# August August minirants! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 1, 2012, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/august-august-minirants/630068 "2012-08-01T16:21:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2012, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/august-august-minirants/630068/61 "2012-08-03T14:23:04Z")
> [@Gleena](#): > > Holy fuck, my ex husband is functionally fucking retarded. I just got this wall of unpunctuated text e-mail that is half in text speak, and as near as I can guess (I don’t speak fucking moron) he wants me to be his unpaid travel agent and tour guide when he turns up here next year for our son’s graduation. So I should book a hotel for him (or tell him what to book) and give him advice on flights or whatever. You’re a grown fucking man (sort of) do it yourself. You’re not employed, you have time. > > Well he can fold that until it’s all corners and shove it up his lily white ass sideways, because that’s not happening in this life or any other. He seems to think that I am his friend, because I can co-parent and not point out his functional fucking retardedness, or mention that I’m aware he can puncutate because I taught him to and even though I’m not real good at it I’m pretty sure he can work out where periods might oughta go. And because I gave up asking about child support he’s never going to pay anyway, in the interest of him taking to the kid rather than hiding from all of us. > > So now I’m sitting here at work chanting, “letitgoletitgoletitgo” under my breath, but it’s not working. I don’t know why. I normally can laugh it off but the sheer gall of him wanting me to do it all for him when I divorced him for a reason is really under my skin today. > > Gah. I have to admit, I asked my sister about various hotels when I was planning a trip to her city…because she knew the area. She let me know about a place that was convenient and close to her house, our brother’s place, and our mother’s nursing home, and which had a 24 hour diner in it. She also warned me about the titty bar that was next door. The titty bar itself didn’t bother us, it was just that the place was painted Pepto Bismol Pink, which can be rather startling to chance upon if you don’t know about it. However, this is my sister, and we’re on good terms. This isn’t some ex who didn’t pay child support. You might consider informing him of a couple of hotels, but not doing any booking or tour guide duties. On the other hand, this is your prime opportunity to tell him exactly where to go and what to do when he gets there. Can you think of some interesting places that he should be exposed to? For instance, a women’s museum? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![SnakesCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4af34b/32.png) [@SnakesCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnakesCatLady)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2012, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/august-august-minirants/630068/62 "2012-08-03T16:53:09Z")
Damnitall, FB friends, read the thread before you climb my ass. I have REPEATEDLY said I am fully in support of freedom of speech, even if I find the speech objectionable. I am NOT ok with financial support of hate groups. What is so fucking difficult to understand about that? If you have a problem with the fact that I am not Christian, unfriend me and leave me the fuck alone. I do not have to live by the rules of your religion - you don’t either, but you mouth the words - and I am not going to pretend I do. I try to be respectful of the beliefs of others but I am getting SO fucking tired of hearing about “the attacks on Christianity”. No one is attacking Christianity - they are simply refusing to live by the rules of a faith they don’t follow. Get some lumber, build a bridge and get fucking over it. ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2012, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/august-august-minirants/630068/63 "2012-08-03T17:08:39Z")
Evil incompetent lying fuckstick refrigerator repair guys! Not only do you appear to not know how a fucking fridge thermometer works, not only did you _not_ fix our fridge so that it will cool to below 40 degrees, you _fucking lied_ to Samsung and said you did fix the problem! And Samsung is more willing to believe you than they are me. They’re also more willing to believe Mr. Neville when he talks to them than they are me when I talk to them, so I think there may be some sexism in play here. Go eat a chicken sandwich with extra santorum on it (ew) and die, all of you. ---
**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:** [August 3, 2012, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/august-august-minirants/630068/64 "2012-08-03T17:09:55Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Wow, **Chimera** , that post looks like you expect to be away from the Dope from tomorrow until September 1, and you’re trying to get your share of contributions in a single submission. > [@Chimera](#): > > I hope you both understand that was a parody of dopisms and current topics. Hand to Og, that was my second guess. Actually it was my first guess, but **Cat Whisperer** ’s post inspired me to second-guess myself. ---
**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:** [August 3, 2012, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/august-august-minirants/630068/65 "2012-08-03T17:36:25Z")
> [@Gleena](#): > > Holy fuck, my ex husband is functionally fucking retarded. I just got this wall of unpunctuated text e-mail that is half in text speak, and as near as I can guess (I don’t speak fucking moron) he wants me