To our American friends. Enjoy the day. Enjoy your families. Enjoy the
feast.


And thanks for the Black Friday sales. Canadian merchants have finally
realized how much business they are losing to cross border shoppers
taking advantage of the sales. As a result there are lots of big sales
planned here for tomorrow and Saturday. We can save the time and hassle
of crossing the border and being stuck in huge lines there and at
American stores and by the stuff here.

Happy Thanksgiving to you too, Dave!

Not sure where in Canada you live? I have a dear friend in Smithers, but
I have never been to Canada, and sure would like to someday.

I never go to the "Black Friday sales"...just never interested in
getting up that early to go stand in line. I do love the day-after
Christmas sales though.

Judy

On 11/22/2012 11:52 AM, Dave Smith wrote:
> To our American friends. Enjoy the day. Enjoy your families. Enjoy the
> feast.
>
Thank you!
>
> And thanks for the Black Friday sales. Canadian merchants have finally
> realized how much business they are losing to cross border shoppers
> taking advantage of the sales. As a result there are lots of big sales
> planned here for tomorrow and Saturday. We can save the time and hassle
> of crossing the border and being stuck in huge lines there and at
> American stores and by the stuff here.

Good for the merchants in Canada! They caught on

Well before today (and before this year) merchants started touting Black
Friday sales. Stores open at midnight! Oh fer cryin' out loud. Unless
you work the night shift who the heck is shopping [for Christmas gifts]
at midnight? Who is standing in line waiting for a store to open?
Gotta have that particular toy. They might run out!

I feel sorry for the employees. I know when I worked in retail
(granted, years ago) we didn't suddenly have to work until or after
midnight because of the holidays. In fact, the stores closed at 6PM on
Thanksgiving and Christmas (if they were open at all). People seemed to
manage just fine without those ridiculous shopping hours.

Jill

On 11/22/2012 12:11 PM, Judy Haffner wrote:
>
> Happy Thanksgiving to you too, Dave!
>
> Not sure where in Canada you live? I have a dear friend in Smithers, but
> I have never been to Canada, and sure would like to someday.
>
> I never go to the "Black Friday sales"...just never interested in
> getting up that early to go stand in line. I do love the day-after
> Christmas sales though.
>
> Judy
>
When I worked retail (years ago) we *hated* "Black Friday". There
weren't the extended hours there are now, but the hordes decended
thinking they *had* to shop the day after Thanksgiving.

The day after Christmas was worse. People returning things, and of
course they had no receipts because they were gifts. It was a nightmare.

I never shop on either of those days.

Jill

On 22/11/2012 12:33 PM, jmcquown wrote:
> On 11/22/2012 11:52 AM, Dave Smith wrote:
>> To our American friends. Enjoy the day. Enjoy your families. Enjoy the
>> feast.
>>
> Thank you!
>>
>> And thanks for the Black Friday sales. Canadian merchants have finally
>> realized how much business they are losing to cross border shoppers
>> taking advantage of the sales. As a result there are lots of big sales
>> planned here for tomorrow and Saturday. We can save the time and hassle
>> of crossing the border and being stuck in huge lines there and at
>> American stores and by the stuff here.
>
> Good for the merchants in Canada! They caught on
>
> Well before today (and before this year) merchants started touting Black
> Friday sales. Stores open at midnight! Oh fer cryin' out loud. Unless
> you work the night shift who the heck is shopping [for Christmas gifts]
> at midnight? Who is standing in line waiting for a store to open? Gotta
> have that particular toy. They might run out!
>
> I feel sorry for the employees. I know when I worked in retail
> (granted, years ago) we didn't suddenly have to work until or after
> midnight because of the holidays. In fact, the stores closed at 6PM on
> Thanksgiving and Christmas (if they were open at all). People seemed to
> manage just fine without those ridiculous shopping hours.
>



A appreciate that they smartened up and found a way to compete with the
cut throat competition on the other side of the border. At least, part
of me appreciates it. The other part of me resents retailers changing
out attitudes about special holidays to special sales dates.

Our family Christmas dinners were hampered by retail when my brother
married a woman who managed a women's clothing. They lived about three
hours away and in a snow belt, so it was usually a difficult trek for
them to come down but they would come down and spent a night or two at
my parents' place Then stores started staying open later on Christmas
Eve and opening Boxing Day. To make matters worse... .the Boxing Day
sales. It just got to be too much for them to come down for one day, 6
hours of driving, and on a day when the gads stations are all closed.

