Nataly

A lot of people are describing improvements and/or change and/or greater access to technologies... These should not be confounded with innovation. For example, the fact that many more people are able to travel by plane does not change the fact that these are pretty much the same planes/technology as 50 years ago. Same goes for cars, et cetera. One could even argue that Skype is derived from a mixture of technologies that are (relatively speaking) old. Video, the telephone, et cetera - this was innovation but isn't combining the two "just" an improvement? (I don't mean to diminish it's impact, which is why I have put "just" in quotes.) The internet - this was innovation. Faster/cheaper internet is improvement. Social networks? Ok, maybe they are innovative... But *more* social networks are not. I don't wholly agree with either of my colleagues, by the way, but they both had some valid and very interesting points of view. ETA: Thanks for the link, Adam - interesting read

A very interesting conversation we had at work the other day... On the one hand, one of my colleagues was stating that there was an imminent revolution about to happen because people today were so much more connected than before - communication, he said, has made everything accessible to everyone and this will lead to some BIG changes. My other colleague said no: we have greater access to more junk than ever before... We recycle ideas instead of coming up with our own. Consider the beginning of the 20th century compared to the end of it... Huge strides of progress compared to homogenisation and disposability... Yes, everyone can now get on a plane, but these planes existed 50 years ago. Where are the super-jets? Why are we not being teleported anywhere? Why is life expectancy still the same - why have we not come up with something REALLY innovative like getting younger, curing cancer, et cetera, et cetera... So where do you stand on the spectrum?? We're NOT using our brains and accomplishing nothing of great worth or we're on the brink of MAJOR breakthroughs?? "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

I ride a 25 year old 12-speed road bike with very skinny wheels and tires. I have no intention of getting a replacement, it would just be a waste of money; in another 25 years I shall be 92. Silly boy... No bike you purchase today would last 25 years, even the ones that cost as much as a car!!! "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

Totally depends... If your SO is concerned for your well-being, you should definitely discuss it. Both parties probably have valid points, and if you care about each-other you will be honest about whose arguments are most relevant. In some cases (ie: when you have young kids; when you are retardedly accident-prone; when your finances are in a dire state), it can be wise to at least take a break from the sport... In some cases, you should come to some kind of compromise, or better explain the (calculated) risks involved. Whatever the circumstances, the determining factor is really whether you or your SO is being selfish toward the other... If one of you *is* being selfish, the problem isn't the skydiving... "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

We did that with the software package we bought, but this is not always an option... The fact is that incompetence / unpleasantness exists everywhere and you cannot always avoid it... "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

*BUMP* So, a couple of years down the line... We did buy a house together... We bought at the very peak of the boom, and just weeks after we got the keys, the markets came crashing down in a spectacular fashion... We split up shortly after (not related to the house purchase or financial crisis)... Becoming financially independent from it took *years* because the banks didn't want to have just one person on the mortgage (due to the financial crisis that no one anticiapted)... All things considered, although I would strongly urge people NOT to do what I did, I don't regret doing it myself. A lot of the hard lessons I learned are the reason I'm in such a good position now

Yeah but you take off far too much time from posting to really achieve true post whoredom.. 2 posts in 2006 and none in 2008... Well, 2006 was an AMAZING year, and 2008 nearly killed me... So I guess I only find time for this when life is relatively "normal!" "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

My role is to screen all the offers/deals/products and assess which one we should go for. Cost is never the only factor but unfortunately, when all the products/services are roughly the same, sometimes it does boil down to the price no matter how good/bad the salesperson was. I am not the final decision maker, but if I felt it was worth paying more, I would say so - my boss trusts my judgement and usually goes with my proposal... I take this trust very much to heart, so I always try to do what's best for the business. Unfortunately, sometimes the best solution is offered by a total fuckwit... "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

Argh... This is the third time in the past couple of weeks where I've had to base a business decision on costs when the commercial person was a total twat. The alternative in each case was great on the customer service side, but couldn't compete on price... I hate when that happens. It's not that I feel bad (it's just business, after all), but I know from experience that sometimes dealing with an asshole is a false economy because you don't end up with what was promised - just a whole lot of hassle... "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

I'll be damned... Didn't realise I was so close to the 10-year mark! I'm horrible at remembering dates of any sort though (including my own birthday, on one occasion!)... "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

The *worst* food poisoning I've ever had was in Florida... Seriously thought I might shit/puke to death. "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

So an Ozzie eating kangaroo is kinda like a Canuck eating beaver?? "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

Nonsense. I was brought up in Canada, where most people would agree with you. I still go back to the same question - I personally don't see why you would have a problem with eating horse as compared to cow (for instance). "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

If it adds nothing to the credibility of the actress' talent, why would it remove her credibility??? "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

