OT: Misc. Ramblings.

On Feb 13, 12:01=A0pm, "[email protected]" <[email protected]>
wrote:

>
> R------> who ROASTS his own beans from greens by hand, grinds his drip
> in a Capresso milled burr (not pressed, stamped or cast burrs)
> grinder, and his occasional 'spresso in a La Pavoni Zip. =A0And yes,
> with a little practice, I can pull a 27 second shot with a thick amber
> crema. =A0

Pardon me all to ratshit. A little anal are we? LOL And here I thought
*I* was a coffee snob. (Tongue in cheek)
>
> But you know, I have been in Costco, and they almost got me to bite in
> a membership when they installed a giant roaster there at the store.
> They vent the roasting fumes out of the store as they aren't very good
> smelling. =A0I am used to it, but some find it offensive. =A0Kind of like
> burning green wood.
>
> When properly roasted, the bean outgas for some time - that's the
> great coffee smell. =A0I almost bought the membership as I was
> "hipmotized" when I went in there and they had just put out a large
> batch of beans to cool, and it smelled like Heaven in that store. =A0The
> coffee was good, too. =A0And the bastards gave out free samples.
>
> Hey... it is slow around here, isn't it?
>

Slower 'n shit, bro'. But things are picking up a bit. After that
plonkfest from a couple of weeks ago, a nice change.

"Lee Michaels" wrote:

> Is hp really
> saving money by pissing everybody off and have the caveman techies
take many
> times longer to do the same job because they can't speak english?

Made an executive decision a long time ago.

I don't do business with HP.

Life is much toooooo short to waste it trying to do business with HP
and also AT&T.

Lew

"Robatoy" wrote:

> As my ISP, the speed has been dropping, dropping.. till I pick up
the
> phone and call the tech dept. I get to talk to Rashni
Vindalousyshiat,
> who promptly tells me it is all my fault, I have to disconnect
> 'ebreeteeengh' [sic] and start all over.

I try not to be prejudiced, every has to drink from the trough, but
when I go to tech support and get a dot head, especially a female dot
head, I usually end up saying, "I'm sorry it is my fault, but I can
not understand you, may I speak to your supervisor?"

After about 3-5 of these exchanges, usually get somebody who I can
understand.

When it comes to helping me, they are often as useless as breasts on a
boar hog, but at least I can understand them.

SFWIW, US companies are starting to bring customer service and tech
service back to the US using people operating from their homes rather
than a centralized call center.

Proving to be more cost effective.

Lew

"Frank Stutzman" wrote:

> Fifteen years ago I used to work for HP doing support. I wasn't
dealing
> with consumer products though, but rather UNIX mini-computers and

At one time in my life was involved in high end data acquisition
system front ends.

Still remember the marketing mgr's comment about HP products.

"They are the standard of mediocrity", or something close.

Although must say, they had a pretty decent engineering computer, at
that point in time.

Lew

"Joe" wrote:

> Lew,
>
> Is that right? I'd love to see some articles to that effect.
>
> Sincerely hope it's true.

Was a sound bite on the evening news a few weeks ago.

One of the people profiled was a mom who had her work station in a
spare room in the house.

She worked while the kid were in school.

Lew

"Dave in Houston" wrote:

> SOCIALIZED MEDICINE !!! SOCIALIZED MEDICINE !!! SOCIALIZED
MEDICINE
> !!!

Sounds like a personal problem to me.

BTW, maybe you were not aware your <Caps Lock> button is engaged.

I'm sure would want to know.

Lew

[email protected] wrote:

> On Feb 13, 9:31 am, Robatoy <[email protected]> wrote:
>
... snip of very well done phonetic conversation

>
> I knew when I was beaten. I hung up. My life isn't long enough for
> that. However, I did get my problem solved.
>
> I switched to Firefox.
>

LOL. I definitely agree. Really aggravated me when Walmart had their
music store, I went to sign up (for my son, not for me, mind you). They
responded with a window that to use their music store, one needed IE 6.0 or
better. I had better, I was accessing the store with FireFox but the
darned site wouldn't work.


...

--
If you're going to be dumb, you better be tough

Lew Hodgett wrote:

>
> "Frank Stutzman" wrote:
>
>> Fifteen years ago I used to work for HP doing support. I wasn't
> dealing
>> with consumer products though, but rather UNIX mini-computers and
>
> At one time in my life was involved in high end data acquisition
> system front ends.
>
> Still remember the marketing mgr's comment about HP products.
>
> "They are the standard of mediocrity", or something close.
>

They were the gold standard for RF test equipment back in the day. Their
voltmeters and low-frequency analog, not so much.

> Although must say, they had a pretty decent engineering computer, at
> that point in time.
>

Their test equipment computers (ala HP9826, HP9836) were brilliantly
designed pieces of equipment for rack-mounted test stations and networked
test equipment (the network being an IEEE-488 bus).


> Lew

--
If you're going to be dumb, you better be tough

Max wrote:

>
> <[email protected]> wrote :
>
>>
>> Hey... it is slow around here, isn't it?
>>
>> Robert
>
> You're telling me it's slow!!!
>
> Look what I did.
>
> http://tinyurl.com/2s2jkk
>
> Max

Wow, the woodworker's equivalent of sorting your sock drawer! :-)

--
If you're going to be dumb, you better be tough

Somebody wrote:


> R------> who ROASTS his own beans from greens by hand, grinds his
drip
> in a Capresso milled burr (not pressed, stamped or cast burrs)
> grinder, and his occasional 'spresso in a La Pavoni Zip. And yes,
> with a little practice, I can pull a 27 second shot with a thick
amber
> crema.

As for me, I like my coffee like my women.

> They vent the roasting fumes out of the store as they aren't very
good
> smelling. I am used to it, but some find it offensive. Kind of like
> burning green wood.

Ever been around a chocolate refiner?

Talk about a unique smell.

Lew

Leon wrote:
> Cut out government regulated
> waste and insurance companies and the health care system would lower its
> prices and actually become competitive.

What about areas that are too small for real competition--what's to stop
them from fixing prices like gas stations, ISPs, phone service
providers, car companies, etc. do today?

I live in Saskatchewan. Our car insurance is run by the province, and
we have some of the lowest rates in the country. The market doesn't
always result in the best price to the customer....sometimes it just
results in shareholder profits.

Chris

scouter3 wrote:

>>> Still remember the marketing mgr's comment about HP products.
>>>
>>> "They are the standard of mediocrity", or something close.
>>>
>>
>> They were the gold standard for RF test equipment back in the day.
>> Their
>> voltmeters and low-frequency analog, not so much.
>>
>>> Although must say, they had a pretty decent engineering computer, at
>>> that point in time.
>>>
>>
>> Their test equipment computers (ala HP9826, HP9836) were brilliantly
>> designed pieces of equipment for rack-mounted test stations and networked
>> test equipment (the network being an IEEE-488 bus).
>>
>>
>>> Lew
>>
>
> A few years back, around 1999, HP spun off the Test & Measurement
> Equipment
> division. The spin off company is Agilent Technologies. They still build
> top grade test equipment and trace their roots to Dave Packard's garage in
> Palo Alto and the Hp200A.

I did not know that; my job duties are significantly different than way
back then. My day is complete, I learned something.

>
> I have to believe that Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard would identify
> themselves more with Agilent than the company that bears their names.
>
> Lloyd Baker

--
If you're going to be dumb, you better be tough

On Thu, 14 Feb 2008 00:57:55 GMT, "Twayne"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>> "Robatoy" wrote:
>>
>...
>>
>> SFWIW, US companies are starting to bring customer service and tech
>> service back to the US using people operating from their homes rather
>> than a centralized call center.
>>
>> Proving to be more cost effective.
>>
>> Lew
>
>Ain't it funny how great an idea that is? Bringing support on-shore, I
>mean. Heck, we could even speak to English speaking people then! And
>just think, a few toll free lines instead of trans-oceanic cable saves a
>penny or so too! Huh!! Can't imagine them not reasizing that sooner;
>as in, before the idiots even tried it! Gads, intelligent people can
>sure be stupid.

I think the big factor is that the offshore places have raised their
prices to where most of the cost advantage has gone away. I will say
that I have dealt with some very good tech support people from India
(I think it was, anyway) and some very bad ones here in the U.S.

--
"We need to make a sacrifice to the gods, find me a young virgin... oh, and bring something to kill"

Tim Douglass

http://www.DouglassClan.com

On Feb 14, 11:26 am, Robatoy <[email protected]> wrote:
> On Feb 14, 11:06 am, Jeff <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>
>
> > On Feb 14, 10:23 am, Robatoy <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > > On Feb 14, 9:17 am, "Leon" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > > > "Robatoy" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> > > >news:[email protected]=
...
> > > > On Feb 13, 9:40 pm, "todd" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > > > > "Robatoy" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> > > > >news:[email protected].=
com...
>
> > > > > > My surgeon was US trained, so he knew what he was doing.
> > > > > > I also got a mitt-full of cool pain killers and total cost of th=
e
> > > > > > deal?
> > > > > > ZERO.
>
> > > > > Show me your tax bill and then tell me again that the cost was zer=
o.
>
> > > > > todd
>
> > > > My tax bill is the same as anybody else in my income bracket.
>
> > > > Well actually, your tax bill is finally paying off, for you. Had yo=
u not
> > > > had the procedure done, your tax bill would have been the same as an=
ybody
> > > > else in your income tax bracket where you live. If you have no choi=
ce in
> > > > participation it is good that your body eventually craps out so that=
you can
> > > > receive some of the benefits that you have been paying for all these=
years.
> > > > ;~)
>
> > > Yup, just like any insurance. Those benefit from it, are the winners.
> > > The BIG difference is that here, we all have the same coverage... ALL
> > > of us. And that the bigger earners pay proportionally more than the
> > > lower income families... still the same coverage.
>
> > > There might be ideological issues with socialized medicine, but I
> > > think it is wrong to live in a system where, through no fault of your
> > > own, a small tumor can take away the house you've worked for all your
> > > life.
> > > Communities used to band together to help out a sick person, usually
> > > through churches and their connections. There used to be a thing like
> > > a barn-raising too. God-fearing conservatives even admit that that
> > > isn't as common anymore.
>
> > > All of those nay sayers about socialized medicine have no problem
> > > driving on socialized roads and bridges, or depending on socialized
> > > armies for protection.
> > > Double standard, I say.
>
> > > You don't get to pick and chose what you want handled by central
> > > government and what not. The central government is here to rape your
> > > earnings for the ones who live in the castles. To be a conservo-fundy
> > > makes it so much easier to tolerate. When you do well, it is because
> > > you work hard or you screw your neighbour out of what should be his.
> > > When things don't go well, God has it in for you.... so you lose your
> > > house.
> > > When you speak out against the injustices of the world, you're a
> > > lefty.
>
> > > What really irks the shit out of me, is that when people sit down,
> > > have a beer, and honestly talk about what it is they want, they would
> > > find very little difference between them. We all want the best for our=

> > > families and our countries. The two-party rhetoric is nothing but a
> > > firewall designed to keep us apart and under control.
>
> > > Having said that, you wear it like a yoke.
>
> > > r
>
> > You commie ;-)
>
> Now, was that nice? Huh?
>
> A lot of those 'collective' ideas look good in fables and fairy tales.
> But I want to keep for what I have fought. I'm in no way willing to
> share with lazy bastards who suck on the teat of other peoples'
> incomes. To hell with that noise.
> But to give doctors free reign, so they can screw the people who have
> worked hard, ends up being nothing short of extortion.
> $ 5000.00 per day for a concrete-block box with a bed in it is just
> plain bullshit. The bulk of the 'surgeons' are just butchers with a
> permit to hack away at humans.
> $ 3000.00 for a VERY basic wheelchair is just plain bullshit too.
> WTF?? Titanium/composite prices for powder-coated thin-wall metal with
> plastic wheels? I think Harbor Freight ought to look into some of
> those.
> $ 80.00 for a box of Kleenex? Piss off already.
>
> Just because I believe in free enterprise and trickle-down economics
> doesn't make me blind to the rip-off that we call health-care.
> You make the money you can from the people who want your services, but
> I don't think that sick people fit that category.
> They're patients, for chrissakes, not farking customers.
>
> Don't get me started.

