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Posted by Mookie on Tuesday, June 24, 2014 7:16 PM

zugmann

Mookie
What has happened to pride in your job, no matter the pay?

Is it easy to have pride when one can barely afford to put food on the table after working all day? 

Or if they are treated like dirt, respect-wise, at their low-paying jobs.

One should have pride, yes, but only if there is something to be proud of.

Maybe you can help me see what you are saying.  I have a list of businesses, 2 of them are fast-food, so I think possibly this may apply, altho they do have reasonably nice working conditions, most make above minimum wage in this city, and usually always pleasant.  The rest of my list includes an actual pharmacist, 2 managers at a well-known shoe store (2 locations), our local newspaper delivery (these people usually do this as a 2nd job) and the courtesy counter @ a local grocery store. 

These jobs have always been handled very professionally up to this point.  Now all of a sudden, no one can seem to get an order straight, get your prescription right, the same shoe sizes, porch delivery and stand in a group and totally ignore a customer waiting for service.  Some more than once. 

Incompetence?  Lack of pride?  Lazy?  Distracted/inattention?  Or the new way of doing business? 

She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw

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Posted by zugmann on Tuesday, June 24, 2014 7:33 PM

Don't forget, many places are running with as few as people as possible, yet the workloads are still high. 

I had to go to an occupational health place for a physical, and they only had 2 people working there when they should have had 8.  And barely a rest day goes by anymore without my phone ringing looking for someone to take an extra call. 

I think that has a lot to do with it.

And you newspaper example, there's fewer routes, and many of them are motorized (around here).  Yeah, it would be nice if they got out at each house to endure proper porch delivery, but then the morning edition would become the afternoon press real quick.

It's been fun.  But it isn't much fun anymore.   Signing off for now. 


  

The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.t fun any

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Posted by tree68 on Tuesday, June 24, 2014 8:06 PM

zugmann
And you newspaper example, there's fewer routes, and many of them are motorized (around here).  Yeah, it would be nice if they got out at each house to endure proper porch delivery, but then the morning edition would become the afternoon press real quick.

My Sunday route for the Detroit Free Press only had about 50-55 customers - up from around 35-40 for the weekday paper.  I'm sure today's motor routes have a lot more than that now.

On a different note, I happened on a cool weather site (I knew of it, but not of the near real-time feature).

I can bring it down to mostly NY state.  I'm sure it will center on most of the other states.

LarryWhistling
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Posted by JoeKoh on Wednesday, June 25, 2014 2:57 PM

our local paper is now printed out of town.carriers have to wait for the truck to come. I delivered the "Toledo Blade" when I was younger.Had 45 regular customers and about 200 Sunday customers.Finding people home to collect was a problem back then.Ns had 2 trains waiting to go west.The local was also uptown dropping off cars.Was going to mow but mother nature had us at the 30 percent chance of rain today.Still have other chores to do.

stay safe

Joe

Deshler Ohio-crossroads of the B&O Matt eats your fries.YUM! Clinton st viaduct undefeated against too tall trucks!!!(voted to be called the "Clinton St. can opener").

 

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Posted by Mookie on Wednesday, June 25, 2014 4:19 PM

Our paper has gone digital.  Older people have one delivered.  Our paper's policy has always been on your porch before 7 am! (Flower beds, sidewalks and driveways were never mentioned!)

 

She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw

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Posted by Norm48327 on Wednesday, June 25, 2014 4:31 PM

Our local fish wrapper is not fit to read. Smile, Wink & Grin

Norm


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Posted by tree68 on Wednesday, June 25, 2014 5:21 PM

Our local daily is still printed right here, but it's slowly wasting away to nothing, and they raised the price to boot.  I usually pick it up for the stuff that doesn't show up on the local news aggregator's site.  Especially the funnies.

There's a project for myself - build a little HTML file with links to all my favorite cartoons!

The daily paper in Syracuse now only prints three days a week.  They, too, have gone heavily digital.

