Shopping Checkout System

Self Checkout vs Cashier Checkout

I hadn't realized until now how much I hate those new Self-Checkout lanes. Here's my list of reasons why Self Checkout systems should be beaten down and recycled.

1. Talk about taking jobs from people. I know it takes one person or so to run the lanes and fix the numerous problems people have, but that job has to suck. Usually one operator works about 4 checkouts. That's 3 jobs we just gave to the automated machine. But you may make the argument that we can't stop technological advancement, well this one, I say we should.

2. The process of scanning, bagging, and paying suck. If you have a grocery card you must scan first, but don't get it out in time..."HEY ATTENDANT!" If you pressed a wrong button...."HEY ATTENDANT!" If the weight measure doesn't register your ramen noodles...."HEY ATTENDANT!" If you have a coupon...."HEY ATTENDANT!" And so on and so on.

3. It doesn't save you anytime, unless there happens to be enough people in the regular lines and nobody is in the self checkout line, you can get the attendant to hold your hand.

4. Finally, it just pisses me off some jackass in management was crunching numbers and found out if he could get people to scan items and pay for items and bag items, he could cut around 80 hours of labor per week. If I ever run in to that guy, I'm going to give him a good hard kick in the nuts for humanity.

So the next time you think about going through the self-checkout...
Attendant - "Sir the self-checkout lane is empty."
Me - "No thank you, my ass is still sore from the last time."

Izuno Update
I need to work on getting some more music playlists. I've been making sure the site is consistent lately in the font and graphic's side. So you probably haven't noticed much difference.

Harry Potter? I'm missing something

My new posse, I've been hanging around with is going to see Harry Potter tonight, and me, having no interest, needs to figure out why? I've seen about 4 painful minutes of the first movie during a broomstick game scene.

Can anyone help me, the mid 20's heterosexual male, figure out what I'm missing? I need to figure out the popularity of this movie and book with the older adult generation. Because apparently I'm wrong in thinking this is a kids book. Although it is in the kids section of the bookstore.

IzunoUpdate: 2 new 4 to 14 list encounters with Mike Keeling out of New Zealand, and the Lighthouse Reef in Belize. I've actually been surprised how many people are viewing this. Maybe I should be scared and more politically correct, but there is just no fun in that.

Bush vs Gore

George Bush vs Al Gore

Quick apology to Republicans, but I had to start with this one, the one that actually means something. Here goes, one guy sent many American kids to their death to kill enemies in an effort to protect us from enemies (it's hard to even type that it makes so little sense), and one guy, after winning the popular vote in a democratic election only to lose because of a few incompetent Florida judges, has jetted the globe explaining why and how to save our planet for future generations.

"I don't care what you say, I care what you do."

Izuno Update - A new 4 to 14 list travel encounter from Thailand. Also, the in the Projects section, I've added a few new pictures. Hopefully, soon I will be able to show what they look like framed.

New Format

I'm thinking about changing the format up for the blog. About the only reason I have this anyways is to improve my travel site search engine ranking. Plus, it's semi-time consuming coming up with a good argumentative topic anymore. I've given up on humanity, and don't want to be a grumpy old man yet (I'm 26 btw). Combine all that and I'm going to give the new format a shot. Hopefully I can update more often, and not bore you.

Part I (Good vs Evil)
In each post there will be a Person, Place, or something that has pissed me off, and I will list a positive counterpart. A sort of dark side vs Jedi thing, along with a short explanation. (I can't get over Patricia Heaton still, so I may start with her....fucking bitch).

Part II(Izuno Update)
Next in the post will be an Izuno Update. Izunotravel.com gets more of my attention than this blog, and many times since the site is so large it's hard for people to see what's new without wasting their time.

Part III(Attempted Reason*)
And *occasionally I'm going to list a topic that will be just a starting ground for debate. And any comments will be answered. This will allow me to keep the name of the blog. Get it?....ya.....we got it.

Grad School - A delay to figure it out.

Recently, I've met a few grad school students. Of all the things they have in common, the most interesting is that none of them know what they want. Some even admit it, that grad school is just a two year delay to figure out what they want to do. It's as if they looked at a list of jobs on a sheet of paper and think to themselves, they need to pick one.

Don't get me wrong, everyone of them is probably more intelligent than I, but at least I know what I want to do. And once you know what you truly want, life is so much easier. Decisions you make are more accurate, and you are generally happier. But it seems like grad students can't figure that out yet. It's amazing how similar they are. No offense to grad students here....I appreciate the fact they are educated...I love education. But maybe in the future they will take some classes to help them with the big problem instead of technical ones.

More updates have been made on izunotravel.com

Western Dreaming

Somebody once told me, that all Western Men are dreamers. And the more I think about it and observe it, the more I find that statement to be somewhat true (I wouldn't say all). Why is it that so many US men have such big dreams. Not that this is a bad thing, in fact most dreams are usually to help people, or start something big that will in turn help people on a large scale. Sooooooo...why is this? There are a million foundations and causes to support, most likely your favorite celebrity or multi-millionaire has their name on one already. But donating a few bucks to these places isn't good enough for some people. And don't even think about giving a few hours of your time. We have this desire to start our own thing. Maybe someone isn't doing it the right way, but most likely it's just the desire for recognition. A desire to be called a humanitarian, or win the Nobel Peace Prize, possibly knowing that when you die, your name will live on.

Me personally....I'm a dreamer, no denying....but I'd like to think I don't want the fame. It would be nice to see an organization that helps put out the fires rather than just trying to contain them, and I do hate the "Oprah" foundations. But I'm sure I can find something that fits those guidelines. I'm just not sure if this world is worth fighting over sometimes...it's so depressing one moment, then I turn around and see something great the next.

Little Things I Enjoy and their Counterpart

This is basically a list of what works and how judgement morphed it into something fake.

• Flat little wooden ice cream scoop vs Fancy silverware
• Public Television vs Daytime Talk Shows
• Cherries with seeds and stems vs canned and de-pited cherries
• Butter vs I can't believe it's not butter
• Muts vs $500 pure-breeds for sale
• Glass coca-cola bottles vs plastic litre bottles
• Handwritten greeting cards vs greeting cards that play music
• I was going to add more...but you get my point.