MichaelBluejay
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October 4th, 2025 at 4:26:07 PM permalink
It wasn't just one rep, it was multiple reps, a supervisor, a manager, and the email response team.

This is sadly believable.

I run Easy Vegas ( https://easy.vegas )
AutomaticMonkey
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October 4th, 2025 at 5:33:05 PM permalink
This is why now you will often get better service from a call center in India. They're all sitting at a phone bank.

Most of the ones in the US are now sitting at home taking these calls. What else have they been doing, sitting at home? I encounter people that I'm pretty sure are high on the job all the time now.
billryan
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October 4th, 2025 at 6:06:25 PM permalink
The initial representative made a mistake. Shocking. Perhaps a falling birthrate isn't so bad if this is the pool from which to breed.
The older I get, the better I recall things that never happened
Dieter
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October 4th, 2025 at 6:42:18 PM permalink
Quote: AutomaticMonkey

This is why now you will often get better service from a call center in India. They're all sitting at a phone bank.

Most of the ones in the US are now sitting at home taking these calls. What else have they been doing, sitting at home? I encounter people that I'm pretty sure are high on the job all the time now.
link to original post



Well, a friend of mine used to take at-home inbound CS calls.

She had a second computer and did a lot of online gaming between calls. The call script software did a lot of snooping to make sure that it was really the only thing going on with that computer at the time, and you weren't trying to collect a paycheck while camping out on a poker site or watching videos.

I know the cardiology clinic I have to deal with uses remote workers for scheduling appointments. Somehow, it is always about 35 minutes on hold before I get through.

The only people I talk to who seem obviously high are the boiler room scammers trying to sell me home improvements, final expense insurance, and Medicare supplemental coverage. A lot of the support calls seem to get taken by stay at home parents while the kids are at school, allowing them to do something on a flexible schedule.
May the cards fall in your favor.
Nathan
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October 4th, 2025 at 6:56:35 PM permalink
Quote: billryan

The initial representative made a mistake. Shocking. Perhaps a falling birthrate isn't so bad if this is the pool from which to breed.
link to original post



A failing birthrate in today's world comes from the fact that there REALLY isn't all that much pressure on people to become Parents in today's world. 😀 It wasn't that long ago where a Woman who didn't have any children was considered a loser and a Spinster. 😐 Nowadays, there is no longer REALLY a stigma surrounding Women who don't have any children. 😀 And there are a LOT of contraceptives to prevent pregnancies. 💡
In both The Hunger Games and in gambling, may the odds be ever in your favor. :D "Man Babes" #AxelFabulous "Olive oil is processed but it only has one ingredient, olive oil."-Even Bob, March 27/28th. :D The 2 year war is over! Woo-hoo! :D I sometimes speak in metaphors. ;) Remember this. ;) Crack the code. :D 8.9.13.25.14.1.13.5.9.19.14.1.20.8.1.14! :D "For about the 4096th time, let me offer a radical idea to those of you who don't like Nathan -- block her and don't visit Nathan's Corner. What is so complicated about it?" Wizard, August 21st. :D
DJTeddyBear
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October 4th, 2025 at 7:02:34 PM permalink
Math is hard.
Fractions are hard.
Decimals are hard.

Is it any wonder that some people think 6:5 bj is better than 3:2 because the numbers are bigger. 😵‍💫
I invented a few casino games. Info: http://www.DaveMillerGaming.com/ ————————————————————————————————————— Superstitions are silly, irrational, childish rituals, born out of fear of the unknown. But how much does it cost to knock on wood? 😁
AnotherBill
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October 4th, 2025 at 11:15:54 PM permalink
Quote: DJTeddyBear

Math is hard.
Fractions are hard.
Decimals are hard.

Is it any wonder that some people think 6:5 bj is better than 3:2 because the numbers are bigger. 😵‍💫
link to original post



Never imagine yourself not to be otherwise than what it might appear to others that what you were or might have been was not otherwise than what you had been would have appeared to them to be otherwise.
Nathan
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October 5th, 2025 at 12:47:39 AM permalink
Quote: AnotherBill

Quote: DJTeddyBear

Math is hard.
Fractions are hard.
Decimals are hard.