Hey, I winked at you....

And, yes, trickle-down economics *does* work. The boss makes
*millions* of dollars more than me. (No exaggeration, I think he makes
8 million annually while I make almost 8 million less than that.) But
every day he has to walk to his car. When he does, there's a chance
he'll drop a dollar as he pulls his keys from his pockets. My co-
workers and I fight for those. Last week I would have gotten a dollar
if that dork in accounting didn't hit me from behind...

On Feb 13, 3:05=A0pm, "Dave in Houston" <[email protected]> wrote:
> "Robatoy" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> news:[email protected]...
>
> > There's been some bitching that things are slow in here.
> > That is perfect timing as I am full-up in production again after a
> > tedious healing of a hernia op.
>
> =A0 =A0 I thought they did those like orthoscopic surgery anymore? =A0So, =
how's
> the single-payer Canadian health services?
>
There are many, many types and locations of hernias.
No health service accounts for idiots like me who are back to work
after 48 hours.
So, yes, many are operable with otrthoscopic surgery, mine wasn't one
of them.
My surgeon was US trained, so he knew what he was doing.
I also got a mitt-full of cool pain killers and total cost of the
deal?
ZERO.
After I made the visit to my personal doctor, he set up an appointment
with the surgeon. Total time? 2 weeks.
I was in the hospital 14 days later. No emergency, just excellent
service.

r

On Feb 14, 12:22=A0pm, Jeff <[email protected]> wrote:
> On Feb 14, 11:26 am, Robatoy <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>
>
> > On Feb 14, 11:06 am, Jeff <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > > On Feb 14, 10:23 am, Robatoy <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > > > On Feb 14, 9:17 am, "Leon" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > > > > "Robatoy" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> > > > >news:[email protected]=
om...
> > > > > On Feb 13, 9:40 pm, "todd" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > > > > > "Robatoy" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> > > > > >news:[email protected]=
s.com...
>
> > > > > > > My surgeon was US trained, so he knew what he was doing.
> > > > > > > I also got a mitt-full of cool pain killers and total cost of =
the
> > > > > > > deal?
> > > > > > > ZERO.
>
> > > > > > Show me your tax bill and then tell me again that the cost was z=
ero.
>
> > > > > > todd
>
> > > > > My tax bill is the same as anybody else in my income bracket.
>
> > > > > Well actually, your tax bill is finally paying off, for you. =A0Ha=
d you not
> > > > > had the procedure done, your tax bill would have been the same as =
anybody
> > > > > else in your income tax bracket where you live. =A0If you have no =
choice in
> > > > > participation it is good that your body eventually craps out so th=
at you can
> > > > > receive some of the benefits that you have been paying for all the=
se years.
> > > > > ;~)
>
> > > > Yup, just like any insurance. Those benefit from it, are the winners=
.
> > > > The BIG difference is that here, we all have the same coverage... AL=
L
> > > > of us. And that the bigger earners pay proportionally more than the
> > > > lower income families... still the same coverage.
>
> > > > There might be ideological issues with socialized medicine, but I
> > > > think it is wrong to live in a system where, through no fault of you=
r
> > > > own, a small tumor can take away the house you've worked for all you=
r
> > > > life.
> > > > Communities used to band together to help out a sick person, usually=

> > > > through churches and their connections. There used to be a thing lik=
e
> > > > a barn-raising too. God-fearing conservatives even admit that that
> > > > isn't as common anymore.
>
> > > > All of those nay sayers about socialized medicine have no problem
> > > > driving on socialized roads and bridges, or depending on socialized
> > > > armies for protection.
> > > > Double standard, I say.
>
> > > > You don't get to pick and chose what you want handled by central
> > > > government and what not. The central government is here to rape your=

> > > > earnings for the ones who live in the castles. To be a conservo-fund=
y
> > > > makes it so much easier to tolerate. When you do well, it is because=

> > > > you work hard or you screw your neighbour out of what should be his.=

> > > > When things don't go well, God has it in for you.... so you lose you=
r
> > > > house.
> > > > When you speak out against the injustices of the world, you're a
> > > > lefty.
>
> > > > What really irks the shit out of me, is that when people sit down,
> > > > have a beer, and honestly talk about what it is they want, they woul=
d
> > > > find very little difference between them. We all want the best for o=
ur
> > > > families and our countries. The two-party rhetoric is nothing but a
> > > > firewall designed to keep us apart and under control.
>
> > > > Having said that, you wear it like a yoke.
>
> > > > r
>
> > > You commie ;-)
>
> > Now, was that nice? Huh?
>
> > A lot of those 'collective' ideas look good in fables and fairy tales.
> > But I want to keep for what I have fought. I'm in no way willing to
> > share with lazy bastards who suck on the teat of other peoples'
> > incomes. To hell with that noise.
> > But to give doctors free reign, so they can screw the people who have
> > worked hard, ends up being nothing short of extortion.
> > $ 5000.00 per day for a concrete-block box with a bed in it is just
> > plain bullshit. The bulk of the 'surgeons' are just butchers with a
> > permit to hack away at humans.
> > $ 3000.00 for a VERY basic wheelchair is just plain bullshit too.
> > WTF?? Titanium/composite prices for powder-coated thin-wall metal with
> > plastic wheels? I think Harbor Freight ought to look into some of
> > those.
> > $ 80.00 for a box of Kleenex? Piss off already.
>
> > Just because I believe in free enterprise and trickle-down economics
> > doesn't make me blind to the rip-off that we call health-care.
> > You make the money you can from the people who want your services, but
> > I don't think that sick people fit that category.
> > They're patients, for chrissakes, not farking customers.
>
> > Don't get me started.
>
> Hey, I winked at you....

LOL.. I saw that.. but I'm always a little awkward around guys that
wink at me :)
>
> And, yes, trickle-down economics *does* work. The boss makes
> *millions* of dollars more than me. (No exaggeration, I think he makes
> 8 million annually while I make almost 8 million less than that.) But
> every day he has to walk to his car. When he does, there's a chance
> he'll drop a dollar as he pulls his keys from his pockets. My co-
> workers and I fight for those. Last week I would have gotten a dollar
> if that dork in accounting didn't hit me from behind...

Hey, you should be proud that he's doing well. If he didn't, you'd be
out of a job.

charlie wrote:
> "NoOne N Particular" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:C%[email protected]...
>>>> As my ISP, the speed has been dropping, dropping.. till I pick up the
>>>> phone and call the tech dept. I get to talk to Rashni Vindalousyshiat,
>>>> who promptly tells me it is all my fault, I have to disconnect
>>>> 'ebreeteeengh' [sic] and start all over.
>> I've learned that when I get someone who is speaking English as their 4th
>> language, to ask early on for someone that speaks good English. It has
>> worked a couple of times.
>>
>> Wayne
>
> you must mean 'speaks English well'.
>
> :)
>
>

That is what I mean, but I intentionally ask for someone that speaks
"good English" because there is a better chance that they will
understand what I mean.

Wayne

On Wed, 13 Feb 2008 16:46:05 -0700, "Max" <[email protected]>
wrote:

>
><[email protected]> wrote :
>
>>
>> Hey... it is slow around here, isn't it?
>>
>> Robert
>
>You're telling me it's slow!!!
>
>Look what I did.
>
>http://tinyurl.com/2s2jkk
>
>Max
>

Communist!!

On Feb 14, 12:02=A0pm, "Dave in Houston" <[email protected]> wrote:
> "Leon" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> news:[email protected]...
>
> >> "Robatoy" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> >>news:368e445c-a14a-478d-9035-cfa44436e199@s13g2000prd.googlegroups.com..=
.
> > My tax bill is the same as anybody else in my income bracket.
>
> > Well actually, your tax bill is finally paying off, for you. =A0Had you =
not
> > had the procedure done, your tax bill would have been the same as anybod=
y
> > else in your income tax bracket where you live. =A0If you have no choice=
in
> > participation it is good that your body eventually craps out so that you=

> > can receive some of the benefits that you have been paying for all these=

> > years.
>
> =A0 =A0 I pay more than $1200/mo. for me and my college-age son and that's=
with
> $1000 deductible (each) and ZERO copay. =A0Do you really think there's mor=
e
> than $14,000/yr. built into Robatoy's Canadian tax bill just to cover his
> universal health coverage?
> =A0 =A0 I would gladly ADD $7,500/yr. to my tax bill to get the health cov=
erage
> Robby has.
>
What does that tell you?
That premium is way too high because:
They never pay out on the bulk of basic visitations, i.e. cuts , colds
etc. (deductable)
They also never pay out on big bad cases, because they won't insure
people with problems.
They have a cap on pay-out.

I know there are differences between Plans and all that, but the
premiums are just nuts.
I have 3 nieces and a nephew in Kansas and Missouri. friends all over
the US... and the story is the same.
The insurance companies are out of control. They deny people's claims
because "it was an act of God" in the same court that won't allow
prayer in school and won't allow schools to teach creationism...yet
there seems to be a God when it is time to pay out insurance.
It's true.. HE blew down that building, but don't you DARE talk to Him
in school.

The people, who wear tinfoil hats of a different metal than most
normal people, who proclaim that free enterprise is just that,
capitalists who can screw you blind because you're either sick, or so
scared that you're going to lose everything in case you get sick, are
themselves sick in a different way.
I believe in capitalism. totally. If some idiot wants to pay me 2
times what a used Audi is worth, cool!
If I work 16 hour days, to make good money...good for me.

Health care, including basic dental care and vision care should be
managed by people with full accountability to the public who pay their
salaries. And those who deny claims from the veterans should be shot.
If you have two artificial mechanical limbs...and one is a bit newer
or better...give it to the vet. I don't think anybody should begrudge
them that.

*off the soap box, off to work, after I eat.*

r---> which stands fro Robert. People call me Rob.. unless they're
really close and dare to call me Robbie and I 'let' them.

On Feb 13, 9:31 am, Robatoy <[email protected]> wrote:

> phone and call the tech dept. I get to talk to Rashni Vindalousyshiat,
> who promptly tells me it is all my fault, I have to disconnect
> 'ebreeteeengh' [sic] and start all over.

Hey... I must have had the same guy (or his brother answer my phone
calls last time I had a problem with the SBC skin on Explorer.

Repeatedly, he told me "thank you so much. Prease krick da bruey so
we can futha investrigate."

Huh?

"OK, I got the click part, but I don't know where to click the bruey".

"Thank you so much. Put a mowws pointa on him and krick."

Silence. I look intently for he bruey part of my "desstop".

Nothing.

"Where would the bruey be on the desktop?"

"Thank you so much. You using Mikrasof Window, yes?"

"Yes"

"You have Sprorer, yes?"

"Yes"

"Thank you so much. Krick onna bruey"

I don't want to hang up. It has taken 20 minutes to get to "tech
support". I search intently, but still nothing. Then, in a moment of
inspiration I asked -

"Are you saying "click on the blue 'e' ?"

"Yes. Thank you so much. Prease krick to staht program."

I knew when I was beaten. I hung up. My life isn't long enough for
that. However, I did get my problem solved.

I switched to Firefox.



