...where I am now (Thursday, November 1, 2001 3:37 PM) typing away, doesn't charge anything, doesn't even ask you to sign in. They have them all over the place: "Use anyone you want."
Took a side trip today to Lindsburg, KS. A really nice town - very Swedish. The chamber of commerce ladies were glad to see me. Town has one tavern - today was the first day of the season they served chili - very good.
Easy drive. I'm signed in to the Ramada, they'll take me to the train tomorrow 4AM (2 blocks away.) Now to turn in the car.
Thursday, November 1, 2001
Sunday, October 21, 2001
Customer Service, Osco style
Sunday night, October 21, 2001 7PM
Chicago Tribune, Voice of the People
Folks:
This was a new one: Tonight, at about 6PM, I stopped by my Osco at 5345 North Broadway, Chicago to buy an item I buy often. It has totaled $2.82 for years. I gave the young male clerk a $5 bill. He was apparently very low on pennys, so instead of the usual $2.18 in change, I got $2.17, and the comment: "I owe you a penny."
I'm in too much of a hurry to argue, so I pay the 1cent premium. I did wonder, is this part of the Osconew employee indoctrination course: "Every penny counts, so if you can do a customer out of one, go for it!"
I must admit, I usually try to save everyone trouble,and have the exact change. Maybe that's why this has never happened to me before.
Anyway, I hope if this happens to someone else, they have quicker wits than I did, so they can answer: "How about you give me $2.20, and I owe you 2 cents"or "Why not put the penny in yourself, and I'll owe you one cent (I suppose the last is way too much to expect from an employee.)
There is far more likelihood that I'll come back and pay the one or two cents, than that this clerk or Osco will look me up to pay me the penny. I know I can't handle the guilt, but I wonder if they can even spell "guilt".
Arnold H. Nelson 5056 North Marine Drive Chicago 60640
[Update: Reading this on Wednesday nite 11 February 2009, reminds me of when I was in high school in the early 1950s in my home town of South Haven Michigan: I had the best job a 17-year-old could have in town, working in a store w/ 3 big rooms: Men's and women's shoes, sporting goods, and Men's clothes, where I worked.
One day the 2nd leading citizen of the town (the 1st was the owner of the store, 80+ year-old Tom McKimmie,) who was also my dentist, came in and bought some stuff. He dug for his money and came up one cent short, of maybe a $3 or $4 order. He was a good guy, but he gave me a look that said: "You aren't gonna give me an argument, are you? Tom McKimmie is my best friend and fishing partner."
I nodded, went back to the register, put the sales slip on the spike, put the money in the register, reached in my pocket and put a penny more in the register.
When I got back to the Doctor, he glared at me, and said: "I saw that!" I just told him that he knew I'd never put a $3.51 sale on the spike and only put $3.50 in Tom McKimmie's cash register. He sighed, and said: "Yeah, I knew."
He never did give me the penny back.]
Chicago Tribune, Voice of the People
Folks:
This was a new one: Tonight, at about 6PM, I stopped by my Osco at 5345 North Broadway, Chicago to buy an item I buy often. It has totaled $2.82 for years. I gave the young male clerk a $5 bill. He was apparently very low on pennys, so instead of the usual $2.18 in change, I got $2.17, and the comment: "I owe you a penny."
I'm in too much of a hurry to argue, so I pay the 1cent premium. I did wonder, is this part of the Osconew employee indoctrination course: "Every penny counts, so if you can do a customer out of one, go for it!"
I must admit, I usually try to save everyone trouble,and have the exact change. Maybe that's why this has never happened to me before.
Anyway, I hope if this happens to someone else, they have quicker wits than I did, so they can answer: "How about you give me $2.20, and I owe you 2 cents"or "Why not put the penny in yourself, and I'll owe you one cent (I suppose the last is way too much to expect from an employee.)
