# Incompetent motherfucker **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 18, 2012, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incompetent-motherfucker/619150 "2012-04-18T14:05:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![LeeshaJoy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e8cbc/32.png) [@LeeshaJoy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LeeshaJoy)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2012, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incompetent-motherfucker/619150/61 "2012-04-19T20:26:03Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > But plenty of cussing and spitting if things don’t go your way. And striking for higher pay, don’t forget that. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2012, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incompetent-motherfucker/619150/62 "2012-04-19T20:35:25Z")
> [@LeeshaJoy](#): > > Weren’t you the same **Rand Rover** who spent several pages bitching about your firm reqiring you to do pro bono work? No none forced you to work for a firm that reqired that, y’know. Please, let Pazuzu sleep. I beg you. ---
**Author:** ![Rand\_Rover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db5fbb/32.png) [@Rand\_Rover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rand_Rover)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2012, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incompetent-motherfucker/619150/63 "2012-04-19T20:44:31Z")
Leesha, in that thread I pitted the expectation the general public has that lawyers should work for free. So, you fail at showing nh hypocrisy. Thanks for trying though. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2012, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incompetent-motherfucker/619150/64 "2012-04-19T21:21:55Z")
> [@Rand\_Rover](#): > > Leesha, in that thread I pitted the expectation the general public has that lawyers should work for free. Well, not just that: > [@Pro bono bullshit](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pro-bono-bullshit/553132/1): > > So, I’m pitting people at my firm that try to goad others into doing pro bono work… ---
**Author:** ![brazil84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8491ac/32.png) [@brazil84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brazil84)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2012, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incompetent-motherfucker/619150/65 "2012-04-19T22:07:07Z")
> [@Rand\_Rover](#): > > Leesha, in that thread I pitted the expectation the general public has that lawyers should work for free. So, you fail at showing nh hypocrisy. Thanks for trying though. Are there any “breaks of the game” which you deem worthy of pitting? For example, suppose a juicy potential client calls you up and wants to meet with you to discuss possibly hiring you. The only time he can meet with you is first thing in the morning. On the day in question, you wake up at the crack of dawn and make it to work is a freshly cleaned and pressed suit and tie. The potential client calls 5 minutes before the scheduled meeting to cancel – last week he decided to hire someone else and he didn’t get around to cancelling the meeting until now. It seems pretty clear to me that this potential client is pit-worthy, since he cost you a couple hours of sleep for no good reason. True, when you set up the initial appointment you could have insisted on a $100 non-refundable consultation fee in advance. Does that mean the potential client is un-pitworthy? ---
**Author:** ![The\_King\_of\_Soup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@The\_King\_of\_Soup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_King_of_Soup)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2012, 9:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incompetent-motherfucker/619150/66 "2012-04-21T09:27:12Z")
Twickster, I’m glad to hear things are looking up. You have a perfect right to vent. But you really should calculate the amount of work you’re doing for the IMF versus the money you’re getting paid, including things like delays, your ability to resell to other publications, and so forth, and decide whether this outlet is worth the aggravation. Evil this editor may be, but sadly, he’s not incompetent as long as he’s getting what _he_ wants out of the deal. ---
**Author:** ![Jenaroph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Jenaroph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenaroph)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2012, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incompetent-motherfucker/619150/67 "2012-04-21T11:57:08Z")
> [@Rand\_Rover](#): > > You think that’s what I’m recommending? > > Look, I think your response isemblematic of many people’s focus on what is and disregard for what could be. They see poor little Twickster without a kill fee and ignore the fact that Twickster simply made a business deal that didn’t include a kill fee. She is not forced to work without a kill fee–she could find a patch of pavement and lay there until she died if that’s what she wants to do. Instead, she chose to work without a kill fee and now wants to hitch about it. Hey, nobody’s forcing you to post here. (Hell, nobody’s even _paying_ you to post here AFAIK.) You know that when you post your opinion here there are likely to be people who are going to disagree with it no matter who you are or what you post. You choose to post here and now you want to “hitch” about that? You take away from other people’s posts whatever you want. You can look at **twick** ’s post and think “What a dumbass.” Or “that guy’s being unfair.” Or maybe there’s someone who read her post and has made a mental note to bargain for a kill fee the next time they write something freelance, which would mean somebody learned something, eh? But to “hitch” that she’s just “hitching” is pretty useless. That’s where we start trying to figure out if there’s anything else to your post. Are you recommending something? Something she hasn’t already learned from her experience that is? No? Then you’re not adding anything to the conversation, except your own “hitching,” which ironically is what you’re griping about. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2012, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incompetent-motherfucker/619150/68 "2012-04-21T14:54:17Z")
> [@Rand\_Rover](#): > > My objection is that if you make a business deal with several possible outcomes, you have no reason to hitch when one of those possible outcomes occurs. There’s no crying in baseball. You know, I’m not a heartless bastard like you. I do have a heart, but choose not to use it most of the time (those things do wear out eventually). But I have the same sentiment in this case. I’ve never understood the point of making a mistake and then blaming someone else for it. I imagine it makes people feel good somehow, but I guess that doesn’t work for everybody. What works for me, and maybe what does it for you, is to avoid having people say “Idiot, why didn’t you get a contract?” But in a world where great greed motivates many to corrupt all semblance of order, it’s easy to shift the blame from the crooked to the clever in order to avoid looking in the mirror. So keep spitting into the wind if it helps you out. I don’t expect results from that approach, but I do understand it to some degree. Sometimes I just have to state the obvious to keep my head from exploding. ---
**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:** [April 21, 2012, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incompetent-motherfucker/619150/69 "2012-04-21T15:11:41Z")
> [@Jenaroph](#): > > … Are you recommending something? Something she hasn’t already learned from her experience that is? No? Then you’re not adding anything to the conversation, except your own “hitching,” which ironically is what you’re griping about. Not to mention that someone shared something they were upset about, and your first reaction wasn’t to feel bad for another human being, but to be an asshole. Although to be fair, you’re not alone on this board with that inability to feel empathy. I just hope a friend never tells you about a death in their family… _[insert snarky response here]_ ETA: \*“Yeah, well, if you hadn’t married him in the first place, you’d never have this problem, would you?” “Oh, your infant daughter was with him in the accident? Well, didn’t you think this through when you decide to give birth? So, hey, this was your choice. You should’ve thought this through better. Just don’t complain when things turn out this way.”\* ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2012, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incompetent-motherfucker/619150/70 "2012-04-21T15:49:07Z")
> [@digs](#): > > I just hope a friend never tells you about a death in their family… > _[insert snarky response here]_ > > ETA: \*“Yeah, well, if you hadn’t married him in the first place, you’d never have this problem, would you?” > > “Oh, your infant daughter was with him in the accident? Well, didn’t you think this through when you decide to give birth? So, hey, this was your choice. You should’ve thought this through better. Just don’t complain when things turn out this way.”\* Yes, that’s perfectly analogous to the situation here. It’s not at all like someone going to a casino and losing their money, then blaming the casino.😕 ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2012, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incompetent-motherfucker/619150/71 "2012-04-21T16:07:25Z")
Yes, accepting a job with less than optimal terms is like gambling. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2012, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incompetent-motherfucker/619150/72 "2012-04-21T16:13:09Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > Yes, accepting a job with less than optimal terms is like gambling. Well is that sarcasm? In this case the less than optimal terms were no guarantee of payment. Sounds a lot like gambling to me. Not much like a death in the family. BTW: **twicks** , I have sympathy for your plight. But I don’t think the guy is incompetent, he’s just dishonest. ---
**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:** [April 21, 2012, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incompetent-motherfucker/619150/73 "2012-04-21T19:21:20Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Well is that sarcasm? In this case the less than optimal terms were no guarantee of payment. Sounds a lot like gambling to me. Not much like a death in the family. > > BTW: **twicks** , I have sympathy for your plight. But I don’t think the guy is incompetent, he’s just dishonest. I’ve had clients like that. Most times they’re too busy to stop and think “Does this policy screw over my freelancers?” – So it’s a combination of incompetence and dishonesty, but they don’t realize it. It takes months of slapping them to get them to wake up and treat people right. And my “death in the family” comment had nothing to do with the OP, just the lack of empathy in a number of the posters on this board. Thought I’d play the ol’ _Reductio Ad Absurdum_ game. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2012, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incompetent-motherfucker/619150/74 "2012-04-21T19:43:47Z")
> [@digs](#): > > I’ve had clients like that. Most times they’re too busy to stop and think “Does this policy screw over my freelancers?” – So it’s a combination of incompetence and dishonesty, but they don’t realize it. It takes months of slapping them to get them to wake up and treat people right. When people owe me money, I don’t give them the benefit of the doubt. I do whatever it takes to hold up my end of the deal, they should do the same. > [@](#): > > And my “death in the family” comment had nothing to do with the OP, just the lack of empathy in a number of the posters on this board. Thought I’d play the ol’ _Reductio Ad Absurdum_ game. I hate that game. I always pull the “Go directly to Hell” card. ---
**Author:** ![DMC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dmc/32/18049_2.png) [@DMC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMC)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2012, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incompetent-motherfucker/619150/75 "2012-04-21T20:41:24Z")
> [@Giraffe](#): > > Oh, your principles will pay the rent. If they don’t, you either negotiated a bad contract with your landlord or you aren’t squaring your jaw firmly enough. Try striding around with your hands on your hips, sometimes that helps. So **Rand Rover** doesn’t walk, he sashays? Yeah, I can see it. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2012, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incompetent-motherfucker/619150/76 "2012-04-21T20:48:22Z")
[Incompetent motherfucker](http://memegenerator.net/instance/19133100). ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incompetent-motherfucker/619150/77 "2012-04-24T19:58:33Z")
As a matter of complete anticlimax – all three stories ran today, which means they all go on the April invoice. No harm, no foul. Oops. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incompetent-motherfucker/619150/78 "2012-04-24T20:04:05Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Well is that sarcasm? In this case the less than optimal terms were no guarantee of payment. Sounds a lot like gambling to me. Not much like a death in the family. Yes, that’s sarcasm. There are plenty of situations in business when you are forced to rely on the good will, honesty, good sense, and efficiency of the people you work with. That’s not like gambling, in which you are simply playing odds stacked against you in a game that the house wants you to lose. ---
**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, 2012, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incompetent-motherfucker/619150/79 "2012-04-24T22:39:51Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > Why did you become a tax lawyer when you _knew_ you’d end up in Hell? I thought he was an ATV-salesman. Maybe it was snowmobiles. ---
**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, 2012, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incompetent-motherfucker/619150/80 "2012-04-24T22:46:58Z")
Missed the edit window: Glad it worked out for you, **twickster**. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incompetent-motherfucker/619150.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incompetent-motherfucker/619150.md?page=5)