# Rant, Write, and Boo (July Mini-Rants) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Tags:** monthly-mini-rant\ **Created:** [July 1, 2026, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rant-write-and-boo-july-mini-rants/1031327 "2026-07-01T07:38:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2026, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rant-write-and-boo-july-mini-rants/1031327/101 "2026-07-10T23:47:36Z")
“Ben Horney” is phonetically identical to “been horny”. If you say, “I’m Ben Horney” it sounds like you’re saying, “I’ve been horny”. Just as someone with the last name “Dover” should also probably not be named “Ben”. (I work with a woman last name “Dover”, and have never asked her if she is related to a “Ben”.) Also, “Randy Horney” just sounds redundant. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2026, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rant-write-and-boo-july-mini-rants/1031327/102 "2026-07-10T23:48:41Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > Ben Horney” is phonetically identical to “been horny”. If you say, “I’m Ben Horney” it sounds like you’re saying, “I’ve been horny” I guess. I don’t pronounce Ben the same as been so it doesn’t sound the same to me. Perhaps his parents do so as well. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2026, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rant-write-and-boo-july-mini-rants/1031327/103 "2026-07-10T23:53:24Z")
> [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](#): > > I guess. I don’t pronounce Ben the same as been so it doesn’t sound the same to me. Not sure where you’re from, but here in the PNW of the USA, and for most of the country those are pronounced the same. It’s like on the _IT Crowd_, a character is introduced named “Peter File”. In the US, that doesn’t sound so bad, but in the UK where the show takes place, it’s phonetically similar to “paedophile”, which means the same as “pedophile” but pronounced different. There’s also another guy on the radio here, he’s a local news reporter name Luke Duecy.. > **[KIRO Newsradio Reporter](https://mynorthwest.com/author/lduecy)** > > A longtime Seattle journalist, Luke Duecy joins KIRO Newsradio after several years as a reporter on KOMO 4 News as a general assignment reporter. Luke also recently worked in PR, where he operates a boutique firm. Nothing wrong with the name, except that the child that I am, I keep hearing it as “loose dookie”; as if his name means diarrhea. But that’s purely on me. (Eh, **diarrhea** is not on me, thank goodness.) ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2026, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rant-write-and-boo-july-mini-rants/1031327/104 "2026-07-11T00:39:42Z")
> [@WolfpackJeep](#): > > My mom is pretty chill, except for when I have to travel for work. I have a trip coming up in August that I haven’t told her about yet because I don’t want to deal with the drama. My husband’s grandmother was so anxious, there was a memorable time that she called him while he was interning at a summer camp in New Hampshire, saying she saw on the news that a tree fell down in New Hampshire and was he okay? She also called to warn him about “a new kind of mosquito.” Now the anxious missives come from his elderly mother, who informs us of every possible geographic and epidemiological threat (today it was gastrointestinal parasites.) But she always follows up these texts with: “And I am not my mother!” ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2026, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rant-write-and-boo-july-mini-rants/1031327/105 "2026-07-11T02:14:42Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > Not sure where you’re from, but here in the PNW of the USA, and for most of the country those are pronounced the same. Nah, I’m used to “been” being pronounced “bin”, not “ben”. And I often hear it pronounced somewhere about halfway between the two. But I got the joke. ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2026, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rant-write-and-boo-july-mini-rants/1031327/106 "2026-07-11T04:17:16Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > I work with a woman last name “Dover”, and have never asked her if she is related to a “Ben” Is her first name Eileen? One can ‘buy’ a park bench & get a plaque on it in honor, or more usually in memory of a loved one. There used to be a park bench, at a prominent place honoring a nice couple - _Eileen & Ben Dover_. While I thought it was hilarious it wasn’t Imma gonna spend a couple hundred dollars worth it to me. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2026, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rant-write-and-boo-july-mini-rants/1031327/107 "2026-07-11T04:55:37Z")
> [@Spiderman](#): > > Is her first name Eileen? Nice! But no. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2026, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rant-write-and-boo-july-mini-rants/1031327/108 "2026-07-11T17:19:47Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > It’s a bit less than $3,000 (US) a month, which sounds expensive Good God, no! To me that sounds like a screaming deal, particularly as that is probably less than the cost of an average apartment around here. Even a bog-standard not all that awesome senior-living apartment are probably going to start higher around here. Nicer ones will be much more expensive. Assisted care places start getting stratospheric. Congrats to you and your mom for getting a great deal. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2026, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rant-write-and-boo-july-mini-rants/1031327/109 "2026-07-11T17:26:38Z")
Why does my husband tell me, “We have to leave at 1:15pm” and then at 1:15pm sharp go spend 20 minutes in the bathroom? Every. Time. Would it kill you to check in with yourself 15 minutes in advance? ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2026, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rant-write-and-boo-july-mini-rants/1031327/110 "2026-07-11T17:57:58Z")
> [@Tamerlane](#): > > Congrats to you and your mom for getting a great deal. Thank you, I know we struck gold. 😁 ---
**Author:** ![liirogue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dbc845/32.png) [@liirogue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/liirogue)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2026, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rant-write-and-boo-july-mini-rants/1031327/111 "2026-07-11T18:48:15Z")
Stop hitting your brakes coming up on a green light people! Twice today, the drivers in the car in front of me started hitting their brakes while the light was still green and slowed down 10-15 mph. And then of course _they_ make it through before the light changes and I’m stuck sitting at a red light for no good reason. Assholes. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2026, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rant-write-and-boo-july-mini-rants/1031327/112 "2026-07-11T19:56:59Z")
