What Irked You Today?

[Tom Geiger]

My wife recently got a prescription filled, and it came in this box that was about 4 inches wide, about 5 inches tall and maybe 1 inch deep. She opened the box to find a little bottle like a small asprin bottle in the corner with the box folded inside to hold it in place. She opened the bottle, and there was like 5 or 6 pills in the bottle. All that for 5 or 6 pills. It was just plain silly, but I am sure someone somewhere justified it.

I guess that fine and dandy... but aren't we suppose to be saving the environment? I mean if you get 25 pills, why don't they make a container that 25 pills fits in? less plastic on the roadside or in fields or in the landfills. I guess money is more important to these corporate giants that the environment. and no, I am not a freak on that, but I do my part.....

Pharmaceuticals are different than over the counter drugs. First, the volumes are a tiny fraction of the OTCs. I've worked for three pharmas you'd know for sure, and one you all may know, so I've been on the teams and have the t-shirt. Three things govern the bottle size. First, is volume. Note that there is really no difference in price between bottle sizes, BUT it's actually cheaper for a pharma company to put all their pill quantities in the same bottle, based on volume discounts. Second, they don't need to stock different size bottles. They can run all the product through a single packaging line, rather than accommodating different size bottles. And third, the FDA approval process on containers mean that every case lot goes through a validation process you wouldn't believe. So buying huge lots saves a ton in testing costs. Pharma is so regulated that there's at least 10 employees into paperwork for every one that actually touches product. Streamlining to a single container saves everyone money.

[Ace-Garageguy]

Pharmaceuticals are different than over the counter drugs. First, the volumes are a tiny fraction of the OTCs. I've worked for three pharmas you'd know for sure, and one you all may know, so I've been on the teams and have the t-shirt. Three things govern the bottle size. First, is volume. Note that there is really no difference in price between bottle sizes, BUT it's actually cheaper for a pharma company to put all their pill quantities in the same bottle, based on volume discounts. Second, they don't need to stock different size bottles. They can run all the product through a single packaging line, rather than accommodating different size bottles. And third, the FDA approval process on containers mean that every case lot goes through a validation process you wouldn't believe. So buying huge lots saves a ton in testing costs. Pharma is so regulated that there's at least 10 employees into paperwork for every one that actually touches product. Streamlining to a single container saves everyone money.

All that makes perfect sense and is entirely logical...but...even my aspirin bottles (and I take a LOT of aspirin) are now only about 2/3 filled. There used to be a wad of cotton in the top to avoid having the bottle rattle so obviously, but now they don't even bother with the cotton.

[Harry P.]

Pharma is so regulated that there's at least 10 employees into paperwork for every one that actually touches product. Streamlining to a single container saves everyone money.

Pardon my skepticism, but somehow I get the feeling that saving the consumer money isn't exactly at the top of big pharma's to-do list. Not when you look at some of the prices of many well-known prescription drugs.

[David G.]

Same with bottled pills like Excedrin, etc. The bottles are less than half full, the number of pills could fit in a bottle half the size. But the bigger bottle makes it look like you're getting more.

They reduce the amount of plastic in the water bottles we buy to the point where they are nothing more than screw-top bags and produce more pill bottles for fewer pills. Once again, we make the sacrifice- not for the environment, but for big business.

David G.

[cobraman]

Your right ! The bottles are very flimsy. One the ones we get they also made the screw cap shorter.

[Fabrux]

When my wife and I purchased a new-to-us vehicle on the 12th, I talked the dealer into giving us a new ser of all season tires (it had winters on it) and a trailer hitch. They ordered them the Monday after we picked it up and arrived this past Monday. I made an appointment today for 9AM to get them installed. For a loaner, they gave us our old car. The service manager said I wouldn't get our new vehicle back until supper time (!). I get a call at 4PM informing me that they brought our vehicle in the shop at 1PM (!!), spent three hours drilling out a broken tap they used as a thread chaser, and they wouldn't be done with the vehicle until mid-day tmorrow because they didn't have the tires changed yet (!!!).

