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Post a good thing that happened in your life today


Betty LaRue

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19 minutes ago, spacecadet said:

Not much point in London where they're behind a plastic screen. A "thankyou" in and out serves.

 

Sadly, and indicative of the times, I think that, throughout the UK, all  bus drivers are now protected by a plastic screen. Maybe if and when we move to a cashless society, it won't be so necessary, but late night drunken or drugged passengers or British Standard idiots are always going to be a problem.

 

We were travelling on a bus a while ago when a cyclist shot out in front from the pavement and narrowly avoided being hit.  He then jumped off his bike and on to the bus to remonstrate with the driver, who gave him a robust response.   Having witnessed the scene we later spoke to the driver and offered to act as witnesses should it be taken further, it wasn't.

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13 minutes ago, Bryan said:

 

Sadly, and indicative of the times, I think that, throughout the UK, all  bus drivers are now protected by a plastic screen. Maybe if and when we move to a cashless society, it won't be so necessary, but late night drunken or drugged passengers or British Standard idiots are always going to be a problem.

 

We were travelling on a bus a while ago when a cyclist shot out in front from the pavement and narrowly avoided being hit.  He then jumped off his bike and on to the bus to remonstrate with the driver, who gave him a robust response.   Having witnessed the scene we later spoke to the driver and offered to act as witnesses should it be taken further, it wasn't.

Nothing to do with payment- London buses haven't taken cash for years. The screens were put up to protect drivers from COVID, not passengers.

Not sure what it has to do with cycling btw. London bus drivers treat cyclists very well. Cyclists now outnumber drivers in the City, at least.

If anyone asked me for cash nowadays they'd probably be out of luck- aside from the charity box and raffle I've hardly used it since the pandemic. It's contactless all the way- and not even with a card. Just the smartphone.

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1 hour ago, Bryan said:

I normally speak to the drivers, but not all respond. I guess those that interact with the public get more out of the job. 

 

However, whilst on the subject, I've taken a number of photos from the top deck of buses You get a different view of the world from up there and some have sold. Conditions need to be good, clean windows, best with bus in shade subject lit etc, but worth thinking about. 

 

 

 

Yep! Clean windows would help but stagecoach do not seem to clean the outside of the buses around here very often.

 

Allan

 

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3 hours ago, gvallee said:

This is going into the Good Things thread because it made me laugh a lot.

 

The temperature has been in the 30C/86F for weeks and weeks. Today was 33C/91.4F. What is the local store selling? Woolly hats and woolly scarves!! Perhaps they feel they need to show solidarity with Europe or something??

 

I'm talking about Cairns. In the Tropics.

 

 

I lived in the Middle East for years. The department stores sold clothes to match the season in Europe rather than the prevailing weather. From November to February in places like Abu Dhabi and Bahrain, shops such as M&S and Debenhams would be selling winter coats, hats and scarves. Outside, people would be on the beach.

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1 hour ago, spacecadet said:

Nothing to do with payment- London buses haven't taken cash for years. The screens were put up to protect drivers from COVID, not passengers.

Not sure what it has to do with cycling btw. London bus drivers treat cyclists very well. Cyclists now outnumber drivers in the City, at least.

If anyone asked me for cash nowadays they'd probably be out of luck- aside from the charity box and raffle I've hardly used it since the pandemic. It's contactless all the way- and not even with a card. Just the smartphone.

The buses in these parts had driver assault screens long before Covid Mark.  Sadly lots of cases of drivers being attacked. Apparently they receive training on how to deal with unruly passengers and I believe that the buses are fitted with a driver activated alarm.  Interesting that no money changes hands on London buses, we've not got there yet, although the use of cash is declining.

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3 hours ago, gvallee said:

 

Some very weird things happen in Oz in the wildlife world Edo. Today was an article. with photos, of a dead baby snake coming out of a frog's bum. No-one is too sure what happened. End of story. Too disgusting.

 

 

I'm reading "Pilgrim at Tinker Creek" by Annie Dillard and she is fascinated by all the weird things that happen in nature. We all live in a weird world.

 

Paulette

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26 minutes ago, Bryan said:

The buses in these parts had driver assault screens long before Covid Mark.  Sadly lots of cases of drivers being attacked. Apparently they receive training on how to deal with unruly passengers and I believe that the buses are fitted with a driver activated alarm.  Interesting that no money changes hands on London buses, we've not got there yet, although the use of cash is declining.

 

I find it oddly comforting that NYC is not the only place that has to protect the drivers. I get angry about the crime because we had about 20 years of being a remarkably safe city and our politicians have lost the thread now. Our current mayor is trying but not getting any help. I'm happy to say that the stores have done away with plastic shields that went up for the cashiers during Covid. 

 

Paulette

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23 minutes ago, NYCat said:

 

I find it oddly comforting that NYC is not the only place that has to protect the drivers. I get angry about the crime because we had about 20 years of being a remarkably safe city and our politicians have lost the thread now. Our current mayor is trying but not getting any help. I'm happy to say that the stores have done away with plastic shields that went up for the cashiers during Covid. 

