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The completely gratuitous complaint thread

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  • Subtropic PixelSubtropic Pixel Posts: 2,388
    kyoto kid said:
    LeatherGryphon said:

    Complaint:  Phone spammers.  I picked up my landline phone (Yeah, yeah, I know I'm still in the 20th century) today to make a phone call and apparently somebody was ringing in at the same time, I heard some garbled talk in the background of the conversation that I was having with a computer customer.  Regardless, I finish my phone business, hung up and set about waiting for her to deliver her computer for repair.  The computer comes, and I start repair.  Then 4 hours later I pick up the phone to call her back to come pick up her happy computer and my phone is talking at me.  WTF? surprise   So I listen and some woman asks "are you still there"?  Then the automatic message says "Press 1 for ..., press 2 for ... press 3 for ..." I still didn't pay attention to what the questions actually were but simply hung up figuring that that would terminate whatever call was in progress.  Nope! frown  She's baaack and still asking questions, which I now realize is an automated political poll from which I can not disengage.  None of my meager bag of tricks works.  It's determined to get some answers from me.  So after about 10 minutes of fruitless efforts to kill the messenger, I finally started answering questions randomly.devil  If you hear of strange things on the ballot in NY State in November, it was probably me mucking up their algorithms.laugh  But once the questions were answered, she thanked me and said "good-bye".  (*sigh*) 

    The only pleasure I can get from that situation is that I hope she was on the phone for 4 hours asking "are you still there?".devil

    ...at least it was allowing you choose a number on the menu. The ones I hate are those which require you to make a verbal response and then respond  with "I didn't understand that, would you repeat again?" or send you back to the main menu. 

    They don't do phone trees anymore because their definitition of success is to get you to talk to a person.  From there, the human's definition of success is to "close the sale".

    Just try repeating "no thank you"  "no thank you"  "no thank you".  Eventually, the voice recognition picks it up and hangs up the call.

    kyoto kid said:

    This is why I'd never have Cortana, Alexia or Siri in my flat as I'd get so annoyed with any of them I'd  end up beating my hardware into to submission. 

    I do find them VERY handy, especially when I'm driving around in the car.  "Hey Siri, how late is Hobby Lobby open today?"  It's amazing that I can get an answer without typing anything! 

    But I do find them lacking in sophistication after being in the marketplace for over 13 years!  They should be much more advanced by now and should be able to carry on an actual conversation and be real digital assistants in every sense of the word.  But development just hasn't been prioritized accordingly.  Maybe it'll happen.  Yeah, right around the same time we get a modernized Bryce, right?

    kyoto kid said:

    A computer is a tool just lke a hammer, drill, or saw, not some personality to interact with. Remember hte bomb sequence in the film Dark Star? 

    A computer is indeed just a tool.  But some assistants can be tools too, right?

    Ummm...wait, that sounded a lot better in my head before I actually typed it...

    surpriseblushcheeky

    Well, think there is a valid place for digital assistants.  I mean, who wouldn't want to have Jarvis as their co-pilot when fighting bad guys?

  • Subtropic PixelSubtropic Pixel Posts: 2,388
    kyoto kid said:

    ...been experiencing minor earth tremors here, not from any actual seismic activity, but demolition work going on at the old postal distribution centre across the intersection.  They have a large  construction machine with steel tracks that every time it moves, it causes the mini quakes.  Every so often I feel the slight vibration while watching my displays shake a bit. A bit of a concern for the drives in the system particularly after the meltdown I had a year and a half ago.

    Modern hard drives would not be bothered by tremors.  I mean really, people used to use them on airplanes and trains, through all manner of turbulance, until SSDs started taking over the world.  Spinning drives even have an emergency parking feature to avoid a head crash during operation.  But you have nothing to worry about.  Keep taking your backups and rest easy.

    kyoto kid said:

    Also a little unnerving because we are in a region that includes a major subduction fault about 70 miles off the coast which runs from west of Vancouver Island (BC) to the very northern California coast. That goes, it will make the 2012 quake in Japan look like a moderate tremor.

