Shut up, shut up, shut up!!!

People of the world: Please shut the hell up when you're at the movies!! Shut up!!!!!!! If you want to react to the movie, and laugh, and gasp, and scream, great, but otherwise, shut up!!!!!!! I did not pay a $5 matinee price or $8 full price to hear you chat with your date, or yell commments at the screen. This is not your living room. If you feel that compelled to talk during movies, what for the fucking home video release.

And mothers, stop taking infants to movies. They will not be able to stay in the dark for 90 minutes to two hours, with frequent loud noises from the screen, and not make noise. Children under the age of 4 or 5 have no business in movie theaters. Sorry if it puts a crimp in your fucking social life, but if you make the choice to have children, you have to make adjustments, and you do not have the right to deprive others of the full value of their entertainment dollar by bringing your screaming offpsring to the theater.

I used to know a woman (her daughter was a friend of mine) who was one of those horrible people that take screaming children into resturants and movies. (She has eleven children.) She would do nothing to quiet them. If anyone dared to complain, she would lecture them on motherhood and its rights. Since she didn't believe in disciplining children, she saw nothing wrong with the kids crawling under other patron's tables, running around screaming, or throwing food.

On my birthday last year, they offered to take me out to lunch. Right at the table, she pulled up her blouse and started breast-feeding her baby. No subtlety . . . no blanket over the shoulder. Just her bare chest and a baby clamped to it, glaring at people who stared.

------------------
Lissa*

* Name has been changed to protect the guilty.

Well, there you have it, folks. PLD and C3, self-appointed rulers of the world, dictating what the rest of the planet must do, or not do, to make their lives comfortable.

And yet, by waiting for the home release or eating only at Mickey Dee's as they dictate the rest of the planet should do, they could have that very comfort they proclaim as their desire.

Were we all not at one time a screaming infant in a film house ourselves?

Time for a mommy to respond.

My kids don't go to movies unless they're geared for a child. If some asshole goes to a matinee of Tarzan expecting silence, he's too stupid to live and deserves walking into a theatre full of ill-behaved brats (and then my two, staring wild-eyed at the kids acting up).

We can pretty much tell when one of the kids is in a loud mood. Hell, we don't even go to McDonalds then. Quick trip through the drive-thru, and we're gone. We've sat in some very nice restaraunts with a 2 and six year old that were being perfectly quiet and good, and STILL had some self-righteous child-hating asshole try to have us or him moved just out of the chance that they MIGHT act up.

Give me a break.

Course, _I_ want to strangle people with screaming kids in big people movies and restaraunts. Yes, it's situational. Keep that in mind.

Don't freakin cringe and be nasty to people with children in public. Not all of us are stupid, and not all children are awful, and I'll take them anywhere I please if I know they're going to behave.

Lissa:

If the baby was clamped to her chest, then it wasn't really bare, was it?

Unless you mean to suggest that both breasts were out of her shirt and the unoccupied one was simply hanging there? That, of course, would be unacceptable. But apart from that... tits were made for feeding babies.



------------------
Stoidela

Don't meddle in the affairs of dragons, cuz, like, you're crunchy
and taste good with ketchup.

Phil's got a legitimate gripe, of course. That gripe goes both ways. If you don't want to deal with kids, don't go to places that cater to them.

KOA (Kampgrounds of America) is a family-oriented business. Don't know if they still use Family Circus as a logo, but they used to. Four years ago we were camping at a KOA outside of Yellowstone Park. Youngest Son, then five years old, had "night terrors" in the middle of the night, started screaming and shouting around 3 a.m. Not much you can do at that point; you can't even wake 'em up. All you can do is hold 'em and comfort 'em and wait for 'em to get over it.

Next campsite over was some biker idiot and his chick. Not friendly, ignored everyone's attempts to be sociable. Obviously, Youngest Son had woken him up. From his tent we hear "Shut that kid the fuck up!"

Hey, if you don't wanna deal with kids, don't camp at a KOA!

-Mommy Melin

------------------
I'm a woman phenomenally
Phenomenal woman
That's me
(Maya Angelou)

"... tits were made for feeding babies."

Yes, and anuses were made for defecating -- but that doesn't mean one should use them in public.

Yesterday some woman was actually breast-feeding her baby in the store where I work -- roughly three feet from my face while I wrote up her sales slip. Believe me, you could see EVERYTHING. I have nothing against babies. I have nothing against breast feeding. But it should be done in *private,* for cryin' out loud. Either feed the kid before you go out, or take a bottle with you. It's not so hard.

C3:

Monty's a MORMON?

Oh...well THAT explains it!



------------------
Stoidela

Don't meddle in the affairs of dragons, cuz, like, you're crunchy
and taste good with ketchup.

You know, it all depends on the baby and the baby's mood. We took our little guy to see "Rush Hour" when he was, I think, about one. He was fascinated and stayed quiet for the whole thing. We also take him to restaurants, and if he starts complaining, one of us walks him out to the lobby or outside for a while so the other can eat.

C3: no, you idiotic liar, it does not.

Stoi: what the hey do you mean by your stupid remark? BTW I posted a legitimate historian's take on your stupid stance about the attack on Pearl Harbor. Got any guts? Anser the freaking questions--this time with facts and cites.

Very simple, C3; your statement above that my religion baptizes people against their will. That's a lie and as the one who uttered it, you know it's a lie. That's idiocy.

You know, it's not usually like the parents bring the screaming kids into the restaurant. Or on the airplane. The parents bring the kids, hoping the kids will be well behaved. Some kids are, for the whole meal. Some kids hit their patience quota, and become obnox. But at that point, there's not much the parent can do. Walk up and leave the restaurant without paying, having ordered the food? Hardly. Spank the kid or yell at the kid? Oh, yeah, that'll sure have the kid keep quite -- that'll only make the crying and screaming worse. The reasonable parents are usually as embarrassed as you are, and they're meal has been ruined as well... far worse than yours, I assure you.

People such as Lissa describe, of course, are in a different category altogether -- that's just jerk. I agree with pld, small kids don't belong in adult or teen level movies. Neither do cell phones or beepers, for that matter, but they're all there.

And let's not focus just on kids. My mother is 86, she loves to go with us to the movies, but she can't hear well when the characters mumble, so she can easily lose the plot... and we need to whisper to her. We try to do it quietly and carefully, but we're stuck. We're sorry if you're sitting behind us and it bothers you, and we hope you're understanding enough to forgive us, and to hope that others forgive you when you start to lose your hearing as you age.

I was once guilty of bringing a screaming baby on an airplane. I'm sure everyone was irritated or even enraged, but I promise I was far more unhappy than they were. The only reason I was there with my baby was because my father was on his deathbed 1200 miles away and I desperately wanted to get to him before it was too late.

I don't understand why so many parents allow their kids to act like rabid ferrets in public, but I try to look at it this way: I'm HAPPY when I'm out to eat with my husband and some obnoxious child is pitching a tantrum in the restaurant. Why? Because it's not my kid. I think to myself, HA! a kid is screaming, and it's NOT MY KID. Hooray!

For my part, I don't take my kids to places where they are likely to disturb others. I can't enjoy myself in a nice place anyway if I'm so paranoid that the kids are going to misbehave. Why do parents take kids to fancy restaurants and pay high prices for food the kids won't eat anyway?

Then you have oversimplified and made an incorrect (unsafe) assumption, C3. Your commetn above says Mormons baptize people against their will. Mormons don't.

The issue to which you refer is the one of performing a ceremony by a living person on behalf of a deceased person. And it's definitely not what Melin said in the post you quoted.

Yet again you show you've learned nothing.

What does that mean Monty ... do you think that people should have every right to run their insipid pie-holes during a movie? Or take their shreiking post-fetii to a nice restaurant?
I sure don't.

C3: you truly are out there on the limits of the reality wagon, aren't you? You said above that my "religion baptizes people against their will." Now you're switching to another ceremony and trying to equate the actions. Try to follow me here; it's a thought called Logical Progression. There's two ceremonies: baptism, and baptism for the dead. Got it?

Now getting back to the accusation of not having consideration. So far, that's really you. You've shown that far too well on the school prayer thread.

Okay, C3; I'll probably regret asking you this, but I really want to know your take on one thing.

What do you think of the Catholics, Orthodox, Methodists, and a few others baptizing infants? Is that consideration, or is it "baptizing people against their will?"

OH COME OFF IT, YOU GUYS. You're worse than the crying babies. I came to this thread expecting a discussion/flaming of crying kids in restaurants and people talking in movies, and what do I get? Mormon bashing.

There are already far too many threads devoted to how evil and wicked and horrible the nasty dirty Mormons are, so if that's what you want to post, then take your hate-mongering idiocies and post them on those threads. That way people (like me) don't have to stumble across such venom in threads like this.

Contestant, your self-serving hypocrisy comes thru again.

It's OK to bring an infant on an airplane, even though it may cry, but it's not OK to bring little kids into a restaurant, even though they might misbehave?

Sheeesh. Under your never-run-the-risk-of-disturbing-others, you'd forbid all teenagers from movie theatres (they often talk and laugh inappropriately)... anyone who's slightly hard of hearing or might get confused by a plot subtlety and have to ask his/her companion for clarification... anyone who coughs or sneezes....

No one should be allowed in a restaurant who might drop or spill stuff, either. The loud noise is very distracting. Nor people who are hard of hearing, because their dining companions often have to talk loud, which is very disturbing.

Hey, man, you don't wanna be around people? Don't go out. Restaurants deliver. Movies can be rented. You never need to leave your house... and the rest of us would probably be happier, as well.

Testing, testing, ...

Stoidela:
It seems to me that when we are in public, it is our burden and our duty to give a little on each end

I'm not going to argue with you, Stoidela. Of course you are right. On the other hand so am I. The problem is, like I said, some people just don't care. It's obviously not a question of "should". Reasonable folks will always be aware of their actions. But we're not referring to reasonable folks, are we?

This really hurts me to say, but...

I agree with C#3. Loud children in public places are a pet peeve of mine. I understand that children can't control themselves, but what's to stop the parents from (a) leaving as quickly as possible when their child misbehaves, or (b) chosing a type of restaurant geared towards families (like Chuck E. Cheese or the Ground Round)?

This goes especially for movies. Do parents really think their 18 month old wants to see "Shakespeare in Love"? Yes, I know, you couldn't get a sitter. Does that mean I have to be inconvenienced too?

I think yooz guys are missing my point. Yes, screaming kids in a restaurant are annoying. Yes, people who talk in a theater are obnoxious. Yes, urinating on the floor of the men's room is disgusting. Yes, farting in the library is offensive. Life goes on. Rudeness is not criminal behaviour. If it were, how many of us would have records?

>>You know, it's not usually like the parents bring the screaming kids into the restaurant. Or on the airplane. The parents bring the kids, hoping the kids will be well behaved. Some kids are, for the whole meal. Some kids hit their patience quota, and become obnox. But at that point, there's not much the parent can do. Walk up and leave the restaurant without paying, having ordered the
food? <<

My mother was one of those parents who thought that a smack would shut me up, and of course, it never did. I was many times an obnoxious kid in a restaurant.

Until once when I was four.

I don't remember why I was so grumpy-- probably because we'd just driven four hours, and my mother was pregnant, and more impatient than usual. So the whole freaking family is at this really nice restaurant somewhere up the coast. My cousins were behaving perfectly, but they'd been running around on the beach all day. My Uncle Jonas is being loud about how terribly inconvienent it is for him not to have the surf'n'turf because SOME people insist on keeping kosher like it's the Middle Ages.