The dealership was very quick to make the sale and get us into our new vehicle but now that they aren't making any more money off of us they don't seem to care about customer service anymore. I was considering taking the vehicle to them for future servicing but that will most certainly not be the case now. One-and-a-half working days for a job that should take an hour tops is simply ridiculous and unacceptable.

[highway]

Don't stay in bed Matt!!! Get out, enjoy life! Look at all... Uh, Matt? Why are you looking at me that way? Why are you wrapping your fingers around my thr... ACCCKKK!!! *THUMP*...

That brought a smile to my face, I needed that!

[highway]

Did the Qualcomm cease working too? I just put the in the notes "NO CELL SERVICE!" when I got stuck in an area with none, or the time my Samsung bit the big one.

Nope, just nobody decided to pay attention to the messages I did send!

Funny thing is, after getting the truck fixed and going to bed at 7 AM, and telling my dispatcher yesterday I was going to be temporarily without a phone, the idiot calls me at noon when I never told him I was going to try and get a phone last night and see if I was feeling alright because he couldn't even remember that I was upset yesterday because of the argument me and the better half had before I came to work, not sick!

I think me and the terminal manager here are going to have a little chat tomorrow about me getting a dispatcher who might actually listen!

Oh, one plus side to this new phone, I can check in more often now, I don't need WiFi on the laptop!

[Danno]

Two former co-workers passed away in the last two days. One guy and I go way back as we were in the Corps together. The other guy was a lifelong motor cop, friend and mentor.

Danggit.

G

Many condolences, G. Sorry to hear the news.

And I do know what you mean and how it feels.

{But it ain't gonna happen to us, now is it?}

_{Nunquam Perit Fraternitas!}

Edited April 24, 2014 by Danno

[metalhead]

Stupid dayshift at work. Constantly putting me an hour behind because they want to talk to the useless supervisor for twenty minutes

and not doing their actual job. I get paid by production. So, when I go to my nightshift boss which is the director of operations, he tells me to quit whining. So I am losing money, I have a manager that doesn't want to be bothered, and to make things worse, our forklifts are old and really worn out. I had three tear up on me just this week alone. Dayshift lift drivers constantly on their cell phones. Lumpers that don't break pallets down. Is it that hard to break one layer down so I can fit the pallet into the bay that it goes in? So, I'm losing even more money

because of that. And to top all of this off, I had a pretty interesting conversation with my boss today about our production. He basically told me that my production was lacking and that I needed to do better. I wanted to tell him that some people really need a high five in the face as well. But, I need this job until something better comes along. Can't win at all, I guess.

Edited April 24, 2014 by metalhead

[Custom Hearse]

That brought a smile to my face, I needed that!

(With a big cheerfull smile on my face) No problem Matt! There's a big beaut... Oh no, not again!!! *GASP* *CHOKE*

AAAAAAHHHHHHGGGGGGGGGGG!!!!

*THUMP*

[Agent G]

Many condolences, G. Sorry to hear the news.

And I do know what you mean and how it feels.

{But it ain't gonna happen to us, now is it?}

_{Nunquam Perit Fraternitas!}

No my brother from another mother, it will not happen to us!

At least we will be greeted by a lot of good people when we arrive.

G

[cobraman]

Price increase in our pest control. We have a house that has those "Tubes" so the pest guy comes 4 times a year and this is the fourth increase in the past 4 years. I know prices on everything always goes up but it just "irked" me today. Ok, now I'm better. Thanks : )

[tubbs]

.... putting something "right here" so you remember where it is and you forget where that "right here" place is......

[Pete J.]

Worse than that, sitting at my work bench. I don't get up or move. I lay a tool down and it just seems to disappear. How the heck does it do that? Of course it only happens when I have my hands full of a delicate operation on a very small part. Never when I am just goofing around with the big stuff!

[disabled modeler]

Two former co-workers passed away in the last two days. One guy and I go way back as we were in the Corps together. The other guy was a lifelong motor cop, friend and mentor.

