I talked to my old boss the other day. Shes really cool; I was pissed when she was fired. I think the term that was used was downsized. I work for a branch of Kodak. The reason that my old boss was fired, and the reason that I will eventually be downsized/fired is this: They took the digital age of photography for granted.
Kodak is downsizing about 15,000 employees. This is in addition to several thousand that were let go toward the end of last year. The reason that Kodak is doing so badly is the digital market. While other film companies saw this coming and took action to grow with the market, Kodak had its thumbs up its ass. There are other problems but this is the main problem.
My old boss told me about these new self-serve photo machines that are going to be tested in the Detroit area. What you will do it take your undeveloped film to this machine, and walk away with photos. Its going to be more cost efficient to have these self-serve machines, than actual employees. Bye-bye mini lab. Bye-bye my job.
Dose anyone remember when you used to take pop cans and beer bottles back to the store and some kid would count them out for you? Now all the major stores have self-serve bottle returns. That kid was he one who would get his hands sticky and would have to put up with the smell. I hate self-serve bottle returns.
I like the self-serve checkout lanes in stores. Stores like having these lanes because it means they dont need as many cashers. 90% of the time these are a great way to get in and out in a hurry. Unless, you get stuck behind someone who has no idea what the hell they are doing.
The other day I was in Kroger using the self-serve lane. They now have this little bit that plays before you start checking out. All it tells you to do is scan the bar code, touch it to the yellow pad next to the scanner and put it in the bag. Its pretty clear, right? Out of six lanes, I was the only one not having a problem. Between the people scanning the bar code on putting it in the bag and the ones just touching it to the yellow pad, the girl running the lanes was about to start screaming.
One of the funniest things I ever saw took place at a Kmart that had just installed these self-serve lanes. This was a few years ago when these lanes were just starting to appear in stores. The Kmart had replaced about a third of their lanes with these. They didnt have any cashers working, just two girls watching the new lanes.
I stopped in to pick up something; I was in a hurry so I knew that something was going to hold me up. It was a Wednesday morning. I remember it was a Wednesday because that is senior citizens day.
This particular Kmart was less than half a mile down the road from a Cracker Barrel restaurant. For those of you unfamiliar with the Cracker Barrel chain, its a down homey old person/church people restaurant. Damn good food, the baked apples kick ass, but I digress. Cracker Barrels are one of the key marshaling areas for old people on senior citizens day; next to a Bob Evens or any parking lot with a charter bus heading for a casino.
Anyhoo, Im walking up to the front to buy my stuff. In front of me is about a dozen old folks. The Kmart people are heading them in to the new fangled lanes. It went down something like this.
Bea, youre not doing it right.
Well if youre so smart why dont you do it Harold?
You cant set your cane on the scale sir.
Dont look at the light, it will make you go blind. (Women trying to scan her stuff while she is standing as far away as she can and turning her head away.)
Sir, you have to scan the bar code.
Why do I have to do this, this is your job. I want to talk to your manager.
These people looked life they had been grabbed in Bedrock and dropped into Spacely Sprockets. About a week later, the self-serve lanes were gone.
???Question???
Ask me any question you want to know about me. Anything at all, and I'll answer it here in my journal.
Kodak is downsizing about 15,000 employees. This is in addition to several thousand that were let go toward the end of last year. The reason that Kodak is doing so badly is the digital market. While other film companies saw this coming and took action to grow with the market, Kodak had its thumbs up its ass. There are other problems but this is the main problem.
My old boss told me about these new self-serve photo machines that are going to be tested in the Detroit area. What you will do it take your undeveloped film to this machine, and walk away with photos. Its going to be more cost efficient to have these self-serve machines, than actual employees. Bye-bye mini lab. Bye-bye my job.
Dose anyone remember when you used to take pop cans and beer bottles back to the store and some kid would count them out for you? Now all the major stores have self-serve bottle returns. That kid was he one who would get his hands sticky and would have to put up with the smell. I hate self-serve bottle returns.
I like the self-serve checkout lanes in stores. Stores like having these lanes because it means they dont need as many cashers. 90% of the time these are a great way to get in and out in a hurry. Unless, you get stuck behind someone who has no idea what the hell they are doing.
The other day I was in Kroger using the self-serve lane. They now have this little bit that plays before you start checking out. All it tells you to do is scan the bar code, touch it to the yellow pad next to the scanner and put it in the bag. Its pretty clear, right? Out of six lanes, I was the only one not having a problem. Between the people scanning the bar code on putting it in the bag and the ones just touching it to the yellow pad, the girl running the lanes was about to start screaming.
One of the funniest things I ever saw took place at a Kmart that had just installed these self-serve lanes. This was a few years ago when these lanes were just starting to appear in stores. The Kmart had replaced about a third of their lanes with these. They didnt have any cashers working, just two girls watching the new lanes.
I stopped in to pick up something; I was in a hurry so I knew that something was going to hold me up. It was a Wednesday morning. I remember it was a Wednesday because that is senior citizens day.
This particular Kmart was less than half a mile down the road from a Cracker Barrel restaurant. For those of you unfamiliar with the Cracker Barrel chain, its a down homey old person/church people restaurant. Damn good food, the baked apples kick ass, but I digress. Cracker Barrels are one of the key marshaling areas for old people on senior citizens day; next to a Bob Evens or any parking lot with a charter bus heading for a casino.
Anyhoo, Im walking up to the front to buy my stuff. In front of me is about a dozen old folks. The Kmart people are heading them in to the new fangled lanes. It went down something like this.
Bea, youre not doing it right.
Well if youre so smart why dont you do it Harold?
You cant set your cane on the scale sir.
Dont look at the light, it will make you go blind. (Women trying to scan her stuff while she is standing as far away as she can and turning her head away.)
Sir, you have to scan the bar code.
Why do I have to do this, this is your job. I want to talk to your manager.
These people looked life they had been grabbed in Bedrock and dropped into Spacely Sprockets. About a week later, the self-serve lanes were gone.
???Question???
Ask me any question you want to know about me. Anything at all, and I'll answer it here in my journal.
VIEW 12 of 12 COMMENTS
Then a cherry.
Then another lemon.
Then another cherry.
Then another cherry since it was the last paczki in the box.