LarryWhistling
Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) 
Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you
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Come ride the rails with me!
There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...

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Posted by Mookie on Thursday, June 26, 2014 1:18 PM

Sunny, humid, no wind - but nice!  My toes aren't the least bit cold! Cool

She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw

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Posted by blhanel on Friday, June 27, 2014 7:39 AM

Based on the latest from Tree's recently posted link, I bet your toes will be getting wet and tingly real soon... Big Smile

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Posted by Mookie on Friday, June 27, 2014 8:24 AM

blhanel

Based on the latest from Tree's recently posted link, I bet your toes will be getting wet and tingly real soon... Big Smile

right now they are wet.  However, mah hair is electrified!

She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw

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Posted by Mookie on Friday, June 27, 2014 8:33 AM

Brian: I checked local radar & we had the infamous yellow/red slash race right up to Lincoln & split to go around us.  Little rain & noise.  That's all folks!

She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw

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Posted by tree68 on Friday, June 27, 2014 9:38 AM

Mookie
Brian: I checked local radar & we had the infamous yellow/red slash race right up to Lincoln & split to go around us.  Little rain & noise.  That's all folks!

Ms Mook - we have the same "problem," albeit for a known reason - Lake Ontario.

Glanced at the Weather Channel this AM and noticed the line headed for Lincoln and environs, and that it appeared to be weakening as where it approached Lincoln.

Did the driving portion of our Emergency Vehicle Operator's course last night and didn't knock over a single cone.  My partner (a former state trooper) did take one out...

LarryWhistling
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Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you
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Come ride the rails with me!
There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...

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Posted by Norm48327 on Friday, June 27, 2014 9:46 AM

tree68

Did the driving portion of our Emergency Vehicle Operator's course last night and didn't knock over a single cone.  My partner (a former state trooper) did take one out...

Larry,

Cones were meant to be run down. Wink OTOH, the drivers who don't yield to emergency vehicles at intersections get downright irate. Learned that lesson back in the sixties. One even broadsided one of our trucks and beat the ticket in court.

Norm


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Posted by samfp1943 on Friday, June 27, 2014 10:29 AM

Norm48327

Our local fish wrapper is not fit to read. Smile, Wink & Grin

Norm:

    Feel your pain, out here in Fly-over Country!Bang Head

     We are gifted with what amounts to an expensive bird cage liner [You know what builds up in the bottom of bird cages?]  But can also substitute for a fish wrapper.  ne can read a couple of other ones from within about 300 miles, and they are almost identical in content.    Better and more current news on-line, in TRAINS and radio....  SoapBox     

 

 


 

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Posted by tree68 on Friday, June 27, 2014 2:31 PM

We were dispatched to a neighboring district for a traffic accident this afternoon and ended up blocking a two state highway for about 45 minutes until the lanes were cleared.

"Why can't I go that way?" was a common refrain. We know a few snuck by (through a bank parking lot on the corner), and I'm sure we saw more than a few of them come back, as the road was completely blocked at the accident scene.

And several got downright irate.  

And traffic was particularly heavy due to the upcoming weekend, plus the holiday weekend next week.  

LarryWhistling
Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) 
Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you
My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date
Come ride the rails with me!
There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...

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Posted by JoeKoh on Friday, June 27, 2014 4:53 PM

evening

busy at work.summer is usually a slow time but we have had some new accounts open up.Ns has a westbound coal train in the siding.They also had tonka toys on the track when I left.Tomorrow going to Deshler.Guessers are calling for rain sat night,sunday and monday.Means more mowing next week.

stay safe

Joe

Deshler Ohio-crossroads of the B&O Matt eats your fries.YUM! Clinton st viaduct undefeated against too tall trucks!!!(voted to be called the "Clinton St. can opener").

 

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Posted by Mookie on Friday, June 27, 2014 7:12 PM

Joe - our weather guessers aren't sure what is going to happen.  But our state is very colorful in different sections almost all the time. 

