Photo of the Day

 

 Pretty sure this is a portal to a another dimension 

disguised as a cat excerise wheel.

 

Sit Down - It’s Good for Business

 

 I was shopping at the local Albertson's and asked the cashiers why they have to stand and was told it’s corporate policy. Their expressions revealed the awful effect of this.

 “InAmerica, cashiers stand… due to managerial expectations of customer service and buying into myths about productivity—and customers who have never seen anything else simply accepting it. But in Europe and the U.K., though responsibilities somewhat differ, cashiers are seated, and productivity is often higher. In recent years, U.S. cashiers have filed lawsuits citing age-old “right to sit” laws, with mixed results. But grocery companies continue to fight hard against such regulations, and there’s a lack of union strength to counter it.”

Companies resist any change that might benefit the worker. It reflects an indifference to employees well being and is a low level power move. This is a recipe for worker burnout -remember downsizing from the 80’s? Yeah that worked out. Let’s keep doing the same thing and expect different results. I am appalled at how hard working people are treated like dirt and not just at the grocery store, so I wrote the following letter to Albertson’s about this issue.

 

Ms Susan Morris CEO,

I shop regularly at Albertson’s in Eugene Oregon. I see the cashiers standing and asked why they don’t sit and was told it’s policy. In Europe they can sit. Standing or sitting for prolonged periods is unhealthy. Cashiers have to move around, so rotating between sitting and standing should not be an issue.

Allowing cashiers and other staff to sit for short periods will save money in the long run. Fewer law suits filed over “the right to sit” alone will reduce costs, less turnover of workers who quit because of bad knees, feet and back issues, not to mention lower medical insurance costs. It’s also better PR-how? Fair treatment of workers reduces the demand for unionizing. Sitting for a bit allows better attention to customers. Not to mention the perception of customers who know from their own experience the effect of standing for long hours. That appreciation extends to Albertson’s that appears to care for its workers (unless you think they are disposable and I can shop somewhere else).You once worked at a customer service desk, have a manager work four hour shift and they’ll see how hard it is.

Be bold, try a pilot program here in Eugene to challenge the “it’s always been this way, why change it” policy that is the foundation of American business with no room for innovation that ironically stifles the increase in business the change would produce. I hope you consider this suggestion to improve working conditions, public relations and profitablity.

Regards,

Alisa McLaughlin

Nobody Evers Listens to Alisa McLaughlin

Here is some advice to autistics on how to deal with the world-you normal folks can take it or leave it too.

Lower your expectations, not as in “dumb down” rather, don’t expect things to turn out the way you wanted. Always have a back up plan, consider what could go awry and don’t blame yourself if it doesn’t work. Disappointment is a part of life.

Never accept anything at face value. People promise they are going to (fill in the blank) but often don’t. Most of the time it’s isn’t malicious, they just don’t follow thru for whatever reasons. “I can do that,” “I’ll be there for you,” or the rarely accurate “I’ll be on time.”

Don’t hold a grudge. Canta che ti passa -sing and let it pass, as the Italians say. Holding on to past hurts or mistakes by going over and over them, is a waste of time and energy because chances are the whatever happened is done will never be resolved.

If you really want to prevent grudges-apologize when you realize you have erred or when called on it. The sooner the better and be sincere. We often are unaware or downplay some offense and wonder why someone doesn’t speak to us or acts weird. Too many relationships have failed because of a fault, real or imagined couldn’t be repaired out of pride, ignorance or just plain stubbornness. Lack of communication is a big one.

Apologies are healing and the injured will take comfort from them. We live in an age where they are considered a weakness but it takes courage to admit you screwed up. Be a decent, honest person, own up to a mistake, you will be forgiven. Likewise, accept an apology in kind. If the other person doesn’t accept the apology it’s not your fault either.

Cherish little moments of happiness and precious time with those you love, when someone offers you a gift say thank you, and most of all be kind, it’s worth it.

Your Life is Not an Open Book

We live in a world of information, but do we need to reveal it to everyone? People overshare information or ask far too much like an interrogation. How did this become normal? I can’t help but point the finger at the internet for warping manners with it’s insatiable greed for more data. Most people don’t listen to understand, but to judge-like social media. Why do you give a shit what a total stranger thinks of you and vise versa? We are suspicious of the government spying on us yet casually share our personal information with anyone without a hint of paranoia.

People love their cameras, pointing them at everything, recording unfiltered. I personally have never liked videos of people being pranked, ridiculed, or potentially injured as entertainment. Selfies are self centeredness at it’s worst. People record events instead of being present.

Do we really need to report everything without thinking of the consequences? Consider this the next time you take a picture, video or text about something goofy, embarrassing or personal. You don’t need to share it with the world.

I was at a the county fair and saw some teenagers sitting at a picnic table with a very large plush dog someone obviously won, I thought it amusing and asked politely if I could take a picture. They said sure but I made sure most of the faces were turned away to protect their identity. A professional photographer has to get permission from a subject before publishing a photo. Ask first, it’s polite and let’s them know what’s going on.

Then there are the correction zealots. They point out the slightest fault of speech, grammar or facts. Sometimes we fumble momentarily, forget or just don’t care how Kamala is pronounced. Unless you’re speaking directly to said person it’s not terribly important. People think they are doing a favor or showing off their intellect but it’s just snobbish. If you must correct, do so discretely to avoid embarrassment.

Social insecurity has reached epic levels in the way people overreact to provocation, real or imagined. Loudly proclaiming one’s opinion as fact is nothing new but the backlash is appallingly out of proportion. Responding with anger, vulgarity or threats is not showing them up or being superior it’s pouring gas on a fire. When you think about something you just read or heard and jump to reply, ask yourself-am I contributing to the conversation or judging? You don’t have to put down others to feel better about yourself. We don’t own anyone an explanation of how we live our lives. We forgot that amidst all the sharing.

Miss Manners said it best “One of the biggest sorrows in America is that people want to retaliate against rudeness with rudeness. One of my main missions in life is to say, no, there is no excuse for rudeness.” Frankly, I think a Miss Manners book should be required reading before entering adulthood. There are just so many things we get wrong.

It’s time we resist the urge to the judge and allow others to express themselves however they want without taking it personal and hopefully they will do the same for us.

American Law Enforcement 2.0

 

Here the most current update to this cartoon. Replace Barak Obama with Donald Trump and “you work for al Qaeda or the Taliban” with “are an immigrant or liberal woke”, replace “Koran” with “Bible” and “the Prime Minister of al-Qaeda signs a peace treaty” is to be replaced with “citizens surrender to King Trump”. These edits will help you get a better understanding of the need for indiscriminate detention. Remember, ICE is here to protect Project 2025 the Patriot Act, Citizens United, and our dear leader.

Mind you this cartoon referenced the Patriot Act after 9/11 and was never repelled by Congress or challenged by later Presidents. As a former Intelligence advisor once remarked before Obama was elected “No President is going to clip his wings (executive powers)”.

 The next president is unlikely to change anything unless American citizens demand our civil rights be restored. The Bill of Rights protect everyone, that includes the MAGA crowd that voted for fascism and you’re next bubba.