> Ergo: the sunsabiatches throttle people down till they complain? WTF?
> I'm serious, he flipped a switch.

I am afraid that is all there is to it, withing limitations. I went
form 300 kbps to 600 kbps when I called and bitched to ATT/DSL about
my bill. They had a "special on" that gave me double the speed for
the same price, and when I bit, they had it switched to the higher
speed in 72 hours from the call.

> r-----> who burr-grinds his coffee beans in a 29 dollar refurbished
> Cuisinart grinder. Just your basic Costco 100% columbian beans,
> nothing fancy-schmancy, just awesome coffee. *gives Starbucks and
> Timmy's the finger*

R------> who ROASTS his own beans from greens by hand, grinds his drip
in a Capresso milled burr (not pressed, stamped or cast burrs)
grinder, and his occasional 'spresso in a La Pavoni Zip. And yes,
with a little practice, I can pull a 27 second shot with a thick amber
crema. But what a pain in the ass... I am too lazy. After
drinking my fill of espresso, there just isn't enough coffee there to
make me happy, so it is drip for me.

But you know, I have been in Costco, and they almost got me to bite in
a membership when they installed a giant roaster there at the store.
They vent the roasting fumes out of the store as they aren't very good
smelling. I am used to it, but some find it offensive. Kind of like
burning green wood.

When properly roasted, the bean outgas for some time - that's the
great coffee smell. I almost bought the membership as I was
"hipmotized" when I went in there and they had just put out a large
batch of beans to cool, and it smelled like Heaven in that store. The
coffee was good, too. And the bastards gave out free samples.

Hey... it is slow around here, isn't it?

Robert

On Feb 14, 9:21 am, "Leon" <[email protected]> wrote:
> "Lew Hodgett" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> news:[email protected]...
>
> > Somebody wrote:
>
> >> R------> who ROASTS his own beans from greens by hand, grinds his
> > drip
> >> in a Capresso milled burr (not pressed, stamped or cast burrs)
> >> grinder, and his occasional 'spresso in a La Pavoni Zip. And yes,
> >> with a little practice, I can pull a 27 second shot with a thick
> > amber
> >> crema.
>
> > As for me, I like my coffee like my women.
>
> Drippy? ;~)

Ah, jeez. Mickey Leftwich, where are you?

We came back to Treasure Island in '61, and our first cup of coffee
got him in trouble, The waitress asked my Tennessee buddy, with a
thick accent (to me at the time, with a NY accent), how he wanted his
coffee. He said, "Hot, black and ready for the cream," without
thought. Unfortunately, the waitress was cafe au lait herself. We very
nearly got thrown out of the joint.

On Feb 14, 9:40=A0am, "charlie" <[email protected]>
wrote:
> "NoOne N Particular" <[email protected]> wrote in messagenews:C%Nsj.727=
[email protected]...
>
>
>
> >>> As my ISP, the speed has been dropping, dropping.. till I pick up the
> >>> phone and call the tech dept. I get to talk to Rashni Vindalousyshiat,=

> >>> who promptly tells me it is all my fault, I have to disconnect
> >>> 'ebreeteeengh' [sic] and start all over.
>
> > I've learned that when I get someone who is speaking English as their 4t=
h
> > language, to ask early on for someone that speaks good English. =A0It ha=
s
> > worked a couple of times.
>
> > Wayne
>
> you must mean 'speaks English well'.
>
> :)

LOL.. that was mean..
=2E
=2E
=2E


<sarcasm>

Atta boy... those are the cans of worms great threads are made of.

Bring out the Grammar Nazis!!

Try to focus on WHAT is being said rather than HOW, Okay? Thanks, Bye.

</sarcasm>

Chris Friesen wrote:
> The market doesn't
> always result in the best price to the customer....sometimes it just
> results in shareholder profits.

Those profits attract competition.

"Robatoy" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:368e445c-a14a-478d-9035-cfa44436e199@s13g2000prd.googlegroups.com...

My surgeon was US trained, so he knew what he was doing.
I also got a mitt-full of cool pain killers and total cost of the
deal?
ZERO.
After I made the visit to my personal doctor, he set up an appointment
with the surgeon. Total time? 2 weeks.
I was in the hospital 14 days later. No emergency, just excellent
service.


SOCIALIZED MEDICINE !!! SOCIALIZED MEDICINE !!! SOCIALIZED MEDICINE
!!!

Dave in Houston

On Feb 14, 4:58=A0pm, Jeff <[email protected]> wrote:
> On Feb 14, 12:46 pm, Robatoy <[email protected]> wrote:

>
> > Hey, you should be proud that he's doing well. If he didn't, you'd be
> > out of a job.
>
> Yeah, well, the company went into chapter 11 on his watch...

AHA! You kept that wee bit of info from me. Could it be he dropped too
many dollars in the parking lot?

:)

"Robatoy" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> Ergo: the sunsabiatches throttle people down till they complain? WTF?
> I'm serious, he flipped a switch. I went from 122 kbps to 279 kbps in
> a few minutes without touching a thing!

If speed is an important consideration for you, then you might want to
consider a pay service. I spend about $15.75 for unlimited downloading
subscription to Agent Premium News. That gives me an average download speed
of approximately 1,000k or 1 megabyte a second. Of course, whomever you have
your original Internet connection with is important. I pay for $35.99 a
month for DSL service from teksavvy.com.

On Feb 14, 9:17=A0am, "Leon" <[email protected]> wrote:
> "Robatoy" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> news:[email protected]...
> On Feb 13, 9:40 pm, "todd" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > "Robatoy" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> >news:368e445c-a14a-478d-9035-cfa44436e199@s13g2000prd.googlegroups.com...=

>
> > > My surgeon was US trained, so he knew what he was doing.
> > > I also got a mitt-full of cool pain killers and total cost of the
> > > deal?
> > > ZERO.
>
> > Show me your tax bill and then tell me again that the cost was zero.
>
> > todd
>
> My tax bill is the same as anybody else in my income bracket.
>
> Well actually, your tax bill is finally paying off, for you. =A0Had you no=
t
> had the procedure done, your tax bill would have been the same as anybody
> else in your income tax bracket where you live. =A0If you have no choice i=
n
> participation it is good that your body eventually craps out so that you c=
an
> receive some of the benefits that you have been paying for all these years=
.
> ;~)

Yup, just like any insurance. Those benefit from it, are the winners.
The BIG difference is that here, we all have the same coverage... ALL
of us. And that the bigger earners pay proportionally more than the
lower income families... still the same coverage.

There might be ideological issues with socialized medicine, but I
think it is wrong to live in a system where, through no fault of your
own, a small tumor can take away the house you've worked for all your
life.
Communities used to band together to help out a sick person, usually
through churches and their connections. There used to be a thing like
a barn-raising too. God-fearing conservatives even admit that that
isn't as common anymore.

All of those nay sayers about socialized medicine have no problem
driving on socialized roads and bridges, or depending on socialized
armies for protection.
Double standard, I say.

You don't get to pick and chose what you want handled by central
government and what not. The central government is here to rape your
earnings for the ones who live in the castles. To be a conservo-fundy
makes it so much easier to tolerate. When you do well, it is because
you work hard or you screw your neighbour out of what should be his.
When things don't go well, God has it in for you.... so you lose your
house.
When you speak out against the injustices of the world, you're a
lefty.

What really irks the shit out of me, is that when people sit down,
have a beer, and honestly talk about what it is they want, they would
find very little difference between them. We all want the best for our
families and our countries. The two-party rhetoric is nothing but a
firewall designed to keep us apart and under control.

Having said that, you wear it like a yoke.

r

On Feb 13, 6:40=A0pm, "Dave in Houston" <[email protected]> wrote:
> "Robatoy" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> news:368e445c-a14a-478d-9035-cfa44436e199@s13g2000prd.googlegroups.com...
>
> My surgeon was US trained, so he knew what he was doing.
> I also got a mitt-full of cool pain killers and total cost of the
> deal?
> ZERO.
> After I made the visit to my personal doctor, he set up an appointment
> with the surgeon. Total time? 2 weeks.
> I was in the hospital 14 days later. No emergency, just excellent
> service.
>
> =A0 =A0 SOCIALIZED MEDICINE !!! =A0 SOCIALIZED MEDICINE !!! =A0 SOCIALIZED=
MEDICINE
> !!!

WTF???

On Feb 14, 10:23 am, Robatoy <[email protected]> wrote:
> On Feb 14, 9:17 am, "Leon" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>
>
> > "Robatoy" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> >news:[email protected]...
> > On Feb 13, 9:40 pm, "todd" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > > "Robatoy" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> > >news:368e445c-a14a-478d-9035-cfa44436e199@s13g2000prd.googlegroups.com.=
..
>
> > > > My surgeon was US trained, so he knew what he was doing.
> > > > I also got a mitt-full of cool pain killers and total cost of the
> > > > deal?
> > > > ZERO.
>
> > > Show me your tax bill and then tell me again that the cost was zero.
>
> > > todd
>
> > My tax bill is the same as anybody else in my income bracket.
>
> > Well actually, your tax bill is finally paying off, for you. Had you no=
t
> > had the procedure done, your tax bill would have been the same as anybod=
y
> > else in your income tax bracket where you live. If you have no choice i=
n
> > participation it is good that your body eventually craps out so that you=
can
> > receive some of the benefits that you have been paying for all these yea=
rs.
> > ;~)
>
> Yup, just like any insurance. Those benefit from it, are the winners.
> The BIG difference is that here, we all have the same coverage... ALL
> of us. And that the bigger earners pay proportionally more than the
> lower income families... still the same coverage.
>
> There might be ideological issues with socialized medicine, but I
> think it is wrong to live in a system where, through no fault of your
> own, a small tumor can take away the house you've worked for all your
> life.
> Communities used to band together to help out a sick person, usually
> through churches and their connections. There used to be a thing like
> a barn-raising too. God-fearing conservatives even admit that that
> isn't as common anymore.
>
> All of those nay sayers about socialized medicine have no problem
> driving on socialized roads and bridges, or depending on socialized
> armies for protection.
> Double standard, I say.
>
> You don't get to pick and chose what you want handled by central
> government and what not. The central government is here to rape your
> earnings for the ones who live in the castles. To be a conservo-fundy
> makes it so much easier to tolerate. When you do well, it is because
> you work hard or you screw your neighbour out of what should be his.
> When things don't go well, God has it in for you.... so you lose your
> house.
> When you speak out against the injustices of the world, you're a
> lefty.
>
> What really irks the shit out of me, is that when people sit down,
> have a beer, and honestly talk about what it is they want, they would
> find very little difference between them. We all want the best for our
> families and our countries. The two-party rhetoric is nothing but a
> firewall designed to keep us apart and under control.
>
> Having said that, you wear it like a yoke.
>
> r

You commie ;-)

On Feb 14, 11:06=A0am, Jeff <[email protected]> wrote:
> On Feb 14, 10:23 am, Robatoy <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>
>
> > On Feb 14, 9:17 am, "Leon" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > > "Robatoy" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> > >news:[email protected]..=
.
> > > On Feb 13, 9:40 pm, "todd" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > > > "Robatoy" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> > > >news:[email protected]=
m...
>
> > > > > My surgeon was US trained, so he knew what he was doing.
> > > > > I also got a mitt-full of cool pain killers and total cost of the
> > > > > deal?
> > > > > ZERO.
>
> > > > Show me your tax bill and then tell me again that the cost was zero.=

>
> > > > todd
>
> > > My tax bill is the same as anybody else in my income bracket.
>
> > > Well actually, your tax bill is finally paying off, for you. =A0Had yo=
u not
> > > had the procedure done, your tax bill would have been the same as anyb=
ody
> > > else in your income tax bracket where you live. =A0If you have no choi=
ce in
> > > participation it is good that your body eventually craps out so that y=
ou can
> > > receive some of the benefits that you have been paying for all these y=
ears.
> > > ;~)
>
> > Yup, just like any insurance. Those benefit from it, are the winners.
> > The BIG difference is that here, we all have the same coverage... ALL
> > of us. And that the bigger earners pay proportionally more than the
> > lower income families... still the same coverage.
>
> > There might be ideological issues with socialized medicine, but I
> > think it is wrong to live in a system where, through no fault of your
> > own, a small tumor can take away the house you've worked for all your
> > life.
> > Communities used to band together to help out a sick person, usually
> > through churches and their connections. There used to be a thing like
> > a barn-raising too. God-fearing conservatives even admit that that
> > isn't as common anymore.
>
> > All of those nay sayers about socialized medicine have no problem
> > driving on socialized roads and bridges, or depending on socialized
> > armies for protection.
> > Double standard, I say.
>
> > You don't get to pick and chose what you want handled by central
> > government and what not. The central government is here to rape your
> > earnings for the ones who live in the castles. To be a conservo-fundy
> > makes it so much easier to tolerate. When you do well, it is because
> > you work hard or you screw your neighbour out of what should be his.
> > When things don't go well, God has it in for you.... so you lose your
> > house.
> > When you speak out against the injustices of the world, you're a
> > lefty.
>
> > What really irks the shit out of me, is that when people sit down,
> > have a beer, and honestly talk about what it is they want, they would
> > find very little difference between them. We all want the best for our
> > families and our countries. The two-party rhetoric is nothing but a
> > firewall designed to keep us apart and under control.
>
> > Having said that, you wear it like a yoke.
>
> > r
>
> You commie ;-)

Now, was that nice? Huh?

