# 'Tis the season to be ranty - December Minirants **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 1, 2014, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tis-the-season-to-be-ranty-december-minirants/706028 "2014-12-01T14:11:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 13
**Author:** ![Dave\_Enn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dave_enn/32/426_2.png) [@Dave\_Enn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dave_Enn)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2014, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tis-the-season-to-be-ranty-december-minirants/706028/241 "2014-12-17T01:14:42Z")
> [@Lacunae\_Matata](#): > > In other news, the Princess has a job! … (edited) …evidence of industry on his part. 😃 Did I miss an update? Did he manage to outsmart the rocks and dirt? ---
**Author:** ![Lacunae\_Matata](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8491ac/32.png) [@Lacunae\_Matata](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lacunae_Matata)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2014, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tis-the-season-to-be-ranty-december-minirants/706028/242 "2014-12-17T01:40:41Z")
Well, yes and no. Tony was put in charge of checking his work, because I had reached the point of fury - I knew I couldn’t be very impartial in my judgment. After the fifth try, Tony approved the work, but (thanks to his current back problems) he didn’t walk out there to take a close look. I was out there yesterday afternoon - Vinnie essentially took a very simple job, made it ridiculously complicated, and ensured that it would all be for naught the second it rained. (Instead of using the shovel, rake, and hoe to level the ground by raking down the high side, V. dug a giant trench as a borrow pit, and raised the whole thing. Because he’s an idiot.) Things came to a head when I was out there yesterday afternoon, trying to fix it and fill in the big new ditch before someone walked out there in the dark and broke an ankle. Vinnie’s mom came running out to tell me that I should make the dumbass do it again, and that I should sit right there supervising. I was more than a little irritated, and told her that I didn’t sign on to babysit a 20-year-old, that I had my own small children to take care of! I was already irritated before discovering the SNAFU, because I had watched the 2-year-old spot the empty dog dish and refill it, unprompted; and the 4-year-old grab the broom and dustpan when she noticed that the living room needed sweeping. That’s more than Vinnie has done in over a month! And that’s also when I pointed out that I didn’t sign on to be his staff - if he is going to treat me like I’m running a boarding house for his benefit, I expect him to get off his ass and pay me for my time and effort. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2014, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tis-the-season-to-be-ranty-december-minirants/706028/243 "2014-12-17T02:08:40Z")
> [@Lacunae\_Matata](#): > > Well, yes and no. Tony was put in charge of checking his work, because I had reached the point of fury - I knew I couldn’t be very impartial in my judgment. After the fifth try, Tony approved the work, but (thanks to his current back problems) he didn’t walk out there to take a close look. I was out there yesterday afternoon - Vinnie essentially took a very simple job, made it ridiculously complicated, and ensured that it would all be for naught the second it rained. (Instead of using the shovel, rake, and hoe to level the ground by raking down the high side, V. dug a giant trench as a borrow pit, and raised the whole thing. Because he’s an idiot.) > > Things came to a head when I was out there yesterday afternoon, trying to fix it and fill in the big new ditch before someone walked out there in the dark and broke an ankle. Vinnie’s mom came running out to tell me that I should make the dumbass do it again, and that I should sit right there supervising. I was more than a little irritated, and told her that I didn’t sign on to babysit a 20-year-old, that I had my own small children to take care of! > > I was already irritated before discovering the SNAFU, because I had watched the 2-year-old spot the empty dog dish and refill it, unprompted; and the 4-year-old grab the broom and dustpan when she noticed that the living room needed sweeping. That’s more than Vinnie has done in over a month! And that’s also when I pointed out that I didn’t sign on to be his staff - if he is going to treat me like I’m running a boarding house for his benefit, I expect him to get off his ass and pay me for my time and effort. 😃 Sounds to me like Vinnie is taking a cue from his mom. Why in hell does she expect \*you \*to supervise \*her \*son’s work? If anyone is going to babysit the 20-year-old, it ought to be the woman who kept him an inconsiderate baby! ---
**Author:** ![bobkitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c67d28/32.png) [@bobkitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobkitty)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2014, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tis-the-season-to-be-ranty-december-minirants/706028/244 "2014-12-17T02:11:55Z")
> [@chizzuk](#): > > Today, the Chipotle near my house ran out of. . .wait for it. . .burritos. > > More specifically, they had no tortillas. At 12:30. I don’t know how they’re planning to get through the rest of the day. > > I would ask how the hell a burrito place runs out of burritos, but I once stopped at a Pizza Hut Express that was out of pizza. They gave me a hot dog instead. Are you in VA, perchance? We may be neighbors (when I’m not traveling FOR FREAKING EVER for work…)! ---
