The Vent and Rant Thread

[DNSB]

1. May you live in interesting times.
2. May you be recognized by people in high places.
3. May you get what you wish for.
4. May all your dreams come true.

The "ancient" curses in worsening order.

[ownedbycats]

Originally Posted by ApK

Hm. Talk about mixed feelings. Can we at least still use the customer Q&A feature to point out when other answerers demonstrate themselves to be among the stupidest people on the planet? Maybe they'll nuke only the answers that just say "I don't know." Or my favorite: "I don't know, I don't have this product." Which appears to be about 50% of them.

Originally Posted by Hitch

Oooh, dang, I forgot to check that part. Yes, for some reason, people will receive "can you answer this question" prompts from Amazon and even not knowing anything, will respond. It's boggling.

Hitch

Granted, part of that is a bit of clumsy UX on Amazon's part. It's been a while since I got one of those emails, but the phrasing is along the lines of "can you answer this question about a product?" which may cause a user to think they're being asked specifically and feel obligated to respond.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

Granted, part of that is a bit of clumsy UX on Amazon's part. It's been a while since I got one of those emails, but the phrasing is along the lines of "can you answer this question about a product?" which may cause a user to think they're being asked specifically and feel obligated to respond.

I have contemplated that in the past; that people think that they're responding privately to someone, or the like, but surely, you'd have to notice that when you type your answer, you're on an Amazon public web page?

Whaaatever. I'm somewhat sorry that the comments capability is gone. No advance warning and it appears that comments that one has made are wiped from the account, too. No record, no sign, no nuthin'. (sigh).

I wonder how long before reviews are nuked, too? I mean, IMDB still has them, but....

Hitch

[ApK]

Originally Posted by Hitch

I have contemplated that in the past; that people think that they're responding privately to someone, or the like, but surely, you'd have to notice that when you type your answer, you're on an Amazon public web page?

Whaaatever. I'm somewhat sorry that the comments capability is gone. No advance warning and it appears that comments that one has made are wiped from the account, too. No record, no sign, no nuthin'. (sigh).

I wonder how long before reviews are nuked, too? I mean, IMDB still has them, but....

Hitch

Yeah, I didn't realize that when Netflix got rid of it's star ranking system...which I saw as a way to make more people unwittingly consume as much of their dreck as possible...that it was the beginning of a trend.

On the other hand, I can see how a seller of product would not feel obligated to post negative reviews about it's own product, so maybe this is a good time for someone to grab the domain "honestamazonreviews.com"

[badgoodDeb]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

.... the phrasing is along the lines of "can you answer this question about a product?" which may cause a user to think they're being asked specifically and feel obligated to respond.

Like my mother who (a) had facebook set to email her all posts from "friends" and (b) couldn't distinguish such posts from personal-straight-to-her emails. She finally made me use her account to defriend myself from her.

That type of person would certainly feel obliged to answer "I don't know" to amazon product questions. I give her leeway because she's a pre-computer generation (born during the Depression) and just can't get the hang of them.

[WT Sharpe]

Originally Posted by Hitch

I have contemplated that in the past; that people think that they're responding privately to someone, or the like, but surely, you'd have to notice that when you type your answer, you're on an Amazon public web page? ...

That's the very reason I no longer respond to those emails by asking people what they're wearing.

[ApK]

Originally Posted by WT Sharpe

That's the very reason I no longer respond to those emails by asking people what they're wearing.

Next try "I'm watching you, and I know what room you sleep in."

[4691mls]

Originally Posted by badgoodDeb

Like my mother who (a) had facebook set to email her all posts from "friends" and (b) couldn't distinguish such posts from personal-straight-to-her emails. She finally made me use her account to defriend myself from her.

That type of person would certainly feel obliged to answer "I don't know" to amazon product questions. I give her leeway because she's a pre-computer generation (born during the Depression) and just can't get the hang of them.

I've always wondered why there were so many "I don't know" answers to product questions. Thanks for providing a possible explanation!

[Rumpelteazer]

On Saturday the Corona curfew started. Between 9pm and 4.30am you can't be outside without a valid reason (you have to fill in a form and if you're out for your work you have to have a form signed by your employer). The first night there were problems in three cities. On Sunday afternoon there were protests in two cities, which ended in the police having to use water cannons. That night there were riots in more cities. Last night there were even more riots.

The "protesters" say it's because the Netherlands is turning in a police state, that cafés, restaurants and shops have a difficult time being closed (true). On the other hand they loot those same shops, cafés and restaurants. They attacked one hospital on Sunday and tried again at another one last night. IMHO most of them just use the curfew as an excuse.

Both last night and Sunday night I heard a helicopter circling near/over the city center. Which made me nervous. But in Utrecht the only thing that happened so far is a couple of kids setting off big firework/firework bomb at a supermarket about six kilometers away from the city center, damaging the windows of a supermarket. They were promptly arrested. But I'm expecting it to happen in Utrecht. Whether the riots happen in the city center or in the more problematic neighbourhoods (like last summer) remains to be seen. But we've already got the baseball bat, handsaw, brooms and a piece of two inch diameter cable at the ready in case we have to defend our store and home.

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by Rumpelteazer

. . .

The "protesters" say it's because the Netherlands is turning in a police state, that cafés, restaurants and shops have a difficult time being closed (true). On the other hand they loot those same shops, cafés and restaurants. They attacked one hospital on Sunday and tried again at another one last night. IMHO most of them just use the curfew as an excuse.