I chose that moment to throw a temper tantrum.

My mother told me to shut up a couple of times, and I ignored her. She smacked me once, and I started to scream.

My Aunt Chana picked me up without a word to me or anyone, took me to her car, and drove me back to the hotel.

I had dry toast and skim milk for dinner, and then she held me and cuddled me and put me to bed. We didn't talk about my behavior.

The next day, I had to listen to my cousins talk about how much fun they'd had, and how good the dessert was, and how they went to the beach, and there were some street performers. I started to cry because I'd missed everything.

Aunt Chana said, "You weren't behaving as though you wanted to be there."

I NEVER threw a tantrum in public again.


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------------
--Rowan
Shopping is still cheaper than therapy. --my Aunt Franny

How about a compromise? You put up with the first minute or so of fuss, on the theory that I couldn't know he was going to be fussy. I, in return, will remove him if he keeps being fussy. Taking the child to places a little nicer than McDonald's is part of training it to be a civilized adult. If you never expect a higher standard of manners from a child, you will assuredly never get it.

Hey, while we're at it: Let's ban tall people and folks with big hair, too. I can't see a damn thing over their noggins. And people who slurp their frozen coke and chew their popcorn with mouths open. And people who find it necessary to chew on ice. In fact, how about small six-person theaters just for single families. Oh, wait ... that would be a living room wouldn't it?

The point is: you're in public ok? Either a) accept the fact that some people don't give a flyin' fuck what you think, see, hear or smell, or b)rent a movie, order out, stay home and shut up.

Sly:

"You're in public" applies to everyone who is. The people with the screaming kids, and the people who are being annoyed by the screaming kids. So are you saying that being in public means that if you're intruding on the pleasure of others, it's ok because you're in public, and if you are being intruded upon it's ok because people can do that to you in public and it's your problem?

It seems to me that when we are in public, it is our burden and our duty to give a little on each end: if I am the one with the intrusive, noisy child I should be considerate of others and remove myself in my child if I am not able to keep said child from being intrusive. And if I am the one being intruded upon, I should exercise a reasonable amount of patience and understanding for the fact that life includes children, and that sometimes they will be loud and annoying.

In other words, a little bit of crying and fussing is ok, I should just get over myself. But if the kid is screaming and inconsolable for any extended length of time, I expect the parent to get the hell out. They chose to be parents, and being parents means YOU are inconvenienced, not everyone around you.



------------------
Stoidela

Don't meddle in the affairs of dragons, cuz, like, you're crunchy
and taste good with ketchup.

I agree with you, LeslieMcd. Children must be taught how to behave. But that's what McDonald's is for. You take your kids when they are very young to places like McDonald's and teach them how to sit through a meal at a restraunt. After they learn not to throw their food, scream, or otherwise behave inappropriately,
AND they can sit through a more lengthly dining experience, THEN you move up to a place like IHOP. Continue in this manner, and by the time the kid is 6 or 7, they will be able to sit through a fine dining experience. Until then, they should not be allowed to ruin the evening of others. I'll tolerate the beginnings of a fit, but if Mom and Dad can't shut that kid up within a minute, they need to remove the child.

pldennison, just swear at those people talking at the movies, like you did in the British Accents thread. That will make them quiet down. Use the F-word a lot. Show them what you're made of, in your own 'charming' way. What better way to celebrate a hot 4th of July weekend than cursing out strangers in a theater? America, the Beautiful.

Let's turn this into a Libertarianism debate thread:

Why don't the restaurant owners decide, hm? It's their property. If they want you and your wife to come to their fine dining establishment, and they know you won't be amused by a screaming kid, then they can say "No kids". That's not fair, you may say? Sure it is. It's his restaurant.

So a different restaurant decides to cater to families and people who don't have sticks stuck in their asses about how awful it is to hear a baby cry. And some people go there instead. See? No laws passed, the market decides, we respect private property, and everybody gets to eat where they want. And Sly and C#3 will never ever have to eat arounf each other.

See? I can turn anything into a Libertarian issue. If I can't I talk about kitten arms.

-Quadell

Why don't the restaurant owners decide, hm? It's their property. If they want
you and your wife to come to their fine dining establishment, and they know
you won't be amused by a screaming kid, then they can say "No kids". That's
not fair, you may say? Sure it is. It's his restaurant.

Well, I know since you are Libertarian you figure laws shouldn't exist on such topics, but at least in some states a restaurant couldn't have a "no kids" policy. It would be age discrimination. Same thing with places to live, and for good reason, because it was becoming impossible to find decent affordable rental housing, at least in California, in the 80s if you had kids.

-Melin

------------------
I'm a woman phenomenally
Phenomenal woman
That's me
(Maya Angelou)

I can put up with a baby who begins to cry, and is immediately either soothed, fed or removed. I can also put up with little kids who occasionally talk too loudly, and maybe accidentally drop their forks, and have milk moustaches.

I thought PLD was referring to the children who are really out of control. The one who throw themselves on the floor in a kicking, screaming tamtrum, or run around, crawling under other people's tables, and bumping into old people and waiters. Or throw food all the way across the room. More than once.

There's a wide spectrum of behavior, some of which other people should be expected to tolerate, but others which are really unacceptable.

My parents were the kind of people who forced other people to put up with my awful behavior. There were many, many occasions when, for whatever reason, my parents chose not to get a sitter for me. Instead of playing and getting rid of energy after sitting in school, I would be bathed and dressed, then forced to sit on the couch in my good clothes (no playing-- I might get dirty) for an hour or more while my parents got ready. Then we'd go out, and there would be very little at the restaurant that suited my taste-- my parents chose my food, and threatened me if I didn't eat it. And by the time it was served, it was two hours later than I was used to eating. I was hungry and cranky, and feeling neglected.

Of course I behaved badly. When I look back on these incidents, I can't understand what my parents were thinking. I'm not talking about when I was nine or ten, either-- these things happened when I was four and five and six.

I have a couple of AUTISTIC children on my caseload, and I can take them to a restaurant, and have them behave perfectly nicely. But it's a lot of work. I make sure they run themselves ragged first, even if I have to run with them, I get myself ready first, I go before the dinner rush, so the ride and the wait for food are short. I give them a snack in the late afternoon, so they don't get cranky if the wait happens to be long. And going into these situations, I know better than to count on eating when and where I'd planned. If things don't work out, we leave early, and the kids know we will. And I make sure going out is something they want to do. We build it up, talk it out before hand, read stories about what a restaurant is like, and how people are expected to behave. Sometimes we drive past the restaurant a couple of times, or get a copy of the menu, and look at it in private.

If the dining experience is a learning experience for the kids, fine; focus on the kids. Plan around their needs. If it's a night out for the parents, get a babysitter.

The rest of us will remember that children are children. But their rights end when their food hits our faces, or they knock over our waiter.


------------------
------------
--Rowan
Shopping is still cheaper than therapy. --my Aunt Franny

Well, there you have it, folks. PLD and C3, self-appointed rulers of the world, dictating
what the rest of the planet must do, or not do, to make their lives comfortable.

Errrr.....yeah. Whatever, Chip. I'm sure it's perfectly OK with you if people act inconsiderately or rudely to others in public, especially at an event for which people have paid to participate. I know what a big fan you are of rudeness and all.

How's this work for you: If I pay $10 to see a movie, and you sit behind me and talk loudly through it, I reserve the right to punch you in the fucking nose. Sound fair? You get what you want, I get what I want.

And yet, by waiting for the home release

Which, 7 times out of 10, I do, although I'm not sure how my being quiet at movies makes it miserable for others. Maybe on Planet Monty, eh?

or eating only at Mickey Dee's

More than a little difficult for a vegetarian. Forget your cherished logic, did you? And, of course, there are no children at McDonald's.

as they dictate the rest of the planet should do, they could have that very comfort they proclaim as their desire.

I bet you get invited to parties alot. Please explain why I should defer to those who don't know how to behave properly or considerately in public? I'm really, really interested.

I had an asshole behind me at Pulp Fiction who intended to sit there and translate the whole damn movie into Russian or something for his date! AND, he had the impertinence (I love that word) to get snotty when I asked him to quiet down. I had to get the manager to talk to him and he still wouldn't stop. Finally after three trips to the manager, the guy shut up. So it's not just kids, sometimes it's them stinkin' foreigners, too! ;)

I hesitate to admit it...but I have to agree with Contestant#3 on this one. Below about six years old, it's not that kids might act up in a restaurant or movie. It's likely that they will. Sure, it depends on the kid. Sure there are plenty of exceptions. But YOUR KID AIN'T ONE OF 'EM. Being a parent to your little darling was your decision. I have no interest in them. If you can't find a sitter those first five years or so, don't take the kid to an inappropriate place. What's the puzzle?

I will make one concession. When an adult intrudes on my space in a public place I damn well hold that adult responsible. Because I'm more-or-less civilized on my good days, I will usually get the manager, as in the case above, but ultimately I'm not inclined to suffer another's inconsideration, manager or no. Like it or not, they have to deal with ME at least as much as I have to deal with them. In fact, sometimes I make a point of it. This is why we have rules of civility.
The concession is this: when a kid acts up, I don't blame the kid. They're kids, after all. But I sure as hell do blame whoever is responsible for that kid. THEY are the one getting in my face, via their kid, and I feel justified in getting back in theirs. It astounds me how many people are actually surprised that someone would hold them responsible for their kid's misbehavior! "It's just a child" excuses the child (sometimes), but NOT the parent. Again, why is this a puzzle? I don't hate kids, even when they're being assholes. I hate adults who are assholes through their kids. And whether or not you mean to be one, if your kids are disturbing everyone else at a fancy restaurant, you're being an asshole.

Whew! Ranting is fun! I like this pit!

How about renting videos or getting HBO? Then you can watch movies in the quiet, comfort of your own home. Won't have to put up with noisy kids and movie-goers in theaters.

However, I prefer theaters because of the people and atmosphere. Except for the concession prices. I bring my own.

Wow, I really started something, huh?

I would like to note FTR that I didn't bring up restaurants or airplanes. My wife and I rarely go out to eat, simply because it is so difficult to find decent vegetarian food. The places we do go to, we know the clientele, and there are unlikely to be a lot of children. When there are extremely disruptive children (and I'm talking about exactly the kind of out-of-control children Rowan and ABP mentioned), we either: a) glare at the parents until they get them under control. And we aren't the only ones glaring; b) finish up quickly and leave; or c) get the rest of our meal to go.

As far as movies, I rarely do go the the movies anymore, which hurts, because I am a real cinephile. I stopped going very much specifically because I was sick and tired of dealing with cretins who don't understand the difference between a movie theater and their family room, and I think it's sad that those kind of people are more the exception than the rule. And, yep, I won't hesitate either to have them thrown out, or to get my money back.

I'm amazed that any person on Earth, or from Earth, would think it a bad thing to expect people to behave politely at a movie theater, or a live theater, for that matter. Monty, I'm especially baffled by, since I know he will not hesitate to jump down the online throat of someone he thinks is being impolite, and I also don't understand how my being considerate at movies and expecting others to be considerate causes a problem.

Yes, but the question is WHO should stay home and rent movies or get HBO? Should it be the people who don't want to be disturbed or the people who are most likely to disturb others?

Personally, I think the people who should stay home should be the people who are most likely to disturb everyone else. In one scenario, a couple of parents are "put out" because they have to stay home with their kids or eat at a cheaper restaurant. In the other scenario, a whole theater or restaurant of people are "put out" because they have to listen to a screaming child. It's rather like freedom of the individual (to take their child anywhere they please) vs freedom of the whole group (to be able to eat or watch a movie in public in peace)."

