Complaint Thursdays

[nfreeman]

My wife and I just took our daughter to start college and I really miss her.

[MattPie]

I do IT work for a large company with some fairly peculiar/strict rules about how the network works. I spent a *bunch* of time over the last year or two getting an install process working for a compute cluster (Red Hat Openshift) to work around the peculiarities, automated almost all of it, and wrote what I feel are OK docs on how to make it all work. We've had a few people on my team and other area in the company run through the docs with success.  This whole thing follows a kinda "Open Source" model within the company so I'm not on the hook for it to work outside my team; it's provided  "here's what we're doing, if it helps you we'd love to hear about it".

I'm trying to help someone on another team else get through the install, and dude just will not read the docs or follow the process. He's just way off in the weeds running into things that I figured out and automated around. I'm frustrated that he's struggling even though I can honestly say it's his own doing. But I still want his project succeed.

Edited September 2, 2022 by MattPie

[shrader]

Earlier today I was walking out of a gas station. I reached out to hold the door for the guy leaving behind me. This idiot coming in tried to walk directly through my arm. I then repositioned myself to block his entire path with my body. Use the other door you jackass. 

[Taro T]

Due to some past identity theft issues, have had a "freeze" put on new credit applications.  Can do things like buy a car or get a new credit card but the lender/issuer needs to reach me via a particular protocol obtained from a credit rating bureau to confirm it is actually me applying for credit.

Hadn't received my wife's replacement credit card for her expiring one & ordered a replacement.  Didn't get it because the issuing bank couldn't reach me.  Called back, tried again; same issue.

Called one of the credit ratings bureaus about this.  Yes, there's a freeze on the account. (Well, duh.)  What contact info are you giving to the credit card company to reach me?  Uh, none; we have no contact info for you.  Htf does the credit ratings bureau, which knows more about where we've lived & our payment history than we know NOT have contact info?  

Unbelievable.

Fortunately when we bought a new car recently the bank that issued that loan used a different credit bureau.  One that actually was able to provide the bank a way to reach me.

 

[SwampD]

I can’t believe the number of cars now on the roads. Was it this bad pre pan?

[shrader]

@Taro T, it kind of makes you wonder why they don’t have to use that special protocol for all applications. 
 

Is this one of those “why isn’t the entire plane made out of the black box” questions?

[Weave]

34 minutes ago, SwampD said:

I can’t believe the number of cars now on the roads. Was it this bad pre pan?

I noticed the same recently.  Seems like traffic is back to pre pandemic levels.

[Taro T]

36 minutes ago, shrader said:

@Taro T, it kind of makes you wonder why they don’t have to use that special protocol for all applications. 
 

Is this one of those “why isn’t the entire plane made out of the black box” questions?

They do.  But apparently other credit ratings bureaus aren't preturnaturally stupid (which is why the auto loan could be processed).  Yep, you have to ask us how get hold of him to verify this request for a replacement credit card.  No, we have no idea how you might do that.  Would you like to know his phone # from 25 years ago?  We do know that, obviously.

[Porous Five Hole]

48 minutes ago, shrader said:

@Taro T, it kind of makes you wonder why they don’t have to use that special protocol for all applications. 
 

Is this one of those “why isn’t the entire plane made out of the black box” questions?

It’s because the credit industry is a for-profit enterprise. That would be expensive and time consuming to roll out for 300 million people.  
 

But you ask a great question.  It’s time that the credit industry gets regulated.  

[Taro T]

41 minutes ago, Porous Five Hole said:

It’s because the credit industry is a for-profit enterprise. That would be expensive and time consuming to roll out for 300 million people.  
 

But you ask a great question.  It’s time that the credit industry gets regulated.  

You can call the various credit bureaus & put a freeze on your own accounts if you'd like.

[Ogre]

JetBlue.

I’m trying to save the fund some money and spend frugally.

With the extra night in a hotel, I still saved a considerable amount.

I am going to alert the trustees when I return that these travelings will be conducted as I travel normally or they don’t happen anymore.

Did I say FU to JetBlue yet? 

[Porous Five Hole]

44 minutes ago, Taro T said:

You can call the various credit bureaus & put a freeze on your own accounts if you'd like.

Yes, this is true. 
But the root of my complaint is how the for-profit entities of experian, equifax, and transunion are not consumer-centric.

Why is consumer credit in the hands of money making operations? What happens when there’s a data breach (equifax breached almost half of the US adult population—thanks for the no cost to you credit monitoring for 12 months)? Where is the accountability?
 

