BoomerChicks

Need Cheering?

Bill Gates started Microsoft in a recession.

This will end long before those who started it are paroled.

Self worth beats net worth.

Stop obsessing about the economy, you're scaring the children.

Interesting fact about recessions...they end.

Feeling warm and fuzzy all over yet?

Well, Recession 101, an advertising campaign which began in Rhode Island through the funding of an "anonymous" donor is hoping that these catch phrases will resonate with you. 

I don't know much about this Recession 101 campaign.  I'm not sure anyone knows much about it.  I did read that the "donor" was depressed over the public's negative reaction to the economy, hence deciding that we, the people, needed a positive spin on these difficult times.   Now, for the most part I have a Pollyanna outlook, but a reality check tells me that there were better things that could have been done with the big bucks it required to plaster a public lecture onto a bilboard for our reading pleasure. 

Does anyone really think that the people most affected by this recession are in the mood for a pep talk from a billboard campaign?  I don't know about you, but I am completely aware that this country has undergone past recessions and recovered.  You'd have to be living in a cave in Outer Mongolia to not know that.  I know that my self worth is more than my net worth...duh?   No one needs to talk down to the citizens of this country about this recession.  We get it!

The problem is that the politicians and corporations that have the stronghold on the people don't give a damn about our self worth.  If they did, do you think we would be in this mess now?  These are the people Mr. Depressed Anonymous Donor's  billboards should be targeting, not the people who are paying for the despicable actions of the powers that be. 

It is not the job of the American people who are suffering through this recession to fuel the donor's happy pill supply.  He/She's depressed?  Don't you think we have enough on our plate like lost homes, lost jobs, lost retirements, and  lost health care?  We know that we can pull ourselves up by the boot straps.  We are just looking for that light the end of the tunnel and wondering how long it will take before it appears.  At the same time, we need to place focus and awareness on those who took part in destroying lives while pushing for accountability, not bailouts and slaps on the wrist.  Not all of the crooks are behind bars!

May be the Recession 101 campaign had its heart in the right place and I am being unsympathetic.  May be they actually do care about how the American people are feeling and not just looking to boost their dispositions.  After all, positive attitudes are much needed, but this was a weak attempt and is actually rather patronizing given the dire circumstances.  Please, don't try to dumb us down anymore than what has already been attempted.  Obviously Mr. Depressed Anonymous Donor has enough cash on hand to pay for these words of enlightenment for Mr. I Can't Keep a Roof Over My Family's Head. 

Excuse some of us for worrying about our future and wondering just how low are we going to sink before it is all over.  Excuse us for feeling a little angry at the jackasses who got away with our money.  Excuse us for making you feel bad Mr. Depressed Anonymous Donor, forcing you to spend money on billboards telling us how to feel and behave.  If you want to make "steamed" folks like me feel better, here's a few campaign messages Recession 101 can add to their repertoire.

Corporate America and Greedy Government started this recession.

Interesting fact about recessions...they do end, but not until you are broke!

Stop obsessing over low retail sales and hire a few people who buy your shit.

Stimulus is a four letter word! J-O-B-S!

Wall Street gets a bonus for blowing up your retirement fund -- now smile, damnit!

Hello, I Don't Work for You

 Can we just talk about those self serve checkout counters?  They are popping up everywhere, even in Costco!  I refuse to use them and here's why.

First, that piece of machinery probably took someone's job.  A person, you know, who given even the slightest bit of personality is better than listening to someone tell me "please scan your next item or please insert payment now" in their syrupy robot voice.  It is so insincere!  I'll wait in line, thank you very much, if it means a person gets a paycheck.  And please, don't give me the spin that the checkers were all moved to the floor to provide customer service.  I have not seen this at all.  In fact, I engage  employees all the time about their work environment when I am shopping.  The true facts are these companies that taut their respect and love for their employees, their best asset, are usually knee deep in you know what.

Second, I do not work for these establishments but they want me to do their work.  No way.  If you want me to check myself out than I want a paycheck.  Would you like me to stock your shelves too while I am here?  It was bad enough when we were all forced to pump our own gas and use ATM machines.  I refuse to go any further than that.  Why are we deleting the human factor?

