I went Christmas shopping this year

[Harpy Eagle]

Pictures! This discussion is worthless without picture evidence.

Yep!

 

[easyt65]

I went to a diner the other day - I had to wait about 10 minutes for a table. Another 10 minutes to order, and 20 minutes to get my food.

There was 1 'hostess' who was also bussing tables, 1 waitress, and 1 cook. For being so short-staffed, the three were great. They nevet slowed down and worked their butts off.

This was the 3rd restaurant in 2 weeks I have been to in the last - Chilis, I-Hop, and a local place, but the orhers weren't this bad.

Out shopping, in stores, I did not see the seasonal hires - the young people manning the counters and aisles in Belks, Kohls, and other stores like you usually see during the Holiday break.

In the drive-through windows of many fast food businesses I have seen almost as ma y 'seasoned citizens' as young adults, as the economy has destroyed retirements, raised prices of everything, and forced many 'elders' to go back to work.

I used to see one or two homeless / out of work / needy people at the exit of the local Wal Mart now and then. For most of this year I have seen no less than 4 every day / tome I go - more across the street at the local Lowes.

Several nights ago I was driving to a local groccery store right up the road, a McDonalds at the left corner. As I drove up towards the parking lot I saw and old man, light jacket and baseball cap, lying in his dide in the grass, his over-packed shopping cart close by. (He was obviously homeless.)

It was at night, the temp was about 37, and it was raining. I called the police and reported what I saw and that the man wasn't moving.

Long story short - 2 police cars and an ambulance showed up. The EMTs took the man, checked him our mefically, wrapped him in blankets, a d tried to dry him off and warm him up. The police told me he had no where to go, the city shelters were full, and he refused to go to the hospital.

To save the man's life the police decided to 'arrest' the man for vagrancy - they would give him a warm cell to sleep in and food. They would not charge him with a crime and would release him the next morning. They even reassured him they woukd bring his shopping cart filled with everything he owned, kerp it safe, and return it the next morning.
*** Yes, there are some bad cops out there, but there are also some really good ones. These guys were definitely some of the good ones.

My wife works in a local charity supported by all the churches in the community. They help pay to keep lights on, keep, people in apartments / homes, help send 'lost' individuals back to famy, run a kitchen and hand out food, help poor families give their children a Christmas, and more. They run a homeless shelter and a battered women's shelter. They also help people with their budgets to get jobs, and help them get back on their fert. In the 17 years we have been here I have never seen this much need.

This Christmas, if you see someone in need, do something. There is no act too small, especially as the temperatures plunge.

I have been a coat-aholic. Over the years I have bought a lot of coats, especially in Korea where having tailors make you one was so cheap. So, I looked at my closet full of coats, picked out the ones I have not worn in a long time, and handed them out to homeless who needed them at a church/charity event.

It doesn't have to be a huge / expensive gesture. Buy a hot cup of coffee / hot chocolate for someone in the cold. Give them a blanket, a sandwich...anything.

Govt isn't always the answer. God did not call on governments to help our fellow
'man'. He called us to do so.

This isn't a political post - its one to encourage everyone to realize how blessed we truly are and to help out / share this Christmas.

God bless, and Merry Christmas to EVERYONE!

 

[westwall]

What city is this?

Sounds like Portland, but to be honest it could be any of a dozen major cities.

 

[candycorn]

Clearly, nobody ever stood in a line before Biden became President. Curse him!!!

 

[22lcidw]

Clearly, nobody ever stood in a line before Biden became President. Curse him!!!

Progs though made it into another of many New York plays on the stage. Never forget what you did. I keep waiting for rural areas to start electing their Nazis like Progs do.

 

[westwall]

Sucks to be you. Our stores are full of merchandise and employees.

The line a Kohls was 30 people long and all 8 registers were open and it only took about 5 min to get through the line.

Florida is run by competent people.

 

[Harpy Eagle]

Florida is run by competent people.

I live in Illinois.

 

[schmidlap]

What did I find? I can tell you what I did not find. I did not find any evidence of millions of jobs created by Joe, can I raise interest rates and taxes tomorrow, Biden.

No, the first two stores I visited no longer exist. They both shut down within the last 3 months, unbeknown to me. Sad.

Then the stores I did enter, had a myriad of check out registers but only one was open with a big, long line winding round the store cuz they only had one person to run it

The shelves where also half empty with next to no selection.

I'm thinking of shopping in Cuba or North Korea next year, I should have better selection

Or I will just sell my soul to the Amazon god Bezos and do all my shopping there like everyone else does, from his massive warehouse that is the size of the state of Texas, with a skeleton crew of employees I'm sure who are underpaid.

