The Vent and Rant Thread

[Katsunami]

My father is becoming completely bat-shit crazy with regard to how he thinks the world works.

He's complaining that Dutch TV is "rerunning darts games immediately after they're finished."

He doesn't understand the concept of legs and sets (anymore).

Some tournaments run games like 'best of 5 legs'; so first person to reach 3 legs wins the entire game. The World Championship runs 'First to 3 sets', with each set consisting of 'best of 5 legs'. (In the first round.)

My father, however, after seeing the first set, is completely adamant that Dutch TV is 'rerunning the game to save on broadcasting costs' when watching the second (and third) set, even though the score is displayed on the lower right, and it says "LIVE" in the upper left corner.

I'm going home. I can't stand up to that kind of idiocy. I said before that old people, at some point, get bat-shit crazy opinions and start making up their own world. I'm sticking to that statement.

If simple concepts such as these are becoming difficult, it's time for a retirement home, as I can't be around watching him all the time. God knows what other ideas he might conceive.

(He also complains about other programs being rerun on TV. "They don't make anything new." Yes, they do, and yes, a program is often shown 2-4 times a week on different days and times so people with different schedules can watch it, but you'll obviously have seen it all if you're retired and watch TV 14 hours a day.)

[Katsunami]

Oh, and when looking at articles on the net, it seems my suspicions are correct. TV is for old people. All of the big networks have average viewer ages of at least 50+, some even 60+. Younger people are not watching broadcast TV anymore. They either use services such as Netflix, or even stuff posted at sites such as YouTube (legal or not).

I haven't watched a TV program for the last 15 years. The only reason I have a TV is because I want to watch movies on Blu-Ray and DVD. If there's some documentary I want to watch, I'll find it on the internet somewhere if Netflix doesn't have it. Maybe I'll add something like Chromecast some time.

“That form of entertainment [television] did not last much beyond the year 2040.” Mr. Data – Star Trek: The Next Generation – The Neutral Zone.”

Data was probably optimistic. I don't expect TV to last until 2040, but still, the show's writers were in the ballpark.

(If you don't consider yourself to be part of the 'old people' described in these last two posts, for whatever reason, then just ignore them )

[Blossom]

It's my own fault. A few months ago I joined a Facebook book club owned by Sarah McLean. It has alot of members. It's a very nice group of women who enjoy reading romances. Every year they do a book exchange. You randomly get paired up with a partner. You send your partner 5-10 books and she sends you a package back. It's a lot of fun If you get a good partner.

I thought it would be a fun Holiday thing to do. I should have counted the risk. I got partner up with a girl in Indiana. After we chatted warning bells should have went off right away. I mean I know better right? I've been on the internet for a very long time. What the h*#$ was I thinking? I think my brain must have checked out due to all real life drama from this year.

Anyway I got scammed. She got a nice package of gently used and a couple of new books for Christmas. I got one lame excuse after another in why she hadn't mailed her package.

It's torture seeing all the other people's pictures of goodies they got from their partner and wished you have gotten someone else. I did a search of posts and it seems this has happened a couple times. I realize any exchange like this comes with risk and this does happen to people. I reported her to the woman who hosts the exchange. I'm not sure if anything will done. I heard nothing back. I wonder if I should just let it go or contact the owner Ms. McLean about it. The moderator in me says yes this needs to be known so she doesn't scam another if she participates next year. I sure won't be participating. Hubby says to just let it go that he told me so. Mom says the same thing. No one said anything before I sent the package though. It so easy to point fingers afterward isn't it?

Like I said it's my own fault. I've learned my lesson. I knew better but did it anyway hoping for some holiday cheer. I wish my books had gone to someone more deserving than a scammer.

Note: I edited this because of Dyslexia I didn't see at first how the Indiana comment could be taken. There is nothing wrong with Indiana. It's a pretty state, The brickyard is there, one of my favorite series takes place there. Sorry if you thought I was putting down the state or its people that wasn't the case.

Sent from my Nexus 7

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by Blossom

It's my own fault. A few months ago I joined a Facebook book club owned by Sarah McLean. It has alot of members. It's a very nice group of women who enjoy reading romances. Every year they do a book exchange. You randomly get paired up with a partner. You send your partner 5-10 books and she sends you a package back. It's a lot of fun If you get a good partner.

I thought it would be a fun Holiday thing to do. I should have counted the risk. I got partner up with a girl in Indiana. Warning bells should have went off right away. I mean I know better right? I've been on the internet for a very long time. What the h*#$ was I thinking? I think my brain must have checked out due to all real life drama from this year.

Anyway I got scammed. She got a nice package of gently used and a couple of new books for Christmas. I got one lame excuse after another in why she hadn't mailed her package.