There is far more likelihood that I'll come back and pay the one or two cents, than that this clerk or Osco will look me up to pay me the penny. I know I can't handle the guilt, but I wonder if they can even spell "guilt".
Arnold H. Nelson 5056 North Marine Drive Chicago 60640
[Update: Reading this on Wednesday nite 11 February 2009, reminds me of when I was in high school in the early 1950s in my home town of South Haven Michigan: I had the best job a 17-year-old could have in town, working in a store w/ 3 big rooms: Men's and women's shoes, sporting goods, and Men's clothes, where I worked.
One day the 2nd leading citizen of the town (the 1st was the owner of the store, 80+ year-old Tom McKimmie,) who was also my dentist, came in and bought some stuff. He dug for his money and came up one cent short, of maybe a $3 or $4 order. He was a good guy, but he gave me a look that said: "You aren't gonna give me an argument, are you? Tom McKimmie is my best friend and fishing partner."
I nodded, went back to the register, put the sales slip on the spike, put the money in the register, reached in my pocket and put a penny more in the register.
When I got back to the Doctor, he glared at me, and said: "I saw that!" I just told him that he knew I'd never put a $3.51 sale on the spike and only put $3.50 in Tom McKimmie's cash register. He sighed, and said: "Yeah, I knew."
He never did give me the penny back.]
Tuesday, October 2, 2001
Senator Byrd, Debater
Tuesday, October 2, 2001 7:56 AM
Rush[Limbaugh], I'm sure you saw the following headline (andread the article) in this AM's New York Times:
"Senator Byrd Scolds Colleagues for Lack of Debate After Attack"
Byrd is miffed because he didn't get a chance to quote"my dog Billie" and point out that he knows "white you-know-whats", etc.
Byrd the debater makes Strom Thurmond sound like William F. Buckley Jr.
How about a quick recap of some classic Byrd soundbites?
Arn Nelson, from the democratic occupied west bank ofLake Michigan
(Illinois 9th CD)
Rush[Limbaugh], I'm sure you saw the following headline (andread the article) in this AM's New York Times:
"Senator Byrd Scolds Colleagues for Lack of Debate After Attack"
Byrd is miffed because he didn't get a chance to quote"my dog Billie" and point out that he knows "white you-know-whats", etc.
Byrd the debater makes Strom Thurmond sound like William F. Buckley Jr.
How about a quick recap of some classic Byrd soundbites?
Arn Nelson, from the democratic occupied west bank ofLake Michigan
(Illinois 9th CD)
Friday, September 7, 2001
Waterloo & Elba
Chicago
Andy["Andy Serwer" <street_life_us@fortune.reply.tm0.com>]:
In the Friday 9/6 column you quote Deep Blue onHP/Compaq: "... this could be Carly's Waterloo....Elba is supposed to be nice in the spring."
Napoleon went to Elba after retreating from Moscow - After Waterloo he was sent to St. Helena.
Never miss your column.
Arn Nelson at Foster Beach in Chicago
Andy["Andy Serwer" <street_life_us@fortune.reply.tm0.com>]:
In the Friday 9/6 column you quote Deep Blue onHP/Compaq: "... this could be Carly's Waterloo....Elba is supposed to be nice in the spring."
Napoleon went to Elba after retreating from Moscow - After Waterloo he was sent to St. Helena.
Never miss your column.
Arn Nelson at Foster Beach in Chicago
Friday, August 31, 2001
Great job w/ Soldier Field column
Chicago Friday 8/31/2001 1030
David Greising, Chicago Tribune
Mr. Greising:
Thanks so much for your column of Wednesday, August29, 2001,"Soldier Field in need of civic intervention". It'seven better than Blair Kamin's. Your two-worddescription of the Bears/Soldier Field monstrosity("disastrous decision") is the best I've seen.
Wasn't the main reason for subjecting the ParkDistrict to state legislative oversight in 1934 was tominimize local political mistakes in managingChicago's park system? And now the Legislature can'twait to jump on the worst parks decision since 1934.
