# Aw, Dang! Syne: January Minirants **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 1, 2013, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aw-dang-syne-january-minirants/645745 "2013-01-01T11:31:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 17
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2013, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aw-dang-syne-january-minirants/645745/321 "2013-01-15T14:44:31Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > They showed us the “cold” temperatures for Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and Phoenix on the local news last night - my response was, “We’re supposed to feel sorry for them? Those temps are the warm, pleasant days around here these days!” 🙂 I always harken back to January 2002 when my then fiance and I went to Florida. Fine beautiful day at Downtown Disney. 65 degrees and sunny. Fiance and I are walking around in jeans and t-shirts thinking it was totally awesome weather. Shivering little woman in a windbreaker walks up to us, totally astonished that we aren’t wearing coats because it’s\* so cold\*. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![LavenderBlue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e95f7d/32.png) [@LavenderBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LavenderBlue)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2013, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aw-dang-syne-january-minirants/645745/322 "2013-01-15T15:28:53Z")
Fuck off and die Comcast. I had no service from you in October for nine days because of Hurricane Sandy. You promised I would get credit for this fact in January’s bill. Why the fuck are you fucking morons refusing to give the credit for no service then this month? Fucking idiots are arguing with me now about it. I AM NOT PAYING FOR SERVICE I DID NOT RECEIVE. ---
**Author:** ![Moonlitherial](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@Moonlitherial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonlitherial)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2013, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aw-dang-syne-january-minirants/645745/323 "2013-01-15T15:43:08Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > I always harken back to January 2002 when my then fiance and I went to Florida. Fine beautiful day at Downtown Disney. 65 degrees and sunny. Fiance and I are walking around in jeans and t-shirts thinking it was totally awesome weather. > > Shivering little woman in a windbreaker walks up to us, totally astonished that we aren’t wearing coats because it’s\* so cold\*. 😛 We had exactly that experience when visiting California at Christmas time the year I was 13. We were running around in shorts and tshirts playing on the beach and the little old lady walking her dog in a sweatshirt and coat was berating our parents for abusing us this way. ---
**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 15, 2013, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aw-dang-syne-january-minirants/645745/324 "2013-01-15T16:26:24Z")
And then there’s the opposite: visiting my stepdad’s mother or sister in West Virginia during the summer, when I’m enjoying 75 degree days with no humidity, and they’re complaining about the heat. (But yeah, I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not acclimated to the cold. The first time I visited D.C., it was April, and I damn near froze to death while natives were enjoying the first breath of spring. Ditto for my first visit to the Pacific Ocean - “beach in July” means something entirely different in Georgia vs. Oregon!) ---
**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:** [January 15, 2013, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aw-dang-syne-january-minirants/645745/325 "2013-01-15T16:43:03Z")
There is snow on the ground here. SNOW. In TEXAS. We’re supposed to be hotter than hell here. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2013, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aw-dang-syne-january-minirants/645745/326 "2013-01-15T17:17:49Z")
> [@LavenderBlue](#): > > Fuck off and die Comcast. I had no service from you in October for nine days because of Hurricane Sandy. You promised I would get credit for this fact in January’s bill. Why the fuck are you fucking morons refusing to give the credit for no service then this month? Fucking idiots are arguing with me now about it. > > I AM NOT PAYING FOR SERVICE I DID NOT RECEIVE. I have dealt with them a lot. They have three types of CSR: assholes, idiots and sweethearts. Just call back and try again. Actually the competent/sweetheart % is higher than at many companies. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2013, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aw-dang-syne-january-minirants/645745/327 "2013-01-15T17:21:39Z")
> [@bobkitty](#): > > ( sigh ) See, this is exactly what I’m talking about. The only difference is who is getting the finger pointed at them. It’s ridiculous!!! Is it possible there will be furloughs? Yes. Hiring freeze? Done. Massive operations/equipment cuts? Yup. But no one- absolutely no one, on either side of the aisle, is going to suddenly decide that 1% of the population is going to stop getting paid, especially when those people are fighting wars at their behest. See Aru’s excellent post for reference. You know, if there’s no money they can’t write checks. I have no doubt the military is a high priority but they have said there’s a small but real possibility that Soc Sec checks won’t go out. No one knows. Anu’s post?😕 ---
