# How's February shorting you? ~ 28 days of mini-rants **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 1, 2019, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-february-shorting-you-28-days-of-mini-rants/828815 "2019-02-01T23:08:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2019, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-february-shorting-you-28-days-of-mini-rants/828815/81 "2019-02-11T23:31:47Z")
Pretty sure the only other time my retirement fund lost money was when Duhbya left an economic mess for Obama to clean up. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2019, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-february-shorting-you-28-days-of-mini-rants/828815/82 "2019-02-12T11:23:19Z")
Still can’t get a decent night’s sleep. I’ll get like an hour here, two hours there. I can’t remember the last time I had a solid 8 hours. ☹ ---
**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:** [February 12, 2019, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-february-shorting-you-28-days-of-mini-rants/828815/83 "2019-02-12T15:17:42Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Still can’t get a decent night’s sleep. I’ll get like an hour here, two hours there. I can’t remember the last time I had a solid 8 hours. ☹ I do. Happens maybe once or twice a year, tops. Next morning feels like I WON something. I’ve accepted that my sleep tends to be interrupted a couple times per night, and it actually helped tremendously, in that I sleep better with that assumption. Instead of "ohnoes I am awake at 4 a.m. tomorrow gonna suck, if I fall asleep rightthisminute I’ll get another couple hours… " anxiety crap, I now think, “Ah yes, my 4 a.m. pee break” and end up falling back asleep more easily. ---
**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:** [February 12, 2019, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-february-shorting-you-28-days-of-mini-rants/828815/84 "2019-02-12T15:18:49Z")
Um, that post was supposed to express sympathy for the previous poster. Upon re-read, I may have failed. I blame lack of sleep. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2019, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-february-shorting-you-28-days-of-mini-rants/828815/85 "2019-02-12T15:56:02Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Still can’t get a decent night’s sleep. I’ll get like an hour here, two hours there. I can’t remember the last time I had a solid 8 hours. ☹ Maybe it’s total woo, but my gf has problems with sleeping through the night, so when I read about lavender as a sleep aid I thought I’d give it a try. I bought a diffuser and some lavender oil. My gf has slept much better since we started our little experiment. [There is science behind it.](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3612440/) > [@](#): > > Lavender is traditionally alleged to have a variety of therapeutic and curative properties, ranging from inducing relaxation to treating parasitic infections, burns, insect bites, and spasm. There is growing evidence suggesting that lavender oil may be an effective medicament in treatment of several neurological disorders. Several animal and human investigations suggest anxiolytic, mood stabilizer, sedative, analgesic, and anticonvulsive and neuroprotective properties for lavender. ---
**Author:** ![JcWoman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jcwoman/32/2889_2.png) [@JcWoman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JcWoman)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2019, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-february-shorting-you-28-days-of-mini-rants/828815/86 "2019-02-12T16:21:54Z")
> [@Folacin](#): > > I suspect that he thought you must have known who he was, and that was why you were introducing yourself. Although in that case, I’d be more likely to do something like: > > Me: Mr Muckety-Muck? (pause for acknowledgement) > MM: Yes? > Me: Hi, I’m Fred and I work for Jane Smith. True, but we’ve had a steady stream of new hires over the last few months, so I didn’t take this approach because of the possible embarrassment if I guessed wrong. The company is much better than my former toxic place but one of the unpleasant things here is that new people aren’t introduced around, and communication is left mostly to the grapevine. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2019, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-february-shorting-you-28-days-of-mini-rants/828815/87 "2019-02-12T17:11:06Z")
I’m just sick to fucking death of everyone being outraged over every little goddamn thing that someone says or does anymore. Even the national news is full of people being outraged over some bullshit, rather than being full of, you know, news stories that matter. And while I’m ranting, what’s with the verbal clickbait on national news now? “Next up, a child gets locked in a car; you won’t believe what happens next!” Really, Lester? This is what gravitas looks like now? ---
