A few notes on products and services
October 14th, 2004 · 4 Comments
Anti-Viral Kleenex? I saw this at Safeway today and I was surprised. I used to work with viruses in the lab, and I wonder what Kleenex could do that would be considered anti-viral? Perhaps though with the shortage of flu vaccine, I should stock up on this sale item (60 sheets in a box for $1)….I would be curious to hear any medical professional input on this product…
During Abigail’s dance lesson I went today to try to get my hair trimmed. This is a secret that embarrasses me: I don’t have a hairdresser! But I don’t really need one. My hair only needs a simple trim a couple times a year. So I stopped by the McDonald’s equivalent in the hairstyling world, a place named after scissors,where cuts are fast and cheap, to see what they could do for me. They operate first-come first-serve and already there was a 40 minute wait, too long to fit within the limits of dance class. When I told them that I couldn’t wait, on my way out the door, the receptionist sounded a bit defensive, telling me at least twice how they operated. I understand that they don’t have appointments and take whoever comes first. But I am free to disagree with their operations and let them know that they are losing my business. Perhaps I should find a stylist – then at least I would have an appointment time!
How many times can I visit Les Schwab and never give them money? Ted and I have taken our cars there a few times for tire repair which is free. The first time they patched our tire without charging us, we were surprised. Today I went and bought a set of chains, in case we need them later this year. In April, I can return the chains if I don’t use them. So I could go again to Les Schwab and still not have given them a dime to keep. Ted and I agree that if we need to buy tires, we know where we will go…
Microsoft’s Robert Scoble took it in the teeth with grace and curiousity: he responded to someone’s complaint that your products suck by listening and taking notes. He asked in return How do they suck? Wow! Speaking of Microsoft products, in the past week I have switched from Outlook to Mozilla Thunderbird for my mail. Too often I had to re-boot my machine due to Outlook freezing on me. It didn’t seem to handle html-rich emails well. Perhaps it is my computer that needed to change. I don’t need many features and Thunderbird is proving to do a good job so far with my email. It’s a little slow at times but no where near as tempermental as Outlook and is certainly helping me to reclaim my In box. Most of all I miss the way Outlook remembered addresses, but that may be a simple matter to fix, especially compared to what we have had to fix in the past…
Tags: culture
4 responses so far ↓
1 Katherine // Oct 14, 2004 at 2:13 pm
I don’t have a hairdresser either. I only get a trim maybe twice a year too. But every three years, I chop 11 inches or so. That doesn’t require a personal hairdresser either.
2 Julie // Oct 15, 2004 at 10:34 pm
Ah, thank you, Katherine, then I won’t feel so insecure! 🙂
Enoch posted a response to my anti-viral Kleenex question…
http://www.enochchoi.com/thoughts/archives/001198.html
thanks, Enoch! (I tried to leave you a comment but it didn’t work on your blog so I’ll leave one here on mine?!)
3 Bob V // Oct 16, 2004 at 1:17 pm
Here is a double-blind study that suggests that consumers who use anti-bacterial products don’t get sick any less often than those who use the regular stuff:
http://www.annals.org/cgi/content/abstract/140/5/321?ijkey=6a9b4d2829764991729f5e44bb38c04f1132008c&keytype2=tf_ipsecsha
Realistically, what would anti-viral tissues do for you? If you are sick, you’ve already been infected. I suppose if you are a kind-hearted parent picking up used tissues from a sick kid, you could benefit.
4 Julie // Oct 18, 2004 at 11:58 pm
Thanks, Bob. Interesting study. The ability to prevent further transmission of a virus through a family is indeed quite valuable, perhaps, worth the increased cost of the specialized Kleenex!