- Messages
- 12,511
- Edit My Images
- No
So they do.
I was confusing the poor little, hard done by, critters with spiders. They get a bad press too!
WAMT....what annoyed me today!
- Thread starter Admin #1
- Start date
I was confusing the poor little, hard done by, critters with spiders. They get a bad press too!
- Messages
- 12,123
- Name
- John
- Edit My Images
- Yes
In for an early breakfast this morning at 8.00am..it starts getting busy at about 8.30. A middle-aged couple came in..British..and got themselves a table . He went to the bread rolls /hams self-service counter, brought back 4 small rolls/ ham and wrapped them in tissues, glanced round and placed them in a couple of small zip bags they had. It's stealing. The hotel is room,breakfast and evening meal. A large notice at the entrance states that food must not be taken out of the dining room. In another hotel,but in Teneriffe, I watched two English couples doing the same. One of the couple.about 60-65 years old, picked up 6 smoked salmon/soft cheese finger rolls,ate one each at the table and bagged the other 4. It's quality smoked salmon so not cheap and there were only two large plates full. A limited edition,really. I was so incensed I alerted the maitre d' because they did this every morning with whatever was on offer. Next morning I could see staff watching them. I don't know what happened but I didn't see them do it again. There was a noticeable friendliness from the maitre d' to us after this. It seems this is a big problem in hotels.
See how this lady ...in the link below....justifies what is,basically a form of theft. She makes it sound as if she's doing the hotel a favour because the food willl be thrown out..Maybe it goes to a local charity to help feed homeless or people with families struggling to get by..eg food banks. She also makes herself feel better by saying that her parents did it. If it's ok then why do all the couples I've seen guiltily look round to see if anyone is watching as they bag the items ? That man at the next table infront of us this morning, knew, I think, that I saw him so as he went back and forth for his breakfast items....his wife,too there was glance in my direction. Infact,all this is the reason a couple of holiday hotels I've been in ban bags being taken into the dining room I once saw a couple put rolls and fruit into their poolside towel bag.
metro.co.uk
"This isn’t stealing – I’ve already paid for the food, and rather than letting it go to waste, I’m making it work harder"
Here's another quote from her. "Occasionally, I’ll catch a raised eyebrow from a fellow guest, but I’m not embarrassed one bit – and staff have never made a single comment. " In effect, she's taking the non-action by staff as a green light. This isn't the case. The hotel management don't want confrontation so turn a blind eye.
See how this lady ...in the link below....justifies what is,basically a form of theft. She makes it sound as if she's doing the hotel a favour because the food willl be thrown out..Maybe it goes to a local charity to help feed homeless or people with families struggling to get by..eg food banks. She also makes herself feel better by saying that her parents did it. If it's ok then why do all the couples I've seen guiltily look round to see if anyone is watching as they bag the items ? That man at the next table infront of us this morning, knew, I think, that I saw him so as he went back and forth for his breakfast items....his wife,too there was glance in my direction. Infact,all this is the reason a couple of holiday hotels I've been in ban bags being taken into the dining room I once saw a couple put rolls and fruit into their poolside towel bag.
I don't care what people say — I'll never stop using my hotel buffet hack
We save money, avoid food waste, and get to enjoy lunch wherever we like.
metro.co.uk
"This isn’t stealing – I’ve already paid for the food, and rather than letting it go to waste, I’m making it work harder"
Here's another quote from her. "Occasionally, I’ll catch a raised eyebrow from a fellow guest, but I’m not embarrassed one bit – and staff have never made a single comment. " In effect, she's taking the non-action by staff as a green light. This isn't the case. The hotel management don't want confrontation so turn a blind eye.
- Messages
- 12,511
- Edit My Images
- No
I suppose this really is a grey area.
I've not done it myself but can see how some people might see it as a case of "I didn't eat as much as them over there, so I'm just taking my fair share"...
- Messages
- 9,926
- Edit My Images
- Yes
To be honest yes could be thought of as a grey area but the people John describes were taking large quantities of something higher value that is put out in a limited quantity and depriving others of having any not the same as something like taking something left over from your own plate to have later that you didn’t finish like a bread roll or similar
- Messages
- 4,938
- Name
- Pete
- Edit My Images
- Yes
It a bit like Sunbeds.
