Customer needs assistance at check out 3...

While waiting in line at the Ikea self checkout aisle, I couldn't help feel my life ticking away at an alarming pace. All I wanted to do was to buy some curtains for my mother (called "Wilmas") and a lint roller, but I had to wait in line for 20 minutes. The reason for the delay was because a little old couple were standing at the kiosk with no idea what was happening. They tried talking to it. They tried scanning their items with the key pad. At one point I'm pretty sure I saw them show old family photos to the screen and tell a few anecdotes. An associate finally came over and helped the couple how to use the machine and got the line moving again. But looking around I noticed that every line had at least 4 patrons that were going to have a problem with the self check out option. It made me feel a little sad that all this new technology (simple as it may seem to some of us) has been sprung upon those that are just used to doing it the old fashioned way. But it's like they say, if you can't stand the heat get out of the kitchen. If you can't use those self check out things, DON'T USE THEM. Or take a class or something. The point of the self check out line is supposed to speed up your buying experience, not to enjoy the scenery of the front of the store. Now, I have to say that I partly blame Ikea in this instance because the only check out lanes that were open were self check out. But Grandma and Grandpa, you know I love you but if you can't program your VCR, you may want to stick to having the cashiers ring up your candles, decorative trinkets and Metamucil.

This has been another installment of "You Betta Check Yo-self, Before You B-b-b-break Yo-self". Josh Price

The Hippocratic Oath For Patients

The issue of health care has incessantly pounded the air waves recently. Many wonder how many people will be insured, how much will it cost, and how it will effect the general health of America. This is an issue that touches everyone living within the borders of the United States, and it is an issue that was in need of greater discussion far earlier. The United States is the only “developed” or “industrialized” nation that does not have any form of a universal health care system established. Our neighbors to the North established a system in 1999. In the South, the Mexican government had health care reforms in 2006 and 2009.

Here are some other interesting things you may not have known: The average cost of health care has more than doubled from 2000 to 2007. At the current rate of growth, in 2018, a family of four can expect to pay nearly $38,000 in health care costs per year. Half of a family’s income will be spent on health care.

Surely these rising prices are worth paying if it keeps us healthy, right? Well here are some more fun facts: The United States is ranked 45th in infant mortality rate. That’s worse than Cuba. In life expectancy, the United States is ranked 50th, lower than Bosnia and Herzegovina.

So who is to blame? The short answer: everyone. The system is in need of drastic change. Even the insurance companies know that. But I feel that much of the blame can be put squarely on our shoulders.

American society is built on the notion that bigger is better and the more you get, the better off you are. Greed has driven us to feel that in any situation the greater number of goods or services that someone receives is always better than less. Now, take that mentality and apply it to the medical industry. More examinations, more lab tests, more medicines, more this, more that: Good right? Not always.

Studies have shown that 1/3 of the medical procedures done in this country are unnecessary. 1/3! That equates to a horrible waste of time and money. That means more doctors are being occupied doing procedures that their patients do not need and are wasting exorbitant amounts of money that will ultimately not translate into a healthier patient. Why would a doctor do such a thing? Because they are forced into doing it.

Every person that goes to a doctor and is not happy with their visit screams malpractice. With the threat of lawsuits afoot, doctors are forced to put their patients through superfluous tests and procedures just to make sure that they cover all their bases. Failing to do this may result in a lawsuit. Ironically, the more procedures a doctor performs, the higher the chance of the doctor making a mistake. Often, a doctor is forced to perform a procedure that may cause complications and other unwanted side effects. Additionally, patients tend to think that going to the doctor and enduring numerous procedures and ingesting various drugs will fix all their problems. However, there is a lot more involved than that. A doctor cannot just give their patient a magic pill to make all their problems go away. Patients have to make a conscious effort to establish what their medical situation is and make lifestyle changes in order to correct that problem. Relying on prescribed drugs and reoccurring medical procedures will not help the situation in the long run. Nor will it help the problem that this country is facing as far as costs of health care.

As previously stated, this problem is far greater than just the patients’ responsibilities to themselves and to society as a whole. That being said, many problems could be reduced if we can put aside our American culture of more is better and realize that health care is something that should aid us in to moving towards leading a healthier lifestyle, not replace the responsibility that all of us have of caring for ourselves. By realizing that our health ultimately falls in our own hands rather than the doctors’ hands, we will take more responsibility for our actions, and we will not be hasty to take legal action against a doctor that was merely trying to help us.

Our health is OUR RESPONSIBILITY. Do research. Get second opinions. Eat better. Exercise frequently. Do not blame a doctor for your health problems when you honestly know that your poor health is based on poor decisions you made.

Just a side note: please do not email me with stories about negligent doctors screwing up someone’s life. That is not the situation I’m referring to. I am referring to the guy who is 5’ 8” and weighs 400 pounds and blames the doctor for his liver problems because the doctor had to prescribe medicine to keep him from having a heart attack.

- scathing social commentary provided by Ryan


***The information and statistics I used in this post was taken from the podcast “This American Life” episode 391 entitled “More is Less”. Please, please, please listen to it. It is extremely fascinating. It can be found on iTunes. But you have to download our podcast too!***

More odd food items...

A few weeks ago on the podcast, we brought you the audio of KFC's Double Down sandwich, well if that didn't clog your arteries enough just thinking about then check out this video.

