# The worst things in the world **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 6, 2010, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-things-in-the-world/552849 "2010-09-06T22:46:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-things-in-the-world/552849/81 "2010-09-10T06:04:22Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > > [@Chimera](#): > > > > Obligatory [xkcd](http://xkcd.com/790/) link. > > He has apparently seen my spider dance. [This one](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarantella)? ---
**Author:** ![chorpler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chorpler/32/2888_2.png) [@chorpler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chorpler)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-things-in-the-world/552849/82 "2010-09-10T07:21:10Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > > [@Ninja\_Lauren](#): > > > > People who argue with me when I know I’m right. I’m not saying I’m right all the time, but when I am (and I damn well know it!) don’t argue! It frustrates me to no end. > > I was at a math teacher training once, and we were supposed to discuss a test that measured a benchmark “Determine the difference between a number and a multiple of 10.” It’s second grade, and the principle being taught should be obvious with a moment’s thought: if you’re subtracting a multiple of 10 from a number, the ones place doesn’t change, only the 10s place (in this instance, we were still working only with 1- and 2-digit numbers). > > Except the test didn’t have anything to do with that principle. I questioned the trainers, suggesting they’d mixed up two different tests. They absolutely insisted they hadn’t, based on the idea that “difference” didn’t mean the result of subtraction, but rather meant “difference” in the nonmathematical sense: how is a number different from a multiple of 10? Wait, I’m confused. What argument were they putting forth? What were they claiming was “the difference between a number and a multiple of ten”? ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 10:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-things-in-the-world/552849/83 "2010-09-10T10:50:14Z")
> [@Ninja\_Lauren](#): > > People who argue with me when I know I’m right. I’m not saying I’m right all the time, but when I am (and I damn well know it!) don’t argue! It frustrates me to no end. My husband runs into this problem a lot when he’s on the job. He’s a USPS letter carrier, and they’re supposed to (to the best of their ability) give directions to people who ask them. Well, he’s lived in his delivery area most of his life, so he knows it really well. Yet inevitably, many people will **argue** with him over the directions he’s giving. What the hell, **you’re** the one who’s lost; he knows where he is, so why are you disputing what he’s telling you? Oh, and especially the people who are looking for the courthouse, and who run into my husband on a somewhat similar road? Seriously. I don’t care what your MapQuest printout says, you’re in the totally wrong suburb, on, say, “Center Straight Road,” rather than a suburb with a completely different name **20 miles away** and on “Center Pasture Road.” You maybe should have noticed what the website told you about your destination, compared to whatever summons/citation you were holding, before you accepted the directions and hit print. But hey, mistakes happen - just don’t yell at/argue with my husband when he’s actually trying to tell you how to drive those 20 miles to get your ass to the courthouse, because he’s telling you very important things and nothing about this is his fault. ---
**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 10, 2010, 10:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-things-in-the-world/552849/84 "2010-09-10T10:51:13Z")
If I remember correctly, it was something like “When you count by 10s, you hit the multiple of 10, and multiples of 10 end in zeroes.” Yes, it really was that nonsensical, and yes, I pointed out that a multiple of 10 IS “a number.” No, they weren’t persuaded: believing me would have meant admitting they (or the folks that designed the training materials) made an error. ---
**Author:** ![Uzi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/91b2a8/32.png) [@Uzi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uzi)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-things-in-the-world/552849/85 "2010-09-10T15:39:19Z")
> [@Faruiza](#): > > Just reading that made my eye twitch. So, the recruiter says they have a great job for me. I look at the job description and it looks very technical which I’m moving away from. They say no, it is a team lead position where they want a senior person to manage the group. At the interview with the client they don’t want a team lead. They want a person, who by their very presence, will guide the team and ensure that more junior members will toe the line. So, I would be responsible for their performance? Yes. But I wouldn’t have any real authority to do anything if they didn’t perform? Yes. \ Yeah, go fuck yourselves. ---