- Messages
- 21,139
- Name
- Simon
- Edit My Images
- Yes
The Bake Off.
Have announced this years line-up. Have you ever seen a more box ticking cast... https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4gm8npmp4ro
Literally chosen because of demographics only!
Have announced this years line-up. Have you ever seen a more box ticking cast... https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4gm8npmp4ro
Literally chosen because of demographics only!
- Messages
- 12,123
- Name
- John
- Edit My Images
- Yes
I really don't see this as a grey area. I mentioned the smoked salmon/soft cheese rolls because they were akin to a limited edition and deprived others of them so it was, if you like, an aggravated offence in that respect but the principal of taking something a guest is not entitled to equally applies to items which are in plentiful supply. The cost per guest,beyond room costs..ie bed linen change and cleaning, is based on what they would, potentially,eat inside the restaurant . It doesn't account for food taken away for lunch. A couple who stayed at the Tenerife hotel two years ago, took food away for lunch every day for eight days at which point they went home. Yesterday morning, I saw the husband of the couple, one table down from us, put rolls/ham into the paper napkin on the table and then transfer them into his bag. His wife arrived ,after getting fruit for her breakfast starter, and said.."did you get them ?"..ie the rolls. He then went to get his breakfast. So, we have guests doing all this ,hoping they aren't seen. If they think it's ok ..or a grey area...why try to hide it ?. They know it's not right,not least because there is usually a notice at the dining room entrance stating..'Food must not be taken away from the dining room". It did actually happen when we were in Tenerife and Noro Virus hit the hotel..they think guests from a cruise stop-over brought it in, but so many tables just had one guest at it, the other back in the room being sick and coping with diarrhoea which is what happened to me. I lost six pounds in weight in a matter of days. Husbands were taking food to wives and vice versa all sanctioned by the manager with staff helping where they could. I can't recall ever being so ill in my life.It was only two years ago. The bottom line is that a guest pays to have breakfast in the dining room and taking food out to save buying lunch is not only making that person look cheap but it's really theft because they're taking food, above and beyond what they had for their breakfast which wasn't included in their contract with the hotel. The crucial term ,too is 'dishonestly'. They aren't taking food they weren't able to consume for whatever reason but to save them the cost of buying lunch somewhere.
- Messages
- 12,123
- Name
- John
- Edit My Images
- Yes
How is it a 'bit like sunbeds'?
- Messages
- 1,647
- Name
- Christopher
- Edit My Images
- Yes
- Messages
- 1,647
- Name
- Christopher
- Edit My Images
- Yes
- Messages
- 12,511
- Edit My Images
- No
This may be the case or it may not be the case.
Only the people taking the food can answer the question and it seems unlikely that anyone, especially the hotel management, would ask them that question.
- Messages
- 4,938
- Name
- Pete
- Edit My Images
- Yes
Limited sunbeds available, They reserve them with towels and don't come down till later, sunbeds not available to other guests earlier.
- Messages
- 3,288
- Name
- Russell
- Edit My Images
- Yes
NHS fiasco, had a letter dated July 2026, stated if not been contacted concerning an ENT appointment to contact them with reference number in early September, called yesterday only to be told the letter or reference number doesn't mean anything and appointments take upto 10 months. So it's not the time scale but they keep saying that the NHS needs more funding yet they pay someone a monthly wage to write these letters pay for the paper, envelopes and postage then tell you your letter doesn't really mean anything! Wonder if there's a way to save a bit of money?
- Messages
- 12,511
- Edit My Images
- No
The NHS is a huge organisation and it's rare that such entities operate smoothly all the time.
They do try to mitigate some of the problems by publishing advice on their web sites. Here's their "Guide to NHS waiting times in England"...
Guide to NHS waiting times in England
A guide to maximum waiting times for non-urgent consultant-led treatment, or to be seen by a specialist for suspected cancer, in England.
www.nhs.uk
- Messages
- 12,123
- Name
- John
- Edit My Images
- Yes
Ok....what suggestions do you have that they weren't taking rolls and whatever if not to save the cost of buying lunch when you consider they did it every morning and did so looking around to see who might be watching ?
