# April mini-rants. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 2, 2009, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/april-mini-rants/491743 "2009-04-02T19:15:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 10
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2009, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/april-mini-rants/491743/181 "2009-04-23T02:24:53Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > Not really, because what is it do you think the students are texting each other? > > ANSWR 2 QSTN1: HOMER > ANSWR 2 QSTN2: GILGAMEXH > LOL PROF IS SO STUPID!!! > > šŸ˜‰ Youā€™d think so, but Iā€™ve tried this in the past in smaller classes where I could map the results: 100% of the on-time students got the right answer, and 0% of the latecomers. I imagine in a larger class there will be a few leaks, but students are surprisingly and even scarily vehement about not wanting slackers to be rewarded in any way. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2009, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/april-mini-rants/491743/182 "2009-04-23T02:35:04Z")
> [@Dr.Drake](#): > > The professor. I do sometimes stop the class, depending on my mood. Right now, my battle is with the rampant tardiness in one of my other classes. About 50% of the class comes in between two and forty (!) minutes late. Iā€™ve started turning people away. Tomorrow, latecomers are going to have to sing ā€œtwinkle, twinkle, little star.ā€ Oh please, pleaseā€¦if that happens, can you YouTube it? NO, probably not due to potential legal issues. But I can dream canā€™t I? ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2009, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/april-mini-rants/491743/183 "2009-04-23T04:11:56Z")
> [@Dr.Drake](#): > > Youā€™d think so, but Iā€™ve tried this in the past in smaller classes where I could map the results: 100% of the on-time students got the right answer, and 0% of the latecomers. I imagine in a larger class there will be a few leaks, but students are surprisingly and even scarily vehement about not wanting slackers to be rewarded in any way. This seems to violate some statistical likelihood that at least a few of the latecomers would have enough of a handle on the course material to answer correctly without receiving prior inside information. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2009, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/april-mini-rants/491743/184 "2009-04-23T13:26:23Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > This seems to violate some statistical likelihood that at least a few of the latecomers would have enough of a handle on the course material to answer correctly without receiving prior inside information. It was a very small sample size (\< 12), but all I have to do is pull a question from the reading. Most of the students who do the reading also attend class on time. Itā€™s more of a psychological reward, anyway ā€” one question on an exam wonā€™t make or break anyoneā€™s grade, but I want those who are responsible to feel like theyā€™re being rewarded for it, and to know itā€™s appreciated. Note: I donā€™t mind students being late in the first week, or the odd day when someone discreetly comes in five or ten minutes late. But theyā€™re taking the piss, this group. ---
**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:** [April 23, 2009, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/april-mini-rants/491743/185 "2009-04-23T13:59:56Z")
This has been building up for a while and I have to rant about it now before I torch this whole lot of researcher forms. When you come to the archives to request material, we ask that you fill out a form with your name, address, and research topic. In order to get that material, you have to fill out a call slip with the number of the collection, the name of the collection, and your name. Itā€™s a lot of forms, I know, but we have to make sure we know whoā€™s pawing through this stuff because itā€™s all irreplaceable and in some cases very old. Now what would you think that the biggest problem people have with the forms is? Not filling them out, not the name or numbers of the collection (I can look that up if thereā€™s any confusion). It is with writing down your names. The words that people address you by. The name that you have had your entire life. The name that Iā€™m sure you write down several times in a week. Letā€™s lay down some guidelines on how to write your name. You should have had this in kindergarten, but sometimes people need a refresher course. HOW TO WRITE YOUR NAME ON A FORM 1. **LEGIBLY**. If your cursive looks like scrawl, print. If your print looks like scrawl, block letters. 2. Make sure the name on the researcher form is the same as the name on the call slip. If you write down John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt on the researcher form, but sign your call slip ā€œScruffyā€ I have no way of knowing who the hell you are when time comes to enter your call slip into the database. 3. Use the same signature every time. Donā€™t sign some of your call slips John Schmidt, others JJ Schmidt, others Scruffy, and still others Jingly Joe. Also, in this country we put our given names first and our family names last, so donā€™t go signing still other slips Schmidt Jingleheimer Jacob. 4. Have I mentioned that legible handwriting is a plus? It is a sad, sad day when the vast majority of college freshmen canā€™t even write their _names_ correctly. Unfortunately that sad day is today. ---
**Author:** ![Boggette](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/858c86/32.png) [@Boggette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boggette)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2009, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/april-mini-rants/491743/186 "2009-04-23T15:29:33Z")
Dear Fellow Driver, Get out of the fast lane. The speed limit here is 65 and youā€™re doing 50. Maybe you should do those scratch off tickets you bought after youā€™ve reached your destination. What are you driving with? Your dick? ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2009, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/april-mini-rants/491743/187 "2009-04-23T16:18:41Z")
