November 3, 2012
► A Service and Repair Report Card was received from Diane L of Merrimack,NH for her pool pump repair. On most points she rated us Excellent. “Something I am just not familiar with. Wrong part picked, but tech got new one at no time charge. You are knowledgeable and reliable.” “My husband handles the problem and scheduling, but I was at home for the repair. The tech was very professional and helpful. Five or more years ago, we went to Namco or other big chains. They don’t have the knowledge and service you have.”
► Advertising and weekly specials change Sunday, November 4: “Entertain at Home” Above Ground sale (Front and Back) continues. Hot Tubs, Pool Tables, and Game Tables change to gray signs and sheets: November Sales and Clearance. Note that the Santa’s specials on Pool Tables require installation in November or January only. Rules are on the signs. If you have questions, ask a manager.
► Election Day is Tuesday, November 6th. Voting is a great privilege. It is also a great responsibility. We are the luckiest people in the history of the world; to live in the richest country in the history of the world. We owe our lifestyle and freedom to those who created and defended our country. We owe it to them to participate, and that means more than just voting for President based on a guess. Learn why everyone on the ballot is running. Think about it, and give your vote to who will vote in your (and the country’s) best interest. As best as you can tell. Is that work? Sure. How much do you know about football, baseball, American Idol, The Bachelor, or Shrek? Are those more important than your country?
Two more things: you may never have so much power in the final choices for president as you do right now. It takes an extremely close race for our four Electoral College votes to matter. People in 42 states actually have very little influence on who becomes President. You do. Are you 18 to 24? When I was your age, thousands of young men my age died in jungles and rice paddys in Vietnam; drafted and forced to fight in a war when they were not allowed to vote for the politicians who sent them to war. We eventually fought to lower the voting age to 18 in recognition of that unfairness. Don’t take that right lightly.
► Flu season is beginning. Get your flu shot before it is too late. Lots of pharmacies have them with no waiting. Under Obama Care, it should be free if you have health insurance, as preventative care.
► We spent $4,000 on colored printer ink last year – certainly most of it for folders and mailings. Still, we waste a lot of expensive ink on less important things like printing out internet jokes. So we have set your printers to print in black as a default. If you need to print in color (and you are using a color printer) you can select color when you select “print”.
► No mistakes on register items last two weeks: Deposits, warranties, refunds. Great job!
► Clocks turn back Sunday, November 4th.
► We have a new sign: the size of a business card, called “Staff Recommendations”. They are in Pat & Vic’s office. They are for you to fill out and post near a product to tell customers what you like about something. Bookstores do it all the time. Consumers love relating to you and your expert advice.
► New Special Order prices on Marquis e Series tubs are in the book. Note the 530 is no longer available.
► I am giving out a copy of an article that was in the Union Leader last Sunday, on saving money on electricity by using an electric provider that uses natural gas instead of coal and nuclear. We are saving a couple of thousand dollars a year since we switched. I gave you information a couple of months ago. The short answer is to go to www.rmanh.org and click on the “Electric Program” link at the upper right.
► For Those Who Love the Philosophy of Ambiguity – The Idiosyncrasies of English:
– If someone with multiple personalities threatens to kill himself, is it considered a hostage situation?
– Is there another word for synonym?
– Where do forest rangers go to “get away from it all?”
– What do you do when you see an endangered animal eating an endangered plant?