Author Topic: Overheard at Work  (Read 13253136 times)

Cheddar Stacker

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #3250 on: July 14, 2014, 09:57:04 AM »
My boss this morning:  "You shouldn't be saving for retirement yet.  Most of your savings will be in the last decade of your career when you are making the big money."

Me: "But what about getting match at least?  And you are missing the market gains if you don't save now."

Boss: "That is just a trick to get you to save when you shouldn't."


I try to keep my financial mouth closed around work.  The rest of the conversation was carefully dancing around the issue.
Just like a teenage girl, I can't even...

It sounds like your boss is cultivating a herd of drones who will gladly work until 65. Little does (s)he know you might very well already be "in the last decade of your career". Boss' mind will explode when you FIRE.

Cinder

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #3251 on: July 14, 2014, 11:44:20 AM »
Mine too rural. Once the mirror is positioned correctly it is almost as fool proof device as you can get. Some times people just need to leave the wheel alone and stop trying to reinvent it. I'm sure $165 won't come close to touching the cameras of the future.must ask anybody who has had to replace the headlight on a prius.

Lucked out on this - turns out my wife's is a 2010 Prius.  Were it a 2009 (which I thought it was), would have had to remove the front bumper to replace the light bulb.

I have a 2008 Prius.  I was able to fit my hand in enough to pull out the assembly to change my headlight without removing my bumper.  YMMV

Gin1984

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #3252 on: July 14, 2014, 12:02:00 PM »
My boss this morning:  "You shouldn't be saving for retirement yet.  Most of your savings will be in the last decade of your career when you are making the big money."

Me: "But what about getting match at least?  And you are missing the market gains if you don't save now."

Boss: "That is just a trick to get you to save when you shouldn't."


I try to keep my financial mouth closed around work.  The rest of the conversation was carefully dancing around the issue.
Twitch, twitch, twitch.  I think this is worst thing I have ever heard.

gimp

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #3253 on: July 14, 2014, 12:17:04 PM »
Backup cameras are awesome, for, you know, not killing small children. (I guess it's even more awesome to teach children to respect and fear 2-ton steel machines, but hey, we can't have everything.)

With that said, I'd never replace mirrors with cameras using today's tech. Look, Sony makes the best goddamn sensors in the world, and they're amazing in the day, and they can be good at night... but in low light and poor light, you either get a lot of noise or you need long exposures. My eye needs neither of those things; it just works. It's the same issue of electronic viewfinder versus optical, on a camera: Optical lets me look through it at night and see stars. Some day that will change, but today is not that day _yet_.

The best solution today, I think, are electrochromic mirrors. They're great at night, because if you shine a bright light on them (ie, headlights) they tint themselves. They're common to use inside the car for a rearview, but less so on the outside.

Backup cameras are awesome, and I wouldn't mind them being required as a safety feature, or at least a cheap option, along with proximity sensors. But to replace mirrors? Not today. Maybe in ten years.

grantmeaname

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #3254 on: July 14, 2014, 12:20:23 PM »
How much nighttime fidelity do you really need to drive with, though? if it's enough for headlights and the reflections on signs that are behind you, aren't you 99% of the way there?

GuitarStv

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #3255 on: July 14, 2014, 12:58:55 PM »
Backup cameras are awesome, for, you know, not killing small children. (I guess it's even more awesome to teach children to respect and fear 2-ton steel machines, but hey, we can't have everything.)

I have an alternate, more natural approach.

I backup slowly with the window down.  If I hear a child screaming I know that there's a child under the back of the car and stop.  Of course, this hasn't happened to me because none of the people I know are stupid enough to let little kids run around behind vehicles that are backing up.

Paul der Krake

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #3256 on: July 14, 2014, 01:39:12 PM »
Don't worry, this is America, where nothing gets made into law without 40+ exclusions to grandfather half the population into the old plan. It's 2014 and you can still drive in NC without a passenger side rear-view mirror. I think self-driving cars will be a reality way before everyone is forced to have cameras on their vehicle.

infogoon

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #3257 on: July 14, 2014, 02:13:20 PM »
I always liked the old Datsuns with the sideview mirrors mounted out on the fenders. I wonder if that's still legal.

shotgunwilly

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #3258 on: July 14, 2014, 02:21:34 PM »

I have an alternate, more natural approach.

I backup slowly with the window down.  If I hear a child screaming I know that there's a child under the back of the car and stop.  Of course, this hasn't happened to me because none of the people I know are stupid enough to let little kids run around behind vehicles that are backing up.

