Oh the Humanity Thread (stupid things people do)

[avatar! | 1,809]

https://www.foodandwine.com/news/italy-counterfeit-pasta-united-states

[avatar! | 1,809]

[darkchylde28 | 1,546]

On 9/8/2021 at 5:54 PM, TDIRunner said:

What's worse, the thieves themselves, or the fact that the majority of the comments are defending their actions?

I don't know, I mean, yes, I morally disagree with thievery, but I also see what the lumber industry has done over the period where COVID entered everyone's lives and kept so many at/around home to be able to do projects involving such products thievery as well.  So, to me, this is mostly a wash--blatant thieves stealing from thieves with slightly more smoke and mirrors in front of what they're doing.  My brother has needed to redo the decking on his front porch since before the pandemic began, but never had the time around the house to do it.  After converting to working from home, he suddenly had the time.  The problem?  His 15'x6' porch went from costing $200-300 in deck boards to do to $3000-3500 for the same amount of material, while supply has not been reduced, and has actually increased in most areas.  So...yeah...Lowe's, Home Depot, etc.?  Fuck 'em, lol.  I'm not going to defend the people walking out with their carts and wallets full, but I'm not about to shed any tears for the opportunistic bastards making bank either.

[Tanooki | 4,932]

It's not Lowes setting the price, it's the supplier.  They don't cut their own trees down and turn it into lumber, the crooks are those back in the forest running those operations from chop to refined product.  I do agree with you though, those clowns deserve to be punished taking advantage like that (the lumber suppliers, not the retail distributors.)

[TDIRunner | 2,734]

11 hours ago, darkchylde28 said:

 but I also see what the lumber industry has done over the period where COVID entered everyone's lives and kept so many at/around home to be able to do projects involving such products thievery as well.  So, to me, this is mostly a wash--blatant thieves stealing from thieves with slightly more smoke and mirrors in front of what they're doing. 

You didn't put much thought into this post did you?  Do you also blame your local gas stations for the price of a gallon of gas nearly doubling in the past year?

[darkchylde28 | 1,546]

On 9/11/2021 at 11:46 PM, Tanooki said:

It's not Lowes setting the price, it's the supplier.  They don't cut their own trees down and turn it into lumber, the crooks are those back in the forest running those operations from chop to refined product.  I do agree with you though, those clowns deserve to be punished taking advantage like that (the lumber suppliers, not the retail distributors.)

It's both, really.  The folks actually bringing in the lumber (independent or working for the mills) saw no big wage increases, while the mills themselves decided, "hey, why not" and spiked the living shit out of what they wanted to charge for lumber.  This time around, the big lumber retailers (at least those in my area) immediately spiked their prices plus a bit (more than their usual markup over what the mills charge them), even on all of the stuff that they hadn't been gouged on, and had been sitting on their shelves or in their warehouses for who knows how long.

While I didn't see it anywhere with lumber in the past year, it would not have been the first time that I saw a retailer cease or pause carrying a product/line or products due to a sudden, unwarranted price spike by the manufacturer/supplier, putting up signs in the spots where the product was, explaining why it was absent, who to contact about it if they were upset, etc.  What happened as a result of major lumber retailers refusing to push back against the mills?  On an accelerating timeframe, more and more people (both contractors and regular 'ol folk) ceased purchasing any lumber, doing any building, repairs, etc., leaving the stuff to sit.

I've needed the odd part, fastener, tool, etc., to do things around the house since the pandemic began, so I've been in and out both our local Lowe's and Home Depot for the past year.  Not once have I ever seen any of the bins on any of the lumber empty or even less full than the last time I was in.  Increasingly, I see them moving the smaller stuff around to make room for them to put in more areas to drop the large/long bulk lumber that they don't seem to be selling down/out of on the regular as they did before COVID hit.  I don't hold any ill will or any sort or grudge against the employees at either place, but I absolutely view their parent companies with quite a different eye after all of this.

On 9/12/2021 at 12:16 AM, TDIRunner said:

You didn't put much thought into this post did you?  Do you also blame your local gas stations for the price of a gallon of gas nearly doubling in the past year?

And I'll say the same.

If/when the price suddenly spikes for absolutely no reason?  You bet your ass I do.

