Business

Amazon fraud detection

Posted on by backuphill

Amazon problem

Anyone see any issues with the two items shown above? They were in the “Today’s Deals” section AND right next to each other…

Amazon has a huge problem with credibility when it comes to regulating selling and China. I mean really, exact same pic and exact same title and exact same “starting price.”

You would think a tech giant such as Amazon could weed out duplicate entries of the same thing sold by “different” people. Oh and they should probably ban people and companies that use these tactics, but that too becomes a difficult task. As such, for you as the consumer, you are likely getting ripped off if you aren’t taking significant time shopping and browsing on Amazon.

As always, buyer beware!

Anyone else noticed weird stuff on Amazon? Anyone else irritated by lack of regulation?

System malfunction

Posted on by backuphill

computer content control data

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I work in software support. I am an analyst. I solve problems. I train people on the software. I make suggestions for improvement.

Yesterday, I discovered a major issue with the new product that could potentially put the brakes on software migration from the old version to the new version. It won’t stop it, but it has the potential to slow the process drastically until it is fixed (which could take months).

Needless to say, I am not on everyone’s “happy list” today.

I love my job.

 

Morning that got away

Posted on by backuphill

grayscale photo of a man in houndstooth print suit jacket wearing a hat

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Traffic accident on the commute.

Nearly late for usual Friday morning meeting.

Email.

More meetings.

Doing my job.

Yeah, the morning got away from me and there is no getting it back, as it is 12:25pm (my time). As such, the post today is 4.5 hours later than normal. So sorry.

AS you can imagine, that’s really annoying and I need to plan farther ahead. It’s just hard to keep up some days. A plate will fall once in a while.

Or a few plates.

How is your day? Have you had one get away from you lately?

Can’t hear you

Posted on by backuphill

fried meat beside sliced lemon and white mustard

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We are an entertainment society, as in we all want to be entertained all the time. Look at our culture. We carry around computers in our hands that are used for some communication, but mostly for entertainment.

It comes in various forms, but usually there is some kind of entertainment even when you go out to eat. TVs on the wall. Touch pads of some sort on the table. Music playing overhead. A live band. You are likely to find at least one of these forms of entertainment in a dining establishment near you.

The other day I was out to eat at a place and the music was so loud (not a band, just overhead) that I couldn’t talk with the person across the table from me. It felt like we had to shout at each other just to tell the other person we couldn’t hear what they were saying because of the music.

We probably should have left, but instead endured the abuse of our ears while we ate.

Maybe I am just getting old, though I don’t think it is that. I like loud music, but there is a time and place for it. When it comes to being social with others I don’t think music blaring is an appropriate time to give the speakers a workout. Most people like to visit while they eat.

So, is this becoming common practice these days? I noticed a while back while out with my family as well, though it wasn’t as bad as the last place it was still rather annoying.

Friends, what do you know about this? Are you similarly annoyed by the rising volume of music in restaurants?

Fast talker

Posted on by backuphill

person woman smartphone calling

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I have written in the past about a co-worker who talks so fast that she sucks all the air out of the room and doesn’t leave room for anyone else to say anything.

Well, I also have a co-worker that apparently thinks she can read my mind and tries to finish my sentences for me, right or wrong. We can be talking about something and she interrupts to try and say what she thinks I was going to say, only for me to stop and have to redirect her in another direction. She must think she knows everything.

I am pretty sure that means she isn’t really listening, but trying formulate where I am going so she can jump ahead and finish what it is we are working on or trying to troubleshoot.

Irritating. Not to mention it takes more time than necessary because you are always putting her back on the right track.

Tell me something annoying about one of your co-workers. What drives you nuts at work? Let’s commiserate!

Sure, let’s meet again

Posted on by backuphill

flat view photography of four persons sitting facing laptop on desk

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Another morning meeting.

That’s three this week. That’s three to start the day followed by another 19 during the week. Ugh.

I swear, if someone else plans a meeting for today after I have to go to this one, I am going to punch myself in the mouth so I don’t have to go.

