Weirdsday

[altivo]

Tess didn't want to leave the barn this morning. It took a whole lot of patience and coaxing to get her out the door. Once out she behaved normally, though. No idea what that was about. I guess she had a nightmare about a T. rex waiting out there or something.

Then I worked in the garden for a couple of hours, since I didn't have to be at work until after noon. Weeding and thinning mostly, but I cleared two more squares of Gary's old grid and planted peas for a fall crop on the trellises there.

Then I decided more blueberries needed to be picked, and ended up with more than a pint. Went to work, which was unusually hectic even for Wednesday, between summer reading and the fact that our meeting room was being used for a blood drive. I suppose it's a good cause, but the blood drive people are just not my favorite people to have around. They tend to be demanding, loud, and rude.

Sky looked threatening at sunset but the forecast says only a slight chance of rain. I'm glad I watered the garden this morning.

Oh, and the really strange incident at work: One of our home-bound users (they get books delivered to their door every other week) called to ask us to get something for her. This particular user is interested in everything and listens to book reviews and discussions on the radio and television and then calls us to get her the books. Unfortunately, she's not very good about writing down the author and title, so we often have to extrapolate from what she tells us and guess at what she's after. This time it was "a book, probably about philosophy or something like that, by an author named Stevens, with a V, and first name either Angel or Angelica, I think..." Well, there was no trace of a published book by an author with either name. I check "Stephens" as well, tried swapping the first and last names, and even tried "Angelo" and "Angelique." Then, while Holly called the user back to ask just where she had heard of this author, I tried Google and hit the jackpot. Google "Angel Stevens" and you'll find what I mean. He's a scam artist of some kind, who sells instructions by e-mail on "how to make money online." Now this user doesn't have or use a computer, but it turns out she got the recommendation from a friend who told her he "got the book by e-mail." That's the Angel Stevens plan. He sells his "book of instructions" for $12, and sends it to you by e-mail.

I'm reminded of a story my father told from back in the 1920s, when he was a school kid. There was a tiny ad running in the classified sections of various newspapers and magazines that kept getting his attention. It promised that you could start a mail order business and earn a hundred dollars a month. That wasn't bad money back then. Finally he sent in the dime requested for the instructions, and duly they came back. All he received was a postcard with the words "Fish for suckers like I do" printed on it.

Comments

[farhoug.livejournal.com]

No more dinosaur movies for Tess! =)

book pushers...

[rustitobuck.livejournal.com]

"One of our home-bound users..."

Wow, back in the day we called them patrons.

Now you've got users.

Pssst! Wanna try a book? Nah, they're not addictive. The first one's free...and the second...and the third...

[schnee.livejournal.com]

I'm reminded of a story my father told from back in the 1920s, when he was a school kid. There was a tiny ad running in the classified sections of various newspapers and magazines that kept getting his attention. It promised that you could start a mail order business and earn a hundred dollars a month. That wasn't bad money back then. Finally he sent in the dime requested for the instructions, and duly they came back. All he received was a postcard with the words "Fish for suckers like I do" printed on it.

Ouch.

Re: book pushers...

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Start with this and go forward for the next three strips or so.

I try to avoid using the word "patron" here because people keep objecting to it, but the truth is these days we have not only patrons, but users and even abusers. I'd say a patron is someone who actually appreciates library services, uses them, and doesn't complain about paying taxes (or overdue fines.) We have a fair number of patrons, though they seem to be a declining species. The user, on the other paw, is demanding and less appreciative. She reminds us at every opportunity that her taxes pay our salaries, by which she means that we should devote all our energy to satisfying her before anyone else. Then there are the abusers, who seem to be increasing in numbers in recent years. An abuser is like the guy last week who threw a tantrum because he was only allowed one hour of public internet use each day. "I'm trying to run a business," he declared. Sorry, taxes or no, that's not our mission. If you want to run a business, we expect you to buy your own equipment and services, rather than doing it at public expense.

The issue with the word "patron" though is that many people today think we are "patronizing" them by using it. I refuse to use "customer" because we aren't selling a service, though there is some push going on to change to that terminology and model. "Client" sounds too much like we're offering legal or accounting services. Unfortunately, in many cases, I think "patient" would be more appropriate, but the disease is already so advanced that we really can't treat it with the resources available to us.

Your interpretation of "user" is amusing, but not the context in which I'd normally be thinking. We do have a few library "addicts" though. Fortunately most of them are both heavy users of our services and eager patrons who support our efforts and express their appreciation. One good example would be the many rural patrons who have to pay an annual fee to have library cards. These are people who live outside any library district and therefore pay no taxes to support any library. Under state law, we are required to charge them a fee equal to the average library tax paid by a homeowner who lives inside the district. Some people become very angry about this and spout slogans such as "Libraries are supposed to be free" and "You're cheating my children" as if they were somehow being forced to give us money and receive nothing in return when actually the issue is that they are giving us nothing at all. But others nod, smile, and get out their checkbook. Those people are often our best supporters and deserve to be called "patron" in the original sense of the word. As they often say when writing that check, "It's a bargain" or "It's worth every penny."

