The Vent and Rant Thread

[Deskisamess]

Originally Posted by Hitch

OMG, YES. Bad enough with smaller rolls, but with the megas...sigh.

We do deliberately buy megas. Anything that we can, to stock up--not due to the plague, just due to distances and the idea out here that there's no such thing as "running to the store" for a gallon of milk or TP. Gives you a whole new mindset.

Hitch

We've bought large packs of such items because it's just less expensive. At one time, there were 6 living here, with 3 bathrooms. It was just easier to keep them all stocked. Heck...back then, we bought mustard and ketchup by the gallon. Seriously.

Paper items just cost more at the regular grocery store. And I really dislike going there for just 1 or 2 things. Planning ahead and stocking up is my Modus operandi.

[4691mls]

The toilet paper holder that came installed in my bathroom is in an awkward location. I bought a freestanding holder so I could put it in a better location. It also happens to hold any size roll. This is not the one I have but it looks like it would work. Target and Bed Bath and Beyond also have similar products.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Seville-F...ckel/581117836

[ApK]

Originally Posted by 4691mls

The toilet paper holder that came installed in my bathroom is in an awkward location. I bought a freestanding holder so I could put it in a better location. It also happens to hold any size roll. This is not the one I have but it looks like it would work. Target and Bed Bath and Beyond also have similar products.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Seville-F...ckel/581117836

We just got this one for our newly remodeled bathroom.

Does this thread often take such weird turns?

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by ApK

Does this thread often take such weird turns?

Most threads on MobileRead tend to drift off topic.

[PeterT]

Originally Posted by ApK

We just got this one for our newly remodeled bathroom.



Does this thread often take such weird turns?

Any discussion of vents has to include bathrooms

Sent from my Pixel 4a using Tapatalk

[Rumpelteazer]

I had ordered something from a big Dutch webshop, Bol.com. Today it was shipped, and I got an email notifying me. But instead of providing a link to the tracking website it told me to download their app to follow my package.

I don't want to use their app, the last time I used it it was just their website and it was clunky and didn't work as smooth as when I just used my browser. I don't use that website often, so I don't want an app taking up space when I use it only once or twice a year. And I don't want to use it because they try to force me to use it.

At the bottom of the email you could let them know if you liked or disliked the mail. I clicked on dislike and explained why. I know it won't do any good, but still.

[ApK]

Originally Posted by Rumpelteazer

I had ordered something from a big Dutch webshop, Bol.com. Today it was shipped, and I got an email notifying me. But instead of providing a link to the tracking website it told me to download their app to follow my package.

I don't want to use their app, the last time I used it it was just their website and it was clunky and didn't work as smooth as when I just used my browser. I don't use that website often, so I don't want an app taking up space when I use it only once or twice a year. And I don't want to use it because they try to force me to use it.

At the bottom of the email you could let them know if you liked or disliked the mail. I clicked on dislike and explained why. I know it won't do any good, but still.

+1x1000000!
I am SO sick of this trend away from websites to apps when there is NO reason or value to the user. Sometimes a native app offers better performance or features or usability than a website, and that's fine, but 99% of the time, it is NOTHING but an attempt to shove more marketing via intrusive push notifications in your face, while cluttering and slowing your phone and offer ZERO added value. I, too, always give negative feedback in cases like this. RESIST!

[ApK]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

The other day I come across a phrase I've not heard used in the way it was: 'stay in your lane'.

It's what a bureaucrat is told to do should they show any signs of curiosity in what other bureaucrats are doing/not doing. Whistleblower prevention. In this instance the consequences were tragic.

BR

I didn't bother responding to this at the time, but since I ran into a person at work recently who REFUSES TO STAY IN HIS LANE, I figured I'd go back and address it.

Before BR mentioned it, I had never heard "Stay in your lane" interpreted to mean "avoid curiosity" or responsibility or ownership, or "don't make waves" or anything like that. In fact, as a metaphor, when a driver refuses to stay in their lane, they cause disruptions and accidents and are a problem to those around them. And that's always how I heard and interpreted the expression.
We have a dude at work who apparently is trying to get management attention, so he's interfering in tasks that are not his responsibility, inserting himself into other team's projects, and trying to manage things that are NOT his job to manage, and, by all other accounts, were getting along fine without him, and were not in need of anyone stepping in to rescue. He's not a whistleblower, or a white knight stepping in to save the day by doing what needs to be done. He's just an ambitious jerk who unilaterally decided he can do other people's jobs better than they can, and so he should just step in and do them. He needs to stay in his lane.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by ApK

I didn't bother responding to this at the time, but since I ran into a person at work recently who REFUSES TO STAY IN HIS LANE, I figured I'd go back and address it.

