# Whew it's hot out here! Summer Mini-Rants **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 23, 2010, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whew-its-hot-out-here-summer-mini-rants/544239 "2010-06-23T14:33:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 15
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whew-its-hot-out-here-summer-mini-rants/544239/281 "2010-07-06T22:35:55Z")
> [@Shot\_From\_Guns](#): > > Have you ever actually \*done \*a mail merge in email? I can tell you \*for a fact \*that Lotus Notes does not have a native mail merge utility–at least not the version of it that my company uses. (And this is a global company with tens of thousands of employees.) So, yes, replying to each of the hundreds or thousands of applicants to tell them, “Thanks, but no thanks,” could well require more time than they have available. What I do is cut and paste the email addresses into a word processor, use the powerful search and replace function until they are one address per line, and then replace each hard return with semicolon plus space. That then goes into the BCC field. It doesn’t take that long. But I like how people justify poor manners by claiming that good manners would take too much time or effort. ---
**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:** [July 7, 2010, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whew-its-hot-out-here-summer-mini-rants/544239/282 "2010-07-07T01:02:20Z")
> [@Palo\_Verde](#): > > Dear media: the U.S. consists of other parts of the country besides the east coast. Really! Okay, you’re aware that L.A. exists, but there is a lot of country in here in the middle. > > It’s hot this week on the east coast. Unusually hot. That doesn’t have to dominate the headlines quite so thoroughly. There are a lot of us in the middle who are having our own weather events and don’t want to keep hearing about yours. Take out “east coast” and insert “Toronto” and you’ve got our national weather channel in Canada. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![whiterabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/cab0a1/32.png) [@whiterabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whiterabbit)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2010, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whew-its-hot-out-here-summer-mini-rants/544239/283 "2010-07-07T01:11:48Z")
It’s unusually cool where I live; I think it got up to 68F today. Ain’t nobody talking about that on the national news. (Probably because all the people who make the national news would be screamingly jealous!) Okay. Parents. Your five-ish son wants to ride his bike. You take him to the new town square thing in the middle of town to ride it. Please _don’t let him_ zip from out of sight right in front of an alley where _tons_ of people drive down! I braked so hard my tires squealed a bit! I could have hit him _so_ easily! And while I wasn’t going fast, the last thing I want to do is mow down a kid! At least he looked kinda freaked, even though his mom wasn’t. Morons. ---
**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:** [July 7, 2010, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whew-its-hot-out-here-summer-mini-rants/544239/284 "2010-07-07T04:54:48Z")
Well, an hour and a half into a commercial-free version of “Around the World In 80 Days” on television, and it craps out on me. Oh, you are experiencing technical difficulties - I noticed that when your picture when to checkerboard squares and the audio went to “ee ee aa aa oo oo pp pp…” Bah. Damn. I was enjoying that. ---
**Author:** ![Rala](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@Rala](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rala)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2010, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whew-its-hot-out-here-summer-mini-rants/544239/285 "2010-07-07T14:37:21Z")
If the answer to the question “Are you drunk?” is “I’m not sure”, then YOU SHOULD NOT BE DRIVING. ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2010, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whew-its-hot-out-here-summer-mini-rants/544239/286 "2010-07-07T14:37:34Z")
Fuck you and your RealID, Blizzard. This is _the worst idea you’ve ever had_. I can only pray that you come to your senses and dig Facebook’s cock out of your ass long enough to straighten things out, or I might have to stop playing WoW. And I really, \*really \*don’t want to do that. > [@Lacunae\_Matata](#): > > We are only asking that you guys honor your end of the contract, dammit! What are you… some kind of _Socialist_?! > [@Dr.Drake](#): > > What I do is cut and paste the email addresses into a word processor, use the powerful search and replace function until they are one address per line, and then replace each hard return with semicolon plus space. That then goes into the BCC field. That’s not a mail merge. And manners aren’t just “things I personally wish everyone would do.” I remember absolutely no subset of business etiquette that requires a prospective employer to respond to applicants. But feel free to dig up some Emily Post or Miss Manners and prove me wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Rala](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@Rala](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rala)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2010, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whew-its-hot-out-here-summer-mini-rants/544239/287 "2010-07-07T17:27:40Z")