Nothing but headaches for the consumers. Why isn’t next-level credit authorization/verification the standard operating procedure? Why should it cost consumers their own money for FICO models ($63 a pop in the mortgage game)?

Imagine being a less informed consumer like the majority of the US? I’m all for personal accountability, but the education around credit is so limited that it impacts the least affluent the most.

 

 

[Taro T]

1 minute ago, Porous Five Hole said:

Yes, this is true. 
But the root of my complaint is how the for-profit entities of experian, equifax, and transunion are not consumer-centric.

Why is consumer credit in the hands of money making operations? What happens when there’s a data breach (equifax breached almost half of the US adult population—thanks for the no cost to you credit monitoring for 12 months)? Where is the accountability?
 

Nothing but headaches for the consumers. Why isn’t next-level credit authorization/verification the standard operating procedure? Why should it cost consumers their own money for FICO models ($63 a pop in the mortgage game)?

Imagine being a less informed consumer like the majority of the US? I’m all for personal accountability, but the education around credit is so limited that it impacts the least affluent the most.

 

 

Funny you mention they aren't consumer centric.  Called 2 of them to figure out the issue.  With one of them was forced to go through an automated menu which would basically have caused something detrimental to happen to my account.  When it said what it was going to do started shouting 'no, no, no, no, no' & it put a person on the line.

With the other one, it literally said there are only a handful of issues that allow a person to speak to a customer service representative & the issue du jour wasn't one of them; goodbye.  

[shrader]

2 hours ago, Taro T said:

They do.  But apparently other credit ratings bureaus aren't preturnaturally stupid (which is why the auto loan could be processed).  Yep, you have to ask us how get hold of him to verify this request for a replacement credit card.  No, we have no idea how you might do that.  Would you like to know his phone # from 25 years ago?  We do know that, obviously.

I had to do a credit check recently for a potential home project. It included a series of those “which of the following addresses have you lived at” questions. When it got to which cars I’ve previously owned, these were the options:

exotic sports car 1

exotic sports car 2

shrader’s 12 year old average car

exotic suv

 

What a fool proof test. No one could possibly guess the right car. 

[spndnchz]

I got COVID. Fully vaccinated and still have it

[mjd1001]

I was in Home Depot earlier this week. Line of people waiting to checkout, 4 self checkouts open, ZERO regular checkouts.

I'm one that normally uses the self checkout so it wasn't an issue for me using it, but when the line got long and there were no other cashiers able to open the wait time got long.  Add to that this isn't a grocery store, some people were buying huge sheets of plywood and someone else a lot of piping and they didn't know where to scan things. At one point all 4 registers that were open had customers who got stuck and needed help from the employee, so at that poing ZERO was going on until help arrived.

And yes, I did look at the pro checkout at the end of the store, but there was someone making a huge purchase there.

Self checkouts are great for a lot of people, but if you are going to have zero regular checkouts open, you need more than 4 self checkouts in your entire store.

 

On a related note, how about other store (tops, wegmans, walmart) have 1 or 2 self checkouts dedicated to express only orders.  It can be frustrating to have 1 or 2 things to purchase, have one of those stores have 10 or more self checkouts, and have ALL of them filled with people with full orders.

Edited October 27, 2022 by mjd1001

[Taro T]

2 minutes ago, spndnchz said:

I got COVID. Fully vaccinated and still have it

Hope it isn't too severe.  Had a friend get it a couple of weeks ago and he got hit HARD.  He's in his 60's but didn't expect him to gphave it as bad as he did.  Took the therapeutic & got over it about 1 week later.

Back in the late spring caught it and ended up giving it to the wife.  That version was 3 - 3-1/2 days and was equivalent severity/symptom-wise to a moderate flu.

Hoping yours is more like the latter than the former.

[Taro T]

2 minutes ago, mjd1001 said:

I was in Home Depot earlier this week. Line of people waiting to checkout, 4 self checkouts open, ZERO regular checkouts.

I'm one that normally uses the self checkout so it wasn't an issue for me using it, but when the line got long and there were no other cashiers able to open the wait time got long.  Add to that this isn't a grocery store, some people were buying huge sheets of plywood and someone else a lot of piping and they didn't know where to scan things. At one point all 4 registers that were open had customers who got stuck and needed help from the employee, so at that poing ZERO was going on until help arrived.

And yes, I did look at the pro checkout at the end of the store, but there was someone making a huge purchase there.

Self checkouts are great for a lot of people, but if you are going to have zero regular checkouts open, you need more than 4 self checkouts in your entire store.

