The Janitors' Closet

From TP to stolen toys to currency manipulation

I've had a bit of fun with Venezuela over the last couple of years, over the national shortage of that vital commodity - toilet paper.  With decades of experience in commercial janitorial (thankfully, never in Venezuela), I've noticed that a shortage, in a give restroom, of said commodity can produce irate customers faster than most any other oversight.  When an entire nation experiences such an oversight, I figure worse is soon to come.

I am vindicated.

Of late, Venezuela has taken to confiscating children's toys, in the run up to Christmas, from manufactures and distributors, suspecting a plot to sell said toys to better paying customers abroad (avoiding price caps at home).  The toys are said to be destined for sale, at a discount, in poorer neighborhoods.  So, the government is stealing toys, and then selling them to poor folks.

The next step was announced yesterday.  The largest banknote in Venezuela, the 100 bolivar note, is worth about three cents American - and makes up some 70% of the currency.  The government is calling in all such currency, to be deposited in one's bank, and held by the bank until the government sees fit to replace it with larger denomination or less inflated currency (if ever).  The old currency must be deposited within the next 72 hours, or it becomes worthless.  This in a country with 40% of the population that does not use banks, or have bank accounts.

And the first indication was a lack of toilet paper.

 

Hot tub rentals

Had an interesting moment recently.  I took a call from a hot tub dealer; he needed a quote on janitorial service.  (We clean much more commercial office space, both high-end and down and dirty industrial, than we do retail,  and a lot of health care facilities, but pick up the odd retail establishment when given the opportunity.)

I'd expected a largish showroom, with different sizes, stiles and colors of tubs available, and perhaps a shipping, prepping and repair facility in the back.  Pulling up to the facility, it seemed to be a standard 20- or 24-foot strip center suite, a bit smaller than I'd expected.  On entering, I found a dozen of so small booths, each about the size of a hot tub.

Turns out each booth contained....a hot tub.  The facility rented them by the hour, to whatever couple, triple or other arrangement happened to walk in.  The tubs needed to be thoroughly sanitized, nightly.  And with due care to avoiding exposure of my folks to various bodily fluids....

While we have pretty thorough hazmat and bio-hazard  procedures and training in place, and protective gear up to full bunny suits, and while I don't like to walk away from paying business, in this particular case discretion proved the better part of valor.