It's torture seeing all the other people's pictures of goodies they got from their partner and wished you have gotten someone else. I did a search of posts and it seems this has happened a couple times. I realize any exchange like this comes with risk and this does happen to people. I reported her to the woman who hosts the exchange. I'm not sure if anything will done. I heard nothing back. I wonder if I should just let it go or contact the owner Ms. McLean about it. The moderator in me says yes this needs to be known so she doesn't scam another if she participates next year. I sure won't be participating. Hubby says to just let it go that he told me so. Mom says the same thing. No one said anything before I sent the package though. It so easy to point fingers afterward isn't it?

Like I said it's my own fault. I've learned my lesson. I knew better but did it anyway hoping for some holiday cheer. I wish my books had gone to someone more deserving than a scammer.

Sent from my Nexus 7

Hugs hun.
It is not your fault. There is no way you could have known the person was a scammer.

Originally Posted by Blossom

It's my own fault. A few months ago I joined a Facebook book club owned by Sarah McLean. It has alot of members. It's a very nice group of women who enjoy reading romances. Every year they do a book exchange. You randomly get paired up with a partner. You send your partner 5-10 books and she sends you a package back. It's a lot of fun If you get a good partner.

I thought it would be a fun Holiday thing to do. I should have counted the risk. I got partner up with a girl in Indiana. Warning bells should have went off right away. I mean I know better right? I've been on the internet for a very long time. What the h*#$ was I thinking? I think my brain must have checked out due to all real life drama from this year.

Anyway I got scammed. She got a nice package of gently used and a couple of new books for Christmas. I got one lame excuse after another in why she hadn't mailed her package.

It's torture seeing all the other people's pictures of goodies they got from their partner and wished you have gotten someone else. I did a search of posts and it seems this has happened a couple times. I realize any exchange like this comes with risk and this does happen to people. I reported her to the woman who hosts the exchange. I'm not sure if anything will done. I heard nothing back. I wonder if I should just let it go or contact the owner Ms. McLean about it. The moderator in me says yes this needs to be known so she doesn't scam another if she participates next year. I sure won't be participating. Hubby says to just let it go that he told me so. Mom says the same thing. No one said anything before I sent the package though. It so easy to point fingers afterward isn't it?

Like I said it's my own fault. I've learned my lesson. I knew better but did it anyway hoping for some holiday cheer. I wish my books had gone to someone more deserving than a scammer.

Sent from my Nexus 7

I hope the lesson that you learned is that there are always scammers out there, but they make up a small fraction of the total. Not much consolation at the moment though, huh?

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by Blossom

It's my own fault.

Anyway I got scammed. She got a nice package of gently used and a couple of new books for Christmas. I got one lame excuse after another in why she hadn't mailed her package.

It's torture seeing all the other people's pictures of goodies they got from their partner and wished you have gotten someone else. I did a search of posts and it seems this has happened a couple times. I realize any exchange like this comes with risk and this does happen to people. I reported her to the woman who hosts the exchange. I'm not sure if anything will done. I heard nothing back. I wonder if I should just let it go or contact the owner Ms. McLean about it. The moderator in me says yes this needs to be known so she doesn't scam another if she participates next year. I sure won't be participating. Hubby says to just let it go that he told me so. Mom says the same thing. No one said anything before I sent the package though. It so easy to point fingers afterward isn't it?

Like I said it's my own fault. I've learned my lesson. I knew better but did it anyway hoping for some holiday cheer. I wish my books had gone to someone more deserving than a scammer.

Sent from my Nexus 7

Sorry, how's it your fault? Because someone ELSE, just like you, probably got scammed by this woman, before, and like your relatives, decided to let it go? Hell no. Not for your own satisfaction, but to protect the next reader that comes along. Lots of folks can't afford to lose even 5 books. I mean...think of it this way. Folks with a lot of dough probably just buy the books that they want. Folks who don't, exchange. You're in an environment that can LEAST afford this type of bunco. So...my $.02? REPORT HER, and as you've heard sweet FA back from the responsible parties, I'd say it out loud on the FB group. You don't have to stigmatize the woman; just say ALOUD "I sent my goodies (list) and I have received nothing from my swapper but excuses. I've reported this to the moderator (or whomever), and so far, I've heard nothing. If the attitude is, "oh, well, s**t happens," then I'm sure I can find a more responsible group in which to swap books."

If nothing else, Blossom, you should warn others. To me, that's the one thing left to you to do. I see nothing here--nothing--that constitutes ANY type of fault on your part.

Other than, I don't get the Indiana thing? Is that like, the home of book scammers, or....? Seriously, I don't know to what this specifically refers?

Hitch

[Hemmi]

If the person hosting the exchange has done nothing about it, then I would definitely report it to the group owner. If I were the group owner, I'd at least want to kick out anyone that scammed another member or ban them from being in other exchanges thru my group.

I'd probably also publically post that I sent to someone and they did not send something to me (as promised) to warn the other members.

I've been in exchanges like that before and been the person that sent out a nice package and got nothing back. Not a good feeling but something I'd want to be warned about going into another one.