**Author:** ![flatlined](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb9ed0/32.png) [@flatlined](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flatlined)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2014, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tis-the-season-to-be-ranty-december-minirants/706028/245 "2014-12-17T02:14:50Z")
> [@Typo\_Negative](#): > > We have to move. We can no longer afford our rented house since my SO lost her job 6 months ago. We need to move in a couple of weeks and we have not found the new place yet. My credit rating has taken a serious hit in the last year, especially the last 6 months. Hers sucks. We have 2 elderly dogs and need to be on the first floor. This narrows the list of possibilities signifigantly. > > And thought of packing up the entire house, getting the truck and enough people to help in such a short time makes me want to sit in the corner and cry. I am so sorry. That truly does suck. Are you in an area where you can rent a trailer? The first home I owned was a 20 year old single wide trailer (that even had the hitch and wheels under it…those can be sold). It was kinda ugly inside with the green and brown kitchen, but it was cheap. > [@slalexan](#): > > Today has really sucked. I got in a car accident just moments away from work. I had to wait for the police for an hour to come. My car is done. And the other driver dleant have insurance. I’m stuck in an “everything sucks” kind of mood and now we have to go buy a new car. > > Everything really sucks. > > Also my ankle hurts. I have only once been hit by someone with insurance. Its infuriating. I’m so sorry and I hope that your ankle isn’t badly damaged. > [@Dave\_Enn](#): > > Did I miss an update? Did he manage to outsmart the rocks and dirt? That’s the same question I wanted to ask! ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2014, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tis-the-season-to-be-ranty-december-minirants/706028/246 "2014-12-17T03:55:05Z")
Gosh, if I had a dime for every time me or one of my atheist friends sat around and said, “I wish we could take the Christ out of Christmas” or “Jesus is not really the reason for the season” AND we roved the streets as menacing gangs and tried to make everyone we encountered also want those things, why, my god, I’d be so rich!! If only those do-gooding Facebookers on my feed weren’t reminding people every hour of every day to not let this happen, why, we’d take over the world! Damn meddling Facebookers! ---
**Author:** ![chizzuk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@chizzuk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chizzuk)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2014, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tis-the-season-to-be-ranty-december-minirants/706028/247 "2014-12-17T04:01:51Z")
> [@purplehorseshoe](#): > > Hot dogs are sketchy enough. But a _Pizza Hut_ hot dog? > > Wait … why did they even have them on hand? Did the manager just split his lunch with you or something? I have no earthly idea. It was a Pizza Hut Express that was housed inside a Target. I pondered for a few seconds and then accepted the hot dog, because I was really freakin’ hungry. It wasn’t a bad hot dog, either. (As evidenced by the fact that I was willing to eat at a Pizza Hut inside a Target, I wasn’t feeling terribly picky that day) > [@bobkitty](#): > > Are you in VA, perchance? We may be neighbors (when I’m not traveling FOR FREAKING EVER for work…)! Montgomery County, MD. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2014, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tis-the-season-to-be-ranty-december-minirants/706028/248 "2014-12-17T13:35:47Z")
> [@slalexan](#): > > Today has really sucked. I got in a car accident just moments away from work. I had to wait for the police for an hour to come. My car is done. And the other driver dleant have insurance. I’m stuck in an “everything sucks” kind of mood and now we have to go buy a new car. > > Everything really sucks. > > Also my ankle hurts. That’s awful. I’m sorry you have to deal with all this. Hopefully you wind up loving the new car. ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2014, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tis-the-season-to-be-ranty-december-minirants/706028/249 "2014-12-17T14:35:42Z")
I think there was a pizza restaurant around here (not sure if it was Pizza Hut) where you had the option of actually having hot dogs within the crust. ---
**Author:** ![slalexan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@slalexan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slalexan)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2014, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tis-the-season-to-be-ranty-december-minirants/706028/250 "2014-12-17T14:35:51Z")
Thanks everyone. We were able to get a lease on a new car and our insurance rates only went up $50 (we had very basic coverage before). It looks like everything is working out. Also, my ankle is only bruised, not broken. My rant today: Michigan drivers. You are all nuts! ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2014, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tis-the-season-to-be-ranty-december-minirants/706028/251 "2014-12-17T15:40:02Z")
