mortis

The retail industry is difficult for both staff and management without petty managers. These managers are more than likely not doing their jobs causing the staff to work extra shifts and or overtime. I don't know the laws in Texas, or for that matter most of the US, but it doesn't surprise me that the labor laws favor the employers.

Mrscoach, it sounds like your employer is out of touch, or at least your "Main" manager, if the assistant manager is causing so much trouble. In any company I have worked for, not retail, the managers are always expected to cover for staff when there is a shortage, because it is usually that managers fault, in your case you might want to suggest to your store manager that if they were to put the assistant manager on a till, there would be less reason for expensive overtime. I'm sure the assistant manager would have the scheduling sorted right quick if she was required to fill in

Very crafty solution!!

What these people do not realise, is that staff can also unknowingly (even to themselves), use passive aggression at work.

It's a no-win situation for the managers. If only they would delve a bit deeper every few months.

Cheers.

[wyndslash]

call me prejudiced, but i am rather leery of downloading ebooks that did not go through an editor/publishing house. i got a free one, and while i thoroughly enjoyed the plot and the characters, there were a few errors but it did jolt me out of the pleasure of reading for a bit (used bust instead of burst). i certainly hope that these types of errors would be lessened in the future as ebooks become more popular and there would be more professional editors doing freelancing or part-time work. i was thinking of buying the rest of the author's series, but i am hesitating...