[Freeshadow]

Blossom, it's not your fault if someone else is an asshole.
(please stop thinking this evil way - we all know that it does a lot of victim damage on a far more serious field than scamming)
Hitch: just what you said - to warn is to save.
Silence ain't gold but shitty - behold!

[Blossom]

Thanks guys I'd made a post. I hope others do not go through this. It's the last exchange I'll ever do with a stranger.

Hemmi is there anything else I should do? This is through Facebook.

Hitch the girl I was partner with lives in Indiana. I live in Missouri less than three hours away. So it's not like she is in another country or even the sticks. She lives in town less than two miles from the post office.

I'll try not to blame myself anymore. Thanks everyone for your advice.



Sent from my XT1528

[Hemmi]

Unfortunately, it happens. A good swap hostess would make sure you got something, even if they had to send it to you herself.

You notified the hostess and put out a public post, I don't think there's anything else to do.

[Katsunami]

Maybe you could suggest to the swap host to use an escrow service. It works like this:

- Both swappers pay an amount of money to the service; let's say $50, or whatever you agree upon.
- After the payments are made, both swappers send out their package, accompanied by a tracking code.
- After both packages are received and confirmed complete, the service returns the money, minus a commission for providing the service. (This means you'd get €45 to €49 returned of your €50.)
- If a swapper doesn't send out his or her package, the other person gets the money instead.

If you make the amount to be put on the line higher than the worth of the packages, you can be quite sure the packages are sent out ASAP.

If you don't want to have any money involved, or you don't trust te receiver to even acknowledge to have received a complete package, some escrow services can also receive the packages, check their content, and then send them along again if they are confirmed to be complete and correct.

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by Hemmi

Unfortunately, it happens. A good swap hostess would make sure you got something, even if they had to send it to you herself.

You notified the hostess and put out a public post, I don't think there's anything else to do.

My post started a chain reaction Everyone has been so supportive. I've got several offers of people wanting to send me books to make up for it. I'm overwhelmed by all their offers of generosity. Wonderful group of ladies. So far no one has said it happened to them too this year. It looks like I'm the only one. I no longer care what the girl in Indiana does the show of support has been enough and I accepted one ladies offer to send books. I thanked the many others but in good conscience I couldn't accept them all.

Sent from my Nexus 7

[Hemmi]

Yeah! So glad others stepped up where one person failed you.

Hopefully the gal in Indiana is not allowed to participate in further swaps since she's the only one that flaked.

[Breathinlady]

Originally Posted by Blossom

It's my own fault. A few months ago I joined a Facebook book club owned by Sarah McLean. It has alot of members. It's a very nice group of women who enjoy reading romances. Every year they do a book exchange. You randomly get paired up with a partner. You send your partner 5-10 books and she sends you a package back. It's a lot of fun If you get a good partner.

I thought it would be a fun Holiday thing to do. I should have counted the risk. I got partner up with a girl in Indiana. Warning bells should have went off right away. I mean I know better right? I've been on the internet for a very long time. What the h*#$ was I thinking? I think my brain must have checked out due to all real life drama from this year.

Anyway I got scammed. She got a nice package of gently used and a couple of new books for Christmas. I got one lame excuse after another in why she hadn't mailed her package.

It's torture seeing all the other people's pictures of goodies they got from their partner and wished you have gotten someone else. I did a search of posts and it seems this has happened a couple times. I realize any exchange like this comes with risk and this does happen to people. I reported her to the woman who hosts the exchange. I'm not sure if anything will done. I heard nothing back. I wonder if I should just let it go or contact the owner Ms. McLean about it. The moderator in me says yes this needs to be known so she doesn't scam another if she participates next year. I sure won't be participating. Hubby says to just let it go that he told me so. Mom says the same thing. No one said anything before I sent the package though. It so easy to point fingers afterward isn't it?

Like I said it's my own fault. I've learned my lesson. I knew better but did it anyway hoping for some holiday cheer. I wish my books had gone to someone more deserving than a scammer.

Sent from my Nexus 7

I understand your problem and you did in fact get done wrong, but I have to say WHAT IS WRONG WITH INDIANA? I have lived there all of my life and find it a great state. I saw St. Louis with a load of problems this summer BUT will not put down all of MO. Indiana has lots of good people as does the rest of the country. I'll get off my soapbox..Have a blessed day.

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by Breathinlady

I understand your problem and you did in fact get done wrong, but I have to say WHAT IS WRONG WITH INDIANA? I have lived there all of my life and find it a great state. I saw St. Louis with a load of problems this summer BUT will not put down all of MO. Indiana has lots of good people as does the rest of the country. I'll get off my soapbox..Have a blessed day.

Nothing is wrong with Indiana. Are you okay? Christmas stress? Breathe. It is merely mentioned so people know how close she is to me because I live in Missouri. We're both in the Midwest. We live less than three hours from each other. So we share the same weather almost.

Put down MO all you want. I'm a Tennessee/North Carolina girl.

Sent from my Nexus 7