Here's are a couple of my experiences:

-Couple brings toddler into little Mexican restaurant and place toddler between their table and the table of other couple beside them. Toddler proceeds to scream and, several times, turns around and grabs food off table of other couple and throws it. Parents do nothing. Couples end up in nasty fight.

-Family brings toddler to see "Phantom Menace" at 10 at night when toddler should probably be in bed. Toddler is allowed to run up and down aisle. Screams so much that other moviegoers finally exclaim,"Will you PLEASE quiet your child!" Toddler also occassionally is distracted by the film, stops running up and down the aisle, turns towards the movie to watch, and grabs the hair of the person in front of him (this happened to me).

This debate prompted me to ask my parents what they did since I was a screamer. Anyway, they said that they just passed on the movies and such unless they could get a babysitter. If they did take me out and I got fussy, one of them, if possible, would take me outside or they would just go home since I probably needed a nap anyway. My sister, on the other hand, could pretty much be taken anywhere without hassel.

This same argument can be adapted to fit the pro-moshing vs anti-moshing debate.

Thought I'd interject a little comic relief here with a true story:

When I was in college, I ran the projector for an art house. When the fifteenth anniversary of The Rocky Horror Picture Show came around, we got it for one weekend, and ran midnight showings.

During one show, someone knocked on the projection room door, and asked (with an accent, it's only fair to note; she wasn't American) if I could please ask the people in front of her to quiet down, because they keep talking all through the movie, and she can't hear what the actors are saying.

....

On another note, I have a good friend with Tourette's Syndrome. He luckily doesn't shout obscenities, the way some people with Tourette's do, but he does make a lot of random vocalizations.

He loves to go to movies, but always tries to make a point of going either to "family matinees"-- ie, the first Sunday show of one of the theatres in town, where parents are encouraged to bring their kids, and everyone understands that there will be a lot of kids, and some may not be very well behaved (and kids are cordially not invited to other showings), or the end of the run, when the theatre is sparsely populated.

He also takes one of his meds early-- it makes him sleepy, but cuts down on the tics.

All in all, I'm inclined to cut him a lot of slack, because he's really trying.

Maybe more restaurants should have "family hour," and theatres "family shows." During these times, all the patrons understand that there may be some pretty active little kids, and the ones who don't want to put up with that can stay away. And if kids disrupt at other times, the managers will be more apt to ask them to leave, by suggesting they return the next day during "family hour," and maybe hand them a free dessert coupon or something.


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--Rowan
Shopping is still cheaper than therapy. --my Aunt Franny

Is it fair to assume that everybody here dreams of the day when they can go to a movie theater, and enjoy absolute silence? That's my dream, but it'll never happen. All it takes is one fool running his mouth off in the last row to aggravate an entire theater.
If you've got kids, isn't it better to go when everyone else brings their kids? There's nothing worse than going to the theater on a Friday night, thinking there's not going to be any little kiddies, then getting stuck with one giggling, and kicking the back of your chair the whole time.

Adam

Is it fair to assume that everybody here dreams of the day when they can go to a movie theater, and enjoy absolute silence? That's my dream, but it'll never happen. All it takes is one fool running his mouth off in the last row to aggravate an entire theater.
If you've got kids, isn't it better to go when everyone else brings their kids? There's nothing worse than going to the theater on a Friday night, thinking there's not going to be any little kiddies, then getting stuck with one giggling, and kicking the back of your chair the whole time.

Adam

"Cry, baby, cry
Make your mother sigh
She's old enough to know better
So cry, baby, cry" - The Beatles

I'm on the side of those who do not wish to be disturbed.

"Cry, baby, cry
Make your mother sigh
She's old enough to know better
So cry, baby, cry" - The Beatles

I'm on the side of those who do not wish to be disturbed.

By the way, wasn't only referring to children by the last quote.

[[Yes, but the question is WHO should stay home and rent movies or get HBO? Should it be the people who don't want to be disturbed or the people who are most likely to disturb others?]] Topolino


Can this possibly be a serious question?

You know, thinking about it, I have to wonder: where the hell do all you people live? I live in LA, and I do not find myself constantly tormented by noisy people in movie theatres. An occasional experience, but overall, this is not a big issue in my life.

Seems yer all getting a little het up over nuthin. Unless, of course, you attend movies in Times Square. This I have done, and was absolutely astonished at the out of control rowdiness of the crowd.



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Stoidela

******Boycott shampoo! Demand REAL poo!******

Stoid says: [quote] but overall, this is not a big issue in my life.
Seems yer all getting a little het up over nuthin.[quote/]

Well, I think I speak for everyone here when I say that it's not a BIG issue in our lives either. It's just that when you pay $7.00+ to see a movie, you deserve to watch it in relative peace and quiet.

Adam

Big Iron sez:
"[[Yes, but the question is WHO should stay home and rent movies or get HBO? Should it be
the people who don't want to be disturbed or the people who are most likely to disturb others?]] Topolino


Can this possibly be a serious question?"

No, I'm just kidding

That's what the whole thread boils down to. Did you not read it?

Yeah, Tope -- sorry, but I wasn't familiar wiuth your SN and well ... you read a lot of wierd shit here that people really think.

Party on ...

"Yes, but the question is WHO should stay home and rent movies or get HBO? Should it be the people who don't want to be disturbed or the people who are most likely to disturb
others?"

Good question. You're right, the noisy offenders should stay at home with HBO and vcr's. People should behave at theaters. Don't expect total silence, though. Crowds will laugh at funny parts, shreak at scary parts, etc. That's part of the fun of sitting with an audience to see a film.

I live in the midwest and noise at movies is not a problem. Sounds like it's mainly a NorthEast problem, along with their other urban woes. Traffic, smog, etc.

Regarding kids in movie theatres: I have always thought that movie houses should do a better job of policing this. They should have at least one showing a day of a popular movie that is ADULTS ONLY--no infants or children under, say, 10 allowed in the theatre. But, the world is full of infants, children and inconsiderate parents! I have never understood why people talk in movies. I think it must be watching movies at home that makes people think its OK to talk more in an actual theatre.

Here's a flagrant violation ... I'm sitting there watching Star Wars #1 (again) a week or so ago, and when Darth Maul gets whacked in two, this dork a few rows back sings out " ... I'm not half the man I used to be" then he and maybe one or two of his buddies laugh like hyenas.
Nobody else did though. I mean, what the hell is that? (besides a Beatles song)

"If I had scary mental powers, you would be in a thousand pieces right now!"
- LouAnn Hill, King of the Hill

That sort of stuff should be banished to the land of BREW AND VIEW. I confess I have been guilty in the past of antics like that in a movie, but made a conscious effort to keep that sort of derision of a film quiet between the people I am with. Hopefully, the effort was effective. Apologies to anyone sitting near me who thought otherwise....

[[Here's a flagrant violation ... I'm sitting there watching Star Wars #1 (again) a week or so ago, and when Darth Maul gets whacked in two, this dork a few rows back sings out " ... I'm not half the man I used to be" then he and maybe one or two of his buddies laugh like hyenas.
Nobody else did though. I mean, what the hell is that?]]


"That's GOTTA hurt!"

As a mother to be, I have to respond. Since becoming pregnant, I have been observing the behavior of infants and children in public to assess what is acceptable behavior for a parent with their child. I have found that the majority of infants in restaurants are exceedingly well behaved and if not, their parents are quick to remove them. I have also found that adults are much more obnoxious than babies, with the few exceptions. Keep in mind, many parents cannot find a babysitter they trust. I am 7 months pregnant and have interviewed several so-called child care technicians, only to find that i wouldn't allow this person to watch my goldfish, much less a child. But I do find it quite offensive to see someone breastfeeding in public, that i must agree with. The first time I really noticed it, it really freaked me out. I wanted to say "Um, that's what a breast pump and bottle are for" But I have found teenagers in movies far more annoying than babies. Most screaming babies are removed quite rapidly. Most teenagers are not.

OO OO, I know, I KNOW!

Let's charge the little bastards twice as more to get a seat. Let's give the parents an incentive to leave their children at home with a nice neighbor girl who's probably blowing her boyfriend instead of watching little Tommy. And there should be a law that states if a woman breast feeds her infant in public, everyone should get a suck. That'l teach the bitch.

Get a life dumbasses.

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"If you stick your finger in a pie, whatever is in the pie will be on your finger, and whatever is on your finger will be in the pie...unless you wear a rubber glove"----some demented old lady

I can tell some of you have obviously never had children ;) My son is now four months old, and let me tell ya, nothing teaches a little patience for other people's kids than knowing one day your child will be doing the same thing. I'd have to say my tolerance has gone up about.. oh.. 60% If the kid is acting up and I can tell the parent is making some sort of effort to do something about it, that's fine. If the parent is ignoring the fact that their little urchin is knocking things over in the store, then there's some glaring involved.

Needless to say, at four months the kid hasn't yet enjoyed fine dining and cinema. I can't really see the point of taking a child too young to follow a plot to a 120 minute movie anyway, except to stare at the pretty pictures and he can do that at home. Likewise, until he knows the difference between carrots and chicken, there's not much point in taking him out for five star dining. But, hopefully when it happens and he's a bad li'l cretin, I'll be able to handle it or else take him out of the area.

However, no, he's not your child and it was my choice to have him. Big deal. Think I give a rat's ass whether or not you approve of him? If I did, I would have called you and asked before he was conceived. There's people in the world who are rude in whatever manner, being it allowing their children to run wild like drug crazed lemurs, smoking cigars in confined areas, or talking loudly during dinner. I'd have to say that the great minority of my unpleasant dining experiences were caused by children. Deal with it. Why? Because you have to. You're not going to change the world, so you're either going to have to learn to cope or else stay home. I'm not excusing other people's rudeness, but at least I have a realistic expectation of the world.

I guess venting here is okay though, just leave your attitude in the Pit ;)


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"I guess it is possible for one person to make a difference, although most of the time they probably shouldn't."

Someone also suggested that parents and their children should pretty much be banished to McDonalds and the rest of the McRestuarant chains. Really, how do you people consider that crap food? I'd would rather eat a rotting squirrel than a Big Mac. I'm not talking about taking your kid to the five star gourmet restaurant where Emeril is cooking for you personally, but what about a restaurant to the likes of Chili's or Outback. My fiance and I enjoy eating out at those types of restaurants, where dinner for 2 can cost you 30-40 dollars without a tip and the children that I have observed in these restaurants, which include infants, have been remarkably well behaved. However, in my experiences in grocery stores or Walmart (where you commonly encounter a lower-class element), I invariably meet with poorly behaved children screaming bloody murder for whatever reason, but the parents do nothing to stop them. I don't understand why though. It seems like there are two breeds of parents: the ones who take their children places and know what to do when they misbehave and have taught their kids manners and the others who don't care what the hell their kids are doing. It also seems that the children of the latter are the ones who grow up to be the gun-wielding bullies of our nation's schools. Maybe that's what the whole problem with our nation's children is. We try so hard to acquiese the people without children (aka the flamers on this post) and so we leave our children at kid kennels with caretakers who really could care less if our kids scream all day at daycare or we leave them with teenagers who are more concerned about making enough money to attend the next backstreet boys concert. Therefore, by trying to please the people who really shouldn't matter in our lives, we neglect the ones who matter most, our children. So really there is nothing wrong with taking your child in public IF you know how to handle a situation where your child becomes difficult. If you don't, you probably shouldn't have had children in the first place. But no one should have the right to come to someone and tell them that their child should not be in public, that's ridiculous. That's like saying all people who annoy the crap out of you should have to stay home. Or that all people of a certain race should stay home.

