The Bitching Thread

[Animeniax]

Games like tonight's Rangers vs Cardinals are why putting too much faith in the actions of others will always lead to disappointment, particularly sports teams. That's why I always shake my head when I see people get so fired up for sports events or fantasy leagues. Basing your happiness on the accomplishments of others is no way to live your life.

Tonight, Cards have 1 on and are down by 2 in the 10th inning and the Rangers choose to walk 0-5 Pujols, the tying run, and pitch to 79-80 Berkman, the only guy who has consistently hit for the Cardinals. Bravo coaching performance by the Rangers. They'll go another 50 years without a world series win.

[Kraco]

The more excited you get, the more you will enjoy it (or be disappointed). That's the nature of it. If it weren't for the hooligans, I'd actually respect the ardent sports fans, for they know how to take everything out of life.

[Buffalobiian]

I hate people who demand freebies.

There are the nice guys who ask "Do you have any freebies to give away today?", and then you have people who ask any of:

1) Do I get a freebie with that? (in a manner that suggests he should)
2) I should get a free stubbie holder with that.
3) Do I get a free XYZ with that? Why not? I come here every bla bla, I should get ten free XYZs.

And then you have those people who ask for free promotional items (eg, free backpack if you get 4 bottles of this product) but clearly don't want to make that qualifying purchase (and add in any of the above questions/statements). They harass you about how much they deserve it or how you can write it off as broken, or how I could have taken one home.

These freebies (whether you like it or not), are pieces of advertisement that companies paid for to promote their product. They cost you nothing under certain conditions, but they certainly do not cost nothing, and are the property of my employer. Your taking it is theft. My giving it to you when I shouldn't (yet knowingly do so) is theft.

Just wait till the promotion date expires, and I can give the leftovers out to whoever I want. On occasion I've transferred stuff from other stores just so I can do this for some good people.

Don't give me shit because I'm nice and won't spit in your face.

[Kraco]

I have actually asked for something once or twice in my life. Like in ye older days when I bought a bloody expensive TV (good TVs cost an arm and a leg in the CRT days) I asked if the salesperson could give me an antenna cable for free, since he couldn't negotiate on the price at all. He did bent that much. Usually I don't ask for such things but I like to view the price of expensive stuff bargainable. Too bad these days the clerks in the big chain stores are good for nothing drones and they can't even wipe their nose without asking for a permission from the headquarters.

[Buffalobiian]

That's funny, because we've got this chain-HiFi store in Australia that has pretty cheap prices already. You'll be strained to find something cheaper that isn't strictly an online-store for the most part. I didn't ask for a discount, and the fellow just added "I can do it at this price" during our talk.

I'm not someone who likes haggling and think of it as unsightly in general retail (both as a customer and as a staff). Perhaps in my head it is too close to begging. I'm a firm practitioner of "buy it or leave it". It is on the basis that I dislike the act of asking for a price-match (again both as a customer and a seller) when the merchant does not advertise that they do it.

Some other place has it cheaper? Go there then.

edit: Another reason I dislike haggling is in the dishonesty component. People will ask for some ridiculously low price with the expectation that it'll get bumped up to something they will actually consider to be reasonable. Merchants who expect this (or get enough of this) will also inflate their prices to adjust. It simply creates a phenomenon where prices listed don't actually reflect the value of the goods - and to realise the true value of the goods you must then haggle.

[Kraco]

I'm not someone who likes bartering and think of it as unsightly in general retail (both as a customer and as a staff). Perhaps in my head it is too close to begging.

Yeah, I know there are indeed plenty of people like that and they have an equal right to the opinion, both the staff and the customers. Personally, though, I view even buying a chocolate bar as a business transaction. Of course I don't try to get unannounced discounts when buying something measly, that would be nothing but a nuisance for both parties, but when I'm spending 500+ euros face to face with a salesperson, I think it's more than appropriate to see if they have any air in the prices. They say in some countries if you don't try to haggle, it's considered disrespectful (that tells it shouldn't be unsightly inherently).

I suppose this is one reason why I buy almost all of my computer hardware from that one local store. They have always been ready for a little bargaining when I have bought a whole bunch of stuff. It makes me feel like I won, and what is more important for a shop than a decent deal and a happy customer?

