It is a home-office day today, as our daughter is ill and my wife is in meetings most of it and can't take care of her. There are benefits of working from home though, as it saves me about an hour of driving to and from the office, a clean shirt and a dollop of hair wax.
Speaking of clean shirts...
About a month ago our seven year old clothes dryer decided to stop working and the cost of repair was about half the price of a new one and there was no guarantee that the rest of it was going to last much longer anyway. So, I ordered a new one and was unsurprised to find that they are friggen expensive. Everything is these days and while the official inflation rate is one thing - I feel the reality on a lot of products is something quite different.
But, inflation rate aside, we have had to wait for the overpriced dryer for a few weeks and got to pay for the privilege of delivery and a premium to choose the time, as like above, even if home, there are meetings going on. So, despite paying for a morning delivery between 8 and 12 - they notified they will be delivering between 12 and 6, which was unsuitable but after several calls, they still wouldn't change it. What is the point of paying extra for a delivery time that they will not honor?
Bloody nothing.
This happened yesterday when I was at the office and in order to get the machine in the house, my wife had to have her parents come here and let them in and do all of the signing etc. Obviously, this wasn't the smoothest of procedures on short notice, but was the only way we could get it done.
We have had to get a lot of stuff delivered with the renovation materials and this kind of thing is common. It doesn't matter what it is these days, the delivery is a mess. One of the large orders for cupboards from IKEA was paid for delivery inside and they instead left it outside in the rain and we had to get the neighbor to help carry things in. Another was similar, but they ended up sending someone who couldn't carry the boxes inside anyway and we had to pay one of our tradespeople who happened to be working to help.
The problem is though, no one ever complains in Finland and therefore, all of these issues never get tracked, never registered and therefore get evaluated as "successful" despite conditions not being met, meaning failure. Finns don't give feedback on much at all, meaning that failures don't make it to the ears that have failed. For example, if a meal at a restaurant was overcooked, cold, salty or whatever, when the waiter asks at the end of the meal, they do not commit either way.
It is actually kind of funny, as the waiter will ask "tasted?" and the reply is "tasted". The waiter doesn't actually ask how it tasted, so I guess the noncommittal reply suits the question, but it doesn't give any useful feedback to the conversation, meaning that the kitchen will never know that they are making food customers love or hate and will have to infer this from their clientele habits, by which time it might be too late to take corrective action.
But somethings can't be voted on with feet. For example, as of July, everything that comes into Finland from outside the EU has to go through customs and requires the payment of a handling fee to the Post Office, even if they don't touch it. It also requires customs clearance and taxes on goods, even if taxes have already been paid at purchase. This puts a massive cost on goods where for example, my brother sent some stuff for Smallsteps' birthday and it ended up costing three times a much as the value of the goods once the shipping and customs costs were paid. Insane. But, this is what they can do to protect themselves from competition and go back to the good old days of a captured population with little choice.
The Corona situation has allowed larger corporations and governments to put a stranglehold grip on society and limit the options to the ones that benefit them the most, with the irony that many are thankful for their actions.
"You can have your freedom, as long as you do things the way we want them to be done."
Thank you! Thank you Masters!
Finns are very good at following government orders, which is due to history. AS for the most part, the governments have done a pretty good job in stabilizing the country economically and socially. The problem is, that now that people are conditioned to the assumption that governments work in their best interest, they keep doing what they are told, even when not in their best interest as individuals or society. All of the "little" changes to the way things function might seem insignificant, but they are mounting up and compounding to have large impacts on how we live our lives.
My daughter is barely ill with a runny nose, yet can't go to daycare unless we have her tested for Covid, even though all of the other kids have had the same thing and none of them have had Covid. But, parents keep getting their kids tested so that they can leave them at daycare, instead of staying home with them like we do. This means, all of the parents who refuse to constantly have the tests done, will continually be at home with their children far more often too. This has very real implications and impacts on employment conditions for individuals, making it an indirect economic punishment with consequences.
However, just like the knock-on effects of a changed delivery time, not many seem to care about all of the consequences that are going to arise from how society has been forced into change, even if those changes aren't necessary. There are so many things affected that it is impossible to predict all of the implications involved and even in hindsight, I believe that a lot of what actually happened will fall between the cracks and the negative consequences swept under the rug. But, this is the world we enable, one where rather than giving real feedback, we just do what we are told and put up with the shit, because it is easier to go along to get along - Even when the path leads to not getting along well at all.
That's lunch.
Taraz
[ Gen1: Hive ]
I had a really annoying convo with the doctor's receptionist on the phone when I was phoning about my son who has a cough and a fever.
You will have to get him tested
I did, yesterday. He is negative, so are we.
So what's wrong with him?
He has a bad cough and a high fever.
A fever and a cough? You will need to get him tested.
I did, yesterday. He is negative
You will need another test today then.
I was like, oh funking forget it.