Damn. I am forced to admit that my Chronic Pain issues are far worse than I was willing to admit to myself, and far worse than I want to have to deal with. Why can’t it just fucking GO AWAY??? ---
**Author:** ![Mrs\_Ducky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrs_ducky/32/6227_2.png) [@Mrs\_Ducky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mrs_Ducky)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2014, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tis-the-season-to-be-ranty-december-minirants/706028/252 "2014-12-17T15:50:06Z")
> [@chizzuk](#): > > Today, the Chipotle near my house ran out of. . .wait for it. . .burritos. > > More specifically, they had no tortillas. At 12:30. I don’t know how they’re planning to get through the rest of the day. > > I would ask how the hell a burrito place runs out of burritos, but I once stopped at a Pizza Hut Express that was out of pizza. They gave me a hot dog instead. My husband went through the Taco Bell drive through one time to get his soft tacos and my bean burritos. The person on the other end of the speaker said “I’m sorry, sir, we’re out of beans.” This was at 2PM!!! ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2014, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tis-the-season-to-be-ranty-december-minirants/706028/253 "2014-12-17T16:19:51Z")
Sorry, **Chimera**. ☹ > [@Lacunae\_Matata](#): > > …(Instead of using the shovel, rake, and hoe to level the ground by raking down the high side, V. dug a giant trench as a borrow pit, and raised the whole thing. Because he’s an idiot.) > > Things came to a head when I was out there yesterday afternoon, trying to fix it and fill in the big new ditch before someone walked out there in the dark and broke an ankle. Vinnie’s mom came running out to tell me that I should make the dumbass do it again, and that I should sit right there supervising. I was more than a little irritated, and told her that I didn’t sign on to babysit a 20-year-old, that I had my own small children to take care of! > > I was already irritated before discovering the SNAFU, because I had watched the 2-year-old spot the empty dog dish and refill it, unprompted; and the 4-year-old grab the broom and dustpan when she noticed that the living room needed sweeping. That’s more than Vinnie has done in over a month! … I had to close my eyes and picture your description of what he did, and I still can’t fathom how he thought this was a good idea. Damn. Concur with \*\*Morgyn \*\*that unless there’s something you left out, like she volunteers her free time feeding orphaned kittens or something, his own momma should be the one supervising the do-over. Can you use your kids to shame him? You could teach the 4-year-old to heave a dramatic sigh and say something like, “Good thing _I’m_ here to sweep the floor. I can do that even though I’m just a little kid. Shame there isn’t a big, strong grown-up who can do it …” Bonus points if she can do that passive-aggressive voice, too. (If not, my mom teaches the advanced course.) > [@Alice\_The\_Goon](#): > > Gosh, if I had a dime for every time me or one of my atheist friends sat around and said, “I wish we could take the Christ out of Christmas” or “Jesus is not really the reason for the season” AND we roved the streets as menacing gangs and tried to make everyone we encountered also want those things, why, my god, I’d be so rich!! If only those do-gooding Facebookers on my feed weren’t reminding people every hour of every day to not let this happen, why, we’d take over the world! Damn meddling Facebookers! Hey! Where’s \*my \*dime? My atheist buds and I roam the streets as menacing gangs, too … on the third Tuesday of every month, because Karen has tennis on Mondays and Wednesdays, and Thursdays are Cindy’s weekly board game nights. We tried going every other week but it was a bitch to arrange babysitters. > [@chizzuk](#): > > I have no earthly idea. It was a Pizza Hut Express that was housed inside a Target. . . Ooohhhhh. I get it. They gave you one of the Target-food hot dogs, from where they sell popcorn and pretzels and stuff. > [@EmilyG](#): > > I think there was a pizza restaurant around here (not sure if it was Pizza Hut) where you had the option of actually having hot dogs within the crust. :eek: Canadians are no longer allowed to make fun of disgusting/fattening/horrifying American food items. Unless that was a direct import from us, in which case, I apologize for any hot-dog-pizza crimes that may have been committed. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2014, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tis-the-season-to-be-ranty-december-minirants/706028/254 "2014-12-17T16:31:53Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > Damn. > > I am forced to admit that my Chronic Pain issues are far worse than I was willing to admit to myself, and far worse than I want to have to deal with. Why can’t it just fucking GO AWAY??? Because it’s a Doper pain and if it just went away it wouldn’t be chronic. It’s very conscientious about being chronic. It wants to make sure it does exactly what it says on the cover, you see. (Sorry it hurts) ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2014, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tis-the-season-to-be-ranty-december-minirants/706028/255 "2014-12-17T16:45:44Z")