Is it any wonder that some people think 6:5 bj is better than 3:2 because the numbers are bigger. 😵‍💫
link to original post




link to original post



I just did calculations and for my wages, a .09 raise would only be about $1,530 a YEAR raise! 😱😳
In both The Hunger Games and in gambling, may the odds be ever in your favor. :D "Man Babes" #AxelFabulous "Olive oil is processed but it only has one ingredient, olive oil."-Even Bob, March 27/28th. :D The 2 year war is over! Woo-hoo! :D I sometimes speak in metaphors. ;) Remember this. ;) Crack the code. :D 8.9.13.25.14.1.13.5.9.19.14.1.20.8.1.14! :D "For about the 4096th time, let me offer a radical idea to those of you who don't like Nathan -- block her and don't visit Nathan's Corner. What is so complicated about it?" Wizard, August 21st. :D
AnotherBill
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October 5th, 2025 at 1:46:09 AM permalink
Quote: Nathan

I just did calculations and for my wages, a .09 raise would only be about $1,530 a YEAR raise! 😱😳
link to original post



Since I'm not a native speaker, I asked an AI to translate this image into English. The original image meant a 10% decrease:
new wages = 0.9 × wages
Never imagine yourself not to be otherwise than what it might appear to others that what you were or might have been was not otherwise than what you had been would have appeared to them to be otherwise.
OnceDear
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October 5th, 2025 at 2:32:45 AM permalink
Quote: AnotherBill

Quote: Nathan

I just did calculations and for my wages, a .09 raise would only be about $1,530 a YEAR raise! 😱😳
link to original post



Since I'm not a native speaker, I asked an AI to translate this image into English. The original image meant a 10% decrease:
new wages = 0.9 × wages

link to original post

In this case, the meme is ambiguously worded. It says that the salary is being increased BY 0.9 times not TO 0.9times. But the times does not say what 0.9 is being multiplied by.

The HR character is trying to sneakily apply a reduction but failing to do so.

We might reasonably assume that that the INCREASE (NOT INCREASED) amount is 0.9 TIMES Current salary and not 0.9 dollars or 0.9 cents?

Those, like AB who find the joke funny are applying the implied word 'TO' while I take the actually written word 'BY'

So Nathan is actually correct and AnotherBill is differently correct.

Starting salary =$X
Increase =$0.9X
New salary $X plus increase of $0.9X (This is where AnotherBill would disagree)
New Salary =$1.9X

I asked ChatGPT for it's interpretation, keeping as close to the original meme as possible.

Quote: me to ChatGPT


If my current salary is $17,000 and I am told that my salary is 'increasing by 0.9 times' What will my new salary be?


Quote: ChatGPT

You said:
If my current salary is $17,000 and I am told that my salary is 'increasing by 0.9 times' What will my new salary be?
ChatGPT said:

Let’s interpret “increasing by 0.9 times” carefully.

When someone says “increase by X times”, it usually means you add X times the original amount to the original — not multiply by X.

So:

New salary
=
Current salary
+
(
0.9
×
Current salary
)
New salary=Current salary+(0.9×Current salary)

Now calculate step by step:

0.9
×
17,000
=
15,300
0.9×17,000=15,300
New salary
=
17,000
+
15,300
=
32,300
New salary=17,000+15,300=32,300

✅ Your new salary would be $32,300.

🧠 Note:
If instead they meant “your salary will be 0.9 times your current salary,” that would be a decrease to $15,300.
But the wording “increasing by 0.9 times” clearly means a 90% increase, i.e. $32,300.



This could out do the 2 dice thread in the 'contentious' stakes
Last edited by: OnceDear on Oct 5, 2025
Psalm 25:16 Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. Proverbs 18:2 A fool finds no satisfaction in trying to understand, for he would rather express his own opinion.
AnotherBill
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October 5th, 2025 at 3:32:04 AM permalink
Quote: OnceDear

Those, like AB who find the joke funny are applying the implied word 'TO' while I take the actually written word 'BY'
link to original post



How about "We're giving you a 0.9x raise!"?
Never imagine yourself not to be otherwise than what it might appear to others that what you were or might have been was not otherwise than what you had been would have appeared to them to be otherwise.
OnceDear
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October 5th, 2025 at 3:45:02 AM permalink
Quote: AnotherBill

Quote: OnceDear

Those, like AB who find the joke funny are applying the implied word 'TO' while I take the actually written word 'BY'
link to original post



How about "We're giving you a 0.9x raise!"?
link to original post

Still means that there will be a raise of 0.9 times something, not saying anything about the ongoing current salary, which I assume will continue. New salary = old salary plus ( the increase of ) 0.9 x something.

