This is the thread where I say things and maybe other people say things too

[Crazed_Insanity]

Not caring about education is a bipartisan effort. We care more about making sure wars are sufficiently funded than schools.

It’s funny that we fund these wars all over the world and end up causing refugees to come to our countries… so in a way we are kinda replacing/diluting population with more foreigners.

Anyways, at least some good personal news today. I heard T-Mobile is offering free paramount+ for customers so I tried to sign up anticipating release of Top Gun Maverick and all the ST shows…

Turned out my phone plan wasn’t eligible!!! So I called to ask why. The guy said my + plan just isn’t eligible, need the max plan.

Ok, so what’s the difference and how much more will it cost me. So the operator checked and then responded that mobile hotspot at 20Gb limit will be doubled at the cost of………..

$0.00!

Okay! So we’ll now have higher hotspot quota and I’ll have paramount+ all for free!

I probably have US education system to thank for who came up with this at T-Mobile.

[speedpimp]

Yesterday was an interesting day at work. As I was trying to leave my boss/the owner said he wanted to talk to me. We walked out into the warehouse and he sat down on a pallet of potatoes(Gold B's if anyone really cares) and starts talking about the next week's schedule and he's penned me in for six days(three on the dock and three driving). He says they hired two new people for truck loading(actually three) and that the lead guy on nights is taking off three days and this is going to be a very busy and heavy week during the run up to Memorial Day. While he's talking I'm smiling and say "OK" to everything he says.
When he asks if that's a problem I tell him "I'll work whatever I'm scheduled" and he says "I can't read you!" as he's getting visibly frustrated. I say "I don't show emotion". He days he's doing this to "bring me back into the fold" and I tell him I'm already back in the fold and he says "I want to bring you further into the fold as a 'team player"' to which I reply "OK". At that point he was visibly frustrated and walked away and I left for the day. This afternoon I got back from my route and my other boss was there. I asked if he'd heard about the convo, he said he had and I gave him the lowdown on the boss being frustrated. He smiled and started laughing. I asked him if he was expecting a certain reaction and he said "Oh hell yeah. He was expecting you to thank him for the "opportunity"(ain't happening) to work the dock."
I told him the same thing I told the owner "I don't show emotion like that". Again he laughed and we parted ways.
The two weeks away did me a hell of a lot of good.
It is what it is.

[neanderthal]

Yesterday was an interesting day at work. As I was trying to leave my boss/the owner said he wanted to talk to me. We walked out into the warehouse and he sat down on a pallet of potatoes(Gold B's if anyone really cares) and starts talking about the next week's schedule and he's penned me in for six days(three on the dock and three driving). He says they hired two new people for truck loading(actually three) and that the lead guy on nights is taking off three days and this is going to be a very busy and heavy week during the run up to Memorial Day. While he's talking I'm smiling and say "OK" to everything he says.
When he asks if that's a problem I tell him "I'll work whatever I'm scheduled" and he says "I can't read you!" as he's getting visibly frustrated. I say "I don't show emotion". He days he's doing this to "bring me back into the fold" and I tell him I'm already back in the fold and he says "I want to bring you further into the fold as a 'team player"' to which I reply "OK". At that point he was visibly frustrated and walked away and I left for the day. This afternoon I got back from my route and my other boss was there. I asked if he'd heard about the convo, he said he had and I gave him the lowdown on the boss being frustrated. He smiled and started laughing. I asked him if he was expecting a certain reaction and he said "Oh hell yeah. He was expecting you to thank him for the "opportunity"(ain't happening) to work the dock."
I told him the same thing I told the owner "I don't show emotion like that". Again he laughed and we parted ways.
The two weeks away did me a hell of a lot of good.
It is what it is.

Some people don't understand when you have a flat affect.

Many years ago I was cashiering. Called for a check approval. Supervisor, standing ten feet away, looking intently at the break aid, ignores me. I continue cashiering the next couple of orders which are small, looking up every 15 seconds or so (you're paying attention to the customer in front of you. "Hi, how are you today, did you find everything you were looking for?" ring things up. "Ok, tha'll be $XXX. How are you paying. Go ahead and slide your card and do your PIN number." <look up> "Check approval on 5." redirect your gaze "Hey thanks for coming in, have a great day." etc) I rang up three or four people. At some point, there'd been 3 other supervisors, all converged on the 1st one; someone would come and give me my check approval, right? Kept the line moving. Kept calling.
I get a big order. Look up- the four supervisors are gone. The member is still waiting for me to give them their receipt. I SHOUT, not politely "I NEED A CHECK APPROVAL ON 5." The kind of shout where everybody stops, there's a few moments of silence, and everybody gets back to what their doing a few moments later.

that first supervisor, who ignored me from 10 feet away the whole time, comes running, red faced, fuming. Managers have come out of their offices and are looking at the Front End. He signs the check, hands it back to me to put in my till. Says "you. don't. ever ..." Gets cut off immediately by the member who'd been waiting.