Come on, people! It’s Friday. Sheesh! Slow down and ease into the weekend…

#$%& meetings! Just leave me alone today.

Win a prize!

Posted on by backuphill

box celebration gift package

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OK, guys, here’s your chance to win a prize!

I have a great give away lined up for you. Make sure you read all the way to the end (no cheating!) to see what you get. The rules are easy and there are only 12 steps!

First the rules:

  1. Like this blog post.
  2. Follow this blog, if you haven’t already.
  3. Like three other blogs with the word “Loop” in the title.
  4. Stand up if you are sitting; sit if you are standing.
  5. Pat your head and rub your tummy.
  6. Follow EVERYONE, and I mean everyone, I am following.
  7. Stand in front of the house/building doing “The Crane” pose from Karate Kid for a total of 4 minutes (if you don’t know what that is, watch Karate Kid first. Oh, and wear pants if necessary).
  8. Buy charcoal toothpaste.
  9. Brush vigorously with said toothpaste until you foam at the mouth – take a selfie and post in the comments.
  10. Find a dine-in pizza place, walk by a table with a pizza one it, and take THREE pieces of pepperoni off the pizza. Tell table occupants those were tainted and eat them.
  11. Thank a police officer and a member of the armed services.
  12. Leave a pic of the shocked pizza restaurant faces after you ate their pepperoni in the comments.
*If you completed steps 1, 2, 3, 6, & 11, I thank you and so do other random bloggers.
*If you completed steps 4, 5, 8, & 9 then you are a moderately rational person.
* If you completed 7, 10, & 12 – well, you need help.
*If you completed all the steps above, thank you. You’re also an idiot.

The Prize

You probably didn’t do any of these things (OK, hopefully at least #1 & #2), so the prize is the satisfaction of knowing you don’t fall for these stupid “follow loops” to win prizes like other social media people. Good job! Pat yourself on the back.

Anyone else annoyed by these things? It seems to be the trend on Instagram right now.

Please, stop already

Posted on by backuphill

hands black and white fingers palm

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I am gonna go out on a limb here and assume that you can identify with my pain.

Have you ever been to a training where the person training you had no business training you? Either because they didn’t know their stuff or because they were incredibly inept at presenting the material?

As a former teacher, I of course sat through lots of presentations from people who were good at presenting but there was the occasional person that snuck in once in a while who really had no business being in front of people. It was a rarity though. But…

Good grief, almighty! I have become increasingly aware that the industry I am in now has  MANY people who should not be training others. In most cases, they know the material. In most cases. But, whey have no idea how to present the material in an engaging way. In a way that gets you involved. In a way that gets you to care about what you are learning. That helps you get invested in what you’re doing.

I sat through one of those sort of presentations, again, yesterday. Man it was painful. But, after it was all over and done, one of my clients came to the back of the room where I was sitting and gave me a nice complement. I was just attending the session like everyone else, but she came up and said, “I wish you had done that presentation. It would  have been a lot more entertaining.”

I guess I am not the only one who doesn’t like to sit through painful trainings with people who shouldn’t be training others.

Look how far we’ve come

Posted on by backuphill

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**This post is totally gluten free.**

I am not sure the title for this little post is a positive thing or a negative thing, but I am definitely leaning towards the negative.

I noticed yesterday that there was some shampoo that was “gluten free”. OH REALLY?

That’s just absolutely great because I was going to drink it (just to see what it tasted like) but I was worried about my allergy to gluten. Since the bottle has now clarified that it is gluten free, drink away! I also noticed the conditioner was gluten free as well, so I’ll be chugging some of that next.

Alright, alright. Truth be told, I didn’t drink it. I was just using that as an example of how stupid our species has become. Two reasons:

  1. We have become so weak as humans that we can’t tolerate gluten in things we don’t even consume.
  2. To sell a product, companies have labeled things a certain way in order pander to people who are afraid of everything, even when the product didn’t contain the ingredient in the first place.

If we survive to the end of the century, it will be a miracle. It won’t be war. It won’t be climate change. It won’t be the plague.

It will be fear.

What products should be advertised as gluten free now? “Gluten Free Tires” perhaps?