Did Anyone Here Have a Hypo at Walgreens?

Oleg Lego <rat@atatatat.com> wrote:

> On Thu, 15 May 2008 15:57:19 GMT, Julie Bove posted:

>>I think sometimes they do it so customers can't open the product in the
>>store, and/or steal the item if it is a small one. That packaging is a
>>royal pain though.

> Home Hardware, a Canadian hardware store chain or franchise, sells a
> little gizmo for about 10 bucks. It's called the Safe-Cut Package
> opener, and its only purpose is to open blister packs, CDs, etc. Looks
> like a good idea.

> It's the second item on http://www.mordenhomehardware.ca/

There are quite a number of handy household gadgets and gizmos like
that which I find I don't need because I carry around one of mankind's
earliest and most useful inventions -- a sharp knife.

--
Chris Malcolm cam@infirmatics.ed.ac.uk DoD #205
IPAB, Informatics, JCMB, King's Buildings, Edinburgh, EH9 3JZ, UK
[http://www.dai.ed.ac.uk/homes/cam/]

On Thu, 15 May 2008 15:57:19 GMT, "Julie Bove" <juliebove@verizon.net>
wrote:

>>>
>>
>> I recently bought some Black & Decker scissors that are promoted "to get
>> open those plastic paks" -- *they* came in a plastic pak with an *easy
>> open
>> feature*!!! If such a feature is available, why don't more manufacturers
>> use
>> it? They can't all be in cahoots with B&D.
>
>I think sometimes they do it so customers can't open the product in the
>store, and/or steal the item if it is a small one. That packaging is a
>royal pain though.


As for the theft protection reason for some of these product packages,
does anyone else find it sad that in many stores they have to keep
certain types of shaving razor blades in a locked case because they
are apparently a hot item to steal. (they cost a small fortune too!)

<Laura@notmy.com> wrote in message
news:h7sq245i9h6rlvuoan31e8nuo3g2oinght@4ax.com...
> On Thu, 15 May 2008 15:57:19 GMT, "Julie Bove" <juliebove@verizon.net>
> wrote:
>
>>>>
>>>
>>> I recently bought some Black & Decker scissors that are promoted "to get
>>> open those plastic paks" -- *they* came in a plastic pak with an *easy
>>> open
>>> feature*!!! If such a feature is available, why don't more manufacturers
>>> use
>>> it? They can't all be in cahoots with B&D.
>>
>>I think sometimes they do it so customers can't open the product in the
>>store, and/or steal the item if it is a small one. That packaging is a
>>royal pain though.
>
>
> As for the theft protection reason for some of these product packages,
> does anyone else find it sad that in many stores they have to keep
> certain types of shaving razor blades in a locked case because they
> are apparently a hot item to steal. (they cost a small fortune too!)

When I lived in Alameda, I had trouble buying baby formula. I was told the
powdered kind was stolen to cut drugs with.

"Màck©®" <IAM@OneWithTheGoddess.org> wrote in message
news:1nhq241oa6mjmpoo20fd0gvtvfrqt1pv6l@4ax.com...
> On Thu, 15 May 2008 19:45:43 -0700, "Cheri" <gserviceatinreachdotcom>
> wrote:
>
>>
>>Obviously, you don't buy sewing needles, thread, screws, and little
>>packages like that. Those are often packaged in that ridiculous way
>>too. Christ, how many people steal wax toilet rings and things like
>>that. The packaging on some of them are just silly, and while I'm at
>>it, what's with buying a large package of paper towels all wrapped in
>>plastic, then the individual rolls are wrapped in plastic inside the
>>large plastic wrap. Geez. :-)
>>
>>Cheri
>>
>
>
> you'd be surprised at what shoplifters will steal.

Anything they can.

Julie Bove wrote in message ...
>
>"Cheri" <gserviceatinreachdotcom> wrote in message
>news:E-KdnRYpTsYfaLHVnZ2dnUVZ_o7inZ2d@softcom.net...
>
>> Obviously, you don't buy sewing needles, thread, screws, and little
>> packages like that. Those are often packaged in that ridiculous way
>> too. Christ, how many people steal wax toilet rings and things like
>> that. The packaging on some of them are just silly, and while I'm
at
>> it, what's with buying a large package of paper towels all wrapped
in
>> plastic, then the individual rolls are wrapped in plastic inside
the
>> large plastic wrap. Geez. :-)
>
>My latest problem was a ratcheting screwdriver. Some of the bits
were
>stored in the handle, but the other half of the bits were stored in a
>plastic thingie that fits around the screwing shaft or whatever you
call it.
>It was connected on there tightly by a thick plastic piece. The
>instructions said to cut it off with scissors. I nearly cut my
finger off
>trying to cut through the really thick plastic. And then it left
this sharp
>little nub.

I hear you Julie. My worst problem was a package of the Ginsu type
knives. It was very dangerous to open without getting cut, as it was,
I ended up stabbing myself in the palm, and to make it worse, I didn't
take the opportunity to test. LOL

Cheri

Oleg Lego wrote in message
>
>Home Hardware, a Canadian hardware store chain or franchise, sells a
>little gizmo for about 10 bucks. It's called the Safe-Cut Package
>opener, and its only purpose is to open blister packs, CDs, etc.
Looks
>like a good idea.