    It doesn't matter if you live over a fault or not, the next "big one" (Yellowstone) will probably make covid look like a little sneeze.  If you don't get knocked down, you'll be busy trying to figure out how to breathe with all the ash in the air worldwide.

    Mystiarra said:

    what ended the inquisition days?

    i;m glad the hair grease days ended. who would want to snuggle up to that?

    will guys ever rebel against ties? its like wearing a noose around your neck

    No!  The ladies love my ties.  I can't wait for the 'rona to be over with so that I can dress up again, whether in a suit or a tux!

    LeatherGryphon said:

    Non-Complaint:  Wheee... I was rummaging through a box of old software for a copy of Microsoft Visio (for drawing schematic diagrams, network diagrams, etc.) and I discovered my long lost copy of Microsoft Streets & Trips (long out of publication) that I need to display some old maps that I'd created.  Wheee... hoarding again shows it's advantages.smiley

    Complaint:  Hay fever season.  Throughout most of my life I was never bothered by plant pollen.  But in my ancient years recently I've become a drip.  I should have stock in Kleenex tissues.  It doesn't stop, drip, drip, drip, blow, drip, drip,drip, blow.  (*sigh*)  And right outside my door is a big display of beautiful golden yellow Goldenrod, just waving at me and daring me to come outside where it can pounce in earnest.

    Non-complaint:  Wheee... money, money, money.  An old computer repair customer came by with a machine I'd worked on several times.  It's still running Windows7 but since they are out of range of the land-lines and cable service, they get their phone and internet service via Verizon cell service.  They wanted to connect that old desktop to their spiffy new Verizon "JetPack" wireless cell receiver/router device.  Their laptop worked OK with it but they were unable to get the old desktop to connect.  They used to have a Verizon USB dongle that would connect to the Internet via cell service, but wanted to switch to this new "JetPack" device to use as a household WiFi router.  So, they brought it to me, "Their Wizard".  I did the usual things and checked for viruses, scanned the disk surface for bloops, made sure that the Win7 was running properly, then I started examining the networking functionality and figuring out how to connect the computer to the wireless router "JetPack" thingie.  I quickly discovered (after all that work) that the desktop had no WiFi functionality at all.surprise  Which could have been a small reason it was having difficulty connecting.frown  So, I rummaged around in my old stock of new parts and found a USB nano WiFi dongle and sold it to them for $10 plus labor ($35) for the standard computer check-up.  The JetPack connected flawlessly and everybody was happy.  The only "gotcha" was that while they were flummoxing around trying to get the non-existant WiFi functionality to work, they accidentally enabled three different "Dial-up" connections that was confusing them as to why none of them worked.indecision

    OK, so my bill to them for the checkup and WiFi dongle was $45.  When I called them to come pick it up (they live 25 miles away) they asked about upgrading to Windows10.  Cool, more easy business.smiley  The machine was certainly capable of it, nice machine but it was a like a race car in an auditorum by not having super speed network access.  I explained that Win10 relies on having good Internet access and did some heavy downloads.  I could see that the JetPack thingie was tolerably fast and they assured me that their Verizon contract was unlimited data, and they could leave the computer connected for long periods of time.  OK, so they brought the computer back and I performed the Windows 10 upgrade and charged them $20 for the upgrade and $10 for a 16GB Recovery media thumbdrive.

    So, now my bill is up to $75.  But when they picked up the computer they gave me $100.  I asked if they wanted change and they declined.surprise  Cool beans! yes   So they took their machine back and you'd think that was the end of this saga, but no.  We got into a discussion about wireless security cameras that they had bought but were never able to get to work because they didn't have a proper router wired into the Internet (because they don't have a wired Internet, remember).  All they had was this JetPack thing which is about the size of a box of coughdrops and has no sockets except for power.  They have a three camera "Arlo Pro2" system.  I thought about the problem for a while but couldn't picture the whole situation because I knew nothing about the Arlo products and I'd forgotten a lot about networking technologies the last 20 years, but said if they bring me the Arlo system I'd figure it out.  OK, so when an hour later after yet another trip to their home and back they brought me the Arlo system and they just handed me another $40 and said it was for the earlier service, that they hadn't given me enough.  I didn't agree, but didn't argue.smiley

