The Vent and Rant Thread

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

Sorry you are messed up. Hope you feel better soon.

Originally Posted by CRussel

I'm really sorry to hear that, Hitch. Arnica would be such a much simpler problem -- just don't take it. I sincerely hope you have found a cause and a resolution, cause this sounds dreadful. !!HUGS!!

Thanks, both of you. Yeah, I wish it had been the arnica, too, for a million reasons, but it wasn't. I'll be fine; I just had a VERY bad week. (You ever been sick enough where you literally thought, "I wish I felt good enough to go lie down in bed?" Man, that's sick.)

Hitch

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

F***, that sounds more like a war zone (been in a couple) and worse than some of the out of the way places I've lived in.

For most of the rest of world, the US healthcare 'system' beggars belief. I cannot understand how y'all put up with it. The highly regulated UK NHS system is not the only alternative as is often posited in the US. Indeed, only a few countries have anything similar. Most have a mix of universal government funding for the 'basics', and private (via insurance if you have it) funding for the 'extras'. As a casual observer I get the impression that both the US and the UK healthcare systems 'encourage' the use of Emergency Services over a regular doctor - that's crazy. Maybe its a cultural thing.

I didn't know what a 'GI Cocktail' was so I looked it up. Might interest you know the use of them is discouraged by the Aus&NZ equivalent of the FDA.

BR

This has just started in the last ten years. I've never seen anything like it. If your blood tests are fine then you are fine. They don't care that you're in severe pain because your blood tests say you are perfectly fine. And they can't be bother finding the cause that's for a real doctor to do. The real doctor will tell you to go to the ER. It's a never ending loop and meanwhile the bills mount up and doctors get richer while the nurses get worn out and not care anymore.

Sent from my XT1528

[Katsunami]

I hate the fact that supermarkets are staffed with disinterested, witless 15 and 16-year olds around here.

So, I'm at the beginning of the counter (a track, which can be run/moved by the attendant), and I start to put my €50 worth of groceries on it. The guy behind the counter immediately presses his pedal, and goes *beep, beep, beep, beep...*

I'm wondering why, because it doesn't gain him any time. I *can't* unpack everything onto the track and the beginning, *and* put everything in my bag at the end at the same time, so he will either have to wait until I finish unpacking at the start, _or_ packing at the end.

You'd think so... wrong.

After I pay and start packing everything into my bag again, the flippin' idioteque just goes *beep, beep, beep, beep...* with the next customer's groceries, until I tell him to F***** STOP!!!11 because I *can't* pack groceries into my bag *and* keep the next customer's stuff apart from mine.

He looks at me with a look akin to this one:



"Oh, sorry..."

He waits for me to bend down and put some stuff into my bag (I can't put the bag at the end of the counter because he's smashed everything against the far rim already, when I was still at the front), and before I'm back up again, he goes... *beep, beep, beep*

STAHP!!!

And then he just sits there:



Customer behind me is shaking his head... because *he* can't pack his groceries either, because of the fact that I'm still there.

The proper way to do this?

- WAIT until I put everything onto the counter.
- THEN I will go to the end, and put my bag on it.
- And as the attendant beeps every item, I put it into my bag.
- I pay.
- Next customer.

How fracking difficult can it be?!

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by Katsunami

I hate the fact that supermarkets are staffed with disinterested, witless 15 and 16-year olds around here.

So, I'm at the beginning of the counter (a track, which can be run/moved by the attendant), and I start to put my €50 worth of groceries on it. The guy behind the counter immediately presses his pedal, and goes *beep, beep, beep, beep...*

I'm wondering why, because it doesn't gain him any time. I *can't* unpack everything onto the track and the beginning, *and* put everything in my bag at the end at the same time, so he will either have to wait until I finish unpacking at the start, _or_ packing at the end.

You'd think so... wrong.

After I pay and start packing everything into my bag again, the flippin' idioteque just goes *beep, beep, beep, beep...* with the next customer's groceries, until I tell him to F***** STOP!!!11 because I *can't* pack groceries into my bag *and* keep the next customer's stuff apart from mine.

He looks at me with a look akin to this one:



"Oh, sorry..."

He waits for me to bend down and put some stuff into my bag (I can't put the bag at the end of the counter because he's smashed everything against the far rim already, when I was still at the front), and before I'm back up again, he goes... *beep, beep, beep*

STAHP!!!

And then he just sits there:



Customer behind me is shaking his head... because *he* can't pack his groceries either, because of the fact that I'm still there.

The proper way to do this?

- WAIT until I put everything onto the counter.
- THEN I will go to the end, and put my bag on it.
- And as the attendant beeps every item, I put it into my bag.
- I pay.
- Next customer.

How fracking difficult can it be?!

Here the cashiers also bag.

[Bilbo1967]

Here, we can get a hand held barcode reader that we scan the goods with as we shop, bagging them as we go. There are then self service machines where we pay. No cashier at all.