**Author:** ![MTCicero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a4c791/32.png) [@MTCicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MTCicero)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-things-in-the-world/552849/86 "2010-09-10T16:12:55Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > Oh well. The only thing I hate worse than people standing cluelessly in public spaces and blocking traffic or delaying others are the people who do that and then suddenly turn and wave their arms out to point at something, smacking me or other people in the face. I’ve been known to catch their arm and hold it briefly while I continue walking, pulling them off balance. ::Reads paragraph again:: Yep, you’re still an asshole. ---
**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:** [September 10, 2010, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-things-in-the-world/552849/87 "2010-09-10T16:51:09Z")
> [@Uzi](#): > > > [@Faruiza](#): > > > > Just reading that made my eye twitch. > > So, the recruiter says they have a great job for me. I look at the job description and it looks very technical which I’m moving away from. They say no, it is a team lead position where they want a senior person to manage the group. > > At the interview with the client they don’t want a team lead. They want a person, who by their very presence, will guide the team and ensure that more junior members will toe the line. > So, I would be responsible for their performance? Yes. > But I wouldn’t have any real authority to do anything if they didn’t perform? Yes. > \ Yeah, go fuck yourselves. All the responsibility! None of the authority! What, one of the most stressful job situations is not enticing to you? ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-things-in-the-world/552849/88 "2010-09-10T16:52:55Z")
> [@chorpler](#): > > > [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > > > I was at a math teacher training once, and we were supposed to discuss a test that measured a benchmark “Determine the difference between a number and a multiple of 10.” It’s second grade, and the principle being taught should be obvious with a moment’s thought: if you’re subtracting a multiple of 10 from a number, the ones place doesn’t change, only the 10s place (in this instance, we were still working only with 1- and 2-digit numbers). > > > > Except the test didn’t have anything to do with that principle. I questioned the trainers, suggesting they’d mixed up two different tests. They absolutely insisted they hadn’t, based on the idea that “difference” didn’t mean the result of subtraction, but rather meant “difference” in the nonmathematical sense: how is a number different from a multiple of 10? > > Wait, I’m confused. What argument were they putting forth? What were they claiming was “the difference between a number and a multiple of ten”? Like, what is the difference between 3 and 20? If the answer is not “17”, then the answer must be something like “you draw them differently”, “they look different on a piece of paper”, “they represent quantities that are not the same”, etc. Is that what they were claiming the answers should be? ---
**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:** [September 10, 2010, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-things-in-the-world/552849/89 "2010-09-10T17:07:47Z")
I don’t understand any part of that (except the part where you have a zero at the end of every multiple of 10). ---
**Author:** ![Uzi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/91b2a8/32.png) [@Uzi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uzi)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-things-in-the-world/552849/90 "2010-09-10T17:10:05Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > What, one of the most stressful job situations is not enticing to you? I’d rather gouge my eyes out with a coat hanger. It is the one thing that I will actually tell someone trying to put me in that sort of situation to go and fuck themselves. Give me the authority or get another patsy. People that think this is a good idea are some of the worst or most stupid people on the planet. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-things-in-the-world/552849/91 "2010-09-10T17:10:45Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > > [@Chimera](#): > > > > If your stuff is already being wrung up, finish the job, pay for it, take the shit to your car. THEN come back and pick up that one other item if you really really need it. Hell, the next time through you can take your one item through the express lane. > > There have been a few times in my life when, harried, I’ve gotten to the checkout person and realized that I’m missing one ingredient for dinner. If I can see the ingredient–if it’s like 30 feet away, I’ll ask them if I can go get it, and then I’ll do some serious powerwalking to go get the lime or soy sauce or whatever and be back before the groceries are finished being rung up. If there’s any chance I won’t make it, I go through the line twice. > > If it doesn’t slow you down, I figure it’s okay, even if the Principle Of The Thing raises your blood pressure. Ok, if you’re still waiting in line and haven’t started to check out yet, and you’re convinced you can get the past peiece of shit before the checker gets to you, which means running to get it won’t actually delay anything, then you can go. BUT, if you’re wrong, and when you come back you see a line of people waiting behind your cartand looking at you, you must pull your cart out of line and step off to the side – so your shame-induced ritual suicide won’t cause even more delays. ---
**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:** [September 10, 2010, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-things-in-the-world/552849/92 "2010-09-10T17:29:05Z")
> [@Uzi](#): > > > [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > > > What, one of the most stressful job situations is not enticing to you? > > I’d rather gouge my eyes out with a coat hanger. > It is the one thing that I will actually tell someone trying to put me in that sort of situation to go and fuck themselves. > Give me the authority or get another patsy. People that think this is a good idea are some of the worst or most stupid people on the planet. I think you’re looking at this the wrong way - you should be grateful for companies like this for showing you what they’re all about up front, so you don’t waste any more time on them. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-things-in-the-world/552849/93 "2010-09-10T23:46:45Z")
