American things

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Know where in the U.S. you can usually find sales tax included in the price of off-the-shelf goods? Liquor stores.

pplains, Wednesday, 28 March 2018 16:33 (six years ago) link

I bought a bottle of booze the other month and it was ~$15 more than the sign said.

Who's looking at or receiving flyers for chains of groceries? If you're selling something in a shop, you can put the price of that item within that shop on the sign in the shop that tells you the price of the item! Instead of a different price that does not actually relate to the price you will pay!!!

just noticed tears shaped like florida. (sic), Wednesday, 28 March 2018 16:40 (six years ago) link

Who's looking at or receiving flyers for chains of groceries?

Those of us who aren't vagabound adventurers!

https://i.imgur.com/kTcsuVU.jpg

I think the big reason is just the time it takes to figure out the retail cost of an item. Just figure out what the tax is at check out, like everyone else. That way, you won't waste time figuring up the price of items that don't sell.

($15 is a lot more than what anyone should expect though... unless the bottle cost $150.)

pplains, Wednesday, 28 March 2018 16:47 (six years ago) link

PolySci (university course)

I only realized yesterday it is short for Political Science and doesn’t mean “Lots of Science”

Squeaky Fromage (VegemiteGrrl), Wednesday, 28 March 2018 17:00 (six years ago) link

well, it's "poli sci"

valorous wokelord (silby), Wednesday, 28 March 2018 17:05 (six years ago) link

heaps of people write it as polysci

Squeaky Fromage (VegemiteGrrl), Wednesday, 28 March 2018 17:13 (six years ago) link

heaps of people spell laptop 'labtop'

sleepingbag, Wednesday, 28 March 2018 17:14 (six years ago) link

I think the big reason is just the time it takes to figure out the retail cost of an item. Just figure out what the tax is at check out, like everyone else. That way, you won't waste time figuring up the price of items that don't sell.

this makes absolutely no sense*. if you stock 500 of a successful item, then you're taking the time to figure out the retail cost 500 times at the check out, as opposed to once, at shelving.

one of the most infuriating things about it is the inability to get money ready to pay for your items before reaching the checkout; the amount of time this adds to everyone's transaction, if someone wishes to pay in cash, is enormous. in other countries, if I am buying a small item or three, I can count the money out before reaching an employee, hand it over, and leave. here, so as to not hold up everyone else in the shop, I now have about three kilos of coins that I have to find the time to take to a machine somewhere which will, for a TWELVE PERCENT handling fee, give me a VOUCHER that I can then take elsewhere to exchange for money.

*ie not sure if srs

just noticed tears shaped like florida. (sic), Wednesday, 28 March 2018 18:08 (six years ago) link

Do u still not exist enough in America to have a bank acct

valorous wokelord (silby), Wednesday, 28 March 2018 18:09 (six years ago) link

the amount of time this adds to everyone's transaction, if someone wishes to pay in cash, is enormous.

ime waiting for people to use their debit card takes longer than paying with cash.

new noise, Wednesday, 28 March 2018 19:09 (six years ago) link

micromanaging fellow patrons time, just fuck off

brimstead, Wednesday, 28 March 2018 19:12 (six years ago) link

lifehackers must die

brimstead, Wednesday, 28 March 2018 19:13 (six years ago) link

if you stock 500 of a successful item, then you're taking the time to figure out the retail cost 500 times at the check out, as opposed to once, at shelving.

Think about where ever the price is printed though. On the shelf. In advertising. On the board in the window. Oh, and the city held a special election last month to expand the marina and now every single one of those items has to be ticked up half a percent.

Good news though. The sales tax is only temporary which means you'll have to reverse the process in 18 months.

pplains, Wednesday, 28 March 2018 21:26 (six years ago) link

pp you are not effectively arguing for the sensible convenience of the current system

just noticed tears shaped like florida. (sic), Thursday, 29 March 2018 02:42 (six years ago) link

I didn't say it made any sense!