[Toxaris]

Originally Posted by Bilbo1967

Here, we can get a hand held barcode reader that we scan the goods with as we shop, bagging them as we go. There are then self service machines where we pay. No cashier at all.

We have that here as well in some shops, but not all. The situation Kat is describing is all to familiar. I prefer the self-service, partly due to this...

[Bilbo1967]

Originally Posted by Toxaris

We have that here as well in some shops, but not all. The situation Kat is describing is all to familiar. I prefer the self-service, partly due to this...

Yep, me too.

Actually, when I do use the cashier lines, it's normally the customer in front of me that drives me crazy. I always seem to end up behind somebody who is shocked when they're asked to pay for their shopping. They stand in the queue for five minutes and then only start looking for their cash/card when they've finished!

[Katsunami]

Originally Posted by Toxaris

We have that here as well in some shops, but not all. The situation Kat is describing is all to familiar. I prefer the self-service, partly due to this...

You know that this situation is the reason why I actually prefer to NOT be first in line? If you're second (or better, third, or have an old person in front of you), you can finish putting your stuff onto the counter before the cashier starts beeping.

This time, I was first in line.

Still, some people's friggin' idiocy and complete lack of thought sometimes amazes me.

HOW can you imagine gaining time by beeping groceries so fast that a customer can't even keep up with putting them onto the track, and then continue beeping the next customer's stuff, before the previous one has even cleared the track?

[DMcCunney]

Originally Posted by Katsunami

I hate the fact that supermarkets are staffed with disinterested, witless 15 and 16-year olds around here.

My local supermarket is a Trader Joe's (which I believe is a unit of Aldi these days.)

No conveyor belt to move items to a cashier. There are a cluster of cashier stations identified by number, and an employee to track which is free and direct the next shopper in line to a free station. You go to the cashier, the cashier takes your items from the shopping cart and bags them you pay with cash, debit, or credit card, and exit with your bags. Another employee grabs your cart and places it with the other empties. Unlike other supermarkets, which did use belts to convey items to the clerks, who were in a line across the entrance, TJs takes pains to have enough manned stations to handle the volume, so the wait tends to be minimal.

I was a bit surprised the first time I shopped there, but it appears to work for them. TJs occupies a space formerly occupied by a Food Emporium (A unit of A&P) that had a more traditional approach, and there was a Gristede's (another local chain) diagonally across the block. There were a couple of other local chains with outlets in the area on earlier years, and TJs is Last Man Standing. (They occupy the basement of a high rise apartment building, and there are several other high-rise apartment/coop/condo units within a few blocks, so they don't lack for customers.)

Other large retailers have gone to a hybrid approach. There are checkout clerks, but there are also self-service stations, where you can scan, bag, and then pay with credit or debit card and not have to deal with a human being. There will be an employee by the self-service stations to assist those who need it. It's fairly popular among shoppers who want to select, purchase and leave quickly.

(The checkout clerks aren't the problem. Being in line behind someone more focused on their cell conversation than actually paying for their merchandise, and holding everyone else up, gets wearing fast. I'd give a fair amount for a pocket jammer to use in such cases.)
______
Dennis

[Katsunami]

Originally Posted by Bilbo1967

Yep, me too.

Actually, when I do use the cashier lines, it's normally the customer in front of me that drives me crazy. I always seem to end up behind somebody who is shocked when they're asked to pay for their shopping. They stand in the queue for five minutes and then only start looking for their cash/card when they've finished!

Happens in public transport all the time.

This happens with older people. They're probably 20 minutes early, because they're all used to the bus arriving between 16:20 and 16:50. It was like that in 1951, wasn't it? They're not informed about the fact that nowadays, a bus actually arrives at the stated time of 16:42, +/- 1 minute. +/- 2 minutes if you're unfortunate.

Then, when the bus arrives, those people get in, then remember their check-in card, and go hunting for it, in 25 pockets, three bags, some wallets and purses, and the bus just stands there, after which the driver frantically tries to make up 5 minutes.

[Katsunami]

Originally Posted by DMcCunney

Conveyor belt

Thanks. I've breaking my brains trying to come up with that word when writing my post. In the end I just wrote "track", because "assembly line" was the wrong word.

I must say, the times I use "conveyor belt" when speaking or writing English must be somewhere between once or twice in 5 years. (In my line of work, "assembly line" is used much more often.)

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by DMcCunney

My local supermarket is a Trader Joe's (which I believe is a unit of Aldi these days.)

No conveyor belt to move items to a cashier. There are a cluster of cashier stations identified by number, and an employee to track which is free and direct the next shopper in line to a free station. You go to the cashier, the cashier takes your items from the shopping cart and bags them you pay with cash, debit, or credit card, and exit with your bags. Another employee grabs your cart and places it with the other empties. Unlike other supermarkets, which did use belts to convey items to the clerks, who were in a line across the entrance, TJs takes pains to have enough manned stations to handle the volume, so the wait tends to be minimal.

