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Rights of the few
paulh, vaccinated against the Omigod Variant Posted Jan 20, 2010
Maybe someday someone will turn thre Gutenberg Bible into a graphic novel.
Actually, come to think of it, this has already started to happen, in a manner of speaking.
Rights of the few
Hypatia Posted Jan 20, 2010
Maybe I'm just being petty, or even cutting off my nose to spite my face, but I am annoyed by the practice of some of the grocery stores in my area of requiring a shopper's card in order to get an advertised price. I refuse to shop at any of them for this reason.
Granted, the cards are free. So that isn't the issue. What bugs me is that in oreder to obtain one you have to give the store personal information which they then sell to their vendors. So say I always buy cat food. The computer that scans my shopper's card can track all of my purchases and knows to send my name and address to the companies that sell cat food. And what business is it of anyone that I buy cat food or wine or frozen french fries or anything else that finds it's way into my cart?
Another issue I have with it is that it gives me yet another card to keep track of. They try to get people to use the key chain ones. This way every time someone sees your keys, you are giving the company free advertising.
Finally, if the store can afford to sell me a can of soup for a dollar if I present them a shopper's card, then they can afford to sell it to me for that price if I don't have a card. I really hate playing games like that.
Rights of the few
Amy Pawloski, aka 'paper lady'--'Mufflewhump'?!? click here to find out... (ACE) Posted Jan 21, 2010
The only keychain card I use is the library one--I figure I already have my wallet out to pay when I'm shopping. Most of the stuff I buy at Safeway (the cheapest regular grocery store in the area) is just the stuff I can't get at the discount grocery store, which changes all the time. Or whatever is on sale--the cards don't bother me, and I've had mine long enough that we've lived in 6 towns, so the details aren't accurate anymore I'll have to get a new one if I ever lose it, though--we didn't even have a phone number when I got it, so I just picked 10 random digits (which you could do for the address and whatnot, I suppose)
Rights of the few
BeowulfShaffer Posted Jan 21, 2010
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8471451.stm
de/re railing the thread(assuming you count obesity as a disability)
Rights of the few
Montana Redhead (now with letters) Posted Jan 21, 2010
I am certainly not heavy enough to fill two seats, but the fact is, if someone *is* wide enough to fill two seats, I think they should pay extra. Kicking them off a planeĆwell, that's a bit much, if they bought two seats, but still.
Rights of the few
paulh, vaccinated against the Omigod Variant Posted Jan 21, 2010
Obese people need to travel just as much as non-obese people do. The problem is that it takes more fuel to get them aloft, and airlines need to use more fuel, which seems to be trending upward in price. If the airlines don't ask for higher ticket prices, they lose out.
Rights of the few
Baron Grim Posted Jan 21, 2010
Wait... it seems these stories were misleading.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34956957/ns/travel-news/
They weren't demanding that obese passengers buy an extra seat. They were just recommending it and offering a 25% discount if they do with the price of the seat being refunded if the plane wasn't full.
That sounds pretty reasonable to me.
Rights of the few
paulh, vaccinated against the Omigod Variant Posted Jan 21, 2010
They seem to be trying to meet passengers halfway.
Rights of the few
Hypatia Posted Jan 21, 2010
That does seem a practical approach. It isn't going to do any of us any good if the airlines go out of business. I don't think it is unreasonable to pass along increased fuel costs to their passengers. Take the new checked bagage costs. I don't like it, but I understand why it's happening.
If a person is too large for one seat, then they should buy a second one instead of spilling over into the space of the person next to them. This isn't discrimination, in my book.
Rights of the few
Baron Grim Posted Jan 21, 2010
MSNBC has had quite a few useful stories today. I also just read this one about those checked bag fees. Don't pay 'em! Have your bags shipped instead.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34943460/ns/travel-tips/
I'm overly concerned about the ridiculous idea that the TSA can demand you give them access to your laptop and any passwords under threat of having it confiscated and hacked at their leisure. I've been thinking about traveling to Scotland (for too many years now) and I would like to take my laptop with me but I will not submit to such an invasion. I'm now thinking I could just have my luggage, laptop and camera equipment shipped to my first hotel ahead of me and avoid the trouble and save some money while I'm at it.