Before BR mentioned it, I had never heard "Stay in your lane" interpreted to mean "avoid curiosity" or responsibility or ownership, or "don't make waves" or anything like that. In fact, as a metaphor, when a driver refuses to stay in their lane, they cause disruptions and accidents and are a problem to those around them. And that's always how I heard and interpreted the expression.
We have a dude at work who apparently is trying to get management attention, so he's interfering in tasks that are not his responsibility, inserting himself into other team's projects, and trying to manage things that are NOT his job to manage, and, by all other accounts, were getting along fine without him, and were not in need of anyone stepping in to rescue. He's not a whistleblower, or a white knight stepping in to save the day by doing what needs to be done. He's just an ambitious jerk who unilaterally decided he can do other people's jobs better than they can, and so he should just step in and do them. He needs to stay in lane.

Well, hell....maybe I've misunderstood it, then. I've never thought of it as "avoid curiosity" or don't ask questions, etc.

I understood it to mean quite simply don't exceed your authority and don't try to tell other people in different fields of endeavor (or with expertise in something else) how to do their jobs. "Don't get up in my grill," in other words, if someone is trying to tell you how to do your job, when there's no chance that they themselves know.

I never thought it meant "don't rock the boat."

Does it? (As the Bene Gesserit Sisterhood of Chapterhouseune said, "[r]eal boats rock.")

Hitch

[ApK]

Originally Posted by Hitch

[...]
Hitch

^
Yeah, that's what I meant!

[CRussel]

I've always assumed it meant, basically "Mind your own business, not mine". (And, FWIW, ApK, the chances that he's actually impressing anyone in management with this are slim and none. And if slim ends up winning? Get out. Find a better place.)

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by ApK

. . .

Before BR mentioned it, I had never heard "Stay in your lane" interpreted to mean "avoid curiosity" or responsibility or ownership, or "don't make waves" or anything like that.

It's so long ago I can't recall the exact context. It must have resulted in death, 'tragic' is not a word I'd use lightly in that context.

[4691mls]

Originally Posted by ApK

+1x1000000!
I am SO sick of this trend away from websites to apps when there is NO reason or value to the user. Sometimes a native app offers better performance or features or usability than a website, and that's fine, but 99% of the time, it is NOTHING but an attempt to shove more marketing via intrusive push notifications in your face, while cluttering and slowing your phone and offer ZERO added value. I, too, always give negative feedback in cases like this. RESIST!

I went to Best Buy recently to get a phone charger. The whole area I was looking at had products with no prices posted. There was a notice that said to ask an associate or use their app. No, I'm not going to download your app just to check a price. I ended up taking the most likely chargers to the cashier and asking the prices so I could choose which one to buy. I hope Best Buy isn't going to start doing this for all their products. If they do, I will stop shopping there.

[Deskisamess]

Originally Posted by 4691mls

I went to Best Buy recently to get a phone charger. The whole area I was looking at had products with no prices posted. There was a notice that said to ask an associate or use their app. No, I'm not going to download your app just to check a price. I ended up taking the most likely chargers to the cashier and asking the prices so I could choose which one to buy. I hope Best Buy isn't going to start doing this for all their products. If they do, I will stop shopping there.

Their prices on stuff like that is generally way more then you'd find on Amazon. The mark up on accessories is crazy high, 100-200%.

When we do buy something from there, I almost always buy and pay via the web site, and just go to the store to pick it up.

[4691mls]

Originally Posted by Deskisamess

Their prices on stuff like that is generally way more then you'd find on Amazon. The mark up on accessories is crazy high, 100-200%.

When we do buy something from there, I almost always buy and pay via the web site, and just go to the store to pick it up.

Depending on the product, sometimes I like to look at the options in person. If it's something where I know exactly what I want but it might take me a while to find it in the store, like a specific type of adapter or cable, I'll order online and it pick up.

My local Best Buy keeps the chargers and other phone accessories right at the front of the store so I figured I could just easily walk in and grab one. I just never expected to find a whole wall of phone accessories with no posted prices!