I was a bit surprised the first time I shopped there, but it appears to work for them. TJs occupies a space formerly occupied by a Food Emporium (A unit of A&P) that had a more traditional approach, and there was a Gristede's (another local chain) diagonally across the block. There were a couple of other local chains with outlets in the area on earlier years, and TJs is Last Man Standing. (They occupy the basement of a high rise apartment building, and there are several other high-rise apartment/coop/condo units within a few blocks, so they don't lack for customers.)

Other large retailers have gone to a hybrid approach. There are checkout clerks, but there are also self-service stations, where you can scan, bag, and then pay with credit or debit card and not have to deal with a human being. There will be an employee by the self-service stations to assist those who need it. It's fairly popular among shoppers who want to select, purchase and leave quickly.

(The checkout clerks aren't the problem. Being in line behind someone more focused on their cell conversation than actually paying for their merchandise, and holding everyone else up, gets wearing fast. I'd give a fair amount for a pocket jammer to use in such cases.)
______
Dennis

You can also use the green stuff at most self checkouts. There is one clerk available for all self-checkouts to help if need be or when the soon to be drunks think the computer will allow the beer through before noon on Sunday. (The clerk just moves the beer away from the stbd. )

Last time we went to Target, they led us to self checkout and did everything but inserted the credit card.

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by Katsunami

Happens in public transport all the time.

This happens with older people. They're probably 20 minutes early ... after which the driver frantically tries to make up 5 minutes.

Quite the reverse here, most old people wait with their (gold Opal) card in their hands or on a lariat around their necks, maybe because it's also customary for younger people to stand aside to allow older people to get on the bus first. Our buses rarely arrive early (if they get ahead of schedule they stop for a while), but they are often 5-10 minutes late.

It's the millennials who fiddle with their phones whilst waiting who cause the delays. When the bus arrives they suddenly realise their (black Opal) card is in their backpack; so that must be shrugged off their backs, and various compartments unzipped and searched, then when they finally find it, they discover they forgot to top it up. So they have to buy a ticket from the driver.

More searching, for money this time, all they can find are a collection 5 and 10 cent coins tucked into corners of various pockets and gussets. Meantime some silly old bastard like me calls out, "Whaddya doing, making a takeover offer for the goddamn bus company.".

BR

[Hemmi]

My grocery store has cashiers and bagger/carryout people. If the baggers are all busy, the cashier will bag. I always buy my water softener salt at the grocery store because I don't have to lift it into a cart or carry it out to my car. Once I get home, I have a brother to carry the 40 lb bags in.

[Katsunami]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

Quite the reverse here, most old people wait with their (gold Opal) card in their hands or on a lariat around their necks, maybe because it's also customary for younger people to stand aside to allow older people to get on the bus first. Our buses rarely arrive early (if they get ahead of schedule they stop for a while), but they are often 5-10 minutes late.

It's the millennials who fiddle with their phones whilst waiting who cause the delays. When the bus arrives they suddenly realise their (black Opal) card is in their backpack; so that must be shrugged off their backs, and various compartments unzipped and searched, then when they finally find it, they discover they forgot to top it up. So they have to buy a ticket from the driver.

More searching, for money this time, all they can find are a collection 5 and 10 cent coins tucked into corners of various pockets and gussets. Meantime some silly old bastard like me calls out, "Whaddya doing, making a takeover offer for the goddamn bus company.".

BR

Then there's that, granted.

Sometimes, I feel as if the only "normal" people (edit: as in, present in the here and now, with conscious thought) are the ones between 30 and 70 or so (or maybe even between 35 and 65), at least around here.

The ones under 30 are completely oblivious to everything due to their eyes being riveted to a phone and/or earbuds being lodged in their ears, and the ones over 70 can't think properly anymore.

The former:

I can't even count the times I've been almost been hit by a bicycle careening around a corner, driven by some 15-25 y/o... which shouldn't be, because if my traffic light is GREEN, the bicycle's light is RED.

This is getting so bad, BEN (mobile network provider) and KNGF (Koninklijke Nederlandse Geleidenhondenfonds / Dutch Royal Guide Dog Foundation) have started a campain:



Rest assured: it's not only pedestrians that use mobile phones and/or earbuds in traffic...

The latter:

Yesterday I walked home, in the dark, turned a corner, and almost crashed face down in the earth due to getting entangled in a dog leash. There are many old people around here. They all have chihuahua-sized lap dogs. And they ALL use a roll out leash ("Flexi") that is between 10-15 feet in length. And, invariably, the ALL use the maximum line extension, stretching the line across paths, pavements, walkways, and in town, even across narrow streets.

If you have a chihuahua-sized dog, in the dark, it's not guaranteed that others will see it. It's not even guaranteed they see YOU, let alone the line stretching between dog and owner.