    Now I am engaged in figuring out this Arlo system.  First problem I found was that the batteries had been left in the cameras for months and they don't shut off,  so they were completely drained.  After I finally got one battery charged (there was only one charging cord).  I struggled through the obtuse and skimpy instruction manual but finally was able to grok what their philosopy of operation was.  (Why don't manufactures give an overview of the concepts of their product's intended method of operation?) They just jump in and say "Do this, then do that, and Voila!"  it's like saying "It's easy to drive a car, just open the door, get in, push the pedals & levers, and go."frown

    I did however, figure out how to solve their Internet connection problem.  They need an Internet "Client" device that has a LAN wire that plugs into the Arlo base station (which is simply a dedicated Wifi station for the Arlo cameras),  The LAN output of the base station is supposed to send data to the Arlo website where the owners have established an account and can view their camera images on computers or smartphones.  Simple concept but totally surprising when you expected the system to connect directly to a computer for viewing camera images (yeah, I'm still in the last century).  However since they have no proper router that permits connection via LAN cable they need a device that simulates one.  And I just happened to have one.  A 300Mbps TP-LINK Wireless N MiniRouter (Model TL-WR810N) that I use to provide Internet connectivity to my Smart TV that does not have WiFi capability but does have a LAN connection.  The TP-LINK device can be configured in "Client" mode so it connectes to the household WiFi and converts the signals to LAN wire which then connects to my TV.  Simple but try to find one of these things when you don't know what you're looking for or understand the concepts of WiFi router configuration techniques if the router that you have at hand even has that capability.

    OK, to make a long story short (too late).  I've finally gotten all three cameras charged, linked to the base station, and have played with the viewing and storage capabilities of the Arlo system.  Not totally impressed, but meh, it will probably work for them.  Now I get to decide how much to charge them for 12 hours of work without seeming greedy despite what they've already given me. indecision  Oh, and I don't want to part with my miniRouter (it's how I watch TV in my bedroom) so I have to order a new one so the saga isn't over.indecision

    But, I now have enough money to last for the next 4 weeks to next "payday", despite having clobbered my budget disasterously last month.  Yay! yes

    I'm giving away all my old Arlo cameras because I've switched over to Eufi.  Better quality, includes audio, plus a built-in spotlight allows me to see colors at night.  So I know that the cat that visits my driveway every night is actually black, and not a dark grey or brown!

    Mystiarra said:

    i cant cross the street by myself, cant see the cars coming.  ice cream is beyond my reach crying

    There are delivery services.  I used one for groceries about a month ago when I couldn't leave the house.  More expensive, but if a delivery service can satisfy my Diet Mountian Dew craving, they should be able to bring you a box of Dove bars!  wink

  • MistaraMistara Posts: 38,675

    am i awake?  it all looks the same as being asleep

    need some hatchling cutenesssmiley

      

     

  • GordigGordig Posts: 10,049
    edited September 2020

    It's a pet peeve of mine when people use the term "geograph" to refer to the process of GRAFTing GEOmetry onto a figure.

    Post edited by Gordig on
  • MistaraMistara Posts: 38,675

    geographysmiley

    silliness

  • kyoto kidkyoto kid Posts: 41,039

    ...laugh

  • Subtropic PixelSubtropic Pixel Posts: 2,388

    I never did "get" that scene.  It just wasn't funny to me, probably because I couldn't understand what Bill Murray was actually saying.  He sounded drunk in this movie, and in Caddyshack too.  I know, I know, it's his "schtick".  But it got in the way of the humor, at least for me.

  • LeatherGryphonLeatherGryphon Posts: 11,505
    edited September 2020
    Subtropic Pixel said:

    I never did "get" that scene.  It just wasn't funny to me, probably because I couldn't understand what Bill Murray was actually saying.  He sounded drunk in this movie, and in Caddyshack too.  I know, I know, it's his "schtick".  But it got in the way of the humor, at least for me.