A few years ago, our governor wanted to drop the sales tax on food. The ruckus that was raised from concerned retailers about how they would manage to charge one tax for one item and another tax for another item during the same transaction was bonkers. Especially when you showed them how items like beer and wine were already being taxed at different rates than everything else.

But it was like a commerce group filled with George HW Bushes: How will the computer know if someone's buying a plum or plum-flavored candy?

https://i.imgur.com/Ozi8L3I.jpg

The law passed. Food is charged a 2% tax while everything else is more like 9%. Except for beer and wine which are more like 10.5% - Depending on what side of the county you're shopping in.

So again, I'm not saying it can't be done, just listing the "finished" price on the shelf in the first place. But retailers have their reasons.

https://i.imgur.com/PXfKfuN.png

I'm sure you've seen these. Sometimes, retailers just want to let you know how much you're getting screwed.

pplains, Thursday, 29 March 2018 13:41 (six years ago) link

LOL 'recovery fee'

Right column Leftist (sunny successor), Thursday, 29 March 2018 14:12 (six years ago) link

I am 100% pro the sweetened beverage tax except that the other day I was hit with it on a bottle of kombucha with 3g of non-added sugar

just noticed tears shaped like florida. (sic), Thursday, 29 March 2018 15:34 (six years ago) link

tax the poor, yeah great idea

brimstead, Thursday, 29 March 2018 15:36 (six years ago) link

It's awful I can't believe we passed this dumbass regressive shit tax

valorous wokelord (silby), Thursday, 29 March 2018 15:43 (six years ago) link

tax the poor

are you saying Warhol lied to me

just noticed tears shaped like florida. (sic), Thursday, 29 March 2018 15:50 (six years ago) link

'Scooter' as a nickname

Dinner at 6pm and cellphones, apparently?
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/28/world/americas/french-waiter-rude.html?emc=edit_mbau_20180328&nl=&nlid=7629057220180328&te=1

mor frog bs (S-), Wednesday, 4 April 2018 01:41 (six years ago) link

I’m a proud American whom eats them dinners at 6pm

valorous wokelord (silby), Wednesday, 4 April 2018 02:23 (six years ago) link

In the Central time zone, we eat dinners at 5!

pplains, Wednesday, 4 April 2018 03:19 (six years ago) link

three weeks pass...

getting a free t-shirt at a basketball game and wearing that t-shirt because that's in a preferred colour of your team and looks good on tv

Cardigan B (King Boy Pato), Friday, 27 April 2018 13:03 (six years ago) link

even more american things: getting that free t-shirt via the delivery mechanism of a t-shirt cannon

Mahogany Loggins (bizarro gazzara), Friday, 27 April 2018 13:05 (six years ago) link

high level american thing: hot dogs shot out of a t-shirt cannon

Cardigan B (King Boy Pato), Friday, 27 April 2018 13:11 (six years ago) link

getting a free t-shirt at a basketball game and wearing that t-shirt because that's in a preferred colour of your team and looks good on tv


http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/11/20/lakers_gif.gif

El Tomboto, Friday, 27 April 2018 13:33 (six years ago) link

four weeks pass...

gotta stand up for the anthem, hand on your heart because... uh, something about the troops

Cardigan B (King Boy Pato), Friday, 25 May 2018 11:59 (six years ago) link

turkmenbashi things

karl wallogina (Autumn Almanac), Friday, 25 May 2018 12:26 (six years ago) link

well we lost vietnam bc ppl didnt sing the natl anthem loud enough at the super bowls

21st savagery fox (m bison), Saturday, 26 May 2018 00:45 (six years ago) link

18 packages of ketchup and 30 napkins in bag from drive thru

Right column Leftist (sunny successor), Saturday, 26 May 2018 04:12 (six years ago) link