I don't know what was said to the other couple who put their 'take-aways' .on one morning the smoked salmon /soft cheese rolls ..into the wife's push-along ..(they'd taken a lot of pastries the morning before) ...but the day after I made the maitre d' aware it stopped. My guess is they were stopped leaving the dining room,told that the staff were aware and told to stop doing it...no doubt leaving it at that,not asking to see in their bag and recovering the items. That's how I would handle it.
- Messages
- 12,123
- Name
- John
- Edit My Images
- Yes
Yes...anyone going to the holiday hotels will be aware of this practice. In one hotel we use I've watched ' Dave' .from the Midlands who has been going there for 15 years who,at 8.00am every morning, when the doors open allowing access to the pool area, leads the 'lounger brigade'..about half a dozen regulars..out to the loungers to put their towels on them. All the regulars know him..a real character. It's never the 'couple' who put out the towels ,it's always the husband. Last year he was spoken to by pool staff at 8.00am. I was talking to a couple here earlier today, who go to the same hotel and they said that management, in the last few months, have allocated a senior member of staff to deal with the problem and anyone who puts towels on a lounger at 8.00am will have to stay there or if not seen at the time by that staff member he will take the towels and poolside bags away.
There are two human frailties in play here. Dishonesty and selfishness. I mentioned the limited number of smoked salmon/rolls so,in that instance your comparison is right but beyond that the rest of the food in the breakfast room is not in short supply and it's just plain dishonesty.
woof woof
I like a nice Chianti
- Messages
- 44,107
- Name
- Alan
- Edit My Images
- No
I've been getting nuisance phone calls to both my landline and mobile. I don't like not answering unrecognised numbers so I answer. Googling told me that I shouldn't say "Yes" when answering the phone as this can be recorded and used in scams and it's best to be silent so what I sometimes do is pick up the phone and not say anything or answer in a foreign language which was a piece of advice someone gave me.
Today my mobile went off and I answered the call silently. After a while a mans voice said "Hello" and I answered in Italian, the man then said "Is that Alan" so I tersely asked what he wanted. Turns out he wanted to hire the church hall. That's not my responsibility but it explained why he was calling
I apologised and explained about the nuisance calls and we started the conversation again.
I hate it when crap like nuisance calls causes us hassle in normal life.
Today my mobile went off and I answered the call silently. After a while a mans voice said "Hello" and I answered in Italian, the man then said "Is that Alan" so I tersely asked what he wanted. Turns out he wanted to hire the church hall. That's not my responsibility but it explained why he was calling
I apologised and explained about the nuisance calls and we started the conversation again.I hate it when crap like nuisance calls causes us hassle in normal life.
Nod
Tootles
- Messages
- 50,087
- Name
- Nod (UK)
- Edit My Images
- Yes
The Post Office...
Went to drop off a parcel only to be met by "Sorry, there's a system update going on and we don't know how long it'll take."
Allegedly, it's a universal (Post Office) update so no point in trying a different location.
Went to drop off a parcel only to be met by "Sorry, there's a system update going on and we don't know how long it'll take."
Allegedly, it's a universal (Post Office) update so no point in trying a different location.
Popped in to a popular 'food outlet' whilst out shopping (!) with my wife. Lunchtime. I didn't want much so opted for the 'Cheese Melt'. Described as 'Toasted sourdough slice with cheese melted on top'. Sounds OK. (Cheese on Toast.)
I have a serious problem with Lactose, so milk, cream and butter etc. are problematical whilst processed milk products (where the lactose has been removed) like cheese are not.
When my wife went to the bar to order our food I asked her to check that the bread in the 'Cheese Melt' was not buttered before the cheese was added-projectile
vomiting would not be a good outcome.
I noticed that a young lady went across to the kitchen hatch and had a conversation and then returned to the bar.
My wife returned to our table with the answer - 'They can't do it without the butter. You need to choose something else.'
?
I have a serious problem with Lactose, so milk, cream and butter etc. are problematical whilst processed milk products (where the lactose has been removed) like cheese are not.
