# Twenty Days Has October Rants - The Rest Are On Furlough **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 1, 2013, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twenty-days-has-october-rants-the-rest-are-on-furlough/670074 "2013-10-01T07:23:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 21
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2013, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twenty-days-has-october-rants-the-rest-are-on-furlough/670074/401 "2013-10-18T18:35:16Z")
> [@Typo\_Negative](#): > > Good GOD!!! I just want my trash picked up. I should be able to find someone to do that , right? > > I just moved in to a new house far from my Los Angeles home. I need to set up an account with whoever picks up the trash. I should be able to find that name pretty quickly, what with phone books and the interwebs and all that. It is a city service. I should be able to find that info on line and get a gorram telephone number. But NO. NO! You get nothing! YOU LOSE! Good Day Sir! To get a number, you must follow the golden path and defeat the wicked witch! Why don’t you just call city hall and ask who the garbage handler(s) for the city are. ---
**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:** [October 18, 2013, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twenty-days-has-october-rants-the-rest-are-on-furlough/670074/402 "2013-10-18T18:56:04Z")
> [@Indyellen](#): > > First, congrats **Silver Fire**! > > Now, the rant portion of the evening. My daughter (age 20) went with her youth group to this place called SkyZone. It’s a giant indoor trampoline place. She, in her Tigger-like bouncing, decided to dive into the “foam pit” in a method not advised by the proprietors. She twisted her neck down and to the side. She came home able to turn her neck, but dammed unwilling to due to the pain. \ Did you use my mother’s favourite saying from when we used to get hurt as kids - “What did you do that for?” 😃 > [@aruvqan](#): > > I suppose if it were not an airtight wood stove it would make the room smell like smoke [it only does that if someone oopses and closes the chimney and opens the firebox] but it doesn’t. Though I do like the smell of woodsmoke outside. > > There are a lot of less expensive airtight woodstoves, and stoves that burn little wood nubbins created from leftover sawdust, or even dried field corn as heat. My stove ran me just over $3000US and is a fairly specialized one. I have seen airtights as inexpensive as $500US, and media burning stoves for around $800 [they have mechanisms to trickle the media to be burned into the firebox automatically, or they have manual ones that you have to load every few hours.] Mmm, dried field corn burning - that might smell okay. > [@Jackmannii](#): > > \ > On the bright side, I successfully dodged through a marital minefield this morning. Mrs. J. asked “What would you improve about me?” Uh-uh, no way. I’ve been a husband far too long to fall for _that_ one. (“Do these pants make me look fat?” is a breeze by comparison). Did you go with the always popular, “Nothing - you’re perfect the way you are”? 🙂 > [@Chimera](#): > > tsk tsk tsk > > The very light smell of wood smoke on a cold overcast day is Nirvana to me. It makes me feel like barfing - not very Nirvana-like! ---
**Author:** ![Karrius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/71c47a/32.png) [@Karrius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Karrius)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2013, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twenty-days-has-october-rants-the-rest-are-on-furlough/670074/403 "2013-10-18T19:47:36Z")
Really pissed off for a friend. They used to work at a grocery store, and wasn’t given sick days. One day they were so sick with a cold they got sent home due to constant customer complaints - and then the grocery store fired them, and claimed they “had just cause” due to them not showing up for work and calling in sick, and so my friend isn’t getting unemployment. It pisses me off so much and is everything that is wrong with this country that the poor are constantly getting stomped on over and over. I’ve been helping as best I can but I can barely pay my own bills as-is. ---
**Author:** ![Catamount](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/catamount/32/2840_2.png) [@Catamount](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catamount)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2013, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twenty-days-has-october-rants-the-rest-are-on-furlough/670074/404 "2013-10-18T20:56:03Z")
Classless people suck. They suck even more when they actively work to ruin the lives of those who they claim to love. They also suck when they put me in a position where I have to lie because I can’t tell my boss “No, I won’t sign this documentation detailing the consequences and repercussions of the classless person incident because I was actively trying \*not \*to hear it, and besides the person speaking said consequences and repercussions was mumbling.” I’ll be signing it tomorrow but I’ll cross my fingers as I do it. The full moon really does bring out all the crazies. ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2013, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twenty-days-has-october-rants-the-rest-are-on-furlough/670074/405 "2013-10-18T21:50:13Z")
Pregnancy test lines vanished this morning and I’m currently in full-blast “this baby is toast” mode. Happily it’s happening too early to hurt. So far. The biggest gripe is that my husband is coming down with a cold and is too miserable to baby me through it. ---
