# So long and thanks for all the rants! (November mini-rants) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 1, 2022, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-long-and-thanks-for-all-the-rants-november-mini-rants/974116 "2022-11-01T05:26:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Kelevra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/97f17d/32.png) [@Kelevra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kelevra)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2022, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-long-and-thanks-for-all-the-rants-november-mini-rants/974116/122 "2022-11-15T14:50:03Z")
Woke up with a killer sinus headache. I just want to sit in a dark room with my eyes closed. But no, I foolishly volunteered to do a presentation to about 1,000 people and it’s tomorrow. So here I sit at work, squinting at the slides and trying to practice (and perusing the Dope). ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2022, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-long-and-thanks-for-all-the-rants-november-mini-rants/974116/123 "2022-11-15T15:24:39Z")
Recently we moved to another state in the US (North Carolina), and things are…different. When we lived in California, I was accustomed to buying liquor at any of a variety of locations: grocery stores, chain pharmacy (CVS), Costco, etc. And I was I was getting specialty liquors shipped to my home. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy. Well, now I live in a state that limits liquor purchases to state Alcohol Beverage Control (ABC) stores. I find that the selection at the ABC stores is not as broad as I would like, and due to state regulations I can’t get liquor shipped to my home. So, in a small way I’m just out of luck! Yipee! Recently I went to stock up on Vermouth. I get both dry, for martinis, and sweet for manhattans and negronis. There are brands I prefer, yah? And I usually get the smallest bottle for dry, because I only use a few drops in a drink. Well, ABC only has one brand and it is the cheapest in the largest bottles. Ugh! Neanderthals. And now I have discovered another quirk. Sunday is our wedding anniversary and I thought it would be nice to go out for a nice dinner at a fine dining establishment. Nope. In this part of the world, the vast majority of nice restaurants are closed on Sunday (and Monday). Really? _Really?_ I mean, I know NC is technically _ **The South** _ {shudder}, but we are near Raleigh/Durham, which is known as The Triangle because of the concentration of universities and tech research businesses. Surely we can nudge a little more into the 21st century? ---
**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2022, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-long-and-thanks-for-all-the-rants-november-mini-rants/974116/124 "2022-11-15T16:47:52Z")
> [@Icarus](#): > > And now I have discovered another quirk. Sunday is our wedding anniversary and I thought it would be nice to go out for a nice dinner at a fine dining establishment. Nope. In this part of the world, the vast majority of nice restaurants are closed on Sunday (and Monday). Really? _Really?_ You can put a good part of the blame for less restaurants being open on Sunday on the pandemic. Some of course closed entirely, and others just can’t find enough help so their hours aren’t what they used to be. You don’t say exactly where you are; in the fine dining category I know of 4-5 steakhouses, several Italian places and at least one Indian restaurant that are open here on Sundays just off the top of my head, so it’s not really that hard to find a nice place. Ask your local ABC store if they can special order what you want. ---
**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:** [November 15, 2022, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-long-and-thanks-for-all-the-rants-november-mini-rants/974116/125 "2022-11-15T16:52:15Z")
> [@romansperson](#): > > You can put a good part of the blame for less restaurants being open on Sunday on the pandemic. Yep. In our area, breweries and restaurants have mostly shut down on Mondays and Tuesdays during the pamdemic. Seems like a smart way to go. ---
**Author:** ![MagicEyes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@MagicEyes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MagicEyes)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2022, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-long-and-thanks-for-all-the-rants-november-mini-rants/974116/126 "2022-11-15T19:02:50Z")
> [@Icarus](#): > > I find that the selection at the ABC stores is not as broad as I would like, and due to state regulations I can’t get liquor shipped to my home. So, in a small way I’m just out of luck! Yipee! The ABC stores don’t all carry the same products, so sometimes you can find what you want at a different store. You might be able to order it (I think the rules on this might have changed recently—you used to have to order a whole case). ---
