Is coffee-shop coffee too expensive?

[Provost Harrison]

Yeah, I think we need to unleash Asher back onto the forum to take care of Agathon. It will be a bit like the introduction of myxomatosis into the rabbit community - pretty harmful but worth it

[molly bloom]

Originally posted by Japher
I think the hardcover vs. paperback is a bad example, because they are paying for the book now (hardcover) rather than later (paperback).

That and the size of the print run.

Hardbacks tend to have a smaller print run than paperbacks, have a separate dust jacket, are more expensive to produce, et cetera, et cetera.


Some authors such as Will Self though, then release paperback only first editions...

[MOBIUS]

Originally posted by Cort Haus


:sigh:

It's just like Asher had never left ....

You reap what you sow in this place...

Asher keeps the pests at bay - next we'll be inundated with pointless Mac threads...

[molly bloom]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui

In addition they are selling the coffeehouse atmosphere as well. Which nice chairs, comfy couches, free papers that you can just lounge around and hang out.

Exactly- they are marketing a concept and not just the product.

Similar to the way some bookshops changed to being places where you not only bought or browsed for books, but could also eat, have a drink and relax in an armchair- effectively, all the things you could at home if reading a book.


Assuming you didn't have a persistent cat, or small children or inconsiderate neighbours.


I'd much rather go and have tea or coffee at a patisserie or Italian or Turkish cafe.

[molly bloom]

Originally posted by Agathon

Britain is without doubt the most incompetent country in the world.

So, out of all the countries in the world, how many of them have you visited, to have formed this 'expert' opinion ?

Have you ever tried to book a train ticket there?

Admittedly reprivatizing national rail travel has hardly been the shining success story of late 20th Century Conservative ideology. But what does that have to do with the country as a whole ? The whole country didn't vote for reprivatization or the Tory Party.

Or get served in a shop?

I'm served more frequently in British shops than you, I suspect. I can report no gross failings so far. I don't look for servility in shops, just service.

Or get a bank to help you?

Which bank(s) in particular ?

Really, this vague and scattershot approach to analysing a country's alleged incompetence simply won't do for someone who teaches logic and philosophy....

[Agathon]

Originally posted by Provost Harrison
Yeah, I think we need to unleash Asher back onto the forum to take care of Agathon. It will be a bit like the introduction of myxomatosis into the rabbit community - pretty harmful but worth it

As if he could.

[MOBIUS]

He did last time.

[Agathon]

Originally posted by molly bloom

So, out of all the countries in the world, how many of them have you visited, to have formed this 'expert' opinion ?

Enough such that Britain is by far the worst when it comes to customer service.

Admittedly reprivatizing national rail travel has hardly been the shining success story of late 20th Century Conservative ideology. But what does that have to do with the country as a whole ? The whole country didn't vote for reprivatization or the Tory Party.

It's symptomatic of the general lack of responsibility that pervades the country. How many other countries have you been to where there are signs in the rail ticket office warning of dire penalties for physically assaulting the staff?

I wondered why this was the case until I tried to buy a rail ticket. Then I understood why. Arriva public transport are even worse. The drivers don't know the places on their own routes and get resentful when you ask.

I'm served more frequently in British shops than you, I suspect. I can report no gross failings so far. I don't look for servility in shops, just service.

You are probably used to it. I don't look for servility either, but it would be nice if the shop assistant could stop talking on his mobile phone when serving me, or when I am trying to ask questions.

It wouldn't have been a big deal if it had only happened once, but this happened multiple times a day (perhaps this is a Newcastle thing).

Which bank(s) in particular ?

Midland or whatever it is called now. Don't get me started on that. I have never been messed around to the degree I was there, except when I went to the DHSS to get my NI card.

Really, this vague and scattershot approach to analysing a country's alleged incompetence simply won't do for someone who teaches logic and philosophy....

I don't think that's right. I think it's extremely unlikely that I have been randomly unlucky in my visits to Britain, and randomly lucky everywhere else. I mean, the Irish don't have this problem. People go out of their way to help you and be nice in Dublin.

