# Very stupid overheard conversations **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 30, 2020, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/very-stupid-overheard-conversations/926858 "2020-11-30T21:44:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 10
**Author:** ![Paintcharge](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/paintcharge/32/7946_2.png) [@Paintcharge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paintcharge)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2021, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/very-stupid-overheard-conversations/926858/181 "2021-01-18T22:00:54Z")
I once had a set designer asking for more “objet d’arts” on the set. Yes, he pronounced it like darts. This was also the guy who insisted on a half empty bottle of ketchup in a fridge on stage, when the fridge was never opened. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2021, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/very-stupid-overheard-conversations/926858/182 "2021-01-19T02:50:18Z")
As long as there was beer in the fridge and it was plugged in, the fact it was never opened when the actors where on stage would be a nice benefit for the crew. ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2021, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/very-stupid-overheard-conversations/926858/183 "2021-01-19T02:50:39Z")
> [@Paintcharge](#): > > This was also the guy who insisted on a half empty bottle of ketchup in a fridge on stage, when the fridge was never opened. Sounds like he wanted the fridge to be a method actor. ---
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2021, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/very-stupid-overheard-conversations/926858/184 "2021-01-20T16:12:46Z")
> [@Paintcharge](#): > > This was also the guy who insisted on a half empty bottle of ketchup in a fridge on stage, when the fridge was never opened. It’s Schrodinger’s catsup. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2021, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/very-stupid-overheard-conversations/926858/185 "2021-01-20T16:20:15Z")
> [@gdave](#): > > I’ve also called our IT department about an internet outage, and was told, in all seriousness, that they would update me on the status of my request by email. If the internal company email just went through the server and not into the aether just to come back to the same server, this makes perfect sense. ---
**Author:** ![gdave](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gdave/32/3683_2.png) [@gdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gdave)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2021, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/very-stupid-overheard-conversations/926858/186 "2021-01-20T16:39:29Z")
We have nationwide operations in dozens if not hundreds of locations. I don’t know where the servers are physically are, but I don’t think our biggest single location has more than 5% of the workforce. Not to mention, most of our physical locations are small offices that don’t have intranet - I have to have external internet access to use my printer. Which is how our IT department set everything up. Again, some employees might be able to get an email through their smart phone, but for the vast majority of employees, if there’s an internet outage at the site, there’s no way to access company email. Which, again, is how our IT department has set everything up. Having an IT rep tell me that I’ll be emailed about the status of an internet outage at my site is, in fact, very stupid. ---
**Author:** ![JohnGalt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johngalt/32/184_2.png) [@JohnGalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnGalt)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2021, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/very-stupid-overheard-conversations/926858/187 "2021-01-21T18:33:26Z")
Your IT guy could have said that you can check the current status on the company’s web page… ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2021, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/very-stupid-overheard-conversations/926858/188 "2021-01-22T22:27:05Z")
> [@cincinnatus](#): > > One of my wife’s big cheese bosses, president of the company, often tried in big meetings to motive the managers, imploring them to be team players, to have es-_spirit_ da core. > > Yes spirit as in ghost. > > That’s when I started working on my informal research: those people who sorely mispronounce a word will be the person who uses it the most My father’s late business partner and childhood friend was a goldmine of these sorts of things. He would rail about the “Shit-ite” Muslims, while eating “gualamocky” in a restaurant that had once been “raazed” because it was on the “IN-famous” Ponce de Leon Ave. (He mispronounced that, as well, but that wasn’t a problem - only outlanders pronounce it in the correct Spanish fashion.) He once suggested that Dad and he go out to California to be a couple of “giggle-os”. And he took his drycleaning to the “Ee-lite” Cleaners. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2021, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/very-stupid-overheard-conversations/926858/189 "2021-01-23T01:23:51Z")
I think darn near everybody has something they deliberately mispronounce as a mix of rebellion and personal individuality. But your father’s partner sounds like a total goof. When we first moved to St. Louis we encountered a lot of that. The place had originally been settled by French colonists who gave everything French names. Later the US took over and the Germans immigrated, largely displacing the French and their descendants. The newcomers took an especial delight in utterly butchering the French words in bastard German as spoken (nowadays) by an ill-educated American. A sight to behold, or whatever the aural equivalent is. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2021, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/very-stupid-overheard-conversations/926858/190 "2021-01-23T01:42:51Z")