Somewhat of a contrast in Sydney.

Officially, the 26th is Australia Day, it commemorates the landing of the First Fleet in 1788 (rough equivalent of the Mayflower landing in 1620). Normally we have ferry races and other events on the Harbour - but in covid times not so much. Our indigenous people refer to it as Invasion Day, and normally have a protest march and a rally in the Domain - it pre-dates the local BLM movement.

On Monday, rally organisers failed in a last-minute bid to secure an exemption from public health orders that limits protests in Sydney to 500 people. The NSW government refused to exempt the event and warned attendees they could be arrested and fined.

Here's what happened

About 3500 people had registered on the rally event Facebook page, the police conservatively estimated 2000 to 3000 showed up on the day, media say 5,000. Organisers met with senior police early on Tuesday and settled on a plan that would allow the seated rally to go ahead, with the crowd separated into 500-person segments, but cancelled the planned march that would have started at the park.

Here they are, masked, sanitised, and logged in via the government QR code attendance app. Masks are only mandatory in NSW on public transport and some retail establishments - by wearing them the attendees were scoring a political point.



There was a small scuffle after the event and a couple of people were arrested and issued with fines. But 99% of people left peaceably, probably straight to the beach, it was 40°C today. The Police deserve credit for working with the organisers to deliver such a good outcome.

There's a Covid press conference scheduled for tomorrow I would like to hear an apology from the Police and Health Ministers - if they have the guts to show up.

[ownedbycats]

Originally Posted by Rumpelteazer

The "protesters" say it's because the Netherlands is turning in a police state, that cafés, restaurants and shops have a difficult time being closed (true). On the other hand they loot those same shops, cafés and restaurants.

Yes, that is clearly helping the businesses.

Here in Canada, two rich selfishes chartered a plane to a small indigenous community in the Yukon and posed as local workers to skip the vaccine queue. They were caught because they asked for a ride back to the airport. Selfish wads.

[Rumpelteazer]

So far it's been quiet in my town. On Tuesday night there were some scuffles around the country and last night it was quiet. Thanks to a big police presence in cities and towns that send people on their way before anything could kick off.

The police has also been arresting people posting on social media trying to get others to riot. And the government has announced that rioters that have been arrested are expected to pay for damages. Already cars, scooters and other expensive items have been confiscated and they've also confiscated (?) several bank accounts.

However, I read the headline on one website that it's unfair to let the rioters pay, it can break a family. I don't feel sorry for them, they made the conscious decision to riot. They should have stayed at home, or if it were their kids they should have kept them home. What about the owners of the businesses that have been looted, smashed and tried to set on fire? Or the people whose car, scooter or bike was set alight?

Hopefully it'll stay quiet, though it wouldn't surprise me if it kicks off during the weekend again.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by Rumpelteazer

`However, I read the headline on one website that it's unfair to let the rioters pay, it can break a family. I don't feel sorry for them, they made the conscious decision to riot. They should have stayed at home, or if it were their kids they should have kept them home. What about the owners of the businesses that have been looted, smashed and tried to set on fire? Or the people whose car, scooter or bike was set alight?

I always find those stories to be rather pathetic. As in one person who stole a car, crashed it and ended up with permanent damage. His parents were upset when they lost a court case to force the car owner's insurance company to pay for his on-going health care. Evidently the court didn't recognize a car thief as an uninsured driver. Even worse, the insurance company returned to court to successfully sue the car thief to recover the costs of repairing the car. Well, the suit was successful, the chances of collecting a nickel is unlikely.

Don't do the crime, if you can't do the time.

[Gardenman]

Originally Posted by Rumpelteazer

So far it's been quiet in my town. On Tuesday night there were some scuffles around the country and last night it was quiet. Thanks to a big police presence in cities and towns that send people on their way before anything could kick off.

The police has also been arresting people posting on social media trying to get others to riot. And the government has announced that rioters that have been arrested are expected to pay for damages. Already cars, scooters and other expensive items have been confiscated and they've also confiscated (?) several bank accounts.

However, I read the headline on one website that it's unfair to let the rioters pay, it can break a family. I don't feel sorry for them, they made the conscious decision to riot. They should have stayed at home, or if it were their kids they should have kept them home. What about the owners of the businesses that have been looted, smashed and tried to set on fire? Or the people whose car, scooter or bike was set alight?

Hopefully it'll stay quiet, though it wouldn't surprise me if it kicks off during the weekend again.

Good for your government

[Rumpelteazer]

In October I had to get a root canal. I also made an appointment for a general check up at the dentist's. That was postponed to two weeks ago because of my mother's operation. He found a couple of cavities and, since Dutch dentists don't like to use anesthetics on more than one quarter (top, bottom, left, right) in one sitting I got two appointments. One for next week and one for a week later.

Yesterday I suddenly got a toothache. I decided to wait and see if it got worse, planning to give it a few days. But I didn't get any sleep last night. So right now I'm waiting for the dentist's office to open at 8am, in five minutes, to make an appointment. Usually when you call before 9am you can get an appointment the same day. I'm all set and ready to go, last time I got an appointment in half an hour of calling.

Right now the pain is gone, but it comes and goes. I'm assuming the worse; that I need another root canal. Even if it isn't necessary it won't be fun. The cavity is below the gums on the back of a back molar.

And that on my mother's birthday.