When my wife went to the bar to order our food I asked her to check that the bread in the 'Cheese Melt' was not buttered before the cheese was added-projectile
vomiting would not be a good outcome.
I noticed that a young lady went across to the kitchen hatch and had a conversation and then returned to the bar.
My wife returned to our table with the answer - 'They can't do it without the butter. You need to choose something else.'
?
Marc
TPer Emeritus
- Messages
- 34,867
- Edit My Images
- Yes
You're allowed to name the outlet.
The problem is that the items tend to come ready prepared, so it's just a case of removing from packaging and heating. They can't change the ingredients. I had similar in one place when I ordered a sandwich and they bought them pre-made from the supplier.
ancient_mariner
Moderator
- Messages
- 28,573
- Name
- Toni
- Edit My Images
- No
I'm researching circular saws for a job in France (the one I bought 30 years ago was worn out cutting firewood). Having tried various tool/DIY stores, I thought an Amazon search might be informative - search term "circular saw 165mm" turned up 185mm saws (and blades) only. 
Amazon spontaneously suggested the search term "circular saw 160mm"and lo & behold, it shows 165mm saws. Somehow I can actually NOT get the items with the specific search terms I used in their description! Obviously there's a meta data file attached that search looks at instead, but even so, to actually exclude matching items? Nuts.
Amazon spontaneously suggested the search term "circular saw 160mm"and lo & behold, it shows 165mm saws. Somehow I can actually NOT get the items with the specific search terms I used in their description! Obviously there's a meta data file attached that search looks at instead, but even so, to actually exclude matching items? Nuts.
- Messages
- 9,926
- Edit My Images
- Yes
Talking about diet issues, I have a bit of a gluten intolerance not life threatening or anything
I can eat proper Spelt Sourdough that has been fermented/risen slowly, the process breaks down the problem ingredients but its so difficult to actually buy the proper thing in supermarkets
The labelling is often vague and misleading called sourdough but just have the flavour added and then baked normally
I can eat proper Spelt Sourdough that has been fermented/risen slowly, the process breaks down the problem ingredients but its so difficult to actually buy the proper thing in supermarkets
The labelling is often vague and misleading called sourdough but just have the flavour added and then baked normally
ancient_mariner
Moderator
- Messages
- 28,573
- Name
- Toni
- Edit My Images
- No
Weird adverts:
What the heck? I was searching for scientific papers about tumour necrosis factor levels in mice for a development project.
What the heck? I was searching for scientific papers about tumour necrosis factor levels in mice for a development project.
the following happened yesterday. I was in the kitchen, which has a 4 metre window, looking out on a lovely river valley. I was preparing food, when there was a huge sound, louder than any gunshot I have heard, it really shocked me, but I looked up instantly to see a large bird tumbling away from the window into the back garden. I then took in more detail, which revealed that this bird strike, had cracked the interior pane of my double glazed window. My wife rushed into the kitchen and said "OMG, what just happened, then looked at the window and uttered an expletive, which is not like her.
I then said, that a large bird had hit the window (I didn't know at this point how large it was). I knew it wasn't a pigeon because they do not make a noise like this. I went to the back garden and there wasn't any sign of a bird, so I came in again. No sooner had I got back in the house, than my wife said - "what is that?". Stumbling out from behind our Azaleas, was a very large hen Pheasant. I went back into the garden to see the pheasant but it flew off before I got to it.
So, the next move is calling my insurance (I am sure they will find some way to wriggle out of this claim), because this isn't going to be cheap (or even chirp) and why on earth did it crack the inner pane in three places and just leave an imprint of its body on the outside pane?
I should add, that we have only had one insurance claim in 36 years.
I then said, that a large bird had hit the window (I didn't know at this point how large it was). I knew it wasn't a pigeon because they do not make a noise like this. I went to the back garden and there wasn't any sign of a bird, so I came in again. No sooner had I got back in the house, than my wife said - "what is that?". Stumbling out from behind our Azaleas, was a very large hen Pheasant. I went back into the garden to see the pheasant but it flew off before I got to it.