**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:** [February 12, 2019, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-february-shorting-you-28-days-of-mini-rants/828815/88 "2019-02-12T17:19:13Z")
Count me in your club, **Chefguy**. Except I don’t listen to national or any other news, but the internet is just as bad. I guess the definition of “news” has slid down to join “literal” in the “doesn’t mean that any more” heap. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2019, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-february-shorting-you-28-days-of-mini-rants/828815/89 "2019-02-12T18:23:27Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > And while I’m ranting, what’s with the verbal clickbait on national news now? “Next up, a child gets locked in a car; you won’t believe what happens next!” Really, Lester? This is what gravitas looks like now? February Sweeps is here. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2019, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-february-shorting-you-28-days-of-mini-rants/828815/90 "2019-02-12T19:43:08Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > I’m just sick to fucking death of everyone being outraged over every little goddamn thing that someone says or does anymore. Even the national news is full of people being outraged over some bullshit, rather than being full of, you know, news stories that matter. And while I’m ranting, what’s with the verbal clickbait on national news now? “Next up, a child gets locked in a car; you won’t believe what happens next!” Really, Lester? This is what gravitas looks like now? :: s i g h :: They’ve been doing this for years. My favorite: “This common ingredient _which you just may be serving your family for dinner tonight_ could be deadly. In-depth report tonight at 11:35.” ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2019, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-february-shorting-you-28-days-of-mini-rants/828815/91 "2019-02-13T00:45:24Z")
> [@purplehorseshoe](#): > > Still not working. Today is payday (for a lot of folks) and all Wells Fargo shit … is … wonky. There’s a stupid mea culpa posted on their website, something about smoke and maintenance blah blah. Whatever. I have direct deposit, and just got a low balance notification text. So I have pending money, I guess. Yay. That pays dem bills. They had a full-on physical disaster - an HVAC unit failed and released all of its magic smoke, which triggered the fire suppression systems, which do two things in a datacenter: Dump hundreds of pounds of Halon or FM200 gas to extinguish/prevent a fire, and disconnect the electricity. With all that unbreathable gas taking the place of air, it takes a few hours for the fire department to vent it safely and give the all-clear for humans to re-enter the building without SCBA gear and work on restarting everything. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2019, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-february-shorting-you-28-days-of-mini-rants/828815/92 "2019-02-13T01:21:12Z")
> [@digs](#): > > :: s i g h :: > > They’ve been doing this for years. > > My favorite: “This common ingredient _which you just may be serving your family for dinner tonight_ could be deadly. In-depth report tonight at 11:35.” Used to be, the news was an hour and was investigatory in nature. Now it seems like all OMG! Look at this! He’s standing IN WATER/SNOW/MUD/COWSHIT! And now yet _another_ fucking soldier surprising his kid by hiding in a box/costume/up his own ass! ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2019, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-february-shorting-you-28-days-of-mini-rants/828815/93 "2019-02-13T01:27:35Z")
People still use Wells Fargo? Hah! I’ve despised them ever since they “acquired” an outfit I’d used for decades. Then I requested a loan. Their refusal included this lovely tidbit: “You have not had an account with us for long.” Uh, no, you morons. My account was decades old. The outfit I’m using now (for two decades now) is amazing and even tendered the loan. Heck, they called me up the very next day and said, “We’re sorry, but our algorithm says we didn’t lend you enough money; how about coming in for the excess. Today would be great.” Wells Fargo’s apparent definition of _customer service_ is _what others do_ and of _customer satisfaction_ is _Huh?_. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2019, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-february-shorting-you-28-days-of-mini-rants/828815/94 "2019-02-13T01:31:29Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Used to be, the news was an hour and was investigatory in nature. Now it seems like all OMG! Look at this! He’s standing IN WATER/SNOW/MUD/COWSHIT! And now yet _another_ fucking soldier surprising his kid by hiding in a box/costume/up his own ass! As a military veteran, let me say this: I can’t stand that nonsense! If time with the family is so important and communicating with the family is so important, stop doing that BS! Communicate with the family and spend more time with them. And don’t make the child’s special event all about you and/or the military. Not to mention that it takes away from the special event for the other children involved. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2019, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-february-shorting-you-28-days-of-mini-rants/828815/95 "2019-02-13T01:33:35Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Still can’t get a decent night’s sleep. I’ll get like an hour here, two hours there. I can’t remember the last time I had a solid 8 hours. ☹ I quit fighting it. I just get up and do something. Even just reading awhile. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2019, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-february-shorting-you-28-days-of-mini-rants/828815/96 "2019-02-13T04:24:43Z")
