Started my job at Best Buy last night as a computer sales person. I have had a couple different styles of training for the handful of jobs I have held, and what I experienced with this job would be the loosest definition of training out there.
I arrive and am pointed to the back to "find someone working in the computer area", not a name, just any random person working back there. I am expecting them to know they have a trainee coming in, they had no clue. I am expecting to have some kind of binder to read through with training material, no binder. I am expecting to get a tour of the store, no tour. I am expecting at the very least a run down of the "extras" they try to sell (protection plans, etc), nothing. So basically I am shown how to clock in, which is important and then I am handed off to one of the sales people who shows me around my area (which I already basically knew from shopping in the store) and then we go to help a customer. I am standing there observing (assuming that is what I am supposed to be doing) , when another customer approaches me and I have no choice but to help them.
I am thrust into my first sale after watching my co-worker for maybe 10 minutes (this is about 30 minutes into my shift), so I sell a laptop and ALL the extras to my first customer and I had no clue what the hell I was doing, even got a pricey bag to go with it. So this sale apparently means I don't need further training (and might I remind you that I literally can't even use a register because I wasn't trained let alone given a login). I continue to sell about 7 or more computers with over half of them having the pricey protection plans and another 1 or 2 with all the extras. I would guess it was about as good as anyone could have done on their first day with no real training.
I just took what I know about computers (a fair amount) and spliced it with the kind of sales person I like to have when I purchase something and even some of that casino skill of reading people and boom! The easy part is that most people don't really understand computers and that is where having that knowledge and sounding like you know what you are talking about really comes in handy, assurance is really what these people are looking for.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Ungrateful
SEPTA (Philly's public transit company) saw its workers go on strike as of 3 AM this morning, meaning all buses, trains, etc will not be running until further notice. It is unbelievable that living right next to one of the states (NJ) with the worst unemployment rates in the country on top of horrible unemployment across the country, literally millions of people without jobs...
These guys have the balls to go on strike for reasons dealing with pension, work rule issues and as most strikes do more money. This is a great example of why unions don't work anymore, every single person on strike could be replaced with the amount of unemployed bodies in the area (with plenty left over), and its not like they are being taken advantage of (why unions were put in place originally). I just can't believe these people would be so ungrateful to have a damn job that they would go on strike for dumb ass reasons instead of putting up with it and working together with management.
So these people aren't just ungrateful they are selfish too...literally moving hundreds of thousands of people a day (if not millions) to get to their jobs/functions/whatever. These people that rely on the transit now can't get to their jobs in a timely manner maybe not at all, meaning they could lose their jobs. Unions are so out dated, no one is mistreated in this country the way they were back when unions were a good idea, there is no reason to have them they only reduce efficiency and make standard work place actions so much more complicated.
So SEPTA employees who are on strike get your heads out of your asses and be grateful you have an EFF'n job, and for every job someone else loses you should have to pay their salary for a year you selfish bastards.
These guys have the balls to go on strike for reasons dealing with pension, work rule issues and as most strikes do more money. This is a great example of why unions don't work anymore, every single person on strike could be replaced with the amount of unemployed bodies in the area (with plenty left over), and its not like they are being taken advantage of (why unions were put in place originally). I just can't believe these people would be so ungrateful to have a damn job that they would go on strike for dumb ass reasons instead of putting up with it and working together with management.
So these people aren't just ungrateful they are selfish too...literally moving hundreds of thousands of people a day (if not millions) to get to their jobs/functions/whatever. These people that rely on the transit now can't get to their jobs in a timely manner maybe not at all, meaning they could lose their jobs. Unions are so out dated, no one is mistreated in this country the way they were back when unions were a good idea, there is no reason to have them they only reduce efficiency and make standard work place actions so much more complicated.
So SEPTA employees who are on strike get your heads out of your asses and be grateful you have an EFF'n job, and for every job someone else loses you should have to pay their salary for a year you selfish bastards.
Friday, October 30, 2009
The Boondock Saints
Just a quickie little blurb about an interesting movie. The Boondock Saints is a movie that came out in the early 2000's and was poorly reviewed but later obtained a cult following. I recommend seeing it if you have not.