Besides, the Brits I used to watch footy with in Canada told the same stories. You're just conditioned to the crapness.

[Agathon]

Originally posted by MOBIUS
He did last time.

How?

I left Poly because I was bored with the place, and tired of the lack of decent threads. The only thing Asher had to do with that was his contribution to the general stupidity of the forum. You also contributed to this, so you are as responsible as him for myself and for other posters giving up on the site.

The management has decided to clean the place up. So I decided to come back and see if it goes back to being like it used to be. If it doesn't, I will stop posting again.

Why don't you go back to CG and post poo jokes with all the other children?

[MOBIUS]

Originally posted by Agathon
Midland or whatever it is called now. Don't get me started on that. I have never been messed around to the degree I was there, except when I went to the DHSS to get my NI card.

Midland!!?

How old are you, 16?

Midland not being HSBC is like a distant memory to me - were you even born then?

Nice try Aggie!

[Agathon]

Originally posted by MOBIUS


Midland!!?

How old are you, 16?

Midland not being HSBC is like a distant memory to me - were you even born then?

Nice try Aggie!

In 1992, when I last had a UK bank account, it was still called Midland. I have not had occasion to visit a bank in Britain on my short visits since then. And thanks to Midland, I have no desire to.

[MOBIUS]

Originally posted by Agathon


How?

I left Poly because I was bored with the place, and tired of the lack of decent threads. The only thing Asher had to do with that was his contribution to the general stupidity of the forum. You also contributed to this, so you are as responsible as him for myself and for other posters giving up on the site.

The management has decided to clean the place up. So I decided to come back and see if it goes back to being like it used to be. If it doesn't, I will stop posting again.

Why don't you go back to CG and post poo jokes with all the other children?

Asher routinely humiliated you on an almost daily basis, the best example of which being the infamous closure of your illegal Mac forum...

The coincidence of you suddenly turning up within a day of his permabanning is extraordinary, wouldn't you say?

[Agathon]

Originally posted by MOBIUS


Asher routinely humiliated you on an almost daily basis, the best example of which being the infamous closure of your illegal Mac forum...

The coincidence of you suddenly turning up within a day of his permabanning is extraordinary, wouldn't you say?

Believe what you like (I see you already posted wild conspiracy theories).

[molly bloom]

Originally posted by Agathon

Enough such that Britain is by far the worst when it comes to customer service.

Worse than Grenada ? Than Sudan ? Than Viet Nam ?

I think a little exaggeration is going on here....

It's symptomatic of the general lack of responsibility that pervades the country.

The part represents the whole ? I don't think you've substantiated that in any way so far.

How many other countries have you been to where there are signs in the rail ticket office warning of dire penalties for physically assaulting the staff?

This relates to standards of service how, exactly ? I'd hav thought it relates more to the customers' lack of civility than anything else....

You are probably used to it.

I thinkI'm intelligent enough and well-travelled enough to be able to discern the difference between 'bad service' and 'good service' in shops.

Frequency of shopping and residency over here would on their own suggest I have a greater familiarity with standards of service in British shops than you do.

but it would be nice if the shop assistant could stop talking on his mobile phone when serving me, or when I am trying to ask questions.

I've never experienced this. Were you in a mobile phone outlet ?

This is beginning to sound like the misremembered denouement of a 1990s' sitcom...

Midland or whatever it is called now.

Why would the standards of service in what was then the Midland Bank still be the same standards now ?

People go out of their way to help you and be nice in Dublin.

In my experience they do in Manchester too. Even people like me try to help out Canadian visitors to London.

Again, this is arguing from too small a sample for it to be an effective description of either the country as a whole, or British businesses in general.

Besides, the Brits I used to watch footy with in Canada told the same stories.

Well, we have only your word for that, and that for the moment is insufficient to help us come to any unbiased conclusions on either the state of the United Kingdom today, or standards of service in British shops or companies.

You're just conditioned to the crapness.

I was unaware you had such a low opinion of my intelligence and ability to discern the difference between good and bad service.


I am dismayed.

[Agathon]

Be dismayed then.