Stonepounder
Stonepounder's JournalIn the midst of all the election glee, here's another good news story - from big business no less.
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/tj-maxx-puerto-rico-employees-paid-tjx_us_5a01dd9fe4b066c2c03a72a3?ncid=inblnkushpmg00000009Owner Of TJ Maxx Is Still Paying Its Employees In Puerto Rico, Even Those Who Can’t Work
They may not have electricity or be able to work nearly two months after the devastation brought by Hurricane Maria, but they’re still receiving regular paychecks.
“They” are the Puerto Rico-based employees of TJ Maxx, Marshalls and HomeGoods Associates, three stores that share the same corporate owner, TJX.
And even though Hurricane Maria destroyed much of the island’s infrastructure in September, forcing TJX to shutter some stores there, the company has nevertheless been dutifully paying its employees ever since.
“Based on the devastating situation in Puerto Rico, we can confirm that we have continued to pay our TJ Maxx, Marshalls and HomeGoods Associates on the island,” the company said in a statement to HuffPost. “We believe it is the right thing for us to do under these circumstances.”
More at link. But a pretty amazing corporate response.
Its An Honor To Continue Being Valued Over Countless Human Lives (Satire)
https://www.theonion.com/it-s-an-honor-to-continue-being-valued-over-countless-h-1819585030
Look, I’m not the type who needs constant validation, and I have never sought preferential treatment from anyone. I just try to focus on doing what I do and not get too caught up in what people think or say about me. But I have to admit, it’s been hard to ignore all the support and appreciation I’ve been receiving lately, particularly over the past several years. That’s why I want to take this opportunity to let all of you know what an absolute honor it is that you continue to value me over countless human lives. I don’t want to get too sentimental or anything, but it really means the world to me how often you as Americans, through your words and your actions, make it known that I am more important to you than the lives of your fellow citizens.
You see, I’m just a humble lightweight, magazine-fed semi-automatic rifle; I never expected this kind of outpouring of affection. But time and time again, you’ve shown me how much I matter to you. To see so many people—people who could be working to protect and care for human lives—actively devoting their time and energy to making sure I’m the one who’s protected and cared for instead—it’s beyond touching.
Don’t think I haven’t noticed all this. Rarely a month goes by without all of you pausing to weigh me against a certain number of lives—often a dozen or more—and quickly deciding I’m more worthwhile. Gosh, you must really, really love me.
I mean, wow, who do I thank first? I guess I’ve got to start with lawmakers. No one so consistently speaks up on my behalf, praises what I stand for, and does everything in their power to make sure no harm ever comes to me. These are individuals who have hundreds of thousands of constituents whose lives they could so easily put ahead of my interests, yet these principled elected officials steadfastly refuse to do so. Instead, they stick to their guiding beliefs and firmly declare that I—a simple modular rifle with high-capacity-magazine compatability—have more value than any number of human beings. It’s truly humbling. What a blessing it is to reside in a society with such clear and unwavering priorities.
Absolutely hysterical ad for Cosequin. (No endorsement, just something to make you smile.
It is only 15 seconds long.
https://www.ispot.tv/ad/wj5D/cosequin-sleeping-beauties?autoplay=1#
Had a pretty amazing interaction with Best Buy today.
Back in 2011 we bought a new washing machine from Best Buy. We also bought an extended warranty for an extra $200. When that warranty expired, Best Buy offered us an extension to the extended warranty, which we decided to purchase.
Lately, our washer has gotten louder and LOUDER on its spin cycle, so I looked up our warranty number and called the famous(?) Geek Squad. A few days later a nice young man came out, listened to our washer, and told us we needed new bearings, which necessitated replacing the tub and motor. He called and ordered the parts on the spot, and set up a new appointment to do the replacement on 10/27.
On 10/26 we got a call. The parts hadn't arrived yet and they didn't even have an ETA for the parts, but the tech said he would try and get a date and call us back. Sure enough, he called back. The ETA was 11/27. Grrrrrr. Having in his shoes often enough, I couldn't be angry at him, but he could tell I was frustrated. He said he would make some calls and see if he could get a better date.
So Thursday I get a call, would we be willing to do an exchange instead of a repair. The possible fly in the ointment was that our model is no longer made, so instead Best Buy would offer us a credit toward a new washer, but he couldn't tell us how much the credit would be. That made me a little nervous, but he thought we could back out and wait for the repair if necessary. Soooo..... a couple of hours later he called back with an Authorization number. (Still no $$ value). Today we went to our local Best Buy with the Auth # clutched firmly in our sweaty little hands.
It took a few minutes for Best Buy to dig out the original order, but the finally found it. And gave us a credit in the full amount we had paid for the the old washer in 2011! The full amount. The only cost to us was the new 5-year Extended Warranty on the brand new washer which had dropped from $200 in 2011 to $125 today, and new hoses (which are required). So, for $150 we got a brand new Washer and Best Buy will be out with the washer to install it Monday afternoon.