    Wasn't just you, there are a few actors that I just don't get.  He is one of them, makes my skin crawl just thinking of him.  Also, Seth Rogan.  He has a good voice for voiceover work, but I can't stand to watch him.  And I must try harder to forget Andy Kaufman.  Gag me with a spoon.  Another, surprisingly, was Jimmy Stewart.  I could never understand what my parents saw in Jimmy Stewart.  Not a good actor at all, totally one-dimensional.  He was just in the right place at the right time and met the right people and was probably a very nice person, but acting?  Not so much.indecision

    Post edited by LeatherGryphon on
  • MistaraMistara Posts: 38,675

    complaint  those utoob ads dfont give the skip button.

  • kyoto kidkyoto kid Posts: 41,039

    ...I know.  They're getting more and more obnoxious, sometimes with multiple adverts in the same video.

    Oddly I tend to get a lot of adverts for cars and car products.  I don't drive, don't own a car, am not in the market for one, don't even have a licence, and haven't driven for like 40 years. 

  • MistaraMistara Posts: 38,675

    spike grew his wings

  • starionwolfstarionwolf Posts: 3,670
    edited September 2020

    i'm tempted to buy DT- Eve for Genesis 3 Female(s).

    Post edited by starionwolf on
  • MistaraMistara Posts: 38,675

    i scream for ice cream, marshiemallowsfluffy on top,   

    eh heh hubba hubba and this guy on top.  Vernon

  • kyoto kidkyoto kid Posts: 41,039
    edited September 2020

    ..need to find my favourite ice creme:  Espresso Madness. The market I go do doesn't have it,

    Post edited by kyoto kid on
  • TJohnTJohn Posts: 11,095

    My favorite is vanilla. Goes with anything.

  • DanaTADanaTA Posts: 13,207

    I like a good French Vanilla, but it's not my first choice.  Yesterday, I had a cup of a flavor called Cherry Blossom.  Cherry ice cream with chunks of black cherries in it!  I've looked for years for this kind of cherry.  All I ever see is cherry swirl in vanilla, or Cherry Garcia with chunks of chocolate.  I used to love Cherries Jubilee at Baskin Robins.  They're gone.  Little piece of some Dunkin' Donuts, but the variety is not there.  That is my complaint.

    Dana

  • LeatherGryphonLeatherGryphon Posts: 11,505
    edited September 2020

    Meh, vanilla is so vanilla.indecision  I love chocolate ice cream.  There used to be a chocolate that I could get in Florida decades ago that was called "Bear Claw".  Mmmm.  Couple of different kinds of chocolate mixed together, with caramel and big chunks of walnuts (the claws).  Smooth, creamy, delumptious and with just the right amount of crunch.  Mmmm... chocolate.heart

    Then it disappeared for a while (or perhaps it was because I moved out of Florida), but several years later (maybe 10) I found it again but they had changed the recipe and cheapened it.  Whaa.crying  Why muck with perfection? angry

    Post edited by LeatherGryphon on
  • DanaTADanaTA Posts: 13,207
    LeatherGryphon said:

    Meh, vanilla is so vanilla.indecision  I love chocolate ice cream.  There used to be a chocolate that I could get in Florida decades ago that was called "Bear Claw".  Mmmm.  Couple of different kinds of chocolate mixed together, with caramel and big chunks of walnuts (the claws).  Smooth, creamy, delumptious and with just the right amount of crunch.  Mmmm... chocolate.heart

    Then it disappeared for a while (or perhaps it was because I moved out of Florida), but several years later (maybe 10) I found it again but they had changed the recipe and cheapened it.  Whaa.crying  Why muck with perfection? angry

    One answer...profit margin.  

    Dana

  • kyoto kidkyoto kid Posts: 41,039
    edited September 2020
    DanaTA said:

    I like a good French Vanilla, but it's not my first choice.  Yesterday, I had a cup of a flavor called Cherry Blossom.  Cherry ice cream with chunks of black cherries in it!  I've looked for years for this kind of cherry.  All I ever see is cherry swirl in vanilla, or Cherry Garcia with chunks of chocolate.  I used to love Cherries Jubilee at Baskin Robins.  They're gone.  Little piece of some Dunkin' Donuts, but the variety is not there.  That is my complaint.