> [@Shot\_From\_Guns](#): > > What are you… some kind of _Socialist_?! Ooh, that reminds me of another thing that’s pissing me off. I’ve recently started going to meetings of a local Socialist organisation. I don’t identify as a socialist (I just can’t muster up enough enthusiasm about politics) but hey, they’ve got some interesting ideas and they’re active in causes I want to be a part of. Mum is very concerned that … I dunno, that I’ll become a terrorist or something. After the meeting tonight, we had the following conversation. Her: What did you talk about? Me: Mainly same-sex marriage. Her: For or against? Me: For. Her: :eek: Really? Me: 😕 Yeah, why not? Her: I thought they’d be against it. The Bible says you’re not supposed to. Me: No it doesn’t. Her: Yes. I don’t remember where, but it says men who lie with other men are bad. My brain:1. You don’t even know where, it’s just in there somewhere? Great argument, Mum. 2. I do know where. In the same bit that tells us to eat kosher, shun women who have their periods, never get tattoos and kill witches. 3. Hi Opal! 4. Biblical scholars say that in the social context of the time yadda yadda yadda, that’s not the purpose of this rant. Me: _discusses point 4_ Her: I’m not saying _I_ don’t approve, just that the Bible says it’s wrong. Me: Whatever. Why would that mean the group would be against it? Her: I thought they’d be against it because the Bible says you’re not supposed to. Me: Well, it was Marx who said “Religion is the opiate of the masses.” Her: Who? Me: Karl Marx. Her: You believe Marx rather than the Bible? Me: _They_ believe Marx. They’re _socialists_. There was irritated silence until the car briefly drove up onto the curb. For what happened next, see my previous post. I love you Mum, but damn it, tonight you make me want to bang my head against a wall. ---
**Author:** ![Lionne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Lionne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lionne)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2010, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whew-its-hot-out-here-summer-mini-rants/544239/288 "2010-07-07T17:54:28Z")
I ate waay too much calzone for lunch. Erp. ---
**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:** [July 7, 2010, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whew-its-hot-out-here-summer-mini-rants/544239/289 "2010-07-07T19:04:06Z")
> [@Shot\_From\_Guns](#): > > What are you… some kind of _Socialist_?! Apparently not, since I asked for a drink to the best of my ability, and I’m still in desperate need of that drink! ---
**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:** [July 7, 2010, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whew-its-hot-out-here-summer-mini-rants/544239/290 "2010-07-07T21:17:54Z")
Actual line in an email from a client this afternoon: > [@](#): > > I don’t understand why they can not get {product} set up and then we will figure out money later. Ummm … because that’s not how the adult business world works? Remind me to try that line the next time I’m at the checkout with $200 worth of groceries. (“But my ice cream’s melting! Why can’t we figure out the money laaaaaater?!?”) Where do we keep finding these people? Who in hell is hiring them? ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2010, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whew-its-hot-out-here-summer-mini-rants/544239/291 "2010-07-07T21:21:19Z")
Fucking mosquito bites fucking argghhhhhhhhhh WANT TO SCRATCH NOWWWWWWW ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2010, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whew-its-hot-out-here-summer-mini-rants/544239/292 "2010-07-07T21:55:36Z")
This fucking heat and humidity is absolutely disgusting. I’d like to be able to open my window, at least at night, so I have a nice breeze blowing into my room. (My bed is smack up against the window, so it feels really, really nice while I’m sleeping) But no, the house is all shut up, curtains closed to keep it cool and dark, we’re running the AC 24/7, and it’s just so fucking hot and sticky out. I hate this weather. (Don’t get me wrong – I like summer time. But I like nice cool breezes, and fresh air, not this hot, sticky humid mess) ---
**Author:** ![overlyverbose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9dc877/32.png) [@overlyverbose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/overlyverbose)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2010, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whew-its-hot-out-here-summer-mini-rants/544239/293 "2010-07-08T03:15:23Z")
Holy shit, why must my husband suddenly turn into Corporate Cell Phone Guy whenever he talks on his cell phone? The baby’s trying to sleep, dammit. I’m about to go in there and stuff that thing down his throat. Lovingly, of course. ---
