# And a bitchy New Year - January 2012 minirants **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 1, 2012, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-a-bitchy-new-year-january-2012-minirants/608003 "2012-01-01T02:05:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2012, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-a-bitchy-new-year-january-2012-minirants/608003/81 "2012-01-03T02:10:23Z")
> [@flatlined](#): > > You are in the frozen wasteland. They are using the trees for firewood. This is a common problem in Phx as well.\ Those little baby trees wouldn’t have made much of a fire. I had an eye-opening retail experience years ago - I was dressed up really nicely for work (I probably had a job interview on lunch or something), and I went shopping while dressed up. I couldn’t believe the different level of service I got from my usual clean, well-groomed, but not fancy self. I agree that it shouldn’t be that way, but it is. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2012, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-a-bitchy-new-year-january-2012-minirants/608003/82 "2012-01-03T02:40:36Z")
> [@flatlined](#): > > You are in the frozen wasteland. They are using the trees for firewood. This is a common problem in Phx as well. > > Someone I work with liked to buy live Christmas trees and then plant them as a windbreak. She was horrified to get home a week before Christmas and see that all of her trees were cut down. She lives in the city. I can understand how this could have happened to me, but how could a crowded block full of people not notice pickups and chain saws in someone’s yard? They make a screamingly bright orange spraypaint that is water soluble for marking stuff. You paint your trees with random stripes and they cant sell them [unless they figure it is water soluble] I have a friend with a tree farm. They finally gave up and added a double row of fences around the perimeter of their farm and run dogs in it. ---
**Author:** ![armedmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@armedmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armedmonkey)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2012, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-a-bitchy-new-year-january-2012-minirants/608003/83 "2012-01-03T02:45:31Z")
My Goddamn dryer broke. It must have broken the belt, or at least slipped it, but I got wet clothes that can’t be dried now. Son of a fucking bitch. ---
**Author:** ![flatlined](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb9ed0/32.png) [@flatlined](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flatlined)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2012, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-a-bitchy-new-year-january-2012-minirants/608003/84 "2012-01-03T04:16:38Z")
> [@A Monkey With a Gun](#): > > My Goddamn dryer broke. It must have broken the belt, or at least slipped it, but I got wet clothes that can’t be dried now. Son of a fucking bitch. That just sucks. Hopes that the rest of the year is better because your’s is starting out really badly. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2012, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-a-bitchy-new-year-january-2012-minirants/608003/85 "2012-01-03T06:06:29Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > Amie, you suck. I have your name, address, and birthdate… [Moderating] That’s great, but we really don’t need it here. Please don’t post the full names and addresses of other people to the Dope without their permission. Even if they really, really deserve it. No warning issued. [/Moderating] ---
**Author:** ![Lacunae\_Matata](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8491ac/32.png) [@Lacunae\_Matata](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lacunae_Matata)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2012, 7:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-a-bitchy-new-year-january-2012-minirants/608003/86 "2012-01-03T07:41:31Z")
(Quoting myself from last month’s mini rants, just for background.) > [@And here's your Dec. rants thread - Merry Christbitchmas!](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-heres-your-dec-rants-thread-merry-christbitchmas/604693/593): > > After less than three weeks under hospice care, my husband’s grandfather died last night. We’ll be heading that direction for visitation and funeral when we know what the arrangements are… probably Monday viewing & Tuesday services. And then the games will begin, with Tony’s dad playing the role of a Hatfield, and his uncle portraying a McCoy, and several other family members taking their cues from the classic “Tobacco Road.” I’m dreading the drama. (These are people who, the night of their mother’s funeral, actually counted and divided the contents of the lady’s change purse, because they’re so concerned that one might actually get a nickel more than the other!) > > I intend to play two roles at these functions: help keep Tony sane by keeping his stepmom as far from him as possible, and, if necessary, play the “I’m pregnant andand delicate and need you to get me out of here NOW” if things get too fraught. (Not that Tony won’t just walk away from the bullshit, but he’s entirely likely to tell each and every one of his paternal family members which asscheek they can kiss first… timely intervention may prevent that, at least.) Yep, the wake was tonight, and the funeral tomorrow, and my predictions were crazy accurate: Turns out that, even before granddad’s death, the Hatfields and McCoys were already at it. Last week, a drunken verbal altercation between Dumb and Dumber turned into Tony’s father being arrested for disorderly conduct… :smack: The funeral should be fun. (And I didn’t go, because the baby and I both have the mother of all colds and the weather just turned absolutely brutal. I wish now that I had gone to give Tony moral support, even though he’s the one who encouraged us to stay home and recuperate…) ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2012, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-a-bitchy-new-year-january-2012-minirants/608003/87 "2012-01-03T12:03:15Z")