Super annoying.
That space-time-continuum round about makes me bonkers dude.
It is insane. Corona is the answer to everything.... @preparedwombat must be unhappy as it was 42.... :D
Covid-chan is the justification for many control mechanisms they've been itching to implement for a long time. #overit
It really does. Groundhog Day is the new world order!!
New World order. Not long ago that would have sounded like a line out of a sci-fi book. Now? We're living it.
We are. The world has changed and it ain't for the better.
It's even difficult to detach from it with all the check-in apps and standing on X's we have to do. Control measures. I hate it.
They have stopped a lot of it here now. Which though I hate it also with the case numbers rampaging up again removing them makes me feel insecure!
Never happy.
What's wrong with you?
My arm is cut off at the shoulder and I am bleeding profusely.
Get a Covid test.
It seems to be the answer to the universe!
OMG. You didn't have him tested?? :))
I will just trot off and get it done again!! ;OD
Our world has changed and not in a good way. Goods and services in the states have sky rocketed. Just building materials alone have forced home owners to put off projects due to the shortages of raw materials, such as lumber. Places like car dealerships have empty lots, tractors and parts are nearly impossible to get and if you are lucky enough to get what you need, it's double the price. When does it end.
I am so glad I don't have to deal with daycare, as you said, just a sniffle and your little one is out. How are working parents supposed to deal with that, impossible.
Frustrating.
One day at time.
Hope things get better for you.
Wood has gone up insanely! This is Finland - all there is are trees and water, as well as mills to process them - still, wood has skyrocketed.
It isn't easy and it isn't really that acceptable to the workplace, though in Finland it is good in this area.
Crap, I guess it's all over the place. I am so sheltered where I live now, but my oldest son runs a wood business, he builds custom cabinetry from our lumber that gets milled on our farm. Not all of it of course, he also does custom kitchens and bathrooms, that's where the money is. But my hubby really taught my boys right, they all can build. But so many here in the states have said "not this year", just too expensive". My sons agree, the lumber prices have gone nuts, just for basic framing material, people just can't afford it. WTF
Hope you are well, next time crypto hits a high note, which it will, take a draft, 5%.
Isn't that the truth. People just take it instead of giving feedback. without feedback there is no improvement.
People feel uncomfortable giving negative feedback and these days, a lot of people aren't very good communicators.
Yes thing are freaking expensive and I am so scared to go to a market to get things
I will eventually go but the fear is there.
The inflation rate in Nigeria is alarming right now.
In less than one month the naira has devalued by 10% with respect to the dollar.
Delivery guys can be so annoying.
I remember paying for delivery of my food to my room and the next thing that happened was that I had to walk to the main gate(that's like 10 minutes away from my room)
I paid for the comfort and laziness of not standing up.
Can't they get it.
Well, I don't call them again
Sorry about your cupboard that was left under the rain
10% is a lot. How is it there with work for you?
I would make the walk - I am cheap in regards to these things! :D
I woke up this morning and saw 575/$ and just last month it was 520/$
The aim is to run away from the country and practice elsewhere
Most likely UK then specialize in the US
I was going to say, how curious it is that Finns don't complain or give much feedback, but then I remembered I was just at a restaurant a few days ago where the food and service were both mediocre, and when the server guy asked us how it was we both lied and said "great".
In general though I would say Americans are very good at making their opinion known if the food/service aren't up to standard.
"Great" just let me get out of here.
I think that when a customer is actually satisfied, it is pretty obvious to anyone paying attention. The thing is, people aren't very good at reading others these days.
Maybe we should all just carry around little cards with various emojis on them to indicate our feelings. Great food? Drop the yummyface card. Bad service? Slap down the sadface card.
Where I grew up in Brazil they had steakhouses where all you had to do to indicate whether you wanted the food they brought out, was to flip a little card to the green or red side to indicate yes or no. Like this.
We have become a world of lemmings, just following the flow, and getting to make our big splash at the end of the road.
I hope I fall fast and hard into a pointy rock. Get it over with quickly.
I think I will just drag butt be the last at the end of the line, let all the others pass me by, then maybe I will be able to see the cliff edge or there would have been so many before me I only have a little ways to fall.
But, this is what they can do to protect themselves from competition and go back to the good old days of a captured population with little choice.
Hol' up, my first thought was you were referring to communism, but I googled it and your country was never communist. So what is this referring to?
Capitalism is very much like communism - once there are monopolies and states in play.
Oh, fair point
A lot has truly change, for good these changes are made to appear but some times, if not most the reverse is the case. Most delivery services are not satisfactory. They don't care about feedbacks either. Few weeks ago, I just had to cancel a delivery and get it from an on-site store due to the incumbrances related with it. Moving forward, will things get better or we just have to get along with this global apoptotic decline? 🤔
more decline I believe. People no longer care about the job they do, so the corporations no longer care about the service they deliver.