It is the retail workers who suffer. Everyone else gets the day off, but
the people in one of the lowest paid sectors of the work force end up
having to work and don't get to enjoy the holiday.

On Thu, 22 Nov 2012 13:48:43 -0500, Dave Smith
> wrote:

> It is the retail workers who suffer. Everyone else gets the day off, but
> the people in one of the lowest paid sectors of the work force end up
> having to work and don't get to enjoy the holiday.
>
You haven't gotten with the program yet? They are takers who serve no
purpose in life.

--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

On Thu, 22 Nov 2012 20:21:15 -0700, Christine Dabney
> wrote:

> On Thu, 22 Nov 2012 19:13:25 -0800, sf > wrote:
>
> >On Thu, 22 Nov 2012 13:48:43 -0500, Dave Smith
> > wrote:
> >
> >> It is the retail workers who suffer. Everyone else gets the day off, but
> >> the people in one of the lowest paid sectors of the work force end up
> >> having to work and don't get to enjoy the holiday.
> >>
> >You haven't gotten with the program yet? They are takers who serve no
> >purpose in life.
>
> Hell, I have worked more holidays than not, during my lifetime. Ask
> a nurse what is like to work holidays. Not only holidays..but off
> shifts too.
>
> It is such a treat to have a holiday off....people shouldn't take it
> for granted.
>
I know. I was very happy working in the "hospitality" industry
(hotel) but it was a shock to my system to live with the reality of a
24/7/365 business when I started. At least I didn't have to work the
11PM-7AM shift, but I worked the other two.


--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

On 22/11/2012 10:21 PM, Christine Dabney wrote:

>> You haven't gotten with the program yet? They are takers who serve no
>> purpose in life.
>
> Hell, I have worked more holidays than not, during my lifetime. Ask
> a nurse what is like to work holidays. Not only holidays..but off
> shifts too.

The difference is nursing pays better and it is an essential service.
Some people need 24/7 care. There is no good reason to have big sales on
holidays.

On 11/22/2012 1:48 PM, Dave Smith wrote:
> On 22/11/2012 12:33 PM, jmcquown wrote:
>> On 11/22/2012 11:52 AM, Dave Smith wrote:
>>> To our American friends. Enjoy the day. Enjoy your families. Enjoy the
>>> feast.
>>>
>> Thank you!
>>>
>>> And thanks for the Black Friday sales. Canadian merchants have finally
>>> realized how much business they are losing to cross border shoppers
>>> taking advantage of the sales. As a result there are lots of big sales
>>> planned here for tomorrow and Saturday. We can save the time and hassle
>>> of crossing the border and being stuck in huge lines there and at
>>> American stores and by the stuff here.
>>
>> I feel sorry for the employees. I know when I worked in retail
>> (granted, years ago) we didn't suddenly have to work until or after
>> midnight because of the holidays. In fact, the stores closed at 6PM on
>> Thanksgiving and Christmas (if they were open at all). People seemed to
>> manage just fine without those ridiculous shopping hours.
>>
>
> It is the retail workers who suffer. Everyone else gets the day off, but
> the people in one of the lowest paid sectors of the work force end up
> having to work and don't get to enjoy the holiday.
>
Thursday is a normal garbage/trash pickup day here. Every year Republic
Waste would pick up despite Thanksgiving always falling on a Thursday.
This year we were notified no trash pickup due to Thanksgiving. I
thought, "Good!" and didn't put the bin by the curb. Corporate
apparently forgot to tell the guys who actually drive the truck and
empty the bins! Around 9:30 yesterday morning I heard the truck. I ran
to the end of the driveway to try to flag them down. They didn't see
me, couldn't hear me. I looked up and down the street; no one else had
set their bins out, either. So these poor guys were driving around for
no friggin reason when they could have been at home. (I hope they'll at
least get paid. I imagine they have to punch a time-clock; I hate
time-clocks but in this instance it's a benefit.)

Jill

"Dave Smith" > wrote in message
...
> To our American friends. Enjoy the day. Enjoy your families. Enjoy the
> feast.


Goobler is on the loose!
http://www.theonion.com/video/5hour-...ef=recirc_auto

"Dave Smith" > wrote in message
...