Unfortunately they have made a sequel, which is something the cult following has been dying for since they were first exposed to the original. I don't know how this sequel will do but it seemed like something that should have been left alone at 1 movie. It wasn't so much a great movie for any one reason but all of the pieces fit together with a huge help from Willem Defoe, who I don't believe is in the sequel. It also has been 10 years since the original which is just too long since to really work well. I think it comes out in theaters this weekend. I wouldn't recommend seeing the sequel but please see the original if you have not (and it is not for young children!).
Unfortunately they have made a sequel, which is something the cult following has been dying for since they were first exposed to the original. I don't know how this sequel will do but it seemed like something that should have been left alone at 1 movie. It wasn't so much a great movie for any one reason but all of the pieces fit together with a huge help from Willem Defoe, who I don't believe is in the sequel. It also has been 10 years since the original which is just too long since to really work well. I think it comes out in theaters this weekend. I wouldn't recommend seeing the sequel but please see the original if you have not (and it is not for young children!).
Slow Week
It has been a very slow week, and I have had trouble finding much to write about. Something hit me though as I was watching a commercial this morning though.
I really get annoyed by outrageous claims made by commercials, for example:
There is a Heroes commercial on G4 that claims Heroes caused a television revolution and the one that really got to me was the commercial for the new Ice Age movie claiming it was the best children's/animated movie this year. There are many more of these commercials but these 2 really bother me. Heroes didn't spawn a tv revolution, not even a little bit...it didn't even cause anyone to try and copy it with another super hero show and no other shows try and film in the same manner they do so I am confused about what that revolution was about? did they revolutionize how stupid some super powers can be? I have watched some of the show and it is average at best (unless you really really like super powers, you might like it more) and I am a super power kind of guy. Ice Age 3 was at best unremarkable, I did not see it but heard only bland reviews. Also it was titled Dawn of the Dinosaurs.....dinosaurs DIDN'T come after the ice age but BEFORE!
so I figured I would just start making claims about things in my life, because apparently they just have to be one persons opinion in order to be said.
Wolf Weekly is the blog that changed the blogging game!
New Jersey is the worst state in the country.
Spring is the coldest season of the year.
Another frustrating thing is how TV shows have begun to edit clips of the show to make it seem like something super dramatic is going to happen instead of something kind of boring and predictable in their weekly "trailers".
I really get annoyed by outrageous claims made by commercials, for example:
There is a Heroes commercial on G4 that claims Heroes caused a television revolution and the one that really got to me was the commercial for the new Ice Age movie claiming it was the best children's/animated movie this year. There are many more of these commercials but these 2 really bother me. Heroes didn't spawn a tv revolution, not even a little bit...it didn't even cause anyone to try and copy it with another super hero show and no other shows try and film in the same manner they do so I am confused about what that revolution was about? did they revolutionize how stupid some super powers can be? I have watched some of the show and it is average at best (unless you really really like super powers, you might like it more) and I am a super power kind of guy. Ice Age 3 was at best unremarkable, I did not see it but heard only bland reviews. Also it was titled Dawn of the Dinosaurs.....dinosaurs DIDN'T come after the ice age but BEFORE!
so I figured I would just start making claims about things in my life, because apparently they just have to be one persons opinion in order to be said.
Wolf Weekly is the blog that changed the blogging game!
New Jersey is the worst state in the country.
Spring is the coldest season of the year.
Another frustrating thing is how TV shows have begun to edit clips of the show to make it seem like something super dramatic is going to happen instead of something kind of boring and predictable in their weekly "trailers".
Thursday, October 22, 2009
More Advertising Genius
This one is a part of one of the worst parts of our political system - smear campaign commercials. In NJ we have the current Governer John Corzine and the main opponent is some mafia dude Chris Christy (I know who names their kid that right?)
This has been a battle raging since just about when we moved here and most of the commercials are anti-Christy. I find them annoying but sometimes they can be funny, like this one that goes on and on about what Chris Christy opposes, my favorite combo is:
Chris Christy opposes funding for stem cell research and preschools.
