Stupidity At It's Lowest

18 February 2007:

At around 11am this morning, after going to the bank to withdraw some funds I went to LBC Walter Mart Pasong Tamo which is located near where I live, to have some eBay items I managed to sell mailed out to their respective buyers. It had been agreed upon the night before, that I would have their items sent via LBC instead because: 1) they live at a very considerable distance from where I reside, and 2) my hectic - and unpredictable - work schedule severely limits my ability to make any meet-up transactions.

I consider myself a regular customer at that LBC branch, having used their services for a number of times in the past to ship out my eBay items to out-of-town buyers. I never had any unfavorable experience with their staff. They were friendly and would often start a conversation with me regarding my eBay items, which consist mostly of action figures and mini4wd cars.

Not until this morning.

I had - via eBay auction - successfully sold some G.I. Joe Sigma 6 action figures and, as I have mentioned earlier, was about to have them mailed out to their respective buyers. Entering that LBC branch I noticed that the staff that I have gotten used to taking care of my packages weren't there. Instead, there was a lone woman taking care of the branch and all it's usual business activities.

I asked her for a quote - how much the shipping cost would be - and showed her the items. She asked what items they were. I unrolled the bubble wrap that protected two of the action figures that were also placed inside individual ZipLoc bags. And then she saw the Sigma 6 equipment locker where I kept the figures' accessories so they would not get misplaced. I obliged and she inspected the contents.

And then she saw the guns:

Not real guns - not even replicas - and most definitely, not airsoft BB guns.

And so, with the conviction of an intelligent being, she flatly tells me: "bawal ito" ("these aren't allowed").

Me: "Ano?!" ("What?!")
Dumb Clerk (sternly): "Bawal ang mga ito." ("These are prohibited.")
Me: "Bakit bawal?" ("Why are they prohibited?")
DC (power-tripping tone in her voice): "Bawal ang mga baril." ("Guns are not allowed.")
Me: "Hindi naman totoong baril 'yan, at ang liliit pa! Bakit ipagbabawal 'yan?!" ("Those aren't even real guns, and they are so tiny! Why should they be prohibited?!")
DC: "Basta bawal ang mga baril." ("Because guns are prohibited.")

Wanting to smack this person upside her head, to try shaking an iota of intelligence into her, I realized it would only create some kind of disturbance inside the LBC branch. Instead, I put back the items inside my sling bag and stormed out of the place.

Feeling so pissed off, I went to an internet cafe upstairs and logged into LBC's website. I filed a customer complaint but, up until now (it's already 8pm) I have not even received an email notifying me that they have read my complaint. So what else is new? This is the very same shit I experienced with this cunt-ry's Labor Department.

By the way, just to let you all know how "big" these "guns" where, here is a scale comparison:

They're so tiny they wouldn't have even created a small bump on her head if I had ever thought of throwing these at her! These "guns" are made of rather soft plastic, without even a working mechanism inside. I've seen jeweler's screwdrivers creating more damage than what these could do!

And so, thanks to these stupid lady clerk, I have to travel tomorrow morning to the Megamall in Mandaluyong and then to Gateway in Cubao, just to meet these customers and then travel back to Makati afterwards so I can go to work.

So far, this has got to be the most stupid human being that I have come across.

No wonder this country is in shambles.

What Does It Take?

What does it take to make an employee stay in a company? Attractive incentive packages? Higher-than-average compensation? Bountiful benefits? Cool bosses? Complete facilities and hi-tech equipment?

Most of the time it's a combination - if not all - of those.

But sometimes, it's a very simple thing that it often gets taken for granted: SALARIES BEING RECEIVED ON TIME.

I just cannot see the logic nor the place of being paid late in the overall scheme of things in this universe. One needs to put fuel before any flame starts to burn. One needs to put gasoline in a car before it can run. So why the fuck should a human being be forced to do more work before receiving any of his past dues?

Promises, promises. "Tomorrow" turns to "in a few days", which then turns into "next week", and then "it's coming - hang on", which in turn becomes "we're not sure yet". Easy for them to say. They probably do not have bills to pay and other people to feed. Or they have set aside this huge trust fund.

Employees being treated like kids, with these promises. It's not their fault when the head honcho makes poor business decisions.

People are leaving and yet Big Boss acts nonchalantly, never addressing the issue to his subordinates.

"Hello. Anybody there?" Dimwit.

I just hope he has enough to cover his face, once the shit finally hits the fan.

And this cunt-ry's Labor Department? Sheesh. Couldn't even send an email to notify you that they have received your complaint. So much for going hi-tech, you brown morons. Fuck this country's government - fuck them all to Hell. Different names, but monkeys all the same. All they're concerned about is their next seat in the coming elections.