To my coworker: Writing code with two different variables, whose names only differ in capitalization, should be a hanging offense. I just spent half a fucking day trying to figure out how your code even compiled, much less worked. Having MyAbcdVariable and MyaBcdVariable be two different things is the shittiest code I’ve ever seen. I’m trying to decide whether to out this crap to the entire department. ---
**Author:** ![Rocketeer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocketeer/32/4437_2.png) [@Rocketeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rocketeer)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2014, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tis-the-season-to-be-ranty-december-minirants/706028/256 "2014-12-17T17:18:43Z")
Stopped at the local drug store to buy a new alarm clock; found a nice one with great big green numbers. Got it home, plugged it in, and the radio started blaring. The switch that’s supposed to turn off the radio doesn’t. Broken, right out of the box. :mad::mad::mad: So tonight after work, it’s back to the store to return that clock and try to get one that actually works. Oh boy, another errand to do. ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_Hey\_Paula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hey\_Hey\_Paula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_Hey_Paula)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2014, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tis-the-season-to-be-ranty-december-minirants/706028/257 "2014-12-17T17:46:52Z")
> [@slalexan](#): > > Thanks everyone. We were able to get a lease on a new car and our insurance rates only went up $50 (we had very basic coverage before). It looks like everything is working out. Also, my ankle is only bruised, not broken. > > My rant today: Michigan drivers. You are all nuts! Hurray for not-broken ankle! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2014, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tis-the-season-to-be-ranty-december-minirants/706028/258 "2014-12-17T18:23:28Z")
> [@Alice\_The\_Goon](#): > > Gosh, if I had a dime for every time me or one of my atheist friends sat around and said, “I wish we could take the Christ out of Christmas” or “Jesus is not really the reason for the season” AND we roved the streets as menacing gangs and tried to make everyone we encountered also want those things, why, my god, I’d be so rich!! If only those do-gooding Facebookers on my feed weren’t reminding people every hour of every day to not let this happen, why, we’d take over the world! Damn meddling Facebookers! Way back when my kids were little, the “put the Christ back in Christmas” crowd was in full howl (yes, it’s been going on for a long time). My oldest son’s name is Christopher. I told him that since we were being required to put the “christ” back in Christmas, that it had to come from somewhere and that I had volunteered his name, and so from then on we were going to call him “Xtopher”. It’s still a family joke at this time of year. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2014, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tis-the-season-to-be-ranty-december-minirants/706028/259 "2014-12-17T19:52:59Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > Because it’s a Doper pain and if it just went away it wouldn’t be chronic. It’s very conscientious about being chronic. It wants to make sure it does exactly what it says on the cover, you see. > > (Sorry it hurts) Spent some time looking up treatments for Chronic Pain. Tricyclic anti-depressants apparently are one possibility. Of course, with extreme trepidation I noted that one of the ones they list was one I had some rather severe side effects with 28-ish years ago. So bad that I don’t know that I want to try any of them. OTOH, if one of them worked without the nasty side effects, I’d be pretty happy about it. But it isn’t helping me today. I’m barely able to deal with anything and am at the edge of tears, I hurt so bad. Just want to curl up under my desk. I’d go home, but I can’t. And tonight is a family birthday dinner. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![adhemar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@adhemar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adhemar)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2014, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tis-the-season-to-be-ranty-december-minirants/706028/260 "2014-12-17T19:54:48Z")
> [@Alice\_The\_Goon](#): > > Gosh, if I had a dime for every time me or one of my atheist friends sat around and said, “I wish we could take the Christ out of Christmas” or “Jesus is not really the reason for the season” AND we roved the streets as menacing gangs and tried to make everyone we encountered also want those things, why, my god, I’d be so rich!! If only those do-gooding Facebookers on my feed weren’t reminding people every hour of every day to not let this happen, why, we’d take over the world! Damn meddling Facebookers! We have billboards that say “Dear Santa, All I want for christmas is to keep it sacred and not be bullied for it.” I am Christian and am still thinking WTF! Christians are being bullied in the US for being Christian? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tis-the-season-to-be-ranty-december-minirants/706028.md?page=12) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tis-the-season-to-be-ranty-december-minirants/706028.md?page=14)