Thursday, August 20th, 2020
Unbelievable but true, the spare part arrived and a technician showed up to install the new console. Sadly, only half of what Bray & Scarf had advised. No new motherboard. I am now desperately hoping the oven will break down again within the next thirty days so it can finally be replaced. Because I am sure if it does not do so it will die the day the warranty expires, which of course GE is not extending. Service in this country is simply non-existent. And this is not the first time I have noticed it is just so much more annoying as it is a large and expensive appliance and it is the middle of a pandemic during which EM has taken to baking.
When I buy a router which Best Buy refuses to take back after thirty days it is a US$100 loss, annoying, but not a major loss. Restaurant workers get paid minimum wage, if they receive a salary at all, which is why patrons are expected to tip 15-20%, in some places they even suggest 25%. Now if that would lead to super attentive service, but usually it does not. Even when getting take out food there is the underlying expectation of a tip. And it is the same with all sorts of other services, like taxis, nail spas and hair salons. Nowhere turns this expectation into anything beyond the standard service one would get elsewhere in the world. Of course, the reasons for this in the USA are rooted in racism and are so by design.
What has been keeping the USA busy over the past few days is the National Convention of the Democratic Party, which has been going on over four days now and will close with Joe Biden accepting the nomination as presidential cnadidate today. It has been a fully virtual event, with an impressive line-up of speakers from all walks of life, including some Republicans like Kasisch and Powell coming out for Joe Biden, striving to create a sense of unity and speak to a broad base. The speeches by both of the Obama’s were amazing, in quintessence suggesting agent orange is just in way over his head. This in turn caused the moron in chief to go ballistic on Twitter. It has been rather entertaining to follow. If only,….. Praying for a good voter turn out, especially for the democrats, and many swing votes to end the current misery in this country.
Known cases of infected have surpassed 5.75 million in the USA today and death is approaching 180k (177k today), while the world knows of 22.4 million infected people. Seeing the Virus is here to stay, we continue to figure out how to live our life while minimizing risks.