I on the other hand would like to stop feeling so run down and tired. I slept 11 hours last night, 9.5 the night before (and only that because I woke up to a last ditch “you need to get ready for work now” alarm). ---
**Author:** ![minor7flat5](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minor7flat5/32/258_2.png) [@minor7flat5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minor7flat5)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2019, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-february-shorting-you-28-days-of-mini-rants/828815/97 "2019-02-13T13:45:20Z")
The local Dunkin’ Donuts has an abysmal parking lot that was retrofitted with a drive-through lane years ago and always has the drive-through line backing up to the street. This makes the left-turn off of a very busy street a little too exciting for my taste. This morning I was on the main street waiting in the left-turn lane behind another car that was turning left. As soon as traffic cleared I saw that the drive-through line was short and there were no cars coming out of the parking lot–it was all clear. So, when she turned left I followed. Then she stopped. In the entrance. She wanted to wait for someone a few dozen yards away to pull out of a parking spot. I was already committed to the turn and felt like an idiot as I watched oncoming traffic rapidly approaching the side of my car. I honked the horn, and eventually she parked and I was able to go in. I’m on the fence with this one–she was in her rights to stop right in the entrance, but that’s a pretty dangerous move to make for the cars that follow. I should have been super safe and made sure there was a full car-length of space open at the entrance before going, but there was no visible reason for her to stop. Ugh. ---
**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:** [February 13, 2019, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-february-shorting-you-28-days-of-mini-rants/828815/98 "2019-02-13T14:26:15Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > “You have not had an account with us for long.” Uh, no, you morons. My account was decades old. After Wachovia was acquired by Week’s Fargo, I received a new debit card and was surprised to find that it listed me as a customer since 1980. (I was born in 1982.) Wachovia had merged two online accounts after my father’s death so that everything would show up under a single login; I suspect this is the root of the issue, since my parents first opened an account with Wachovia in 1980. As for why I’m still with them… The app and the ATMs are nice. I especially like having the option of not using a debit card to access the ATM. That’s all. I’m still very annoyed at them for charging me a counter usage fee for having the audacity to enter a branch too many times in one month. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2019, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-february-shorting-you-28-days-of-mini-rants/828815/99 "2019-02-13T16:00:26Z")
FUCK!! My wife managed to lose her card wallet on the local train on Sunday. It contained: Credit card (which was promptly used by someone; we’ve cancelled it) Driver’s license Medicaid card Military spouse ID card Her annual metro pass Several other cards $25 in cash We spent half of yesterday at the DMV, and called to get the CC, Med card and metro cards cancelled. I sent a message to the company they purchased the items from and asked for the shipping address of the asshole, but I’m not holding my breath. I hope they send it, as I plan on calling the cops on the fucker. It will be another half day to get the military ID replaced, as we have to drive up to Vancouver and it’s a walk-in first-come type of place. The only good thing in all of this is that we have freezes on all three credit bureaus. :mad: ---
**Author:** ![ENugent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/4af34b/32.png) [@ENugent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ENugent)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2019, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-february-shorting-you-28-days-of-mini-rants/828815/100 "2019-02-13T16:04:10Z")
The kids have been home from school for the third day running this week, after a day and a half last week, for snow days. It started out fun, but now it is a wet slushy mess and I have terrible cabin fever. Also, we have to reschedule the spelling bee I am organizing that was supposed to be tonight. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-february-shorting-you-28-days-of-mini-rants/828815.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-february-shorting-you-28-days-of-mini-rants/828815.md?page=6)