Should've gone to Lowe's.  ;)

 

[Weave]

2 hours ago, mjd1001 said:

I was in Home Depot earlier this week. Line of people waiting to checkout, 4 self checkouts open, ZERO regular checkouts.

I'm one that normally uses the self checkout so it wasn't an issue for me using it, but when the line got long and there were no other cashiers able to open the wait time got long.  Add to that this isn't a grocery store, some people were buying huge sheets of plywood and someone else a lot of piping and they didn't know where to scan things. At one point all 4 registers that were open had customers who got stuck and needed help from the employee, so at that poing ZERO was going on until help arrived.

And yes, I did look at the pro checkout at the end of the store, but there was someone making a huge purchase there.

Self checkouts are great for a lot of people, but if you are going to have zero regular checkouts open, you need more than 4 self checkouts in your entire store.

 

On a related note, how about every store (tops, wegmans, walmart) have 1 or 2 self checkouts dedicated to express only orders.  It can be frustrating to have 1 or 2 things to purchase, have one of those stores have 10 or more self checkouts, and have ALL of them filled with people with full orders.

I refuse to use self checkouts and self ordering kiosks.  2 reasons.

1. Our decisions to use self checkouts and self ordering kiosks is enabling companies to eliminate paid positions and tighten the job market.  I won’t knowingly contribute to reducing employment roles for workers that don’t have upward options.

2. We are paying the retailer for our labor.

*steps down off high horse*

Edited October 27, 2022 by Weave

[Sabel79]

1 minute ago, Weave said:

I refuse to use self checkouts and self ordering kiosks.  2 reasons.

1. Our decisions to use self checkouts and self ordering kiosks is enabling companies to eliminate paid positions and tighten the job market.  I won’t knowingly contribute to reducing employer roles for workers that don’t have upward options.

2. We are paying the retailer for our labor.

*steps down off high horse*

3. 

Various retailers can get creative whilst making shoplifting complaints.... 

[Sabres Fan in NS]

Our extended summer (it's been 20 degrees in the day and 15 degrees at night for most of October) is coming to a screeching end tonight.

I suppose I shouldn't be complaining.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

2 hours ago, spndnchz said:

I got COVID. Fully vaccinated and still have it

I told you that even though you are fully vaccinated you should not be making out with anyone.  Not even if yous are wearing masks.

You should have just skipped that part and gone on to something else.  Always from a safe distance mind you.

[SwampD]

Every damn Thursday that I have something to complain about, this thread is ***** locked!

I got nothin to complain about today and wouldn't'cha know it, the damn thing is open.

[LabattBlue]

Haven’t seen the leaf pickup truck.  Blow leafs to the curb, wind blows them back on lawn, rinse and repeat. 😡

[shrader]

4 hours ago, mjd1001 said:

I was in Home Depot earlier this week. Line of people waiting to checkout, 4 self checkouts open, ZERO regular checkouts.

I'm one that normally uses the self checkout so it wasn't an issue for me using it, but when the line got long and there were no other cashiers able to open the wait time got long.  Add to that this isn't a grocery store, some people were buying huge sheets of plywood and someone else a lot of piping and they didn't know where to scan things. At one point all 4 registers that were open had customers who got stuck and needed help from the employee, so at that poing ZERO was going on until help arrived.

And yes, I did look at the pro checkout at the end of the store, but there was someone making a huge purchase there.

Self checkouts are great for a lot of people, but if you are going to have zero regular checkouts open, you need more than 4 self checkouts in your entire store.

 

On a related note, how about other store (tops, wegmans, walmart) have 1 or 2 self checkouts dedicated to express only orders.  It can be frustrating to have 1 or 2 things to purchase, have one of those stores have 10 or more self checkouts, and have ALL of them filled with people with full orders.

 

I've been buying a lot of pavers at Lowe's lately for a yard project.  The cashiers have a ton of trouble finding the right price for them.  I don't even want to know how that would work out at a self checkout.

 

4 hours ago, Weave said:

I refuse to use self checkouts and self ordering kiosks.  2 reasons.

1. Our decisions to use self checkouts and self ordering kiosks is enabling companies to eliminate paid positions and tighten the job market.  I won’t knowingly contribute to reducing employment roles for workers that don’t have upward options.

2. We are paying the retailer for our labor.

*steps down off high horse*

Not having to deal with an overly chatty cashier is all the reason I need to love self checkout.  I'm sure it's mostly a southern thing, but there are cashiers around here who will ask you what your plan is for every single item you buy.  "The shovel's for you if you keep asking questions".

Edited October 27, 2022 by shrader