First, PLD never said children shouldn't be in public. He said parents should pay more attention to how their children behave in public. BIG difference.

Second, I supervise some lovely, caring staff people who are paid to work with children. But they're not paid a lot, and they do it because they care, and they do it well. Parents SHOULD occasionally take breaks from their children. And some teenagers are wonderful baby-sitters. I was. I NEVER made personal calls at work; the time I was there, I was entirely focussed on the children.

Third, "acquiesce" is NOT a transitive verb.

Fourth, classism is just as bad as racism.


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--Rowan
Shopping is still cheaper than therapy. --my Aunt Franny

What I was stating, on the basis of class, was merely what I have observed since becoming pregnant. For some reason, it seems like a majority of people with a higher socioeconomic status interact more with their children and have an idea of what is offensive to others in terms of their children's behavior. My best example comes from the doctors office, where I was calmly sitting, waiting for my appointment, when in walks a woman with 4 children, one of which was an infant. This woman appeared to be lower class, just from what I could see. The children instantly begin running around screaming, etc, while the one takes the youngest and begins breastfeeding. About 5 minutes later, in walks a obviously middle to upper class woman, with a single child. They sit down and her child sits on the floor in front of her and she takes out a toy car and gives it to him. He's running it along the floor when one of the hooligan children comes up, shoves him over and grabs the car. Then his brothers start shoving each other for the other child's toy. The middle class mother takes her son and holds him on her lap and gets out another toy. The other mother completely ignores everything that is going on and continues to breastfeed in public. I'm trying to be objective here, keep in mind, but this completely horrified me. Not just the actions of her children, but the whole breastfeeding in public thing, too. And this is not an isolated incident, I have viewed things like this many times. Keep in mind, I live in Texas, where class lines are often distinct. You can't help but notice the difference. Granted, I have seen the opposite, I know some very wealthy kids who are rotten brats, but that is in their own home. In public, they know to behave, though. As for the child care issue, I've tried to find a babysitter that I can trust. I've put ads in papers, asked people for references, and interviewed quite a few babysitters. What I've come out with is people I don't think I can trust with my child. The situation I find is this: The good daycares and babysitters already have so many recommendations that they are overbooked and the waiting lists are horrendous. The mediocre and poor ones are usually available but to the most part full.
I am at the point where I can't afford a full time nanny, but can afford a mostly full time quality babysitter whom I would love to pay extremely well, if I could find one that I could trust. Most of the interviews have almost made me want to cry. I remember babysitting and I never ever let those kids out of my sight, but in comparing experiences with my teenage friends at the time, they thought I was insane to play with the kids when you could talk on the phone and do other stuff. This was probably why, as a teenage babysitter, I was booked months in advance for things. But now that I'm looking for a babysitter, I can't find one that I would trust with my child. This is sad, but true. As for my verbal sins, you'll ahve to excuse me, I'm a genetics major and better off in a lab.

My parents took neither me nor my brother to a restaurant until we were old enough to sit still through a meal.

I'm not saying we were perfect. If we acted up, my mother immediately took us to the car, my father settled the bill and when we got home... there was Hell to pay.

It's embarrassing to be rushed out of a restaurant by your mother who is holding your hand like you're a little baby. Their strategy worked - they were often complimented for having such well-behaved children.

Screaming kids running around restaurants unchecked make me angry. At the parents. They have been lazy and taken the easy way out. "Oh, Johnny's screaming and crying. If I take him outside I won't be able to eat my dinner. If I try to stop him from screaming and crying it might get worse. Oh well, I'll just ignore it and see if it stops by itself." This thinking costs me my peaceful dinner.

CKDextHavn, I'm sorry that your mother can't hear and you have to tell her the plot points. But no, I don't forgive you. You're deliberately ruining my movie experience. Wait until it comes out on video and watch it with her at home. That's the considerate thing to do. Period.

There is NOTHING more annoying on this planet than a sreaming baby on a crowded airplane! Even more annoying is when the little bastards start kicking your seat for two hours, and the idiotic parent wont correct them.

I don't hate kids. It's just that if parents can't control their little darlings, there's certain situations where they cannot be in public until they learn to control themselves.

It's easier to spread 'em then it is to raise 'em!

Anyone out there in favor of 14th trimester abortions?

Random story time, in response to ugly's post: the first time I was on an airplane, I kept slamming the tray table up and down. (I am young! It was good entertainment!) Within minutes, both the guy in front of and my mother gave me such a look that I sat down and didn't say a word the rest of the flight.

And to keep this semi-on-topic: I think most of the situations we're describing are because the kids think/know they can get away with it. Canthearya, my parents were like yours: if I acted up, that was it for the rest of the day, and boy was I in trouble.

Screaming kids running around restaurants unchecked make me angry.

Anger is a chosen reaction; only you can make yourself angry.

Well, airplanes, buses, and so forth have to be exceptions, at least for very young kids. There are sometimes no alternatives to travel, as there are with movies, and infants do cry despite the best efforts of the parents. It's that "best efforts of the parents" that's key, though.

Ironically, this very weekend I had an experience germaine to this thread. I was on my way to meet my girlfriend, lookin' sharp, on the train, when a lady got on with her kid in tow and a HUGE bag. The kid was maybe three or four. She asks to take the seat next to me, and I graciously acquiesced and helped her put the cord of wood she was carrying in that bag into the overhead rack. the kid is well behaved for about two minutes.
I was eating a bag of Raisinets, though, my first food in twelve hours, and you can anticipate what happened (why couldn't the mother?). The kid starts sticking his saliva-soaked hand into my face (literally) trying to get a Raisinet. Naturally, I gave him a few (heck, I like kids!), half of which he threw on the floor, the other half he stuck in his mouth. The mother smiled at me with that big horse-smile parents give, as if to say "yes, my little darling is just the most adorable angel you've ever seen, isn't he?" For the record, he wasn't.

Then the child takes a half-dissolved Raisinet out of his mouth and starts waving it wildly at me. Is he trying to give it back? He can't want more, there's still one in his hand. But I can see what's coming, as I scrunch over as far as I can in my seat, and so can you. (Why can't the mother?) Sure enough, junior smears a big brown stripe of chocolate down the front of my shirt while "mom" beams her equine smile at me. She doesn't even bat an eye. Strangers obviously have no objection to such things when after all, it's her little angel doing it. I was left with no choice. I drew my broadsword and chopped off her head.

No wait! That was just in my mind, sorry.

Then the coniption starts. Now, I may share some blame in this, with the few Raisinets I offered to the tyke. But it was dear old "mom" who whipped out a can of Coke - High Fructose Corn syrup and a dash of caffiene: just the thing to calm a child down for an hour and a half train ride. Young Damien was not having with this "nap" business- sounds like some kind of con to him. I moved two seats back.

The guy now in front of me (one seat behind Damien and Mrs.Ed) lasted about three minutes longer; when junior stuck his head up over the back of the seat and twisted his head around like Linda Blair in The Exorcist, the gentlemen also beat a retreat.

Now, you can't blame the kid, here. But the mother's brain was just not lighting up to its full twenty watts. I can and do blame her.

But seriously, I have to agree with jophiel:Think I give a rat's ass whether or not you approve of him? If I did, I would have called you and asked before he was conceived. There's people in the world who are rude in whatever manner, being it allowing their children to run wild like drug crazed lemurs, smoking cigars in confined areas, or talking loudly during dinner. I'd have to say that the great minority of my unpleasant dining experiences were caused by children. Deal with it. Why? Because you have to.

Absolutely. That's why I've decided that from now on, when I feel a giant fart coming on, I'm just gonna let 'er rip. Think I give a rat's ass what you think? If I did, I would have called you before I decided to eat that chili-tuna-and-curried-egg-salad Burrito Grande. There's lots worse rudeness in the world being committed by other pople, so just deal with it! You have to, because I've decided you do.

You know, I used to believe in that "It takes a village" thing-- heck, that's how it was when I was a kid, and thank G-d-- until one summer when I was about twenty-three.

I was sitting outside the Natural History Museum, waiting for a friend. Some little kid came hopping down the steps. Cute, about three and a half. He skips over the sidewalk, playing don't-step-on-the-crack, or something. I am the only adult in sight. Suddenly, the kid notices a wad of used gum on the sidewalk, and picks it up. It's about a half centimeter from his mouth, when I get to him. I grab his wrist, and say "Don't eat that, it could make you sick. Yuck!" We traded a couple of "blech" faces, then I said "it's not very nice that someone left it here on the sidewalk. Let's help out and throw it away." We start to walk to the trash can (about a yard away), when his mother swoops down, scoops him up, and says if I don't unhand him, she's going to call the police.

Next time he can choke on the damned gum. Serve her right.


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--Rowan
Shopping is still cheaper than therapy. --my Aunt Franny

That's why I've decided that from now on, when I feel a giant fart coming on, I'm just gonna let 'er rip. Think I give a rat's ass what you think? If I did, I would have called you before I decided to eat that chili-tuna-and-curried-egg-salad Burrito Grande. There's lots worse rudeness in the world being committed by other pople, so
just deal with it! You have to, because I've decided you do.


Heh.. amusing, but not really what I meant. My point was that people are going to be rude. I'm not condoning it, but I'm not going to pretend I live in fantasy land either. Do you honestly think getting into a tizzy is going to make some mother suddenly take an active interest in what her child is doing? Not likely. More likely, she'll turn on you. The best thing you can do is remove yourself from the situation. Likewise, I can think 'deal with it' when I'm making an honest attempt to do what I can about the situation. If you don't like it, tough. I'm so sorry my effort wasn't good enough for you (not you, APB per se, but anyone who's getting some higher-than-thou attitude). Society is a group of people and if you can't accept that people, even when doing what they can, aren't going to meet your expectations, then you're going to have a hard time on this planet.

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"I guess it is possible for one person to make a difference, although most of the time they probably shouldn't."

I'm really sorry that happened to you APB but you certainly have a knack for telling a story. I feel kinda guilty at laughing at your story of misery but you were the one who had to make it funny ;)

On another note: The idea that "some people are always going to be rude so get over it" doesn't carry much weight with me. There are some things I've just accepted because I don't think anything can be done about them but, if I DO think something can be done, I'll bitch, moan, glare, ask someone to please get their child's hands out of my hair at the movie theater, or whatever I can to get to my goal. I don't think that trying to make a change means I'm living in a fantasy world. Hell, if that were the case, everyone should just give up. Tailgaters will be tailgaters, people who kick the back of your chair will be people who kick the back of your chair, spouse abusers will be spouse abusers, theives will be theives. Why try to change anything?

Sure there will always be rude people but there will be less of them if the pressure is on them to change. I think only a small portion of society truly doesn't care what any members of their community think of them.

It seems that the big peeve for everyone here regarding the behavior of unruly children is the lack of reaction by the parent. I certainly don't mind if parents bring their kids anywhere but at least be prepared to deal with them if they start to act up and do what's necessary to preserve the atmosphere the other patrons came to enjoy.

RE: Breast feeding in public. It's interesting the strong feelings people seem to have about it. A century ago or so, it was much more of an acceptable practise (in public). But maybe the women were more discreet then. I had a friend feed her baby at a wedding reception: she draped a blanket over her chest and the baby and then allowed the baby to nurse under the blanket. Very discreet, no one would have guessed what she was doing if they hadn't been told.