> The difference is nursing pays better and it is an essential service. Some
> people need 24/7 care. There is no good reason to have big sales on
> holidays.

Truly.

Cheri

On 11/23/2012 8:13 AM, Cheri wrote:
> "Dave Smith" > wrote in message
> ...
>
>> The difference is nursing pays better and it is an essential service. Some
>> people need 24/7 care. There is no good reason to have big sales on
>> holidays.


Many years ago I was a manager at a big-box store. On Black Friday at
6:30 AM, all the store employees were invited to a free breakfast served
by the management team. We had a great time.. and counted down to the
opening at 8 AM. We did a countdown, told funny stories, gave out funny
"awards" and when the doors opened, we were ready for business.

Every Saturday between Thanksgiving and Christmas we had a Pre-opening
breakfast. One week it was for kids.. "Breakfast with Santa"... another
it was for people in the local nursing homes... we fed them at 6 AM and
let them shop at 7 AM for an hour before the store opened. We picked
one night in December for "Employee Shopping Night". The store closed
at 9:30 but we kept it open until Midnight just for employees...
management manned the cash registers.

Too many years ago... when companies were run by people instead of
accounting software and bean counters.

George L

On Fri, 23 Nov 2012 08:30:41 -0600, George Leppla
> wrote:

> On 11/23/2012 8:13 AM, Cheri wrote:
> > "Dave Smith" > wrote in message
> > ...
> >
> >> The difference is nursing pays better and it is an essential service. Some
> >> people need 24/7 care. There is no good reason to have big sales on
> >> holidays.
>
>
> Many years ago I was a manager at a big-box store. On Black Friday at
> 6:30 AM, all the store employees were invited to a free breakfast served
> by the management team. We had a great time.. and counted down to the
> opening at 8 AM. We did a countdown, told funny stories, gave out funny
> "awards" and when the doors opened, we were ready for business.
>
> Every Saturday between Thanksgiving and Christmas we had a Pre-opening
> breakfast. One week it was for kids.. "Breakfast with Santa"... another
> it was for people in the local nursing homes... we fed them at 6 AM and
> let them shop at 7 AM for an hour before the store opened. We picked
> one night in December for "Employee Shopping Night". The store closed
> at 9:30 but we kept it open until Midnight just for employees...
> management manned the cash registers.
>
> Too many years ago... when companies were run by people instead of
> accounting software and bean counters.
>

So true! I worked for an expensive retailer back in the day. They
gave their merchandise to charity after it had been through all the
markdowns and sales - but before it went, they put it up on the 8th
floor for an employee's only sale at a fraction of the lowest sale
price. It was a very nice perk, but it only happened once a year.

--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

On Fri, 23 Nov 2012 08:29:34 -0500, Dave Smith
> wrote:

> On 22/11/2012 10:21 PM, Christine Dabney wrote:
>
> >> You haven't gotten with the program yet? They are takers who serve no
> >> purpose in life.
> >
> > Hell, I have worked more holidays than not, during my lifetime. Ask
> > a nurse what is like to work holidays. Not only holidays..but off
> > shifts too.
>
> The difference is nursing pays better and it is an essential service.
> Some people need 24/7 care. There is no good reason to have big sales on
> holidays.
>
Nurses may start off at a monetary level higher than Joe Schmoe over
in the shoe department; but it's beginning salary for a college
graduate with a post grad degree and they don't get rich doing what
they do.

--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

sf wrote:
>
> So true! I worked for an expensive retailer back in the day. They
> gave their merchandise to charity after it had been through all the
> markdowns and sales - but before it went, they put it up on the 8th
> floor for an employee's only sale at a fraction of the lowest sale
> price. It was a very nice perk, but it only happened once a year.

I worked at a furniture store during my 1st year of college. We could buy
any furniture there for cost + 10%. Retail prices were usually 100% markup.
I didn't need furniture then but I got my parents some good deals.