 

Paulette

Presumably your screens are bulletproof. Not something they face here.

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3 hours ago, spacecadet said:

Presumably your screens are bulletproof. Not something they face here.

 

This actually made me laugh. Not that our bodega crime is not serious but the plastic in front of cashiers was NOT bulletproof. Just to protect people who do business with hundreds of possibly infectious people every day. I always like the bit of personal contact with workers and found the plastic annoying. I also hate the way everything is moving towards self-checkout. One of the best things about NYC is the variety of people I can interact with every day. I love hearing other languages and definitely like being referred to as "la señora" in the bodegas.

 

Paulette

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4 hours ago, pazmander said:

I lived in the Middle East for years. The department stores sold clothes to match the season in Europe rather than the prevailing weather. From November to February in places like Abu Dhabi and Bahrain, shops such as M&S and Debenhams would be selling winter coats, hats and scarves. Outside, people would be on the beach.

 

When the government had opposition organizers in jail in Managua, people doing cut and paste Twitter protests were claiming that the prisoners needed warm clothes and quilts in September's freezing weather/  Nope, it's quite hot in Managua all year round.  Have to go up to 1,000 meters and 100 miles north to get down into the high 50s F at night. 

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9 hours ago, NYCat said:

 

I find it oddly comforting that NYC is not the only place that has to protect the drivers. I get angry about the crime because we had about 20 years of being a remarkably safe city and our politicians have lost the thread now. Our current mayor is trying but not getting any help. I'm happy to say that the stores have done away with plastic shields that went up for the cashiers during Covid. 

 

Paulette

We once boarded a bus in Hamburg Germany, and I noticed two things, the driver had a nasty scar across his face, and he had a large Alsatian dog with him. We didn't have the correct fare, but he smiled and waved us onto the bus. Surreal or what ?

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55 minutes ago, Bryan said:

We once boarded a bus in Hamburg Germany, and I noticed two things, the driver had a nasty scar across his face, and he had a large Alsatian dog with him. We didn't have the correct fare, but he smiled and waved us onto the bus. Surreal or what ?

 

Good story Bryan. Once on a bus in London, the driver asked a boarding mother to fold the pram her toddler was in. She refused. He turned the engine off, muttered 'what do I care' and walked off.

 

 

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I had an ultrasound today and am still cancer-free. I've known my radiologist for over 20 years now. He is very sensitive to our anxiety and keeps saying everything is OK as he works. Then I guess his office is really quick to get the results out to my primary care doctor because I returned home to a message from my doctor's nurse letting me know the good results. Very grateful for my good health.

 

Paulette

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Thank you, Cecile. I'm one of the lucky ones.... thanks to the amazing cancer doctors and nurses. My experience with them is they are very special. The chemo nurses are angels and I was told by a cancer support group that if I had questions or problems the chemo nurses could be the best people to ask.

 

Paulette

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2 hours ago, NYCat said:

I had an ultrasound today and am still cancer-free. I've known my radiologist for over 20 years now. He is very sensitive to our anxiety and keeps saying everything is OK as he works. Then I guess his office is really quick to get the results out to my primary care doctor because I returned home to a message from my doctor's nurse letting me know the good results. Very grateful for my good health.

 

Paulette

 

That's great news Paulette! Keep enjoying NYC!

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15 hours ago, NYCat said:

 

. I also hate the way everything is moving towards self-checkout. 

Paulette

First, great news on your scan !

 

However, I love self checkouts. I am quite impatient and don't like queuing, particularly behind people who are disorganised and inefficient.. Our major supermarkets all now offer self checkouts in addition to those with cashiers, but the discount stores do not. I love the efficiency of scanning my own purchases as I pick them off the shelves and place them directly into our bags followed by the rapid exit through the automated till. We currently have a labour shortage in the UK so there are plenty of jobs to be had, while the economy desperately needs an improvement in productivity.

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58 minutes ago, Bryan said:

First, great news on your scan !

 

However, I love self checkouts. I am quite impatient and don't like queuing, particularly behind people who are disorganised and inefficient.. Our major supermarkets all now offer self checkouts in addition to those with cashiers, but the discount stores do not. I love the efficiency of scanning my own purchases as I pick them off the shelves and place them directly into our bags followed by the rapid exit through the automated till. We currently have a labour shortage in the UK so there are plenty of jobs to be had, while the economy desperately needs an improvement in productivity.

 

Self-checkouts. Very very high on my pet hate list. We went through one yesterday and had to call assistance twice. Really really hate them. When it gets too much on my nerves, I ask 'where is my discount, I don't work here'. Some people refuse point blank arguing they are taking someone's job. I know it's just an excuse but it's so irritating, just for the supermarkets to cut costs and the savings are not reflected in the goods prices.