WHAT?
how are those related at all? He might as well oppose jail for prisoners and food for elephants. I get that both can be seen as bad to oppose but really in the same sentence? They must have had a list of stuff to say and they grouped it up and it came down to these last 2. How do we make this flow? Well I guess we will just throw it all in there and no one will notice.
So finally I got a laugh out of one of these annoying commercials.
This has been a battle raging since just about when we moved here and most of the commercials are anti-Christy. I find them annoying but sometimes they can be funny, like this one that goes on and on about what Chris Christy opposes, my favorite combo is:
Chris Christy opposes funding for stem cell research and preschools.
WHAT?
how are those related at all? He might as well oppose jail for prisoners and food for elephants. I get that both can be seen as bad to oppose but really in the same sentence? They must have had a list of stuff to say and they grouped it up and it came down to these last 2. How do we make this flow? Well I guess we will just throw it all in there and no one will notice.
So finally I got a laugh out of one of these annoying commercials.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Health Update - Sauna
I have implemented the sauna at our gym as the end of my workouts. I honestly don't know the science about if it does anything for you but I love it. I have always enjoyed the sauna but at the end of a work out it just feels amazing.
When I first enter I do some stretching, which feels really good on the tight muscles and then I just sit on the bench for 10 to 15 minutes and just get a really good sweat on. It helps loosen me up and just feels really good. If you have access to one, or if you live in the southwest just hang out outside, take a rid on the sauna train, you might like it! I actually think it has been enhancing my results, I'm not sure why, probably just because the sweat helps the definition but whatever it is its working!
When I first enter I do some stretching, which feels really good on the tight muscles and then I just sit on the bench for 10 to 15 minutes and just get a really good sweat on. It helps loosen me up and just feels really good. If you have access to one, or if you live in the southwest just hang out outside, take a rid on the sauna train, you might like it! I actually think it has been enhancing my results, I'm not sure why, probably just because the sweat helps the definition but whatever it is its working!
Balloon Boy
As many of you may have heard this news story about the helium balloon that was wandering over Colorado the other day. The big part of the news story is that there was a boy missing and he was presumed to be in the balloon. Everyone seemed to be on edge that this boy was going to die when the balloon fell to the ground, but I seemed to be the only one thinking there isn't anyone in the damn balloon!
The balloon was made of like a nylon material, not rigid at all, so if there was a boy in it there would have been an outline. The boy would have been able to be seen clearly as helium was the only other thing in the balloon. Also I am sure there is an amount of helium that it would take to lift a 80-100 pound boy with the performance it had and there is the possibility it had that much helium but again I doubt it.
Why no one rationally thought about this amazed me, guess it was a slow news day. It turns out that the parents were on Wife Swap at one point, and I actually saw them on the Soup, they are a crazy family and there is no doubt in my mind that this was an attempt at another 15 minutes of fame. It turns out the missing kid during an interview even said to his dad, "You said we were doing this for TV", some people getting the assumption that they were trying to get their own reality tv show.
This family is plain dumb and the news reports were just as dumb, it was one of the few times there were so many dumb people that I felt like a genius! I love that now everyone is like oh it was a hoax....I should be a reporter.
The balloon was made of like a nylon material, not rigid at all, so if there was a boy in it there would have been an outline. The boy would have been able to be seen clearly as helium was the only other thing in the balloon. Also I am sure there is an amount of helium that it would take to lift a 80-100 pound boy with the performance it had and there is the possibility it had that much helium but again I doubt it.
Why no one rationally thought about this amazed me, guess it was a slow news day. It turns out that the parents were on Wife Swap at one point, and I actually saw them on the Soup, they are a crazy family and there is no doubt in my mind that this was an attempt at another 15 minutes of fame. It turns out the missing kid during an interview even said to his dad, "You said we were doing this for TV", some people getting the assumption that they were trying to get their own reality tv show.
This family is plain dumb and the news reports were just as dumb, it was one of the few times there were so many dumb people that I felt like a genius! I love that now everyone is like oh it was a hoax....I should be a reporter.
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