Gary

On Fri, 23 Nov 2012 12:07:24 -0500, Gary > wrote:

> sf wrote:
> >
> > So true! I worked for an expensive retailer back in the day. They
> > gave their merchandise to charity after it had been through all the
> > markdowns and sales - but before it went, they put it up on the 8th
> > floor for an employee's only sale at a fraction of the lowest sale
> > price. It was a very nice perk, but it only happened once a year.
>
> I worked at a furniture store during my 1st year of college. We could buy
> any furniture there for cost + 10%. Retail prices were usually 100% markup.
> I didn't need furniture then but I got my parents some good deals.
>
Your parents must have loved your job! I know I would have if one of
my kids had a job like that when they were in school. One of DD's
jobs was a 9-West (a shoe store), so I took advantage of their family
discounts from time to time. That was nice.

--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

On 23/11/2012 3:27 PM, Christine Dabney wrote:

>>> The difference is nursing pays better and it is an essential service.
>>> Some people need 24/7 care. There is no good reason to have big sales on
>>> holidays.
>>>
>> Nurses may start off at a monetary level higher than Joe Schmoe over
>> in the shoe department; but it's beginning salary for a college
>> graduate with a post grad degree and they don't get rich doing what
>> they do.
>
> And for what we do, we don't get paid nearly enough. Other people's
> lives are in our hands..literally.
>

I don't know how much you get paid. It changes from one area to another.
Around here nurses are quite well paid, and I know several Canadian
trained nurses who are working in the US and making good money. FWIW, I
have a SiL who is a psychiatric nurse and I am under the impression that
her annual salary is in the $70-80,000 range.

On Nov 23, 3:04*pm, Dave Smith > wrote:
> On 23/11/2012 3:27 PM, Christine Dabney wrote:
>
> >>> The difference is nursing pays better and it is an essential service.
> >>> Some people need 24/7 care. There is no good reason to have big sales on
> >>> holidays.
>
> >> Nurses may start off at a monetary level higher than Joe Schmoe over
> >> in the shoe department; but it's beginning salary for a college
> >> graduate with a post grad degree and they don't get rich doing what
> >> they do.
>
> > And for what we do, we don't get paid nearly enough. *Other people's
> > lives are in our hands..literally.
>
> I don't know how much you get paid. It changes from one area to another.
> Around here nurses are quite well paid, and I know several Canadian
> trained nurses who are working in the US and making good *money. FWIW, I
> have a SiL who is a psychiatric nurse and I am under the impression that
> her annual salary is in the $70-80,000 range.

Problem is...people don't live within their means so the feel like
they should be paid more and more and more.....I live quite well on
$10K a year.

On Fri, 23 Nov 2012 18:04:54 -0500, Dave Smith
> wrote:

> On 23/11/2012 3:27 PM, Christine Dabney wrote:
>
> >>> The difference is nursing pays better and it is an essential service.
> >>> Some people need 24/7 care. There is no good reason to have big sales on
> >>> holidays.
> >>>
> >> Nurses may start off at a monetary level higher than Joe Schmoe over
> >> in the shoe department; but it's beginning salary for a college
> >> graduate with a post grad degree and they don't get rich doing what
> >> they do.
> >
> > And for what we do, we don't get paid nearly enough. Other people's
> > lives are in our hands..literally.
> >
>
> I don't know how much you get paid. It changes from one area to another.
> Around here nurses are quite well paid, and I know several Canadian
> trained nurses who are working in the US and making good money. FWIW, I
> have a SiL who is a psychiatric nurse and I am under the impression that
> her annual salary is in the $70-80,000 range.

Why is that supposed to be considered a windfall if she has years of
experience? That's what pushers with similar qualifications at the
supervisory level make (RNs are supervisors too) and you're begrudging
that salary to her? Why, because she's female?

--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

On Fri, 23 Nov 2012 18:04:54 -0500, Dave Smith
> wrote:

>On 23/11/2012 3:27 PM, Christine Dabney wrote:
>
>>>> The difference is nursing pays better and it is an essential service.
>>>> Some people need 24/7 care. There is no good reason to have big sales on
>>>> holidays.
>>>>
>>> Nurses may start off at a monetary level higher than Joe Schmoe over
>>> in the shoe department; but it's beginning salary for a college
>>> graduate with a post grad degree and they don't get rich doing what
>>> they do.
>>
>> And for what we do, we don't get paid nearly enough. Other people's
>> lives are in our hands..literally.
>>
>
>I don't know how much you get paid. It changes from one area to another.
>Around here nurses are quite well paid, and I know several Canadian
>trained nurses who are working in the US and making good money. FWIW, I
>have a SiL who is a psychiatric nurse and I am under the impression that
>her annual salary is in the $70-80,000 range.