Hahaha. +1

Jane

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #3259 on: July 14, 2014, 03:46:12 PM »
Backup cameras are awesome, for, you know, not killing small children. (I guess it's even more awesome to teach children to respect and fear 2-ton steel machines, but hey, we can't have everything.)

...

Backup cameras are awesome, and I wouldn't mind them being required as a safety feature, or at least a cheap option, along with proximity sensors. But to replace mirrors? Not today. Maybe in ten years.

I couldn't agree more with these two statements. There are tons of horrible stories of small children being killed by their own parents. Think of a little toddler, running out of the house excited to see daddy, runs behind the car, and daddy backs over her because she is shorter than the window. It can all happen so fast to any parent. Kids are swift little things.

Plus, there are so many idiots out there who don't check the direction their car is moving before actually stepping on the gas. I've been nearly hit multiple times by drivers backing up because they didn't check their rear view mirror, both in parking lots and just walking on the sidewalk past driveways. It's a lot harder to miss when there is a video playing right there on your dashboard of things moving behind your car.

grantmeaname

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #3260 on: July 14, 2014, 03:51:28 PM »
But is the solution to driver ignorance really more gadgets? To me backup cameras and lane-exit sensors are just more examples of learned helplessness, causing people to pay even less attention until it appears yet another "safety" device is needed.

randymarsh

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #3261 on: July 14, 2014, 04:52:45 PM »
But is the solution to driver ignorance really more gadgets? To me backup cameras and lane-exit sensors are just more examples of learned helplessness, causing people to pay even less attention until it appears yet another "safety" device is needed.

I'd love to live in a world where everyone was always 100% responsible and cautious when driving too, but that's not very realistic. People (even MMM readers) are tired, stressed, bored, etc. sometimes when driving. Honest mistakes do happen.

Systems like traction control and automatic braking react way faster and more precisely than even the best human driver could.

BTW, backup cameras are required for the 2018 model year. http://money.cnn.com/2014/03/31/autos/rear-facing-cameras/

Jags4186

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #3262 on: July 14, 2014, 05:19:15 PM »
But is the solution to driver ignorance really more gadgets? To me backup cameras and lane-exit sensors are just more examples of learned helplessness, causing people to pay even less attention until it appears yet another "safety" device is needed.

If you've never lived in a city situation where you drive around sometimes 30+ minutes to find an ultra tiny spot to parallel park in then you wouldn't understand the benefits of a back up camera.

robotclown

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #3263 on: July 14, 2014, 05:41:39 PM »
A coworker was talking about how he has to go get a money order to pay his rent (that was due on the 1st, so now they won't take a check,) but can't get it until payday.  Luckily, he won't have to worry about rent anymore, since he's buying a house. 

I didn't ask any follow-up questions.  Maybe I should have.

AlmostIndependent

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #3264 on: July 14, 2014, 06:01:24 PM »
A coworker was talking about how he has to go get a money order to pay his rent (that was due on the 1st, so now they won't take a check,) but can't get it until payday.  Luckily, he won't have to worry about rent anymore, since he's buying a house. 

I didn't ask any follow-up questions.  Maybe I should have.

Ha. You should ask where he's buying and say that's awesome, you've been hoping to pick up a foreclosure in that very area.

SweetRedWine

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #3265 on: July 14, 2014, 06:17:21 PM »
Backup cameras are awesome, for, you know, not killing small children. (I guess it's even more awesome to teach children to respect and fear 2-ton steel machines, but hey, we can't have everything.)

I have an alternate, more natural approach.

I backup slowly with the window down.  If I hear a child screaming I know that there's a child under the back of the car and stop.  Of course, this hasn't happened to me because none of the people I know are stupid enough to let little kids run around behind vehicles that are backing up.

Sadly, I live near people this stupid.  It wasn't too long ago that I almost backed over my neighbor's kid who was riding her bicycle.  We were both saved by my backup camera.  The parents won't change their ways, so now I back in to my parking space. 

iris lily

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #3266 on: July 14, 2014, 07:13:21 PM »
But is the solution to driver ignorance really more gadgets? To me backup cameras and lane-exit sensors are just more examples of learned helplessness, causing people to pay even less attention until it appears yet another "safety" device is needed.

and more laws?
Sadly, small creatures bigger than our adult selves are often at the mercy of bigger creatures.