So, the next move is calling my insurance (I am sure they will find some way to wriggle out of this claim), because this isn't going to be cheap (or even chirp) and why on earth did it crack the inner pane in three places and just leave an imprint of its body on the outside pane?
I should add, that we have only had one insurance claim in 36 years.
ancient_mariner
Moderator
- Messages
- 28,573
- Name
- Toni
- Edit My Images
- No
When it's light tomorrow, if you haven't already, take photos using a phone camera if possible showing the imprint from the bird strike. It may not help over-much, but it might just make a difference.
- Messages
- 2,096
- Name
- David
- Edit My Images
- No
Sorry for your problem but you seem to be complaining about your insurance company before you have claimed. If you had such a poor opinion of your insurance company why did you not choose a different company. Personally, I have made a few claims over the last four decades and they weere al paid in full.
Dave
- Messages
- 12,511
- Edit My Images
- No
Indeed.
When I have had to make claims, I've always found that they pay promptly and honour the terms of their offer.
Cheers, my wife has taken images on her phone of the cracked window and the stunned pheasant. The imprint where it hit isn't really defined, unlike a collared dove which hit the window years ago.
- Messages
- 2,714
- Name
- martin
- Edit My Images
- Yes
Chatting to a mate about this, he fits DG for a living and reckons the outer pane must have flexed enough under impact to contact the inner glass which created the crack, the glazing is designed to flex a little given the way it’s constructed and uses flexible mastic? in the build, I remember being told the best way to break a double glazed window in an emergency is to hit it hard with something substantial in the corner, the two sides of the frame won’t allow the shock to flex away and window broken, ie in emergency situations like a fire.
- Messages
- 12,123
- Name
- John
- Edit My Images
- Yes
One of the two JBL external computer speakers I have was permanently buzzing. I've now bought Creative Pebble V2 speakers. Nothing fancy but highly recommended by various reviews. I got an Email telling me they would arrive between 6.00pm and 10.00pm. today, so, at 8.30pm I checked my Emails to see an Email from the delivery driver and a photo of the parcel on the front doorstep. It was still there and had been for 45 minutes. Our car was on the drive, the lights were on in the house..of course.. and we were watching the TV and the doorbell is very loud. The door knocker makes quite a bang too but the driver neither rang the doorbell nor used the knocker. I just do not understand why not.. We have someone riding around on a bike stealing parcels from doorsteps. Two days ago,we found an empty small empty cardboard 'box'/package with an address and went to the address. The householder was out but the neighbour said he saw the thief take it and cycle off..wearing a high-vis jacket..a bit strange. This morning my wife came across trinkets and small rings with stones in at the same spot... a passageway very close to our home and beside them some broken glass. The lid of a trinket box, I assume.The thief can't be seen easily there so it looks like this is where he opens the packages.
Sadly, it seems this is a very common problem. I personally think that delivery firms should be obliged to leave parcels with a neighbour if the recipient is not at home. There is no excuse for stealing, but parcels just being left on doorsteps is just stupid.
- Messages
- 2,096
- Name
- David
- Edit My Images
- No
None of them bother to ring or knock but just to leave ASAP. I assume that the more deliveries the more they earn. To be fair, theft from a doorstep is very rare where I live.
Dave
Dave
With Amazon flex it’s seemingly often an auction and will start at say £85 all in (ie wages, fuel, insurance etc) for a three hour block with perhaps 50 drops and estimated 20 miles driving ( assuming no undelivered parcels to take back to depot). If no one takes it then it will increase to £90 then £95 etc until someone accepts it.
This means the individual drivers rarely have the same route and the faster they finish the sooner they go home, but the route is tracked and if they complete it too quickly the algorithm adjusts and uses that data for future offers…
ancient_mariner
Moderator
- Messages
- 28,573
- Name
- Toni
- Edit My Images
- No
We're clearing out paperwork in post-retirement phase. It's concerning how much paperwork with pensions contains personal information like account numbers and a small amount of financial data that could give a scammer opportunity to clone ID. I'm having to keep or shred many pages that contain little financial data that's useful but still represents a risk. It's also amazing how much paper is posted out along with fancy booklets that don't really tell you how to navigate the pension landscape in a useful way.