Path: ...!eternal-september.org!feeder3.eternal-september.org!news.eternal-september.org!.POSTED!not-for-mail From: AJL Newsgroups: comp.mobile.android Subject: Re: Codes sent by text message Date: Tue, 12 Mar 2024 09:29:59 -0700 Organization: A noiseless patient Spider Lines: 129 Message-ID: References: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Injection-Date: Tue, 12 Mar 2024 16:30:01 -0000 (UTC) Injection-Info: dont-email.me; posting-host="e24069b11b43f914a77faab607a9c058"; logging-data="419626"; mail-complaints-to="abuse@eternal-september.org"; posting-account="U2FsdGVkX1++/ovTm0PYPyxQIesJmsZC" User-Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 10.0; WOW64; rv:45.0) Gecko/20100101 Thunderbird/45.2.0 Cancel-Lock: sha1:7dRU5fo6CaESzTTtjmRNZK7tLV4= In-Reply-To: Bytes: 6428 On 3/12/2024 5:53 AM, Newyana2 wrote: > "AJL" wrote > > | That would be me. I visit my branch maybe twice a year to get cash for > | emergencies (like if the checkout system is down) and tips. Everything > else > | is done with the credit card. Love that Cashback card. Also love that > folks > | who pay with cash help support it... > Yes, I remember that about you. I'm flattered. I remember you too. That's why I threw out the cashback fishhook. It worked... :) > The man who would > buy an expired lottery ticket if he could get cash back. I don't gamble but you're right, everything goes on the cashback card. I usually get over $1000US back per year. Better than gambling because I always win... > The > man who wants to purchase a gravestone that says, "Here > lies a man who never failed to get cash back." > The trend seems to be much bigger than cash-back-mania, > though. People in this thread are actually getting angry at > merely the suggestion of having options besides cellphones > for taking care of business. > Cellphones have become a lifestyle. > Many of those people are not even using charge cards. I still use a card. I find it easier to dig my card out at the store than my cell phone. > They're > using debit, Square, Venmo... Not me. I'm still using (gasp) checks. For example, one fits nicely under the front doormat for the yard guy... > They've actually become > accustomed to paying someone else to handle their cash, so > that all transactions -- even lending $20 to a friend -- go > through a payment service. You'd be proud of me. I give the grand and greatgrandkids CASH gifts. > Some people are just afraid of cash, fearing that they'll > be mugged if they have money. And if they are mugged and don't have any cash, no loss... > Others feel Jetson-esque, > waving their iPhone at Starbucks. Hardly, since almost EVERYBODY is waving their phone these days. But they probably would all stop and point at someone using cash... ;) > Many young people > probably know payment services as where money comes from. > But I suspect the main motivator is just habit: Once people > are constantly using their cellphone, it becomes convenient > to do everything through it. Sure beats a phone being tied to the wall IMO. > As Carlos put it, people addicted to cellphones > would like to believe that everyone else "does not matter". > They not only want cellphone options, they want cellphone > interaction to be enforced as the only option. They > want to live in Cellphone World. > I'm not so sure about automated checkouts, though. Some > stores in the US are deciding to remove or reduce them due > to theft. It's a balancing act. If the increased $$ theft is less than the fired cashiers salary $$ then they are still $$ ahead. > https://www.cnn.com/2023/12/08/business/self-checkout-dollar-general-retail/index.html > > At the same time, you run the risk of being accused of > theft when using self-checkout: > > https://www.coreycohen.com/blog/2022/12/have-you-been-accused-of-self-checkout-theft/ Life's a bitch, huh. Having my receipt checked on the way out is no big deal for me. And it is a theft deterrent which helps to keep the prices down for us honest folks... > There's also a controversy around restaurants with QR > code menus. Most people are happy to use their cellphone > to read the menu, but then they're questioning why they > should tip for barebones service... Since I don't give to any charities I use tipping as my charity and tip well. Those folks who wait tables need it IMO. And since I generally eat out most every day that does come to a few (credit card cashback) bucks... ;) > So we run into an entirely > different issue: How does human society work without > personal interactions? Maybe you'll be able to use your > famous cash-back charge card to buy conversations... > Perhaps Monty Python's argument service wasn't so > farfetched. :) > > I used a self checkout for the first time recently. There > were 8 women with full carts at the only Target register, > and the self checkout took cash. I don't really mind it > there. They have the best prices, by far, on household > items. And Target seems to be the only place left to buy > such a simple thing as a pack or sponges -- just a plain old > 4-pack of kitchen sponges, without a "patented > scrubber surface" or any other overpriced gimmick. So > I accept that they need to cut corners. Though I have to > find another source for underwear and socks now. Target > has locked them in display cases! Apparently people were > stealing them and sneaking through the self-checkout. I have 2 Targets within 5 miles of me. My favorite purchases have been new cell phones on the discount rack. I got one for $13US and another for $15. I never used them for phones but they made great Android toys (see, I'm back on topic)...