The kids who are getting cooked in hot cars are a real tale of caution. Same for dogs. Today I heard about a national awareness campaign to "teach" parents that it is hot in cars by having them sit in a car with rolled up windows. One woman on the microphone said that she had her dog with her and "he is panting like crazy."

gosh, ya think?
« Last Edit: July 14, 2014, 07:15:34 PM by iris lily »

rocksinmyhead

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #3267 on: July 14, 2014, 08:30:07 PM »
I started at a new job so I have been trying to familiarize myself with work benefits. I attended the HR benefit workshop and some of the things really shocked me.  By the way, this is one of the largest energy companies in U.S.

Me: I heard at the HR presentation that there is no discount for ESSP. Why would you buy if there is no discount? By the way, HR rep said you do not have pay brokerage fees when you buy so it is a great deal!!  I am serious. This is what she said:)
Coworker: Actually, I have been buying for several years.
Me: Are you serious? Why are you buying it? What is so special about this stock?
Coworker: It was going up so I bought it. For some reason, it started going down for the last couple of years. (By the way, she has a finance degree:) )

I also would be shocked because I feel like most non-tiny energy companies have really great benefits! I think I have the opposite "overheard at work"... we get a 15% discount with a lookback and there are people who DON'T buy in. we also get a 100% 401k match on the first 8%, vested immediately, and I swear to god I had a coworker who was contributing NOTHING. at our starting salary that's a free extra $7600 a year that she was just like, nope, no thanks! ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?!!!?!??

My boss this morning:  "You shouldn't be saving for retirement yet.  Most of your savings will be in the last decade of your career when you are making the big money."

Me: "But what about getting match at least?  And you are missing the market gains if you don't save now."

Boss: "That is just a trick to get you to save when you shouldn't."


I try to keep my financial mouth closed around work.  The rest of the conversation was carefully dancing around the issue.

hahahahhaha. WHAT

A coworker was talking about how he has to go get a money order to pay his rent (that was due on the 1st, so now they won't take a check,) but can't get it until payday.  Luckily, he won't have to worry about rent anymore, since he's buying a house. 

I didn't ask any follow-up questions.  Maybe I should have.

Ha. You should ask where he's buying and say that's awesome, you've been hoping to pick up a foreclosure in that very area.

hahahahahaha... you are terrible and a comedic genius!

Daisy

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #3268 on: July 14, 2014, 08:40:23 PM »
But is the solution to driver ignorance really more gadgets? To me backup cameras and lane-exit sensors are just more examples of learned helplessness, causing people to pay even less attention until it appears yet another "safety" device is needed.

If you've never lived in a city situation where you drive around sometimes 30+ minutes to find an ultra tiny spot to parallel park in then you wouldn't understand the benefits of a back up camera.

I think I was the one that started this whole backup camera discussion.

My main point is that it might be a useful tool, but REQUIRING it on cars is what I don't like.

And I'm more on the this fosters "learned helplessness" part of this discussion. My co-worker couldn't even conceive why I would object to being forced to have one in my car.

Kind of similar to GPS. Yes, it's a great tool. But now people are suspending common sense and their five physical senses when trying to find directions because the GPS tools are slowly killing the general population's ability to read maps and use logic (learning when to ignore GPS and go with what's right in front of them).

- I had a friend (Ivy League law school grad) call me and ask if she should follow her GPS's advice that she was at the entrance of a national park since she had just seen a sign that the entrance was in 5 miles. She was driving to meet me at the park.

- Another friend (masters degree in engineering and has worked at various startups) insist that we park in this desolate parking lot while looking for a restaurant because the red and blue dots on his GPS map said we were at the location. I objected because I looked around and couldn't find any signs of a restaurant around, but he parked anyways. Well, we parked and had to walk 5 minutes to get to the restaurant. At this point, he then walked back and moved his car closer to the restaurant.

Oops...I swore I wasn't going to go off on my GPS tirade but I did. Let me stop now before it gets worse (and it does)...
« Last Edit: July 14, 2014, 08:44:37 PM by Daisy »

wheatfree

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #3269 on: July 14, 2014, 08:51:40 PM »
Backup cameras are awesome, for, you know, not killing small children. (I guess it's even more awesome to teach children to respect and fear 2-ton steel machines, but hey, we can't have everything.)

...

Backup cameras are awesome, and I wouldn't mind them being required as a safety feature, or at least a cheap option, along with proximity sensors. But to replace mirrors? Not today. Maybe in ten years.