I imagine they do a thriving business with the thieves then? ;-)

Cheri

On Fri, 16 May 2008 15:00:59 GMT, "Julie Bove" <juliebove@verizon.net>
wrote:

>
>"Màck©®" <IAM@OneWithTheGoddess.org> wrote in message
>news:1nhq241oa6mjmpoo20fd0gvtvfrqt1pv6l@4ax.com.. .
>> On Thu, 15 May 2008 19:45:43 -0700, "Cheri" <gserviceatinreachdotcom>
>> wrote:
>>
>>>
>>>Obviously, you don't buy sewing needles, thread, screws, and little
>>>packages like that. Those are often packaged in that ridiculous way
>>>too. Christ, how many people steal wax toilet rings and things like
>>>that. The packaging on some of them are just silly, and while I'm at
>>>it, what's with buying a large package of paper towels all wrapped in
>>>plastic, then the individual rolls are wrapped in plastic inside the
>>>large plastic wrap. Geez. :-)
>>>
>>>Cheri
>>>
>>
>>
>> you'd be surprised at what shoplifters will steal.
>
>Anything they can.

And just one more example of the rest of us having to deal with
another PITA because of a small percentage of the population. I'd
like to think the "good guys" out number the thieves, but I've been
told several times in the past few months that companies just assume
everyone is out to rip them off and act accordingly.

I told one guy it was a good thing I wasn't going to be doing business
with him anymore. I mean, if I'm going to be called a thief, I might
as well earn the title.

On Wed, 14 May 2008 10:46:20 -0700, "Cheri" <gserviceatinreachdotcom>
wrote:

>
>bj wrote in message ...speaking of blister packaging
>
>>So do I.
>>Sometimes I don't push hard enough (once I manage to get the peel-off
>strip
>>off), so I push harder, then the pill pops out & I get some exercise
>>crawling around to find it on the floor.
>>
>>Some are in super-tamper-resistant paks, too! Fosamax -- aimed at an
>*aging*
>>population -- is particularly hard. I'm hoping (without much "hope")
>that
>>the generic it's now just come out in will be packaged in a more
>>patient-friendly fashion.
>>
>>Unfortunately I don't have a small child around to help me get into
>my
>>child-resistant containers. I keep tools in the bathroom to break
>into
>>things.
>>bj
>
>I do not understand the thinking on that kind of packaging, so I can
>only conclude that there is no rational thinking, and the main factor
>is cheaper packaging for the manufacturer and to Hell with the
>consumer. :-)

Our stuff nearly all comes in blister packs and they're usually easy
to operate. So it can be done.

Getting DVD-RAMs out of the shrinkwrap now, that's another matter

(I had a shrinkwrapped chicken the other day too)

BlueBrooke wrote in message ...

>And just one more example of the rest of us having to deal with
>another PITA because of a small percentage of the population. I'd
>like to think the "good guys" out number the thieves, but I've been
>told several times in the past few months that companies just assume
>everyone is out to rip them off and act accordingly.
>
>I told one guy it was a good thing I wasn't going to be doing
business
>with him anymore. I mean, if I'm going to be called a thief, I might
>as well earn the title.

Good answer BB. :-)

Cheri

On 16 May 2008 09:42:30 GMT, Chris Malcolm posted:

>Oleg Lego <rat@atatatat.com> wrote:
>
>> On Thu, 15 May 2008 15:57:19 GMT, Julie Bove posted:
>
>>>I think sometimes they do it so customers can't open the product in the
>>>store, and/or steal the item if it is a small one. That packaging is a
>>>royal pain though.
>
>> Home Hardware, a Canadian hardware store chain or franchise, sells a
>> little gizmo for about 10 bucks. It's called the Safe-Cut Package
>> opener, and its only purpose is to open blister packs, CDs, etc. Looks
>> like a good idea.
>
>> It's the second item on http://www.mordenhomehardware.ca/
>
>There are quite a number of handy household gadgets and gizmos like
>that which I find I don't need because I carry around one of mankind's
>earliest and most useful inventions -- a sharp knife.

Agreed, but items like the one I mentioned are very useful and much
safer for those who can't, for one reason or another, use a sharp
knife without the risk of injury.

--
roses are #FF0000
violets are #0000FF
all my base
are belong to you

On Fri, 16 May 2008 13:58:38 -0500, BlueBrooke <me@invalid.invalid>
wrote:

>On Fri, 16 May 2008 15:00:59 GMT, "Julie Bove" <juliebove@verizon.net>
>wrote:
>
>>
>>"Màck©®" <IAM@OneWithTheGoddess.org> wrote in message
>>news:1nhq241oa6mjmpoo20fd0gvtvfrqt1pv6l@4ax.com. ..
>>> On Thu, 15 May 2008 19:45:43 -0700, "Cheri" <gserviceatinreachdotcom>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>>
>>>>Obviously, you don't buy sewing needles, thread, screws, and little
>>>>packages like that. Those are often packaged in that ridiculous way
>>>>too. Christ, how many people steal wax toilet rings and things like
>>>>that. The packaging on some of them are just silly, and while I'm at
>>>>it, what's with buying a large package of paper towels all wrapped in
>>>>plastic, then the individual rolls are wrapped in plastic inside the
>>>>large plastic wrap. Geez. :-)
>>>>
>>>>Cheri
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> you'd be surprised at what shoplifters will steal.
>>
>>Anything they can.
>
>And just one more example of the rest of us having to deal with
>another PITA because of a small percentage of the population. I'd
>like to think the "good guys" out number the thieves, but I've been
>told several times in the past few months that companies just assume
>everyone is out to rip them off and act accordingly.
>
>I told one guy it was a good thing I wasn't going to be doing business
>with him anymore. I mean, if I'm going to be called a thief, I might
>as well earn the title.