> [@Dr.Drake](#): > > Youā€™d think so, but Iā€™ve tried this in the past in smaller classes where I could map the results: 100% of the on-time students got the right answer, and 0% of the latecomers. I imagine in a larger class there will be a few leaks, but students are surprisingly and even scarily vehement about not wanting slackers to be rewarded in any way. I suspect I would thoroughly enjoy being in one of your classes. So long as youā€™re not teaching something morally reprehensible. Like sociology or project management. ---
**Author:** ![Tortuga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c4cdca/32.png) [@Tortuga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tortuga)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2009, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/april-mini-rants/491743/188 "2009-04-23T18:42:20Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > To me, this says ā€œThe living person in front of me is NEVER as important as the random person on the other end of the phone line.ā€ YES. I hate this with such a passion. Especially if you can look around and see two other people working who are not engaged with customers ignoring the phone. I quit my last job over this, being the countermonkey who was supposed to ignore the line of customers who walked their asses in and were being polite and patient (it was almost eerie how wonderful these customers were) so I could walk through the menu with the person on the phone and wait while they think aloud and repeat the menu to each person in the office and then go through the twenty question ordering process with each person in their office and meanwhile, with the phone line active, no credit cards could go through, so my line came to a screeching halt. I asked that one of the two people doing nothing but food orders be in charge of answering the phone to take the food orders and answer any questions, since they wouldnā€™t be interrupting/ignoring in-house customers to do soā€“and theyā€™d be able to tell the person that they were out of some option they wanted, rather than telling me that after I put the ticket up and read it to them (the food prep) and me having to search through the caller ID and call the customer back to go through the whole damn ordering process alternatives again, meanwhile the customers in line become slightly less patient. The second time I had this discussion with the owner (who always worked food prep because you didnā€™t have to anything but food prep, while the countermonkey had to take orders inhouse & call in, ring up, get drinks (fountain and espresso/blender), basically everything but putting the food together) and her response was again dismissive, I submitted my two weeks notice. It was a great little cafe, but her phone policy was a big fuck you to our very nice customers, and part of a little passive-aggressive campaign against them (along with all sorts of little notes about time limits on using the wifi in certain areas, etc.) that I just didnā€™t want to be a part of anymore. Guess Iā€™m still a little mad. I liked that job. But the phone thing was the worst. Iā€™m really glad to see other people hate it too. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2009, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/april-mini-rants/491743/189 "2009-04-23T19:22:36Z")
> [@Projammer](#): > > I suspect I would thoroughly enjoy being in one of your classes. > > So long as youā€™re not teaching something morally reprehensible. > > Like sociology or project management. Worse ā€” folklore. ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2009, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/april-mini-rants/491743/190 "2009-04-23T20:01:08Z")
> [@Tortuga](#): > > Guess Iā€™m still a little mad. I liked that job. But the phone thing was the worst. Iā€™m really glad to see other people hate it too. Iā€™m going to venture that the basis for this would be that the customer standing in front of you has already decided to eat there and will be more patient than the person calling in. The caller can easily hang up and make other arrangements while the person standing there is effectively a captive unless they get really upset at waiting and decide to leave. Yeah, I think it sucks too. > [@Dr.Drake](#): > > Worse ā€” folklore. Provisionally acceptable. It sounds like it would be an enjoyable elective for most degree plans rather than an undefendable requirement. ---
**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:** [April 23, 2009, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/april-mini-rants/491743/191 "2009-04-23T21:42:46Z")
> [@Dr.Drake](#): > > Worse ā€” folklore. Ooooh, what kind of folklore? If there werenā€™t several thousand miles of pesky continent between us, Iā€™d take your class. ---
**Author:** ![nevermore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a587f6/32.png) [@nevermore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nevermore)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2009, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/april-mini-rants/491743/192 "2009-04-24T02:57:38Z")
Iā€™m going to my hometown to visit for a very short 24 hours tomorrow, and a friend of mine has taken the liberty of inviting to my happy hour another friend of mine, freshly out of jail for beating his wife, who is also my friend from before their marriage. Apparently people got wind that I was planning on visiting the soon-to-be-ex-wife and decided that I needed to hear _his_ side of the story before I heard hers, and you know what, I donā€™t fucking care about his side of the story. Iā€™m not ready to see him right now and Iā€™m certainly not ready to sit there at fucking HAPPY HOUR (hello???) and listen to him defend his reasons for putting his hands on a 100-pound woman. I do not fucking CARE if she was cheating on him; I do not CARE if she instigated it. Unless he tells me she came at him with a gun or a knife, nothing he says is going to change the way I feel about this. God, Iā€™m just so fucking MAD. I donā€™t even want to go now. Fuck. :mad: :mad: :mad: ---
**Author:** ![NinjaChick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@NinjaChick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinjaChick)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2009, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/april-mini-rants/491743/193 "2009-04-24T03:54:14Z")
1. No, it is not fucking _miraculous_. This is a science class. Check your religion at the door, you twit. 2. I donā€™t know what the _fuck_ is going on but my body needs to remember how to calmly and properly digest food and excrete waste _right the fuck now_, because whatever the hell is happening needs to fucking stop. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2009, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/april-mini-rants/491743/194 "2009-04-24T03:56:31Z")