I couldn't agree more with these two statements. There are tons of horrible stories of small children being killed by their own parents. Think of a little toddler, running out of the house excited to see daddy, runs behind the car, and daddy backs over her because she is shorter than the window. It can all happen so fast to any parent. Kids are swift little things.

Plus, there are so many idiots out there who don't check the direction their car is moving before actually stepping on the gas. I've been nearly hit multiple times by drivers backing up because they didn't check their rear view mirror, both in parking lots and just walking on the sidewalk past driveways. It's a lot harder to miss when there is a video playing right there on your dashboard of things moving behind your car.
My husband is a cop.  He just wrote a ticket to a doctor who backed into a parked armored car.  The doctor had a backup camera.  They're great little pieces of technology, but the first thing you need to engage when driving a car is your brain.

Daisy

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #3270 on: July 14, 2014, 08:54:43 PM »
BTW, backup cameras are required for the 2018 model year. http://money.cnn.com/2014/03/31/autos/rear-facing-cameras/

From the article:
Quote
Rear facing cameras, including those that automakers already offer, would save between 59 and 69 deaths a year, NHTSA said.

Any death is bad, but statistically speaking this is a miniscule amount. Too miniscule to require all drivers in the US to have cameras in their cars.

And if you really wanted to prevent deaths, you need to somehow connect the rear-view camera with an image processing capability to detect anything behind it to the braking system. That way, the driver doesn't even have to think about braking at all...because there is no guarantee the driver will be looking at the camera. In all likelihood, they will be looking at their smartphone while backing up (unfortunately). ;-)
« Last Edit: July 14, 2014, 08:56:42 PM by Daisy »

msilenus

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #3271 on: July 15, 2014, 12:56:45 AM »
Quote
Rear facing cameras, including those that automakers already offer, would save between 59 and 69 deaths a year, NHTSA said.

Any death is bad, but statistically speaking this is a miniscule amount. Too miniscule to require all drivers in the US to have cameras in their cars.


EPA says a human life is worth about $7m.  That's about $420m/yr.   There are something like 16m cars sold in the U.S. annually.  So if you can do it for $25/car or less, you'll be coming out ahead when the old ones have aged out of the fleet.  At scale that should be doable.  The cameras in low-end cell phones sure aren't adding $25 (~25%) to the market cost.

grantmeaname

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #3272 on: July 15, 2014, 12:57:25 AM »
If you've never lived in a city situation where you drive around sometimes 30+ minutes to find an ultra tiny spot to parallel park in then you wouldn't understand the benefits of a back up camera.
I've parallel parked before. My car has this big transparent thing on the back so usually I try and look out that and see if I'm getting close to hitting something.
and more laws?
Sadly, small creatures bigger than our adult selves are often at the mercy of bigger creatures.
You can't legislate stoopid away any more than you can gadget-and-feature stoopid away. But at least laws generally require certain kinds of behavior from drivers, rather than prevent the consequences of not doing something so as to train drivers that not doing it doesn't matter (checking in your blind spot, looking behind the car before you back up, looking at what gear you selectd before you step on the gas).

Rural

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #3273 on: July 15, 2014, 04:35:21 AM »
Quote
(what is the cost difference between a big mirror and a small camera anyways?)

What is the maintenance cost on a video surveillance system Vs a simple mirror?  I'm a big fan of reliability and low maintenance cost. I'm sure the camera will work for the first couple of owners but by the time I typically buy them these are the things that start to break. When it comes to vehicles the simpler the better for me.

What is simple about a mirror in a car? Nothing. At the very least they have mechanical linkages so they can be adjusted from inside. More likely they are using electric controls with small motors to move the mirror. My sister broke one off when she was learning to drive and it cost $165 just to buy the part to replace it.

It's even more expensive if you've got a mirror with a heating unit or a turn signal on it.


I'll just point out that the law says you have to have a mirror, not that you have to have one exactly like the stupid over engineered bedpannish one that broke.

HairyUpperLip

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #3274 on: July 15, 2014, 07:43:37 AM »
Thread is going too off-topic on the backup cameras, but I also believe it's a stupid device that enables stupidity.

Wife and I went to look at Prius's and CT200h's the other day. Both dealers were surprised that I had zero interest in navigation and backup cameras. Why would I want more shit that's just going to break and cause more headaches?

Let 60-whatever people die per year. If people aren't capable of driving then maybe we should put our focus on who we let drive and what skills are needed to drive.