Yup that's exactly how I feel about eg. doctors who assume I'm going
to rip them off by ordering too many drugs, or fuckwits who assume I
must be a pedophile because I'm trying to photograph seabirds on a
beach . . . apparently soon I won't be able to take photographs at the
local nature reserve because it's overlooked by a stonking great
noocular reactor - of which you can get amazingly detailed satellite
photos from Multimap, Google Earth, Worldwind etc. etc.

Once long ago and way back when records were big round black things a
"security guard" insisted on confiscating my shopping before letting
me into the shop, I told him he wasn't getting it becuase I didn;t
trust him not to steal it. And went to a different shop.

Oleg Lego wrote in message ...
>
>On 16 May 2008 09:42:30 GMT, Chris Malcolm posted:
>
>>Oleg Lego <rat@atatatat.com> wrote:
>>
>>> On Thu, 15 May 2008 15:57:19 GMT, Julie Bove posted:
>>
>>>>I think sometimes they do it so customers can't open the product
in the
>>>>store, and/or steal the item if it is a small one. That packaging
is a
>>>>royal pain though.
>>
>>> Home Hardware, a Canadian hardware store chain or franchise, sells
a
>>> little gizmo for about 10 bucks. It's called the Safe-Cut Package
>>> opener, and its only purpose is to open blister packs, CDs, etc.
Looks
>>> like a good idea.
>>
>>> It's the second item on http://www.mordenhomehardware.ca/
>>
>>There are quite a number of handy household gadgets and gizmos like
>>that which I find I don't need because I carry around one of
mankind's
>>earliest and most useful inventions -- a sharp knife.
>
>Agreed, but items like the one I mentioned are very useful and much
>safer for those who can't, for one reason or another, use a sharp
>knife without the risk of injury.


I was just reading in the paper that thieves were cutting open
packages at our local Target Store and stealing merchandise. I wonder
if they had a gadget or a knife. :-)

Cheri

On Fri, 16 May 2008 15:02:16 GMT, "Julie Bove" <juliebove@verizon.net>
wrote:

>When I lived in Alameda, I had trouble buying baby formula. I was told the
>powdered kind was stolen to cut drugs with.

Wow. Thanks for that. I couldn't figure out why the local wal-mart
locked the stuff up in a glass case. I just figured it was ripe for
theft -- they lock up the liquid form also.

On Sat, 17 May 2008 14:47:58 +0100, Trinkwasser
<spam@devnull.com.invalid> wrote:

>On Fri, 16 May 2008 13:58:38 -0500, BlueBrooke <me@invalid.invalid>
>wrote:

>>And just one more example of the rest of us having to deal with
>>another PITA because of a small percentage of the population. I'd
>>like to think the "good guys" out number the thieves, but I've been
>>told several times in the past few months that companies just assume
>>everyone is out to rip them off and act accordingly.
>>
>>I told one guy it was a good thing I wasn't going to be doing business
>>with him anymore. I mean, if I'm going to be called a thief, I might
>>as well earn the title.
>
>Yup that's exactly how I feel about eg. doctors who assume I'm going
>to rip them off by ordering too many drugs, or fuckwits who assume I
>must be a pedophile because I'm trying to photograph seabirds on a
>beach . . . apparently soon I won't be able to take photographs at the
>local nature reserve because it's overlooked by a stonking great
>noocular reactor - of which you can get amazingly detailed satellite
>photos from Multimap, Google Earth, Worldwind etc. etc.

Yeah -- consistency and common sense would be refreshing!

>
>Once long ago and way back when records were big round black things a
>"security guard" insisted on confiscating my shopping before letting
>me into the shop, I told him he wasn't getting it becuase I didn;t
>trust him not to steal it. And went to a different shop.

Nice one.

(1) Once upon a time, when I got my first apartment (back when the
earth was cooling) I spent a couple of hours, at least, in K-Mart
getting lamps, sheets, dishes -- stuff like that. When it came time
to check out, they wouldn't take my check. I told the manager I was
pretty irritated to be treated that way, especially since they could
verify the funds and I'd spent so much time picking the stuff out. He
said, "We know -- we've been watching you" and approved the check. I
guess it would have been okay if I had been dashing about in a hurry
grabbing stuff.

(2) My ISP had a billing glitch in January. It was a big mess (and
after typing this a couple of times I've deleted all of the whining
and minute details to get to the point). I ended up having quite an
animated conversation with the owner and he told me that they just
assume everyone is lying to them ("the check is in the mail -- yeah,
right") and that my payment history, where I send them $100 payments
*in advance* made it look like I was always *in arrears* but no one
bothered to actually *read* to see I was consistently, for the past
ten years, carrying a credit balance with them. So he admitted (after
the problem was resolved) that before he even picked up the phone he
thought I was a flake, a liar and a cheat. Since they are, basically,
the only game in town, I still have an account with them, but I did
cancel the one I had for my son.