**Author:** ![kayT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayt/32/3633_2.png) [@kayT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayT)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2010, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whew-its-hot-out-here-summer-mini-rants/544239/294 "2010-07-08T05:03:18Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > My cat continues to pee over the side of her litter box. I don’t think it’s any kind of protest thing; she just has really terrible aim. She hangs her butt over the side of one of three boxes we have down there and just lets fly. She also never buries her crap (she scratches at the wall beside the boxes or just in the air or doesn’t bother scratching at all). She is a “fail” at litter box. ☹ Sorry I didn’t see this sooner; just wanted to say, one of my boys has the same problem and I got a box with a cover. It works great at containing the “output”. The top also has filters in it which help at containing the “fragrance”. The ones I use are shown [here](http://www.vannessplastic.com/cat-litter-pans-and-accessories.htm); don’t know what’s available up in your country. ---
**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:** [July 8, 2010, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whew-its-hot-out-here-summer-mini-rants/544239/295 "2010-07-08T05:23:31Z")
Hmm, interesting idea. I was thinking of putting “puppy pads” around the boxes to contain her urine. Big news story - the useless, ineffective national “Do Not Call” registry for telemarketers in Canada found to be useless and ineffective. Damn, no one could have anticipated THAT, when they created the stupid, toothless law. I saw a comment today that I loved - someone suggested to put all Canadian phone numbers on the registry, and people could call in and ask to be put on the “Please Call” list if they want to be bothered at suppertime by autodiallers that may or may not pick up. ---
**Author:** ![StarvingButStrong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/starvingbutstrong/32/335_2.png) [@StarvingButStrong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StarvingButStrong)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2010, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whew-its-hot-out-here-summer-mini-rants/544239/296 "2010-07-08T14:26:05Z")
What’s the difference between the Canadian and USA do not call registries? Because ours has worked wonders. The only ‘nuisance’ calls we get are political ones in election season, and calls from charities like Big Brother and Disabled Vets looking to pick up donated household goods. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2010, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whew-its-hot-out-here-summer-mini-rants/544239/297 "2010-07-08T14:41:22Z")
> [@Ferret\_Herder](#): > > Rabbit cage seller: I know it’s a minor complaint, but I really hope you are shipping the new cage for my rabbits today, like your E-mail from last week Wednesday said. Still sulking. No response (yet) to my query E-mail sent yesterday. I know they’re a very small or even mom-and-pop operation, and I like supporting those businesses - when they can communicate well and follow through on what they’re promising. If their website had said “due to the nature of the materials we use, it can take 1-2 weeks to assemble an order for shipping” I would have thought “oh, OK, that’s understandable” and thought nothing of it. But no, they said a couple days on the site. My bank account hasn’t been charged yet, which is good, but also bad because it means the cage hasn’t shipped. Plus I just feel guilty for still having my rabbits in their starter cage. Their vet bills were more important to deal with first, and they run in the evenings, but they deserve a better cage for their “den,” and I’m trying to provide them with that. ---
**Author:** ![badbadrubberpiggy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/57b2e6/32.png) [@badbadrubberpiggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/badbadrubberpiggy)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2010, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whew-its-hot-out-here-summer-mini-rants/544239/298 "2010-07-08T15:01:39Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > Hmm, interesting idea. I was thinking of putting “puppy pads” around the boxes to contain her urine. When one of our cats was going outside the box (health issues, not on purpose, and he wouldn’t go in a covered box), we used disposable painting tarps. Cheap, disposable, and they spread out far enough that nothing got on the floor. Other things we tried were always a bit too small. We’ve since lost that cat, but our other one was always too delicate to get all the way in the box :rolleyes:, but will use a covered box and that works out fine. ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2010, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whew-its-hot-out-here-summer-mini-rants/544239/299 "2010-07-08T15:07:30Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > Hmm, interesting idea. I was thinking of putting “puppy pads” around the boxes to contain her urine. Another option: my boyfriend has [a top-entry box](http://www.amazon.com/Clevercat-Top-Entry-Litter-Box/dp/B0002ZS20I) for his cats. No way to pee over the side, no way to kick litter out, and not much tracking of litter outside the box. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2010, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whew-its-hot-out-here-summer-mini-rants/544239/300 "2010-07-08T15:20:16Z")
> [@Shot\_From\_Guns](#): > > Another option: my boyfriend has [a top-entry box](http://www.amazon.com/Clevercat-Top-Entry-Litter-Box/dp/B0002ZS20I) for his cats. No way to pee over the side, no way to kick litter out, and not much tracking of litter outside the box. Huh, that’s wild. I guess it might be harder for the cat to get the idea at first (“Yes, you want to go in that bucket with a hole in the top. Yes, it’s a good thing to do.”) but that would work well for that problem. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whew-its-hot-out-here-summer-mini-rants/544239.md?page=14) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whew-its-hot-out-here-summer-mini-rants/544239.md?page=16)