A lot of those 'collective' ideas look good in fables and fairy tales.
But I want to keep for what I have fought. I'm in no way willing to
share with lazy bastards who suck on the teat of other peoples'
incomes. To hell with that noise.
But to give doctors free reign, so they can screw the people who have
worked hard, ends up being nothing short of extortion.
$ 5000.00 per day for a concrete-block box with a bed in it is just
plain bullshit. The bulk of the 'surgeons' are just butchers with a
permit to hack away at humans.
$ 3000.00 for a VERY basic wheelchair is just plain bullshit too.
WTF?? Titanium/composite prices for powder-coated thin-wall metal with
plastic wheels? I think Harbor Freight ought to look into some of
those.
$ 80.00 for a box of Kleenex? Piss off already.

Just because I believe in free enterprise and trickle-down economics
doesn't make me blind to the rip-off that we call health-care.
You make the money you can from the people who want your services, but
I don't think that sick people fit that category.
They're patients, for chrissakes, not farking customers.

Don't get me started.

Joe wrote:

>>SFWIW, US companies are starting to bring customer service and tech
>>service back to the US using people operating from their homes rather
>>than a centralized call center.
>>
>>Proving to be more cost effective.
>>
>>Lew
>>
>
>
> Lew,
>
> Is that right? I'd love to see some articles to that effect.
>
> Sincerely hope it's true.
>
> jc

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060925-7826.html


--
Robert Allison
Rimshot, Inc.
Georgetown, TX

>> As my ISP, the speed has been dropping, dropping.. till I pick up the
>> phone and call the tech dept. I get to talk to Rashni Vindalousyshiat,
>> who promptly tells me it is all my fault, I have to disconnect
>> 'ebreeteeengh' [sic] and start all over.

I've learned that when I get someone who is speaking English as their
4th language, to ask early on for someone that speaks good English. It
has worked a couple of times.

Wayne

"Max" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> <[email protected]> wrote :
>
>>
>> Hey... it is slow around here, isn't it?
>>
>> Robert
>
> You're telling me it's slow!!!
>
> Look what I did.
>
> http://tinyurl.com/2s2jkk
>
> Max
>

That's just sick...no one should be able to look and see what bits there
are!

You are an infidel!

Mike

[email protected] wrote:

>> Max
>>
>
> Communist!!


No, that was Marx, not Max.

<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:49afed77-59ca-4e17-9cd6-4212fe7df56c@z17g2000hsg.googlegroups.com...
> On Feb 13, 9:31 am, Robatoy <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> phone and call the tech dept. I get to talk to Rashni Vindalousyshiat,
>> who promptly tells me it is all my fault, I have to disconnect
>> 'ebreeteeengh' [sic] and start all over.
>
> Hey... I must have had the same guy (or his brother answer my phone
> calls last time I had a problem with the SBC skin on Explorer.
>
> Repeatedly, he told me "thank you so much. Prease krick da bruey so
> we can futha investrigate."
>
> Huh?
>

My story from three days ago.

I bought a printer for my wife and thought it would be a snap to install.
Since I have installed about 30 or so of them in my life. It kept bitching
about a corrupted file. Dreading talking to a brain dead techie who can't
speak english, I toiled for over an hour, turning off firewalls, etc. I
tried every trick in the book. Nothing worked. Soooo....., I called hp
technical support line. I am still recovering from the trauma.

First I should mention that I have a hearing loss. My wife can hear a pin
drop from a block away. (Which incredibly complicates my life from time to
time) This heavily accented voice was almost impossible for my wife to
understand, let alone me. So my wife and I handed the phone back and forth
for an hour and a half trying to decipher this caveman techie's babble. And
if I did not have some thirty years of computer experience, this printer
would have never been installed.

The most stressful and moronic aspect of this whole ordeal was that all the
procedures were based on the fact that techies did not speak english well.
If they spoke normally, the call could be shortened by two thirds. And this
is the way that they are trained. Like parrots, they repeat what is before
them. They can't interact with you or make decisions.

Eventually the problem was solved with a simple temporary msconfig change.
This could have been included on a peice of paper in the printer box. In
that whole hour and a half we only tried about five things. Is hp really
saving money by pissing everybody off and have the caveman techies take many
times longer to do the same job because they can't speak english? Or engage
in simple reasoning processes?

Before going to bed that night, my wife gave me a big hug and thanked me. I
asked what she was thanking me for. She said, "For installing my printer".

I did not realize what a big deal it would turn out to be. HP has alway had
good printers and I never had problems installing them before. I spent two
and a half hours of hell installing a simple inkjet printer.

<grumble, grumble, bitch, bitch>

I hope I am remaining on topic for this thread.

"Leon" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

> Then they call back 1 hour later and tell me that is their problem as
> they are workin on the lines.


You mean they didn't ask you to blow into the mouth piece three times to
dislodge the bird shit off their lines? ~:o)))))))

Dave in Houston

> On Feb 13, 3:05 pm, "Dave in Houston" <[email protected]> wrote:
>> "Robatoy" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>>
>> news:[email protected]...
>>
>>> There's been some bitching that things are slow in here.
>>> That is perfect timing as I am full-up in production again after a
>>> tedious healing of a hernia op.
>>
>> I thought they did those like orthoscopic surgery anymore? So, how's
>> the single-payer Canadian health services?
>>
> There are many, many types and locations of hernias.
> No health service accounts for idiots like me who are back to work
> after 48 hours.
> So, yes, many are operable with otrthoscopic surgery, mine wasn't one
> of them.
> My surgeon was US trained, so he knew what he was doing.
> I also got a mitt-full of cool pain killers and total cost of the
> deal?
> ZERO.
> After I made the visit to my personal doctor, he set up an appointment
> with the surgeon. Total time? 2 weeks.
> I was in the hospital 14 days later. No emergency, just excellent
> service.
>
> r

Finally! Someone reports good technical support! :)

--

If it weren't for coincidences,
life would be a lot more boring!

"Robatoy" wrote

>Yup, just like any insurance. Those benefit from it, are the winners.
>The BIG difference is that here, we all have the same coverage... ALL
>of us. And that the bigger earners pay proportionally more than the
.lower income families... still the same coverage.

I'm not sure I understand the logic that says that benefitting from
insurance is a winner.
My thinking is that *not* benefitting is a winner. My insurance exists as
the comforting thought that if a disaster strikes I'm covered. Insurance =
peace of mind.
I hope I never have to collect.

>There might be ideological issues with socialized medicine, but I
>think it is wrong to live in a system where, through no fault of your
>own, a small tumor can take away the house you've worked for all your
>life.
>Communities used to band together to help out a sick person, usually
>through churches and their connections. There used to be a thing like
>a barn-raising too. God-fearing conservatives even admit that that
>isn't as common anymore.

Amen

>All of those nay sayers about socialized medicine have no problem
>driving on socialized roads and bridges, or depending on socialized
>armies for protection.
>Double standard, I say.

Amen again



>What really irks the shit out of me, is that when people sit down,
>have a beer, and honestly talk about what it is they want, they would
>find very little difference between them. We all want the best for our
>families and our countries. The two-party rhetoric is nothing but a
>firewall designed to keep us apart and under control.

Another amen

>Having said that, you wear it like a yoke.

r

Maybe he's a "yoker" heh heh.

Max

In article <[email protected]>, clare at snyder.on.ca
says...
>
> It's all done with Voice over IP now = no long distance. Otherwise
> they could never afford to do it.
>

Yes, and that, more than the accents, is mostly responsible for the utter
garbled-ness of the communication attempts. I have had connections to
'helplines' from 3-com and HP that were just impossible to communicate through,
the distortion & hacking was so bad. I am actually quite used to dealing with
Indian accents and have no problem with them in 'Real Life'. But those VoIP
lines stink - many if not most of them.

-P.

--
=========================================
firstname dot lastname at gmail fullstop com

"Leon" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

>> "Robatoy" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>>
>> news:368e445c-a14a-478d-9035-cfa44436e199@s13g2000prd.googlegroups.com...


> My tax bill is the same as anybody else in my income bracket.
>
> Well actually, your tax bill is finally paying off, for you. Had you not
> had the procedure done, your tax bill would have been the same as anybody
> else in your income tax bracket where you live. If you have no choice in
> participation it is good that your body eventually craps out so that you
> can receive some of the benefits that you have been paying for all these
> years.

I pay more than $1200/mo. for me and my college-age son and that's with
$1000 deductible (each) and ZERO copay. Do you really think there's more
than $14,000/yr. built into Robatoy's Canadian tax bill just to cover his
universal health coverage?
I would gladly ADD $7,500/yr. to my tax bill to get the health coverage
Robby has.

Dave in Houston

Charlie Self wrote:
>
> Souhnds like J. I. Rodale. The one who was bragging about his health
> on the Dick Cavett Show, and dropped dead in mid-sentence.
>
> Or maybe Jim Fixx, the distance runner who had a massive heart attack
> and died at 28.
>
> Genetics still trumps.


Ed Burke, "the father of heart rate monitor training", who trained the
likes of Lance Armstrong, died very young of a heart attack.

<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:b50a7975-746e-4dd1-b0ec-c6ecfa3e3341@d70g2000hsb.googlegroups.com...
> On Feb 13, 5:46 pm, "Max" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> > Hey... it is slow around here, isn't it?
>>
>> > Robert
>>
>> You're telling me it's slow!!!
>>
>> Look what I did.
>>
>> http://tinyurl.com/2s2jkk
>>
>> Max
>
> Alright Max.... just stop it. I can't afford to have the SO come in
> and go "honey, look how nice his bit thingies are sorted. I'll bet if
> you did that kind of thing with your stuff you could find things
> anytime you wanted them".
>
> Can't you just keep your bits in the little pouches and make sure you
> don't jerk the drawer around like the rest of us?
>
> ;^)
>
> Robert
>
> == set down the label maker and walk away ==

LOL. My son came by when I was in the process; he said, "Step away from the
label maker, Pop". So help me.