That's pretty good- about what my wife was making in Psych at a local
private hospital. She did 30 years for the state for a whole lot
less before that. [I think the salary topped out at $45K-- OTOH, the
pension ain't bad] Because the management of the hospital was so
unbearable she left there and became a Visiting Community Mental
Health Nurse. It paid less than the even the state did, and was
harder work than being on a unit-- but she loved it.

She's sick now but might be able to work again someday and she hopes
to get back to that job.

That's the problem with the profession. Most of the folks in it would
rather work for the patients than the big bucks. The greedy ones
come and go or become [lousy] management.

Jim
[the son, brother, and husband of nurses]

On 23/11/2012 6:21 PM, sf wrote:

>>>
>>> And for what we do, we don't get paid nearly enough. Other people's
>>> lives are in our hands..literally.
>>>
>>
>> I don't know how much you get paid. It changes from one area to another.
>> Around here nurses are quite well paid, and I know several Canadian
>> trained nurses who are working in the US and making good money. FWIW, I
>> have a SiL who is a psychiatric nurse and I am under the impression that
>> her annual salary is in the $70-80,000 range.
>
> Why is that supposed to be considered a windfall if she has years of
> experience? That's what pushers with similar qualifications at the
> supervisory level make (RNs are supervisors too) and you're begrudging
> that salary to her? Why, because she's female?



Why would you suggest that I said that was a windfall or that I
begrudged her that salary. It is a pretty good wage, As for females.....
it is a hell of a lot more than most female dominated positions. Nursing
is a much better paid job here than it was a few decades ago.

On 23/11/2012 6:14 PM, Chemo wrote:
ives are in our hands..literally.
>>
>> I don't know how much you get paid. It changes from one area to another.
>> Around here nurses are quite well paid, and I know several Canadian
>> trained nurses who are working in the US and making good money. FWIW, I
>> have a SiL who is a psychiatric nurse and I am under the impression that
>> her annual salary is in the $70-80,000 range.
>
> Problem is...people don't live within their means so the feel like
> they should be paid more and more and more.....I live quite well on
> $10K a year.
>


I think that part of that may be the added responsibilities and demands
for higher and higher qualification. Nurses used to go to nursing
school. Then it became a college course, and now most of them go to
university.

The same thing has happened with teachers. When I was young, teachers
went to teacher's college for a year to teach elementary school. Only
high school teachers had to have a university degree. Now elementary
school teachers have to have a university degree. So now they have at
least three years of a more expensive post secondary education. Of
course they should be paid more. They paid the price and did the work
to get the qualifications demanded.

On 23/11/2012 6:52 PM, Christine Dabney wrote:

>> Why is that supposed to be considered a windfall if she has years of
>> experience? That's what pushers with similar qualifications at the
>> supervisory level make (RNs are supervisors too) and you're begrudging
>> that salary to her? Why, because she's female?
>
> Thank you.
> People don't seem to realize that nurses salaries top out fairly
> quickly...and even if a nurse has years and years experience, she/he
> might not get paid nearly as much as folks in other professions that
> don't deal with the health of others. Plus, in various places,
> nurses get paid less than some other menial workers..

I believe that I acknowledged that salaries vary from place to place,
and my point was that, around here, nursing is quite well paid.... much
better than it used to be.

> For our level of training, and the responsibilities we have, nurses
> should be making a lot more. Plus, we get a lot of crap (both
> figuratively and literally) thrown at us.. And the profession is
> brutal on our bodies.

I am not questioning that.

On Fri, 23 Nov 2012 19:04:19 -0500, Dave Smith
> wrote:

> Of
> course they should be paid more. They paid the price and did the work
> to get the qualifications demanded.

Thank you!

--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

On Fri, 23 Nov 2012 16:52:53 -0700, Christine Dabney
> wrote:

> >Why is that supposed to be considered a windfall if she has years of
> >experience? That's what pushers with similar qualifications at the
> >supervisory level make (RNs are supervisors too) and you're begrudging
> >that salary to her? Why, because she's female?
>
> Thank you.