Well, actually jophiel, if I came accross as higher-than-thou I MEANT to! So there! :D Other people have accused me of that in other places where I did not mean to be, so it's nice to get in here in the BBQ pit where I can rant on from Mount Sinai in good conscience.

Really, though, I meant the whole thing to be rather humorous. I enjoy ranting, but I don't take it seriously. Please don't you, either. This whole thread is just one of those "farts" I was speaking of - uh, metaphorically, that is.

I do seem to have seen a lot of parents lately who seem to have no clue about the disruptions their kids cause or maybe they just don't care, but I haven't started carrying a broadsword yet!

I work in a restaurant. This is why I do not have children. They run and bump into servers; they make huge messes on the floor. Parents expect US to entertain and clean up after THEIR children. I somehow missed this part of the job description. Just a thought--if you want to have a quick dinner with your ill-behaved monsters, don not eat out at prime time on Friday night.

IMHO- breastfeeding in public makes people uncomfortable, and doing things in public that make others uncomfortable is RUDE! whether its beastfeeding, necking, fighting with your mate, scratching your crotch -whatever!
I have two children and 16 months total breastfeeding time under my bra :-) and no one ever was made to feel ucky over it.
Now in (grown up)movies, or fancy restaurants, unless you want to pay the $$ for all those you annoy, get a sitter, it is just the polite thing to go.
The next time you are in a doctors office or on a bus or plane with the 'low class'-(said snottily)mother with the misbehaving kids or the overwhelmed mother who's kid is screaming -whatever, take a minute out of your pompous self-important,self-absorbed lives to ask if you can do anything to HELP.
Gees is it so hard to speak kindly to a child who is probably just loney/lonely/tired?
Just say hi to the kid or ask them about their toy or anything, when a stranger speaks to a young child they are usually very quiet for a long time.Just don't be weirdo/friendly or scary about it or you could get in trouble
this is what I do to better humanity at the grocery store , I just say HI to the screaming child trapped in line with its exhausted parent, and EVERY TIME, the kid shuts up, the parent gets a brief breather, and we all get a break.Try it - it beats the hell outta complainin'.

Family brings toddler to see "Phantom Menace" at 10 at night when toddler should probably be in bed. Toddler is allowed to run up and down aisle.

Wow, same EXACT thing happened to me at "The Phantom Menace". Except this time the movies was at 7 pm. Now, i have no problems with parents bringing children to movies, but it started when children under 6 should be in bed (My parents mad us go to bed around 8). The woman who brought her kid to the Phantom menace did absolutely nothing to keep this kid from running up and down the aisles of the theater. She also didnt really apologize to the people the kid ran into. Also it was bad because "The Phantom Menace" is NOT a movie you should be bringing small children to.

One thing i cannot stand are large noisy groups of teenagers. At the same movie, a group of teen girls had sat on the side row of seats, and was being loud and noisy. THe worst part was one whips out her cell phone in the middle of the movie and commences talking on it. It also had a bright lit up face to it so that i could see the damn thing out of the corner of my eye.

Children who start crying in restaurants doesnt bug me too much because usually the parents do something about it, but what i cannot stand is when children start throwing temper tantrums, or start running around the table and start "playing".

FTR, I have no problem with mothers breastfeeding their infants in public. The kid's gotta eat, right? Sure, some discretion is called for in certain circumstances, but most of the problem here is modern hangups about sex.

Just to add a little - -

While I believe that many overreact to small children making sounds in public places (generally because they dislike children as much or more than they dislike the disturbance), parents do have a responisbility to keep the little ones in order. Those who have complained about little kids in expensive restaurants or adult movies have a point. Some parents need to think a little more clearly.

But the bigger problem with Phil's theatre complaints deal more with rude adults. Doesn't anyone have a sense of ettiquette in a movie theater anymore? And how about at a play?

My biggest gripe is at a concert. Not a rock show, but other kinds of music. I can't tell you the times I've been to see the community symphony or a high school band concert, and people seem to have the concept that you can talk right through the performance in a loud voice, or hoot and holler at their child on stage. Even at a jazz concert, where the audience is expected to cheer, and particularly to applaud after a solo, there is still an incessant amount of chatter (especially during a quieter piece). When will people learn that a public concert is not the same as watching it on t.v. in your living room? When will parents at school music recitals and concerts learn to distinguish between applauding the Choir's performance and cheering at a football game?

No wonder my friends from Europe view our society as "barbaric."



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SoxFan59
"Its fiction, but all the facts are true!"

I don't personally find breast feeding offensive, but some people do. THEREFORE, general consideration of others suggests that being at least a little subtle about it is in order.

And be polite now; don't breast feed blatantly in public unless you brought enough for everyone. Watching someone else eat when you're really hungry can be quite frustrating, but boy, you should see the looks you get when you try to join in. How rude.

Anyone who finds breast feeding offensive is beneath consideration. Farting is offensive. Picking your nose is offensive. Burping is offensive. Shitting and peeing are offensive. Cleaning the jam from between your toes is offensive. Scratching deep in your crotch or the crack of your ass is offensive. Not bathing is offenisve. Popping pimples is offensive.

Breastfeeding is a kid getting a meal in the way nature intended. Screw anyone who doesn't like it.



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Stoidela

******Boycott shampoo! Demand REAL poo!******

Newsflash: Burping, peeing, shitting, not bathing. These things are all "the way nature intended." Society, however, is not natural. There are reasons for that into which I will not go at this point in time.

Some people find breast feeding in public offensive because they do not know where to put their eyes. There is distraction towards the general breast area (for some people even when breast feeding is not taking place). Movement attracts the eye as well as cute little babies. However, despite the fact that it is "natural," many people consider the act of staring at breasts inappropriate.


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Die, foul crouton!

I have to say that Maitlandish has some really good points.

Burping and farting are very natural and often urgently needed. No, they don't sustain a life but that doesn't make them less natural. The other stuff you mentioned are either unneeded (you don't HAVE to mess with your pimples) or can be delayed until in private. Breastfeeding, most times, can be delayed until one is in private or breast pumps can be used or it can be done discreetly.

Having sex is quite natural but most people would agree that doing it in public is rude. Some people enjoy seeing it done in public but that's a whole different thread ;). No, it doesn't sustain a life but it may create one ;).

Our culture is highly sexualized and sex is used to sell damn near everything but our culture is also quite puritanical. Makes for a confused, anxious, and sexually-neurotic group of people. I can understand how people would be flustered and uncomfortable seeing a woman whip out a breast in public. It may be their own problem but they're just representing where they grew up :).

A friend of mine was once an exchange student in Japan. He said that while driving with some other (Japanese) students, he saw a man urinating at the side of the road in plain view. Laughing and pointing he turned to share in the fun with his classmates. His classmates told him very seriously that in Japan it is considured rude to look.

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"If you stick your finger in a pie, whatever is in the pie will be on your finger, and whatever is on your finger will be in the pie...unless you wear a rubber glove"----some demented old lady

Ok, as a brand new (6/27!) mommy, I must respond. (try to make this brief- Chris may wake up soon!)

First, I agree that it's totally unacceptable to bring infants into nice restaurants and movie theatres, unless, like Melin, you are taking your older kids to Tarzan or another rated G film. If you want to see this sort of movie in a quiet theater, go to the past 9 pm show, when kids should be in bed anyways.

I do take offense at the breast-feeding stance, though. If the woman does it discreetly, with nothing exposed, there should be no problem. Breasts exist for this function! Someone once said that breasts are like toy train sets, that they're meant for kids but daddies enjoy them too. That said, a woman who is breast-feeding, even without a shawl (assuming the non-working side is covered) has more of her breast covered than most women in swimwear at the beach. (Especially in CA- the stuff I saw women out there wearing at the beach might be illegal here in NE.. ;) )

Pumping would seem to be the ideal situation, but it isn't always. The infant is FAR more effective at getting the milk out than a pump, and physicians do not recommend pumping to replace actual breastfeeding in the first weeks because it can screw up your milk supply. This is because the more you breastfeed, the more milk is produced, and vice versa. If you replace feeds with pumpings too often the supply diminishes.

Earlier today I had to feed my son at the pediatrician's. I tried to get him to eat before we left the house but he would have none of it. I put a receiving blanket over my shoulder to cover up while I nursed, and got nothing but warm smiles from everyone in the waiting room. (And disbelieving looks about his age- he was 11 lbs 6 ozs at birth a couple weeks ago!)

PR Mom

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If you're not part of the solution you're just scumming up the bottom of the beaker.

Squid, I can confirm what your friend saw in Japan. We used to think that was a laugh-riot too.

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...it has never been my way to bother much about things which you can't cure.
- A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court-Mark Twain

Just keeping everyone up to speed: This weekend my wife and I went to the movies twice.

At the first, "Eyes Wide Shut," one person received 5 phone calls during the movie; and in each case, rather than answering the phone on the first ring so as not to disturb other moviegoers, he let it ring 5 or 6 times. Three other people talked, full voice, to the screen at various points. One couple held a rather loud converstaion about two rows behind us, totally unrelated to the movie.

At the other, "SW:TPM," a father and son sat right in front of us and talked through the entire movie. And this child was not a toddler--he was about 6 or 7 years old. Despite the fact that we asked them politely to be quiet twice, they continued to talk.

But guys like Chip think I'm the jerk for asking that people act responsibly in public, and that people like this have no business going to movies if they can't conduct themselves properly.

Earlier today I had to feed my son at the pediatrician's. I tried to get him to eat before we left the house but he would have none of it. I put a receiving blanket over my shoulder to cover up while I nursed, and got nothing but warm smiles from everyone in the waiting room.
that is what I mean...you made [i] nobody[i] uncomfortable, so it was not rude, I personally dont find the sight of a woman, covered or not, nursing to be unpleasant, but many people are freaked out by the sight-uncovered- and it is probably people who didnt or werent nursed, once they all die out, it wont be a problem anymore. :)

No wonder my friends from Europe view our society as "barbaric."

I can assure you that the behavior you describe is not uniquely American.

<<<<I can assure you that the behavior you describe is not uniquely American>>>>

But I betcha we've cornered the market on it, fer sure.

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SoxFan59
"Its fiction, but all the facts are true!"

[[I will often do this for the groups of teenagers or the cell-phone morons (I won't do it for a pager, though, on the off chance that the person may be a doctor), and I ALWAYS do it to those idiots who bring laser pointers. That episode of Seinfeld wasn't even that funny.]]

I'm not a doctor, but one week out of five or six, I carry a pager (it's sitting on top of the computer right now). The agency I work for supports disabled people so they can live in the community, and sometimes they have emergencies-- some of them have seizure disorders or hard-to-control diabetes. Most of them have staff for personal assistance-- when a PA has a flat tire on the way to a shift, someone has to cover until the PA can arrive.

Sometimes they page me because they just need reassurance.

When I carry the pager, I don't go to the movies.


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--Rowan
Shopping is still cheaper than therapy. --my Aunt Franny

Phil:

Usually when that happens, I go find an usher. Somehow, having an "authority figure" tell people to stop what they're doing works better than doing it myself. And if the problem's not fixed by the end of the movie, you can complain to management and get free tickets from them. I will often do this for the groups of teenagers or the cell-phone morons (I won't do it for a pager, though, on the off chance that the person may be a doctor), and I ALWAYS do it to those idiots who bring laser pointers. That episode of Seinfeld wasn't even that funny.

Whoa!!! lots of attitude here!

Rebecca( keep up the search..I can't help but a have an ear if you want one..been there), Falcon, CKDext...Bravo!!