I say manual windows, locks, and standard transmissions for everyone. Let people learn how to really operate a fucking car and learn how annoying it is to rubberneck and needlessly shift gears. Maybe society will come together in harmony and respect when society has a flipping clue how to actually drive in a safe manner.

/end rant.
« Last Edit: July 15, 2014, 08:34:44 AM by HairyUpperLip »

MooseOutFront

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #3275 on: July 15, 2014, 08:25:33 AM »
We really should drop the back-up camera talk and get this thread back on it's normal path of grocery expenses and gelatin food dishes of a bygone era.
« Last Edit: July 15, 2014, 10:13:02 AM by MooseOutFront »

boarder42

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #3276 on: July 15, 2014, 10:10:39 AM »
at 25 a month for a cell plan 1k lasts 40 months 2k lasts 80 so i guess you just dont use a cell phone? i mean even 5 bucks is 200 months.  200 months is only 17 years.  and that doesnt include buying a phone.

dragoncar

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #3277 on: July 15, 2014, 10:16:52 AM »
I just spoke with the woman who manages the cell phone contracts for my company. A number of employees racked up >$1,000 cell phone bill for ONE month each for their own phone numbers. I think the highest ever was something on the order >$4,000 for ONE MONTH. No that's not a typo: $4K for 1 month. I am 29 years old and I don't think I've spend more than $1-2K over the course of my LIFE on cell phones & plans, nevermind spending that in one month.

When confronted, the users in question had the audacity to say that it was their right to run up a company cell phone bill that high and refused to change their usage.

This is ridiculous on multiple levels.  First, there should be no way to run up a cell phone bill that high in this age of pervasive internet connectivity.  Was the employee on a satellite phone in the middle of the desert?

seanc0x0

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #3278 on: July 15, 2014, 10:23:40 AM »
I just spoke with the woman who manages the cell phone contracts for my company. A number of employees racked up >$1,000 cell phone bill for ONE month each for their own phone numbers. I think the highest ever was something on the order >$4,000 for ONE MONTH. No that's not a typo: $4K for 1 month. I am 29 years old and I don't think I've spend more than $1-2K over the course of my LIFE on cell phones & plans, nevermind spending that in one month.

When confronted, the users in question had the audacity to say that it was their right to run up a company cell phone bill that high and refused to change their usage.

This is ridiculous on multiple levels.  First, there should be no way to run up a cell phone bill that high in this age of pervasive internet connectivity.  Was the employee on a satellite phone in the middle of the desert?

International roaming, for one. There have been a few high-profile cases here where people took their phones out of the country and streamed Netflix and the like. Just checked, and if I took an iPhone to Europe without a travel plan, I'd be paying $15/MB!

Wolf_Stache

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #3279 on: July 15, 2014, 10:25:13 AM »
I just spoke with the woman who manages the cell phone contracts for my company. A number of employees racked up >$1,000 cell phone bill for ONE month each for their own phone numbers. I think the highest ever was something on the order >$4,000 for ONE MONTH. No that's not a typo: $4K for 1 month. I am 29 years old and I don't think I've spend more than $1-2K over the course of my LIFE on cell phones & plans, nevermind spending that in one month.

When confronted, the users in question had the audacity to say that it was their right to run up a company cell phone bill that high and refused to change their usage.

This is ridiculous on multiple levels.  First, there should be no way to run up a cell phone bill that high in this age of pervasive internet connectivity.  Was the employee on a satellite phone in the middle of the desert?

Seriously, but even that is not an excuse. We have a bunch of satelitte phones we use to keep in contact with the fleet when they are in the middle of the ocean, and those bills are less than $4000 for the YEAR! How the hell do you run up that much on a personal line in one month????

nordlead

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #3280 on: July 15, 2014, 10:35:25 AM »
at 25 a month for a cell plan 1k lasts 40 months 2k lasts 80 so i guess you just dont use a cell phone? i mean even 5 bucks is 200 months.  200 months is only 17 years.  and that doesnt include buying a phone.

Phones can easily be had for free, and 7 years of service at 29 years old means he would have got his first phone at 22. I didn't get my first cell phone until I was at least 22, and I'm 30, so I've only had a cell phone for 8 years.

If I count half my bill (since my wife had one too), it's only cost me $3232 for those 8 years of service. My next 8 years of service (since I didn't start with MVNO's), will probably cost me ~$2100 and that is including 3 phones on par with the Nexus 5 (essentially, 1 new phone every 2 years which is faster than I typically buy them).