[David75]

Problem is:
Value is not something you can describe easily/precisely with science.
Do not be fooled, most products have an incredible margin included. It's just that you only see the last percentages of margins.

I've been working with chinese suppliers on very specific, high quality products. In that case, you can really discard quality as a way to improve margins (ie selling rubbish instead of the usual function/product).

Said product was sold 600€ in France.
I was able to buy it under 35€ airfreight, customs etc... included. And prices did fall every year after that. We're currently under 20€ and last I checked, the other guys trying to sell that are still over 500€ for the very same product.

It's not always like that, but just be careful that sometimes it's better to actually try to lower the price

[Animeniax]

I worked for a store where we received a lot of promo items from manufacturers. The department supervisors received them, and usually kept them for themselves. Selfish bastards. We made up for it by working real half-assed.


edit: The Texas Stranglers 2011... they choke with the best of them.

[XanBcoo]

I am sick because of work and stress. My principal is a goddamn bully. On top of physical and mental exhaustion I'm being threatened with my job because I wasn't able to attend a meeting for first year teachers (I'm not a first year teacher). I'm teaching two levels of Spanish and we elective teachers have 60 more students than the core departments, so my workload is effectively twice as much as the other teachers at that school.

As soon as I'm certified I'm getting the fuck out of that school. What a miserable experience this is.

[Buffalobiian]

I am sick because of work and stress. My principal is a goddamn bully. On top of physical and mental exhaustion I'm being threatened with my job because I wasn't able to attend a meeting for first year teachers (I'm not a first year teacher). I'm teaching two levels of Spanish and we elective teachers have 60 more students than the core departments, so my workload is effectively twice as much as the other teachers at that school.

As soon as I'm certified I'm getting the fuck out of that school. What a miserable experience this is.

Does he do that to everyone, or just you?

[XanBcoo]

Everyone. He's universally loathed at our school, so at least we have comfort in solidarity.

I'd love to teach. He just won't let us do our jobs.

[Animeniax]

You should have your students grade each others work in class. You can use it as a teaching/feedback mechanism, it will cut down on your workload, and build community spirit when they all give each other 100s. Win-win-win scenario.

[XanBcoo]

You should have your students grade each others work in class. You can use it as a teaching/feedback mechanism, it will cut down on your workload, and build community spirit when they all give each other 100s. Win-win-win scenario.

Yeah, this is basically the problem. I tried it once and they did so badly at grading each others work that I never did it again.

But it's not just the grading. I can knock that out in 4 hours. It's everything else.

Ah, being a teacher. I couldn´t do that, considering how hot school girls these days are. Would only result in annoying troubles.

I...what?

[MFauli]

Ah, being a teacher. I couldn´t do that, considering how hot school girls these days are. Would only result in annoying troubles.

[shinta|hikari]

He is saying he might accidentally rape them because those school girls are such temptresses. I think it should be self-explanatory considering who posted.

[MFauli]

He is saying he might accidentally rape them because those school girls are such temptresses. I think it should be self-explanatory considering who posted.

At least one person correctly interprets the trolling. thx

[RyougaZell]

Xan teaches spanish...? Wow.

[XanBcoo]

Xan teaches spanish...? Wow.

I teach Spanish to an 87% hispanic population school.

I'm sort of like Señor Chang only I deal with impoverished, apathetic minorities:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_I_43...eature=related

[fireheart]

So I just read that Yoshinori Kitase is coming over to Sweden and that a game magazine is holding an Final Fantasy event where he'll participate, only for the members of the community. That doesn't matter since I'm part of the community but I can't attend since it's on a Tuesday and in another town so can't get away to just go but the real kicker is that the whole event is free... FREE...

[David75]

So I just read that Yoshinori Kitase is coming over to Sweden and that a game magazine is holding an Final Fantasy event where he'll participate, only for the members of the community. That doesn't matter since I'm part of the community but I can't attend since it's on a Tuesday and in another town so can't get away to just go but the real kicker is that the whole event is free... FREE...

Student? got a test that day or what? if not, just find a reason plausible enough to tell your school you won't be there.
Working? important meeting or customer that day? If not, same as before.

But maybe you used too many escuses in the past months and can't do that again.