Tree:  will keep it short...our fire & police depts had their hands full in about 24 hours.  One was a young man, going too fast on a by-pass on a cycle.  Cycle stayed on by-pass and young man learned how to fly.  Unfortunately the landing was on the street below. 

Older man - got across several sets of train tracks, only to stumble and fall back into the passing train. 

They don't pay these people enough. 

She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw

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Posted by CNW 6000 on Friday, June 27, 2014 11:34 PM

zugmann

Don't forget, many places are running with as few as people as possible, yet the workloads are still high. 

I had to go to an occupational health place for a physical, and they only had 2 people working there when they should have had 8.  And barely a rest day goes by anymore without my phone ringing looking for someone to take an extra call. 

I think that has a lot to do with it.

And you newspaper example, there's fewer routes, and many of them are motorized (around here).  Yeah, it would be nice if they got out at each house to endure proper porch delivery, but then the morning edition would become the afternoon press real quick.

My wife and I were talking about this very subject a short while ago relating to staff that work for either of us.  A sense of entitlement being out of whack with reality is one thing we both concluded has a fair amount to do with similar issues.  It's not quite black and white and I'd readily say that there are likely more than one factors at play, but "sumthin's not right!"
 
I thought I'd pop in and say hi - it's been a while.  Been way too busy to play online much lately.  Might have some time this summer, we'll see.

Dan

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Posted by tree68 on Saturday, June 28, 2014 6:21 AM

Mookie
They don't pay these people enough. 

And a lot of us don't get paid at all...

LarryWhistling
Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) 
Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you
My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date
Come ride the rails with me!
There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...

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Posted by Mookie on Saturday, June 28, 2014 6:25 AM

Hi Dan!  Welcome back!

Entitlement:  is that the same as asking the pay rate before you even know what the job will entail?  Or maybe an simplified form would be "me, first" and "what do I care about you"?

She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw

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Posted by mudchicken on Saturday, June 28, 2014 4:59 PM

It's more like "I showed up - what the heck more do you expect?"

(This kid came from a town with a strong German Protestant  work ethic that seeped into everything. Class mattered not. The culture has certainly changed for the worse these days.)

Mudchicken Nothing is worth taking the risk of losing a life over. Come home tonight in the same condition that you left home this morning in. Safety begins with ME.... cinscocom-west
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Posted by Deggesty on Saturday, June 28, 2014 5:21 PM

We had rain Thursday evening and night, but it did not cool the air as much as was predicted.

this morning, Katie came down to tell me that she saw two quail families in the yard to the west of the house--four parents and fourteen chicks! They did not move south so I could see them without going outdoors--which would have caused them to take cover. This afternoon, I looked out and saw a father bird on the back fence (watchbird) and a mother bird on the ground; I did not see any chicks.

When several quail are feeding in the yard, one will be on top of the fence, and the males will take turns as watchbirds.

Johnny

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Posted by Mookie on Saturday, June 28, 2014 5:52 PM

mudchicken

It's more like "I showed up - what the heck more do you expect?"

(This kid came from a town with a strong German Protestant  work ethic that seeped into everything. Class mattered not. The culture has certainly changed for the worse these days.)

What really irritates me is they are not providing a free service.  Got a sandwich today - perfectly good ingredients - put together by a 2 year old, completely missing an ingredient that was asked for and charged around $7.  The prices are going up, the quality is going down and we are, again, left holding the sack that isn't even our order! 

She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw

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Posted by zugmann on Saturday, June 28, 2014 5:53 PM

Mookie
What really irritates me is they are not providing a free service.  Got a sandwich today - perfectly good ingredients - put together by a 2 year old, completely missing an ingredient that was asked for and charged around $7.  The prices are going up, the quality is going down and we are, again, left holding the sack that isn't even our order! 

Give the kid a break!  They are only 2!  

It's been fun.  But it isn't much fun anymore.   Signing off for now. 


  

The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.t fun any

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Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, June 28, 2014 5:57 PM

Why would you want to eat a sandwich made by a toddler????