**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2022, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-long-and-thanks-for-all-the-rants-november-mini-rants/974116/127 "2022-11-15T19:42:18Z")
Your local store can also call around to see if they can find what you want at another location. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2022, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-long-and-thanks-for-all-the-rants-november-mini-rants/974116/128 "2022-11-15T19:54:42Z")
Fave TV used to play 2 hours of Married With Children at noon. My lunch break on my new job varies, but I could count on seeing the Bundys with my meal. Now, they show the sitcom In The House (starring LL Cool J) at noon. ☹ ---
**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:** [November 15, 2022, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-long-and-thanks-for-all-the-rants-november-mini-rants/974116/129 "2022-11-15T19:58:04Z")
Me: _asks for technical support in federal grants system_ Tech support: Instructions for this issue are on our website Me: _watches 70 minute webinar_ Webinar: Contact tech support for help with this issue 🙄 ---
**Author:** ![Airbeck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/airbeck/32/6574_2.png) [@Airbeck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airbeck)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2022, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-long-and-thanks-for-all-the-rants-november-mini-rants/974116/130 "2022-11-15T20:22:48Z")
Currently typing this with a splint on my left pinkie finger. I took a fall down some stairs this weekend when my socked foot slipped out from under me on some hardwood as I was about to descend the stairs. I braced myself with my left hand as I landed and my pinkie took the brunt. It was dislocated and pointing sideways. Without thinking I popped it back in (I’ve since learned I shouldn’t have done that, but it did go right back and I was able to bend it without any sharp pains). I’ll be getting an xray after work today. Happy holidays to me. It is kind of a miracle that this is my only injury. Save for one minorly tender spot on my left knee, I have zero bruises or anything else. So I guess I’m lucky? My pinkie not so much… ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2022, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-long-and-thanks-for-all-the-rants-november-mini-rants/974116/131 "2022-11-15T22:06:28Z")
At this point in the COVID pandemic – and is it even a pandemic anymore? More like endemic at this point, something we’re just going to have to learn to live with, like the flu – I’ve gotten beyond caring whether people wear masks or not in public places. Hell, I quit wearing a mask into stores weeks ago. If you do or don’t want to wear a mask, whatevs, dude. But someone please explain to me why there are _still people wearing masks with their noses sticking out!_ Fer cryin’ out loud just take the damn thing off already, it’s not doing you or anyone else any good. ---
**Author:** ![MagicEyes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@MagicEyes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MagicEyes)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2022, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-long-and-thanks-for-all-the-rants-november-mini-rants/974116/132 "2022-11-15T22:16:45Z")
> [@Icarus](#): > > I mean, I know NC is technically _ **The South** _ {shudder}, but we are near Raleigh/Durham, which is known as The Triangle because of the concentration of universities and tech research businesses. Surely we can nudge a little more into the 21st century? Are you close to Chapel Hill? There’s a new ABC store in Southern Village that’s really nice, and the people who work there are very helpful. ---
**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:** [November 15, 2022, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-long-and-thanks-for-all-the-rants-november-mini-rants/974116/133 "2022-11-15T22:58:42Z")
> [@Shoeless](#): > > But someone please explain to me why there are _still people wearing masks with their noses sticking out!_ It’s nearly Christmas, those are their low budget Santa beards. ---
**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:** [November 16, 2022, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-long-and-thanks-for-all-the-rants-november-mini-rants/974116/134 "2022-11-16T00:17:01Z")
> [@Icarus](#): > > I find that the selection at the ABC stores is not as broad as I would like, and due to state regulations I can’t get liquor shipped to my home. If the products you’re looking for come from a small distiller, it might not hurt to see if you can have your favorites shipped; some places can ship to North Carolina. (Although I just went to check out my favorite place in Maine as an example, and the online store I ordered from last year is gone. ☹ ) ---
**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:** [November 16, 2022, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-long-and-thanks-for-all-the-rants-november-mini-rants/974116/135 "2022-11-16T12:06:47Z")
> [@MagicEyes](#): > > The ABC stores don’t all carry the same products, so sometimes you can find what you want at a different store. In Pennsylvania we have state stores that sell liquor. I’m used to checking online and then driving to the closest store that has what I need. ---
