[amphibian]

Go to an animal shelter and volunteer to walk the dogs. You'll get a wide wide cross section of dogs to interact with and get enough experience to learn what you want from a dog.

They will give you the easier ones at first and then as you get more experience, you'll probably start in with the challenging dogs.

Win win situation for everyone.

[Abyss]

amphibian, on 14 December 2020 - 03:28 PM, said:

Go to an animal shelter and volunteer to walk the dogs. You'll get a wide wide cross section of dogs to interact with and get enough experience to learn what you want from a dog.

They will give you the easier ones at first and then as you get more experience, you'll probably start in with the challenging dogs.

Win win situation for everyone.

Seconded.

[Slow Ben]

Abyss, on 14 December 2020 - 04:39 PM, said:

amphibian, on 14 December 2020 - 03:28 PM, said:

Go to an animal shelter and volunteer to walk the dogs. You'll get a wide wide cross section of dogs to interact with and get enough experience to learn what you want from a dog.

They will give you the easier ones at first and then as you get more experience, you'll probably start in with the challenging dogs.

Win win situation for everyone.

Seconded.

Thirdeded

[Cause]

amphibian, on 14 December 2020 - 03:28 PM, said:

Go to an animal shelter and volunteer to walk the dogs. You'll get a wide wide cross section of dogs to interact with and get enough experience to learn what you want from a dog.

They will give you the easier ones at first and then as you get more experience, you'll probably start in with the challenging dogs.

Win win situation for everyone.

I actually did message a local shelter, their website provides an email address for just this purpose. They never responded.

[Cause]

What the hell is up with delivery fees and service fees to order takeout in this country.

Tried ordering the other day. My ten dollar order, had an 3 dollar delivery fee, 1 dollar service fee, 2 dollars in taxes and a recommended 3 dollar tip. At this point I just decided it wasn’t worth it.

[Vengeance]

Cause, on 12 January 2021 - 02:17 PM, said:

What the hell is up with delivery fees and service fees to order takeout in this country.

Tried ordering the other day. My ten dollar order, had an 3 dollar delivery fee, 1 dollar service fee, 2 dollars in taxes and a recommended 3 dollar tip. At this point I just decided it wasn’t worth it.

Usually if you contact a place directly if they deliver it will be cheaper (You should still Tip). I usually either contact a place directly or do pick up. After Door dash got caught not giving drivers all of their tips, and food from grubhub was consistently cold, and with restaurants struggling to get by during covid, but losing money when using a delivery service. I try to stay away from them.

[amphibian]

Cause, on 15 December 2020 - 10:05 PM, said:

amphibian, on 14 December 2020 - 03:28 PM, said:

Go to an animal shelter and volunteer to walk the dogs. You'll get a wide wide cross section of dogs to interact with and get enough experience to learn what you want from a dog.

They will give you the easier ones at first and then as you get more experience, you'll probably start in with the challenging dogs.

Win win situation for everyone.

I actually did message a local shelter, their website provides an email address for just this purpose. They never responded.

Try calling. I know they have to be really careful about having people in the facility, but the dogs still need walking. Good luck.

[Gorefest]

Vengeance, on 12 January 2021 - 02:21 PM, said:

Usually if you contact a place directly if they deliver it will be cheaper (You should still Tip).

I know the tipping culture is very big in the USA. I would argue though that surely the company that employs the drivers should ensure that the drivers receive a decent minimum fee, and then compensate for that fee in the price of the item when offered online? Especially in this time of Covid-19, I for one am not carrying any cash anymore (all contactless) and as a driver I would be very reluctant to accept cash in hand from someone at a random house. Plus there is the more ideological argument that customer-facing workers (e.g. drivers) should not be made dependent on the whims of their assigned customers as to how their pay check looks that month, but I guess that's a whole minefield in itself.

This post has been edited by Gorefest: 12 January 2021 - 03:35 PM

[amphibian]

Just about every middleman company that employs the drivers usually has frequent failures to provide minimum fees and all of their tips. They also charge restaurants a high enough percentage to make directly contacting the restaurant cheaper and more supportive of the restaurant in most situations. It sucks and yet when people live far from restaurants like I do, it's hard to take the cheaper and more supportive option every time because of the distances involved and the ease of ordering in an app.

[Vengeance]

Gorefest, on 12 January 2021 - 03:34 PM, said:

Vengeance, on 12 January 2021 - 02:21 PM, said:

Usually if you contact a place directly if they deliver it will be cheaper (You should still Tip).