I do. It is a very good meat. I also love horses. +1 Healthy, delicious and inexpensive. As for medication, et cetera... Well, in an environment that isn't controlled, yes it could be a problem. However when you can trust the source, it's like any other animal - it's raised for eating and quite safe. Those who can't stand the idea of eating horse... What makes eating other animals any better? Personally, I don't care what the meat is, as long as it's not endangered, raised/butchered under horrible conditions or toxic. Hell, horses have excellent lives when they are consumed, unlike chicken - and we eat A LOT of those... "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

Excellent! "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

I just saw the saddest movie ever called "amour" (love). It's about an elderly couple... She has some kind of health problem which requires an operation and things go from bad to worse. Their love is so strong and he is so kind and looks after her... It's so, so, so fucking sad, but strangely heart-warming as well... Makes one so grateful for the things we have. "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

So on a first date you'd like the guy to get straight to the point, so long as its in a pleasant manner. Like "PLEASE may I screw you"? No, he has to shell out for a damn good steak first. I think she's still in France, so horse would be acceptable too, right? I do understand about the whole horse scandal thing... But horse meat *is* very good... "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

there's no "I don't know" about it. I feel exactly like you do. However, we are the exception. Not the rule. Try it. Once you get past the cynicism of it, it's kinda nice (I hate that I'm admitting that). And, it's only plastic when it's plastic. If you mean to be sincere people know. If the other is sincere, you can tell also. Oh, I learned a long time ago to adapt my behaviour according to social norms... And those "norms" are not necessarily universal and/or intuitive. Just because I prefer cutting through all the bullshit, doesn't mean I impose this "abruptness" on others at all costs. I exchange little pleasantries at little shops and everyone is happy (including myself, because being "rude" is not my objective). But honestly, in my ideal world, you could nicely ask for a croissant and get that croissant in a perfectly civilised manner and it wouldn't take half an hour of "pleasantries" to get there. "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

This is true, but everyone now seems required to say at least hello... In the States, maybe this is "normal..." Not so much in the UK, and maybe that is precisely why it feels annoying/artificial. "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

Totally anonymous (unless you choose to comment)... How happy are you in your current relationship? ETA - d'oh... Just noticed spelling mistake in "heppy"... Assume that is "happy." "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

No, I went to those same shops 5 years ago and they weren't doing it then... It's an attempt to "warmly greet customers." They do it to everyone now. I find it annoying, even though I recognise that occasionally it does encourage a sale. "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

I've found this to be true in several asian countries, I'm told this is true in many euro countries, I find it true in a lot of regions in the US as well. Seems to me to be common sense. I always try to greet people and ask if they are well before initiating the direct purpose of my visit. The response has ALWAYS been very positive. That's during international trips, or going to the store a few blocks from house. It's less about rudeness, it's more about treating the other person as an individual deserving respect who happens to have a job..... instead of just a vendor of a service or product with no other purpose (no matter how polite the delivery of the request). It's really hard for me to remember to do this, I'm very mission focused, so a little bit of pleasantry seems inefficient to me. But the payoff has been good in terms of quality of service and just getting a lot more smiles. I don't care where you are from, most people seem to appreciate it. The outliers that operate like the Seinfeld "soup nazi" are the exceptions, not the rule. for my job i have a shitload of contacts with vendors, salespeople, suppliers and what not to do; usually i'm asking them to offer me stuff - i always start with "how's the weather there, how are you, bla-bla-bla.." then i get straight to the point of what i WANT from them. i have VERY good contacts with pretty much everyone; it's a POLITE thing to do, in EVERY culture; people want to be valued and acknowledged! I don't know... A total stranger exchanging "pleasantries" feels extremely artificial to me. I personally prefer when people get straight to the point in a pleasant manner (which is totally different). I will enjoy doing business with someone who is generally pleasant, but not with someone who is "buttering me up." Case in point, I was in London 2 weeks ago. I was browsing the high-end shops on Bond street and I was thinking that on the one hand, I love that I was treated with total respect and taken completely seriously despite being dressed a bit like a bum... On the other hand, I found it annoying that all the shopkeepers greeted me with "hello, how are you" or "may I assist you" which even just 5 years ago didn't happen... No, you were left to peacefully browse the shops without being "hassled" for a sale. It was a turn-off. Basically, they treat you very respectfully (very British) but they try to artificially create a "warm feeling" (very American). I appreciated the former, but not the latter. The first humours you in case you have money, the second feels a bit like ass-licking. Not that I don't enjoy the occasional tossed salad, but on the whole, it feels just a bit excessive. "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

Well, just to update on this matter... I am a good customer with my bank, so the transfer (and subsequent penalties) to paypal was revoked. However, there is still a huge balance on my paypal account at the moment... This balance is erroneous (even though it's in my favour) so I'm sure it's not the end of it... Nevertheless, I think in the end it will all have worked out. I will definitely think twice about paypal in the future... "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

D'Oh. Ya never know... Sometimes things find their way back to their owners... Maybe leave your pants out in the same place and the money will magically "reappear" again??! That, or you will also lose a pair of pants... "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss