# I blew up a Toastmasters group last night **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 21, 2020, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-blew-up-a-toastmasters-group-last-night/918672 "2020-08-21T14:38:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2020, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-blew-up-a-toastmasters-group-last-night/918672/81 "2020-09-02T10:46:16Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Woah woah woah, slow your roll, Is that roll toasted? ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2020, 10:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-blew-up-a-toastmasters-group-last-night/918672/82 "2020-09-02T10:50:29Z")
I am a toastmaster, so, yes: _perfectly._ ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2020, 10:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-blew-up-a-toastmasters-group-last-night/918672/83 "2020-09-02T10:57:02Z")
Discobot, can you also make toast? @discobot fortune ---
**Author:** ![discobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/discobot/32/570_2.png) [@discobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/discobot)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2020, 10:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-blew-up-a-toastmasters-group-last-night/918672/84 "2020-09-02T10:57:04Z")
> đź”® As I see it, yes ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2020, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-blew-up-a-toastmasters-group-last-night/918672/85 "2020-09-02T11:22:56Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > > [@msmith537](#): > > > > I’m inclined to agree. > > Woah woah woah, slow your roll, I was responding to the guy who exploded his toaster. Ah. Well I also agree with that. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2020, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-blew-up-a-toastmasters-group-last-night/918672/86 "2020-09-02T11:28:12Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > > [@msmith537](#): > > > > I’m inclined to agree. > > Woah woah woah, slow your roll, I was responding to the guy who exploded his toaster. And exactly why Discourse automatically deleting the quote and leaving no trace of your reply being to the person above you can be confusing. Hence I recommend, if you care enough to quote, to also care enough to edit the post to put it back or at least @mention the poster you’re talking to. And why I want @codinghorror to fix it where it doesn’t delete all trace of the quote. At least show something to show that it links to the previous post. People don’t expect to need to check if information tehy included in their post (i.e. which post they are responding to) to be removed. They don’t check, so my advice above will likely go unheeded. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2020, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-blew-up-a-toastmasters-group-last-night/918672/87 "2020-09-02T18:56:39Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > “Is a hot dog a sandwich, why or why not” Blood has been shed over less controversial subjects. I know of a fatal stabbing over a Little Debbie snack cake. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2020, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-blew-up-a-toastmasters-group-last-night/918672/88 "2020-09-03T01:14:20Z")
Just, just…move over, kids. I fucking rule all fucking toast. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2020, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-blew-up-a-toastmasters-group-last-night/918672/89 "2020-09-04T16:29:12Z")
> [@jz78817](#): > > I guess it depends where you live, exactly. Most of the old white people I know of live in the suburbs or ex-urbs and were kids when white flight from the city took place. So in many cases they were raised to believe “people who don’t look like you are bad.” I was raised to think that way. I just spent my life from age 5 onward thinking my adults were assholes. And I’m not even very bright. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2020, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-blew-up-a-toastmasters-group-last-night/918672/90 "2020-09-17T03:41:19Z")
Now that you mention it, given my accomplishments as a Toastmaster, I really suck at making toast. I happen to have a particularly lousy toaster, but I fail no matter what toaster I use. Luckily, I’m not a big toast fan. I’m competing in our club’s humorous speech contest tomorrow night. I’m no fan of contests, but we were scrambling for contestants because the contest will be virtual, so I’m being a good soldier and participating. I’m recycling a killer speech I did for the Storytelling manual. I’ve also been coaching one of my competitors rather intensively because he just doesn’t do funny that well. Now his speech is good enough that he might beat me. I’m kind of hoping he does. Being funny is easy for me. Teaching someone else to be funny? Now THAT’s an accomplishment! Besides he’s not a very confident speaker and beating me would be a great boost for him. ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2020, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-blew-up-a-toastmasters-group-last-night/918672/91 "2020-09-17T11:36:57Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > And I picked up my tab and left. Did anybody clap? ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2020, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-blew-up-a-toastmasters-group-last-night/918672/92 "2020-09-17T11:41:27Z")
> [@jz78817](#): > > Just amazes me how so many of these “freedom loving patriots” are perfectly fine with one-party rule under an autocrat. As long as they think the dictator is on _their_ side, of course. This is part of the problem. People think “authoritarian” and they think “literally Hitler firing up the gas ovens.” That’s not it at all. Authoritarians just think that (1) people should always obey the party in charge, and (2) their party should always be the party in charge. That’s all it takes. Do it long enough, and eventually we do arrive at (3) literal Hitler. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2020, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-blew-up-a-toastmasters-group-last-night/918672/93 "2020-09-17T15:53:28Z")
Well, not _literal_ Hitler. He’s dead. But someone very much like him, certainly. ---
**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:** [September 17, 2020, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-blew-up-a-toastmasters-group-last-night/918672/94 "2020-09-17T17:39:16Z")
> [@HMS\_Irruncible](#): > > > [@JohnT](#): > > > > And I picked up my tab and left. > > Did anybody clap? Returning to second this question. Sort of. You’ve never (that I can discern) come back to report what Dave told you about the aftermath of the meeting. C’mon, spill that tea! ---
**Author:** ![BigAppleBucky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigapplebucky/32/178_2.png) [@BigAppleBucky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigAppleBucky)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2020, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-blew-up-a-toastmasters-group-last-night/918672/95 "2020-09-18T02:16:36Z")
My Toastmasters group studiously refrains from political opinions. I happen to know some members have very different opinions from mine. As an aside, it’s a nice organization that offers self-help to people who wish to improve their public speaking. Dues are $90 a year. [About Toastmasters](https://www.toastmasters.org/about/all-about-toastmasters) ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2020, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-blew-up-a-toastmasters-group-last-night/918672/96 "2020-10-03T05:03:38Z")
Unfortunately I won the contest. Now I have to compete in Area. I don’t know if I should deliberately blow it so I don’t have to continue or go for the win and try to go all the way. Might be nice to be the official funniest person in District 83. (The person I coached took second, btw. :: pats self on back :: ) > [@HMS\_Irruncible](#): > > Did anybody clap? This is, no joke, one of the funniest damn things I’ve ever read on this board. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2020, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-blew-up-a-toastmasters-group-last-night/918672/97 "2020-10-03T05:17:17Z")
> [@BigAppleBucky](#): > > Dues are $90 a year Not quite correct. _Toastmasters International_ charges $45 every 6 months (totalling $90 per year). As there are expenses associated with running a TM club, each club may charge club dues on top of the TMI dues. Club dues vary depending on the needs of each club - if you want to know how much it costs to be a member of a particular club, you need to ask them. For example, my club’s dues are $60 every 6 months per member. $45 goes to TMI, and $15 goes to us. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2020, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-blew-up-a-toastmasters-group-last-night/918672/98 "2020-10-03T06:45:35Z")
> [@Green\_Bean](#): > > Now I have to compete in Area. I think you should go and kick complete and murderous ass. ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2020, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-blew-up-a-toastmasters-group-last-night/918672/99 "2020-10-03T13:52:56Z")
> [@Green\_Bean](#): > > This is, no joke, one of the funniest damn things I’ve ever read on this board. Yeah! Got one! Bookmarking this for the next time I get Pitted. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2020, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-blew-up-a-toastmasters-group-last-night/918672/100 "2020-10-03T17:57:36Z")
> [@Green\_Bean](#): > > Now I have to compete in Area. If you’re competing against Area Man, you should be okay. From what I’ve read of him in The Onion, that guy is a total douche. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-blew-up-a-toastmasters-group-last-night/918672.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-blew-up-a-toastmasters-group-last-night/918672.md?page=6)