    Dana

    ...agreed on the French Vanilla.  My favourite vanilla style as well. 

    Espresso Madness isn't just coffee flavoured ice creme, it also has espresso chocolate chunks in it as well.  It's not only a local brand here, but you get more for the same price of teh major national brands (1.75 instead of 1.5 quarts).

    Tillamook, another local brand, also has a coffee ice creme but with almonds in it. Meh.

    Post edited by kyoto kid on
  • LeatherGryphonLeatherGryphon Posts: 11,505
    edited September 2020

    Non-complaint ending a long standing complaint:  Wheee... My long lost package with my CPU fan for "George" arrived just now.  Ordered from NewEgg on the 7th.  Shipped from Chicago, Illinois (500 miles from me) on the 9th.  Arrived in Cleveland, Ohio on the 15th.  Arrived back in Chicago on the 16th.  Arrived in Rochester, NY on the 24th.  Arrived in Buffalo on the 24th, with just 70 miles to go.  Four days later it arrived here, today, noon on the 28th.  Total time 3 weeks!  Same journey by car, 507 miles, 7 hours 45 minutes. frown

    More Non-complaints:  Today is a day for package arrivals.  I also received a package of two small (1.5oz) stemmed liqueur cordial lead glassware ordered through ebay, also 3 weeks ago.  Also, I'm expecting in the late afternoon delivery, a small package from Amazon with a couple of audio cable accessories.  Wheee...

    Post edited by LeatherGryphon on
  • kyoto kidkyoto kid Posts: 41,039

    ...I had a shipment from a different source take a similar back & fourth as well as out lf the way route.  Added something like 950 miles to the trip.

  • MistaraMistara Posts: 38,675

    nuthin to do cept sleep n dream ice cream.  miss my video games. witcher3, kingdom hearts, dragonquest.  theres no point to retirement withoutut games.
    mebbe a yippy kay A diehard movie night, think theres 3 or 4 of em. eat my woes away in penne ala vodka.  i never tried making ala vodka sauce from scratch.

  • DiomedeDiomede Posts: 15,168

    Hoping things get better for you quickly, Misty.  How about listening to some old time radio shows?  Free.  I used to listen when I had a long car commute.

    The Shadow Knows!

    https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/columnist/saltzman/2016/03/25/webs-best-kept-secret-thousands-free-classic-radio-dramas/82204502/

    https://www.oldradioworld.com/

  • Subtropic PixelSubtropic Pixel Posts: 2,388
    TJohn said:

    My favorite is vanilla. Goes with anything.

    Vanilla especially goes well with that cherry pie that's in my fridge waiting for movie-time.

    DanaTA said:

    I like a good French Vanilla, but it's not my first choice.  Yesterday, I had a cup of a flavor called Cherry Blossom.  Cherry ice cream with chunks of black cherries in it!  I've looked for years for this kind of cherry.  All I ever see is cherry swirl in vanilla, or Cherry Garcia with chunks of chocolate.  I used to love Cherries Jubilee at Baskin Robins.  They're gone.  Little piece of some Dunkin' Donuts, but the variety is not there.  That is my complaint.

    Dana

    Okay, now maybe Cherry Blossom would be better with that cherry pie than plain vanilla....hmmmm, I must now reconsider all of my life's decisions that got me to this point!

    DanaTA said:
    LeatherGryphon said:

    Meh, vanilla is so vanilla.indecision  I love chocolate ice cream.  There used to be a chocolate that I could get in Florida decades ago that was called "Bear Claw".  Mmmm.  Couple of different kinds of chocolate mixed together, with caramel and big chunks of walnuts (the claws).  Smooth, creamy, delumptious and with just the right amount of crunch.  Mmmm... chocolate.heart

    Then it disappeared for a while (or perhaps it was because I moved out of Florida), but several years later (maybe 10) I found it again but they had changed the recipe and cheapened it.  Whaa.crying  Why muck with perfection? angry

    One answer...profit margin.  