Max

"Leon" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

>> As for me, I like my coffee like my women.
>
>
>
> Drippy? ;~)

Wet is good.

Dave in Houston

> <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:49afed77-59ca-4e17-9cd6-4212fe7df56c@z17g2000hsg.googlegroups.com...
>> On Feb 13, 9:31 am, Robatoy <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>>> phone and call the tech dept. I get to talk to Rashni
>>> Vindalousyshiat, who promptly tells me it is all my fault, I have
>>> to disconnect 'ebreeteeengh' [sic] and start all over.
>>
>> Hey... I must have had the same guy (or his brother answer my phone
>> calls last time I had a problem with the SBC skin on Explorer.
>>
>> Repeatedly, he told me "thank you so much. Prease krick da bruey
>> so we can futha investrigate."
>>
>> Huh?
>>
>
> My story from three days ago.
>
> I bought a printer for my wife and thought it would be a snap to
> install. Since I have installed about 30 or so of them in my life. It
> kept bitching about a corrupted file. Dreading talking to a brain
> dead techie who can't speak english, I toiled for over an hour,
> turning off firewalls, etc. I tried every trick in the book. Nothing
> worked. Soooo....., I called hp technical support line. I am still
> recovering from the trauma.
> First I should mention that I have a hearing loss. My wife can hear a
> pin drop from a block away. (Which incredibly complicates my life
> from time to time) This heavily accented voice was almost impossible
> for my wife to understand, let alone me. So my wife and I handed the
> phone back and forth for an hour and a half trying to decipher this
> caveman techie's babble. And if I did not have some thirty years of
> computer experience, this printer would have never been installed.
>
> The most stressful and moronic aspect of this whole ordeal was that
> all the procedures were based on the fact that techies did not speak
> english well. If they spoke normally, the call could be shortened by
> two thirds. And this is the way that they are trained. Like parrots,
> they repeat what is before them. They can't interact with you or make
> decisions.
> Eventually the problem was solved with a simple temporary msconfig
> change. This could have been included on a peice of paper in the
> printer box. In that whole hour and a half we only tried about five
> things. Is hp really saving money by pissing everybody off and have
> the caveman techies take many times longer to do the same job because
> they can't speak english? Or engage in simple reasoning processes?
>
> Before going to bed that night, my wife gave me a big hug and thanked
> me. I asked what she was thanking me for. She said, "For installing
> my printer".
> I did not realize what a big deal it would turn out to be. HP has
> alway had good printers and I never had problems installing them
> before. I spent two and a half hours of hell installing a simple
> inkjet printer.
> <grumble, grumble, bitch, bitch>
>
> I hope I am remaining on topic for this thread.

lol, just don't press the "offa to pek" key! YOur'e dead-on!
--

If it weren't for coincidences,
life would be a lot more boring!

"Hank" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> NoOne N Particular <[email protected]> wrote in
> news:C%Nsj.7271$R84.6591
> @newssvr25.news.prodigy.net:
>
>>
>>>> As my ISP, the speed has been dropping, dropping.. till I pick up the
>>>> phone and call the tech dept. I get to talk to Rashni Vindalousyshiat,
>>>> who promptly tells me it is all my fault, I have to disconnect
>>>> 'ebreeteeengh' [sic] and start all over.
>>
>> I've learned that when I get someone who is speaking English as their
>> 4th language, to ask early on for someone that speaks good English. It
>> has worked a couple of times.
>>
>> Wayne
>>
>
> Please define 'good english'.


That would be "gooder'n regler english.

"Lew Hodgett" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Sounds like a personal problem to me.
>
> BTW, maybe you were not aware your <Caps Lock> button is engaged.
>
> I'm sure would want to know.

That's because I was yelling for all to hear, Lew.
I'll let you in on another secret; It was just slightly tongue-in-cheek
(wink, wink).

Dave in Houston

<<<<<<<<<<< Snippage >>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>
>
> That's just sick...no one should be able to look and see what bits there
> are!
>
> You are an infidel!
>
> Mike
>
>

Not only that, but they all look . . .clean.

Wayne

> you must mean 'speaks English well'.
>
> :)
At the very least, preferably gooder than that.

"Twayne" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:nmMsj.1218$%g.465@trnddc08...
>> "Robatoy" wrote:
>>
> ...
>>
>> SFWIW, US companies are starting to bring customer service and tech
>> service back to the US using people operating from their homes rather
>> than a centralized call center.
>>
>> Proving to be more cost effective.
>>
>> Lew
>
> Ain't it funny how great an idea that is? Bringing support on-shore, I
> mean. Heck, we could even speak to English speaking people then! And
> just think, a few toll free lines instead of trans-oceanic cable saves a
> penny or so too! Huh!! Can't imagine them not reasizing that sooner; as
> in, before the idiots even tried it! Gads, intelligent people can sure be
> stupid.
> --
>

Getting good help is tougher here than there, though. We're undereducated,
overaggressive and by necessity, higher-paid. Not to mention the obvious,
which is that there are a lot of people born and raised here who don't speak
"Standard English."

<[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> On Wed, 13 Feb 2008 16:46:05 -0700, "Max" <[email protected]>
> wrote:
>
>>
>><[email protected]> wrote :
>>
>>>
>>> Hey... it is slow around here, isn't it?
>>>
>>> Robert
>>
>>You're telling me it's slow!!!
>>
>>Look what I did.
>>
>>http://tinyurl.com/2s2jkk
>>
>>Max
>>
>
> Communist!!

Republican.

Max

>
> SFWIW, US companies are starting to bring customer service and tech
> service back to the US using people operating from their homes rather
> than a centralized call center.
>
> Proving to be more cost effective.
>
> Lew
>

Lew,

Is that right? I'd love to see some articles to that effect.

Sincerely hope it's true.

jc
>

"Robatoy" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

Snip


> As my ISP, the speed has been dropping, dropping.. till I pick up the
> phone and call the tech dept. I get to talk to Rashni Vindalousyshiat,
> who promptly tells me it is all my fault, I have to disconnect
> 'ebreeteeengh' [sic] and start all over.
> THIS time I told his supervisor he could take my 3 cell phones, my fax
> line, my house line, my 2 internet connections and satellite dishes
> and shove them up his ass. I can get all those services from my cable
> company now... for less.
> He promptly changed his tone and told me he'd have somebody contact me
> who would make me happy again.
> This is where it gets weird. My internet speed suddenly more than
> doubled.
> Ergo: the sunsabiatches throttle people down till they complain? WTF?
> I'm serious, he flipped a switch. I went from 122 kbps to 279 kbps in
> a few minutes without touching a thing! I was getting that six months
> ago, when I had to bitch at them then. THEN I thought that they maybe
> had found a fault and fixed it.
> You don't really notice the slowdown until you start downloading large
> user manuals. etc.

I have ATT and have had a few outages on DSL which is naturally my fault
untill they cannot help me make enough computer changes to work. Then thay
want to send out a technition to see what the problem is. Then they call
back 1 hour later and tell me that is their problem as they are workin on
the lines. I knew that, and only wanted to know how long it would take.
That person gave me an 1800 number to by pass Hadji and his relatives to get
to some one that knows what is going on.


>
> I also notice Hitlary rearranging the deck chairs on her Titanic.

Yup, Sad but encouraging.

Hank wrote:
> Robatoy <[email protected]> wrote in
> news:9875e5c6-f4ba-4b35-9668-fbefc725abb3@t55g2000hsa.googlegroups.com:
>
>> On Feb 14, 11:06 am, Jeff <[email protected]> wrote:
>>> On Feb 14, 10:23 am, Robatoy <[email protected]> wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>> On Feb 14, 9:17 am, "Leon" <Ú[email protected]> wrote:
>>>>> "Robatoy" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>>>>> news:[email protected]
>>>>> om..
>> .
>>>>> On Feb 13, 9:40 pm, "todd" <[email protected]> wrote:
>>>>>> "Robatoy" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>>>>>> news:[email protected]
>>>>>> s.co
>> m...
>>>>>>> My surgeon was US trained, so he knew what he was doing.
>>>>>>> I also got a mitt-full of cool pain killers and total cost of
>>>>>>> the deal?
>>>>>>> ZERO.
>>>>>> Show me your tax bill and then tell me again that the cost was
>>>>>> zero.
>>>>>> todd
>>>>> My tax bill is the same as anybody else in my income bracket.
>>>>> Well actually, your tax bill is finally paying off, for you. Had
>>>>> yo
>> u not
>>>>> had the procedure done, your tax bill would have been the same as
>>>>> anyb
>> ody
>>>>> else in your income tax bracket where you live. If you have no
>>>>> choi
>> ce in
>>>>> participation it is good that your body eventually craps out so
>>>>> that y
>> ou can
>>>>> receive some of the benefits that you have been paying for all
>>>>> these y
>> ears.
>>>>> ;~)
>>>> Yup, just like any insurance. Those benefit from it, are the
>>>> winners. The BIG difference is that here, we all have the same
>>>> coverage... ALL of us. And that the bigger earners pay
>>>> proportionally more than the lower income families... still the
>>>> same coverage.
>>>> There might be ideological issues with socialized medicine, but I
>>>> think it is wrong to live in a system where, through no fault of
>>>> your own, a small tumor can take away the house you've worked for
>>>> all your life.
>>>> Communities used to band together to help out a sick person,
>>>> usually through churches and their connections. There used to be a
>>>> thing like a barn-raising too. God-fearing conservatives even admit
>>>> that that isn't as common anymore.
>>>> All of those nay sayers about socialized medicine have no problem
>>>> driving on socialized roads and bridges, or depending on socialized
>>>> armies for protection.
>>>> Double standard, I say.
>>>> You don't get to pick and chose what you want handled by central
>>>> government and what not. The central government is here to rape
>>>> your earnings for the ones who live in the castles. To be a
>>>> conservo-fundy makes it so much easier to tolerate. When you do
>>>> well, it is because you work hard or you screw your neighbour out
>>>> of what should be his. When things don't go well, God has it in for
>>>> you.... so you lose your house.
>>>> When you speak out against the injustices of the world, you're a
>>>> lefty.
>>>> What really irks the shit out of me, is that when people sit down,
>>>> have a beer, and honestly talk about what it is they want, they
>>>> would find very little difference between them. We all want the
>>>> best for our families and our countries. The two-party rhetoric is
>>>> nothing but a firewall designed to keep us apart and under control.
>>>> Having said that, you wear it like a yoke.
>>>> r
>>> You commie ;-)
>> Now, was that nice? Huh?
>>
>> A lot of those 'collective' ideas look good in fables and fairy tales.
>> But I want to keep for what I have fought. I'm in no way willing to
>> share with lazy bastards who suck on the teat of other peoples'
>> incomes. To hell with that noise.
>> But to give doctors free reign, so they can screw the people who have
>> worked hard, ends up being nothing short of extortion.
>> $ 5000.00 per day for a concrete-block box with a bed in it is just
>> plain bullshit. The bulk of the 'surgeons' are just butchers with a
>> permit to hack away at humans.
>> $ 3000.00 for a VERY basic wheelchair is just plain bullshit too.
>> WTF?? Titanium/composite prices for powder-coated thin-wall metal with
>> plastic wheels? I think Harbor Freight ought to look into some of
>> those.
>> $ 80.00 for a box of Kleenex? Piss off already.
>>
>> Just because I believe in free enterprise and trickle-down economics
>> doesn't make me blind to the rip-off that we call health-care.
>> You make the money you can from the people who want your services, but
>> I don't think that sick people fit that category.
>> They're patients, for chrissakes, not farking customers.
>>
>> Don't get me started.
>>
>
> Harbor Freight does sell wheelchairs.

...as well as the local medical supply house where I picked up a shiny
new one for the MIL for $225.

