# What were you THINKING? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 13, 2023, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532 "2023-10-13T19:36:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 283
**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:** [December 6, 2025, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/5943 "2025-12-06T01:21:02Z")
Repo Man says “Hi!” ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2025, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/5944 "2025-12-06T01:34:44Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > I think Hajario said something pointed Well yeah, did you just meet me today? ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2025, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/5945 "2025-12-06T01:48:43Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > Like… What the fuck have you been going on about for post after post throughout the thread?! It almost seems like borderline trolling at this point. (I will give them the benefit of the doubt and assume this was a communication failure on their part, but still, holy fuck.) Eh, he was arguing enshitification. It’s hard to really complain about the answers if you admit they were all totally adequate for his needs. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2025, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/5946 "2025-12-06T01:55:21Z")
It took a lot of restraint for me to not post a GIF of Fozzie Bear going “Wokka Wokka” right after his post admitting that he had a satisfying answer in the third reply, and had already cooked and consumed the pizzas he claimed he had no idea how to prepare without a proper recipe. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2025, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/5947 "2025-12-06T15:40:51Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > The formula for the area of a circular pizza is … wait for it … _pi_ R^2. But pie (or pi) aren’t square – pie are _round_. ---
**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:** [December 6, 2025, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/5948 "2025-12-06T15:53:44Z")
Well, yes. But that formula is pronounced “pi times R to the power 2”. No worries about pesky squares appearing in a nice round formula. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2025, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/5949 "2025-12-06T16:25:39Z")
When come back bring square pie. > **[| Baking Nook](https://www.bakingnook.com/how-to-bake-a-square-pie/)** > > To bake a square pie, you will need to adjust your recipe to the size of the square pan. Since square pies have a bigger surface area than round pies, make sure to leave the pie in the oven for 5 minutes longer. Make sure that the measurements are... ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2025, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/5950 "2025-12-06T16:37:46Z")
Sonetimes some people just can’t resist the temptation to kick over the anthill just to watch the ants scramble. ---
**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:** [December 6, 2025, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/5951 "2025-12-06T17:29:48Z")
The problem with square pie is that it contains no _pi_. Just R^2. Or more accurately (2R)^2 which is S^2. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2025, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/5952 "2025-12-06T18:07:46Z")
You could still calculate the pepperoni, though. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2025, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/5953 "2025-12-06T23:38:52Z")
Also don’t forget the geometric formula: R^2\*D^2=beep beep boop ---
**Author:** ![DETXL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/detxl/32/19366_2.png) [@DETXL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DETXL)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2025, 9:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/5954 "2025-12-09T09:16:09Z")
Boy, fortunately, I can’t see anything fraught with [describing a group of people like vermin who need to have pest control called on them.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-metal-things-on-concrete-benches/1025500/31) Er, sorry, not vermin, > [@What are these metal things on concrete benches](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-metal-things-on-concrete-benches/1025500/58): > > wild rabid pigs. This accounts for the disdain the productive members of society have for them Not at all a collection of extremely gross things to say over in that whole thread. Not at all one step away from just going full mask-off and talking about “useless eaters.” ---
**Author:** ![robby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robby/32/11048_2.png) [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2025, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/5955 "2025-12-09T23:12:41Z")
I feel like [this thread](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/after-car-inspection-service-wheel-off-by-15-degrees-clock-spring-likely-very-bad-or-mis-alignment-bad/1025553) started out being a bit OCD-like and has gotten progressively weirder. The OP has done all this work on an old car after watching YouTube videos when he clearly has no idea what he is doing, went off on a sidebar about all the trouble he’s had over the years with vehicles: > [@After car inspection/service, wheel off by 15 degrees. Clock spring likely (very bad) or mis-alignment (bad)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/after-car-inspection-service-wheel-off-by-15-degrees-clock-spring-likely-very-bad-or-mis-alignment-bad/1025553/1): > > I don’t have a lift, not even ramps / hydraulic jacks or a welding kit. Those sorts of issues have dogged me in the past: Pay the man or salvage the car due to the bill. These are all 80s cars bought for under £1,500. At some point he decided to bring the vehicle into a shop to have them correct some of his work so he could pass inspection. He then moved on to accusing the shop of shoddy work, performing unnecessary work, talking about fraud and suing the shop, accusing them of being on drugs, taking the vehicle to another shop, having them do the work outside in front of him (or videoing the work?!). Here’s a tip: why not go back to the first shop, tell them your concerns, and give them a chance to address them? Anyway, at some point I reread the OP and realized he was actually talking about a much newer vehicle (2008 vs. 1980s) and I acknowledged as much, only for him to repeatedly jump all over me for the misunderstanding and start attacking me in FQ. And I don’t have an Audi. 😉 Here’s another tip: don’t write a rambling OP that goes all over the place and then attack people trying to help you and give you useful advice. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2025, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/5956 "2025-12-09T23:15:28Z")
Gross. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2025, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/5957 "2025-12-09T23:44:14Z")
> [@robby](#): > > I feel like [this thread](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/after-car-inspection-service-wheel-off-by-15-degrees-clock-spring-likely-very-bad-or-mis-alignment-bad/1025553) started out being a bit OCD-like and has gotten progressively weirder. It failed from the very first sentence. > I went with Factual Questions even though I’d like the opinions of car mechanics. It was posted in the wrong category. FQ is for people seeking facts. If you want opinions, you go to IMHO. It’s literally in the name of the category. People get the mistaken impression that FQ means “intelligent opinions”, when it absolutely does not mean that. ETA: On reflection, I reported it for forum change. I mean, the OP admitted they knew that it doesn’t belong in FQ but did it anyway. ---
**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:** [December 10, 2025, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/5958 "2025-12-10T00:42:43Z")
That guy is a few sandwiches short of a picnic. But has extra ants. Always has been. Not evil, just scary obtuse. The fact he’s in the UK w different everything doesn’t help. Too many USA dopers gloss over that and stupidity ensues. Kinda the Brit version of **aceplace57**. You know: the _other_ village idiot. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2025, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/5959 "2025-12-10T00:46:03Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > Kinda the Brit version of **aceplace57**. You know, the _other_ village idiot. I totally get what you mean with this. Though is Coriolanus also similarly old-fashioned to a (nearly if not totally) offensive degree at times? (I honestly don’t know, as I’m familiar with them, but not nearly as much.) Also, I know AP57 is generally considered “harmless but a doofus” which I similarly agree with. ---
**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:** [December 10, 2025, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/5960 "2025-12-10T00:50:38Z")
IMO … As to old fashioned, no, **Coriolanus** is not that. Not at all. As to harmless doofus, yes, absolutely. Struggling gamely w a bad hand of too little money, too little brains, and too many troubles. You want to help, but that quickly turns into head banging against wall. ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2025, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/5961 "2025-12-10T01:03:59Z")
“_Mostly_ harmless” He’s a bit more credulous and incautious than I’d prefer, which isn’t completely harmless, especially in this day and age, but I agree that Aceplace57 isn’t intentionally harmful or dangerous. I generally also put Coriolanus in the same category, [though by his own reporting](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-mother-age-96-passed-away-one-of-my-brothers-is-a-psychopath/1018313) there is some mental dysfunction in at least part of his family, and his stated (possibly overstated/exaggerated) response was also quite dark. So maybe just a smidge less “Mostly” on the mostly harmless, but overall seems to be slightly less credulous than acey. For all that, I don’t think either are particularly bad posters or jerks, _especially_ not in comparison to far to many people I see daily IRL. Just some minor worries about things they’ve said here over the years, and again, I have to make allowances for when they may be speaking from a moment of personal pain, panic, or enthusiasm. Heck I’ve posted some thoughts/worries/etc. that in hindsight seem panicked, or extreme beyond actual circumstances. So I am guilty of the same from time to time. 🤷‍♂️ ---
**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:** [December 10, 2025, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/5962 "2025-12-10T01:41:13Z")
Me too. Easy to forget this is a) forever and b) for everyone. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532.md?page=282) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532.md?page=284)