Rowan..I'm sorry that happened to you...I DO believe in "the village" and act on it..I think, unfortunatly, that it is a bias against men, that made that happen. Too bad there are so many sick twists out their spoiling it for the majority.

Melin--thanks for making the point about the housing in Ca. in the 80's...clearly, it didn't sink in since no one acknowledged it. Point being...you folks are talking about discrimination here. Be very, very, careful...someone might decide (like me!!!)that people who scream and cuss and think it's funny should be banned from "disposable income" places. How about people who "don't hate kids or any thing" but in the next breath call them "little bastards" or compare a crying child to a "giant fart"? Or how about those parents we all love who scream and swear at their children, or, as some of you have mentioned, those very entertaining people that talk to loudly at the movie and to each other. I LOVE to go anywhere and get to here the ringing of a telephone. (Do ya think I might be at the movies to escape reality for just 2 hours?)If it is so critical to speak to someone at that moment...get a pager. (I'm not sure why these bother anyone...don't most of them just vibrate or hum?) And I love going to a nice restaurant, (as well as McD's) and have young adults cussing and pushing and generally being loud enough to enchant the entire place. (pardon me..I know not all young people and I know not only young people...this is USUALLY who is guilty) I could go on and on with the things that offend, interrupt and anger me in public places. Personally, it has always been my belief that these people do these things because no one ever taught them that it was offensive and rude. We don't need to BAN anyone from anywhere. We need to ALL become more responsible.
My boys are 21 and 23. I took parenthood seriously. I was fortunate enough to have a working husband. (WE opted for me to give up my sales job for my parenting job)That meant, we both had to give up lots of "goodies" because we couldn't afford to continue to live like 2 people anymore (or, for that matter, 1 single person). It was a chosen SACRIFICE, along with everything else. We CHOSE to actually raise and teach our children. I used the "steps" that someone mentioned earlier, gradually working my kids up to fine dining, etc. Did I say gradually? When they were 8 and 9 their grandparents visited Ca. for the 1st time. We went to Alioto's on the wharf. (In San Francisco). Grandpa was treating so he told the boys to order anything they wanted. My 8 year old ordered lobster and my 9 year old ordered thresher shark. The waiter burst into laughter, immediately announced it to all neighboring tables, who also joined the laughter. My children were given many "atta boys", head taps, smiles and 1 table even bought them sodas (with my permission). What's this? A moment of shared joy, in a nice restaurant, among 15 - 20 total strangers? And it was prompted by CHILDREN? Now I know what you're going to say...you're talking about the little messy, screamy, yucky ones (although, trust me, there's not much yuckier than a 9 year old boy!) How do you suppose two boys, at this tender age, found themselves in this situation? IT WASN'T THEIR FIRST TRIP, BY A LONG SHOT!!
My explanation? I took parenting responsibly and seriously, and I was consistent. When my boys were 1 and 2 and 3, etc. and they misbehaved, at home, in public or at Grandma's house...they were corrected. Be it their 1st tantrum or they're 30th (in reality we didn't do tantrums for very long...don't letem win mom's...it works) the punishment was the same...even if it was the 30th time in 2 hours.

Children are a gift( as well as EVERYONES future), unfortunately, perhaps some of were not appreciated when you were their, cuz kids sure seem to get u goin'. We need to get back some compassion, sense of community and just plain common sense.

P.S. I have been in plenty of situations (McD's, Chuck E. Cheese, movies, etc.) where my young children have been scared into crying, by some big person (you pick...15-50) being extremely loud, roughhousing, cussing...or, my favorite, getting in some other parents face and, very angrly demanding that they "Shut that kid the f...up", or some variation thereof. You intolerant, dispassionate, so on the edge, people make me want to cry and scream and tantrum uncontrollably. Of course, I don't, because, you have your rights.

Rowan
I was referring to your earlier post about the child with the chewing gum...sorry for confusion

[[Rowan..I'm sorry that happened to you...I DO believe in "the village" and act on it..I think, unfortunatly, that it is a bias against men, that made that happen. Too bad there are so many sick twists out their spoiling it for the majority.]]

Yeah, I got what you were referring to. I should also let you know, for your consideration, that I am a chick.


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--Rowan
Shopping is still cheaper than therapy. --my Aunt Franny

Rowan

OOPS!! That's what I get for ass-u-me-ing. My apologies. I'm still sorry that happened to you..I have, on occasion, received the fearful looks and quick protection..understandable, but also, so sad.

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"Man, the 60's must have been real good for you!"
George Carlin..."Outrageous Fortune"

"Toto, I don't think we're in Kansas anymore"
Dorothy..."The Wizard of Oz"

[OpalCat]

Wow, same EXACT thing happened to me at "The Phantom Menace". Except this time the movies was at 7 pm. Now, i have no problems with parents bringing children to movies, but it started when children under 6 should be in bed (My parents mad us go to bed around 8). The woman who brought her kid to the Phantom menace did absolutely nothing to keep this kid from running up and down the aisles of the theater. She also didnt really apologize to the people the kid ran into. Also it was bad because "The Phantom Menace" is NOT a movie you should be bringing small children to.

Well gosh, thanks for telling me how to raise my child! In bed by 8, you say? :::wetting pencil::: Ok, so 9 hours later... that's... up at 5am? Great. That is about the time I'm going to bed. Not everyone lives on your happy day schedule, you know. My son goes to school 2 days a week, before you jump on the "he won't be able to adapt!" thing, and he does just FINE getting up for school at 7am.

Now about the Phantom Menace... my son is 3 1/2 years old. We've taken him to see TPM 3 times. He loved it. He didn't run up and down the aisles (do kids actually DO that?? I've never seen it but I'll take your word) nor did he talk or scream or cry. A few times he whispered to me to let me know who the "bad guys" were, but he was very quiet.

We also take him to restaurants, and have since he was tiny. On the VERY few occassions when he got upset, one of us would take him outside or into the restroom til he calmed down. My son has NEVER run around in a restaurant, nor grabbed food, nor thrown food etc. The worst thing he does is say "hi, I'm Nicky. That's my mommy, and that's my daddy" to the people sitting at the next table. We tell him to turn around and he does and everything is fine.

I don't agree that people should let their children terrorize public places, but to say that people shouldn't bring their kids at all is a bit harsh. Yes, Nicky is my little darling, but he has also never done the things that you people seem to think are inevitable.

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&gt;^,,^&lt;
"Cluemobile? You've got a pickup..."
OpalCat's site: http://fathom.org/opalcat
The Teeming Millions Homepage: fathom.org/teemingmillions (http://fathom.org/teemingmillions)

[OpalCat]

incidentally, the first time we took Nicky to see Star Wars, we took him to a matinee. After that, and we knew he could deal with it, and that it wasn't too loud or too scary, we took him to evening shows.

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&gt;^,,^&lt;
"Cluemobile? You've got a pickup..."
OpalCat's site: http://fathom.org/opalcat
The Teeming Millions Homepage: fathom.org/teemingmillions (http://fathom.org/teemingmillions)

OpalCat, you happen to be a good mother with a well-behaved child. But surely you can appreciate how infuriating it is to be seated near inconsiderate parents of hellish children? I was at a nice (-ish) restaurant last month and both children of a nearby couple shrieked throughout the meal. Neither parent did anything to shut the brats up, and the management did not request the children be taken outside for a Time Out, in respect to the other 100-something patrons. I managed to get through the meal without drop-kicking either child, but you can bet I will never go back to that place again.

So yes, if you have well-mannered children, take 'em anywhere, or have the grace to scoot off with them, if need be. But DON'T impose a shrieking, out-of-control brat on the general populace!

[OpalCat]

Reread my last paragraph-the one where I agreed with you? My point was that saying that *all* parents should keep *all* children away from theaters and restaurants was taking things too far, when it is just parents who don't control their children, or who have ill behaved children who should keep their children home.

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&gt;^,,^&lt;
"Cluemobile? You've got a pickup..."
OpalCat's site: http://fathom.org/opalcat
The Teeming Millions Homepage: fathom.org/teemingmillions (http://fathom.org/teemingmillions)

[Gr8Kat]

The only time I can recall actually getting pissed off at a fellow movie-goer was at Independence Day. The man behind us had to let everyone know how smart and culturally aware he was by pointing out every famous person on the screen and what they'd last starred in. Umm... duh? Ok, the only time I appreciated his "assistance" was when Brent Spiner appeared on the screen, and I knew he looked familiar but couldn't place him. However, the auditorium was soon buzzing with, "Data! That's Data!" so he wasn't that much help ;)

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"I hope life isn't a big joke, because I don't get it," Jack Handy

[Shirley Ujest]

As a parent and a movie-a-holic, when my son was born, I knew my days of seeing flicks in the cinema were pretty much over. We still go, though not as often as the once a week treat that we use to, but I will never drag my son to a non-child related film. In fact, I cringe taking him to a Disney-esque flick until well after 7 or 8 because of how other kids misbehave in the show.

I use to work by a dollar theater and hit it after work. Some times three movies a night. The midnight movie always was packed with families and kids. Just stay the hell home and wait for the damn video.

As for restaurants, if a child has a melt down or unruly behavior, the annoying child should be taken from the place (the the car or outside) until they calm down. If they don't, the family eats with out them and the other parent gets a doggy bag. Sorry, but when you have kids, it can be a bitch to finish a meal.

I grew up with a large family. My mom, Aunt and Uncle would treat all of their combined 11 children ( Can you say Catholic?) out to a restaurant. We were never unruly and never running around. Even after a couple Shirley Temples :) we were never hooligans. We were simply raised that in public we must behave ourselves. At home we could cut loose (more or less.) When we were littler, we were given our own booth at restaurants and if we misbehaved, an adult sat with us the rest of a meal as punishment. And if it was my Mother, godforbid, it was a hellish meal of silence and no elbows on the table.


As for planes, I once voluntarily gave up my seat in the back of a plane so a suffering businessman did not have to sit next to a screaming infant for an 8 hour international flight back home. The child cried the entire time. Not entirely because of the altitude, but because it was a Romanian orphan being taken back to the US for adoption. Can you imagine the seperation anxiety this child was going through? I knew what I was getting into ( the child was very dark complexion and dark hair and eyes and the woman was paler than Gwyeth Paltrow. I actually won a bet with my hubby that the baby was a future adoptee.) You know what, I didn't mind. I can tune out a screaming infant in a situation like that. Some people can't.

Infants and toddlers will cry on a plane because it's scary and the pressure. Nursing and bottles and medication will help during this time. My pediatrician medicates all his kids for flights. It's the older kids that should be put in dog cages in cargo. You know the ones that run amok for the entire flight. I don't mind and completely understand a child needing to stretch their legs, but for an entire flight running up and down the aisle, disrupting service and the peace is grounds for walking the plank, in my opinion.

I was on another 8 hour flight back to Detroit and there were over 20 unaccompanied minors on board acting like ferrets on crack. The airline crew could not kept them under control and after being jostled and hit by a running midget terrorist for three hours, I rose from my seat and went for the biggest kid of the bunch. I calmly stated that it was her job to keep the rest of the kids in line ( they were all military brats and all knew each other) and to keep them in their seats for the rest of the flight or the police would arrest them the moment we landed. You know what, they were 1000 % better after that.