Rights of the few
Hypatia Posted Jan 21, 2010
That would work for some situations and not for others. It makes sense to explore your alternatives. Shipping across the Atlantic might be costlier than paying the airline. On my trip over last spring, I got two free checked bags on Northwestern. They were adding baggage charges for domestic flights but not international ones. I don't know if that is still the case or not.
Are you saying the TSA routinely does this? I wouldn't like that at all.
Rights of the few
Baron Grim Posted Jan 21, 2010
Whether it's 'routine', I don't think it's gotten to that point. But routine or not, without suspicion of any crime they should have no right to do so.
http://www.boingboing.net/2008/02/07/tsa-confiscating-lap.html
Rights of the few
Baron Grim Posted Jan 21, 2010
Here's the original article. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/06/AR2008020604763.html?hpid=topnews
Rights of the few
Hypatia Posted Jan 21, 2010
Dang. That's scary. I didn't realize they were doing that. I don't own a laptop, but could have taken one of the library's. I even thought about doing that, but didn't want another thing to cart around.
It looks like I'll be vacationing in the US where I can drive to and fro for a while anyway.
Rights of the few
Hypatia Posted Jan 21, 2010
Good group, the ACLU. That's why the conservatives hate it so much. One thing I think is notable about them is they will defend the rights of their detractors as quickly as those of their supporters.
Rights of the few
Baron Grim Posted Jan 21, 2010
I loved a recent case (can't remember which state) where the ACLU was working to stop sectarian prayers before football games at a public school. Many students organized to protest the ACLU and the ACLU demanded that the school allow them to protest.
Rights of the few
paulh, vaccinated against the Omigod Variant Posted Jan 21, 2010
"I was assured that my laptop would be given back to me in 10 or 15 days," said Udy, who continues to fly into and out of the United States. She said the federal agent copied her log-on and password, and asked her to show him a recent document and how she gains access to Microsoft Word. She was asked to pull up her e-mail but could not because of lack of Internet access. With ACTE's help, she pressed for relief. More than a year later, Udy has received neither her laptop nor an explanation."
If Udy brought her laptop to assist her with her work, then losing it for 10 or 15 hours, let alone days, would have been a hardship for her. And now it's been a year.
Key: Complain about this post
Rights of the few
- 2721: Montana Redhead (now with letters) (Jan 20, 2010)
- 2722: paulh, vaccinated against the Omigod Variant (Jan 20, 2010)
- 2723: Baron Grim (Jan 20, 2010)
- 2724: Hypatia (Jan 20, 2010)
- 2725: Amy Pawloski, aka 'paper lady'--'Mufflewhump'?!? click here to find out... (ACE) (Jan 21, 2010)
- 2726: BeowulfShaffer (Jan 21, 2010)
- 2727: Montana Redhead (now with letters) (Jan 21, 2010)
- 2728: paulh, vaccinated against the Omigod Variant (Jan 21, 2010)
- 2729: Baron Grim (Jan 21, 2010)
- 2730: paulh, vaccinated against the Omigod Variant (Jan 21, 2010)
- 2731: Hypatia (Jan 21, 2010)
- 2732: Baron Grim (Jan 21, 2010)
- 2733: Hypatia (Jan 21, 2010)
- 2734: Baron Grim (Jan 21, 2010)
- 2735: Baron Grim (Jan 21, 2010)
- 2736: Hypatia (Jan 21, 2010)
- 2737: Baron Grim (Jan 21, 2010)
- 2738: Hypatia (Jan 21, 2010)
- 2739: Baron Grim (Jan 21, 2010)
- 2740: paulh, vaccinated against the Omigod Variant (Jan 21, 2010)
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