**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:** [October 18, 2013, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twenty-days-has-october-rants-the-rest-are-on-furlough/670074/406 "2013-10-18T21:52:32Z")
Sorry to hear that, **Sattua**. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2013, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twenty-days-has-october-rants-the-rest-are-on-furlough/670074/407 "2013-10-18T21:59:05Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > tsk tsk tsk > > The very light smell of wood smoke on a cold overcast day is Nirvana to me. Well, sure. But why is it cold and overcast inside your house? ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2013, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twenty-days-has-october-rants-the-rest-are-on-furlough/670074/408 "2013-10-18T22:04:52Z")
> [@Karrius](#): > > Really pissed off for a friend. They used to work at a grocery store, and wasn’t given sick days. One day they were so sick with a cold they got sent home due to constant customer complaints - and then the grocery store fired them, and claimed they “had just cause” due to them not showing up for work and calling in sick, and so my friend isn’t getting unemployment. > > It pisses me off so much and is everything that is wrong with this country that the poor are constantly getting stomped on over and over. I’ve been helping as best I can but I can barely pay my own bills as-is. Please tell your friend to appeal the decision immediately. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2013, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twenty-days-has-october-rants-the-rest-are-on-furlough/670074/409 "2013-10-18T23:15:15Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > But why is it cold and overcast inside your house? Sometimes, yes. 😉 ---
**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:** [October 18, 2013, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twenty-days-has-october-rants-the-rest-are-on-furlough/670074/410 "2013-10-18T23:31:12Z")
I like the smell of wood smoke, but I’ve heard it can be bad for the lungs, and I have bad lungs. ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2013, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twenty-days-has-october-rants-the-rest-are-on-furlough/670074/411 "2013-10-19T00:40:52Z")
You’ll “hear” that just about everything in the world is “bad for you”. Getting all stressed out about how EVERYTHING will harm you is IMO more harmful than a lot of the so-called “hazards”. ---
**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:** [October 19, 2013, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twenty-days-has-october-rants-the-rest-are-on-furlough/670074/412 "2013-10-19T00:49:54Z")
Yeah, well, as to the wood stove issue, there are people who vehemently insist that it’s not bad for you, and those who are just as insistent that it is bad for you. With my lungs, though, I prefer not to take chances. I do like campfires though. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2013, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twenty-days-has-october-rants-the-rest-are-on-furlough/670074/413 "2013-10-19T02:23:33Z")
I would like to cordially pit the BART strike, BART management, the BART unions, and the fact that the Muni Metro, my only practical alternative, was not even letting patrons on the platform this evening because those trains were having some kind of problem (I guess) and the platforms were full. I live in the city so the BART strike is not such a disaster for me as it is for those who need to get back and from between the city and the east bay. But really, the Muni Metro is the only practical alternative, and if that is going to suck worse than usual, I’m going to have to cry. I took a bus as close to home as I could get, and phoned my SO to pick me up. I would have done the 40-minute walk, but after the 45-minute bus ride, I really had to pee. And no public restrooms in the area. I sure hope they settle it this weekend or someone steps in and puts a stop to this, or else next week is going to suck big time. Roddy ---
**Author:** ![Karrius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/71c47a/32.png) [@Karrius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Karrius)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2013, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twenty-days-has-october-rants-the-rest-are-on-furlough/670074/414 "2013-10-19T04:29:26Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Please tell your friend to appeal the decision immediately. They’re trying, but it’s still a mess to get through, and appealing the decision doesn’t pay rent now. It’s basically a he-said-she-said scenario, and from what my friend says, there’s no real loss to the company to dick them over this way (I don’t know this for certain, having not been in the situation myself). ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2013, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twenty-days-has-october-rants-the-rest-are-on-furlough/670074/415 "2013-10-19T06:20:53Z")
> [@Karrius](#): > > They’re trying, but it’s still a mess to get through, and appealing the decision doesn’t pay rent now. It’s basically a he-said-she-said scenario, and from what my friend says, there’s no real loss to the company to dick them over this way (I don’t know this for certain, having not been in the situation myself). Someone has to be paid to attend the appeal, so that’s a small cost. Some companies say they’re going to fight it but don’t show up. Others keep lying 'til the bitter end. It’s always worth pushing back. A company who creates unemployment claims will end up paying a higher unemployment insurance fee. Avoiding that is their motive. The appeals folks know that both sides have a reason to stretch things and habitual dick employers end up being known problems. So if nothing else, your friend will be helping the next person they fire for being sick. Good luck to your friend. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2013, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twenty-days-has-october-rants-the-rest-are-on-furlough/670074/416 "2013-10-19T13:04:39Z")
