Am I the only one that sees this coming a mile away? The Governor, of a not to be mentioned state, recently signed into law a bill that allows everyday citizens to strap on a taser. (One must have proper training and permits) Now granted this will be a consumer strength taser with less juice than law enforcement packs. But, you know it's only a matter of time before some entrepreneur will be selling conversion kits for these bad boys. Illegally, of course. So, don't be surprised if the next time some rouge cops start beating up on a presumed innocent citizen, that from out of the darkness comes an avenger packing a taser with a Tim from Tool Time type power pack to level the playing field. (I'm ordering mine with the sub-station charger.)
Then there will be lawyers & lawsuits and "told-you-so's" all around. Am I the only one that sees this coming?
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Customer Service...NOT!
Now I realize that the economy is sluggish and grocery stores have thin margins and adjust employee hours to maximize profits. However, at what cost to the business? Here's the example that has me ranting today.
My favorite grocery store has around 24 checkout lanes, six of which are self-checkout. I spend my Friday afternoon strolling each aisle picking my carb filled grub for the week. Now comes the part I find increasingly difficult to go through, wheeling my $175 basket worth of "staples" to the nearest checkout. Of the 18 remaining registers available, one is 12 items or less and eleven are closed. Well, I'm down to six viable choices. All have at least three customers, in varying forms of duress, trying to get home before the ice cream melts. I can see a PIC (person in charge) walking up and down the rows of mostly silent registers watching customer flow. I don't put much faith in his/her abilities since somehow only the slowest cashiers have been kept scanning, while the faster ones have, sadly, been sent home. The next time I see a store manager walking the aisles, I can only assume to avoid the mess of humanity at the registers, I'm going to suggest that they change their slogan to "Lower prices, Longer lines, Get over it!" Oh and designate one lane for people who pay by check and haven't filled it out yet or those who need to split the order because they are paying by two different methods. While you are at it, assign your slowest cashier to that lane. No one will know the difference anyway.
My favorite grocery store has around 24 checkout lanes, six of which are self-checkout. I spend my Friday afternoon strolling each aisle picking my carb filled grub for the week. Now comes the part I find increasingly difficult to go through, wheeling my $175 basket worth of "staples" to the nearest checkout. Of the 18 remaining registers available, one is 12 items or less and eleven are closed. Well, I'm down to six viable choices. All have at least three customers, in varying forms of duress, trying to get home before the ice cream melts. I can see a PIC (person in charge) walking up and down the rows of mostly silent registers watching customer flow. I don't put much faith in his/her abilities since somehow only the slowest cashiers have been kept scanning, while the faster ones have, sadly, been sent home. The next time I see a store manager walking the aisles, I can only assume to avoid the mess of humanity at the registers, I'm going to suggest that they change their slogan to "Lower prices, Longer lines, Get over it!" Oh and designate one lane for people who pay by check and haven't filled it out yet or those who need to split the order because they are paying by two different methods. While you are at it, assign your slowest cashier to that lane. No one will know the difference anyway.
Saturday, January 07, 2012
Monday, October 10, 2011
Everybody has one...
...opinion, that is. Some folks have more than one and they alternate them depending on their mood. This rant all got started when I bent over to pick up a case of bottled water. (Keep this at the top of mind, I bent over but did NOT get so far as to actually touch the case of water!) On my way down I heard a small pop which was immediately followed by a very large OWWWW! I suddenly found myself bent over with no way to right myself without annoying the gods of PAIN! Although there were unopened alcoholic beverages nearby, I was unable to move towards them at a rate of speed that would have helped ease the burning in my back satisfactorily. I slipped into my "big boy" attitude and sprung to an upright position. I looked kind of like one of those old blow-up clown punching bags returning to vertical. I will not repeat what foul verbiage followed my crafty move. I still can't believe I know those words!
Once folks found out I had back pain, the opinion train left the station. You need to go to a chiropractor. Yeah and go and go and go. I'm sorry, I can't see myself continually going back for monthly "tuneups". Who's next? Acupuncture is greater than sliced bread. I almost considered it until I was given the address and it was an apartment nearby. I can't fathom laying facedown on a folding table with a bedsheet draped over it; while some guy with a name I can't begin to pronounce sticks sharp needles in my back. I'm sure he'd have the movie Karate Kid playing on his big screen. The last opinion I listened to, came from a "saner than most" co-worker. You should try PT! Huh? Physical Therapy...
Well, PT it is. I'll be "shuffling" to my car and heading toward a PT (Physical Therapist). I'm sure another rant is in the making.
OWWWW!
Once folks found out I had back pain, the opinion train left the station. You need to go to a chiropractor. Yeah and go and go and go. I'm sorry, I can't see myself continually going back for monthly "tuneups". Who's next? Acupuncture is greater than sliced bread. I almost considered it until I was given the address and it was an apartment nearby. I can't fathom laying facedown on a folding table with a bedsheet draped over it; while some guy with a name I can't begin to pronounce sticks sharp needles in my back. I'm sure he'd have the movie Karate Kid playing on his big screen. The last opinion I listened to, came from a "saner than most" co-worker. You should try PT! Huh? Physical Therapy...
Well, PT it is. I'll be "shuffling" to my car and heading toward a PT (Physical Therapist). I'm sure another rant is in the making.
OWWWW!
Tuesday, December 08, 2009
Hold That Tiger!
So what if Tiger Woods backed into a fire hydrant! So what if his wife landed a 9-iron to his jaw! So what if he has slept with enough women to grow his own baseball team!
When did people's "personal" lives, trials, failures, and stupidities make such big news? Like none of this stuff ever went on any time in history. Why don't the legitimate news organizations get back to news reporting and leave the gossip to the store checkout rags. Oh, that's right... we don't care about boring news, we want the juicey stuff with pictures if you can. Get that telephoto lens cleaned and point it in a window a thousand yards away. Fuzzy naked people that you can't make out is better than nothing at all!!! Gossip sells - straight news doesn't.
Good Grief, If you just can't give up garbage news, at least go back to the days of hot headlines like: ALIENS ABDUCTED MY COW - THEN RETURNED HER THREE WEEKS LATER WITH NEON GREEN UDDERS.
Give me more of those and Hold The Tiger!
When did people's "personal" lives, trials, failures, and stupidities make such big news? Like none of this stuff ever went on any time in history. Why don't the legitimate news organizations get back to news reporting and leave the gossip to the store checkout rags. Oh, that's right... we don't care about boring news, we want the juicey stuff with pictures if you can. Get that telephoto lens cleaned and point it in a window a thousand yards away. Fuzzy naked people that you can't make out is better than nothing at all!!! Gossip sells - straight news doesn't.
Good Grief, If you just can't give up garbage news, at least go back to the days of hot headlines like: ALIENS ABDUCTED MY COW - THEN RETURNED HER THREE WEEKS LATER WITH NEON GREEN UDDERS.
Give me more of those and Hold The Tiger!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