Brad_H

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #3281 on: July 15, 2014, 10:38:36 AM »

This reminds me of a commercial I saw when I was at my parents house a few weeks ago (the only time I get to see them and be reminded of how horrible they are).


What a mean thing to say about the people who raised you.

AlanStache

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #3282 on: July 15, 2014, 10:46:13 AM »
I just spoke with the woman who manages the cell phone contracts for my company. A number of employees racked up >$1,000 cell phone bill for ONE month each for their own phone numbers. I think the highest ever was something on the order >$4,000 for ONE MONTH. No that's not a typo: $4K for 1 month. I am 29 years old and I don't think I've spend more than $1-2K over the course of my LIFE on cell phones & plans, nevermind spending that in one month.

When confronted, the users in question had the audacity to say that it was their right to run up a company cell phone bill that high and refused to change their usage.


This is ridiculous on multiple levels.  First, there should be no way to run up a cell phone bill that high in this age of pervasive internet connectivity.  Was the employee on a satellite phone in the middle of the desert?

International roaming, for one. There have been a few high-profile cases here where people took their phones out of the country and streamed Netflix and the like. Just checked, and if I took an iPhone to Europe without a travel plan, I'd be paying $15/MB!

This.  International data can be stupid expensive.  I think Tmoble is getting it cheaper in Europe now but not long ago I spend +20$ to log in and get an address while over there.  Then if the bs-ed like they were at home for 2hr a day +some Netflix, I can very easily see 4k$ (and 0.30$ per text adds up).  Thats the HOW anyway, NOT saying its right, but it would be easier than you might think.  That said, they are f-ing stupid to not know about roaming charges and its hard to think they care so little about the company that they would waste money like that.  Would be better off buying local phones with data plains and skyping back to US as needed, data in most of the (developed) world is painfully cheap compared to the US, never mind wifi calling/data.



Cheddar Stacker

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #3283 on: July 15, 2014, 10:50:45 AM »

This reminds me of a commercial I saw when I was at my parents house a few weeks ago (the only time I get to see them and be reminded of how horrible they are).


What a mean thing to say about the people who raised you.

I thought the exact same thing when I first read this. Then a light bulb appeared when I realized he's talking about the commercial, not the parents (at least I think). Them and They can be confusing sometimes.

infogoon

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #3284 on: July 15, 2014, 11:39:42 AM »
I just spoke with the woman who manages the cell phone contracts for my company. A number of employees racked up >$1,000 cell phone bill for ONE month each for their own phone numbers. I think the highest ever was something on the order >$4,000 for ONE MONTH. No that's not a typo: $4K for 1 month. I am 29 years old and I don't think I've spend more than $1-2K over the course of my LIFE on cell phones & plans, nevermind spending that in one month.

When confronted, the users in question had the audacity to say that it was their right to run up a company cell phone bill that high and refused to change their usage.

I was speaking to one of our cellular company's sales guys, and he told me that the highest charge he'd ever seen was on the iPad for a professional hockey player; they were in Toronto for a game against the Leafs, but they arrived three or four days early, so he spent that time watching all of the other games streaming on his cellular data plan. The total was somewhere in the five digits range.

SomedayStache

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #3285 on: July 15, 2014, 12:12:15 PM »
Sitting in the back yard with my husband.  We hear some car music from our next door neighbors.  My husband tells me that the neighbor bought a new car a few months back.  Couldn't afford to pay the tag and title on it at the time, let it sit, and now he owes >$1000 in late fees + tag/title.  The neighbor still can't afford to pay for the tag/title much less all those fees.  But neighbor loves his new car and doesn't want it to degrade by sitting idle in the drive. 

The obvious solution is to drive back and forth down your long driveway for about 15 minutes each day with the pimped out car stereo blaring.

I wish I could make shit like this up.

I feel like this is a terrible trashy gossip thread...but I'd rather come chat on here than say some of what I'm thinking to people in real life.

CaliToCayman

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #3286 on: July 15, 2014, 12:33:28 PM »
In my very first job out of college back in 2004, I remember my entire department (at my level) were temp to perm hires that they kept as temps for as long as possible, presumably so we would be easy to let go. We all made roughly $35k annually. One of the guys I worked with went out and bought one of those Infinity SUV's (I'm pretty sure at the time those were selling for north of $45k) and another guy leased a brand new cadillac.