This is a free country so stand the fuck up and put your hand over your heart or else

rip van wanko, Saturday, 26 May 2018 04:15 (six years ago) link

Toilet/shower situations that do not make me wish I was in a different country

rip van wanko, Saturday, 26 May 2018 04:17 (six years ago) link

Clarify please

El Tomboto, Saturday, 26 May 2018 04:22 (six years ago) link

ha... maybe amenities is a better word

rip van wanko, Saturday, 26 May 2018 04:32 (six years ago) link

can't believe that you are made to stand up in the "bathroom" if the anthem is somehow played in there

Cardigan B (King Boy Pato), Saturday, 26 May 2018 12:12 (six years ago) link

Sometimes I eat too many tacos and wind up playing the National Anthem all night.

pplains, Saturday, 26 May 2018 13:48 (six years ago) link

hope you're sitting down

rip van wanko, Saturday, 26 May 2018 15:03 (six years ago) link

We had 5th grade graduation for my kid a couple of weeks ago. Two baller kids refused to stand for the pledge and the anthem. THEY ARE 11 YEAR OLDS. I was so proud.

Me, not even being American, wussed out and stood but I didn’t put my hand on my heart nor did I recite the pledge or sing the anthem (mostly because I don’t know the words to either.)

Right column Leftist (sunny successor), Saturday, 26 May 2018 22:03 (six years ago) link

this is my pledge policy at work ^^^
non-participation, but not making a show of not standing

21st savagery fox (m bison), Saturday, 26 May 2018 22:32 (six years ago) link

i dont put my hand over my heart bcz i think it’s weird

Squeaky Fromage (VegemiteGrrl), Sunday, 27 May 2018 02:54 (six years ago) link

i would participate if i were wearing a hat, because having to take off the hat makes it exciting

cr.ht (crüt), Sunday, 27 May 2018 03:06 (six years ago) link

Disgraceful that @nyjets owner will pay fines for players who kneel for National Anthem. Encouraging a movement premised on lies vs. police. Would he support all player protests? Would he pay fines of players giving Nazi salutes or spew racism? It’s time to say goodbye to Jets!

— Rep. Pete King (@RepPeteKing) May 26, 2018

not standing up for the anthem is the new nazi salute!!!!

Cardigan B (King Boy Pato), Sunday, 27 May 2018 03:22 (six years ago) link

The Cub Scouts not only didn't take their caps off, but the fact they were all wearing them IN A CHURCH in the first place blew my mind.

In other words, people already picking and choosing which ways to conduct themselves during all that carrying on. Taking a knee seems downright respectable.

pplains, Sunday, 27 May 2018 03:23 (six years ago) link

If I understand correctly, the first NFL player who refused to stand for the anthem (since the NFL started bringing players out before it) was Colin Kaepernick, who took a knee after consulting with an actual veteran who suggested that it was an act of protest yet still reverent.

I as an actual American don't understand why every sporting event has to begin with the National Anthem and a military flyover and a "salute to our troops" and all that shit. Every fucking member of the United States Military joined by choice. A lot of them don't even see actual combat. They get paid a relatively generous wage. After leaving their service, they get free college. They get preference in hiring. They get discounts on everything for life. Many domestic civilian jobs are far more dangerous and far less rewarding. We Americans need to stop fellating our troops so much.

incel clown posse (naus), Sunday, 27 May 2018 07:26 (six years ago) link

not fellating the troops is the equivalent of a nazi salute, pal

Cardigan B (King Boy Pato), Sunday, 27 May 2018 08:36 (six years ago) link

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difficult listening hour, Sunday, 27 May 2018 08:46 (six years ago) link

https://i.imgur.com/y4mb7MG.jpg

As an American, most WTF thing about this photo is the guy's sandals.

pplains, Sunday, 27 May 2018 16:23 (six years ago) link

It is common knowledge that the national anthem playing is the equivalent of lights being dimmed for a stage performance. People at concessions or the bathroom gotta hustle.

Yerac, Sunday, 27 May 2018 17:03 (six years ago) link


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