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Yeah. Though ten cents doesn't seem like much today (and it would have cost the scammer three times that just to send the postcard) it was a substantial amount for a twelve year old to spend eighty years ago.

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Indeed. I'm going to have to control her television viewing more strictly. ;p

[schnee.livejournal.com]

*noddles* Indeed... out of curiosity, do you know how much money it would be today, taking into account inflation etc.?

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Off the top of my head I'd guess today's equivalent would be at least a couple of dollars, and perhaps as much as five to ten dollars. It depends on whether you base the calculation on the consumer price index, the average individual income, or something like the stock market or the price of gold. ;p

I'm using the price of bread here. A dime could buy a loaf of bread in 1925. Today you need more than a dollar to get the same loaf.

[schnee.livejournal.com]

*noddles* I'd base it on the average individual income - or maybe, in this case, the average amount that people would've have left after necessities like food etc. were paid for.

Anyhow... hmm, actually, I'm not sure what to say now. x.x

Peas

[doug-taron.livejournal.com]

Have you succeeded before with a summer planting for a fall crop of peas? I've not had good luck with late plantings of much of anything, but I'd like to try something. My results with lettuce have been pretty dismal. The garden efforts have been a bit half-hearted this year. Even with the good rains, things have been slow, and there's a bunch of the garden that never got planted. I think we may need a fertility boost for next year. Tell the sheep to keep producing ;)

Re: Peas and poop

[altivo.livejournal.com]

There's plenty of poop here anytime you want it.

I haven't tried late planting of peas before, but we've done well with lettuce, kohlrabi, and summer squashes. The trick with lettuce, I think, is to plant in a shady spot and mist them regularly.

Postcards from the edge...

[gabrielhorse.livejournal.com]

All he received was a postcard with the words "Fish for suckers like I do" printed on it.

XD Great story. I wonder how much the same scam would go for these days, adjusting for inflation :P

Re: Postcards from the edge...

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Apparently it goes for $12. See "Angel Stevens" on Google. The indexed links are all complaints or queries about the scam, but in the advertising column on the right you will find his actual ad. ;p

Re: Peas and poop

[gabrielhorse.livejournal.com]

Kind of unrelated, I didn't read schnee's questions about inflation... so no need repaeting yourself :P

Also, in regards to gardens, my sweet potatoes are improving. They were almost wiped out, but one survived and now is flourishing... nearly doubled in sized and has put out a second set of leaves.

Re: Postcards from the edge...

[gabrielhorse.livejournal.com]

My curiousity is sated :) Scams are amusing when you aren't part of them :/

Re: Postcards from the edge...

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Actually, a little further investigation suggests that it is a two-level scam. The $12 gets you a "report" with glowing recommendations encouraging you to "sign up" for the program. Signing up costs $197 and from numerous reports and complaints, gets you next to nothing.

Re: book pushers...

[gabrielhorse.livejournal.com]

Patron= average citizen. Worst trait is they wait at the front door.

User= pushy, agrumentative person who intends to have their say. Customer service is another favorite hangout of theirs.

Abuser= reason for a padded, sound-proof cell with a computer in it at your local library ^_^

Re: Postcards from the edge... ^_^

[gabrielhorse.livejournal.com]

XD A report!?!?! Sign me up!! Here's my personal info, credit card numbers and bank account info :P

Re: book pushers...

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Actually that would be giving many abusers just what they want. It's usually either that or unlimited video checkouts with no overdue fines.

I'd go for the abuser solution only if the computer was broken.

[hellmutt.livejournal.com]

Scam? I call it a life lesson!

[altivo.livejournal.com]

It's both, of course. These days it costs a lot more, though.

[hellmutt.livejournal.com]

Yes; just covering the cost of postage would be more kind.

[cozycabbage.livejournal.com]

Don't forget that most children nowadays seen to get a $20 bill every week, on top of all the toys and goodies their parents buy.

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Not any children I know. The ones who have any money are required to earn it by doing chores, baby sitting, etc.

Sure, that works, too.

[gabrielhorse.livejournal.com]

That's how you see it. All well and good. Everybody has their own perspective on it- and everything has the potential to be a life lesson :)

Hmm...

[gabrielhorse.livejournal.com]

Yeah, me neither. Maybe when I was a kid and the economy was better, but not anytime recently :P *scratches head* I don't think I ever got more than $5 for an allowance when I was young, and I think that was only for a few years- considering the family member I lived with, it could have been called "slave wages" :P ...or did anyone else have to help their father reshingle the roof, build sheds and tear down concrete walls during their early teens, all for $5 a week?

Re: Hmm...

[altivo.livejournal.com]

I had to do household chores, like cleaning and laundry and dishes. Both my parents worked full time then.

Re: Hmm...

[gabrielhorse.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I had to do those, too... I consider laundry and dishes pretty standard anyway. But I had to help do construction and atuomotive work, to a degree...