# Stupid rant - or is it a GQ? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 13, 2001, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-rant-or-is-it-a-gq/72327 "2001-07-13T04:39:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2001, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-rant-or-is-it-a-gq/72327/1 "2001-07-13T04:39:38Z")
Okay, let’s say I want to write down a large sum of money, say ten million dollars. I would write this as $10 million What’s WRONG, and stupid, and should be punishable by ten years in a federal prison, would be $10 million dollars Stupid, stupid, stupid! Redundant! But now I see people writing it as $10-million When did this start? Why the ugly, stupid dash? It looks STUPID to me, and it looks wrong. Or did they change the damned rules? Anyway, I hate it. But tell me if I should write it this way. ---
**Author:** ![Darwins\_Finch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darwins_finch/32/20304_2.png) [@Darwins\_Finch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darwins_Finch)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2001, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-rant-or-is-it-a-gq/72327/2 "2001-07-13T04:43:04Z")
I think you should write it as **$1E6**. ---
**Author:** ![Creaky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e68b1a/32.png) [@Creaky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Creaky)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2001, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-rant-or-is-it-a-gq/72327/3 "2001-07-13T05:05:02Z")
Hmmm… $10-_million_ dollars! Why do I get the feeling that Dr. Evil started all of that?? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Nothing\_But\_Net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e47c2d/32.png) [@Nothing\_But\_Net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nothing_But_Net)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2001, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-rant-or-is-it-a-gq/72327/4 "2001-07-13T05:10:22Z")
And made out: Pay to the order of: Nothing But Net! ---
**Author:** ![Darwins\_Finch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darwins_finch/32/20304_2.png) [@Darwins\_Finch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darwins_Finch)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2001, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-rant-or-is-it-a-gq/72327/5 "2001-07-13T05:55:06Z")
I, of course, meant that you should write it as $1E **7**. $1E6 is, of course, only $1-million dollars 😃 ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2001, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-rant-or-is-it-a-gq/72327/6 "2001-07-13T06:54:45Z")
Obviously the correct form is: YOU, RickJay , MAY HAVE ALREADY WON **$10 MILLION DOLLAR$$$!!!** YE$, THAT’$ RIGHT, WE SAID **$10,000,000.00!!!** _WILL BE PAID_ TO YOU, RickJay !!! [sub]if your number is randomly drawn from among the pool of numbers which have been assigned to all warm-blooded life forms presently or formerly residents on the Planet Earth. Employees or relatives, friends, neighbors, or love slaves of employees of Publisher’s Clearing House, Microsoft, AOL Time Warner, the National Security Agency, or the Grand Secret Illuminatist Conspiracy not eligible. Void where prohibited. Prohibited where void. Actual access codes to the Swiss Bank Account where the money will be deposited in your name not included. Do not taunt Happy Fun Ball. Say hello to Opal for us. All entrants must pledge fealty to the Lord Satan.[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2001, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-rant-or-is-it-a-gq/72327/7 "2001-07-13T13:53:24Z")
I still don’t think it’s as bad as “going to get money out of the ATM machine.” (Which translates to “automated teller machine machine”.) AAAARRRRRGGGGGGHHHHH!!! ---
**Author:** ![White\_Lightning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@White\_Lightning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/White_Lightning)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2001, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-rant-or-is-it-a-gq/72327/8 "2001-07-13T14:00:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by **Munch** \* > “going to get money out of the ATM machine.” In that vein: PIN Number. Yep. Now you sound _really_ smart. ---
**Author:** ![Sofa\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/58956e/32.png) [@Sofa\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sofa_King)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2001, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-rant-or-is-it-a-gq/72327/9 "2001-07-13T17:27:50Z")
Also: VIN number (vehicle identification) and SSN number, which really chaps my ass. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2001, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-rant-or-is-it-a-gq/72327/10 "2001-07-13T18:07:36Z")
Un-thaw some meat for dinner - well, that would be freezing it, now wouldn’t it? Un-ravelling a sweater - well, that would be knitting it, now wouldn’t it? Pacific/Specific - news flash! These are two DIFFERENT words with two DIFFERENT meanings. We have a Pacific Ocean. The name of that specific ocean is the Pacific. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2001, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-rant-or-is-it-a-gq/72327/11 "2001-07-14T00:53:39Z")
The next person who says RPG game is going to be inefectually flailed at for about forty five seconds, until I have to sit down to catch my breath. ---
**Author:** ![Darwins\_Finch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darwins_finch/32/20304_2.png) [@Darwins\_Finch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darwins_Finch)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2001, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-rant-or-is-it-a-gq/72327/12 "2001-07-14T02:37:03Z")
What if they’re talking about a game involving rocket-propelled grenades? ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2001, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-rant-or-is-it-a-gq/72327/13 "2001-07-14T03:01:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by featherlou \* > \*\*Un-thaw some meat for dinner - well, that would be freezing it, now wouldn’t it? > > Un-ravelling a sweater - well, that would be knitting it, now wouldn’t it?\*\* Actually, no, it [wouldn’t.](http://www.randomhouse.com/wotd/index.pperl?date=20010302) (The article addresses both of these. And unravel is a very complex issue.) ---
**Author:** ![CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crankyasanoldman/32/11670_2.png) [@CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrankyAsAnOldMan)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2001, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-rant-or-is-it-a-gq/72327/14 "2001-07-14T03:07:32Z")
I’m going nuts with our local “DSW Shoe Warehouse.” I don’t know what exactly DSW stands for, but I’d bet my left tit the “SW” already stands for Shoe Warehouse. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2001, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-rant-or-is-it-a-gq/72327/15 "2001-07-14T04:31:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Darwin’s Finch \* > \*\*What if they’re talking about a game involving rocket-propelled grenades? \*\* Sign me up, coach! But nobody has answered my question, dammit. Is it $10 million or $10-million ??? ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2001, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-rant-or-is-it-a-gq/72327/16 "2001-07-14T05:01:41Z")
Oh, your _question_. I’ve never even seen it written with a hyphen before (before this thread, that is). It looks pretty stupid to me. ---
**Author:** ![White\_Lightning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@White\_Lightning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/White_Lightning)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2001, 10:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-rant-or-is-it-a-gq/72327/17 "2001-07-14T10:48:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by **CrankyAsAnOldMan** \* > I’m going nuts with our local “DSW Shoe Warehouse.” I don’t know what exactly DSW stands for, but I’d bet my left tit the “SW” already stands for Shoe Warehouse. I’d bet your other one the D is for “Discount.” ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2001, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-rant-or-is-it-a-gq/72327/18 "2001-07-14T14:36:48Z")
Hey, just be lucky you don’t have to deal with the TTP at work. ---
**Author:** ![Myrr21](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@Myrr21](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myrr21)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2001, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-rant-or-is-it-a-gq/72327/19 "2001-07-14T15:13:20Z")
Also, “the HIV virus.” _smack_ Slowly: Human. Immuno-deficiency Virus. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2001, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-rant-or-is-it-a-gq/72327/20 "2001-07-14T15:28:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Enderw24 \* > **Hey, just be lucky you don’t have to deal with the TTP at work.** Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura? I did once pimp a med student for saying the patient had a history of TTP purpura [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-rant-or-is-it-a-gq/72327.md?page=2)