> [@Flutterby](#): > > I’d appreciate being acknowledged while shopping. > > I know I’m a girl standing in the hunting/fishing section but you don’t just walk past me on a search for something for someone else, look me in the eye and raise your eyebrow. First rule of retail, acknowledge the customer even if it’s just to say ‘I’m helping this person, I’ll help you in a minute’ > > When he was done he came back and asked if I had been helped! No, of course not. I just stood here for ten minutes to look pretty while my boyfriend went to buy something. Fuck off, just unlock the cabinet for the knife I want and let me buy it and maybe I won’t stab you through the eye with it. I went to K-Mart to get a headlight in the auto parts section and was looking through the parts book that was chained to the shelf, trying to find the appropriate model for the make of my car. A big muscular biker type in the aisle tsk-tsked at the sight of the helpless female, took the book right out of my hands, and demanded to know what kind of car I had, HE would find the part FOR me! (I thought that was kind of cute, though, and thanked him very prettily in my natural little girl voice for his ‘much-needed’ assistance, LOL!) ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2012, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-a-bitchy-new-year-january-2012-minirants/608003/88 "2012-01-03T18:28:13Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > [Moderating] > That’s great, but we really don’t need it here. Please don’t post the full names and addresses of other people to the Dope without their permission. Even if they really, really deserve it. > > No warning issued. > [/Moderating] Well, poo. I thought she wanted everyone to know who she was and where she lived, since she included it with the garbage she tossed on the street. Okay, duly noted. ---
**Author:** ![smaje1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47774/32.png) [@smaje1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smaje1)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2012, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-a-bitchy-new-year-january-2012-minirants/608003/89 "2012-01-03T18:29:04Z")
Fuck you, Boys’ Club at work. Here I am, nice and rested and relaxed after a couple of weeks off, and I’m actually looking forward to returning to the office and seeing everyone. And there you all are, you fucking fuckers – holed up in my boss’s office because you’re all f\*\*k-buddies or something who can’t go 15 seconds without seeing each other. I am SICK of it. I am sick of Beardy McBearderton getting assigned the choice projects when I’m fucking sitting here with NOTHING TO DO. You are paying me to JUST SIT HERE AND BITCH ABOUT YOU ON THE INTERWEBZ, WHICH MAY GET ME FIRED ONE DAY BUT I AM SO FUCKING ANNOYED WITH YOU MEN THAT I DO NOT CARE. I understand that I work in a typically male-dominated industry, but this is getting ridiculous. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2012, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-a-bitchy-new-year-january-2012-minirants/608003/90 "2012-01-03T21:15:17Z")
Maybe if you grew a beard…? ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2012, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-a-bitchy-new-year-january-2012-minirants/608003/91 "2012-01-03T21:55:26Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > Those little baby trees wouldn’t have made much of a fire. > > I had an eye-opening retail experience years ago - I was dressed up really nicely for work (I probably had a job interview on lunch or something), and I went shopping while dressed up. I couldn’t believe the different level of service I got from my usual clean, well-groomed, but not fancy self. I agree that it shouldn’t be that way, but it is. When I go shopping in my dress up type work clothes, I have people asking me where to find things and have to inform them that I don’t work there. But, just to be fair, if I do happen to know the location of what they are looking for, I will tell them. ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2012, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-a-bitchy-new-year-january-2012-minirants/608003/92 "2012-01-03T22:06:06Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > Today I noticed that Yelp has filtered out the few reviews I’ve given because apparently I’m some fake review bot or some stupid bullshit. One newly opened restaurant I reviewed and gave a lengthy review with four stars. Some other person gave it one star with a review basically saying “This sucked”. So now the place comes up showing it as being worth one star unless you decide to look for the grayed out “show filtered reviews” link. Which doesn’t add any more stars to it, it just lets you read the review. > > So fuck you Yelp and your shitty algorithm and the waste of my time trying to contribute to your shitty site. Yelp did that to me at first, too— and it annoyed the shit out of me. I Googled around and found the answer is to build up your Yelp “friends” and “compliments.” So, if you’d like to PM me, I’d be more than happy to add you (as well as point you to the direction of other Doper Yelpers) so you can add us and we can shoot some compliments your way. It’s stupid, but it works-- after a handful of friends (like, 3) and a few compliments (again, 3), I was set to go. ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2012, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-a-bitchy-new-year-january-2012-minirants/608003/93 "2012-01-03T22:55:35Z")