Haha between 8 and 12, between 12 and 6. Man... I remember having to deal with that crap when I was in the States. Japan has ruined me. Here every service I've ever dealt with tells you down to the half hour when they will arrive. Service is taken really seriously here. (On the flip side, if the employees are even slightly late, they get hell from their bosses and may have to deal with it for awhile. So there is a lot of workplace stress on the flip side of the excellent customer service)
It used to be much better here. Trains and buses on time to the minute - not unlike Japan, though not quite as tight. Japan is fantastic when it comes to organization of people and I think it is culturally strengthened. The Shibuya crossing at rush-hour is a good example - that is crazy and no one bumps into anyone :D
I had the same issue with a package getting delivered recently, I got a mail telling me I needed to pick it up, and getting there I couldn't find it, the person in charge even made me search for my item while sitting and pressing his phone.
In the end, I didn't get my package, and getting to their customer care was impossible.
I can not even do anything about it so I am waiting and hoping it comes. It is really crazy.
lols. I don't think that would happen here - though never know!
Hope it comes and if it does, I hope it is worth it.
I hope it comes too because it is a very important vitamin.
Hopefully it comes then.
Hope Smallsteps gets better soon, it sad how things have turned out due to the pandemic and it doesn’t look like it will change soon, I guess they are just trying to be extra careful
Careful has very little to do with it. It is more a "crime of opportuity"
Because of commuting, I save two hours when I work from home. This is one of the positive side of remote working.
If I have a problem with the product I bought online, I write this on a complaint web-site about firms as well as social medias. They will call you back in a few hours, if the company is a real corporate.
I also had runny nose till last week, which lasted about 10 days. However, I didn't have the coronavirus symptoms and stayed at home. I think it was due to swift-changing weather.
Get her well soon.
These ones are super lazy....
It is autumn here. Cold and damp - runny noses are common all the time for people. Same in the spring with pollen and allergies - yet, go get tested....
We hope that little pne's health will soon return and some lovely photos here.
Since Covid prices for goods and food has risen drastically (as they have to recover their losses you know) but life goes on.
As far as listening to government goes, the sites where complaints are listed are always very active.
While they simultaneously make record profits :D
Listed, but no one is listening in most cases. Often, there is no way to actually register a complaint.
Oh yeah, the most important thing is the shareholders.
In your case maybe, but here anyone can easily register a complaint and companies fear complaints as it is not only bad for business, but it acts similar to blacklists.
Here in Nigeria, people are skeptical of going to the hospital to get treatment due to the excessive procedure and caution to be sure it's not COVID. A runny nose that shouldn't take 20 minutes to get your drugs prescription will take over an hour due to conducting COVID test and keeping you away from people until the test results are out.
Someday, we will pass this phase...
I am not sure how fast we will pass this phase, as while the Covid stuff will end eventually, the "new measures" put into place aren't likely to. We have taken large steps backwards.
Tell me you are in same life-time without telling me you are same life-time age :) I will go second -
_ I had to replace a dryer that was 13 yrs old, purchased by the previous owner, which was very expensive and the delivery was not smooth
_ I had to keep the little kid home coz he has runny nose for the third time in the last two months
_ working from home
:) I am surprised how similar the lifestyle is for working parents with lil kids at home all over the world. I cannot comprehend how unidimensional my daily life has been after the pandemic. Grinding along.
Only our mother can tell us apart :D
It is definitely a grind at the moment and I think many (including me a bit) are struggling in various ways.
lol tell me about it. We will ask @galenkp 😇 if he can differentiate. I hope i can develop a mental strength to go through if something like this happens again.
@galenkp is clueless...Can barely tie his own shoe laces.
Some lithuanians also think that no matter what our government is not strict enough... that is just sad.
Yeah it is. Perhaps they forget what real restriction is like - but it looks like we are all soon going to get a lesson in it.
Well done boss @tarazkp
with?
I rarely get things delivered and perhaps in America I am trained by history and experience to not be as submissive to the government. But I completely understand the need to receive what you ask for. Although I find feedback rarely helps, unless it is a large group of organized demanding change.
The US is polarized at the moment, with each side thinking they are rebelling against the Man, whilst both sides are doing exactly what is expected of them - it is werid and it is spreading globally.
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You have got to be kidding me?! Ikea left the cabinets on the porch? IN the rain? I can tell you, I would have been on the phone to Ikea here and they would have sent me new cabinets. Period. There wouldn't have been a question.
Does that sound too bitchy?
I paid for a service. They did not provide it or a refund. What is wrong with the way they are doing business. They would be out of business here. The things that you are giving examples of are heinous. Not that they are unlivable, but, they are not fair. Just like SmallSteps and school. Snotty noses stay home. Boom. End of subject. Then we can nip that in the bud, otherwise, it will keep circling the globe.
I hope things improve.
As an aside, I love, love, love that shot!! I hope you framed it!