# 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:** 26
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2013, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twenty-days-has-october-rants-the-rest-are-on-furlough/670074/501 "2013-10-23T17:25:12Z")
> [@Damuri\_Ajashi](#): > > Then nothing for almost an hour. We are almost done with the second bottle of wine when they ask if we would like another bottle with our meal. “No, we’d like our MEAL with our meal. Is that going to be a problem?” :dubious: ---
**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 23, 2013, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twenty-days-has-october-rants-the-rest-are-on-furlough/670074/502 "2013-10-23T17:28:36Z")
> [@Damuri\_Ajashi](#): > > \ > > What the fuck is up with that!!! Is it just my imagination or are they in fact delaying my meal to squeeze an extra bottle of wine out of me? It wouldn’t surprise me; what we notice is that the service is great until they clear the dishes; then we wait a long time for our bill, to pay our bill, to get our change, etc. I guess you can’t ascribe to maliciousness what can be ascribed to incompetence, but you can’t rule it out, either. ---
**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 23, 2013, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twenty-days-has-october-rants-the-rest-are-on-furlough/670074/503 "2013-10-23T17:36:39Z")
> [@Damuri\_Ajashi](#): > > I went out for dinner on Monday and ordered some wine as we were looking at the menus. > > Then we ordered our meals long with another bottle of wine. > > The appetizers come out along with the second bottle of wine. > > Then nothing for almost an hour. We are almost done with the second bottle of wine when they ask if we would like another bottle with our meal. > > This happens all the time. Its like they are purposely delaying our meals so that we will order more wine than we otherwise might. I don’t mind getting an extra bottle of wine, I mind having to sit there drinking the wine with very little food in my stomach so they can boost their profit margin on a monday. > > What the fuck is up with that!!! Is it just my imagination or are they in fact delaying my meal to squeeze an extra bottle of wine out of me? Tell 'em you already ordered a bottle to go with your meal, and you presumed that the one with they brought out with the appetizers was complimentary. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2013, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twenty-days-has-october-rants-the-rest-are-on-furlough/670074/504 "2013-10-23T17:51:14Z")
> [@Damuri\_Ajashi](#): > > I went out for dinner on Monday and ordered some wine as we were looking at the menus. > > Then we ordered our meals long with another bottle of wine. > > The appetizers come out along with the second bottle of wine. > > Then nothing for almost an hour. We are almost done with the second bottle of wine when they ask if we would like another bottle with our meal. > > This happens all the time. Its like they are purposely delaying our meals so that we will order more wine than we otherwise might. I don’t mind getting an extra bottle of wine, I mind having to sit there drinking the wine with very little food in my stomach so they can boost their profit margin on a monday. > > What the fuck is up with that!!! Is it just my imagination or are they in fact delaying my meal to squeeze an extra bottle of wine out of me? Try ordering a single glass of wine while you wait, then a single glass of wine with the appetizers, then the bottle with the meal when the meal comes out. That way they don’t expect multiple bottles of wine on the tab. ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2013, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twenty-days-has-october-rants-the-rest-are-on-furlough/670074/505 "2013-10-23T18:05:18Z")
> [@purplehorseshoe](#): > > … is not ordering more wine, and perhaps saying “hey, where’s our food?” out of the question? Yes. By the time they ask if you want that thrid bottle of wine, you have half a glass of wine left to go with your meal. > [@Chimera](#): > > “No, we’d like our MEAL with our meal. Is that going to be a problem?” :dubious: I wanted the bottle of wine we had with our apetizer to go with our meal but they took so long that we finished off our first bottle and was pretty much done with the second bottle so by the time they asked if we wanted a third bottle, I sort of needed it. > [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Tell 'em you already ordered a bottle to go with your meal, and you presumed that the one with they brought out with the appetizers was complimentary. 😃 hehe. > [@aruvqan](#): > > Try ordering a single glass of wine while you wait, then a single glass of wine with the appetizers, then the bottle with the meal when the meal comes out. That way they don’t expect multiple bottles of wine on the tab. Well, there were 4 of us so ordering by the bottle makes more sense. the first bottle gets split 4 ways, the second bottle gets split 2::1 men::women and the third bottle was pretty much just two guys. I don’t think that having an enjoyable night out should include strategizing about how we time our wine orders to avoid an extra bottle of wine we don’t really need. Not to mention the driving situation. ---
**Author:** ![BetsQ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/fbc32d/32.png) [@BetsQ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BetsQ)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2013, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twenty-days-has-october-rants-the-rest-are-on-furlough/670074/506 "2013-10-23T18:12:41Z")
I have an appointment with a specialist on Friday. Great. I’m supposed to come with some previous records. Fine. Except that my providers apparently can’t email my records. I don’t have time to go over to the office to pick them up, and they can’t be mailed between now and then, so I guess I’ll go without. Also, I asked the specialist’s office approximately how long I should expect the appointment to last, and they weren’t even able to ballpark it. Really? Medical care just doesn’t fit into my schedule ---