Danggit.

G

Sorry to hear that G

[crazyjim]

Price increase in our pest control. We have a house that has those "Tubes" so the pest guy comes 4 times a year and this is the fourth increase in the past 4 years. I know prices on everything always goes up but it just "irked" me today. Ok, now I'm better. Thanks : )

Here's a tip for you, Ray. Call your pest control people and tell them you need to cancel because of the price increase. I've been doing that for a number of years with Terminix and our heat pump/AC unit contract. They don't want to lose a customer so they keep me at the same price.

[cobraman]

Thanks, I'll have to try that.

[Harry P.]

Here's a tip for you, Ray. Call your pest control people and tell them you need to cancel because of the price increase. I've been doing that for a number of years with Terminix and our heat pump/AC unit contract. They don't want to lose a customer so they keep me at the same price.

I do that every year with my cable/internet provider. They jack up the price, I call and say I'm going with another provider, and suddenly they find a "special deal" I can have for the year, and I wind up paying less than before the price increase! It's worked the past two years. Cable/satellite companies are really feeling the heat from competition they never had before, specifically Netflix, and believe me, they are desperate to hang on to their current customers. If your TV provider has recently raised your rates, call them and tell them you're going to go with another provider... odds are they'll agree to significantly reduce your rate. All it costs is a phone call. It's worth a shot.

[crazyjim]

Yup - it works with our cable/internet/phone company too!

My favorite line is "I'm retired, living on a fixed income and can't afford your increase."

[Harry P.]

Yup - it works with our cable/internet/phone company too!

My favorite line is "I'm retired, living on a fixed income and can't afford your increase."

All I have to say is "I'm going with another provider" and they will jump through hoops to keep you happy!

[Agent G]

.... putting something "right here" so you remember where it is and you forget where that "right here" place is......

Oh don't go there.

MrsG asked for the tape measure the other day. I KNOW I set it with the other tools in the .........................poop.

Half hour later and I'm just about ready to head to Home Despot to buy one when, poof, oh yeah.......................Here it is honey.

Being a St Louis native I suffer fron "Anheusers disease".

Trouble is I've been sober for years now...............

G

[Joe Handley]

My Kid Sister's driving, especially during Chicago rush hour traffic. We were going to the C2E2 convention at McCormack Place with her boyfriend and one of their co-workers today and her driving was driving me nuts more than usual. She's the type that doesn't stop until the last second and when it's time to get that Charger going, she's pretty hard on the gas too. The co-worker of her and her BF had to get out and puke and when we finally got there, I couldn't figure out why my legs were sore after I got out of her car............then on the way home, I figured out why......I kept trying to bury the imaginary passenger side brake pedal in the back of the engine block.....usually with both feet! We're taking my 200 on Sunday and I will be driving there and back.

How that Charger still has a front bumper, I'l never know............

[highway]

My Kid Sister's driving, especially during Chicago rush hour traffic. We were going to the C2E2 convention at McCormack Place with her boyfriend and one of their co-workers today and her driving was driving me nuts more than usual. She's the type that doesn't stop until the last second and when it's time to get that Charger going, she's pretty hard on the gas too. The co-worker of her and her BF had to get out and puke and when we finally got there, I couldn't figure out why my legs were sore after I got out of her car............then on the way home, I figured out why......I kept trying to bury the imaginary passenger side brake pedal in the back of the engine block.....usually with both feet! We're taking my 200 on Sunday and I will be driving there and back.

How that Charger still has a front bumper, I'l never know............

So really what you're saying Joe is she drives like everyone else in Chicago! LOL!!

At least if the Charger does ever lose its front bumper, from past experience driving in Chicago, you'll be able to find a new one laying along the highway somewhere!! LOL!!

[Joe Handley]

Well, sometimes better, this time, worse. I have preferred to take a nap on the way home like the other two did (we left around 8am and then walked for hours), but just couldn't bring myself to do so.