Consider what if they had tried to use percentages: ' we are giving you a 90% raise' : Clearly a raise.

There are ways it could have been worded to give an eventual reduction, but these don't do that.

HR character would have needed to say something about the current salary, such as 'you raise will take your salary to 0.9 x what it is now.
Psalm 25:16 Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. Proverbs 18:2 A fool finds no satisfaction in trying to understand, for he would rather express his own opinion.
Dieter
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October 5th, 2025 at 3:46:36 AM permalink
Quote: AnotherBill

Quote: OnceDear

Those, like AB who find the joke funny are applying the implied word 'TO' while I take the actually written word 'BY'
link to original post



How about "We're giving you a 0.9x raise!"?
link to original post



Being a pedant, I get hung up on either "raise" or "increase".

An "adjustment" can be either an increment or decrement, but I don't see how a raise can be other than an increment. While the intent of the cartoon is clear, the humanities folks probably studied some language, and can make a very sensible argument that a ".9x raise" means increasing pay to 190% of prior.
May the cards fall in your favor.
AnotherBill
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October 5th, 2025 at 3:56:31 AM permalink
Quote: Dieter

… I don't see how a raise can be other than an increment.
link to original post



Someone stated that they have heard the "negative growth" term. And here is the term definition.
Never imagine yourself not to be otherwise than what it might appear to others that what you were or might have been was not otherwise than what you had been would have appeared to them to be otherwise.
AnotherBill
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October 5th, 2025 at 4:09:00 AM permalink
Quote: OnceDear

Still means that there will be a raise of 0.9 times something, not saying anything about the ongoing current salary, which I assume will continue. New salary = old salary plus ( the increase of ) 0.9 x something.

Consider what if they had tried to use percentages: ' we are giving you a 90% raise' : Clearly a raise.

There are ways it could have been worded to give an eventual reduction, but these don't do that.

HR character would have needed to say something about the current salary, such as 'you raise will take your salary to 0.9 x what it is now.
link to original post



Didn't notice your reply… Having some exceptional issues with the site today.

OK, I'm giving up.

P.S.: Now I understand how difficult it was to translate Lewis Carroll's Alice.
Never imagine yourself not to be otherwise than what it might appear to others that what you were or might have been was not otherwise than what you had been would have appeared to them to be otherwise.
Dieter
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October 5th, 2025 at 4:16:31 AM permalink
Quote: AnotherBill

Quote: Dieter

… I don't see how a raise can be other than an increment.
link to original post



Someone stated that they have heard the "negative growth" term. And here is the term definition.
link to original post



mod note: I removed an apparently errant formatting q tag in your post.

I do not see how an "increase" can be a reduction without including a modifying word like "negative".

Semantics are hard. This indeed has potential to be the two-dice problem again.
May the cards fall in your favor.
OnceDear
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October 5th, 2025 at 4:24:00 AM permalink
Quote: AnotherBill

Quote: Dieter

… I don't see how a raise can be other than an increment.
link to original post



Someone stated that they have heard the "negative growth" term. And here is the term definition.
link to original post



Somewhat unrelated. Negative growth just another expression for decline or shrinkage.