Cheri wrote:
> Oleg Lego wrote in message
>> Home Hardware, a Canadian hardware store chain or franchise, sells a
>> little gizmo for about 10 bucks. It's called the Safe-Cut Package
>> opener, and its only purpose is to open blister packs, CDs, etc.
> Looks
>> like a good idea.
>
> I imagine they do a thriving business with the thieves then? ;-)
>
> Cheri
>
>

I stick to kitchen shears. I don't like unitaskers, as Alton Brown would
say.

Besides, those little gadgets are 10 bucks for about 75 cents worth of
product.

Vicki

"Cheri" <gserviceatinreachdotcom> wrote in message
news:qvSdnRS6uPoCeLPVnZ2dnUVZ_vKdnZ2d@softcom.net. ..

> I was just reading in the paper that thieves were cutting open
> packages at our local Target Store and stealing merchandise. I wonder
> if they had a gadget or a knife. :-)

That wouldn't surprise me one bit!

<Laura@notmy.com> wrote in message
news:2kst24122esp9hjn9i09k1k6sk140nll4p@4ax.com...
> On Fri, 16 May 2008 15:02:16 GMT, "Julie Bove" <juliebove@verizon.net>
> wrote:
>
>>When I lived in Alameda, I had trouble buying baby formula. I was told
>>the
>>powdered kind was stolen to cut drugs with.
>
> Wow. Thanks for that. I couldn't figure out why the local wal-mart
> locked the stuff up in a glass case. I just figured it was ripe for
> theft -- they lock up the liquid form also.

I suppose some people might steal it for their babies. When I worked at K
Mart we had a lot of diapers stolen. They wouldn't steal the whole package,
but just a few at a time. It got so bad, we had to put a security mirror in
that corner of the store.

On Sat, 17 May 2008 14:47:58 +0100, Trinkwasser
<spam@devnull.com.invalid> wrote:

>On Fri, 16 May 2008 13:58:38 -0500, BlueBrooke <me@invalid.invalid>
>wrote:
>
>>On Fri, 16 May 2008 15:00:59 GMT, "Julie Bove" <juliebove@verizon.net>
>>wrote:
>>
>>>
>>>"Màck©®" <IAM@OneWithTheGoddess.org> wrote in message
>>>news:1nhq241oa6mjmpoo20fd0gvtvfrqt1pv6l@4ax.com ...
>>>> On Thu, 15 May 2008 19:45:43 -0700, "Cheri" <gserviceatinreachdotcom>
>>>> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>Obviously, you don't buy sewing needles, thread, screws, and little
>>>>>packages like that. Those are often packaged in that ridiculous way
>>>>>too. Christ, how many people steal wax toilet rings and things like
>>>>>that. The packaging on some of them are just silly, and while I'm at
>>>>>it, what's with buying a large package of paper towels all wrapped in
>>>>>plastic, then the individual rolls are wrapped in plastic inside the
>>>>>large plastic wrap. Geez. :-)
>>>>>
>>>>>Cheri
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> you'd be surprised at what shoplifters will steal.
>>>
>>>Anything they can.
>>
>>And just one more example of the rest of us having to deal with
>>another PITA because of a small percentage of the population. I'd
>>like to think the "good guys" out number the thieves, but I've been
>>told several times in the past few months that companies just assume
>>everyone is out to rip them off and act accordingly.
>>
>>I told one guy it was a good thing I wasn't going to be doing business
>>with him anymore. I mean, if I'm going to be called a thief, I might
>>as well earn the title.
>
>Yup that's exactly how I feel about eg. doctors who assume I'm going
>to rip them off by ordering too many drugs,

your doctor should only need to write a script for what you need each
month, or every 3 months if you get them via mail order insurance. If
you ask for more than what you need, he should suspect you. Unless
it's something like test strips that only come in 50 or 100 packs,
then he needs to round up on the script when ever needed so you don't
run short.

>or fuckwits who assume I
>must be a pedophile because I'm trying to photograph seabirds on a
>beach

Get business cards made up with your info on it. Anyone has any
questions give them one. I always give my name and number and let
anyone who wants to see my drivers license when I am out taking photos
at the beach or any place where there are kids playing, even though I
don't take photos of the kids. Since I am not doing anything wrong, I
have nothing to hide.

> . . . apparently soon I won't be able to take photographs at the
>local nature reserve because it's overlooked by a stonking great
>noocular reactor - of which you can get amazingly detailed satellite
>photos from Multimap, Google Earth, Worldwind etc. etc.
>

Try taking photos from outside the fence at any shipyard doing navy
work. You'll find yourself stopped, and interrogated real quick.
Answer the questions calmly and move on without argument when asked to
do so and no one will bother you. Terrorist cells have been proven to
case their targets, taking photos and recording patrol schedules etc.

How quick will you complain about lax security if that facility were
actually hit by a terrorist?

>Once long ago and way back when records were big round black things a
>"security guard" insisted on confiscating my shopping before letting
>me into the shop, I told him he wasn't getting it becuase I didn;t
>trust him not to steal it. And went to a different shop.

He was following his stores policy, so you take it out on the guy
doing his job instead of discussing it with a store manager?

You know you made no impact on the guard or the store except to make
them suspicious of you if you ever returned?

--
Måck©® Deltec CoZmore Pumper
Type 1 since 1975
http://www.alt-support-diabetes.org
http://www.diabetic-talk.org
http://www.insulin-pumpers.org
http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/type1and2/
http://www.pandora.com enter "Jason & Demarco"
http://www.ratbags.com/dechunging/


"To announce that there must be no criticism of the
President, or that we are to stand by the President
right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile,
but is morally treasonable to the American public."
....Theodore Roosevelt

(o ô)
--ooO-(_)-Ooo--------------------

"I don't know half of you
half as well as I should like;
and I like less than half of you
half as well as you deserve."
....Bilbo Baggins


DISCLAIMER If you find a posting or message from me
offensive, inappropriate, or disruptive, please ignore it.
If you don't know how to ignore a posting, complain to
me and I will be only too happy to demonstrate...
..

On Sun, 18 May 2008 04:02:03 GMT, "Julie Bove" <juliebove@verizon.net>
wrote:

>
>"Cheri" <gserviceatinreachdotcom> wrote in message
>news:qvSdnRS6uPoCeLPVnZ2dnUVZ_vKdnZ2d@softcom.net ...
>
>> I was just reading in the paper that thieves were cutting open
>> packages at our local Target Store and stealing merchandise. I wonder
>> if they had a gadget or a knife. :-)
>
>That wouldn't surprise me one bit!
>


and they always deny stealing it, claiming it was theirs and they
brought it in, until they are shown themselves on video stealing it.

--
Måck©® Deltec CoZmore Pumper
Type 1 since 1975
http://www.alt-support-diabetes.org
http://www.diabetic-talk.org
http://www.insulin-pumpers.org
http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/type1and2/
http://www.pandora.com enter "Jason & Demarco"
http://www.ratbags.com/dechunging/


"To announce that there must be no criticism of the
President, or that we are to stand by the President
right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile,
but is morally treasonable to the American public."
....Theodore Roosevelt

(o ô)
--ooO-(_)-Ooo--------------------

"I don't know half of you
half as well as I should like;
and I like less than half of you
half as well as you deserve."
....Bilbo Baggins


DISCLAIMER If you find a posting or message from me
offensive, inappropriate, or disruptive, please ignore it.
If you don't know how to ignore a posting, complain to
me and I will be only too happy to demonstrate...
..

On Sun, 18 May 2008 09:56:07 -0400, Màck©® <IAM@OneWithTheGoddess.org>
wrote:

>On Sat, 17 May 2008 14:47:58 +0100, Trinkwasser
><spam@devnull.com.invalid> wrote:
>
>>Once long ago and way back when records were big round black things a
>>"security guard" insisted on confiscating my shopping before letting
>>me into the shop, I told him he wasn't getting it becuase I didn;t
>>trust him not to steal it. And went to a different shop.
>
>He was following his stores policy, so you take it out on the guy
>doing his job instead of discussing it with a store manager?
>
>You know you made no impact on the guard or the store except to make
>them suspicious of you if you ever returned?

Well I used to buy quite a lot of records and they didn't get ANY of
the money. Nice Mr Branson as I recall . . . the other record shops
were much more user-friendly so they got my business. And I wasn't the
only one.

On Sat, 17 May 2008 11:09:27 -0500, BlueBrooke <me@invalid.invalid>
wrote:

>On Sat, 17 May 2008 14:47:58 +0100, Trinkwasser
><spam@devnull.com.invalid> wrote:
>
>>On Fri, 16 May 2008 13:58:38 -0500, BlueBrooke <me@invalid.invalid>
>>wrote:
>
>>>And just one more example of the rest of us having to deal with
>>>another PITA because of a small percentage of the population. I'd
>>>like to think the "good guys" out number the thieves, but I've been
>>>told several times in the past few months that companies just assume
>>>everyone is out to rip them off and act accordingly.
>>>
>>>I told one guy it was a good thing I wasn't going to be doing business
>>>with him anymore. I mean, if I'm going to be called a thief, I might
>>>as well earn the title.
>>
>>Yup that's exactly how I feel about eg. doctors who assume I'm going
>>to rip them off by ordering too many drugs, or fuckwits who assume I
>>must be a pedophile because I'm trying to photograph seabirds on a
>>beach . . . apparently soon I won't be able to take photographs at the
>>local nature reserve because it's overlooked by a stonking great
>>noocular reactor - of which you can get amazingly detailed satellite
>>photos from Multimap, Google Earth, Worldwind etc. etc.
>
>Yeah -- consistency and common sense would be refreshing!

I forgot to mention the article on the TV news stating that police
would be patrolling beaches confiscating cameras "in case" people were
photographing children.

The news item was run against stock footage of children playing on
beaches.

This was done entirely without irony.

Meanwhile we have more CCTV per head of population than any
dictatorship. Which would be good if they caught more criminals.

Meanwhile I was toying with putting a webcam on the back of the house
to look at the view. But apparently if Dave or one of his contractors
goes into the field on his tractor I would be breaking the law to film
him.

>>Once long ago and way back when records were big round black things a
>>"security guard" insisted on confiscating my shopping before letting
>>me into the shop, I told him he wasn't getting it becuase I didn;t
>>trust him not to steal it. And went to a different shop.
>
>Nice one.
>
>(1) Once upon a time, when I got my first apartment (back when the
>earth was cooling) I spent a couple of hours, at least, in K-Mart
>getting lamps, sheets, dishes -- stuff like that. When it came time
>to check out, they wouldn't take my check. I told the manager I was
>pretty irritated to be treated that way, especially since they could
>verify the funds and I'd spent so much time picking the stuff out. He
>said, "We know -- we've been watching you" and approved the check. I
>guess it would have been okay if I had been dashing about in a hurry
>grabbing stuff.

OMG deja vu!

Once I spent some while walking round a store looking at a few things
I wanted to buy, including a VAX (not the DEC microcomputer, a vacuum
cleaner) and something else equally expensive. A couple of staff
seemed to be following me around but ignoring me whenever I tried to
speak to them about my potential purchases. I wrote the manager
explaining why I had taken my business elsewhere.

>(2) My ISP had a billing glitch in January. It was a big mess (and
>after typing this a couple of times I've deleted all of the whining
>and minute details to get to the point). I ended up having quite an
>animated conversation with the owner and he told me that they just
>assume everyone is lying to them ("the check is in the mail -- yeah,
>right") and that my payment history, where I send them $100 payments
>*in advance* made it look like I was always *in arrears* but no one
>bothered to actually *read* to see I was consistently, for the past
>ten years, carrying a credit balance with them. So he admitted (after
>the problem was resolved) that before he even picked up the phone he
>thought I was a flake, a liar and a cheat. Since they are, basically,
>the only game in town, I still have an account with them, but I did
>cancel the one I had for my son.

I'm currently battling DHL, so far without success. I *thought* I'd
paid their bill nearly a year ago and since they have a reputation for
chasing non-existent debts I ignored the first few demands. It turned
out that I *hadn't* paid, so I did, enclosing a letter of apology.
They are still hounding me for payment which I now believe I *did*
send originally and they didn't cash. The second time I have proof
they did in fact cash the cheque. Hasn't stopped them hounding me
though.

I used to work in industry where suppliers naturally had to think in
terms of repeat business. One particularly unpleasant stationary
supplier was threatening us with court action over a bill for a few
pounds which hadn't been paid because we rejected the items. They
ended up losing thousand of pounds worth of business, and not just
from us, I discussed such things with many of my suppliers (and the
sales department passed on the word to many of their customers)
whenever this sort of thing happened, and this often turned up many
stories about the same suppliers - including someone who knew a lawyer
who was on permanent retainer to them doing such nuisance prosecutions
- unfortunately as a "public" it's not so easy to hear of or get word
out about such behaviours, but I do my best only to deal with and
recommend suppliers whose business practices are above reproach.

They do still exist, and it's a real pleasure to live in such a
delightfully old-fashioned place where I have been known to go into a
shop, discover I left my wallet at home and be allowed to take the
stuff home and pay for it later.

On Sun, 18 May 2008 09:56:07 -0400, Màck©®
<IAM@OneWithTheGoddess.org> wrote:

>Get business cards made up with your info on it. Anyone has any
>questions give them one. I always give my name and number and let
>anyone who wants to see my drivers license when I am out taking photos
>at the beach or any place where there are kids playing, even though I
>don't take photos of the kids. Since I am not doing anything wrong, I
>have nothing to hide.

I had a problem a couple of years ago. I was taking photos
over the road of my creek. As is often the case there were
kids swimming in it. Similar to this:
http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/...trace0004B.jpg

Ten minutes later I was back in the house when a neighbour
from four doors down angrily appeared on my doorstep
haranguing me for taking photos of his kids. I tried to tell
him they were pix of the creek which happened to have kids
in them but he wouldn't listen.

So, after telling him he was welcome to inspect the photos
on development (film camera) I told him to go home and cool
off or to call the cops - whichever he preferred - but that
if he trespassed on my doorstep ten seconds longer I'd call
the cops and save him the trouble. He went. Moron.

Thankfully, he moved a few months later.


Cheers, Alan, T2, Australia.
d&e, metformin 1500mg, ezetrol 10mg
Everything in Moderation - Except Laughter.
--
http://loraldiabetes.blogspot.com
Latest:What to Eat Until You Get Your Meter.

Angkor Wat
http://loraltravel.blogspot.com

On 5/18/08 1:05 PM, in article vr1134d00m3kc6sorovoaf2jv1hn5f70i3@4ax.com,
"Trinkwasser" <spam@devnull.com.invalid> wrote:

> On Sat, 17 May 2008 11:09:27 -0500, BlueBrooke <me@invalid.invalid>
> wrote:
>
>> On Sat, 17 May 2008 14:47:58 +0100, Trinkwasser
>> <spam@devnull.com.invalid> wrote:
>>
>>> On Fri, 16 May 2008 13:58:38 -0500, BlueBrooke <me@invalid.invalid>
>>> wrote:
>>
>>>> And just one more example of the rest of us having to deal with
>>>> another PITA because of a small percentage of the population. I'd
>>>> like to think the "good guys" out number the thieves, but I've been
>>>> told several times in the past few months that companies just assume
>>>> everyone is out to rip them off and act accordingly.
>>>>
>>>> I told one guy it was a good thing I wasn't going to be doing business
>>>> with him anymore. I mean, if I'm going to be called a thief, I might
>>>> as well earn the title.
>>>
>>> Yup that's exactly how I feel about eg. doctors who assume I'm going
>>> to rip them off by ordering too many drugs, or fuckwits who assume I
>>> must be a pedophile because I'm trying to photograph seabirds on a
>>> beach . . . apparently soon I won't be able to take photographs at the
>>> local nature reserve because it's overlooked by a stonking great
>>> noocular reactor - of which you can get amazingly detailed satellite
>>> photos from Multimap, Google Earth, Worldwind etc. etc.
>>
>> Yeah -- consistency and common sense would be refreshing!
>
> I forgot to mention the article on the TV news stating that police
> would be patrolling beaches confiscating cameras "in case" people were
> photographing children.
>
> The news item was run against stock footage of children playing on
> beaches.
>
> This was done entirely without irony.
>
> Meanwhile we have more CCTV per head of population than any
> dictatorship. Which would be good if they caught more criminals.
>
> Meanwhile I was toying with putting a webcam on the back of the house
> to look at the view. But apparently if Dave or one of his contractors
> goes into the field on his tractor I would be breaking the law to film
> him.
>
>>> Once long ago and way back when records were big round black things a
>>> "security guard" insisted on confiscating my shopping before letting
>>> me into the shop, I told him he wasn't getting it becuase I didn;t
>>> trust him not to steal it. And went to a different shop.
>>
>> Nice one.
>>
>> (1) Once upon a time, when I got my first apartment (back when the
>> earth was cooling) I spent a couple of hours, at least, in K-Mart
>> getting lamps, sheets, dishes -- stuff like that. When it came time
>> to check out, they wouldn't take my check. I told the manager I was
>> pretty irritated to be treated that way, especially since they could
>> verify the funds and I'd spent so much time picking the stuff out. He
>> said, "We know -- we've been watching you" and approved the check. I
>> guess it would have been okay if I had been dashing about in a hurry
>> grabbing stuff.
>
> OMG deja vu!
>
> Once I spent some while walking round a store looking at a few things
> I wanted to buy, including a VAX (not the DEC microcomputer, a vacuum
> cleaner) and something else equally expensive. A couple of staff
> seemed to be following me around but ignoring me whenever I tried to
> speak to them about my potential purchases. I wrote the manager
> explaining why I had taken my business elsewhere.
>
>> (2) My ISP had a billing glitch in January. It was a big mess (and
>> after typing this a couple of times I've deleted all of the whining
>> and minute details to get to the point). I ended up having quite an
>> animated conversation with the owner and he told me that they just
>> assume everyone is lying to them ("the check is in the mail -- yeah,
>> right") and that my payment history, where I send them $100 payments
>> *in advance* made it look like I was always *in arrears* but no one
>> bothered to actually *read* to see I was consistently, for the past
>> ten years, carrying a credit balance with them. So he admitted (after
>> the problem was resolved) that before he even picked up the phone he
>> thought I was a flake, a liar and a cheat. Since they are, basically,
>> the only game in town, I still have an account with them, but I did
>> cancel the one I had for my son.
>
> I'm currently battling DHL, so far without success. I *thought* I'd
> paid their bill nearly a year ago and since they have a reputation for
> chasing non-existent debts I ignored the first few demands. It turned
> out that I *hadn't* paid, so I did, enclosing a letter of apology.
> They are still hounding me for payment which I now believe I *did*
> send originally and they didn't cash. The second time I have proof
> they did in fact cash the cheque. Hasn't stopped them hounding me
> though.
>
> I used to work in industry where suppliers naturally had to think in
> terms of repeat business. One particularly unpleasant stationary
> supplier was threatening us with court action over a bill for a few
> pounds which hadn't been paid because we rejected the items. They
> ended up losing thousand of pounds worth of business, and not just
> from us, I discussed such things with many of my suppliers (and the
> sales department passed on the word to many of their customers)
> whenever this sort of thing happened, and this often turned up many
> stories about the same suppliers - including someone who knew a lawyer
> who was on permanent retainer to them doing such nuisance prosecutions
> - unfortunately as a "public" it's not so easy to hear of or get word
> out about such behaviours, but I do my best only to deal with and
> recommend suppliers whose business practices are above reproach.
>
> They do still exist, and it's a real pleasure to live in such a
> delightfully old-fashioned place where I have been known to go into a
> shop, discover I left my wallet at home and be allowed to take the
> stuff home and pay for it later.

Several years ago I had a boss who instilled into us the importance of
keeping our clients happy. He always said that if a client was happy they
would tell 3 friends; if they weren't they would tell 11. Your story of the
stationer illustrates this philosophy very well.

--
Martha T2 Canada
1500mg. Metformin, 4mg. Avandia

Oleg Lego <rat@atatatat.com> wrote:

> On 16 May 2008 09:42:30 GMT, Chris Malcolm posted:

>>Oleg Lego <rat@atatatat.com> wrote:
>>
>>> On Thu, 15 May 2008 15:57:19 GMT, Julie Bove posted:
>>
>>>>I think sometimes they do it so customers can't open the product in the
>>>>store, and/or steal the item if it is a small one. That packaging is a
>>>>royal pain though.
>>
>>> Home Hardware, a Canadian hardware store chain or franchise, sells a
>>> little gizmo for about 10 bucks. It's called the Safe-Cut Package
>>> opener, and its only purpose is to open blister packs, CDs, etc. Looks
>>> like a good idea.
>>
>>> It's the second item on http://www.mordenhomehardware.ca/
>>
>>There are quite a number of handy household gadgets and gizmos like
>>that which I find I don't need because I carry around one of mankind's
>>earliest and most useful inventions -- a sharp knife.