When Katrina hit, and all of the refineries in that area were suddenly down (damaged or destroyed), idiotic panic buying gripped my region (and, anecdotally, the regions of various friends and family who live in different parts of the country from me per those folks).  One gas station, the then-Chevon station near my parents' house, kept their prices at what they were, and ultimately sold completely out of fuel of all kinds by the end of the day.  Their reason?  They based their prices off of what they had to pay for the fuel already in the ground at their station, and wouldn't (and shouldn't) be changing it just because something happened to affect supply down the line.  What did every other station in the straight line 2-3 mile stretch of highway they were on?  Incrementally raised their prices based initially on the news early in the morning, then periodically throughout the day (as much as every 15-20 minutes) by walking outside, looking down the road at what the other stations had posted, then raising their prices by a few cents each time.  By the end of the day, save the one station, there wasn't a local station in that stretch with gas at less than $5/gallon, with most in the range of $5.50-6.00 a gallon.  What happened as a result?  Well, they didn't sell out of fuel, and, the next morning, their prices were back down to right around what they had been the morning the news of what Katrina was doing came through

Why did prices suddenly reverse?  Because the government immediately stepped in to impose fines in each and every station in the multiple tens of thousands of dollars for price gouging.  Because none of those stations had suddenly received shipments that were many multiples higher in cost than what was in the ground when the news hit in order to justify any of the many increasing price adjustments that had occurred throughout the day.  Did gas prices ultimately end up a bit higher for a while due to less easy access to supply until the hurricane was over and the refineries in that area were able to be fixed and returned to operation?  Yes, absolutely.  Did I enjoy that?  No, not at all.  Did I hold a grudge against any of the local stations for a gradual price increase that was in response to actual supply issues?  Nope.  Did smoke come out my ears over the individual fuckers spiking their prices at a moment's notice just because they could?  You betcha.

Same sort of shit is and has been going on with lumber over the past year, except without even the appearance of any actual supply issues on the back end, with the sawmills starting the issue, and the major lumber retailers becoming culpable in my eyes due to going along with their scheme instead of standing firm and saying, "You know, we have contracts for what this should cost us, and there isn't a sudden lack of trees or ability for you to cut them.  We'll bide our time."  Also no government intervention in the interim despite various groups reaching out (sometimes as high/directly as the White House), so no quick resolution and more natural price increase which would normally occur.

[TDIRunner | 2,734]

Well, at least you are consistent.  

[avatar! | 1,809]

[Tanooki | 4,932]

So Russian roulette potato?  Risky.  

[darkchylde28 | 1,546]

I am not surprised that this happened with some kids in my relative neck of the woods, but it does sadden me.  Especially given the amount of gun culture there is throughout the American South, and the relative lack of even basic gun safety training provided, even by the parents.  Everybody has to have guns, guns, guns, and be some sort of reincarnation of some imagined Confederate hero or stereotypical great-great-great-great-whatever ancestor who provided food for the family with only their gun, their wits, and knowledge of the area, but it's all basically chest puffing and thumping at this point.  The number of families I've seen be responsible with their guns and impress that upon their children are few and far between, while the number of dumbasses who will outright point them ("jokingly") at basically anybody, for seemingly any reason, just keeps increasing as time goes on.  While it might be a hotter topic today, the schools in the region even used to offer/provide firearms training and safety courses, both as part of the curriculum as well as in after-school/community formats as well.  But long gone are those days.  It would be lovely to get to the point where we could go back to where this type of thing happening honestly surprised me.

[avatar! | 1,809]

A South Carolina lawyer hired a hitman to arrange his own murder so his living son could get a $10 million life insurance payout, police say

In a sworn statement seen by Insider, a SLED agent said Murdaugh gave Smith a gun to kill him, but the bullet only grazed his head. State agents said Murdaugh admitted to police that he had tried to stage his own death and that he had hired Smith to kill him so his surviving son could collect a $10 million life insurance.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/south-carolina-lawyer-hired-hitman-140051735.html

[avatar! | 1,809]

https://www.autoblog.com/2021/09/22/florida-man-tries-to-trade-stolen-car-to-dealership/

But when the man is a Florida man, things get more interesting...Police say that after they read him his rights, he told them he had stolen the car...He's been jailed and charged with grand theft auto, dealing in stolen property, criminal mischief and petit theft. But he gets an A for aspiration.

[avatar! | 1,809]

I've always wondered, why do some people think they can get away with something, and once caught, still try to get away with it? I mean, this person must be either very dumb, very arrogant, or both. I'm hedging my bets on both...

Chloe Mrozak, 24, of Oak Lawn was arrested Aug. 28 at Inouye International Airport in Oahu and faces a misdemeanor charge of falsified vaccination documents, according to court records. She was scheduled to appear at court on 8:30 a.m. Wednesday for a remote hearing before a judge in a Honolulu courtroom. When she did not show for the video-conferenced hearing, a $500 bench warrant was issued for her arrest on the charge of criminal contempt of court.

[TDIRunner | 2,734]

This is nuts.  

 

 

 

[avatar! | 1,809]

Danish police confiscate luxury sports car caught speeding

https://www.usnews.com/news/offbeat/articles/2021-10-08/danish-police-confiscate-luxury-sports-car-caught-speeding

The man, an Iraqi citizen resident in Norway who was not identified, was registered Thursday as driving at 236 kph (147 mph) in his Lamborghini Huracan on a stretch of highway where the top speed is 130 kph (81 mph). Under a new Danish law, police can seize the vehicles of reckless drivers and auction them off, with the money going into Danish coffers. The Nordjyske newspaper said the man had bought the car hours earlier in Germany for 2 million kroner ($310,000). Jess Falberg, the on-duty officer with the northern Denmark police, told Nordjyske that the owner was “a little annoyed” when the car was seized. The car owner will also be fined for speeding in due course.