Got home last night and some Mod had deleted Mr. I Can’t Be Happy Unless I’m Allowed To Hit Women and his two pit threads. Dammit, I was having fun in those threads. ---
**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:** [October 19, 2013, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twenty-days-has-october-rants-the-rest-are-on-furlough/670074/417 "2013-10-19T13:47:51Z")
The next person to have a loud, long, annoying cell phone conversation in the bus will have me singing a loud, long, annoying song into their free ear. I can’t decide between “99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall,” “John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt,” or “The Song That Never Ends,” though. \*\*Please note: I will probably not actually do this. ---
**Author:** ![lorene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/65b543/32.png) [@lorene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorene)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2013, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twenty-days-has-october-rants-the-rest-are-on-furlough/670074/418 "2013-10-19T14:06:48Z")
> [@EmilyG](#): > > The next person to have a loud, long, annoying cell phone conversation in the bus will have me singing a loud, long, annoying song into their free ear. I can’t decide between “99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall,” “John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt,” or “The Song That Never Ends,” though. > > \*\*Please note: I will probably not actually do this. John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt gets my vote. They’re all annoying, but that’s the one most likely to get stuck in someone’s head for the rest of the day, and that’s really what you want. Punish them in the moment, sure, but make it last long after you’re gone, too. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2013, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twenty-days-has-october-rants-the-rest-are-on-furlough/670074/419 "2013-10-19T14:31:33Z")
Yabbut then she gets the earworm, too. ---
**Author:** ![CrazyCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CrazyCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrazyCatLady)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2013, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twenty-days-has-october-rants-the-rest-are-on-furlough/670074/420 "2013-10-19T15:19:42Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > Why “flaying”, when a much nicer term [(“marsupialization”)](http://www.atlasofpelvicsurgery.com/1VulvaandIntroitus/3bartholinsglandcyst/chap1sec3.html)\* is available? :dubious: > > You’ll be swinging through the trees again in no time. > > \*link not for the super-squeamish. Unfortunately, that’s not what they’re talking about doing, because it’s not a simple Bartholin abscess. I don’t have a Bartholin gland to abscess, or at least I shouldn’t have one. What I have is some sort of abscess on/around the original incision site and a big indurated, fairly deep tract running about a couple inches down my perineum to the base of my butt cheek. If I have surgery (more on _that_ later), they’ll have to open the entire thing up, scrape it out, freshen the margins of the tract so it will heal better, and either place a drain tube when they close me or just leave the incision open for a while, depending on how much tissue damage there is from the ongoing infections. Right now, whether they’re actually taking me to surgery is still up in the air. I saw two doctors yesterday, got a thorough questioning about ulcerative colitis-type diseases and whether gas ever comes out of my vagina (I like to think I’d notice something like that and see a doctor about it, or at least mention it at some point as a symptom), had the rectal exam from hell (he says he was trying to find the inner edges of the abscess, but I’m fairly certain he was attempting to palpate my femoral head through my ass), and have a script for new antibiotics. Continue the soaks, take the meds, come back in two weeks, then they’ll either set me a surgery date or find some new stalling tactic. And I understand their reluctance to go ahead with the surgery, I really do. It’s a messy, complicated case with a long, sucky recovery time, and right now with so much infection it’s going to be even messier and more complicated and more prone to problems. I’m no more anxious to have it done than they are to do it because it’s going to suck some serious rancid donkey balls . But this damn thing hurts, pretty much all the time. Most of the time it’s just a dull ache, but sometimes it’s bad enough to keep me awake at night. And frankly, my doctor here in town could put me on antibiotics and soaks and see if that takes care of it. She sent me to these people specifically so I wouldn’t have to suffer through months of “try everything else humanly possible” before having this thing actually dealt with. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twenty-days-has-october-rants-the-rest-are-on-furlough/670074.md?page=20) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twenty-days-has-october-rants-the-rest-are-on-furlough/670074.md?page=22)