> [@liirogue](#): > > Stop hitting your brakes coming up on a green light people! Twice today, the drivers in the car in front of me started hitting their brakes while the light was still green and slowed down 10-15 mph. That drives me fucking nuts. I’ve honked at irresponsible assholes who do that. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2026, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rant-write-and-boo-july-mini-rants/1031327/113 "2026-07-11T20:14:15Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > I’ve honked at irresponsible assholes who do that. That’ll learn ’em. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2026, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rant-write-and-boo-july-mini-rants/1031327/114 "2026-07-11T20:29:39Z")
> [@liirogue](#): > > Stop hitting your brakes coming up on a green light people! > > Assholes. > [@Atamasama](#): > > That drives me fucking nuts. I’ve honked at irresponsible assholes who do that. Factually speaking, it is not irresponsible. Many driving schools teach braking approaching “stale greens” and bus drivers and truck drivers are always supposed to do this because they’re ferrying so much mass that they don’t want to try to brake suddenly and inadvertently running reds are bad when your job is on the line. They then tend to port this over to their day driving as it becomes ingrained habit. It’s the safer way to drive and realistically your brief pause at a red light shouldn’t have any bearing on your day-to-day life. Stop and smell the ~~roses~~ idling diesel fumes! Now saying that I admit sometimes it annoys as well, because I’m a gigantic hypocrite. The difference is I recognize that’s on me - they’re not actually doing anything wrong 🙂. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2026, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rant-write-and-boo-july-mini-rants/1031327/115 "2026-07-11T20:49:00Z")
I pit kids on scooters. This neighbourhood is infested with them. It’s amazing how fast they can go – almost as amazing as the complete carelessness with with which these rugrats race them up and down the streets and even down sidewalks where they’re a hazard to pedestrians, dogs, and anyone else peacefully trying to use the sidewalk. But it’s not the hazard to pedestrians that I mainly worry about. Several times now I’ve been slowly and carefully backing out of my driveway, and just as I’m about to pull out into the street I see a vague blur out my rear window. If it were a cartoon the caption would be ZOOM!!. If it was a motorized vehicle it would be ticketed for grossly exceeding the speed limit. But these miniature irresponsible assholes don’t care, and no one has ever taught them the danger they’re putting themselves in. One of these days one of these assholes might kill himself, and I’ll have to prove that I’m not to blame. ---
**Author:** ![Reeses\_Monkey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reeses_monkey/32/2885_2.png) [@Reeses\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeses_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2026, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rant-write-and-boo-july-mini-rants/1031327/116 "2026-07-12T01:32:03Z")
It might be safer for all of you if you back _into_ your driveway instead. That way you can see when you’re heading out for the day. It’s what I had to do thanks to the little kids in my neighborhood. ---
**Author:** ![Ellecram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellecram/32/18948_2.png) [@Ellecram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellecram)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2026, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rant-write-and-boo-july-mini-rants/1031327/117 "2026-07-12T02:02:55Z")
I bought a pre mixed bag salad a couple days ago. Was going to eat it for dinner. Then I read about the explosive diarrhea parasite wrecking havoc across the country. I love salads but I am not risking my health. 😨 ---
**Author:** ![scudsucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scudsucker/32/14101_2.png) [@scudsucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scudsucker)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2026, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rant-write-and-boo-july-mini-rants/1031327/118 "2026-07-12T06:12:40Z")
Fucking hippies. Now, many would class me as amongst our woo believing, aura-aware, dreadlocked and intensely environmentalist brothers and sisters, but in my defence I am aware of this relatively modern thing called “technology”. I had been planning a two week stay, starting tomorrow, at a vegan farm some 200km away. It is a hippy place, work/stay type thing where I would get free accomodation in exchange for labour of various kinds. To start with, after applying about a week and a half ago, their response time to their own website contact form was about 3 days. I confirmed, supplied extra details as requested… nothing. Then, concerned that I might miss the dates, I tried the phone number listed - nothing, “number does not exist”. So I tried a follow-up email. Belatedly today, I get an email response to tell me, they are in fact, fully booked, and in any case I would need “references” to vouch for my apparent need to be pure and full of love to go and (literally) shovel organic pig-shit from their small herd of “rescue” swine. (The animals are kept out of compassion, rather than food resources, according to the website) For fucks sakes. I am asking to do manual labour, for free, while paying you for the priviledge of helping make your commune a financial success. This does not sound like the socialist utopia you think it is. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2026, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rant-write-and-boo-july-mini-rants/1031327/119 "2026-07-12T06:43:49Z")
> [@Reeses\_Monkey](#): > > It might be safer for all of you if you back _into_ your driveway instead. That way you can see when you’re heading out for the day. It’s what I had to do thanks to the little kids in my neighborhood. This touches on the nose-in vs back-in parking discussions we’ve had extensively. In this case, though backing in to the driveway would be possible, if awkward, it’s a non-starter because it’s essentially impossible to back in to the garage due to tight clearances. Also a bad idea because you want the car exhaust pointing to the open door and not towards the house. And whether going backwards or forwards, parts of the sidewalk and the street are usually obscured by parked cars. There’s no problem with people walking on the sidewalk or street traffic moving at legal speeds, but the assholes on supersonic scooters are a real peril. ---
**Author:** ![pjd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pjd/32/3009_2.png) [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2026, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rant-write-and-boo-july-mini-rants/1031327/120 "2026-07-12T12:06:40Z")
Because Iron Maiden (apparently some sort of “heavy metal” band) were playing near me yesterday, it took 40 minutes in 36oC heat to go about 1km to get out of town. Bastards. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rant-write-and-boo-july-mini-rants/1031327.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rant-write-and-boo-july-mini-rants/1031327.md?page=7)