to be his unpaid travel agent and tour guide when he turns up here next year for our son’s graduation. So I should book a hotel for him (or tell him what to book) and give him advice on flights or whatever. You’re a grown fucking man (sort of) do it yourself. You’re not employed, you have time. > > Well he can fold that until it’s all corners and shove it up his lily white ass sideways, because that’s not happening in this life or any other. He seems to think that I am his friend, because I can co-parent and not point out his functional fucking retardedness, or mention that I’m aware he can puncutate because I taught him to and even though I’m not real good at it I’m pretty sure he can work out where periods might oughta go. And because I gave up asking about child support he’s never going to pay anyway, in the interest of him taking to the kid rather than hiding from all of us. > > So now I’m sitting here at work chanting, “letitgoletitgoletitgo” under my breath, but it’s not working. I don’t know why. I normally can laugh it off but the sheer gall of him wanting me to do it all for him when I divorced him for a reason is really under my skin today. > > Gah. > [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > I have to admit, I asked my sister about various hotels when I was planning a trip to her city…because she knew the area. She let me know about a place that was convenient and close to her house, our brother’s place, and our mother’s nursing home, and which had a 24 hour diner in it. She also warned me about the titty bar that was next door. The titty bar itself didn’t bother us, it was just that the place was painted Pepto Bismol Pink, which can be rather startling to chance upon if you don’t know about it. > > However, this is my sister, and we’re on good terms. This isn’t some ex who didn’t pay child support. You might consider informing him of a couple of hotels, but not doing any booking or tour guide duties. On the other hand, this is your prime opportunity to tell him exactly where to go and what to do when he gets there. Can you think of some interesting places that he should be exposed to? For instance, a women’s museum? 😃 Find him a flight that takes him only as far as the _next_ closest major city, and two hotels in that city. One of the hotels a four-star, the other smack in the middle of whatever passes for the Tenderloin in that city. And make sure that you give him the graduation date a week _after_ the actual event. You know, unless your son actually wants him there. If that’s the case, delegate the task to him. The ability to research things such as air travel and hotel accommodations can be a pretty useful skill. ---
**Author:** ![eenerms](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/cdc98d/32.png) [@eenerms](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eenerms)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2012, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/august-august-minirants/630068/66 "2012-08-03T17:44:30Z")
> [@eenerms](#): > > Two things, husband gone for six weeks on rotation in Libya! > Second ,one of my veneers seems like it’s chipped:mad: Off to the dentist…I’m a mess:( ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2012, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/august-august-minirants/630068/67 "2012-08-03T17:48:43Z")
Nothing like coming back from a couple of days in Vegas to a dead computer. Shut it off when we left. Came home to…nothing. Won’t power up at all. I don’t know if it’s the power switch or the power supply, and my buddy who fixes shit like this won’t be back to work for at least 5 days. Grrrrr. ---
**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:** [August 3, 2012, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/august-august-minirants/630068/68 "2012-08-03T17:55:41Z")
> [@SnakesCatLady](#): > > \ > > I try to be respectful of the beliefs of others but I am getting SO fucking tired of hearing about “the attacks on Christianity”. No one is attacking Christianity - they are simply refusing to live by the rules of a faith they don’t follow. Get some lumber, build a bridge and get fucking over it. That always blows my mind - not allowing people to force their beliefs on you is oppressing them. Right. > [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Find him a flight that takes him only as far as the _next_ closest major city, and two hotels in that city. One of the hotels a four-star, the other smack in the middle of whatever passes for the Tenderloin in that city. > > And make sure that you give him the graduation date a week _after_ the actual event. > > You know, unless your son actually wants him there. If that’s the case, delegate the task to him. The ability to research things such as air travel and hotel accommodations can be a pretty useful skill. That’s better than my response - my plan was to just send him an email back saying, “Remember when I divorced you? I don’t have to do any of this shit for you any longer.” > [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Hand to Og, that was my second guess. > > Actually it was my first guess, but **Cat Whisperer** ’s post inspired me to second-guess myself. Heh heh - second-hand stealth whoosh! ---