NoOne N Particular <[email protected]> wrote in news:C%Nsj.7271$R84.6591
@newssvr25.news.prodigy.net:

>
>>> As my ISP, the speed has been dropping, dropping.. till I pick up the
>>> phone and call the tech dept. I get to talk to Rashni Vindalousyshiat,
>>> who promptly tells me it is all my fault, I have to disconnect
>>> 'ebreeteeengh' [sic] and start all over.
>
> I've learned that when I get someone who is speaking English as their
> 4th language, to ask early on for someone that speaks good English. It
> has worked a couple of times.
>
> Wayne
>

Please define 'good english'.

Robatoy <[email protected]> wrote in
news:9875e5c6-f4ba-4b35-9668-fbefc725abb3@t55g2000hsa.googlegroups.com:

> On Feb 14, 11:06 am, Jeff <[email protected]> wrote:
>> On Feb 14, 10:23 am, Robatoy <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>> > On Feb 14, 9:17 am, "Leon" <Ú[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>> > > "Robatoy" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>>
>> > >news:[email protected]
>> > >om..
> .
>> > > On Feb 13, 9:40 pm, "todd" <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>> > > > "Robatoy" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>>
>> > > >news:[email protected]
>> > > >s.co
> m...
>>
>> > > > > My surgeon was US trained, so he knew what he was doing.
>> > > > > I also got a mitt-full of cool pain killers and total cost of
>> > > > > the deal?
>> > > > > ZERO.
>>
>> > > > Show me your tax bill and then tell me again that the cost was
>> > > > zero.
>
>>
>> > > > todd
>>
>> > > My tax bill is the same as anybody else in my income bracket.
>>
>> > > Well actually, your tax bill is finally paying off, for you.  Had
>> > > yo
> u not
>> > > had the procedure done, your tax bill would have been the same as
>> > > anyb
> ody
>> > > else in your income tax bracket where you live.  If you have no
>> > > choi
> ce in
>> > > participation it is good that your body eventually craps out so
>> > > that y
> ou can
>> > > receive some of the benefits that you have been paying for all
>> > > these y
> ears.
>> > > ;~)
>>
>> > Yup, just like any insurance. Those benefit from it, are the
>> > winners. The BIG difference is that here, we all have the same
>> > coverage... ALL of us. And that the bigger earners pay
>> > proportionally more than the lower income families... still the
>> > same coverage.
>>
>> > There might be ideological issues with socialized medicine, but I
>> > think it is wrong to live in a system where, through no fault of
>> > your own, a small tumor can take away the house you've worked for
>> > all your life.
>> > Communities used to band together to help out a sick person,
>> > usually through churches and their connections. There used to be a
>> > thing like a barn-raising too. God-fearing conservatives even admit
>> > that that isn't as common anymore.
>>
>> > All of those nay sayers about socialized medicine have no problem
>> > driving on socialized roads and bridges, or depending on socialized
>> > armies for protection.
>> > Double standard, I say.
>>
>> > You don't get to pick and chose what you want handled by central
>> > government and what not. The central government is here to rape
>> > your earnings for the ones who live in the castles. To be a
>> > conservo-fundy makes it so much easier to tolerate. When you do
>> > well, it is because you work hard or you screw your neighbour out
>> > of what should be his. When things don't go well, God has it in for
>> > you.... so you lose your house.
>> > When you speak out against the injustices of the world, you're a
>> > lefty.
>>
>> > What really irks the shit out of me, is that when people sit down,
>> > have a beer, and honestly talk about what it is they want, they
>> > would find very little difference between them. We all want the
>> > best for our families and our countries. The two-party rhetoric is
>> > nothing but a firewall designed to keep us apart and under control.
>>
>> > Having said that, you wear it like a yoke.
>>
>> > r
>>
>> You commie ;-)
>
> Now, was that nice? Huh?
>
> A lot of those 'collective' ideas look good in fables and fairy tales.
> But I want to keep for what I have fought. I'm in no way willing to
> share with lazy bastards who suck on the teat of other peoples'
> incomes. To hell with that noise.
> But to give doctors free reign, so they can screw the people who have
> worked hard, ends up being nothing short of extortion.
> $ 5000.00 per day for a concrete-block box with a bed in it is just
> plain bullshit. The bulk of the 'surgeons' are just butchers with a
> permit to hack away at humans.
> $ 3000.00 for a VERY basic wheelchair is just plain bullshit too.
> WTF?? Titanium/composite prices for powder-coated thin-wall metal with
> plastic wheels? I think Harbor Freight ought to look into some of
> those.
> $ 80.00 for a box of Kleenex? Piss off already.
>
> Just because I believe in free enterprise and trickle-down economics
> doesn't make me blind to the rip-off that we call health-care.
> You make the money you can from the people who want your services, but
> I don't think that sick people fit that category.
> They're patients, for chrissakes, not farking customers.
>
> Don't get me started.
>

Harbor Freight does sell wheelchairs.

Charlie Self <[email protected]> wrote in
news:c06cd710-4c91-4c6f-9534-7e434510058e@s12g2000prg.googlegroups.com:

> On Feb 15, 11:59 pm, Hank <[email protected]> wrote:
>> Robatoy <[email protected]> wrote
>> innews:9875e5c6-f4ba-4b35-9668-fbe
> [email protected]:
>>
>>
>>
>> > On Feb 14, 11:06 am, Jeff <[email protected]> wrote:
>> >> On Feb 14, 10:23 am, Robatoy <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>> >> > On Feb 14, 9:17 am, "Leon" <Ú[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>> >> > > "Robatoy" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>>
>> >> > >news:[email protected]
>> >> > >s.c om..
>> > .
>> >> > > On Feb 13, 9:40 pm, "todd" <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>> >> > > > "Robatoy" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>>
>> >> > > >news:[email protected]
>> >> > > >oup s.co
>> > m...
>>
>> >> > > > > My surgeon was US trained, so he knew what he was doing.
>> >> > > > > I also got a mitt-full of cool pain killers and total cost
>> >> > > > > of the deal?
>> >> > > > > ZERO.
>>
>> >> > > > Show me your tax bill and then tell me again that the cost
>> >> > > > was zero.
>>
>> >> > > > todd
>>
>> >> > > My tax bill is the same as anybody else in my income bracket.
>>
>> >> > > Well actually, your tax bill is finally paying off, for you.
>> >> > > Had yo
>> > u not
>> >> > > had the procedure done, your tax bill would have been the same
>> >> > > as anyb
>> > ody
>> >> > > else in your income tax bracket where you live. If you have
>> >> > > no choi
>> > ce in
>> >> > > participation it is good that your body eventually craps out
>> >> > > so that y
>> > ou can
>> >> > > receive some of the benefits that you have been paying for all
>> >> > > these y
>> > ears.
>> >> > > ;~)
>>
>> >> > Yup, just like any insurance. Those benefit from it, are the
>> >> > winners. The BIG difference is that here, we all have the same
>> >> > coverage... ALL of us. And that the bigger earners pay
>> >> > proportionally more than the lower income families... still the
>> >> > same coverage.
>>
>> >> > There might be ideological issues with socialized medicine, but
>> >> > I think it is wrong to live in a system where, through no fault
>> >> > of your own, a small tumor can take away the house you've worked
>> >> > for all your life.
>> >> > Communities used to band together to help out a sick person,
>> >> > usually through churches and their connections. There used to be
>> >> > a thing like a barn-raising too. God-fearing conservatives even
>> >> > admit that that isn't as common anymore.
>>
>> >> > All of those nay sayers about socialized medicine have no
>> >> > problem driving on socialized roads and bridges, or depending on
>> >> > socialized armies for protection.
>> >> > Double standard, I say.
>>
>> >> > You don't get to pick and chose what you want handled by central
>> >> > government and what not. The central government is here to rape
>> >> > your earnings for the ones who live in the castles. To be a
>> >> > conservo-fundy makes it so much easier to tolerate. When you do
>> >> > well, it is because you work hard or you screw your neighbour
>> >> > out of what should be his. When things don't go well, God has it
>> >> > in for you.... so you lose your house.
>> >> > When you speak out against the injustices of the world, you're a
>> >> > lefty.
>>
>> >> > What really irks the shit out of me, is that when people sit
>> >> > down, have a beer, and honestly talk about what it is they want,
>> >> > they would find very little difference between them. We all want
>> >> > the best for our families and our countries. The two-party
>> >> > rhetoric is nothing but a firewall designed to keep us apart and
>> >> > under control.
>>
>> >> > Having said that, you wear it like a yoke.
>>
>> >> > r
>>
>> >> You commie ;-)
>>
>> > Now, was that nice? Huh?
>>
>> > A lot of those 'collective' ideas look good in fables and fairy
>> > tales. But I want to keep for what I have fought. I'm in no way
>> > willing to share with lazy bastards who suck on the teat of other
>> > peoples' incomes. To hell with that noise.
>> > But to give doctors free reign, so they can screw the people who
>> > have worked hard, ends up being nothing short of extortion.
>> > $ 5000.00 per day for a concrete-block box with a bed in it is just
>> > plain bullshit. The bulk of the 'surgeons' are just butchers with a
>> > permit to hack away at humans.
>> > $ 3000.00 for a VERY basic wheelchair is just plain bullshit too.
>> > WTF?? Titanium/composite prices for powder-coated thin-wall metal
>> > with plastic wheels? I think Harbor Freight ought to look into some
>> > of those.
>> > $ 80.00 for a box of Kleenex? Piss off already.
>>
>> > Just because I believe in free enterprise and trickle-down
>> > economics doesn't make me blind to the rip-off that we call
>> > health-care. You make the money you can from the people who want
>> > your services, but I don't think that sick people fit that
>> > category. They're patients, for chrissakes, not farking customers.
>>
>> > Don't get me started.
>>
>> Harbor Freight does sell wheelchairs.
>
> Yeah, so does my local hospital, which is the same place that
> attempted to charge my mother 10 bucks for two generic aspirin some
> years ago. Oops. She had recently retired as acting adminstrator of a
> small Westchester County (NY) hospital; the admins locally were not
> pleased to have an elderly woman tell them to stick it where the sun
> don't shine. Or maybe I can get it from the local hotshot ortho
> surgeon who some nine years ago screwed up my right knee, when I had
> no insurance and ended up paying $9,000+ for surgery I've since
> discovered costs about $2,300 for the insured. Little things: $38 for
> an Ace bandage that sells at full retail at the local drugstore for
> $6.95 or some such. If I remember correctly, the VA charged me
> something under $800 to correct the mess a few years later.
>
> Oh, yeah. The U.S. medical system is wonderful. Bullshit. 'Splain to
> me why the hotshot surgeons of one type or another are worth five
> million bucks a year, and the adminstrators in large hospitals get
> nearly as much.
>
> The system is broken.

Yo Charles,
Good thing you is a vet.

Zz Yzx wrote:
>> The whole thing was just laughable to me. Here I am in San Jose, CA
>> talking to a tech in New Zealand about getting a product shipped from a
>> block away.
>>
>> Wayne
>
> Read "The World is Flat".
>
> No more surprises.
>
> -Zz

Great read until the last chapter or so when he went off on his
political rant.

<[email protected]> wrote :

>
> Hey... it is slow around here, isn't it?
>
> Robert

You're telling me it's slow!!!

Look what I did.

http://tinyurl.com/2s2jkk

Max

"Robatoy" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
On Feb 13, 9:40 pm, "todd" <[email protected]> wrote:
> "Robatoy" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> news:368e445c-a14a-478d-9035-cfa44436e199@s13g2000prd.googlegroups.com...
>
> > My surgeon was US trained, so he knew what he was doing.
> > I also got a mitt-full of cool pain killers and total cost of the
> > deal?
> > ZERO.
>
> Show me your tax bill and then tell me again that the cost was zero.
>
> todd

My tax bill is the same as anybody else in my income bracket.