I apologize for the length, but this is a subject that touches us all. I've personally found that if a child is truly being a total snip in public and the parent is either wimping out or giving weak-ass threats, by getting down on a knee and talking to the kid in a nice voice and talk about a "situation just like this" when " I was a little bit younger than you" and "how my parents took me out of the store/restaurant/whatever" because "that kind of behavior was not allowed." and " boy, I was embarrassed and I never did it again." If any thing, it shuts the offender up for a moment. I've never had a parent yell at me either. ( FTR, my mom says I never pitched fits in public places or caused problems. What I did do that caused her to call the cops in several times was disappear without a sound in stores. One minute I would be there, the next second POOF, I was gone. Half the time she found me sitting on the mechanical pony waiting for a penny or playing under a rack of clothes. Once in Mexico they lost me for 3 hours. If it had been the 90's, I'm sure my face would grace the back of a milk box for sure.)

[Shirley Ujest]

Looks like I killed another thread through my ramblings. :)

HOWEVER, I'd like to add something, if you eat out or attend a movie and notice that a child is well behaved, compliment the child and the parents. The kid won't care but the exhausted parents will be grateful.

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People change not because they see the light but because they feel the heat.

[Prairie Rose]

Arrrrgh!!!!! I just had the worst experience at the theatre last night! My husband and I went to see a movie last night, and there were three infants in the theatre. My husband and I haven't been out since our son was born (7 weeks ago) and my mom wanted to babysit. Guess these jerks either weren't lucky enough to have a nearby relative, or just too damn lazy to find a sitter.

Then there was the toddler behind me. Yelling, running up and down the aisles, all the while her dipshit parents are acting like they don't know her. The kid even climbed into my lap and ate my popcorn for gosh's sake!!!! (I allowed it only because it shut the kid up and it kept me from eating too much popcorn.) I blew up at the parents when the little monster began running down the aisles *barking*. I think I really have to draw the line at goddamn barking, right? The parents looked told me to relax and and asked me if I had kids. When I said yes, they told me this is what I had to expect later on!!!

I told them in no uncertain terms that my kidn wouldn't be doing that since I'm polite enough to leave him at home (even if it means seeing two movies a year). I then got the manager and he asked them to leave.

The problem is, I missed most of the movie due to this whole mess, and heaven knows when I'll be able to see it now. I'll probably just wait for it to come out onto video.

Prairie (people are such fucking jerks) Rose

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If you're not part of the solution you're just scumming up the bottom of the beaker.

[glee]

I think there's a significant difference between parents who make an effort (train their children, apologise, take them out etc.) and those who don't.
Once I took my nephews to the cinema and we got there early - the place is empty. They asked if they could run up and down the aisles till the next person arrived. Sure! Then they sat thru the whole performance like angels.
I take kids on School trips. I explain about manners and social behaviour. They know that I will give one warning only, then call their parents, and arrange for the kid to go home.
Children need to know the rules and why they exist. Ask them 'how would you like it if someone else did that to you?'
And I really enjoy an adult muttering thanks to me because the kids I'm responsible for behaved well.
There's a thought - parents are responsible for their kids!

I have the solution!!! Yes!!

It is very human for babies to cry; very human for people to talk at social gatherings , like a visit to a theatre ; very human to fart, belch, pee on roads in Japan, etc.

Therefore , we must ban all you inferior human types from all public places. All of you stay home, dammit!

This means that only Unca Cecil and I will be in the theatre at any time. Cecil, I volunteer to run the projector.

That idea doesn't work, does it? <sigh> Another good idea shot to shit. Well , you'll all just have to learn to get along & be sociable.

Regarding breast feeding: I don't object---I just sit back & enjoy the view. Just like the Classic Cat Showbar, but no covercharge.

Juuuussssstttt kidding!

[Neenah]

Breastfeeding in public doesn't bother me at all. Hey, if you wanna hang it out there for me, Harry, Joe, Pete, and everyone else in Walmart, feel free! But if you can't control your kids in restaurants, theatres, or airplanes, please stay home if at all possible. Your child's freedom to fly ends when he crawls over the back of my seat and starts munching on my hair. Especially when he adds his own seasonings. Likewise, his right to fine dining are over when his fries land in my coffee, when he is crawling under my table, and when he snatches something off my plate to use in his brilliant window art. I'm a step-parent, and when we are in public as a family, I require reasonably decent, civilized behaviour, and I expect the same courtesy from other families with children. Is this really so outrageous?

Neenah

[Zulu]

I've moved on from being a disability education teacher to a social awareness issue teacher. Currently, multiculturalism. We perform puppet shows with these large, colourful puppets. They're about 3 feet tall. The puppeteers dress head to toe in black, and stand against a black backdrop, so we blend in. Our stage is just a table with a black banner on the front that has our name spelled out in bright letters.

We were performing a show at a festival in a town near us. They put us in a restaurant that was closed for the day. A little girl, just learning to walk, liked our bright letters. She came up and started tugging on the banner, in the middle of the show. The parents tried to take her away, but she started screaming. So, they just let her go. She was trying to pull our stage apart, and babbling away. This got the rest of the kids (about 30 of them) going. The other parents kept their kids quiet, and one person took their kid outside.

Why couldn't the parents of the brat follow their lead, instead of ruining the show for everyone??

[Byzantine]

I have never seen nor read such words of vitriol, anger and rage. I'm stunned! It seems to me, and let's just get this out right at the start, IMHO a lot of you seem to take it personally when a child acts up in public. Not that this kid is just being a kid but that somehow they are fucking with you on a personal level. Wow! Let us just back up a moment. We are talking about children!

Children really DON'T know any better. They are not trying to ruin your date, your movie, your life. They are kids! They do nothing out of anger as some of you have suggested or hinted at. Kids act out, they vocalize, they react. I'm not saying "Gee go ahead, it's only natural" but come on, they are children and we've all been there.

We do and say things as children that we would never do as adults. Sure, blame the parents, wrap some control on that child but if you saw someone whack their child for being a child wouldn't you be even more angry? I know I would.

No, I don't want parents to let their children run rampant but I don't want them to beat or verbally abuse the child into submission either. I've rarely run across a parent that didn't realize their child was causing a problem. Usually they (one of the parents) removes them. I have never seen a blatant disregard for others as some of you suggest.

I don't have children myself but I have nephews, nieces and I myself have been the one to remove them when it was necessary. Sure, there are those buttheads who don't have a clue but I think most parents know and do their best. Jesus, folks, lets cut each other a little slack and try to understand.

I like the part in "Parenthood" where he feels he's on the rollercoaster and realizes that it's okay. That's life. Rock and roll!

And BTW RTA I would have bust out laughing if someone did that during a movie. I like the interaction of a theater. But again, that's just me and as always this is just IMHO.




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The moon looks on many flowers, the flowers on but one moon.

[pldennison]

Hey, Byzantine, here's a pretty simple set of steps you might be able to follow:

1) Moviegoers gather to enjoy movie.
2) Wailing/misbehaving child interrupts moviegoing experience.
3a) Asshole parents allow child to wail in theater for 90 minutes.
3b) Courteous parents remove child from theater, allowing remainder of paying customers to enjoy movie.

Get it yet? Also, a theater is not for "interaction"; it's for watching a movie. Any comments you or anyone else may have to make to the screen are not worth my $8.00, or any other amount. If they were, you'd be on the screen rather than in a seat, wouldn't you?

[Brother Haus]

Soooooo, what all of you who are for quiet movie theaters are saying is, 'When you go to a movie theatre PLEASE SHUT THE HELL UP'. 'Silence, silence, SILENCE!!!'

Aren't there any exceptions like funny movies or movies that scare the SHIT out of someone? G-I-V-E * M-E * A * F-U-C-K-I-N-G * B-R-E-A-K * !

If my wife allowed me to go to a movie by myself and one of you gave me shit, I would Stomp a mud-hole in your ASS.

=Brother Haus says: You're Pathetic Whiners!=

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I am not weird, I'm just normle challenged.

[Nickrz]

Ah, shaddap.
Adults who talk in movie theatres should be taken out and shot, too.

[pldennison]

Brother Haus, way to fucking read the very first goddamned post in the thread written by me, in which I quite succinctly said:

People of the world: Please shut the hell up when you're at the movies!! Shut up!!!!!!!
If you want to react to the movie, and laugh, and gasp, and scream, great, but
otherwise, shut up!!!!!!! I did not pay a $5 matinee price or $8 full price to hear you
chat with your date, or yell commments at the screen. This is not your living room. If
you feel that compelled to talk during movies, what for the fucking home video release

Read the bolded sentence again, and again, and again, until it sinks into your feeble-ass brain, OK?

Laugh, cry, gasp, scream, whatever. Movies are supposed to solicit emotional responses. Cellphone conversations, constant talking at full voice, shouted comments at the screen, constant disruption? I'm gonna get your ass thrown out of the theater. And I'm gonna get my money back. Got it?

If you think you're that fucking talented and important and fun to listen to, go to Hollywood and get an agent and a screen test, and I promise that whenever you hit my local theater, I'll pay full price to see you. Otherwise, shut the fuck up.

[Sealemon88]

Hey everybody...


My main pet peeves when I go to the movies...

1. The parents who let their children scream throughout the movie....I have to agree with most of the posts here...it is very easy to take your child outside if he/she gets unruly.

2. On a related note, why do parents insist on taking their children to movies that are rated "R"? I went to see Species II (ugh...very lame movie)...A women brought about 4 children to see this movie. What was she thinking? The whole time, I was feeling sorry for what these kids were going through (Bet the little tykes really loved the "Alien explodes from the pregnant mother's stomach and kills the guy she just had sex with" scene). I'm sorry, but there are some movies you shouldn't bring a child to see..that's why we have a ratings system.

2. CELLPHONES. What tha hell, you are soooo important you can't turn the damn thing off for two hours? If that isn't the most obnoxious behavior I've ever seen from an adult...AND IT'S HAPPENING MORE OFTEN!!! Try watching a thriller like Sixth Sense with these musical rings going off constantly.

3. Thankfully the laser pointer thing has died down. I was all in favor of flogging for this one.

Cool...I got to rant!!! Thanks for reading this, y'all.

[Brother Haus]

pldennison: Well, well, well, now I get the feeling of who you really are. Your personal attack on me shows how well you pay attention to my (and other people's) postings.

Obviously you, PLDENNISON, did not grasp the reality of my post.

What the meaning of the post was, (in terms that jackasses like yourself can understand), is that, people may and sometimes do gasp, scream, and laugh at movies shown to them in the public. But, they also make comments like, "Holy Heck, that scared the stuffings out of me!", and "Wow-zers, that was so funny, it almost made me dump a load of stuffings in my shorts!" Are those comments acceptable with you, or would you just like me to, "SHUT UP, SHUT UP, SHUT UP?!

=Brother Haus says: "It sure didn't take someone to long to shoot out the 'Light Bulb' from atop your dick-head."=

It's, exactly, people like you that makes me wish we had Population-Control. Why don't you write your congressperson to let them know you are in favor of eliminating the 1st amendment. Or better yet, don't go to movies. Just stay home and talk to yourself, because nobody cares about listening to you anyways.

I wasn't directing my comments to you in my earlier post anyhow.

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Confusious Say:
-Man who stand on toilet,
Is high on pot-

[pldennison]

Brother Haus, this is, you'll notice, a forum called the "BBQ Pit." It is designed for flaming. If you can't handle it, get the fuck out.

Second of all, only a complete fucking ignoramus cocksucker would mention the 1st Amendment in regards to a topic having absolutely nothing to do with government action. Do you honestly think the 1st Amendment has anything to do with movie theaterd making sure that all their patrons, and not just the unable-to-behave-in-public loudmouth fuckheads, get to enjoy the movie? If you do, you are so stupid you shouldn't even be permitted to post. Please, in your reply, address specifically what the 1st Amendment has to do with the topic. I'm eager to know.

