A kid in my high school (my younger brother’s friend, so a few years behind me) was in a class left to work on their projects while the teacher left the room. His hand got pulled into rollers and he completely lost the use of his hand.
He got a $1+ million dollar settlement, all of which became his when he turned 18.
He drank himself to death within 5 years.
You don’t necessarily need to replace the blade–the brake is aluminum. But that’s a lot of deceleration, so it may damage the blade. I don’t have a Sawstop saw, but will note they have agreed (voluntarily) to share the patented tech with other manufacturers free of cost, which is awesome and borderline insane for a private company. If/when I replace my table saw (3hp contractor’s saw) I will buy a Sawstop saw.
That was a big thing some years ago, and the main brand was “Fit.” I used to see intact kits at garage sales pretty regularly.
As for C(conjugal)V(isitswith)S(atan) and Walgreens not having a lot of common items in stock, that’s been influenced by massive shoplifting losses.
Obsolescence is a topic all its own. I mentioned in another thread my astonishment that mercerized all-cotton thread is now a rare specialty item you have to go to a fabric store to obtain.
Related to the OP is the problem where a retail establishment has drastically cut down their “in-store” selection, but it’s all available through their website (often, but sadly not always with free ship-to-store). If you push me to your website, then I’m 100% going to comparison shop, which is often going to get me something cheaper, especially for one off items.
I know the costs involved in storing items, especially with limited shelf space, but when I got to ACE hardware these days, I can’t help but notice the area around checkout packed full of stupid, impulse buy crap gets larger every time, and the supplies of the stuff I’m going for is smaller each time.
A further related issue is how absolutely TERRIBLE all retail stores are in terms of accuracy of the “available at your chosen location” when using their OWN websites. Over 80% of the time, I’ve needed/wanted something immediately, searched a retail company with local locations and checked the “in-stock at XYZ location” only to drive across town and find None.
On one memorable incident, I went to three different locations of the same retail establishment due to this. The first had the product but only a floor/display model which they would not sell. They used their own internal system to verify it was in stock at two different locations, and across town we went, where at the second, they ALSO didn’t have one. Before we went to the third, we had the 2nd store call to confirm, and got a “sure we have it”.
And of course, when we arrived, the answer is “ooops, the software says it’s here but we don’t have any available in stock”.
Retail has always had challenges, but they’ve been giving ground to internet sellers in all the wrong places.
That’s true of my local Ace, as well (toys, tchotchkes, snacks), but despite that, they’re still staffed by awesome folks who know their stuff, and I’ve never failed to be able to get a particular item I need for a home-improvement project, there, as well as guidance on how to use it.
(Unlike HD or Lowe’s, Aces are franchisee-owned, of course, and there’s undoubtedly more varation in how good, or not-good, any particular Ace location is going to be, as a result.)
Oh, I get that one!
Whenever we called another pharmacy to see if they had anything, the person on the other end would often say, “Our computer says we have XYZ number of them” and I would reply, “What does your shelf say?”
I think we’re talking about the same thing—a convenience store, like 7-11.(*) My local one is independent, and it still has smokes, soft drinks, snack foods, and basic groceries (bread, milk, coffee, etc.) Newspapers, of course. A small selection of frozen foods, mainly frozen pizza and similar; and “gas station sandwiches.” Much like the corner store near our house when I was growing up, except for the lack of a magazine rack.
(*) I’m in Canada, so to me, a “deli” is a sit-down restaurant with a menu and table service (see, e.g. Toronto’s chain of Pickle Barrel delis). A “bodega” is completely unknown. A “newsstand” is newspapers and magazines, usually found in train and subway stations; maybe some candy but nothing else (though airport newsstands will offer more). A candy store is where you go to get your girlfriend a box of chocolates (see, e.g. Laura Secord’s). If you just want to buy her an Aero bar, or a Coffee Crisp, you go to … the corner store.
I thought push sticks were things the user made from scrap. Didn’t know you could buy them.
The unavailability that baffles me is distilled water, which is often plentiful in stores in my area, but goes through waves of scarcity. I don’t know if this is a demand issue or a supply issue, and haven’t imagined a very plausible explanation for either. Since I use it regularly for CPAP, I’ve toyed several times with buying my own still. I’ve also ordered it online, though the business model for shipping small quantities of water large distances baffles me.
MY wife uses a CPAP and complained about the varying availability (not cost) of distilled water so much that I did go ahead and purchase a small water distiller. She loves it. Probably don’t save any money, but we always have distilled water available.
My local Target doesn’t carry anything for Big (read “fat”) guys.
Yes, I AM fat.
Yes.
I AM dieting.
Lost almost 30 pounds since Xmas.
AND STILL NOTHING FITS!
When I was a kid, the bottle of distilled water in the closet was for the exclusive use in the iron. I haven’t used an iron in 30 years.
C-PAP machines are a big use now for distilled water. Since it doesn’t support microbial growth as well as water with mineral content, it keeps the equipment MUCH cleaner.
It’s also really handy for ultrasonic humidifiers for the same reason. Not much worse than spreading the mineral content of your water all over your house as a fine powder.
Pellet ice machines also like distilled water as well because it reduces mineral buildup by quite a bit.
The Ace hardware near me has huge jars of pickles for sale. I live alone and the only pickles I eat come with an occasional deli sandwich, so a jar for me would be a lifetime supply (and outlast me). But I see those big jars and I’m tempted every time to get one. They’re the kind with a sprig of dill and cloves of garlic in the jar.
Speaking of pickles, Claussen full-sized dills have disappeared from my local stores. They have spears and slices but no wholes. There are lesser brands available (Mt. Olive for example) but they’re a poor substitute. I suppose this is a consequence of the national pickle shortage.
Sir/Madam/Small furry creature for Alpha Centauri, I must inform you that as a native North Carolinian my second will be calling on you in the morning due to your disparaging remarks about Mt. Olive pickles.
On a related note, why is Ace Hardware selling pickles?
I assumed they were a locally made batch sold in one particular store, but it turns out it’s a deal Ace made with ‘Tru’ pickles, An impulse buy right there at the checkout counter in Ace hardware stores. The pickles aren’t sold in grocery stores, are a bit pricey - hey! they must be special!
Probably just as well. I would NOT trust a chainsaw chain from Harbor Freight.
HF is good for buying cheap versions of tools that you might use maybe once a year. When I used to own a boat with an inboard motor, it required a couple unique tools to maintain the motor, like a long hookey thing to remove a gasket, which I bought cheaply from Harbor Freight.
But I also bought a chainsaw chain sharpener from HF once. It fell apart like the second time I used it.
I feel you.
I am not only a fat guy --I am also short guy.
Which means I need pants with a big waist and short inseam. So I usually resort to buying pants that are too long and rolling up the bottom cuffs. (I wish I was more handy with sewing to actually hem them.)