I just hope your column can help fix things beforeit's too late.
Arnold H. Nelson
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
David Greising, Chicago Tribune
Mr. Greising:
Thanks so much for your column of Wednesday, August29, 2001,"Soldier Field in need of civic intervention". It'seven better than Blair Kamin's. Your two-worddescription of the Bears/Soldier Field monstrosity("disastrous decision") is the best I've seen.
Wasn't the main reason for subjecting the ParkDistrict to state legislative oversight in 1934 was tominimize local political mistakes in managingChicago's park system? And now the Legislature can'twait to jump on the worst parks decision since 1934.
I just hope your column can help fix things beforeit's too late.
Arnold H. Nelson
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tuesday, August 28, 2001
Knots and miles per hour
Chicago August 28, 2001 Tuesday, 0900
Tom Skilling, chief meteorologist at WGN-TV
Dear Tom,
Your column today (Tuesday, August 28, 2001,)answering a reader's question about the relationshipof knots and miles per hour says:
"One knot means one nautical mile per hour and isequivalent to 1.1508 statute miles, our common unit ofmeasurement."
One knot certainly means one nautical mile per hour,and one nautical mile means 1.1508 statute miles, butone knot is not equivalent to 1.1508 statute miles;one knot is equivalent to 1.1508 statute miles perhour.
Your column is just about the first thing I read inthe Tribune every day. Keep up the good work.
Arnold H. Nelson 5056 North Marine Drive Chicago 60640
Tom Skilling, chief meteorologist at WGN-TV
Dear Tom,
Your column today (Tuesday, August 28, 2001,)answering a reader's question about the relationshipof knots and miles per hour says:
"One knot means one nautical mile per hour and isequivalent to 1.1508 statute miles, our common unit ofmeasurement."
One knot certainly means one nautical mile per hour,and one nautical mile means 1.1508 statute miles, butone knot is not equivalent to 1.1508 statute miles;one knot is equivalent to 1.1508 statute miles perhour.
Your column is just about the first thing I read inthe Tribune every day. Keep up the good work.
Arnold H. Nelson 5056 North Marine Drive Chicago 60640
Saturday, August 4, 2001
Chicago Tribune 'L' train graphic
Saturday, August 4, 2001 10:52 AM
Stacy SweatAssoc. Managing Editor/Design and Graphics
Chicago Tribune
Ms. Sweat: In another outstanding Tribune graphic(this one on the front page of the Saturday, August 4,edition on the Brown/Purple line elevated train accident Friday morning) there is a problem: The drawing shows two sets of tracks (quite clearly on thebottom of the drawing, very clearly on the top) but according to the 'direction of travel' indicator arrow, the trains are shown to be proceeding on the left hand track. Was the illustrator simultaneously working on a drawing of the Union Pacific Northwestline car/train accident on the same morning? UP commuter trains in the Chicago area do run on the left(an obscure, but interesting, reason for that,) but CTA trains run on the right.
You and your staff do a great job. I always lookforward to the graphics.
Arn Nelson 5056 North Marine Drive Chicago 60640 773-728-0047
Stacy SweatAssoc. Managing Editor/Design and Graphics
Chicago Tribune
Ms. Sweat: In another outstanding Tribune graphic(this one on the front page of the Saturday, August 4,edition on the Brown/Purple line elevated train accident Friday morning) there is a problem: The drawing shows two sets of tracks (quite clearly on thebottom of the drawing, very clearly on the top) but according to the 'direction of travel' indicator arrow, the trains are shown to be proceeding on the left hand track. Was the illustrator simultaneously working on a drawing of the Union Pacific Northwestline car/train accident on the same morning? UP commuter trains in the Chicago area do run on the left(an obscure, but interesting, reason for that,) but CTA trains run on the right.
You and your staff do a great job. I always lookforward to the graphics.
Arn Nelson 5056 North Marine Drive Chicago 60640 773-728-0047
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