"Don't you dare say a single word to him. You were standing right there and he called you about seven times and you completely ignored him. There was four of you. You all ignored him. And then you all walked away. Don't you dare." All the other customers in line are all echoing the same thing. He gets even redder. Like not just in the face but his neck and ears are now red. He hurries off.

About 5 minutes later he comes back, tells me to close my lane (it's about break time for me.) He waits. When i'm done and the member has walked away, he sets a write up for me down on the check stand. I look at it quickly, "nope, i'm not signing that."

Fine, managers office, let's go.

We go. He tells the Front End Manager that I embarrassed him by screaming at the top of my voice when I could have been more discreet. I caused a fuss. Indecorous. Etc. Manager is looking at me like "dude, this isn't like you." So I explain. The cashier behind me, we'd started at the same time, was also going on break, comes in the office, interrupts- and backs me up. Manager rips up the disciplinary notice, right there.

As we walk out of the office, the supervisor, thinking he's going to punish me says "after this, you're going to go do carts." I'm one of the fastest cashiers even though i'm not a full time cashier. Didn't care. H A P P I L L Y went to do carts. Didn't bother me in the least.

Did carts joyfully for two weeks before they brought me back in because it wasn't the punishment he thought it would be. he was the schedule writer. He didn't like me because of a previous incident.

<i guess i may as well>

When I was stocking, morning merch would come in at 5am. We'd stock the store, open at 10; those who were full time would then be cashiers or cashier assistant (bagger) for the rest of their shift. Or tire center, photo, membership/ returns, wherever they spent the rest of their shift. I was part time, lowest seniority. I'd bail the trash and boxes and go home.

Anyway one day as i'm looking at my schedule for next week I notice i'm scheduled on Monday night/ Tuesday morning, at midnight. That's odd. I look again, i'm the only one.
I go see him (he was the schedule writer) "Hey Kevin, on Monday night i'm scheduled at midnight."

Him: oh, yes, we're doing a big move so everybody is coming in at midnight. Are you unable to work that for some reason?
Me "Oh, no, that's not it. Um ... ok." (I go back and look. I look a little closer. Oh, The other stockers, they're all scheduled at midnite; on Tuesday night. I double check. Yup, just me on Monday.

I go back. "Hey, Kevin, so on Monday night, i'm the ONLY one scheduled ..."
He interrupts me. "Yeah , dude, don't worry about it. If you don't have a reason why you can't work it, work whatever you're scheduled."

I go back, to the break room, I check the posted schedule again. Again, i'm the only one. As i'm going back into the office, i run into Scott, assistant warehouse manager. The second big cheese in the building. "Hey Scott on Monday night i'm scheduled at midnite."

Him: yeah we're doing a big move in foods, so everybody is coming in at midnite.
Me "yeah, but i'm the only one scheduled on monday night."

We walk into the office, he goes straight to Kevin. "Hey, Mo says he's the only one scheduled at midnight on monday"

Kevin, irritated, "i've already told him twice, we're doing a move, he doesn't have a reason why he can't work it, and to work what he's scheduled."
Scott, to me "just follow what the schedule says."

OK. That Monday after work, went home. dilly dallyed all day. Slept early. Was in the parking lot at midnight. Stayed in my car with the heater on and the car idling for 5 hours. At 5am we all go in, as usual. At 8am, I go to the office and ask my manager if he wants me to stay on overtime. He doesn't understand. I explain. He's confused. "You've only been here 3 hours." I try to explain, Scott happens to come in. I start over, I remind him what he told me "just work what you're scheduled."

He's confused. "Wait, what, you've been here since midnight? Why, the move is tonight!"

Me: but I told you I was scheduled on Monday.

Him "no, we're doing the move tonight."

Me: yes, I know, but I was scheduled on Monday. Only I was scheduled on Monday night. That's what I told you.

Him "no, that's gotta be wrong."

We go to the break room. Kevin has just walked in and heard the tail end of the conversation. He comes.

Me: see? <points to my schedule.>

Sure enough. Kevin turns very red!

Scott turns to my manager "do you need him?"
Rick. No, not really.

Scott <to me> go home, you'll be paid for the full day.

And he (Kevin the supervisor) didn't like me from a previous incident when I was still on probation. I'm sure he'd pressed for me to not pass probation and be hired, but I was a hard worker, and again, his fault. That'll be a tale for another day.

[neanderthal]

I'm as liberal as they come but I balk, I really struggle- at transexuals competing in sport. I don't know why.

