The paranoid funny guy, the preachy crunchy, and the...Robot?

[RedNailPolish]

I had three...interesting customers today, it being Saturday. Backstory on the first customer, I work at Tjmaxx. You can probably imagine the annoying questions we're getting right now about the whole computer thing, and we're not allowed to talk about it. So here goes:


Me (self explanitory, gorgeous redhead, tight tshirt, the usual): Your total is $..., is that debit or credit?
PFG (paranoid funny guy): Why, are you going to steal my identity?
Me: Why would I want to do that?
PFG: Well, this is Tjmaxx, isn't it?
Me: Why yes sir *hands him receipt* Thank you so much! You have a great day!

Next lady just annoyed me, and she came right after the last guy.

PC (preachy crunchy (crunchy being a hippie sort)): Have you seen the traffic out there! Wow it's bad.
Me: I know. I was going to go across town for lunch, but when I saw the traffic, I decided to walk across the street to KFC instead.
PC: *is quiet a moment as I ring up her stuff* Oh, sweetie, you shouldn't eat fast food. You can bring lunch!
ME: But that would require me cooking.
PC: No it wouldn't. You can bring carrot sticks!
Me: Meh. They don't have enough transfats for me. Thank you so much! Have a great day!

And finally, a few hours later, I am covering in jewelry, rather than register (and what do you know, neither of those places are where I belong!) when I get this gem. We'll just call her G for Gem.

Me: Did you need help in jewelry?
G: Yes.
Me: Ok, I'll be right with you, as soon as I find the girl with the key. (I walk off to find the girl with the key...then I walk back past the customer again)
G: Helooooooooooo....
Me: I'll be right with you. I still need the key. (I end up using the manager's key, since she was right there)
G: Can I see those magnets? The Swarovski ones?
Me: Of course.
G: Can you read me the instructions?
Me: Sure....sticks to metal, don't put it near a computer. (she nods)
G: Are they reusable?
Me: Um....yes, I think they are.
G: Will they stick to skin?
Me: Um...(want to say 'Sure, if you're a Robot, but I don't) I don't think so.
G: Oh, well, they were going to be a gift. I'll have to ask my husband about that then. Have a nice day.
Me:

[rvdammit]

G: Will they stick to skin?
Me: Um...(want to say 'Sure, if you're a Robot, but I don't) I don't think so.

Only if you have subdermal magnets. http://www.bmezine.com/news/guest/20060331.html

[Gawdzillers]

Or if your blood is rich in iron and you just happen to have been flayed.

[Dreamstalker]

I've seen magnetic earrings with a second magnet that goes on the back of your ear to hold it. The earrings are usually sold with those though. I have a few. Nice, but they tend to hurt after awhile.

Only if you have subdermal magnets. http://www.bmezine.com/news/guest/20060331.html

Wouldn't those also fall under the don't-even-get-near-a-computer aegis? The earring magnets are usually of the rare-earth type (neodynium?) to be able to hold through skin, so I would guess those are as well?

[Becks]

PC (preachy crunchy (crunchy being a hippie sort)): Have you seen the traffic out there! Wow it's bad.
Me: I know. I was going to go across town for lunch, but when I saw the traffic, I decided to walk across the street to KFC instead.
PC: *is quiet a moment as I ring up her stuff* Oh, sweetie, you shouldn't eat fast food. You can bring lunch!
ME: But that would require me cooking.
PC: No it wouldn't. You can bring carrot sticks!
Me: Meh. They don't have enough transfats for me. Thank you so much! Have a great day!

Good answer!!!!!!!!!

Personally, though, I just go to KFC for the mashed potatoes, biscuits, and the occasional parfait (when I remember...).

[Naaman]

Wouldn't those also fall under the don't-even-get-near-a-computer aegis? The earring magnets are usually of the rare-earth type (neodynium?) to be able to hold through skin, so I would guess those are as well?

Nah, they'd be fine. Magnetism works on an inverse square thingy and magnetism only does 'bad things' to hard drives if the field is rapidly fluctuating. Anyway the hard drive itself has a pair of rare earth magnets that move the heads around, if you've got a techie friend ask him\her to crack a knackered drive for you - they work great on the fridge

Some more info here

[karma_gypsy]

G: Will they stick to skin?

Unless you had a magnetic personality!

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

yes . . . I'm a dork . . .

*ducks all the fruits/veggies/doritos being thrown*

[BookstoreEscapee]

*ducks all the fruits/veggies/doritos being thrown*

Just don't throw the carrots...RedNailPolish needs them for lunch!

Sorry, while carrots do make a fine crunchy snack, they are not lunch...

[Spiffy McMoron]

Just don't throw the carrots...RedNailPolish needs them for lunch!

Ah! You beat me to it!

And when you mentioned "KFC", I half expected the hippie to start talking about stuff like how eating animals is wrong, or KFC is wrong, etc...

Wow, SC's are throwing me change-ups. This could be the start of a very bad work-week...

[Lehk]

I've seen magnetic earrings with a second magnet that goes on the back of your ear to hold it. The earrings are usually sold with those though. I have a few. Nice, but they tend to hurt after awhile.


Wouldn't those also fall under the don't-even-get-near-a-computer aegis? The earring magnets are usually of the rare-earth type (neodynium?) to be able to hold through skin, so I would guess those are as well?

Computers are not sensitive to magnets.

floppy disks and CRT monitors are sensitive, but hard drives are extremely well shielded and the rest of the machine won't be affected either.


as for the earrings, i imagine those could be very bad over time, pressure sores can be extremely dangerous and blood flow is bad enough in the ear lobes without having magnets pinching all day.

[Andara Bledin]

CRT monitors don't like magnets. I've actually had permanent warping effects from a pair of poorly shielded speakers that used to sit at the lower corners. LCD monitors are unaffected.

Computer cases don't care about magnets. All of the sensitive stuff is on risers held away from the case. Plus, a lot of cases these days are mostly plastics.

Cassette tapes and floppy disks can be corrupted or wiped.

Seriously, though, how can you get to adulthood without at least a basic understanding of how magnets work?

^-.-^

[Jack7957]

Not a magnet story, but an electrical field story. Former cow-orker tells me a computer monitor in a control room needs replacing, it's all wavy. Since this room is on the 2nd story and there's no elevator, and it would be a 17 inch monitor I'd have to haul up the stairs, I decide to go look at it first. Find it, and sure enough, it's all wavy. Why? Whomever put the computer there, seemed to not notice the three 4-inch electrical conduits running up the wall right next to it, carry some high-voltage lines. Of course it's going to be wavy with all that power right next to it.

[Andara Bledin]

Speaking of monitors and electricity: How many of you degauss your monitor on a regular basis?

I can't tell you how many people I've run into who don't even know what degaussing is, much less why you would do it.

^-.-^

[Bagga]

I thought degaussing was "built-in" with modern monitors?

[Andara Bledin]

Most modern monitors degauss when they are turned on.

However, that means nothing to me, as my monitor is usually on 24/7. So I have to degauss. Also, the computers at work are all always on, too, so that they can be remotely updated.

^-.-^