Folks, this is how you run a business to build customer loyalty! (Oh, and our Electric Co. offers a $75 rebate whenever you buy an Energy Star certified washer, so my full out of pocket for a brand new washer, delivered, installed, new hoses, and haul away of the old one will end up costing me about $75.00. Not a bad outcome.)
P.S. Since Sears is dropping Whirlpool, Best Buy is one of the places that you can still get Whirlpool appliances - one of the few appliance makers still in the US.
P.P.S. I don't think I am breaking the 'No commercial spam' rule. I have no connection with Best Buy other than as a satisfied customer and do not consider this as anything other than an anecdote from a satisfied customer.
The scariest thing about Halloween (Margaret & Helen)
https://margaretandhelen.com/The scariest thing about Halloween was the Jack O’ Lantern in the Oval Office or maybe it was the White Sheets. #DumpTrump
Margaret, what the hell is happening? Nazi’s are fine people. Russia poked me on Facebook. The Real Housewives of Trump Tower are fighting over who’s the real First Lady. And now the Civil War wasn’t about slavery. Has everyone gone insane?
We had an opportunity to have an honest conversation about racism and once again Trump screwed it up. Those football players are kneeling for a reason and it has nothing to do with the flag. And then we had an opportunity to have an honest conversation about gun violence and once again the Republican Party made it about… turned it into… changed the topic to… wait a minute. They didn’t do anything. They just left it hanging out there. It’s just bat shit crazy if you ask me.
And now we are debating the civil war? Again? I know for damn sure we had that conversation a long time ago and it ended with freeing the slaves and a dead president. Compromise? John Kelly says it was about lack of compromise? General Kelly, with all due respect, what was the acceptable compromise? The South could keep the slaves, but they had to give them weekends off? My God is anyone in the Trump White House not a racist? They’ve got more white sheets than a Motel 6 in Pulaski, Tennessee.
The other day I saw John Kasich on TV talking about his dissatisfaction with the Republican Party and I thought maybe we could find something to agree upon. But then he said that he had no idea what Democrats stood for and I was reminded that Kasich is still an asshat.
Mr. Kasich here is what Democrats stand for. It’s not a secret.
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Read it all at link above. Particularly the part about 'What Democrats stand for'
Trump Accuses Clinton of Deliberately Losing Election So He Could Be Impeached (Borowitz)
https://www.newyorker.com/humor/borowitz-report/trump-accuses-clinton-of-deliberately-losing-election?mbid=nl_110117%20Borowitz%20Newsletter%20(1)&CNDID=27161810&spMailingID=12266700&spUserID=MTMzMTgyODIwMTg3S0&spJobID=1280064286&spReportId=MTI4MDA2NDI4NgS2WASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report)—In what might be his most startling allegation against his former election opponent, Donald Trump on Wednesday accused Hillary Clinton of deliberately losing the 2016 election just so that he could be impeached. “How could one of the most experienced politicians in history lose to the most unfit candidate ever?” Trump asked reporters. “Crooked Hillary lost on purpose because she wanted me to be impeached.”
Explaining Clinton’s motives for intentionally sabotaging her quest for an office she had coveted for decades, Trump said, “Hillary Clinton is more than a nasty woman. She is an evil woman, and her sick mind is capable of anything.”
Trump said that instead of reporting the “fake story” of his campaign’s collusion with the Russians, the media should focus on Clinton’s “diabolical scheme to lose the election.”
“I don’t know if Hillary Clinton lost the election on her own,” Trump said. “Maybe she asked the Russians to help her lose. But the fact is, Hillary Clinton deliberately plotted to put me in the White House, and the American people should be very angry about that.”
Fox to Offer Twenty-Four-Hour Coverage of Bill Clintons Impeachment (Borowitz)
https://www.newyorker.com/humor/borowitz-report/fox-to-offer-twenty-four-hour-coverage-of-bill-clintons-impeachment?mbid=nl_103117%20Borowitz%20Newsletter%20(1)&CNDID=27161810&spMailingID=12258268&spUserID=MTMzMTgyODIwMTg3S0&spJobID=1262701538&spReportId=MTI2MjcwMTUzOAS2NEW YORK (The Borowitz Report)—Calling it a story “too hot for the other cable-news networks to handle,” Fox News Channel announced on Tuesday that it would begin airing twenty-four-hour coverage of Bill Clinton’s 1998–99 impeachment.
Fox anchor Sean Hannity announced the programming change, telling viewers that Fox would devote all its resources to reporting the Clinton impeachment to the exclusion of all other news stories.
“This story has everything: sex, lies, and misdeeds at the highest levels of our government,” Hannity said. “We are planning to flood the zone to bring it to you.”
Calling it “the story Bill and Hillary Clinton don’t want you to hear,” Hannity said Fox would be unstinting in its effort to get to the bottom of the impeachment. “For years, this hushed-up chapter of our history has been shrouded in silence,” Hannity said. “That silence ends today.”
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