One of the two sales execs I work with has been on leave since sept 1 which has cost me several thousand in incentive. I found out this morning that her leave is being extended 2 more months. I really don’t know what to do at this point. ---
**Author:** ![Catamount](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/catamount/32/2840_2.png) [@Catamount](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catamount)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2012, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-a-bitchy-new-year-january-2012-minirants/608003/94 "2012-01-03T23:53:19Z")
> [@Alice\_The\_Goon](#): > > I just started playing Words With Friends. I love words, love word games, love Scrabble, this is right down my aisle. However, why must so many people be illiterate fucking bastards that can only use 3-letter words?! That’s not fun! It limits the board to a very annoying and frustrating degree! Stop it! This is why I don’t play word games. I have an extensive vocabulary, but for some reason when I start playing Scrabble-type games my brain freezes up and I can only think of 3- or 4-letter words. Give me a real crossword puzzle any day. ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-a-bitchy-new-year-january-2012-minirants/608003/95 "2012-01-04T00:37:23Z")
Crap. My rice came out underdone. I NEVER undercook my rice, and yet, there it is, evidence. Crap. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-a-bitchy-new-year-january-2012-minirants/608003/96 "2012-01-04T01:35:46Z")
> [@Kimballkid](#): > > When I go shopping in my dress up type work clothes, I have people asking me where to find things and have to inform them that I don’t work there. But, just to be fair, if I do happen to know the location of what they are looking for, I will tell them. I get asked where stuff is in stores regardless of what I was wearing - my biggest WTF moment for that was when I was wearing my outside jacket and had my iPod headphones in. Seriously - I look like an employee like _this_? I think some of us just have employee-type looks (maybe I normally look bored and mildly annoyed 🙂 ). ---
**Author:** ![Filbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/filbert/32/3433_2.png) [@Filbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Filbert)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-a-bitchy-new-year-january-2012-minirants/608003/97 "2012-01-04T02:08:49Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > I get asked where stuff is in stores regardless of what I was wearing - my biggest WTF moment for that was when I was wearing my outside jacket and had my iPod headphones in. Seriously - I look like an employee like _this_? I think some of us just have employee-type looks (maybe I normally look bored and mildly annoyed 🙂 ). Ahh, I have that look- I once had someone come up to me at the zoo and start asking me questions about the design of the monkeys’ enclosure. I was 10. ---
**Author:** ![thirdwarning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecccb3/32.png) [@thirdwarning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thirdwarning)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-a-bitchy-new-year-january-2012-minirants/608003/98 "2012-01-04T03:08:01Z")
> [@SpazCat](#): > > This is why I don’t play word games. I have an extensive vocabulary, but for some reason when I start playing Scrabble-type games my brain freezes up and I can only think of 3- or 4-letter words. Give me a real crossword puzzle any day. Exactly this. I love games with words, puzzles with words, crosswords, etc. I hate Scrabble. And Jumbles. They make me feel like an idiot. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-a-bitchy-new-year-january-2012-minirants/608003/99 "2012-01-04T03:23:38Z")
I have the opposite experience. I have to throttle back on the use of my fairly large vocabulary or people will get jealous and complain that I won with “made-up” words. I still manage to beat them quite handily much of the time. Now if I were only a good anagrammer I’d be set. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-a-bitchy-new-year-january-2012-minirants/608003/100 "2012-01-04T04:18:14Z")
> [@smaje1](#): > > I am sick of Beardy McBearderton getting assigned the choice projects when I’m fucking sitting here with NOTHING TO DO. I had two bosses who would assign projects to “the boys” while I was busy counting the pixels on the screen. One of them would even berate me for “doing nothing”, when I was (and had proved to him that I was) several months ahead of schedule, whereas the guys who’d be getting projects assigned were behind and/or hadn’t completed a single duty in several years. By “a single duty” I don’t mean an actual project, you know, something with a minimal size and oomph: I mean Thatidiotkayvan wouldn’t even turn his registration in on time if he hadn’t had his slavish, no-self-respect gf to do it for him. If I ever become a boss and start doing that shit, I hope I have someone with the bollocks to give me a swift kick to the ass. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-a-bitchy-new-year-january-2012-minirants/608003.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-a-bitchy-new-year-january-2012-minirants/608003.md?page=6)