At the weekend I was shopping in downtown Hamburg. I did not want anything fancy: black winter boots, a children's book and cookie cutter. So I pushed my way through the clumps of people, stood in long lines, sweating in the shop jacket and scarf, and froze when I came out again.
Bodo Marks / DPA
Christmas Shopping in Hamburg (archive picture)
Normally, I save myself such shopping trips, at least since the end of January. At that time, I failed to buy new children's gloves. They did not exist in several department stores in the middle of the dead of winter - "We do not have anything that does not hang there either" and "we can not get it right anymore".
Fortunately, there is the Internet, where I get in January without problems gloves in the desired color and size. Likewise the "seasonal goods" swimming trunks in autumn and lantern sticks, which I did not get in the shop at the beginning of November, because they were already displaced by the Christmas goods.
There are reasons for all this. But it does not fit my shopping habits. I have a full-time job and a child, I do not have much time. Of course I know that online shopping is problematic: for the environment, for the parcel deliverers, for the inner cities, the shops and their employees. However, retailing really does not make it easy for me.
On Saturday there was not a shoe giant in my desired size boots, I was also offered no reorder. That's why I ordered them online on the way home.
The biscuit molds were indeed, but I had to pay awkward at an extra checkout, by the double queuing took the purchase forever. The children's book I got only in the third bookstore.
It does not always have to be Amazon
However, I can also order books from my bookstore on the net and pick them up the next day: I often use this service. It is now available for many other goods - perhaps a step towards solving the shopping problem. Because we will have to solve this together.
Of course, stores can not have everything in stock. But it would be of help if the shop assistants helped to get what they wanted - instead of shrugging their shoulders. I have often missed the personal advice that retailers boast about. Sometimes I was happy when I was not ridiculed because of my request ("Easter egg colors, but you come a bit late!") Or even insulted ("But you also have weird feet!"). Evening online shopping on the sofa is just nicer - and always successful.
With a guilty conscience, at least I try not to order on the net mainly with the giants, but if possible with smaller shops. A shop in the area is always preferred, and if I can pick up something in the store, I do that. Returns I try to avoid, parcel carriers usually get a tip from me. Anyone who advises in the business fairly insulting, will be visited again. Even if the desired product was not in stock. Sometimes I just buy something different from what's on the list. Out of pure desire to buy. If I feel like it.
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Strange digital world: Kevin alone in Analogistan
At my home, the Netflix Advent has begun: As one of the first Christmas films was "Kevin alone in New York" watched, a classic from my youth. As I watched, I realized how much the world has changed in the 27 years since the film was released. The World Trade Center is gone, and the security checks at the airport have been so harsh since then that the already foolish story of the child on the wrong plane is even more strange today.
Above all, the Internet does not matter at all: Kevin finds the address of his New Yorker uncle in his father's address book. Today she would rather be stored in the parental cell phone and therefore not findable for the lost child. And anyway, in the year 2019 Kevin would probably have a cell phone himself and could be called by his parents at any time. It is clear: While the film was of course extremely realistic in 1992, it is now only a relic from another time. And I'm getting old.
App of the Week: "The Mosaic "
tested by Tobias Kirchner
Raw Fury
"The Mosaic" is more of an interactive story than a game. It's all about questions of modern life. The developers manage to convey the isolation in a big city and the dreariness of everyday life of the protagonist. However, his life changes at first glance and strange things happen that will not be revealed at this point.
"The Mosaic" manages to convey an adult story with a great style and depressing soundtrack.
"The Mosaic" by Raw Fury, available in the Apple Arcade, monthly 4.99 euros: iOS
Foreign Link: Three tips from other media
- "Facebook Empower's Racism Against Its Employees of Color" (English, four minutes of reading)
Facebook has a "black people problem", accuse employees of the tech company. A dozen current and former employees have now publicly shared discriminatory experiences - and want to force the group to address racism in the business.
- "Smarter for classes" (ten minutes of reading)
While German schools perform poorly in international comparison in terms of digital, Denmark is considered the leader. The colleagues of "Time" have investigated the question of what makes the country better in digital education. - "Palantir, the secretive data behemoth linked to the trump administration, expands into Europe" (English, four minutes of reading)
Data analysis for police, intelligence services and private companies: The US software developer Palantir is controversial, yet it is also expanding to Europe. The civil rights organization AlgorithmWatch has researched which organizations in Europe are already working with Palantir.
As a Rhinelander I say goodbye to this 11.11. with a happy Alaaf!
Judith Horchert
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