> [@nevermore](#): > > Iā€™m going to my hometown to visit for a very short 24 hours tomorrow, and a friend of mine has taken the liberty of inviting to my happy hour another friend of mine, freshly out of jail for beating his wife, who is also my friend from before their marriage. > > Apparently people got wind that I was planning on visiting the soon-to-be-ex-wife and decided that I needed to hear _his_ side of the story before I heard hers, and you know what, I donā€™t fucking care about his side of the story. Iā€™m not ready to see him right now and Iā€™m certainly not ready to sit there at fucking HAPPY HOUR (hello???) and listen to him defend his reasons for putting his hands on a 100-pound woman. I do not fucking CARE if she was cheating on him; I do not CARE if she instigated it. Unless he tells me she came at him with a gun or a knife, nothing he says is going to change the way I feel about this. > > God, Iā€™m just so fucking MAD. I donā€™t even want to go now. Fuck. :mad: :mad: :mad: So donā€™t go. Thereā€™s got to be more than one place in your home town that has happy hour. Take the soon-to-be-ex-wife and let the other two pass the time in their own way. ---
**Author:** ![mischievous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@mischievous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mischievous)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2009, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/april-mini-rants/491743/195 "2009-04-24T04:15:38Z")
On a related note (and Iā€™m not questioning your feelings **nevermore** , but your rant brought it to mind): There have been two major murder/suicides of entire families in our area in the past couple weeks. Consequently, a local radio station is currently running a special on domestic violence. I listened to this special about spouse abuse for about an hour and hereā€™s a sampling of what I heard: ā€œWeā€™re trying to protect the women of our communityā€¦ā€ ā€œIf youā€™re worried about a woman at risk, you canā€¦ā€ ā€œIf she has to get away from her husband or boyfriendā€¦ā€ ā€œIn the current economy, more men will be stressed and become abusiveā€¦ā€ ā€œDoctors treating men for depression should evaluate their potential to turn violentā€¦ā€ In this entire hour NOT ONE WORD WAS SPOKEN ABOUT MALE VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. Not a hint of a breath was wasted on the idea that, yā€™know, sometimes women hit people, too. And itā€™s really fucking scary for men when it happens, and the shame of it keeps them from reporting it. We wonā€™t even get into the physically and mentally abusive lesbian couple across the street from me. Obviously, they donā€™t exist, and the three times Iā€™ve seen the cops at their house were all in my imagination. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2009, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/april-mini-rants/491743/196 "2009-04-24T04:31:56Z")
Fuck you, _Enterprise_, for making me tear up for the last episode of such a craptastic show. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Devil_s_Grandmother)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2009, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/april-mini-rants/491743/197 "2009-04-24T04:41:14Z")
Fuck you, entire bottle of (inexpesive, yet tasty) wine Iā€™ve drunk this evneing for making me think I can _type_, let alone _contribute_ to the thread. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Devil_s_Grandmother)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2009, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/april-mini-rants/491743/198 "2009-04-24T04:44:53Z")
> [@The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](#): > > Fuck you, entire bottle of (inexpesive, yet tasty) wine Iā€™ve drunk this evneing for making me think I can _type_, let alone _contribute_ to the thread. Since I am sure what ever law of \_\_\_ is about to bite me on the ass. Thereā€™s a law on the lengeth of etaā€™s. Who knew? ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2009, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/april-mini-rants/491743/199 "2009-04-24T11:57:30Z")
> [@nevermore](#): > > Iā€™m going to my hometown to visit for a very short 24 hours tomorrow, and a friend of mine has taken the liberty of inviting to my happy hour another friend of mine, freshly out of jail for beating his wife, who is also my friend from before their marriage. > > Apparently people got wind that I was planning on visiting the soon-to-be-ex-wife and decided that I needed to hear _his_ side of the story before I heard hers, and you know what, I donā€™t fucking care about his side of the story. Iā€™m not ready to see him right now and Iā€™m certainly not ready to sit there at fucking HAPPY HOUR (hello???) and listen to him defend his reasons for putting his hands on a 100-pound woman. I do not fucking CARE if she was cheating on him; I do not CARE if she instigated it. Unless he tells me she came at him with a gun or a knife, nothing he says is going to change the way I feel about this. > > God, Iā€™m just so fucking MAD. I donā€™t even want to go now. Fuck. :mad: :mad: :mad: This one is easy. Tell them. Say ā€œI donā€™t want X going to happy hour, and if you insist on bringing him, I insist on not joining you. Itā€™s that simple.ā€ And, yes, it _is_ that simple. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2009, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/april-mini-rants/491743/200 "2009-04-24T13:41:55Z")
> [@SpazCat](#): > > Ooooh, what kind of folklore? I only get to teach an intro class. Thereā€™s a program at Chapel Hill, which might be closerā€¦ More on creeping illiteracy, from todayā€™s L.A. Times: ā€œHe says they [letters of Benjamin Franklin] add nuance to the understanding of the founding fatherā€™s skill as a negotiator and his role as a milita.ā€ Really? Benjamin Franklin was a militia? Clearly I didnā€™t pay enough attention in history class. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/april-mini-rants/491743.md?page=9) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/april-mini-rants/491743.md?page=11)