I created a scene not too long ago when a store associate told me that I had to use the self serve checkout because no other registers were open.  "Oh really", I said, "well get me a manager.  I do not work here."  She begrudgingly opened her register to check me out and a flock of self servers got behind me.  I told her, "I know you might not be happy about this, but it ensures you take home a paycheck.  One day you may thank me." 

Third, the lines move very slow at these checkouts.  Why?  Well, for starters there seems to always be some malfunction going on with the apparatus.  Robot voice:  There has been an error.  Please remove the item from the bag.  Do not place items in bag that have not been scanned.  Please contact an associate for assistance.  These malfunctions are likely to happen when you are in a Home Depot and purchasing a toilet or a dozen 2x4s.  The robot voice wants you to place your toilet in a bag.  When you can't put your toilet in the plastic bag, you have to call for assistance.  Also, people tend to get confused and frustrated with these machines.  God forbid if you push the wrong button--productivity and performance are out the door.

No, I want service.  I want someone to be engaging and may be ask me "how are you today?"  If I am having a bad day and don't want to engage, well that's okay too.  I am the customer and the customer is always right.  Sorry, but that is how I feel.  As far as the cost savings rhetoric...has anyone seen prices going down lately?  Oh, it keeps prices from going up.  I see.  Well, that's not happening either -- prices are still rising. 

I see no advantage to these cockamamie machines at all.  With everyone going self check, warehouse style, and Chinese manufactured while maintaining about the same prices, I ask...where is your point of differentiation?  Why should I shop in your store?   

Call me old school, call me old fashion, but I prefer unique over mundane.  My life is filled with enough machines and contraptions.  I still enjoy having people around me, the kind that breathe air, have more than twenty words in their vocabulary and earn a living.  

Warning:  The below video of a self checkout experience is extremely graphic and not suitable for children.

Big Brother Speaks

Remember when you were a kid and the world was your playground?  School yards, vacant lots, street corners, parks, the woods...stomping grounds of every size, shape and venue at our fingertips.  Well, today I got the surprise of my life and realized that times have indeed changed. 

RJ and I decided that we would pick up the pace on our morning walk with our two dogs, Murphy and Vinny.  All four of us could shed a few pounds and it occurred to me that to accelerate this process, perhaps our walk should turn to a faster pace, or at least a trot.  We set out for the track at the local high school near our house.  RJ, who is recovering from an episode of rhabdomyolysis, could either sit in the bleachers and watch me lead follow the dogs in this gallant effort, or saunder at a slower pace behind me.  As I explained this idea to him, he burst into laughter.  "How long has it been since you ran track?" he said.  I replied, "About thirty years, so what?  It's like riding a bike, you don't forget.  Remember , I played softball until I was forty!" 

As we approached the high school, we entered near the tennis courts, taking the dogs through a very narrow turnstile.  The track was on the opposite side of where we entered, a good half mile or so, but then I am not a great estimator of miles.  In my mind, it was far.  The dogs were in heaven as they stopped at anything of interest in this never before traveled land of Sniffsville. 

Halfway to the track, we passed by the school's two baseball diamonds.  RJ and Murphy were in the lead, while I stayed behind with the curious Vinny who was marking his territory every two feet.  Suddenly I heard this man's voice come out of the sky.  "You are trespassing on private property and we are taking your picture.  Please leave immediately or we will call the sheriff's department!"  Stopping dead in my tracks, I watched RJ's picture being taken as he walked under a camera perched on a very tall pole! 

"You have got to be kidding me!", I yelled, as RJ turned and looked at me.  I changed direction to avoid the camera, catching up with him.  "Can you believe this?", I said.  "This is 1984 for sure.  They would rather kids hang out at the local malls and spend money their parents don't have, or sit in front of a TV or computer screen and then complain that kids are obese today!"  I continued to complain.  "Since when are we restricted from property that we pay for with our taxes?  Can't kids play at the school yard any more?  Are there that many vandals and dopers today that a high school track is off limits?  How the hell do we get out of here now?  This is Independence Day and we are being photographed by Big Brother, what's up with that?  Where's our independence?  Where's our freedom?" 