At least the guy who bought the SUV also did some sort of construction work on the side making pretty good money, possibly even doubling his salary. But even now at the US equivalent of around $100k/year, there is no way in hell I'd spend $45k on a car.

hermoninny

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #3287 on: July 15, 2014, 03:48:44 PM »
In my very first job out of college back in 2004, I remember my entire department (at my level) were temp to perm hires that they kept as temps for as long as possible, presumably so we would be easy to let go. We all made roughly $35k annually. One of the guys I worked with went out and bought one of those Infinity SUV's (I'm pretty sure at the time those were selling for north of $45k) and another guy leased a brand new cadillac.

At least the guy who bought the SUV also did some sort of construction work on the side making pretty good money, possibly even doubling his salary. But even now at the US equivalent of around $100k/year, there is no way in hell I'd spend $45k on a car.

When I got my first job out of college in 2002, about half of my "start class" (we all started in groups of 15-20 in October following graduation) went out and bought BMW's and Mercedes on $41k salaries.  It felt like every week someone was showing off their new car.  Not being Mustachian at the time, I gave my dad back the car he had bought for me to use after mine died on the side of the freeway my senior year and purchased a $20k truck.  My dad said, "You know, some people start with a cheaper car and work their way up to a brand new truck."  I told him about my coworkers and he didn't say another word.  Still, I wish I had bought something older and used, but I didn't know any better at the time.  I did pay the truck off early and drove it for nine years, until I was pg with child #2 and knew I couldn't fit two car seats in it.  I'm guessing they all lived with their parents, because even splitting an apartment with a friend, my car payment was a little rough. 
« Last Edit: July 15, 2014, 03:50:36 PM by hermoninny »

boarder42

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #3288 on: July 15, 2014, 08:37:53 PM »
So I guess he is planning to die this year since he wont spend that much over the course of his LIFE.  Or do you just die inside at 30. Let me know BC I'm almost there

farmstache

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #3289 on: July 15, 2014, 08:44:15 PM »
So I guess he is planning to die this year since he wont spend that much over the course of his LIFE.  Or do you just die inside at 30. Let me know BC I'm almost there

Liberty said they haven't spent this over the course of their life. Not that they'll never reach that total. Assumedly, if we live to 120yo... we can expect lots of phone bills to add up.

SingleMomDebt

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #3290 on: July 15, 2014, 09:17:00 PM »
I am sad for my friends....

Today, heard a friend of mine bought a place at the River. I blurted out to the group, "I thought they were broke?"
Probably not the thing to say.
But said friend is also throwing a big Bday bash for her and her husband. Even thought she told me they can't afford it.
"It'll cost $3,000"
Engineer husband works 2 jobs to keep treading and is exhausted. :/

Fourth of July, other friend went camping for a week even though they said they can't afford.
Apparently it's a big family gathering and the kids love it.

Do you want to teach the kids to act happy in the face of possibly losing your house?
Or would you rather teach them responsibility with their finances and still have happy family time at home?

Makes me sad, because you really can't tell them what you think. Either it makes you look arrogant, they really don't want to hear the truth because that would mean being uncomfortable and dealing with the mess, or they just want you to wallow in their pity party. blah.

I know I used to be in the same mindset, once. Now I just wish I could help them with knowledge.

The Hamster

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #3291 on: July 16, 2014, 12:08:19 AM »
You can't legislate stoopid away any more than you can gadget-and-feature stoopid away. But at least laws generally require certain kinds of behavior from drivers, rather than prevent the consequences of not doing something so as to train drivers that not doing it doesn't matter (checking in your blind spot, looking behind the car before you back up, looking at what gear you selectd before you step on the gas).

Oh god this is so true!  I work as a health and safety advisor and on one site I work at there have been so many minor vehicle accidents that it is the rule that anyone reversing a car into a parking space needs to have a spotter.  Well since that rule came out there have been one or two incidents of minor collisions between cars and spotters!  Maybe all the company cars should have the reversing cameras installed instead of using a spotter who could be injured if they get run over from standing in the wrong place.  But they'll probably legislate that the spotter should have his own spotter to make sure he doesn't get in the way of the vehicle *facepalm

SwordGuy

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #3292 on: July 16, 2014, 09:34:56 AM »

This reminds me of a commercial I saw when I was at my parents house a few weeks ago (the only time I get to see them and be reminded of how horrible they are).


What a mean thing to say about the people who raised you.

I've met "parents" for which such a comment would have been an over-the-top super-kind statement compared to the truth.  Not every person who has a child is nice, good to their children, or even takes the time to raise them.