What's the matter--you don't think everyone else's movie dollar is as valuable as yours? Only you should be allowed to enjoy the movie? You think people who know how to behave in a public forum should be punished, while those who can't properly contain themselves should be rewarded? We have a word for people like that: "Asshole."

Fact is, you got caught debating a point that was moot, because nobody and said people should sit at the movies in absolute silence, and now you're pissed off and indignant because you got nailed. Everybody, let's have a pity party for Haus on three. Ready?

One, two, three! "Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww."

You sit and talk like that behind me or in front of me at a movie I paid to see, you'll be leaving early, one way or another. Got it?

[pldennison]

Oh, incidentally, Brother Haus (And what's with referring to yourself in the third person? That's generally the hallmark of a complete jerkoff.), every theater I've ever attended runs a short piece before the film asking people to turn off cellphones, pagers and watch alarms, and asks guests to refrain from unnecessary conversation. Do you go whine to the theater owners after you see that request that they're *snicker* abridging your 1st Amendment rights? I'll bet you don't.

[Persephone]

I'm not going to flame any posters here, but I've gotta throw in my two cents now. I've got a 2 year old. She's been to a movie exactly once. It was a drive in, and she was about 6 months old. I know my child, and I know what she will and will not do. I know her levels of tolerance. I know that she is capable of sitting still, but not for two hours in a movie theater. Fine dining? No way. Not yet.

As an adult who didn't used to have kids, I know how annoyed I'd get at the parents who let their kids go crazy (I don't blame the kids, really, unless they are obviously old enough to know better). I swore that if I ever had kids, they'd never behave like that. Well, kids do, and I found out quickly that it's MY job to stop the behavior or remove the kid. So that's what I try really, really hard to do now. If I can't find a sitter, I don't go to the movies. When I grocery shop, my daughter either a) stays at home with dad or b) all three of us go, so that way if she gets rowdy & uncontrollable, one of us can take her to the car while the other finishes the shopping.

I understand that not all situations are avoidable, though, but when you CAN avoid a bad situation, you should. I (and most of the rest of us) really can tell when another parent is really trying to keep a kid in line, and those folks don't upset me at all. It's the ones that don't even try that bug me.

[Brother Haus]

complete fucking ignoramus cocksucker-written by pldennison
GEEZ!, I suck cock one time...

I do understand what the BBQ Pit is and stands for. That is why I added a post into your topic. If you didn't notice, my first post in this topic did not mention your name or anybody elses. For some reason, you decided to personally attack what I had written, in my first post. I will always believe that makes a person like you a-complete jerkoff-so go ahead and keep it up. Your every statement will always remind me of who you really are.

Brother Haus' flaming to 'people who want silence in movie theaters' (which obviously did not include you because I have read your postings):G-I-V-E * M-E * A * F-U-C-K-I-N-G * B-R-E-A-K * ! -and- You're Pathetic Whiners! =All from my first post=These had nothing to do with you. If they did, I would have written your name in my first post. =Got your brain out of your ass NOW?!= (NOT LIKELY)

You flaming me for some off-the-wall reason: (your quotes about my first post)"Read the bolded sentence again, and again, and again, until it sinks into your feeble-ass brain, OK?" -and- "If you think you're that fucking talented and important and fun to listen to, go to Hollywood" -and- "Otherwise, shut the fuck up."Maybe I'm "assuming" this, but, it appears you like to tell me what to do. So go tell it to the mountain, because it's falling upon deaf ears here.

Not once did I flame you, until you started the flaming (your possible response to this: Oh boo :( hoo :(, Mommy he started it. Waaahh, waaahh, waaahh.). Why is this?

pldennison writes:Do you honestly think the 1st Amendment has anything to do with movie theaterd making sure that all their patrons, and not just the unable-to-behave-in-public loudmouth fuckheads, get to enjoy the movie? If you do, you are so stupid you shouldn't even be permitted to post. Please, in your reply, address specifically what the 1st Amendment has to do with the topic. I'm eager to know.Somehow you pulled some brain-power together to ask this question. Somewhere in the 1st amendment it mentions what people like me hold dear, and that is "free speech." It means people are allowed to "speak freely." Which, it appears, you like to do; so do I. I regretfully admit, you probably won't understand this, because you haven't understood me far.

My mentioning of the 1st amendment had to do with what you had written about my first post. Your, OP, had nothing to do with "breast feeding" in public, but you let that one slip by, didn't you? Or is that accepted by "your rules" of all postings?

pldennison writes:What's the matter--you don't think everyone else's movie dollar is as valuable as yours? Only you should be allowed to enjoy the movie? You think people who know how to behave in a public forum should be punished, while those who can't properly contain themselves should be rewarded? We have a word for people like that: "Asshole."Well, all you had to do was ask. Only an idiot would think this, which I never proclaimed I was. As a matter of fact, I have learned how to ignore people that cannot handle themselves in a "public forum." I will either, move to a different section, talk louder than they do (for effect), or force myself into the conversation. These have worked for me. But, you will never catch me "whining" to anybody, except for my wife. So, if it gives you pleasure to call someone like me an "asshole", go ahead. Your pitiful life, and observences on it, will never mean anything to me. GOT IT?Fact is, you got caught debating a point that was moot, because nobody and said people should sit at the movies in absolute silence, and now you're pissed off and indignant because you got nailed. Everybody, let's have a pity party for Haus on three. Ready?

One, two, three! "Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww."Well, FYI, someone did write, in the form of a question, about going to a movie theatre and having complete silence. So, as soon you are done cussing people out and telling them how they should live the way you do, re-read the thread and find it. Did this person mean what he posted? I doubt it. But that won't be good enough for you, will it?

I have a word for jackasses who, can't-take-things-with-a-grain-of-salt, and that is, CRACK-WHORE.

I do like the "pity party" sketch though. I admit, you are good at telling people off. But, so am I. I'll never win, and neither will you. I'm as good as you, and you are as good as me. If you feel the need to keep this up with me, fine. I'm all game. Let's party.

I never wrote anything about pagers, cellphones, or unnecessary conversations in any of my post, but since you want to know...
I already addressed what I do about about those who want to talk, I don't like beepers or paging devices, and I have never liked cellphones. I just disregard these people as idiots and laugh at them whenever I get the chance. By the way, I'm one of those people who say, "HELLO?", when someone's phone or beeper goes off in the theatre. Is this response one of those things that severely pisses you off in the theatre? Relax, smoke a joint and laugh at other people like I do (just a little advice that works for me).

I was just wondering, were you dropped, many times, on your head as a young child?




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Confusious Say:
-Man who stand on toilet,
Is high on pot-

[Brother Haus]

Just a reminder, pldennison. Pretend that I'm actually talking to you like a sensible person. For example: "Welcome to (whatever fast food restaurant), may I take your order." It seems to me, by some of your responses, that you think people are yelling at you.

Rarely am I ever serious, but when I am, I'll let you know then.

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Confusious Say:
-Man who stand on toilet,
Is high on pot-

[AuraSeer]

Brother Haus wrote:
Somewhere in the 1st amendment it mentions what people like me hold dear, and that is "free speech." It means people are allowed to "speak freely."

Sorry, no.

The First Amendment says that the government cannot restrict a person's right to speak freely. It is perfectly legal for a citizen or business to regulate speech and expression on private property.

And now that I've corrected this common misconception, you kids can feel free to continue yelling and screaming.

[pldennison]

Now that we've established that Brother Haus does not know what the 1st Amendment is, and cannot make the necessary and logical distinction between government action and action by private entities, we can safely ignore his opinion on pretty much anything, as he is obviously ill-informed. (Here's a clue: Non-government entities like movie theaters and the Straight Dope can prevent you from talking whenever they like.)

[Brother Haus]

Obviously, I cannot bullshit someone someone smarter than I am. I was called out; and was trying to bullshit my way out of it. From now on I will agree that the assholes and idiots of the world must be stopped. I'm not sure why you, *pldennison*, took offense to my first post. Possibly because it followed one of your post?

Perhaps, I should've written my first post, with the intention, going to those people I have encountered that have asked me, "What are you laughing at?". I laugh at many parts of movies other's don't. And not a fill-the-room-laugh, just a regular laugh. I guess people take offense to that, and I'll never figure out why.

If you, pldennison, are one of those people that get pissed off about people like me, I'm sorry. I've learned to laugh at people who say things to me about my enjoyment of movies. They are the one's who I was writing about. I don't see how you thought I was opposing you? Unless you tell me.

pldennison writes:(Here's a clue: Non-government entities like movie theaters and the Straight Dope can prevent you from talking whenever they like.)I've never had to deal with any situations like this. Nor am I ever going too. But, employees of a movie theatre cannot stop people from talking. The extreme measure would be to call the law enforcement, and have them remove the person(s) who are disturbing the people who are following the theater's policies. And I am in favor of that.

I'm not looking for the SDMB's moderators to ban me from posting, but how can they stop someone? There's always another e-mail address and screen name. And that person can give off another "personality" in their writings. The only way I can think of being banned from posting, is if the SDMB does not exist. Maybe there is another way to be banned, but I would never attempt it.

All in all, trying to bullshit someone smarter than I won't work. Thanks for bringing that to my attention. I am humbled (though I don't like to admit it).

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Confusious Say:
-Man who stand on toilet,
Is high on pot-

[AuraSeer]

The SDMB may not be able to permanently ban you, personally, from speaking. However, the moderators can delete your individual posts, close or remove threads, and generally censor every piece of text that goes up on this site.

So if you were to post something that crossed their line, it would be edited or removed. If you got really obnoxious, they might lock/ban the name Brother Haus. If you then made up ten new usernames and continued to post obnoxious stuff, they would treat you as ten new people, and give each one the benefit of the doubt before locking it. (That is of course if you were skillful enough to make people believe that ten new people were posting. If they decided that it was probably the same disgruntled you behind it all, they'd just lock all the new usernames and wait for you to get bored.)

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Of course I don't fit in; I'm part of a better puzzle.

[Lynn Bodoni]

{{I've never had to deal with any situations like this. Nor am I ever going too. But, employees of a movie theatre cannot stop people from talking. The extreme measure would be to call the law enforcement, and have them remove the person(s) who are disturbing the people who are following the theater's policies. And I am in favor of that. }} (in reference to people talking in theaters)

Actually, the theater can and will eject persistent talkers, if you can find an usher or manager to do this. Of course, you've missed half of the movie by this time, but you've made your point. And quite possibly embarrassed the talkers.

I used to work in a theater, about a decade ago. One of the usher's jobs is to occasionally stroll into each theater and look for people smoking, talking, selling dope, whatever. The usher is also supposed to check to see that the audio and video are running correctly. However, given that most ushers are teenagers earning minimum wage, this rarely happens.



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Lynn the Packrat

[pldennison]

And I apologize for flying off the handle at you, Brother H. Many of my remarks were uncalled for, even for the BBQ Pit.

[Brother Haus]

Online Handshake: I also apologize, and accept yours.

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Confusious Say:
-Man who stand on toilet,
Is high on pot-

[Byzantine]

Dear PL

I love you anyway!

Big kisses and hugs all around!

Oh sure, sugar, we don't agree, but I love you just the same...

My post still stands, I know you don't agree but you know, that's the spice between you and me...

fire

it burns bright!

Seeing you in the flames,
Byz


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The moon looks on many flowers, the flowers on but one moon.