Wednesday, February 21, 2007

Grumbling from Tiny House

I read a Blog discussing the vanishing price tags in stores. It is expensive to tag each item so stores rarely do it any longer, relying on shelf tags or store scanners. This would be great if the scanners all worked and gave the correct information or the shelf tag is actually there and actually correct. Wal-Mart and AutoZone here in Phoenix were cited for giving the customers the old “carnival count” when it came to charging them at the register and ringing up a higher price then what was on the shelf tag. It is also exceedingly frustrating when unable to find out how much an item costs before buying it, the scanners are few and far between (when they work) and the shelf tags may or may not have anything to do with the item on the shelf. One suggestion was to carry a Sharpie and write the price, if you can find it, on the item and then watch the cashier like a hawk.

“No Child Left Behind” is a load of crap. Aside from the burden of testing, extra training, certification, and managing overcrowded classrooms falling on squarely on the shoulders of already overworked educators, the Special Needs kids are muscling the Typicals out of the classroom. While I agree all kids should get an even shake, when resources are scarce, i.e. classrooms and trained teachers, it should strictly be first come first serve. The hurdles placed before teachers to teach special needs are also exceedingly difficult to surmount. The state keeps upping the ante – soon qualified teachers will move on and the situation will become even more critical.

Nanuk has come up with a great plan for protecting the environment while keeping himself awash in booze. I left a tongue in cheek response regarding the disposal of tires and spent motor oil. Despite my callous attitude, I believe he has a good point and realize he has a vested interest. His world is literally changing before his eyes. It is worrisome to hear some of the effects of Global Warming first hand. His item was well written and very humorous. I have been even thinking of changing over from charcoal, which I love cooking over, to propane to help lower my carbon footprint and am using compact fluorescent bulbs instead of incandescent in most parts of the house. I am still thinking about disposing of that motor oil in my neighbor’s garden, but just because I don’t like him vice an act of eco-terrorism.

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10 Comments:

At 1:31 AM, Blogger Kirsten N. Namskau said...

To me it seems that more and more, things go by luck.
Education and schooling is nothing anymore compare to what it was 50 years ago. It has become a hobby-school, with hobby-syllabus and hobby-teachers.

And what the scientists call progress, is destroying the world ... We could very well have been without this "progress"

 
At 3:43 AM, Blogger Little Lamb said...

It was so much easier in days gone by when everything was individually priced.

I totally agree No child left behind is a load of crap. Why go to school then?

 
At 4:16 AM, Blogger jin said...

Even if you remember how many $$$ your item was supposed to be...try and tell the snot-nosed pre-pubescent pizza faced checkout kid!!! Like they give a shit! I can be a bitch when it comes to mispriced items. I'll do one of 2 things:
1. Hold up the entire line & insist they come with me to see the shelf price
or
2. Leave the item & not buy it

The problem with each of my solutions is clear:
A waste of my time.
1. I have to walk 2 miles through the store to show them the price
or
2. I have to go to another store to buy the item if I really really need it.

Either way, the winner is ultimately the billion dollar chain store. :-P
Bastards!

 
At 1:03 PM, Blogger Sarah Letnes said...

Don't dump the oil! I have an elaborate plan for neighborhood revenge, involving recycled toilet paper, organic eggs and a dog that poops on command.

 
At 1:42 PM, Blogger Dino said...

hate the price tag thing but honestly I rarely pay enough attention to it so I wouldn't know if they rip me off. As for the school thing I am with you its idiotic. I am seriously thinking about homeschooling if I am ever lucky enought to have kids

 
At 2:44 PM, Blogger Dan said...

If we keep ourselves awash in booze we wouldn't care that they overcharge us at Walmart or that kids are being left behind! :)

 
At 3:19 PM, Blogger The Phosgene Kid said...

Kirsten: I don’t think kids are what they used to be – maybe too spoiled?

LL: You didn’t have to feel embarrassed holding up the line while the checker tried to get a hold of someone in the department where you picked the item up to find out how much it is. I think if it isn’t marked it should be the shopper’s right to offer a fair price and the store has to sell the item for that price.

Jin: I say grab it and run.

SL: Good plan. I ma just returning the oil to its natural home in the ground, though.

DAK: I am guilty as well, if I need an item I toss it into the cart and that is the last time I think about it until I toss it in the pantry. Hmmm… “Lucky” and “kids” in the same sentence, interesting!!

Dan: Excellent point!

 
At 7:41 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

give
the salaries
to the schools

take the politicans to wal-mart and leave them behind

/t.

 
At 5:31 AM, Blogger nanuk said...

The lack of price tags is another one of my (many) hot button items. What I do is take a full shopping cart of unpriced articles up to the express check-out, and have them price checked on at a time. I never buy them, I just roll my eyes each time the scan shows the price and ask the cashier if they are sure it's the right price.

BTW, in Quebec if there is a discrepancy between ticket/shelf price and scanned price, the consumer gets the item for free if it is under $10, and $10 off if it is over. This is in reaction to a government study which found and average discrepancy on a cartload of items of over 2%, almost always in the retailer's favour.

 
At 12:12 PM, Blogger The Phosgene Kid said...

/t.:I think you are on to something. Wal-Mart is so full of crap who'd notice a bit more...

nanuk: As soon as Global Warming really kicks in and it warms up by you I'm moving to Quebec. Finally, a government that cares about the regular pogues

 

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