I had visions of black and whites showing up with red lights flashing, sirens blaring and cops yelling "get down on the ground!"  Although I was a little anxious, I have to say, I was really angry.  Angry that I am forbidden to enter the property of a local public school!  I understand that there are challenges in schools today but is this the right approach to this problem?  Is this not over the top surveillance?

As we moved on, we saw a couple running the track with their dog.  When they were within speaking distance, we told them about the "talking camera" as we passed the baseball diamonds.  They thought we were hearing things and seemed unfazed by our testimonial, preferring instead to continue their jog around the track.  I said to RJ, "Little do they know, but they are common criminals by today's standards, not fitness enthusiasts, as I am sure they brag to their friends!"

We walked along the high chain linked fence until we found a turnstile that allowed us to exit the grounds.  As we entered the turnstile, a big fat sign stared at us -- NO ANIMALS ALLOWED.  "Well how do you like that", I said to RJ, "they have us on two counts of breaking the law!  We better make a quick getaway!"  RJ said, "it's a little too late for that.  I am already in their line up photos!"  "Yeah, kind of creepy", I said.  "Now you can be a suspect in any crime they want to pull you in for!"

Yes, this seems to be taken right out of Orwell's book 1984.  I read the book years ago while in high school.  I wrote in my essay that 1984 was a warning of what could come if we didn't adhere to our common sense.  I trusted that Americans would never allow their government to abuse their power in the way that Orwell described.  I could never imagine a "Big Brother" society. 

Little did I know back then that 1984 would become more than fiction.  It appears it may have become a business model for tyrannical institutions and government, using tax dollars to fund these devious schemes under the guise of protecting us.  (Patriotic Act, anyone?).  Who knew that one day I would become a common criminal for simply wanting to run my dogs on a local public high school track!

A Random Rant

I have a random rant which I will make brief!

I am hearing from lots of folks that they had to dip into their retirement/401K funds (take loans) to help them get through a job loss.  They used the money to pay property taxes, car payments, insurance premiums and put shoes on the kids' feet.  Basically they needed the funds as a last resort to keep their heads above water. 

Obviously many of them can't keep up with the payments on this loan, which essentially is borrowing money from one's own savings.  So guess who got a nice big chunk of what these folks thought was personal rescue money?  Yep, Uncle Sam.  Yeah baby, with interest and penalties!

This is what I call kicking a dog when it's down! 

Anything in the stimulus bill that would allow folks a moratorium on paying taxes, interest and penalties on their own savings plans in a near depression economy, albeit is the sacred government controlled 401K savings?  Yes, those 401K plans that Wall Street squandered down to practically nothing, leaving the Baby Boomer with a new plan -- ten more years added to their retirement date -- that is if you can find a job!  Yes, Wall Street, those lovely folks who our government decided to bail out while the working class gets a paltry stipend in their pay or unemployment check!  But, Joe Blow common citizen needs to be accountable!  Yes, our government needs to teach people who are trying to keep food on the table and a roof over their heads a lesson in accountability!

And, the pundits are dumbfounded that people are having tea parties!  Be still my heart!

Slow News Day?

Gosh, I thought I had problems!  Apparently mine don't compare to this woman in Texas who was not happy about the amount of shrimp in her fried rice! 

From the Associated Press, Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Texas woman calls 911 over not having enough shrimp in her Chinese food takeout

HALTOM CITY, Texas — A woman called 911 to report she didn't get as much shrimp as she wanted in her fried rice at a Texas restaurant.

Haltom City police on Tuesday released the taped emergency call, in which the customer is heard telling the dispatcher, "to get a police officer up here, what has to happen?"

The customer also says: "He didn't even put extra shrimp in there."

The upset customer had left the Fort Worth area restaurant when an officer arrived Monday afternoon.

Restaurant workers say the woman had been denied a refund after leaving with her order, then returning to complain.

Cook June Lee says nothing was wrong with the meal, and that "some customers are happy. Some are not."