Friday, November 18, 2011

Those Self-Service Check-Out Lanes

Self Serve Check Out Lanes
These self serve check out lanes are getting more and more popular.  Why????  Maybe because it saves the store money so their profits become greater and we end up paying a higher price on all grocery items or whatever to pay for the installation of the special self-service machines.

Fewer Cashiers has to result in a lot of $$$$ for the store.   Now there is one watchdog cashier for all of the self-serve machines.  So if a store now has 7 or 8 self-serve aisles, that is 7 or 8 less jobs for cashiers. 

Let's talk about Walmart.....do you remember the old sign they had hanging which said "if more than 3 in line, we'll open another check-out lane". The sign no longer hangs in Walmart.   In these times, I have seen as many as 8 or 9 people in line and in the Dirksen Parkway store there may only be 4 cashier aisles open during the day plus the self-serve lanes.  Are they trying to force us to use the self-serve lanes.....my guess is yes.  I have been approached several times by a Walmart employee saying "why don't you come over to the self-serve lane and I will help you and also show how it operates".  NO thank you!  It's bad enough that you, Mr. Walmart, have increased your prices almost every week on the same item.  Take for instance the low fat margarine I use.....last year it was 68 cents......this year it's $1.48 for the same container.  And you want me to use a self-serve check-out....no, you wait on me and bag my stuff.  Of course I've been shopping for the most part at other grocery stores because of the rise in Walmart prices....just personal opinion I guess.

Back to the self-check lanes.  Walmart isn't the only store using these.  Many others have taken advantage of the opportunity to save money and use these.  I would imagine these type of lanes have boosted the sales on certain personal type items.

Take for instance condoms.  No one really likes to suffer the embarrassment of buying these.  I think people feel everyone is watching their purchase when they go to the counter and hand up that big box of condoms labeled "lubricated" "orange colored" "ribbed tips" "reservoir tip" "size ex-large", etc.  These same persons who wish to purchase these can now do it at the self check-out lanes with more privacy.  And, we know that the use of these condoms are needed to help prevent the spread of disease.  Let's just hope that teens have been guided properly before purchasing these at these lanes.

Another private item for which sales could be boosted and, especially by male purchasers, are womens' sanitary items.  Husbands almost always refuse to go to the store and buy these.  Perhaps the self check-out lanes will help wives around the world in getting husbands to finally have a way to be helpful when a wife is desperate to seek a husband's agreement to buy these. 

So I guess there are pros and cons to these new self check lanes.  I'm an old dog who doesn't like to learn all of the new tricks.  For now I'll use the regular lanes thank you.

Old Tyme Greenview
1972 - A new mobile home park was constructed on the west edge of Greenview.  C. N. DeHart retired after teaching in Greenview since 1936.  Postmaster Andy Fitzgerald announced his retirement as of July 1. Lora Tomlin was crowned Illinois Beef Queen at the Illinois State Fair.  Cynthia Rodemer and Gladys Pittman closed the doors of Rodemer's Department Store on October 17 after 39 years.  John Dennis, rural mail carrier died.  Marshall Spaulding, retired grocer, died.  Voters of Porta, Athens and Greenview overwhelmingly defeated a proposeal to consolidate the three districts.  Mr. and Mrs. Merle Kirby held a grand opening of their Department store (in the Rodemer store) on December 4.  Harold Baugher owner of Baugher Implement died.

1973 - A school bond referendum passed for an addition to the high school to be used by the grade school.  Red Florence resigned as pastor of the Christian Church to move to Scottsdale, Arizona.  On June 3, the first services of the Baptist Chapel were held in the back of the Wetter building.  Terry Butler was called as the new minister of the Christian Church.  Mark Gideon, 14 year old son of Don Gideon was killed in a tractor accident on the Evers farm.  Julie Schurman was crown queen of the 1973 Labor Day celebration.

1974 - A fire completely destroyed a barn and contents on the Reggie Dowell farm.  Rev. William Yueill resigned as pastor of the Greenview United church.  Terry Butler pastor of the Greenview Christian Church resigned.  The old Legion Hall was raised in June to make room for the new Community Building.  Phil Hanson was hired as the new minister of the Christian Church.  S & H Trucking constructed a new 60' by 100' building.  Les McKee, retired grocer, died.  Susan Beaty was chosen the Labor Day queen.

Note:  It's always fun to take a stroll back in time.  In a future post, I will again post other dates for your enjoyment.

Recipe
My grammy had a lot of recipes she used.  These are very old recipes.  She used to make a fruitcake which had mince meat in it.  Years and years ago she used to make her own mince meat but in the later years she bought it in a jar or in a package which was kind of a dried mincemeat.  Here's her fruitcake recipe using mince meat.

Grammy's Fruit Cake
1 pkg (9-oz) mincemeat
1/2 cup water
1 cup walnut meats or pecans, coarsely chopped
1 cup (8-oz) mixed candied fruit, coarsely chopped
1 reg. size can evaporated milk
1 egg, beaten
3/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
Preheat oven 350 degrees. Break mincemeat into small pieces and put in a two quart saucepan. Add water. Place over medium heat and stir until lumps are thoroughly broken. Boil briskly one minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and cool. Add nuts, candied fruit, canned milk and egg; blend well. Stir in flour and baking soda until just blended. Pour mixture into 9x4x3-inch loaf pan, which has been greased, wax paper lined, and greased again. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour and thirty minutes or until center springs back when lightly touched with finger and top in golden brown. (note: if you buy the jarred mincemeat and it is more smooth/wet and not dried looking, you can skip the boiling and using 1/2 cup water step).

Thought For The Day
One should count each day
a separate life. 
--Seneca


When older hands type, the typing speed is a bit slower than when the person was a mere young thing age 20. 

I know that to be a true statement.  I used to type like the wind although I only had a summer typing class taught by the beloved Thelma Eldridge....I think it was just a few weeks.

Now I type slower and more refined.  I should be hired by Webster's dictionary because I don't make typos any longer, I make up new words when I type....yessir no typos for me.  See I will show you:
Neow if the timmme to coome to the aidde of thier countrymen. 

If you will note the old typing skill statement....I can now display the new words ... and I'm sure I'm headed to have my new words included in Webster's. 

So when you make a mistake or you see my new words in my typing ..... smile .... cause it isn't gonna get much better.

Please note I have used a different font style in today's post which might be easier to read.  But I have found that when it posts it doesn't post right so I will most likely go back to the other style.  I was trying to find a type style which would be easier to read.  Sorry.

The Historic Marbold Historic Association New video.  Impressive and educational.

come back again!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Good reading again today.

Rick S.

doll lady said...

Thank you...thank you from one of my most avid supporters !!!!!! Appreciate your staying with the blog and your comments. Your pal, Carla