    Dana

    It's not always profit margin.  No, really.  Could be a specific cocoa bean is no longer available due to war, famine, or civil unrest in the place where it grows.  Could be increased regulation (domestic or foreign) makes something more difficult to make for a price that the market will bear.  Could be one single bean-counter just made a bad recommendation because he doesn't understand the product being made.  Do ice cream companies hire accountants who hate ice cream?  Maybe not specifically, but I'll bet "Ice Cream Expert" is not the primary skill sought for an accountant.  That probably comes somewhere way down the line after things like "can do math", "has no record of stealing from employers", or even "can clothe myself and find my way to work in the morning".  cheeky

    There are lots of reasons that things get worse, and profit margin may or may not be among them.  For example, Detroit made bad cars for many many years.  I know this, because I had the unfortunate experiences of having driven several of them.  I say that NONE of that was to increase profit margin.  If it was, then nobody would have asked for a bailout, right?

  • LeatherGryphonLeatherGryphon Posts: 11,505
    edited September 2020

    Non-Complaint:  Halloweenish? music to DAZ by.  Sitting at computer listening with headphones to local radio station (WNED Buffalo) while cleaning up bills and resolving bank accounts for the month (plodding "fun"indecision) Then after Mozart's Piano Concerto #9 heart  Came the "Masquerade" waltz by 20th century composer Aram Khachaturian​.yes  Great fun piece.   It's just the first movement of his 5-movement "Masquerade Suite".  All five are interesting but the 1st, 3rd, and 5th are great frantic fun.  The 2nd & 4th being quiet and lazy.

    Aram Khachaturian "Masquerade Suite": 

     0:00 - I - Waltz
    4:10 - II - Nocturne
    8:35 - III - Mazurka
    11:10 - IV - Romance
    15:06 -  V - Gallop

    Post edited by LeatherGryphon on
  • eaverill3rdeaverill3rd Posts: 18

    Complaint: nothing to do, and all day to do it in.

    Non-complaint: hot peach herbal tea!

     

  • MistaraMistara Posts: 38,675
    Diomede said:

    Hoping things get better for you quickly, Misty.  How about listening to some old time radio shows?  Free.  I used to listen when I had a long car commute.

    The Shadow Knows!

    https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/columnist/saltzman/2016/03/25/webs-best-kept-secret-thousands-free-classic-radio-dramas/82204502/

    https://www.oldradioworld.com/

    i remember the one when she over hears her own murder

     

  • MistaraMistara Posts: 38,675

    dr said i anemic and my kidneys are depressed.  didnt know they could get sad.

  • MistaraMistara Posts: 38,675

    watching psyche. lot of seasons

     

  • jd641jd641 Posts: 458

    I dunno if this is a complaint or a rant for advice.

    I'm saving up money for an upgrade but I'm not 100% sure what direction I want to go and it's been a constant bother every time I'm working at the computer.

    My two choices are a GPU upgrade or a CPU upgrade.

    My current GPU's are a 1070 and a 970. I use the 970 for rendering so I can go about my work or play games without interruption. It's great when what's being rendered fits in 3.5/3.75 GB but for the past few months that's been a rare occurance and almost 90% of the time it's dumped to the CPU. I want to replace my 970 with a 2070 Super or a 3070 whenever they're released as my main render card. 8GB is double the 970 and the render times would probably be cut in half.

    My CPU is a i7-7800X which is part of the very closed off and dead end X299 chipset. It's a fantastic and super reliable CPU that I have 100% faith in it's just not that fast when it comes to render speed. The only logical CPU upgrade left that my mobo supports is the i7-9800X which is an 8 core CPU vs the 6 core of my current CPU. I know it wouldn't be much but two extra cores which is four additional threads could make a difference when my heavy renders are taking over 18 hours to complete. It would also allow my to use all my PCIe slots, as the 6 core 7800X doesn't have enough lanes to enable one of them.

    My problem is that I don't know what to do. Even if I bought a 2070S I can still quickly run out of  memory and get stuck with the CPU for renders. Yet, for the stuff that fits in the card the render time saved by a MUCH faster GPU would be immediately noticable.

This discussion has been closed.