Please, sir, DO NOT bring your own bags in my line ...

[TheSHAD0W]

This thread wouldn't be complete without noting what cigarette smoke does to computers and electronics.

https://restorationmasterfinder.com/...r-fire-damage/

[Ironclad Alibi]

Speaking of computers, about 30 years ago I was assigned to an office with a brown screen computer monitor. Yep, the letters on the monitor were brown. The was shortly after smoking in the office was forbidden. I tried washing it, still brown. Then I took a razor blade and scraped the screen. After much effort, I had a lovely bright amber screen monitor.

[Dreamstalker]

Up here, if you have the Sobeys reusable bags, they will switch them for you for free. So if your bag is falling apart or otherwise becoming unusable, just mention it (if the cashier doesn't by themselves) and they'll switch for you.

My old store did that for a week as a promo when the town went plasticless...we all thought that it should be a permanent thing. A lot of customers who rely on public transportation won't buy more than their bags can hold, so if it's falling apart they buy less.

[Pixelated]

My old store did that for a week as a promo when the town went plasticless...we all thought that it should be a permanent thing. A lot of customers who rely on public transportation won't buy more than their bags can hold, so if it's falling apart they buy less.

That would be the point where the store (corporate) should consider saying, "Hey, that bag looks like it's had it. Here's a new one for free!" Even if the battered bag is from a different store.

Because now they're carrying around a bag with YOUR logo on it.

[Dreamstalker]

Exactly, and I brought it up in almost that precise way to manglement. Do you think I was listened to? No...

Now, my current store wouldn't do such a thing because our reusable bags are canvas and fancy and relatively expensive...but I could see offering one with a spend of $XXX over the holidays (and/or with a decent-sized catering order).

[Pixelated]

This thread wouldn't be complete without noting what cigarette smoke does to computers and electronics.

https://restorationmasterfinder.com/...r-fire-damage/

A friend of mine asked me to take a look at her computer. She said the computer was unusually "quiet" and would reboot itself on occasion. I surmised correctly that the fan on her power supply was faulty. She was a chain smoker and apparently smoked a lot while working on the computer; not only was the power supply fan gummed up with revolting tar and nicotine, but the CPU's cooling fan was clogged beyond use, and the cdrom drive drawer would not open. This is the only computer I have ever worked on that died from smoking.

In reply to the above anecdote of stupidity, a reader sent in the following:

I've seen a computer die from smoking, too.

A customer came in with a dead computer, claimed it was under warranty, and asked if we could fix it. We had look at it, and before we even laid eyes on it, we could smell it. Imagine the stench of an overused ashtray times ten.

We looked at the yellow case (it was supposed to be beige) and the date of purchase (3-4 months previous) and goggled in disbelief that she actually had any lungs left.

"What are you doing with this computer?" I asked in total disbelief.

It was at a taxi service. She smoked, the cabbies smoked, and the room was apparently only about eight by twelve. Smoking took place 24/7 in this place, and her fingers and the computer bore witness. We opened the case, and there were visible deposits of brown tar everywhere. The whole thing was gummy and slimy inside.

We had to tell her she was on her own. Naturally, she countered with the "it's under warranty" argument, but the computer was well beyond that. She left quite mad. We insisted she take her computer with her when she left.

The above is from Computer Stupidities, which, alas, is no longer being updated. But some of those stories made me feel like a positive computer genius when I first read them.

[workerbee222]

I have a gauzy window panel from my mom's house. It was originally snow-white. It's now a gross greyish-brown ... and that's after being washed once.

I mentioned it to a professional cleaner and she was doubtful they could do much with it.

I will likely launder it a few more times and then take it to another professional (first one has retired ) and tell them to do their best. I've got a swatch of the original material that was locked away in my mother's cedar chest and the difference between the two is actually kinda heart-breaking.

Have you soaked it in one of those enzyme cleaners advertised incessantly on TV? I've only had it work twice, but when it did, the results were very, very good.

I have a very sturdy canvas bag, stiff enough to stand up on it's own. We washed it in the washer once - it somehow maneuvered against the rubber boot at the front of the machine and wore a hole in it. I've since scrubbed it by hand, hosed it down, and set it out in the sun to dry. love the bag, but it's so heavy it hard to even turn it inside out to scrub.

[Pixelated]

Have you soaked it in one of those enzyme cleaners advertised incessantly on TV? I've only had it work twice, but when it did, the results were very, very good.

No, I haven't. Will give them a try, thank you!

[Jetfire]

My old store did that for a week as a promo when the town went plasticless...we all thought that it should be a permanent thing. A lot of customers who rely on public transportation won't buy more than their bags can hold, so if it's falling apart they buy less.

When those bags first came out, Sobeys advertised them as "Bags for Life" with a "Lifetime replacement guarantee". I'm not sure if that locked them in to a perpetual replacement cycle, but even if it did, I suspect it's worth it. I tend to see Sobeys bags used more often around town at Walmart and Superstore and Costco than I do the other stores branded bags. (Plus I tend to prefer the Sobeys bags myself, even though I do shop more often at the other stores). So as others pointed out, the marketting value alone is probably making this promo worthwhile.