> [@Jumpbass](#): > > Before they had those, they would burn tires. _“When we had no craw-dad, we’d eat sand.”_ ---
**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2021, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/very-stupid-overheard-conversations/926858/191 "2021-01-23T01:52:47Z")
Viola. Like a large violin. You can’t stop me. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2021, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/very-stupid-overheard-conversations/926858/192 "2021-01-23T02:02:21Z")
If you mean in lieu of the written voila! I totally agree: [https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-bottom-line-to-all-these-sovereign-citizen-cases/926331/61](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-bottom-line-to-all-these-sovereign-citizen-cases/926331/61) ---
**Author:** ![Asuka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2021, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/very-stupid-overheard-conversations/926858/193 "2021-01-23T06:49:58Z")
I have a coworker who basically talks back to the lunch room TV during lunch constantly, and he really hates Trump but all of his “solutions” are so much worse. Stuff I heard him remark over the years - _Back when Trump wanted a military parade in D.C._ “We shouldn’t have a parade for the military they have enough parades! We should have a parade for all the Doctors and Nurses! We should fly in every single Doctor and Nurse across the country to DC and have them march in a parade!” - _When Trump wanted to get US troops out of Syria_ “Oh my god, we’re going to have another 9/11 happen because of this! We need to keep them there until they can root out the terrorists!” - _When Trump made some remarks not wanting gun control_ “Nobody should have guns! In fact we need to disarm the police first, then have them disarm the rest of the crazy gunnuts out there!” - _In regards to COVID vaccinations_ “I don’t trust Trumps COVID response at all, I think once Biden takes office we need to scrap everything and start the vaccine from scratch!” ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2021, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/very-stupid-overheard-conversations/926858/194 "2021-01-23T16:01:07Z")
That’s a real rocket surgeon ya got there @Asuka! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2021, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/very-stupid-overheard-conversations/926858/195 "2021-01-23T16:05:55Z")
I know a hospital mostly filled with competent people. They worked long hours. Used complicated equipment. Saved lives. Helped a lot of people. But were not permitted to have or use a toaster oven. Too dangerous! Nothing to do with being officious, I’m sure. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2021, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/very-stupid-overheard-conversations/926858/196 "2021-01-23T16:49:31Z")
At least in the USA Fire Marshals are often a law unto themselves. The actual NFPA leaves a lot of room for interpretation, as (probably) do the local regs based off the NFPA. I have to assume other countries have similar regimes. A microwave oven and a coffee maker are heat sources that can’t get hot enough to ignite grease or paper. And are legally OK in the offices I’ve run. A toaster or toaster oven not so much. The key assumption of the fire folks is that in communal settings where everybody is collectively responsible, nobody will actually _be_ responsible. The only way to prevent the worst behavior by the least thoughtful actor(s) is to make that behavior impossible. The signs “Your Mom doesn’t work here; clean up your own messes” hanging in break rooms all across our benighted land speaks to the necessity of this approach. Irritating though it surely is for the responsible among us. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2021, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/very-stupid-overheard-conversations/926858/197 "2021-01-23T18:40:49Z")
I was at a party and heard a girl say, “what happened to the Beatles?”. She was inquiring because they had been playing earlier. I said, “they broke up about 20 years ago”. She said in a huff: “I know _that_!” ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2021, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/very-stupid-overheard-conversations/926858/198 "2021-01-23T18:58:16Z")
So what she really meant was “What happened to the 4 dudes who made up the Beatles?” Which seems a perfectly cromulent question. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2021, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/very-stupid-overheard-conversations/926858/199 "2021-01-23T20:52:37Z")
Or she was asking why there weren’t more Beatles tracks on the mix tape. ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2021, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/very-stupid-overheard-conversations/926858/200 "2021-01-23T21:45:27Z")
> [@Dr\_Paprika](#): > > But were not permitted to have or use a toaster oven My (hospital building) lunch rooms were allowed to have toasters. Until the fire department got called out the third time. Turns out that when you have a smoke alarm in a large hospital building containing offices and patient clinics, on a hospital campus, the fire response is massively more expensive and disruptive than when the same thing happens in your home. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/very-stupid-overheard-conversations/926858.md?page=9) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/very-stupid-overheard-conversations/926858.md?page=11)