Well actually, your tax bill is finally paying off, for you. Had you not
had the procedure done, your tax bill would have been the same as anybody
else in your income tax bracket where you live. If you have no choice in
participation it is good that your body eventually craps out so that you can
receive some of the benefits that you have been paying for all these years.
;~)

"Lew Hodgett" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Somebody wrote:
>
>
>> R------> who ROASTS his own beans from greens by hand, grinds his
> drip
>> in a Capresso milled burr (not pressed, stamped or cast burrs)
>> grinder, and his occasional 'spresso in a La Pavoni Zip. And yes,
>> with a little practice, I can pull a 27 second shot with a thick
> amber
>> crema.
>
> As for me, I like my coffee like my women.



Drippy? ;~)

On Feb 16, 5:43=A0pm, "Leon" <[email protected]> wrote:
> "Hank" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> news:[email protected]...
>
>
>
> > NoOne N Particular <[email protected]> wrote in
> > news:C%Nsj.7271$R84.6591
> > @newssvr25.news.prodigy.net:
>
> >>>> As my ISP, the speed has been dropping, dropping.. till I pick up the=

> >>>> phone and call the tech dept. I get to talk to Rashni Vindalousyshiat=
,
> >>>> who promptly tells me it is all my fault, I have to disconnect
> >>>> 'ebreeteeengh' [sic] and start all over.
>
> >> I've learned that when I get someone who is speaking English as their
> >> 4th language, to ask early on for someone that speaks good English. =A0=
It
> >> has worked a couple of times.
>
> >> Wayne
>
> > Please define 'good english'.
>
> That would be "gooder'n regler english.

I'm glad yous guys hassit all figgurred outs.

On Feb 14, 2:16 pm, Frank Boettcher <[email protected]> wrote:
> On Thu, 14 Feb 2008 18:32:12 GMT, "Max" <[email protected]>
> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> <snipped a lot>
>
> >I'm not sure I understand the logic that says that benefitting from
> >insurance is a winner.
> >My thinking is that *not* benefitting is a winner. My insurance exists as
> >the comforting thought that if a disaster strikes I'm covered. Insurance =
> >peace of mind.
> >I hope I never have to collect.
>
> My sentiments exactly. That is why I switched to a very high
> deductible policy with an HSA.
>
> Last year I ran 1602 miles. Won the 60-64 Age group in all but one
> race I ran, 5K up to Half M. Watch what I eat. That is my real
> health "insurance".
>
> The high deductible coupled with an HSA actually gives the individual
> an incentive to stay healthy. Nothing you can do about the premium but
> it is substantially lower and you look for things you can do to stay
> healthy and not spend the deductible.
>
> My opinion is that the health care system has gotten very much like
> the legal system. The only way to beat it is to stay out of it.
>
> Frank
>
>

Souhnds like J. I. Rodale. The one who was bragging about his health
on the Dick Cavett Show, and dropped dead in mid-sentence.

Or maybe Jim Fixx, the distance runner who had a massive heart attack
and died at 28.

Genetics still trumps.

"Robatoy" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> There's been some bitching that things are slow in here.
> That is perfect timing as I am full-up in production again after a
> tedious healing of a hernia op.

I thought they did those like orthoscopic surgery anymore? So, how's
the single-payer Canadian health services?

Dave in Houston

On Feb 13, 5:46 pm, "Max" <[email protected]> wrote:

> > Hey... it is slow around here, isn't it?
>
> > Robert
>
> You're telling me it's slow!!!
>
> Look what I did.
>
> http://tinyurl.com/2s2jkk
>
> Max

Alright Max.... just stop it. I can't afford to have the SO come in
and go "honey, look how nice his bit thingies are sorted. I'll bet if
you did that kind of thing with your stuff you could find things
anytime you wanted them".

Can't you just keep your bits in the little pouches and make sure you
don't jerk the drawer around like the rest of us?

;^)

Robert

== set down the label maker and walk away ==

"The Davenport's" wrote
>
> "Max" wrote

>> Look what I did.
>>
>> http://tinyurl.com/2s2jkk
>>
>> Max
>>
>
> That's just sick...no one should be able to look and see what bits there
> are!
>
> You are an infidel!
>
> Mike


Anal. LOL
Did you notice that there were quite a few duplications. Before, if I
couldn't find a certain bit right away, I went out and bought another one.
I figured it would be cheaper to take the time to get organized than to keep
buying more bits. <G>

Max

On Feb 14, 1:10 pm, Robatoy <[email protected]> wrote:
> On Feb 14, 12:35 pm, "Leon" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > One
> > that stood out was the cost of orthopedic micro knee surgery. The regular
> > uninsured patient pays about $25,000 for the hospital and the procedure.
> > The patient that was a member of that group paid out of pocket $2700.
>
> My brother-in-law is constantly in discussions with the insurance
> company. THEY want to dictate what's best for my sister (she had a
> fall broke her neck and is a quadriplegic now).... and here's
> something strange.. the bill to my BIL ,on one occasion, was $
> 160,000.00 The insurance company took it to the administration of the
> hospital and negotiated it down to $ 70,000.00. According my BIL, this
> happens all the time. How much luck would my BIL have had trying to do
> the same thing?

Some people make a living doing something similar, finding double
billing, general mistakes and outright theft by hospitals and doctors
alike.

On Feb 15, 11:59 pm, Hank <[email protected]> wrote:
> Robatoy <[email protected]> wrote innews:9875e5c6-f4ba-4b35-9668-fbe=
[email protected]:
>
>
>
> > On Feb 14, 11:06 am, Jeff <[email protected]> wrote:
> >> On Feb 14, 10:23 am, Robatoy <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> >> > On Feb 14, 9:17 am, "Leon" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> >> > > "Robatoy" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> >> > >news:[email protected]
> >> > >om..
> > .
> >> > > On Feb 13, 9:40 pm, "todd" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> >> > > > "Robatoy" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> >> > > >news:[email protected]
> >> > > >s.co
> > m...
>
> >> > > > > My surgeon was US trained, so he knew what he was doing.
> >> > > > > I also got a mitt-full of cool pain killers and total cost of
> >> > > > > the deal?
> >> > > > > ZERO.
>
> >> > > > Show me your tax bill and then tell me again that the cost was
> >> > > > zero.
>
> >> > > > todd
>
> >> > > My tax bill is the same as anybody else in my income bracket.
>
> >> > > Well actually, your tax bill is finally paying off, for you. Had
> >> > > yo
> > u not
> >> > > had the procedure done, your tax bill would have been the same as
> >> > > anyb
> > ody
> >> > > else in your income tax bracket where you live. If you have no
> >> > > choi
> > ce in
> >> > > participation it is good that your body eventually craps out so
> >> > > that y
> > ou can
> >> > > receive some of the benefits that you have been paying for all
> >> > > these y
> > ears.
> >> > > ;~)
>
> >> > Yup, just like any insurance. Those benefit from it, are the
> >> > winners. The BIG difference is that here, we all have the same
> >> > coverage... ALL of us. And that the bigger earners pay
> >> > proportionally more than the lower income families... still the
> >> > same coverage.
>
> >> > There might be ideological issues with socialized medicine, but I
> >> > think it is wrong to live in a system where, through no fault of
> >> > your own, a small tumor can take away the house you've worked for
> >> > all your life.
> >> > Communities used to band together to help out a sick person,
> >> > usually through churches and their connections. There used to be a
> >> > thing like a barn-raising too. God-fearing conservatives even admit
> >> > that that isn't as common anymore.
>
> >> > All of those nay sayers about socialized medicine have no problem
> >> > driving on socialized roads and bridges, or depending on socialized
> >> > armies for protection.
> >> > Double standard, I say.
>
> >> > You don't get to pick and chose what you want handled by central
> >> > government and what not. The central government is here to rape
> >> > your earnings for the ones who live in the castles. To be a
> >> > conservo-fundy makes it so much easier to tolerate. When you do
> >> > well, it is because you work hard or you screw your neighbour out
> >> > of what should be his. When things don't go well, God has it in for
> >> > you.... so you lose your house.
> >> > When you speak out against the injustices of the world, you're a
> >> > lefty.
>
> >> > What really irks the shit out of me, is that when people sit down,
> >> > have a beer, and honestly talk about what it is they want, they
> >> > would find very little difference between them. We all want the
> >> > best for our families and our countries. The two-party rhetoric is
> >> > nothing but a firewall designed to keep us apart and under control.
>
> >> > Having said that, you wear it like a yoke.
>
> >> > r
>
> >> You commie ;-)
>
> > Now, was that nice? Huh?
>
> > A lot of those 'collective' ideas look good in fables and fairy tales.
> > But I want to keep for what I have fought. I'm in no way willing to
> > share with lazy bastards who suck on the teat of other peoples'
> > incomes. To hell with that noise.
> > But to give doctors free reign, so they can screw the people who have
> > worked hard, ends up being nothing short of extortion.
> > $ 5000.00 per day for a concrete-block box with a bed in it is just
> > plain bullshit. The bulk of the 'surgeons' are just butchers with a
> > permit to hack away at humans.
> > $ 3000.00 for a VERY basic wheelchair is just plain bullshit too.
> > WTF?? Titanium/composite prices for powder-coated thin-wall metal with
> > plastic wheels? I think Harbor Freight ought to look into some of
> > those.
> > $ 80.00 for a box of Kleenex? Piss off already.
>
> > Just because I believe in free enterprise and trickle-down economics
> > doesn't make me blind to the rip-off that we call health-care.
> > You make the money you can from the people who want your services, but
> > I don't think that sick people fit that category.
> > They're patients, for chrissakes, not farking customers.
>
> > Don't get me started.
>
> Harbor Freight does sell wheelchairs.

Yeah, so does my local hospital, which is the same place that
attempted to charge my mother 10 bucks for two generic aspirin some
years ago. Oops. She had recently retired as acting adminstrator of a
small Westchester County (NY) hospital; the admins locally were not
pleased to have an elderly woman tell them to stick it where the sun
don't shine. Or maybe I can get it from the local hotshot ortho
surgeon who some nine years ago screwed up my right knee, when I had
no insurance and ended up paying $9,000+ for surgery I've since
discovered costs about $2,300 for the insured. Little things: $38 for
an Ace bandage that sells at full retail at the local drugstore for
$6.95 or some such. If I remember correctly, the VA charged me
something under $800 to correct the mess a few years later.

Oh, yeah. The U.S. medical system is wonderful. Bullshit. 'Splain to
me why the hotshot surgeons of one type or another are worth five
million bucks a year, and the adminstrators in large hospitals get
nearly as much.

The system is broken.

On Feb 13, 9:40=A0pm, "todd" <[email protected]> wrote:
> "Robatoy" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> news:368e445c-a14a-478d-9035-cfa44436e199@s13g2000prd.googlegroups.com...
>
> > My surgeon was US trained, so he knew what he was doing.
> > I also got a mitt-full of cool pain killers and total cost of the
> > deal?
> > ZERO.
>
> Show me your tax bill and then tell me again that the cost was zero.
>
> todd

My tax bill is the same as anybody else in my income bracket.

On Feb 14, 1:32=A0pm, "Max" <[email protected]> wrote:
> "Robatoy" =A0wrote
>
> >Yup, just like any insurance. Those benefit from it, are the winners.
> >The BIG difference is that here, we all have the same coverage... ALL
> >of us. And that the bigger earners pay proportionally more than the
>
> .lower income families... still the same coverage.
>
> I'm not sure I understand the logic that says that benefitting from
> insurance is a winner.
> My thinking is that *not* benefitting is a winner.