I don't know how the word "pencil" was eliminated in front of
"pushers", but it was. Sorry to have made it sound like I was talking
about well educated drug pushers. :/

--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

On Fri, 23 Nov 2012 19:00:06 -0500, Dave Smith
> wrote:

> On 23/11/2012 6:21 PM, sf wrote:
>
> >>>
> >>> And for what we do, we don't get paid nearly enough. Other people's
> >>> lives are in our hands..literally.
> >>>
> >>
> >> I don't know how much you get paid. It changes from one area to another.
> >> Around here nurses are quite well paid, and I know several Canadian
> >> trained nurses who are working in the US and making good money. FWIW, I
> >> have a SiL who is a psychiatric nurse and I am under the impression that
> >> her annual salary is in the $70-80,000 range.
> >
> > Why is that supposed to be considered a windfall if she has years of
> > experience? That's what pushers with similar qualifications at the
> > supervisory level make (RNs are supervisors too) and you're begrudging
> > that salary to her? Why, because she's female?
>
>
>
> Why would you suggest that I said that was a windfall or that I
> begrudged her that salary. It is a pretty good wage, As for females.....
> it is a hell of a lot more than most female dominated positions. Nursing
> is a much better paid job here than it was a few decades ago.

I read it the wrong way and took it that you were disparaging her,
sorry. It wasn't for lack of rereading - because I know what your
wife did for a living and I couldn't believe you were saying that.

--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

sf > wrote:

>On Fri, 23 Nov 2012 18:04:54 -0500, Dave Smith

>> I don't know how much you get paid. It changes from one area to another.
>> Around here nurses are quite well paid, and I know several Canadian
>> trained nurses who are working in the US and making good money. FWIW, I
>> have a SiL who is a psychiatric nurse and I am under the impression that
>> her annual salary is in the $70-80,000 range.

>Why is that supposed to be considered a windfall if she has years of
>experience? That's what pushers with similar qualifications at the
>supervisory level make (RNs are supervisors too) and you're begrudging
>that salary to her? Why, because she's female?

David said "well paid" not "windfall".

Median household income in the U.S. is still around $51K.

Steve

sf > wrote:

>> >Why is that supposed to be considered a windfall if she has years of
>> >experience? That's what pushers with similar qualifications at the
>> >supervisory level make (RNs are supervisors too) and you're begrudging
>> >that salary to her? Why, because she's female?

>I don't know how the word "pencil" was eliminated in front of
>"pushers", but it was. Sorry to have made it sound like I was talking
>about well educated drug pushers. :/

Yeah, I thought perhaps you meant script doctors. They actually pull in
a lot more than that.


Steve

On Fri, 23 Nov 2012 08:42:26 -0500, jmcquown >
wrote:

>On 11/22/2012 1:48 PM, Dave Smith wrote:
>> On 22/11/2012 12:33 PM, jmcquown wrote:
>>> On 11/22/2012 11:52 AM, Dave Smith wrote:
>>>> To our American friends. Enjoy the day. Enjoy your families. Enjoy the
>>>> feast.
>>>>
>>> Thank you!
>>>>
>>>> And thanks for the Black Friday sales. Canadian merchants have finally
>>>> realized how much business they are losing to cross border shoppers
>>>> taking advantage of the sales. As a result there are lots of big sales
>>>> planned here for tomorrow and Saturday. We can save the time and hassle
>>>> of crossing the border and being stuck in huge lines there and at
>>>> American stores and by the stuff here.
>>>
>>> I feel sorry for the employees. I know when I worked in retail
>>> (granted, years ago) we didn't suddenly have to work until or after
>>> midnight because of the holidays. In fact, the stores closed at 6PM on
>>> Thanksgiving and Christmas (if they were open at all). People seemed to
>>> manage just fine without those ridiculous shopping hours.
>>>
>>
>> It is the retail workers who suffer. Everyone else gets the day off, but
>> the people in one of the lowest paid sectors of the work force end up
>> having to work and don't get to enjoy the holiday.
>>
>Thursday is a normal garbage/trash pickup day here. Every year Republic
>Waste would pick up despite Thanksgiving always falling on a Thursday.
>This year we were notified no trash pickup due to Thanksgiving. I
>thought, "Good!" and didn't put the bin by the curb. Corporate
>apparently forgot to tell the guys who actually drive the truck and
>empty the bins! Around 9:30 yesterday morning I heard the truck. I ran
>to the end of the driveway to try to flag them down. They didn't see
>me, couldn't hear me. I looked up and down the street; no one else had
>set their bins out, either. So these poor guys were driving around for
>no friggin reason when they could have been at home. (I hope they'll at
>least get paid. I imagine they have to punch a time-clock; I hate
>time-clocks but in this instance it's a benefit.)
>
>Jill

I have private sanitation. They don't pick up on holidays when it
falls on my pick up day. Instead they phone a few days before to wish
a happy holiday and informing to place the trash out on the next day.
I prefer they pick up the day after a holiday, there is always more
trash after a holiday.