**Author:** ![The\_Vorlon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@The\_Vorlon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Vorlon)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2012, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/august-august-minirants/630068/69 "2012-08-03T20:11:05Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Nothing like coming back from a couple of days in Vegas to a dead computer. Shut it off when we left. Came home to…nothing. Won’t power up at all. I don’t know if it’s the power switch or the power supply, and my buddy who fixes shit like this won’t be back to work for at least 5 days. Grrrrr. unplug/replug power cables. Stranger things have gone on a walkabout… ---
**Author:** ![Glory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7cd45c/32.png) [@Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Glory)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2012, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/august-august-minirants/630068/70 "2012-08-03T20:37:23Z")
> [@Cinnamon\_Imp](#): > > Aaaargh stupid body. > > Two faint positive pregnancy tests, then a whole bunch of bleeding. No idea if it’s “acceptable” level first trimester bleeding (I’d only be about 4 weeks), or an early miscarriage, and it looks like even if I do a third test, it’d be positive either way because the hormones stick around a while after the embryo has gone. Stupid nature. Stupid tests. Stupid me getting knocked up in the first place! > > I just need to know - rant over. My fingers are crossed for the best possible outcome. Can you get a couple of blood tests at the hospital? If the numbers are going up (especially if they are doubling every 2 days), it’s a good sign the pregnancy is continuing. If the numbers are going down, or going up very slowly, there is a good chance the pregnancy will end. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2012, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/august-august-minirants/630068/71 "2012-08-03T20:46:58Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > … You know, unless your son actually wants him there. If that’s the case, delegate the task to him. The ability to research things such as air travel and hotel accommodations can be a pretty useful skill. This is a brilliant suggestion. Quick “this is how being an adult works” lesson for … well, for both of them, actually, now that I think about it. Someone else here was saying the best thing about having a teenager was not having to wash the dishes or mow the lawn … you get to not be a travel agent! Plus it gives them a reason to communicate, albeit briefly. ---
**Author:** ![Gleena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b3f665/32.png) [@Gleena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gleena)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2012, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/august-august-minirants/630068/72 "2012-08-03T22:03:01Z")
That’s some excellent suggestions - getting him here and booking him a hotel in Lakemba would be a fantastic result, but alas one that would make my son unhappy, and it’s all about the kid in terms of his father turning up. I sat on my response over night, but just returned his e-mail with, > [@](#): > > Hi, > > The actual graduation is about a year away, you can work out where you’re staying closer to time, and track airline prices. In the meantime, Google is your friend and will help you with your research, since I simply don’t have time. > > Regards, > Me That is something like the fourth e-mail I wrote, having discarded such lines as “you fuckwit, I divorced you for a reason and the reason was you’re a dumbass - well there were lots of reasons but that was the main one - so do it your fucking self”. I keep telling myself that this is teaching my son how to deal with difficult people. Ah well, the 17th birthday party will be fun for the boy, and that’s in two weeks! ---
**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:** [August 4, 2012, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/august-august-minirants/630068/73 "2012-08-04T00:06:27Z")
By the way, sorry for sneaking in and starting the thread without asking- I just thought if I didn’t, it’d wind up sodding Olympic themed, and then I’d have to take up the thread ranting about yet another unnecessary tie-in, and it’d all get a bit meta. 😃 Not having a very ranty time of it otherwise, aside from accidently breaking a plate this morning, the day’s gone OK. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2012, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/august-august-minirants/630068/74 "2012-08-04T00:12:00Z")
Friend shares an anti-Chik-a-fil page on his FB page. His ‘drug using living in a house with 8 guys divorced mother of a 17 year old she has living in the same house’ Sister comes in protesting, saying gays are morally and biblically wrong, the whole ball of hypocritical slime. Friend speaks out. I speak out. I poke holes in the entire ‘biblical’ angle. I call her a bigot. I ask her questions she doesn’t answer. She claims to be leaving the thread because we’re trying to deny her right to speak and we’re calling her names. We point out that is not so, but we have a right to speak too. I post the definition of the word ‘bigot’. A bisexual Christian minister joins in, also addressing the biblical aspects. Sister claims she knows she’s a sinner and shouldn’t judge, but homosexuality is still wrong, and how can a bisexual WOMAN claim to be a CHRISTIAN or a MINISTER or know anything about the gospel at all! Oh that goes over well. Sister says she’s leaving a second time. Stupid Guy walks in saying we lost his support the minute we started calling her names (“bigot”). I point out that obviously, he had no issues with her calling gays names. Stupid Guy claims he had a hand in writing the state’s cyber-bullying statues. He threatens us with the law saying that ‘the minute your words affect others, you will be in trouble’. Twice he makes this sort of threat and says “I’ll leave you to decide your own destiny”. I point out that he seemingly has no issue with gay bashing, but he has a problems with the people speaking out against it. Unaddressed. Third threat comes, then says he hasn’t gotten around to dealing with me yet. (So apparently he’s only threatening the Bisexual Christian Minister up to that point???) The guy works for a University. And I got screen shots. I wonder how they feel about their cyber-bullying ‘expert’ cyberbullying people with legal threats. ---