I read an article in NY Times yesterday who's gist said "I just want to play sport and participate" and I got it. But i feel like people who were born male have an unfair advantage if they're competing against people who were born female. Physiologically, men and women are different.


If there's anyone who can help me get my mind around this i'd really appreciate it. I'm trying to make the adjustment but, just coming short. i welcome all perspectives. (except yours billi.)

[Crazed_Insanity]

Haha, no worries. I don't disagree with you on this topic. I think people can be sympathetic to trans folks, but when males self identified as females and think it's perfectly fair for them to compete with natural born females... nobody would be sympathetic to that.

One way to solve this dilemma would be to make all sports unisex like our bathrooms. May the best human wins. As long as there are separate women leagues, you know the 2 genders are not quite equal.

[Tom Servo]

I definitely get that impulse. As I understand it, it hasn't really been much of a problem and I can't imagine anybody coming out as trans just to try to win at sports, so for me it comes down to motivation. Much like I don't think anybody is deciding to come out to the world as trans just to sneak into the other gender's bathroom.

I've known four people so far that have come out as trans, and so far none have done so as part of an attempt to gain a competitive advantage. I figure if that starts happening, then it's something to be considered, but for now it's not something I'm particularly worried about. There are all sorts of reasons why someone might have a competitive advantage, from genetics to access to better training to whatever.

[Dicknose]

I guess there are degrees and parameters of such.

Can you do mental arithmetic or mental algebra?
Because I seem to recall you have a PhD in Mathematics, or similar.

Even using paper, I'm sure I visualize where arithmetic or algebra will go before putting it on the paper.

Late reply...
Im not good at holding those sorts of things in my head, I do need to scribble.
But Im good at mental geometry, its not a visual skill, I seem to have a great knack at geometry/spacial stuff. This includes navigating.
My sister has bad eye sight and sometimes will ask me to find something in the panty - Ill often reach in without looking and grab the item because I know physically where it is!

[Dicknose]

I'm as liberal as they come but I balk, I really struggle- at transexuals competing in sport. I don't know why.

I think many sports are bringing in requirements like testosterone limits. This would stop a male from just saying "I'm a women". It would make it a more level playing field.
But the danger to this simple solution is that some women may already exceed these limits, eg the Caster Semenya issue.

I dont think there is any easy answer, especially not at elite level. Maybe its something that we can't easily get around.
Hmm - do you have any basic right to compete at elite level? People at this level usually sign away many rights most have (drug tests and restrictions, gambling, negative comments), maybe being trans and going to the Olympics is not compatible.

But I think at a social level it is important that we let as many people as possible play and find ways to let them do it is a "safe" way.

[MR2 Fan]

I think many sports are bringing in requirements like testosterone limits. This would stop a male from just saying "I'm a women". It would make it a more level playing field.
But the danger to this simple solution is that some women may already exceed these limits, eg the Caster Semenya issue.

I dont think there is any easy answer, especially not at elite level. Maybe its something that we can't easily get around.
Hmm - do you have any basic right to compete at elite level? People at this level usually sign away many rights most have (drug tests and restrictions, gambling, negative comments), maybe being trans and going to the Olympics is not compatible.

But I think at a social level it is important that we let as many people as possible play and find ways to let them do it is a "safe" way.

The testosterone thing I don't know about...as I'm not an expert. The flippant thought in my head it's like saying I'm dieting because I had a salad for lunch...does that undo the years of having more weight (using the argument does that undo the muscle development over years?)

There aren't easy choices, they could create a separate category but that has a lot of ramifications. The problem is that a lot of right-wingers take this as an easy target to legislate against, because MOST people don't understand the situation.

[neanderthal]

I think many sports are bringing in requirements like testosterone limits. This would stop a male from just saying "I'm a women". It would make it a more level playing field.
But the danger to this simple solution is that some women may already exceed these limits, eg the Caster Semenya issue.

I dont think there is any easy answer, especially not at elite level. Maybe its something that we can't easily get around.
Hmm - do you have any basic right to compete at elite level? People at this level usually sign away many rights most have (drug tests and restrictions, gambling, negative comments), maybe being trans and going to the Olympics is not compatible.

But I think at a social level it is important that we let as many people as possible play and find ways to let them do it is a "safe" way.

Caster Semenya is exactly who I thought off. Unfortunately for the IOC or whoever really narrowed the hormone limitations to deliberately pick on her. It's specifically for distance runners above this threshold but below this threshold. Poor girl.

I'm all for inclusion. Let everbody play. My drawing the line is where there are prizes, scholarships, championship points, etc to be had. I saw where a skateboarder sued when she came in 2nd at some competition. That makes sense to my dull brain.
I say let them play/ participate; but only as an exhibition, rather than competition.