Well, all of us are of course "a little annoyed" when our Lamborghinis are confiscated.

[avatar! | 1,809]

Jonathan Toebbe, 42, was arrested Saturday...FBI agents watched Toebbe leave what was alleged to be an SD card that had been wrapped in plastic and placed in a peanut butter sandwich at a "dead drop" location in West Virginia, according to the complaint. During a separate drop, he used a Band-Aid wrapper and a plastic bag to hide an SD card, it says.

Edited October 11, 2021 by avatar!

[avatar! | 1,809]

Some good news

[Estil | 1,264]

3 hours ago, avatar! said:

Some good news

But aren't elephants an endangered species?  Please tell me there aren't still really thoughtless people who kill elephants just for their tusks...  

[Tanooki | 4,932]

@EstilNo there still are, and I think they're considered threatened maybe?  Same pieces of crap also still love to hunt rhino for their horn too.  Maybe they're compensating for their own tiny tusks.

[Estil | 1,264]

1 hour ago, Tanooki said:

@EstilNo there still are, and I think they're considered threatened maybe?  Same pieces of crap also still love to hunt rhino for their horn too.  Maybe they're compensating for their own tiny tusks.

What would Captain Planet have to say about all this?   Wheeler at first naively thought and hoped that elephants (and rhinos) were big enough to take care of themselves but I guess not...  

[avatar! | 1,809]

Man selling his gaming console shoots two teens trying to steal it, Chicago police say

https://www.yahoo.com/news/man-selling-gaming-console-shoots-141419150.html

The 29-year-old selling the console, which WFLD reported was an Xbox, met a 19 and 15-year-old around 1 a.m. Sunday in northwest Chicago. One of the teenagers grabbed the console from the man and attempted to run off to a parked car without paying, the Chicago Sun Times reported. The other teenager was in the vehicle with a gun, the newspaper reported. But the would-be seller also had a gun, and he used it against the teenagers. The 15-year-old was shot in the head and the 19-year-old was struck in the shoulder, WBBM reported. The youngest of the teenagers was listed in critical condition and the older teen was in fair condition, according to WFLD.

Dang
I think the lesson here is not to sell a console at 1 in the morning...

[Tanooki | 4,932]

18 hours ago, Estil said:

What would Captain Planet have to say about all this?   Wheeler at first naively thought and hoped that elephants (and rhinos) were big enough to take care of themselves but I guess not...  

Something like this I'm certain:

 

8 hours ago, avatar! said:

The 29-year-old selling the console, which WFLD reported was an Xbox, met a 19 and 15-year-old around 1 a.m. Sunday in northwest Chicago. One of the teenagers grabbed the console from the man and attempted to run off to a parked car without paying, the Chicago Sun Times reported. The other teenager was in the vehicle with a gun, the newspaper reported. But the would-be seller also had a gun, and he used it against the teenagers. The 15-year-old was shot in the head and the 19-year-old was struck in the shoulder, WBBM reported. The youngest of the teenagers was listed in critical condition and the older teen was in fair condition, according to WFLD.

Dang
I think the lesson here is not to sell a console at 1 in the morning...

So, the owner pulled a reverse GTA card on the entitled brats.  Ask for consequences, receive consequences.  If you're going to bring a knife to a gun fight you're screwed, but if you bring a gun to a gunfight and still get taken down you're out of your depth.

[darkchylde28 | 1,546]

On 10/25/2021 at 12:12 PM, avatar! said:

Man selling his gaming console shoots two teens trying to steal it, Chicago police say

https://www.yahoo.com/news/man-selling-gaming-console-shoots-141419150.html

The 29-year-old selling the console, which WFLD reported was an Xbox, met a 19 and 15-year-old around 1 a.m. Sunday in northwest Chicago. One of the teenagers grabbed the console from the man and attempted to run off to a parked car without paying, the Chicago Sun Times reported. The other teenager was in the vehicle with a gun, the newspaper reported. But the would-be seller also had a gun, and he used it against the teenagers. The 15-year-old was shot in the head and the 19-year-old was struck in the shoulder, WBBM reported. The youngest of the teenagers was listed in critical condition and the older teen was in fair condition, according to WFLD.

Dang
I think the lesson here is not to sell a console at 1 in the morning...

Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.  I mean, isn't this what all the folks wanting everyone, everywhere, at all times to be carrying expected?

[Gloves | 11,776]

On 10/25/2021 at 12:12 PM, avatar! said:

I think the lesson here is not to sell a console commit armed robbery at 1 in the morning...

FTFY

[Tabonga | 2,317]

How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if he could chuck wood?

https://www.yahoo.com/news/2-men-arrested-suspicion-cutting-163405508.html