**Author:** ![curlcoat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea5d25/32.png) [@curlcoat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curlcoat)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2013, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aw-dang-syne-january-minirants/645745/328 "2013-01-15T17:41:15Z")
> [@Ferret\_Herder](#): > > Now mentally cue up the 1812 Overture, which when properly done, calls for cannon accompaniment… 😃 - wince \* ---
**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 15, 2013, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aw-dang-syne-january-minirants/645745/329 "2013-01-15T17:44:48Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > I have dealt with them a lot. They have three types of CSR: assholes, idiots and sweethearts. Just call back and try again. Actually the competent/sweetheart % is higher than at many companies. QFT. I had Comcast for the longest time, and I really miss it now that my only option for cable + internet is a crappy, incompetent little local company with less technical savvy than my 15-year-old son. The only problem I ever had with Comcast was when two of their contractors insisted that my inside wiring was the problem, vs. the line running from the pole. The third dude was told “I’ll TRY to hold the dog back while you recheck these lines…” He decided to check the exterior first, and found the actual problem! 😃 (The dog might have licked him half to death, but HE didn’t know that the Pyrenees was a 110-pound ball of love.) ---
**Author:** ![curlcoat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea5d25/32.png) [@curlcoat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curlcoat)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2013, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aw-dang-syne-january-minirants/645745/330 "2013-01-15T17:44:57Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > They showed us the “cold” temperatures for Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and Phoenix on the local news last night - my response was, “We’re supposed to feel sorry for them? Those temps are the warm, pleasant days around here these days!” 🙂 I don’t know about the other places but here we don’t tend to have much in the way of insulation because, you know, it’s not supposed to get cold! And no scramble to replace leaking windows, etc. Because it’s not supposed to get cold! 😃 > [@DrDeth](#): > > You know, if there’s no money they can’t write checks. I have no doubt the military is a high priority but they have said there’s a small but real possibility that Soc Sec checks won’t go out. No one knows. I thought the fiscal cliff thing had been settled? ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2013, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aw-dang-syne-january-minirants/645745/331 "2013-01-15T17:52:28Z")
> [@Lacunae\_Matata](#): > > I really miss it now that my only option for cable + internet is a crappy, incompetent little local company with less technical savvy than my 15-year-old son. On my last job I would occasionally go the extra kilometer and call up local cable/internet companies on behalf of customers, expecting that techie speaking to techie would resolve the issue faster. It was surprising how utterly clueless most of their so-called “tech support” people were. I mean, you’re the tech guy who supports your company’s email process and YOU don’t have any idea how to set it up properly in anything but one mail program? Where did they hire you? Are you the owners idiot brother who needed a job? ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2013, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aw-dang-syne-january-minirants/645745/332 "2013-01-15T18:19:51Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > You know, if there’s no money they can’t write checks. I have no doubt the military is a high priority but they have said there’s a small but real possibility that Soc Sec checks won’t go out. No one knows. > > Anu’s post?😕 > [@curlcoat](#): > > I don’t know about the other places but here we don’t tend to have much in the way of insulation because, you know, it’s not supposed to get cold! And no scramble to replace leaking windows, etc. Because it’s not supposed to get cold! 😃 > > I thought the fiscal cliff thing had been settled? The Treasury is not allowed to issue debt beyond the Debt Limit which Congress has set, which we are quickly approaching. So once we reach this, Congress has three choices: – It can raise the debt ceiling, meaning we will go further into debt, but the bills (including Social Security) will continue to be paid. – It can decide to immediately cut spending or take other measures to temporarily avoid the cliff, and provide a listing of which cuts to take effect immediately. Then some checks might not go out, but at least we’ll know which ones. – It can do neither of these, in which case it defaults to the President as the Chief Executive to make these decisions. Note that no matter what he does in this third situation, he will run counter to a Congressional mandate of some form or another. If he issues more debt he will violate the debt ceiling. If he unilaterally decides to cut programs (such as Social Security or Defense) he will run counter to legislation authorizing this spending. However, this is the path that it seems we are on. Thus, we don’t know what Obama will choose to do in this situation, since there are no good options. ---