I didn't think that needed to be said. Of course it is better to stay
healthy.

Now tell me this... why is all the good food so much more expensive?
Simple stuff, like unsalted 'anything' costs more. Low fat costs more.
'FRESH' costs more (although that's pretty obvious.)
I'm talking stuff like whole wheat pasta.
WHY isn't there an incentive to keep the good food prices down.

In the long run, it would pay off if we taxed the hell out of stuff
like Cheetos. Yet another reason why we should never legalise weed.

>My insurance exists as
> the comforting thought that if a disaster strikes I'm covered. =A0Insuranc=
e =3D
> peace of mind.

The bastards prey on fear a little (LOT) too much.
>
> r
>
> Maybe he's a "yoker" =A0 heh heh.

oh brother...

I'm going to pretend I didn't read that..8-}

r

My problem with social health care and insurance is that both are literally
the same. They both cost you a fortune. The middle man, insurance company
makes the money or the middle man, the government wastes a majority of the
money that they collect. Doctors have indicated that if there was no
insurance involved in the health care that they could substantially lower
your health care costs. I have heard examples of 80% savings. Once a
patient figures that he has paid his required fee he goes crazy and abuses
the system. In Houston there are several doctor owned health care groups
that typically cost a family less than $100 per month for coverage. The
patient pays for each and every service, however the services are in line
with what the charges should be by cutting out the middle man. On one of
the local health talk radio shows a doctor was giving examples of what
uninsured, insured and members of his group pay for various treatments. One
that stood out was the cost of orthopedic micro knee surgery. The regular
uninsured patient pays about $25,000 for the hospital and the procedure.
The patient that was a member of that group paid out of pocket $2700. I
totally believe that if insurance was eliminated from the medical field that
medical costs would go down drastically and would even be much lower than
your social health care cost built into your taxes. If it is going to be
strictly a patient and doctor relationship the costs by the health care
giver would go down. Blame insurance and health care programs for driving
up costs along with stupid awarded judgments against doctors.




"Robatoy" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
On Feb 14, 9:17 am, "Leon" <Ú[email protected]> wrote:
> "Robatoy" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> news:[email protected]...
> On Feb 13, 9:40 pm, "todd" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > "Robatoy" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> >news:368e445c-a14a-478d-9035-cfa44436e199@s13g2000prd.googlegroups.com...
>
> > > My surgeon was US trained, so he knew what he was doing.
> > > I also got a mitt-full of cool pain killers and total cost of the
> > > deal?
> > > ZERO.
>
> > Show me your tax bill and then tell me again that the cost was zero.
>
> > todd
>
> My tax bill is the same as anybody else in my income bracket.
>
> Well actually, your tax bill is finally paying off, for you. Had you not
> had the procedure done, your tax bill would have been the same as anybody
> else in your income tax bracket where you live. If you have no choice in
> participation it is good that your body eventually craps out so that you
> can
> receive some of the benefits that you have been paying for all these
> years.
> ;~)

Yup, just like any insurance. Those benefit from it, are the winners.
The BIG difference is that here, we all have the same coverage... ALL
of us. And that the bigger earners pay proportionally more than the
lower income families... still the same coverage.

There might be ideological issues with socialized medicine, but I
think it is wrong to live in a system where, through no fault of your
own, a small tumor can take away the house you've worked for all your
life.
Communities used to band together to help out a sick person, usually
through churches and their connections. There used to be a thing like
a barn-raising too. God-fearing conservatives even admit that that
isn't as common anymore.

All of those nay sayers about socialized medicine have no problem
driving on socialized roads and bridges, or depending on socialized
armies for protection.
Double standard, I say.

You don't get to pick and chose what you want handled by central
government and what not. The central government is here to rape your
earnings for the ones who live in the castles. To be a conservo-fundy
makes it so much easier to tolerate. When you do well, it is because
you work hard or you screw your neighbour out of what should be his.
When things don't go well, God has it in for you.... so you lose your
house.
When you speak out against the injustices of the world, you're a
lefty.

What really irks the shit out of me, is that when people sit down,
have a beer, and honestly talk about what it is they want, they would
find very little difference between them. We all want the best for our
families and our countries. The two-party rhetoric is nothing but a
firewall designed to keep us apart and under control.

Having said that, you wear it like a yoke.

r

On Feb 14, 12:46 pm, Robatoy <[email protected]> wrote:
> On Feb 14, 12:22 pm, Jeff <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>
>
> > On Feb 14, 11:26 am, Robatoy <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > > On Feb 14, 11:06 am, Jeff <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > > > On Feb 14, 10:23 am, Robatoy <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > > > > On Feb 14, 9:17 am, "Leon" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > > > > > "Robatoy" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> > > > > >news:[email protected]=
.com...
> > > > > > On Feb 13, 9:40 pm, "todd" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > > > > > > "Robatoy" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> > > > > > >news:[email protected]=
ups.com...
>
> > > > > > > > My surgeon was US trained, so he knew what he was doing.
> > > > > > > > I also got a mitt-full of cool pain killers and total cost o=
f the
> > > > > > > > deal?
> > > > > > > > ZERO.
>
> > > > > > > Show me your tax bill and then tell me again that the cost was=
zero.
>
> > > > > > > todd
>
> > > > > > My tax bill is the same as anybody else in my income bracket.
>
> > > > > > Well actually, your tax bill is finally paying off, for you. Ha=
d you not
> > > > > > had the procedure done, your tax bill would have been the same a=
s anybody
> > > > > > else in your income tax bracket where you live. If you have no =
choice in
> > > > > > participation it is good that your body eventually craps out so =
that you can
> > > > > > receive some of the benefits that you have been paying for all t=
hese years.
> > > > > > ;~)
>
> > > > > Yup, just like any insurance. Those benefit from it, are the winne=
rs.
> > > > > The BIG difference is that here, we all have the same coverage... =
ALL
> > > > > of us. And that the bigger earners pay proportionally more than th=
e
> > > > > lower income families... still the same coverage.
>
> > > > > There might be ideological issues with socialized medicine, but I
> > > > > think it is wrong to live in a system where, through no fault of y=
our
> > > > > own, a small tumor can take away the house you've worked for all y=
our
> > > > > life.
> > > > > Communities used to band together to help out a sick person, usual=
ly
> > > > > through churches and their connections. There used to be a thing l=
ike
> > > > > a barn-raising too. God-fearing conservatives even admit that that=

> > > > > isn't as common anymore.
>
> > > > > All of those nay sayers about socialized medicine have no problem
> > > > > driving on socialized roads and bridges, or depending on socialize=
d
> > > > > armies for protection.
> > > > > Double standard, I say.
>
> > > > > You don't get to pick and chose what you want handled by central
> > > > > government and what not. The central government is here to rape yo=
ur
> > > > > earnings for the ones who live in the castles. To be a conservo-fu=
ndy
> > > > > makes it so much easier to tolerate. When you do well, it is becau=
se
> > > > > you work hard or you screw your neighbour out of what should be hi=
s.
> > > > > When things don't go well, God has it in for you.... so you lose y=
our
> > > > > house.
> > > > > When you speak out against the injustices of the world, you're a
> > > > > lefty.
>
> > > > > What really irks the shit out of me, is that when people sit down,=

> > > > > have a beer, and honestly talk about what it is they want, they wo=
uld
> > > > > find very little difference between them. We all want the best for=
our
> > > > > families and our countries. The two-party rhetoric is nothing but =
a
> > > > > firewall designed to keep us apart and under control.
>
> > > > > Having said that, you wear it like a yoke.
>
> > > > > r
>
> > > > You commie ;-)
>
> > > Now, was that nice? Huh?
>
> > > A lot of those 'collective' ideas look good in fables and fairy tales.=

> > > But I want to keep for what I have fought. I'm in no way willing to
> > > share with lazy bastards who suck on the teat of other peoples'
> > > incomes. To hell with that noise.
> > > But to give doctors free reign, so they can screw the people who have
> > > worked hard, ends up being nothing short of extortion.
> > > $ 5000.00 per day for a concrete-block box with a bed in it is just
> > > plain bullshit. The bulk of the 'surgeons' are just butchers with a
> > > permit to hack away at humans.
> > > $ 3000.00 for a VERY basic wheelchair is just plain bullshit too.
> > > WTF?? Titanium/composite prices for powder-coated thin-wall metal with=

> > > plastic wheels? I think Harbor Freight ought to look into some of
> > > those.
> > > $ 80.00 for a box of Kleenex? Piss off already.
>
> > > Just because I believe in free enterprise and trickle-down economics
> > > doesn't make me blind to the rip-off that we call health-care.
> > > You make the money you can from the people who want your services, but=

> > > I don't think that sick people fit that category.
> > > They're patients, for chrissakes, not farking customers.
>
> > > Don't get me started.
>
> > Hey, I winked at you....
>
> LOL.. I saw that.. but I'm always a little awkward around guys that
> wink at me :)
>
>
>
> > And, yes, trickle-down economics *does* work. The boss makes
> > *millions* of dollars more than me. (No exaggeration, I think he makes
> > 8 million annually while I make almost 8 million less than that.) But
> > every day he has to walk to his car. When he does, there's a chance
> > he'll drop a dollar as he pulls his keys from his pockets. My co-
> > workers and I fight for those. Last week I would have gotten a dollar
> > if that dork in accounting didn't hit me from behind...
>
> Hey, you should be proud that he's doing well. If he didn't, you'd be
> out of a job.

Yeah, well, the company went into chapter 11 on his watch...

"Dave in Houston" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "Leon" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>
>>> As for me, I like my coffee like my women.
>>
>>
>>
>> Drippy? ;~)
>
> Wet is good.
>
> Dave in Houston
Dark and strong?

On Feb 15, 6:20 pm, "Max" <[email protected]> wrote:
> <[email protected]> wrote in messagenews:[email protected]...
> > On Wed, 13 Feb 2008 16:46:05 -0700, "Max" <[email protected]>
> > wrote:
>
> >><[email protected]> wrote :
>
> >>> Hey... it is slow around here, isn't it?
>
> >>> Robert
>
> >>You're telling me it's slow!!!
>
> >>Look what I did.
>
> >>http://tinyurl.com/2s2jkk
>
> >>Max
>
> > Communist!!
>
> Republican.
>
> Max

Ouch!

On Feb 14, 12:35=A0pm, "Leon" <[email protected]> wrote:
> =A0One
> that stood out was the cost of orthopedic micro knee surgery. =A0The regul=
ar
> uninsured patient pays about $25,000 for the hospital and the procedure.
> The patient that was a member of that group paid out of pocket $2700.

My brother-in-law is constantly in discussions with the insurance
company. THEY want to dictate what's best for my sister (she had a
fall broke her neck and is a quadriplegic now).... and here's
something strange.. the bill to my BIL ,on one occasion, was $
160,000.00 The insurance company took it to the administration of the
hospital and negotiated it down to $ 70,000.00. According my BIL, this
happens all the time. How much luck would my BIL have had trying to do
the same thing?

John <[email protected]> wrote:

> I've had two experiences with HP support (corporate account) in the
> last five years. Both were about replacement hard drives for
> under-warranty laptops.

Fifteen years ago I used to work for HP doing support. I wasn't dealing
with consumer products though, but rather UNIX mini-computers and
workstations.

The funny thing is that the middle management was always touting about how
we were a profit center. The logic was that the quality of our support was
an asset to the sale and that the support plans sold to customers was fairly
profitable. Apparently long after I left HP realized that they could reduce
the quality a bit make a much bigger profit by sending jobs like the one I
had overseas.

I often wonder what RPM Bill and Dave are spinning in their graves.

--
Frank Stutzman