**Author:** ![flatlined](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb9ed0/32.png) [@flatlined](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flatlined)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2012, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/august-august-minirants/630068/75 "2012-08-04T04:21:53Z")
> [@Filbert](#): > > By the way, sorry for sneaking in and starting the thread without asking- I just thought if I didn’t, it’d wind up sodding Olympic themed, and then I’d have to take up the thread ranting about yet another unnecessary tie-in, and it’d all get a bit meta. 😃 > > Not having a very ranty time of it otherwise, aside from accidently breaking a plate this morning, the day’s gone OK. I thought the name was wonderful. Good job! Usually, people start talking about a new name a few days in advance, poor August wasn’t so August until you noticed. > [@Chimera](#): > > \ > > The guy works for a University. > And I got screen shots. > > I wonder how they feel about their cyber-bullying ‘expert’ cyberbullying people with legal threats. Dude, you just fucking rock!!! ---
**Author:** ![FatBaldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecd19e/32.png) [@FatBaldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FatBaldGuy)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2012, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/august-august-minirants/630068/76 "2012-08-04T05:01:45Z")
> [@The\_Vorlon](#): > > unplug/replug power cables. Stranger things have gone on a walkabout… Also check any power strips and circuit breakers. ---
**Author:** ![WolfpackJeep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpackjeep/32/2921_2.png) [@WolfpackJeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WolfpackJeep)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2012, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/august-august-minirants/630068/77 "2012-08-04T07:40:32Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Nothing like coming back from a couple of days in Vegas to a dead computer. Shut it off when we left. Came home to…nothing. Won’t power up at all. I don’t know if it’s the power switch or the power supply, and my buddy who fixes shit like this won’t be back to work for at least 5 days. Grrrrr. Is the computer connected to an uninterruptable power supply? They can pretty much stop working if the battery is old. I think most of them also have a reset switch. ---
**Author:** ![Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ce7236/32.png) [@Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mona_Lisa_Simpson)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2012, 9:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/august-august-minirants/630068/78 "2012-08-04T09:01:32Z")
Four Thousand Dollars. Thats what my new hearing aids will cost. I get 600 back from my benefit plan. I do believe the rest will be tax deductible (better damn well be!) but there goes a lot of plans, including taking my son to Disneyland kinda sorta to make up for all the overtime/not spending time I have been doing lately. Ya I researched the hell out of them, and I went to a not for profit place for dispensing them. With my degree of hearing damage, and what I do in my life these were pretty much the best option. I can afford it, but it sucks to be spending 4K on hearing aids (oh, ok only 3400 when all is said and done) at my age. (I’m 42) As for colours /styles I decided to rock my inner cougar and get a zebra print one for the left ear and a giraffe print one for the left. No leopard print one, sadly. ---
**Author:** ![SnakesCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4af34b/32.png) [@SnakesCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnakesCatLady)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2012, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/august-august-minirants/630068/79 "2012-08-04T16:00:32Z")
Latest comment on my FB page from a Republican “friend” who is determined to convert me - “Obama gives millions of dollars of taxpayer money to the Muslim Brotherhood, which is determined to wipe Israel off the map”. This was added to a discussion of my reasoning in not giving money to Chic-fil-a. :rolleyes: Defriending is about to occur. He’s a good photographer and I’ve learned a lot from him, but the man thinks Sarah Palin is wonderful. Anyone want a mouthy Cornish Rex? Magic is on a tear this morning and really, really, really wants in the office. So he’s sitting outside the door talking. And talking… ---
**Author:** ![kayT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayt/32/3633_2.png) [@kayT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayT)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2012, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/august-august-minirants/630068/80 "2012-08-04T16:35:46Z")
**Mona Lisa** , I hope the new hearing aids do all you need them to. I am delighted to know they come in colors and patterns (something to look forward to…)! Your choices sound awesome. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/august-august-minirants/630068.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/august-august-minirants/630068.md?page=5)