> Agreed, but items like the one I mentioned are very useful and much
> safer for those who can't, for one reason or another, use a sharp
> knife without the risk of injury.

Unfortunately increasing numbers of people can't use sharp knives
today simply because they're ignorant. When people did more of their
own food preparation in the kitchen every kitchen had a few sharp
knives and every cook knew how to use them. I find today I have to
keep my sharp kitchen knives labelled and kept away from public view,
lest some guest who wants to be helpful and cut up some vegetables
or do the washing up injures themselves.

--
Chris Malcolm cam@infirmatics.ed.ac.uk DoD #205
IPAB, Informatics, JCMB, King's Buildings, Edinburgh, EH9 3JZ, UK
[http://www.dai.ed.ac.uk/homes/cam/]

On 19 May 2008 10:11:32 GMT, Chris Malcolm <cam@holyrood.ed.ac.uk>
wrote:

>Oleg Lego <rat@atatatat.com> wrote:
>
>> On 16 May 2008 09:42:30 GMT, Chris Malcolm posted:
>
>>>Oleg Lego <rat@atatatat.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>> On Thu, 15 May 2008 15:57:19 GMT, Julie Bove posted:
>>>
>>>>>I think sometimes they do it so customers can't open the product in the
>>>>>store, and/or steal the item if it is a small one. That packaging is a
>>>>>royal pain though.
>>>
>>>> Home Hardware, a Canadian hardware store chain or franchise, sells a
>>>> little gizmo for about 10 bucks. It's called the Safe-Cut Package
>>>> opener, and its only purpose is to open blister packs, CDs, etc. Looks
>>>> like a good idea.
>>>
>>>> It's the second item on http://www.mordenhomehardware.ca/
>>>
>>>There are quite a number of handy household gadgets and gizmos like
>>>that which I find I don't need because I carry around one of mankind's
>>>earliest and most useful inventions -- a sharp knife.
>
>> Agreed, but items like the one I mentioned are very useful and much
>> safer for those who can't, for one reason or another, use a sharp
>> knife without the risk of injury.
>
>Unfortunately increasing numbers of people can't use sharp knives
>today simply because they're ignorant. When people did more of their
>own food preparation in the kitchen every kitchen had a few sharp
>knives and every cook knew how to use them. I find today I have to
>keep my sharp kitchen knives labelled and kept away from public view,
>lest some guest who wants to be helpful and cut up some vegetables
>or do the washing up injures themselves.

You'd need to write up a Risk Assessment.

Curiously the bluntest knives I ever had the misfortune to use
belonged to a professional chef.

On Sun, 18 May 2008 22:55:22 GMT, MI <quilchenapark@shaw.ca> wrote:


>Several years ago I had a boss who instilled into us the importance of
>keeping our clients happy. He always said that if a client was happy they
>would tell 3 friends; if they weren't they would tell 11. Your story of the
>stationer illustrates this philosophy very well.

Sadly a dying breed in the modern world.

I used to subcontract a lot of work, the guys I used were seldom the
cheapest but always the least costly - a distinction I could never get
across to the accountants. Compare and contrast, I wanted to put a job
out to a particular firm who had the kit to do it and the nous to do
it quickly and to spec, and who'd helped me out of a hole on numerous
occasions (for which I'd sent him further business from other
companies).

Got overruled and the job was put out to the cheapest tender. As I
feared they screwed up and wrecked the castings. Which were on a 13
week lead time from the foundry. Customer with very expensive plant
laid up was NOT amused.

Which might just conceivably explain why a once world leading business
is now a mere shadow of its former self and has changed hands more
often than a tired whore in the Oval Office

The managers/accountants involved may well by now have gone on to
wreck further businesses. They may even be working for the NHS . . .

On Mon, 19 May 2008 08:42:36 +1000, Alan S
<loralgtweightandcarbs@gmail.com> wrote:

>On Sun, 18 May 2008 09:56:07 -0400, Màck©®
><IAM@OneWithTheGoddess.org> wrote:
>
>>Get business cards made up with your info on it. Anyone has any
>>questions give them one. I always give my name and number and let
>>anyone who wants to see my drivers license when I am out taking photos
>>at the beach or any place where there are kids playing, even though I
>>don't take photos of the kids. Since I am not doing anything wrong, I
>>have nothing to hide.
>
>I had a problem a couple of years ago. I was taking photos
>over the road of my creek. As is often the case there were
>kids swimming in it. Similar to this:
>http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/...trace0004B.jpg
>
>Ten minutes later I was back in the house when a neighbour
>from four doors down angrily appeared on my doorstep
>haranguing me for taking photos of his kids. I tried to tell
>him they were pix of the creek which happened to have kids
>in them but he wouldn't listen.
>
>So, after telling him he was welcome to inspect the photos
>on development (film camera) I told him to go home and cool
>off or to call the cops - whichever he preferred - but that
>if he trespassed on my doorstep ten seconds longer I'd call
>the cops and save him the trouble. He went. Moron.
>
>Thankfully, he moved a few months later.

<Paul Hogan>

THAT'S not kitty-pr0n, THIS is kitty-pr0n

</Paul Hogan>

(link to clothing catalogue deleted)

I wonder how many man-hours the FBI are spending on this thread

we're all on their database now