I know the tipping culture is very big in the USA. I would argue though that surely the company that employs the drivers should ensure that the drivers receive a decent minimum fee, and then compensate for that fee in the price of the item when offered online? Especially in this time of Covid-19, I for one am not carrying any cash anymore (all contactless) and as a driver I would be very reluctant to accept cash in hand from someone at a random house. Plus there is the more ideological argument that customer-facing workers (e.g. drivers) should not be made dependent on the whims of their assigned customers as to how their pay check looks that month, but I guess that's a whole minefield in itself.

Surely you would be wrong. I usually pay and tip directly when I order from either their website or over the phone. Plus it gets me my food faster.

[Cause]

We tip in South Africa too. It not like this. But America is a different world with a different economy but still. In South Africa we tip 10% not twenty at restaurants and for delivery it’s generally not a percentage but generally a flat amount since if he delivers one pizza or three the work involved is the same. A 3 dollar tip on a 10 dollar order though is 30 percent! Crazy

In South Africa, delivery is generally free as well so I don’t mind tipping. A service fee, small order fee delivery fee, tip etc is just ridiculous. I also saw a Philadelphia fee the other day. The city made a law apparently which limited how much doordash or grub hub could take as a cut. I forget which app this was so they just added an extra fee to make up for it. I fetch food whenever I can as a result but in the cold, on foot my food fetching radius is small

[amphibian]

I understand totally. The European system where the food just costs what it costs and they pay staff a living wage is 100% better.

It's easier for customers and staff. It's easier from a business standpoint bc no time spent divvying up tips or potential scoundrel behavior around tips. It's also the better ethical thing to do.

[Cause]

So Monday is MLK/civil rights day but in parts of the country is honestly still on the books as Robert e Lee day? Wtf is wrong with this country.

[Cause]

Playing with TurboTax looks like I’ll get a fairly decent tax refund soon. That said the American tax system is a mess!

[Tsundoku]

Is that one of those online tax things you pay for or the free one which is well-hidden, but has to be provided according to govt regulations?

[Azath Vitr (D'ivers]

Cause, on 24 January 2021 - 12:30 AM, said:

Playing with TurboTax looks like I'll get a fairly decent tax refund soon. That said the American tax system is a mess!

Be careful using Turbotax---it (incorrectly) prompted me to pay PA state tax on US federal savings bonds, and getting that refunded took about a year.

It also doesn't work for Philadelphia taxes. One thing I didn't realize until last year is that long term capital gains do not count towards the school income tax. Philadelphia only offers a refund (for accidental overpayment) for 3 years prior. Mailed the application during last March and still haven't heard back from them.

[Cause]

Azath Vitr (D, on 24 January 2021 - 05:46 PM, said:

Cause, on 24 January 2021 - 12:30 AM, said:

Playing with TurboTax looks like I'll get a fairly decent tax refund soon. That said the American tax system is a mess!

Be careful using Turbotax---it (incorrectly) prompted me to pay PA state tax on US federal savings bonds, and getting that refunded took about a year.

It also doesn't work for Philadelphia taxes. One thing I didn't realize until last year is that long term capital gains do not count towards the school income tax. Philadelphia only offers a refund (for accidental overpayment) for 3 years prior. Mailed the application during last March and still haven't heard back from them.

Not sure I’ll use it, I’m in a complicated position with foreign accounts but it def shows that I overpaid my federal tax by a lot.

Where in phill I are you? I’m by grant hospital area

[Azath Vitr (D'ivers]

Cause, on 24 January 2021 - 06:24 PM, said:

Azath Vitr (D, on 24 January 2021 - 05:46 PM, said:

Cause, on 24 January 2021 - 12:30 AM, said:

Playing with TurboTax looks like I'll get a fairly decent tax refund soon. That said the American tax system is a mess!

Be careful using Turbotax---it (incorrectly) prompted me to pay PA state tax on US federal savings bonds, and getting that refunded took about a year.

It also doesn't work for Philadelphia taxes. One thing I didn't realize until last year is that long term capital gains do not count towards the school income tax. Philadelphia only offers a refund (for accidental overpayment) for 3 years prior. Mailed the application during last March and still haven't heard back from them.

Not sure I'll use it, I'm in a complicated position with foreign accounts but it def shows that I overpaid my federal tax by a lot.

Where in phill I are you? I'm by grant hospital area

A bit north of the University of Pennsylvania and west of Drexel. Though if my elderly cat dies soon I might be moving in about a year.