On Sat, 24 Nov 2012 01:52:47 +0000 (UTC),
(Steve Pope) wrote:

> sf > wrote:
>
> >> >Why is that supposed to be considered a windfall if she has years of
> >> >experience? That's what pushers with similar qualifications at the
> >> >supervisory level make (RNs are supervisors too) and you're begrudging
> >> >that salary to her? Why, because she's female?
>
> >I don't know how the word "pencil" was eliminated in front of
> >"pushers", but it was. Sorry to have made it sound like I was talking
> >about well educated drug pushers. :/
>
> Yeah, I thought perhaps you meant script doctors. They actually pull in
> a lot more than that.
>
>
Thanks, Steve... but pencil pushers are office workers in my
vernacular. Leaving that word out (poor editing) was big faux pas on
my part, because even *I* had a hard time understanding what I was
trying to say.

That's why I felt like I needed to post a correction.

--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

On Sat, 24 Nov 2012 01:50:17 +0000 (UTC),
(Steve Pope) wrote:

> sf > wrote:
>
> >On Fri, 23 Nov 2012 18:04:54 -0500, Dave Smith
>
> >> I don't know how much you get paid. It changes from one area to another.
> >> Around here nurses are quite well paid, and I know several Canadian
> >> trained nurses who are working in the US and making good money. FWIW, I
> >> have a SiL who is a psychiatric nurse and I am under the impression that
> >> her annual salary is in the $70-80,000 range.
>
> >Why is that supposed to be considered a windfall if she has years of
> >experience? That's what pushers with similar qualifications at the
> >supervisory level make (RNs are supervisors too) and you're begrudging
> >that salary to her? Why, because she's female?
>
> David said "well paid" not "windfall".

I was exaggerating for the purpose of making my point.
>
> Median household income in the U.S. is still around $51K.
>
I will grant you that and those below the median don't meet the
standards needed to be a nurse. I was saying that the qualifications
to be a nurse are above the median; so therefore the salary they
command should be above the median too.

--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

On 11/23/2012 6:37 PM, Jim Elbrecht wrote:

> That's pretty good- about what my wife was making in Psych at a local
> private hospital. She did 30 years for the state for a whole lot
> less before that. [I think the salary topped out at $45K-- OTOH, the
> pension ain't bad] Because the management of the hospital was so
> unbearable she left there and became a Visiting Community Mental
> Health Nurse. It paid less than the even the state did, and was
> harder work than being on a unit-- but she loved it.
>
> She's sick now but might be able to work again someday and she hopes
> to get back to that job.
>
I hope it isn't serious. You and your wife have my prayers for healing.

> That's the problem with the profession. Most of the folks in it would
> rather work for the patients than the big bucks. The greedy ones
> come and go or become [lousy] management.
>
> Jim
> [the son, brother, and husband of nurses]

I think the term "angel of mercy" which is often used with respect to
nurses, it needs to be stronger. Bless them.

Dave Smith > wrote:

>On 22/11/2012 10:21 PM, Christine Dabney wrote:
>
>>> You haven't gotten with the program yet? They are takers who serve no
>>> purpose in life.
>>
>> Hell, I have worked more holidays than not, during my lifetime. Ask
>> a nurse what is like to work holidays. Not only holidays..but off
>> shifts too.
>
>The difference is nursing pays better and it is an essential service.
>Some people need 24/7 care. There is no good reason to have big sales on
>holidays.

The purpose of holiday sales, Christmas gift-giving, etc. is to
guilt people into purchases they otherwise wouldn't make.

Is this bad? Probably not. It's these suckers who keep the
economy going.