**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 23, 2013, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twenty-days-has-october-rants-the-rest-are-on-furlough/670074/507 "2013-10-23T18:27:43Z")
I’m not sure where else to put this so I’m putting it here. It is pretty mini and somewhat ranty. Re: the parents vs. non-parents threads in IMHO - do we have to keep having these arguments over and over again? (Acknowledging that there were a fair number of non-jerk useful responses, still there are now three threads on the topic.) Pre-emptively, yes I know to stay out of the threads, that’s why this is a mini-rant. Can we just acknowledge that there are some kids who are angels, others who are demons (possibly due to bad parenting, possibly due to other factors), but that the vast majority fall in the range in between, sometimes naughty, sometimes nice, sometimes disagreeable (even obnoxious), sometimes sweeter than pie. Can we also acknowledge that there are some adults that hate kids, and some adults that love all kids regardless, but that the vast majority fall somewhere in between. People have moods, people have lives you don’t know about, we all have to live in the world together, so everyone and their kids behave as nicely as you can and get over yourselves. Can’t we all just get along? Roddy ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2013, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twenty-days-has-october-rants-the-rest-are-on-furlough/670074/508 "2013-10-23T19:25:25Z")
> [@Damuri\_Ajashi](#): > > I wanted the bottle of wine we had with our apetizer to go with our meal but they took so long that we finished off our first bottle and was pretty much done with the second bottle so by the time they asked if we wanted a third bottle, I sort of needed it. When I say “No, we want our MEAL with our meal”, my meaning is “GIMME MY FUCKING MEAL ALREADY!” If the server appeared confused by my answer, I would clarify it as such. Well, a little more politely than that, but still showing my annoyance with the delays. ---
**Author:** ![slumtrimpet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@slumtrimpet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slumtrimpet)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2013, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twenty-days-has-october-rants-the-rest-are-on-furlough/670074/509 "2013-10-23T19:57:46Z")
Walked on the beach today. Was lovely. Picked up some random trash because it’s a lovely beach and should stay that way and for the most part the trash looked like it had come in with the tide. The little bag of dog shit carefully placed right on a log did not though. Why the fuckity fuck would you dutifully pick up your dog’s shit in a little plastic bag and then leave it for the beach fairies to remove? What in holy hell is the point of that? Just bury it for bog’s sake and the tide will wash it away. Or bag it and fucking take it with you. Dog shit can’t be massively different from fish shit, but plastic fucking bags most definitely last for fucking ever and will probably end up choking a turtle or something. Assholes. I hate litterers! ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2013, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twenty-days-has-october-rants-the-rest-are-on-furlough/670074/510 "2013-10-23T21:10:15Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Tell 'em you already ordered a bottle to go with your meal, and you presumed that the one with they brought out with the appetizers was complimentary. 😃 **k-dad** , you’re evil. I love it 😃 ---
**Author:** ![LavenderBlue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e95f7d/32.png) [@LavenderBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LavenderBlue)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2013, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twenty-days-has-october-rants-the-rest-are-on-furlough/670074/511 "2013-10-23T21:42:41Z")
The good news is that we have a coupon so the replacement cost on the fucking boiler is “only” five k. But the plumber and Peerless boilers can go fuck off. That was supposed go for nice fun stuff like an all new kitchen, or my 20th wedding anniversary trip to Greece, not making sure this lousy house isn’t freezing cold. :rolleyes: ---
**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 23, 2013, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twenty-days-has-october-rants-the-rest-are-on-furlough/670074/512 "2013-10-23T23:49:43Z")
Time for my annual rant - the heat is on (and far too high) in the stores and malls already. It was too hot in the mall already when I was only dressed for fall weather. It’s too hot in the stores all winter, every winter - everyone has their winter clothes on, and the heat inside is cranked. Drives me out of my freaking TREE! **slumtrimpet** , I see that in my local dog area every time I go through there - I don’t get it, either. They go to all the bother of picking up their dog’s shit, then just leave the bag there. It would actually be _better_ if they’d just leave the shit, because it would degrade and be gone much quicker. ---
**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 23, 2013, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twenty-days-has-october-rants-the-rest-are-on-furlough/670074/513 "2013-10-23T23:59:17Z")
I think the reason some dog owners leave shit bags around is because a dog takes a certain amount of time to take a shit, so it’s pretty obvious to onlookers if you don’t pick up after your dog after it goes. But it takes only a second or so to leave a shit bag somewhere, and it’s less likely for someone to catch you in the act of doing that. I’m not saying I agree with scumbags who leave poop bags around. :mad: I’m just attempting to find an explanation. The bad thing about those poop bags is that around here, if people see a poop bag left on the ground, they’ll add their own bag next to it, and they’ll all accumulate in a pile. Yuk :mad: ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Girlfriend](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.girlfriend/32/193_2.png) [@Dr.Girlfriend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Girlfriend)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2013, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twenty-days-has-october-rants-the-rest-are-on-furlough/670074/514 "2013-10-24T00:15:46Z")