If you don't believe me, look up your local state's sexual offender list and see how many pedophiles there are in your neighborhood.  There are hundreds within a few miles of me - and that's pretty much the way it is in any large US city.   

Travis

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #3293 on: July 16, 2014, 12:19:32 PM »
Quote

Correct, international data. This was with AT&T about a year ago before anyone in the company was really looking into what the phones were costing. Sales & execs would travel international and rack up huge international, data roamin overages. They claimed it was their "right/perk" to use the company phone as they saw fit and refused to change their behavior.

Makes me wonder what else they're wasting company money on.

eyePod

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #3294 on: July 16, 2014, 12:47:31 PM »

This reminds me of a commercial I saw when I was at my parents house a few weeks ago (the only time I get to see them and be reminded of how horrible they are).


What a mean thing to say about the people who raised you.

Just because someone raised you doesn't mean they're good people deserving praise/respect. Some people aren't as lucky as you and me.

But I have a feeling he was talking about the commercials. I agree. Can't stand them and I'm not used to them since I basically use Netflix only.

Jack

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #3295 on: July 16, 2014, 12:53:17 PM »
Wife and I went to look at Prius's and CT200h's the other day. Both dealers were surprised that I had zero interest in navigation and backup cameras. Why would I want more shit that's just going to break and cause more headaches?

...

I say manual windows, locks, and standard transmissions for everyone. Let people learn how to really operate a fucking car and learn how annoying it is to rubberneck and needlessly shift gears. Maybe society will come together in harmony and respect when society has a flipping clue how to actually drive in a safe manner.

/end rant.

If you don't want more shit that will break and cause more headaches, why were you looking at a fancy hybrid in the first place? Go get a 20-year-old Civic VX hatch with manual everything (including steering) and no ABS instead.

(On any other forum this would be a sarcastic joke, but here it's a sincere suggestion!)

RyanAtTanagra

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #3296 on: July 16, 2014, 12:57:02 PM »

This reminds me of a commercial I saw when I was at my parents house a few weeks ago (the only time I get to see them and be reminded of how horrible they are).


What a mean thing to say about the people who raised you.

Just because someone raised you doesn't mean they're good people deserving praise/respect. Some people aren't as lucky as you and me.

But I have a feeling he was talking about the commercials. I agree. Can't stand them and I'm not used to them since I basically use Netflix only.

Yes, I was referring to the commercials ;-)

HairyUpperLip

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #3297 on: July 16, 2014, 01:23:34 PM »
Wife and I went to look at Prius's and CT200h's the other day. Both dealers were surprised that I had zero interest in navigation and backup cameras. Why would I want more shit that's just going to break and cause more headaches?

...

I say manual windows, locks, and standard transmissions for everyone. Let people learn how to really operate a fucking car and learn how annoying it is to rubberneck and needlessly shift gears. Maybe society will come together in harmony and respect when society has a flipping clue how to actually drive in a safe manner.

/end rant.

If you don't want more shit that will break and cause more headaches, why were you looking at a fancy hybrid in the first place? Go get a 20-year-old Civic VX hatch with manual everything (including steering) and no ABS instead.

(On any other forum this would be a sarcastic joke, but here it's a sincere suggestion!)

For the wife and baby. Though both cars were so crappy in real life that we decided neither one is worth it. I'm trying to get her to consider the Fit in a manual now, but we will see.

As for a Civic VX - man, I wish I could find one worth buying. Any worth owning are $4500+ from what I see. I would drive the hell out of one. I'm a huge fan of the 1992-1995 Honda Civic hatchback's. I've had several of them already in my life and still have one (hobby car).


Kansaslover5

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #3298 on: July 17, 2014, 12:14:36 AM »
I got 3 invitations for work Xmas parties, all >$100 a head, the most expensive one $160 a head.  Included are staff who make under 40K a year. Holy guacamole!
Guess who's being a party pooper? Man, I'm saving like nearly $500 by not going.

Why do managers think employees want to spend that kind of money to eat badly prepared food with people they usually have nothing in common with other than work?

This happens A LOT being a military officer as well. You're "expected" to attend military balls and other social functions that often cost $50 or more. You're also hit up for things like "cup and flower funds." The last unit I was in made me put up $200 for that fund and I never received anything out of that fund. What a waste.

Adventine

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #3299 on: July 17, 2014, 12:47:35 AM »
What's a cup and flower fund?