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Posted by Mookie on Saturday, June 28, 2014 6:41 PM

Murray

Why would you want to eat a sandwich made by a toddler????

He's still making more money than I am!  And they won't let me behind the counter!

She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw

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Posted by CShaveRR on Saturday, June 28, 2014 10:14 PM

Yes, Dan, welcome back!

I know I haven't been gone for as long as you and a bunch of other once-frequent frequenters, but--given this past week--it seems like forever.  

My last post here was on Monday evening.  Going to the cottage from the McWi-fi, I managed to run into some dough.  Correction...doe--a deer, a female deer.  My Dodge Stratus was definitely a Ram wannabe there.  Front end is a mess, but--amazingly--the air bags didn't deploy (makes one wonder if something's wrong with them!), the windshield and headlights weren't affected, and the car was drivable (we had it checked out at a local body shop, which had worked on my sister's car after a more severe encounter).  Insurance will cover us, and we'll start that process Monday.

Thursday the septic system at the cottage quit.  We called the septic people, then I got out of the way.  Turns out that someone in our family (probably a citified offshoot family) put some grease down there and it kind of solidified.  Well, that took a few hours to find and fix, but it wasn't serious.  

Friday we came home.  Saw the very same train of ISGX cars at Michigan City (CSX--looking for a couple of your units?  I know where they've been for most of a week!).  No other trains of note.

Today we ran some errands--I saw a couple of good freights on UP.  Unfortunately, the better one was while I was waiting in line at the post office for our held mail--lots of good magazines and bad bills.  Tonight we went to a luau party, and I was so stuffed that I could barely walk home and am trying to gather the strength to pull myself up from this chair (it didn't help that I mowed the lawn this afternoon, with barely enough time for a shower before the party...when I mow the lawn, it's with a manual push mower, but also includes trimming of tall grass around other plants, cutting the low-hanging branches off Herr Lindenbaum, and picking up the small branches from the rainstorm we missed).

Okay...here I go...uhhp, uhhp and uhh-way!

Carl

Railroader Emeritus (practiced railroading for 46 years--and in 2010 I finally got it right!)

CAACSCOCOM--I don't want to behave improperly, so I just won't behave at all. (SM)

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Posted by JoeKoh on Sunday, June 29, 2014 6:21 AM

good morning

warm and muggy here in nw ohio.A guy came from NJ to Deshler yesterday to see what happens on CSX here. Going to get ready for church.Defiance has art in the park which supports our local library today as well.Tomorrow is back to work.

stay safe

Joe

Deshler Ohio-crossroads of the B&O Matt eats your fries.YUM! Clinton st viaduct undefeated against too tall trucks!!!(voted to be called the "Clinton St. can opener").

 

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Posted by mudchicken on Sunday, June 29, 2014 1:11 PM

Our sympathies on the car Carl....'Bring ya some deer whistles the next time east and cross-hairs for the windshield.....the new scourge de jour out here is freeway prairie dogs and home invasive moose.

Gotta take a remedial course on being polite with rubber tired engineering designers or prepare for execution of a drive-by slapping on Monday- got another plan submittal from Brand X consultant calling for reverse 3% grades connected with a 200 foot vertical curve and a horizontal shoo-fly with 24 degree curves in it.Super Angry....in a branchline main track on a long grade.(it ain't only the service industry Mooks)....second major design blunder seen this week.Bang HeadBang HeadBang Head

Falcon perched on the bird bath looking in the kitchen window this morning.

Mudchicken Nothing is worth taking the risk of losing a life over. Come home tonight in the same condition that you left home this morning in. Safety begins with ME.... cinscocom-west
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Posted by Mookie on Sunday, June 29, 2014 1:24 PM

Sir C - bet they can't make a decent sandwich, either!

Also doesn't sound like they understand engineering any better than I do? 

Send Falcon - our pair didn't show up this year at the watch site...Sad

She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw

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