I have never obsessed over any politician as the focus of my yuletide festivities, nor would I attempt to scapegoat any one of them for global inflation. That would be silly, and merely revelatory of an irrational, pre-existing prejudice.

I'm pleased that unemployment in the U.S. has dropped so precipitously, from 6.7% in December, 2020 to the current 3.7%, of course. That's a good thing.

 

[westwall]

I live in Illinois.

In which case you are lying.

 

[Harpy Eagle]

In which case you are lying.

Nope, not lying in the least. Your ignorance is not really my problem.

 

[Captain Caveman]

All this stress and whinging for those who think Christmas is about gift buying. It's a time of year where it shows who's forgotten the reason for the season.

 

[westwall]

Nope, not lying in the least. Your ignorance is not really my problem.

We have relatives in Wheaton, Carol Stream, Joliet, and Cicero. They all say the same things, the stores are not well stocked, the prices are much higher, and the help is low. Where they are in the Chicago area the employees do a good job, there just aren't enough of them.

 

[Harpy Eagle]

We have relatives in Wheaton, Carol Stream, Joliet, and Cicero. They all say the same things, the stores are not well stocked, the prices are much higher, and the help is low. Where they are in the Chicago area the employees do a good job, there just aren't enough of them.

This will blow your little mind, but there is more to Illinois than just the Chicago area.

Down here in the red part of the state things are different than up there in the big city.

 

[Votto]

I have never obsessed over any politician as the focus of my yuletide festivities, nor would I attempt to scapegoat any one of them for global inflation. That would be silly, and merely revelatory of an irrational, pre-existing prejudice.

I'm pleased that unemployment in the U.S. has dropped so precipitously, from 6.7% in December, 2020 to the current 3.7%, of course. That's a good thing.

The Federal government has caused the economic catastrophe you see before you, alongside many other world governments

How?

1. World war on fossil fuels through climate legislation all across the world
2. World shutdowns for Covid which caused an avalanche of shortages and supply issues.
3. Worldwide insane spending, with the US leading the inflationary spending by trillions

Did Joe cause all of this? No, but the party he is in champions all of it and controls a man that can't even tie his own shoes.

Can voters turn this around?

No, the Deep State won't allow elections to thwart them.

 

[westwall]

This will blow your little mind, but there is more to Illinois than just the Chicago area.

Down here in the red part of the state things are different than up there in the big city.

Oh? Mount Vernon? I know Illinois pretty well. I will be there in a month visiting friends. They say the same thing.

Or maybe you are talking about Indiana. Get over that border and things are a tad better.

Especially towards the southern part of the state.

 

[Harpy Eagle]

Oh? Mount Vernon? I know Illinois pretty well. I will be there in a month visiting friends. They say the same thing.

Or maybe you are talking about Indiana. Get over that border and things are a tad better.

Especially towards the southern part of the state.

Way too far south. You do not know things near as well as you tell yourself.

Funny story for you though. We moved in Oct to a little "village" and they do not even have web pay for our water bill. I ended up being late paying my first water bill and went to the Village Office to pay it and had written out the check with the late fee added. I made a joke to the lady working the counter about being late with my first bill and she said "oh, don't worry, Joan is not here today to mark it late so you will get a 9 dollar credit on your next bill.

 

[schmidlap]

The Federal government has caused the economic catastrophe you see before you, alongside many other world governments

Environmental irresponsibility has clearly contributed to the plight of the planet.

It is imperative that nations unite in taking responsibility and redressing the consequences of greed and benighted policies.

 

[westwall]

Way too far south. You do not know things near as well as you tell yourself.

Funny story for you though. We moved in Oct to a little "village" and they do not even have web pay for our water bill. I ended up being late paying my first water bill and went to the Village Office to pay it and had written out the check with the late fee added. I made a joke to the lady working the counter about being late with my first bill and she said "oh, don't worry, Joan is not here today to mark it late so you will get a 9 dollar credit on your next bill.

Oh? Which big town do you go to to visit a Kohls? They don't exist in small villages.

 

[westwall]

Environmental irresponsibility has clearly contributed to the plight of the planet.

It is imperative that nations unite in taking responsibility and redressing the consequences of greed and benighted policies.

Just stop doing business with China.

Most of the environmental ills emanate from them.

 

[Harpy Eagle]

Oh? Which big town do you go to to visit a Kohls? They don't exist in small villages.

The one we moved out of, 6 miles up the road.

We already make jokes about "going to the city" for shopping!