**Author:** ![adhemar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@adhemar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adhemar)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2022, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-long-and-thanks-for-all-the-rants-november-mini-rants/974116/136 "2022-11-16T15:17:02Z")
I have a friend who is allergic yellow food dye. It is in everything. ---
**Author:** ![Mundane\_Super\_Hero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mundane_super_hero/32/6304_2.png) [@Mundane\_Super\_Hero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mundane_Super_Hero)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2022, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-long-and-thanks-for-all-the-rants-november-mini-rants/974116/137 "2022-11-18T02:06:25Z")
> [@Ann\_Hedonia](#): > > I lost my Twitter privileges a couple of years ago for calling Donald Trump Jr. a loser, in several creative ways, and suggesting that his girlfriend would be screwing Hunter Biden by Valentine’s Day. I know that you are (probably) right. I know that maybe… maybe this isn’t the hill to die on. That said, re: the question: “@RepMTG Are we allowed to say “Unfaithful Treasonous Gym Slut” on Twitter now?” It was in the form of a question. She has been unfaithful ( the filings re: her divorce prove that ). She has been Treasonous as there is film evidence of someone in her clothes planting bombs on the night of January 5th. As for her being a ‘Gym Slut’ several male members of her gym affirm that that is true. ( Yes, that’s gross, but yes that’s true. ) And, dammit, If I delete it, I’m saying that I’m a liar ( And I Am Not! ). Five days and still no adjudication… ---
**Author:** ![SuntanLotion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suntanlotion/32/16165_2.png) [@SuntanLotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanLotion)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2022, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-long-and-thanks-for-all-the-rants-november-mini-rants/974116/138 "2022-11-18T02:09:45Z")
Hunter can do better than Kimberly… ---
**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:** [November 18, 2022, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-long-and-thanks-for-all-the-rants-november-mini-rants/974116/139 "2022-11-18T02:19:54Z")
I don’t think putting something in the form of the question really helps. The thing is that “slut” is pretty much always a sexist pejorative in North America (I’ve heard it used for “untidy housemate” in the UK, no sexual connotations at all). Being unfaithful doesn’t make you a slut. Having sex with everybody at the gym doesn’t make you a slut. Being judged for having sex with too many partners is what makes you a slut, and that’s really not something that can be objectively established. Maybe “Unfaithful Treasonous Gymnasty”—conveys the disapproval of gym behaviour without specifically sexist judgements, or words that might get flagged automatically. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2022, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-long-and-thanks-for-all-the-rants-november-mini-rants/974116/140 "2022-11-18T02:29:40Z")
I received a notice I had to renew a benefit. Today, I finally got around to doing so. I tried online. The site was so badly designed I wasn’t sure if I had successfully renewed or not. I called the helpline. After three menus, I was instructed to enter my ten digit application number. I was six digits in when it suddenly asked for a different number. Flummoxed, I entered the last four digits. The robot voice told me I could not be found in the system and hung up on me. I filled out the paper forms, stuck them in the far too small envelope, and mailed them. ---
**Author:** ![Redcanoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b487fb/32.png) [@Redcanoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Redcanoe)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2022, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-long-and-thanks-for-all-the-rants-november-mini-rants/974116/141 "2022-11-18T02:57:30Z")
My wife’s car is a Mazda CX-5. Fine vehicle overall but it does not have a low fuel bell or buzzer. Just a small yellow light, a bit obscure. It also locks you out of setting the GPS while the car is moving. Sure, sure a safety feature, but you can mess around with the radio while driving. There is a sensor in the passenger seat for the airbag, why can’t they use that signal to assume the passenger is inputing stuff to the GPS? 1st world problems. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-long-and-thanks-for-all-the-rants-november-mini-rants/974116.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-long-and-thanks-for-all-the-rants-november-mini-rants/974116.md?page=8)