**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:** [January 15, 2013, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aw-dang-syne-january-minirants/645745/333 "2013-01-15T18:23:15Z")
> [@bobkitty](#): > > ( sigh ) See, this is exactly what I’m talking about. The only difference is who is getting the finger pointed at them. It’s ridiculous!!! Is it possible there will be furloughs? Yes. Hiring freeze? Done. Massive operations/equipment cuts? Yup. But no one- absolutely no one, on either side of the aisle, is going to suddenly decide that 1% of the population is going to stop getting paid, especially when those people are fighting wars at their behest. See Aru’s excellent post for reference. > [@DrDeth](#): > > You know, if there’s no money they can’t write checks. I have no doubt the military is a high priority but they have said there’s a small but real possibility that Soc Sec checks won’t go out. No one knows. > > Anu’s post?😕 Aru, not Anu. As in **aruvqan**. [And this post, apparently.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=15899401&postcount=303) ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Girlfriend](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.girlfriend/32/193_2.png) [@Dr.Girlfriend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Girlfriend)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2013, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aw-dang-syne-january-minirants/645745/334 "2013-01-15T18:52:08Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > You know, in the Paths of the Dead , they say our heart is weighed against a feather, and if the balance is true, we are vindicated, we have led a good life. But if your heart is just a little out of balance, things don’t go so well. Bast, the cat goddess also sits there, watching. And if you have been one of the humans that adopted one of Her children and gave him a good home, She will slip her paw onto the scale to balance it. I don’t have anything to rant about (yet) today, I just wanted to say I really like this! 🙂 ---
**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:** [January 15, 2013, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aw-dang-syne-january-minirants/645745/335 "2013-01-15T19:01:53Z")
> [@bobkitty](#): > > I wish my Facebook friends would stop losing their damn minds. It saddens me. > > Also, folks, I live with a military service member, hang out with pretty much only military or former military people, and work for a military organization. So if I ask you to please cite where the president said he’s going to stop paying military people, it’s because I MIGHT have more of an insider’s perspective, and am tired of your chicken-little-ing. I’m guessing it never occurs to them to consider the consequences of refusing to pay the one group of people who are trained and equipped to take out tin-plate dictators before breakfast? ---
**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 15, 2013, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aw-dang-syne-january-minirants/645745/336 "2013-01-15T19:05:25Z")
> [@bobkitty](#): > > ( sigh ) See, this is exactly what I’m talking about. The only difference is who is getting the finger pointed at them. It’s ridiculous!!! Is it possible there will be furloughs? Yes. Hiring freeze? Done. Massive operations/equipment cuts? Yup. But no one- absolutely no one, on either side of the aisle, is going to suddenly decide that 1% of the population is going to stop getting paid, especially when those people are fighting wars at their behest. See Aru’s excellent post for reference. > > And saying “might not be able to” is RADICALLY different from “we won’t.” > > Chimera, I’m totally stealing that, thank you!!! 😃 mrAru wandered past last night as I was finishing up posting and pointed out that Congress meets fairly near where lots of guys in camo with pointy sticks that go bang tend to hang out. It would not be in congress’ best interest to seriously piss off people who make things go boom frequently. He pointed out that removing a sticky congress might appeal to many of these guys … 😛 ---
**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:** [January 15, 2013, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aw-dang-syne-january-minirants/645745/337 "2013-01-15T19:05:46Z")
> [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > There is snow on the ground here. SNOW. In TEXAS. We’re supposed to be hotter than hell here. Haven’t you heard? Obama was re-elected. They’re skiing in hell. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2013, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aw-dang-syne-january-minirants/645745/338 "2013-01-15T19:50:39Z")
> [@Lacunae\_Matata](#): > > Sorry 6-8 (may I refer to you numerically?) If you scroll back a bit to post #245, there’s a bit of a kerfuffle about my using the term “mouthbreather” as a figurative insult, and DrDeth taking offense… I was in the middle of typing a reply to this last night when from another room I heard “Daddy? Daddy, my tummy hurts. Dadblllaaarrrrrrrghsplatter.” So that’s my rant for the day. Night of the pukies. ---
**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 15, 2013, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aw-dang-syne-january-minirants/645745/339 "2013-01-15T19:58:31Z")
Boo, pukies. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2013, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aw-dang-syne-january-minirants/645745/340 "2013-01-15T20:12:03Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > Note that no matter what he does in this third situation, he will run counter to a Congressional mandate of some form or another. This is what pisses me off the most about this Republican nonsense. All spending originates in the House of Representatives. If it doesn’t pass there, it doesn’t happen. So we have hypocritical morons voting for spending money, then turning around and refusing to cough up the money necessary for the spending they just voted for. And trying to blame the President for this. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aw-dang-syne-january-minirants/645745.md?page=16) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aw-dang-syne-january-minirants/645745.md?page=18)