Steve

On Sun, 25 Nov 2012 03:01:30 +0000 (UTC),
(Steve Pope) wrote:

> The purpose of holiday sales, Christmas gift-giving, etc. is to
> guilt people into purchases they otherwise wouldn't make.
>
> Is this bad? Probably not. It's these suckers who keep the
> economy going.

Is that really such a bad thing? Without the end consumer, many of us
wouldn't have jobs.

--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

On 11/24/2012 9:01 PM, Steve Pope wrote:
> The purpose of holiday sales, Christmas gift-giving, etc. is to
> guilt people into purchases they otherwise wouldn't make.
>
> Is this bad? Probably not. It's these suckers who keep the
> economy going.


I sometimes delay purchases until the holiday sales. We wanted a new TV
for the bedroom but waited until Friday. Ordered a 39" RCA online from
Walmart for $250 with "free" delivery". Up until then, the least
expensive set in that size was $328.

I bought a new printer a few months ago for $119.99, not a purchase I
could defer to a later date. Same printer is on sale now for $99.99
Twenty bucks isn't going to break me, but it is a good example of how
taking advantage of sales can save you some money.

George L

On Sun, 25 Nov 2012 00:12:15 -0800, sf > wrote:

>On Sun, 25 Nov 2012 03:01:30 +0000 (UTC),
>(Steve Pope) wrote:
>
>> The purpose of holiday sales, Christmas gift-giving, etc. is to
>> guilt people into purchases they otherwise wouldn't make.
>>
>> Is this bad? Probably not. It's these suckers who keep the
>> economy going.
>
>Is that really such a bad thing? Without the end consumer, many of us
>wouldn't have jobs.

The presentation, variety, and price are such at holiday season, that
a lot of the purchases are personal rather than gift.
Janet US

On 24/11/2012 10:01 PM, Steve Pope wrote:

>> The difference is nursing pays better and it is an essential service.
>> Some people need 24/7 care. There is no good reason to have big sales on
>> holidays.
>
> The purpose of holiday sales, Christmas gift-giving, etc. is to
> guilt people into purchases they otherwise wouldn't make.
>
> Is this bad? Probably not. It's these suckers who keep the
> economy going.


I thought it was more about dumping their excess inventory. Stores
always get lots of extra stuff in for Christmas. Stock rooms that
usually have only enough to replenish stock at a regular turnover rate,
but in the weeks leading up to Christmas they stockrooms are usually
packed with a lot of extra stuff. Stores do not want to run out of the
hot items. Not only do they miss out on sales, but they get a
reputation for not having the food stuff in stock so people get into the
habit of shopping elsewhere.

Stores usually end up with tons of unsold merchandise....a lot of money
tied up in inventory. It is cheaper and easier for them to dump the stuff.

The problem is that post Christmas sales became such major events that
the competition got stiffer. They started having more and more stuff
just for the sale, and even lower prices. Of course there is always the
disclaimer about limit stock for the really good deals.. so come early.
People started to clue in that they could get what they wanted at the
post Christmas sales, so they stopped shopping before Christmas. Instead
of giving presents, a lot of people started giving cash so that the
recipients could go out to the sales and get what they want themselves.
Pre Christmas sales volume started dropping, so some of the stores
started pushing the pre-Christmas sales.

On 11/23/2012 5:52 PM, Christine Dabney wrote:

> People don't seem to realize that nurses salaries top out fairly
> quickly...and even if a nurse has years and years experience, she/he
> might not get paid nearly as much as folks in other professions that
> don't deal with the health of others. Plus, in various places,
> nurses get paid less than some other menial workers..
>
> For our level of training, and the responsibilities we have, nurses
> should be making a lot more. Plus, we get a lot of crap (both
> figuratively and literally) thrown at us.. And the profession is
> brutal on our bodies.
>
> Christine


My mother begged us not to go to nursing school. Back in her day, they
got paid little to nothing, and doctors wiped their feet on you. Things
have come a long way, but you still have a long way to go.

Becca

On Sun, 25 Nov 2012 07:26:12 -0600, George Leppla
> wrote:



>
>I sometimes delay purchases until the holiday sales. We wanted a new TV
>for the bedroom but waited until Friday. Ordered a 39" RCA online from
>Walmart for $250 with "free" delivery". Up until then, the least
>expensive set in that size was $328.

By Super bowl it will be down to $88. At a glance, it does seem it
was worth waiting for TVs until now over a even a few weeks or so ago.