As Dieter eludes, 'raise' or 'increase' or even 'decrease' is used to describe the step or increment and not the endpoint.
Psalm 25:16 Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. Proverbs 18:2 A fool finds no satisfaction in trying to understand, for he would rather express his own opinion.
AnotherBill
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October 5th, 2025 at 4:26:51 AM permalink
Quote: Dieter

mod note: I removed an apparently errant formatting q tag in your post.
link to original post



Thank you! I noticed it and edited the post but wasn't able to publish it due to today's issues with the site.
Never imagine yourself not to be otherwise than what it might appear to others that what you were or might have been was not otherwise than what you had been would have appeared to them to be otherwise.
Nathan
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October 5th, 2025 at 4:32:59 AM permalink
Ironically enough, I did the shocked faces for a .09 raise only being about $1,530 a year, but my online marketing research job gave me about an extra $1,530 after about roughly a year and I'm ecstatic about that. 💡😀

Best Play. Roughly $5
Branded Surveys. Roughly $10
Dave. Roughly $30
Five Surveys. Roughly $15
Free cash. Roughly about $86
Hey Piggy. Roughly $315
Just play. Roughly $5
Playwell. Roughly $98
Prime Opinion. Roughly $120
Qmee. Roughly $16
Scrambly. Roughly $104
Survey Junkie. Roughly $400
Top Surveys. Roughly $335
Last edited by: Nathan on Oct 5, 2025
In both The Hunger Games and in gambling, may the odds be ever in your favor. :D "Man Babes" #AxelFabulous "Olive oil is processed but it only has one ingredient, olive oil."-Even Bob, March 27/28th. :D The 2 year war is over! Woo-hoo! :D I sometimes speak in metaphors. ;) Remember this. ;) Crack the code. :D 8.9.13.25.14.1.13.5.9.19.14.1.20.8.1.14! :D "For about the 4096th time, let me offer a radical idea to those of you who don't like Nathan -- block her and don't visit Nathan's Corner. What is so complicated about it?" Wizard, August 21st. :D
AnotherBill
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October 5th, 2025 at 4:37:52 AM permalink
Quote: Nathan

Ironically enough, I did the shocked faces for a .09 raise only being about $1,530 a year, but my online marketing research job gave me about an extra $1,200 after about roughly a year and I'm ecstatic about that.
link to original post



You're one step away from getting on the Forbes list :)
Never imagine yourself not to be otherwise than what it might appear to others that what you were or might have been was not otherwise than what you had been would have appeared to them to be otherwise.
Dieter
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October 5th, 2025 at 4:50:58 AM permalink
Quote: OnceDear


As Dieter eludes, 'raise' or 'increase' or even 'decrease' is used to describe the step or increment and not the endpoint.
link to original post




Though we may be divided by a common language, there can be no illusion that this was elusion rather than allusion.

May the cards fall in your favor.
OnceDear
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October 5th, 2025 at 5:12:28 AM permalink
Quote: Dieter

Quote: OnceDear


As Dieter eludes, 'raise' or 'increase' or even 'decrease' is used to describe the step or increment and not the endpoint.
link to original post




Though we may be divided by a common language, there can be no illusion that this was elusion rather than allusion.


link to original post

your quiet write. I stand corected.
Psalm 25:16 Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. Proverbs 18:2 A fool finds no satisfaction in trying to understand, for he would rather express his own opinion.
Nathan
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October 5th, 2025 at 6:10:28 AM permalink
Quote: AnotherBill

Quote: Nathan

Ironically enough, I did the shocked faces for a .09 raise only being about $1,530 a year, but my online marketing research job gave me about an extra $1,200 after about roughly a year and I'm ecstatic about that.
link to original post



You're one step away from getting on the Forbes list :)
link to original post



LMAO! 🤣🤭 My edited post actually shows I made roughly exactly $1,530 after roughly a year and am ecstatic about that, 😀 ironically I put the shocked faces for a .09 raise being roughly $1,530 a year. 💡
In both The Hunger Games and in gambling, may the odds be ever in your favor. :D "Man Babes" #AxelFabulous "Olive oil is processed but it only has one ingredient, olive oil."-Even Bob, March 27/28th. :D The 2 year war is over! Woo-hoo! :D I sometimes speak in metaphors. ;) Remember this. ;) Crack the code. :D 8.9.13.25.14.1.13.5.9.19.14.1.20.8.1.14! :D "For about the 4096th time, let me offer a radical idea to those of you who don't like Nathan -- block her and don't visit Nathan's Corner. What is so complicated about it?" Wizard, August 21st. :D
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