So I got a surprise at the doctor yesterday. Turns out that while my blood sugar is low enough to be somewhat of a problem, it probably wasn’t what was causing me to feel like crap. That is actually my low blood pressure. Given my family history of hypertension and my own personal “normal” blood pressure being a tad high, finding out that I was clocking in with a 90/60 was a shock. When the nurse takes your blood pressure, and then looks at the machine with a :eek: look on her face will give you a bit of a jolt. I was tested several times over the course of an hour or so, same results. Now I have to find out what has caused it to go so low. Got a lot of blood drained out of me for testing. I can’t even remember what all they’re testing for, I was too woozy from not eating for over 12 hours. ---
**Author:** ![slumtrimpet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@slumtrimpet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slumtrimpet)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2013, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twenty-days-has-october-rants-the-rest-are-on-furlough/670074/515 "2013-10-24T00:46:27Z")
> [@EmilyG](#): > > I think the reason some dog owners leave shit bags around is because a dog takes a certain amount of time to take a shit, so it’s pretty obvious to onlookers if you don’t pick up after your dog after it goes. But it takes only a second or so to leave a shit bag somewhere, and it’s less likely for someone to catch you in the act of doing that. Makes sense. Except this a 2km long beach that had one person on it (me) and rarely has more than two or three especially this time of year. And the tide pretty much covers the entire beach when it’s high, sometimes right up to the dunes if the moon’s full. No one cares if you don’t bag your dog’s shit. No one is even there to notice. Some people are just assholes. ---
**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 24, 2013, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twenty-days-has-october-rants-the-rest-are-on-furlough/670074/516 "2013-10-24T03:11:14Z")
> [@slumtrimpet](#): > > Some people are just assholes. This could be the new slogan for the Straight Dope. Once you come to this point, turn out the lights and go home, because there is nothing more to be said. Roddy ---
**Author:** ![curlcoat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea5d25/32.png) [@curlcoat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curlcoat)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2013, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twenty-days-has-october-rants-the-rest-are-on-furlough/670074/517 "2013-10-24T03:28:54Z")
> [@slumtrimpet](#): > > Walked on the beach today. Was lovely. Picked up some random trash because it’s a lovely beach and should stay that way and for the most part the trash looked like it had come in with the tide. The little bag of dog shit carefully placed right on a log did not though. Why the fuckity fuck would you dutifully pick up your dog’s shit in a little plastic bag and then leave it for the beach fairies to remove? What in holy hell is the point of that? Just bury it for bog’s sake and the tide will wash it away. Or bag it and fucking take it with you. Dog shit can’t be massively different from fish shit, but plastic fucking bags most definitely last for fucking ever and will probably end up choking a turtle or something. > Assholes. > I hate litterers! I see this freaking everywhere, even at the 500+ acre field training area where we don’t pick up any poop, because it’s _500+ acres_ covered with mud, water and bird poop. Plus there aren’t any garbage cans except up by the kennel building. Yet the pet people will bag their poop and then leave the bag, for nature to enjoy I guess. People is stoopid. Somewhere there is a video of a man who was tossing his full poop bags into a neighbors garden every day - I wish I’d bookmarked it. ---
**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 24, 2013, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twenty-days-has-october-rants-the-rest-are-on-furlough/670074/518 "2013-10-24T05:37:24Z")
> [@Dr.Girlfriend](#): > > So I got a surprise at the doctor yesterday. Turns out that while my blood sugar is low enough to be somewhat of a problem, it probably wasn’t what was causing me to feel like crap. That is actually my low blood pressure. Given my family history of hypertension and my own personal “normal” blood pressure being a tad high, finding out that I was clocking in with a 90/60 was a shock. When the nurse takes your blood pressure, and then looks at the machine with a :eek: look on her face will give you a bit of a jolt. I was tested several times over the course of an hour or so, same results. > > Now I have to find out what has caused it to go so low. Got a lot of blood drained out of me for testing. I can’t even remember what all they’re testing for, I was too woozy from not eating for over 12 hours. Well, getting a bunch taken by medical vampires certainly wouldn’t help. 🙂 Seriously, get well. ---
**Author:** ![Moonlitherial](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@Moonlitherial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonlitherial)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2013, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twenty-days-has-october-rants-the-rest-are-on-furlough/670074/519 "2013-10-24T13:11:43Z")
All the way to work today I had to listen to the radio talk about SNOW. It’s fucking October and I was counting on a mild winter damnit, knowing that 2km north of me it’s already snowing is not making my day brighter. Also traffic sucked mightily. My normal 90 min drive to work (30 mins on weekends) took 2 hrs this morning. Thank the gods for the remote work program, if this was everyday I think I’d have snapped and murdered someone by now. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2013, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twenty-days-has-october-rants-the-rest-are-on-furlough/670074/520 "2013-10-24T15:33:32Z")
> [@Moonlitherial](#): > > All the way to work today I had to listen to the radio talk about SNOW. It’s fucking October and I was counting on a mild winter damnit… Yeah, but the fun part of climate change is that the weather today has nothing to do with the weather tomorrow. Could be 20 and hailing, could be 70 and balmy. Snow in October? Well, December might just be tropical. We have no idea any more! Embrace the surprises! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twenty-days-has-october-rants-the-rest-are-on-furlough/670074.md?page=25) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twenty-days-has-october-rants-the-rest-are-on-furlough/670074.md?page=27)