> [@MTCicero](#): > > Yep, you’re still an asshole. Yup. I once shot a man, just to watch him die. Then I got distracted and missed it. I asked my friends what it was like, but it just wasn’t the same. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-things-in-the-world/552849/94 "2010-09-10T23:55:53Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > > [@MTCicero](#): > > > > Yep, you’re still an asshole. > > Yup. I once shot a man, just to watch him die. Then I got distracted and missed it. I asked my friends what it was like, but it just wasn’t the same. Do I have to do your thinking for you? Shoot somebody else. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2010, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-things-in-the-world/552849/95 "2010-09-11T00:27:25Z")
I muffed the quote. Episode 11 The Gun Fighter Dave Foley: I once shot a man just to watch him die, then I got distracted and missed it. Oh my friends tried to describe it to me, but it just isn’t the same. ---
**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 11, 2010, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-things-in-the-world/552849/96 "2010-09-11T04:46:03Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > > [@chorpler](#): > > > > Wait, I’m confused. What argument were they putting forth? What were they claiming was “the difference between a number and a multiple of ten”? > > Like, what is the difference between 3 and 20? If the answer is not “17”, then the answer must be something like “you draw them differently”, “they look different on a piece of paper”, “they represent quantities that are not the same”, etc. Is that what they were claiming the answers should be? Yeah, it was something like “When you count by 10s, you hit the multiple of 10, and multiples of 10 end in zeroes.” Seriously ridiculous, but they would not back down from it. (And yes, if I ever didn’t make it back in time, I’d totally hope the cashier would already have distributed my food to other customers so they could pelt me on my return. That’d be inexcusable). ---
**Author:** ![MTCicero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a4c791/32.png) [@MTCicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MTCicero)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2010, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-things-in-the-world/552849/97 "2010-09-11T12:08:34Z")
> [@Lumpy](#): > > > [@scule](#): > > > > Zooming to the end of an on ramp and forcing their way onto the highway > > As opposed to what? Crawling to the end of the ramp at 40mph, yielding to traffic and then trying to jackrabbit up to freeway speed before you get rear-ended? I drive an underpowered compact; I **need** the on ramp to get up to speed, and if I need to yield to traffic I can slow down a hell of a lot faster than I can speed up. It’s infuriating to be stuck behind someone who makes me enter freeway traffic at 41mph while they just hit the Turboboost™ and take off like they had JATO units strapped to their rear bumper. Plus, everyone who’s not a hopeless moron knows that you should enter a highway at highway cruising speed. That’s like Driver’s Ed 101. ---
**Author:** ![MTCicero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a4c791/32.png) [@MTCicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MTCicero)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2010, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-things-in-the-world/552849/98 "2010-09-11T12:10:20Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > The entire point of longer ramps IS so that you can get up to the speed limit and merge smoothly with traffic. If you get to the end and are merging into 70mph traffic at 50-55mph, then **you’re fucking doing it wrong** and presenting a danger to those around you. Yes. (And I take back my previous asshole comment.) ---
**Author:** ![MTCicero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a4c791/32.png) [@MTCicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MTCicero)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2010, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-things-in-the-world/552849/99 "2010-09-11T12:24:54Z")
_Every_body knows that [kiddie grocery carts](http://marketingenious.terapad.com/resources/5371/assets/images/shopping%20cart%20race%20car.jpg) are the worst things in the world. Actually, no. Fuck that, the asshole parents who give into their pwecious widdle snowfwakes’ bleating and actually use the fucking things are the worst things (yes, **things** ) in the world. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Midnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@Captain\_Midnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Midnight)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2010, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-things-in-the-world/552849/100 "2010-09-11T12:27:14Z")
1. When comedians turn self-righteous. STFU and tell some jokes, jokebitch. This is what annoyed me about George Carlin in the end. He would just prattle on about how he’s an atheist, his pot smoking politics and how the World and the elite are screwing “the little guy” (while being a multi millionaire, who the World treated like royalty). He’s been dead a couple of years, so no more HBO (a large corporation Calin supposedly hated), on television (a medium he dislikes), downgrading the course of soceity while people yuck it up. His political commentary was in his twilight years thankfully. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-things-in-the-world/552849.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-things-in-the-world/552849.md?page=6)