Side note: I love the disgust that the reporter has in his voice. It's like someone is frying up a baby or something. It's the worst thing he has ever seen. He compares it to a sign of the Apocalypse! Great.

Oh yeah, well I hate U2...

I don't really HATE U2, I just think that their work here on Earth is done. To me they have gone from making good music to just making whatever they can to get a paycheck.
But I digress, this isn't the rant I was planning on making although it does apply. If you live in the greater Tampa Bay area, you probably know that U2 came and played at the Raymond James Stadium the other night. It was expected that 70,000 people would attend. Is it just me, or does that figure make you want to throw up a little in your mouth. The biggest shows I've been to were Weezer and Deftones at the USF Sundome which at full capacity is only 11,4oo and even those events I felt so disconnected from the bands that it took away from the show. My philosophy on large concerts is that if they have to put the concert up on a gigantic movie screen above the stage, then I'll just watch it at home where I don't have to deal with 69,999 sweaty, drunk kids that paid way to much to be that far away from the band.
But don't get me wrong, if you want to go see your favorite band from a mile away and are content with that, more power to ya. Like I said, it just seems like if I pay the 30-150 bucks to see a band, I want to be able to see them at least somewhat clearly without the aid of a 15 foot monitor looming above me like the Eye of Sauron.
So thanks U2 for the clogging up traffic and entertaining the masses. Enjoy the US.

This is has been another installment of "Too Much for Too Little". Josh Price

No soup for you!

I don't know how many small business owners there are that listen to the show or are going to read this blog, but I wanted to share a little thought with everyone that I think is pretty universal. We are living in a time where things are hard. Businesses are struggling and trying to find new ways to bring in new customers and keep their old faithfuls. At least most are.

I wanted to talk about businesses making horrible decisions that adversely effect them in regards to how they treat their customers. And I've had a couple of instances within the past 2 weeks or so that makes me think to myself, "What the heck are you thinking! Nice way to shoot yourself in the foot".

To start off with, yesterday Ryan and I went to lunch at a local deli, where after being told we couldn't sit at the table we wanted to because there were only two of us, the waitress also told Ryan that the sandwich he had requested "wasn't really their best and that you should really get something else." You would think that if they really couldn't make a Cuban sandwich well, they would take it off the menu instead of telling their customers who request one not to order it. What if he was on a strict Cuban sandwich diet? All of this resulted in Ryan telling me as we exited that he would never eat there again.

Another place that I reluctantly frequent is a sub shop here in town where I think that the owner/sandwich maker is the Florida version of the soup Nazi from Seinfeld. I once asked him to put mayonnaise on a turkey sandwich but was then informed that doing so would "ruin the sandwich". Let me start off by saying that at the time, I had had probably about 2537 (ballpark figure)turkey sandwiches in my life, both with and with out mayo so to explain to me that the sandwich, which I'm going to be eating is going to be ruined with a little white sauce is possible the most asinine thing I've ever heard. But it's not out of character for this guy. He has also told someone else we know that he will not toast a sandwich because that is not how they were meant to be made and literally refused to do it.

The thing is that the point of owning a business is to make money and support yourself and employees. Driving customers away because of your pride or your lack of people skills isn't really the best way to make it. And I think the saddest thing about it is that these places are aren't bad. The food really is good. It's just too bad that these places bring the struggle onto themselves.

This has been an installment of "Just Put Mayonnaise On It You Sandwich Making Freak" by Josh

Conan Watch Out!

First off, welcome to the Let's Just Be Friends blog! As if Josh and I don't have enough outlets for our thoughts, right? Well we don't!

As we have discussed in the last few podcasts, it is becoming increasingly difficult to schedule time where both Josh and I can sit down, prepare for an episode, and then record and edit it. As a result, a lot of material that we intend to discuss becomes dated. Although we are not the staple of professionalism, we still think it is poor podcasting to ruminate on aged issues. Therefore, I thought it would be cool to have a blog where we can convey thoughts in between episodes.

That leads me to the topic of the first blog: Conan busting his head on Friday.

On Friday night, I accessed my DVR and got ready to indulge in my pre-sleep ritual of watching "The Tonight Show" while checking email. The description of the show seemed decent; the guests were Teri Hatcher, Seth MacFarlane, and some latino music group. But when I played the episode, the guests were Jeremy Piven, All American Rejects, and some circus people. I instantly cursed my Motorola cable box along with the equally crappy Verizon cable television service (their internet service is awesome though!) because I expected yet another strange screw up where the DVR information was incorrect. But then other people I spoke to on Saturday said they saw the same episode. I wondered what was going on.

Tonight Conan explained the reason. Apparently he slipped during a bit where he was racing Teri Hatcher and suffered a concussion! They ended up taking him to the hospital and the show did not air. However, tonight they showed the footage of Conan slipping. Holy crap! He nailed his head on the hard surface of the stage. My head was in pain just watching it. But Conan, being the trooper he is, sat up and led the show to the commercial. He's hardcore. Jay Leno probably would have cried. Or died.

The moral of the story? Wear a helmet. Always. And watch "The Tonight Show".


- Your Friendly Neighborhood Podcaster, Ryan


***UPDATE***

I posted the video of Conan falling in the "Moving Pictures" section. It's a playlist of videos. Check it out!