 

In Australia, everyone is naturally super friendly and chatty but especially the staff at supermarket tills. We get into great conversations. Once in a queue, we were behind a couple with two gigantic trollies packed to the gills with everything under the sun. The husband did not fit in the usual townie type. The staff at the till told us 'they live in the Bush'. It must have been their monthly or quarterly shopping and I was mesmerized.

 

 

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15 minutes ago, gvallee said:

 

. I know it's just an excuse but it's so irritating, just for the supermarkets to cut costs and the savings are not reflected in the goods prices.

 

 

Retail is a tough environment Gen, it's sink or swim. Here our traditional stores have come under threat from German discount shops and Amazon is trying to muscle in.  Waitrose has had to close its store within Newcastle.  I enjoy the look and feel of our local Sainsbury's shop but they have had to make cuts to survive, so the deli counter has gone as has the fishmonger's stall and café.  They've introduced discount brands such as Hubbard - get some Hubbard into your cupboard ! Constant change is here to stay. 

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5 minutes ago, Bryan said:

Retail is a tough environment Gen, it's sink or swim. Here our traditional stores have come under threat from German discount shops and Amazon is trying to muscle in.  Waitrose has had to close its store within Newcastle.  I enjoy the look and feel of our local Sainsbury's shop but they have had to make cuts to survive, so the deli counter has gone as has the fishmonger's stall and café.  They've introduced discount brands such as Hubbard - get some Hubbard into your cupboard ! Constant change is here to stay. 

 

Here too. Supermarkets are getting rid of fresh seafood, butchers and deli counters. The Australian market faces multiples challenges too, not the least the price of fuel for trucking companies. One delivering to the main supermarkets has just gone bust yesterday. You can imagine the impact on the retail prices it's going to be. 

 

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3 hours ago, Bryan said:

First, great news on your scan !

 

However, I love self checkouts. I am quite impatient and don't like queuing, particularly behind people who are disorganised and inefficient.. Our major supermarkets all now offer self checkouts in addition to those with cashiers, but the discount stores do not. I love the efficiency of scanning my own purchases as I pick them off the shelves and place them directly into our bags followed by the rapid exit through the automated till. We currently have a labour shortage in the UK so there are plenty of jobs to be had, while the economy desperately needs an improvement in productivity.

just wait until you try scanning fruits and vegetables.  while cashiers have the codes memorized or can look it up quickly, not so with self checkout, you have to look up the first letter of the fruit, scroll through the options, regular lemons, organic lemons, meyer lemons, etc.,  have a bag of yams, y .. a..  nothing. oh wait, they are not yams, they are technicaly sweet potatos, s...w...e..e   ... garnet? jewel? purple, organic?

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2 hours ago, gvallee said:

Self-checkouts. Very very high on my pet hate list.

 

Join the club. They were advertised as a way of beating the checkout queues, but of course in reality, it was just a cost (staff) cutting measure. My particular hate is when I'm doing a big weekly shop and Sainsburys in the town centre has no one on checkouts after a certain time. Then I'm trying to balance everything on a tiny self service checkout.

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3 minutes ago, Steve F said:

 

Join the club. They were advertised as a way of beating the checkout queues, but of course in reality, it was just a cost (staff) cutting measure. My particular hate is when I'm doing a big weekly shop and Sainsburys in the town centre has no one on checkouts after a certain time. Then I'm trying to balance everything on a tiny self service checkout.

 

I've recently come across some smaller supermarkets where you can insist they open a till for you. I was surprised. The staff is always so nice and helpful in supermarkets. 

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58 minutes ago, sooth said:

just wait until you try scanning fruits and vegetables.  while cashiers have the codes memorized or can look it up quickly, not so with self checkout, you have to look up the first letter of the fruit, scroll through the options, regular lemons, organic lemons, meyer lemons, etc.,  have a bag of yams, y .. a..  nothing. oh wait, they are not yams, they are technicaly sweet potatos, s...w...e..e   ... garnet? jewel? purple, organic?

Not a problem sooth. Throw the onions onto the scale, press onions, and print and scan a label. Pour contents into shopping bag etc. I guess that we don't buy exotic veg. but I do love onions ! Can't remember when I last bought a lemon or yam of any description. Actually in our local store the weird stuff tends to have a bar code next to the product, e.g. capsicum.

Edited by Bryan
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4 hours ago, Bryan said:

I love the efficiency of scanning my own purchases as I pick them off the shelves and place them directly into our bags followed by the rapid exit through the automated till.

 

This sounds totally different from our system. Do you mean you can somehow scan right at the shelf? We have to go to a spot with no space to put anything and juggle produce, wallet, gizmo that gives discounts and maybe umbrella or anything else we are carrying. I usually need help because the machine doesn't like me. All this is after having to get help to unlock shelves to reach items because shoplifting has become a way of life here and it is seldom punished. Walmart is closing all of its outlets in one city out west. Craziness here. No wonder people turn to Amazon.

 

Thanks everyone for the well wishes about my health. And, yes, Gen, I do enjoy the city in spite of everything. I went to a concert by the amazing Voices of Ascension the other night. Bliss.

 

Paulette

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