# 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:** 24
**Author:** ![Jolly\_Roger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/91b2a8/32.png) [@Jolly\_Roger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jolly_Roger)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2010, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whew-its-hot-out-here-summer-mini-rants/544239/461 "2010-07-15T23:40:47Z")
> [@woodstockbirdybird](#): > > I’m sick to death of grown-ass adults using “cute” words (and of course, as soon as I go to post, only one example comes to mind). Saying “sammich” does not make you seem charming and witty, it makes you sound like a grade-A retard. I detest it when people decide to infantilize language like that. The word “belly” strikes me similarly - say “stomach”; you’re not talking to pound puppies. Jesus. Do I have to mention the entire “rediculous” thing again? Its rIdiculous, you fucking idiot. Fuck, its not an uncommon word…how can any adult NOT know how to spell it? Same goes for the “Choose” vs “Chose” and “Loose” vs “Lose” stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Jolly\_Roger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/91b2a8/32.png) [@Jolly\_Roger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jolly_Roger)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2010, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whew-its-hot-out-here-summer-mini-rants/544239/462 "2010-07-15T23:45:08Z")
> [@Chef\_Troy](#): > > When my son comes in my office YET AGAIN to talk about Bionicles for twenty uninterrupted minutes YET AGAIN, it’s all I can do not to either start talking about Broadway musicals for twenty uninterrupted minutes or just look him in the eye and say, “Son, what in the world makes you think I will find this subject interesting? Have you NOT noticed me tuning you out and mumbling “mmm-hmmm” over and over again without so much as looking at you the last thirty times you’ve done this?” > > I mean, REALLY. You’re SIXTEEN. Start obsessing about GIRLS, for god’s sake – now THAT I’ll talk about for as long as you want! Sixteen?! Wow…you may need to have a talk with him, methinks. ---
**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 16, 2010, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whew-its-hot-out-here-summer-mini-rants/544239/463 "2010-07-16T04:15:19Z")
Maybe he’d rather talk about boys. Just saying. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2010, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whew-its-hot-out-here-summer-mini-rants/544239/464 "2010-07-16T07:33:24Z")
> [@Jolly\_Roger](#): > > its not an uncommon word… Yeah well, “it’s” is not an uncommon contraction either… 😛 ---
**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 16, 2010, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whew-its-hot-out-here-summer-mini-rants/544239/465 "2010-07-16T13:59:55Z")
> [@Jolly\_Roger](#): > > Do I have to mention the entire “rediculous” thing again? **Re** diculous is reserved for circumstances that are \*so \*diculous, they’re diculous all over again. Also, as someone else pointed out, you’ll probably be wanting to call a glass repair company. ---
**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 16, 2010, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whew-its-hot-out-here-summer-mini-rants/544239/466 "2010-07-16T14:06:26Z")
> [@Kaio](#): > > I am really fucking sick of caps on medical coverage that is claimed to be 100% coverage. It is a LIE that it’s 100% when they have such ridiculously low caps on care. Yes, I knew it was a lie. It was this or nothing. I’m tired of being screwed no matter what I do. 1.) First and foremost, sorry you’re stuck as being an object lesson in how health care is fucking broken in America. 2.) Your plan covers 100% \*for certain services \*after you meet the deductible. They do not cover 100% on everything; almost no plans do. There is \*no \*percentage they could give you that would accurately describe how much of your future care will be covered, because they have no idea what you’ll need or seek. So they say they cover 100% of the things that fall under the plan, and then give limits for other things. That’s how insurance _works_. If you had an HMO that covered 100% in-network and less than that out-of-network, would you be complaining that it wasn’t \*really \*100% coverage if you went to an OON location for non-emergency treatment and didn’t get 100% coverage? 3.) Out of curiosity, do you have a yearly out-of-pocket maximum? If you’re not sure, it’s probably worth looking into. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2010, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whew-its-hot-out-here-summer-mini-rants/544239/467 "2010-07-16T14:23:18Z")
From us to 19 year old stepson: Rent-free room and utilities Internet Food and snacks (eaten in room despite house rules) Laundry service (wash, dry, fold) Household supplies (medication, toiletries, etc.) Maid service Health insurance coverage Motorcycle storage Interest free loans and occasional gifts of cash Assistance with minor legal troubles Blind eye to drug use From 19 year old stepson to us: Assurance of attending adult education classes daily throughout the next school year in pursuit of final credits needed for HS diploma (unless he’s too tired or doesn’t feel like it) Daily lies and household disruption ---
**Author:** ![melodyharmonius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/melodyharmonius/32/21310_2.png) [@melodyharmonius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/melodyharmonius)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2010, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whew-its-hot-out-here-summer-mini-rants/544239/468 "2010-07-16T14:36:26Z")
Can’t we all just get along? I can’t believe the personal attacks going on in a volunteer community. What are we, 12? The good news is that I finally seem to have the ear of the leader and have convinced him that a sit down is in order before the cancer goes much further. ---
**Author:** ![crazyjoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f14d63/32.png) [@crazyjoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crazyjoe)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2010, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whew-its-hot-out-here-summer-mini-rants/544239/469 "2010-07-16T14:44:13Z")
Sounds like it’s time to sell the motorcycle, and use it to pay for some of the debts 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2010, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whew-its-hot-out-here-summer-mini-rants/544239/470 "2010-07-16T14:47:05Z")
> [@crazyjoe](#): > > Sounds like it’s time to sell the motorcycle, and use it to pay for some of the debts 🙂 Funny, that’s what the judge said! She made him spit out his gum too. What a bitch. ---
**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 16, 2010, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whew-its-hot-out-here-summer-mini-rants/544239/471 "2010-07-16T15:57:55Z")
Got the aforementioned bunny cage parts a couple days ago, and they weren’t packed well - some extra pieces I ordered to try to customize the cage appear to have rattled against each other during the trip and there are a lot of places where the coating chipped off. (Not to mention that it’s a very rough coating on those particular pieces and even feels a bit tacky.) If this was shelving for my garage or something I wouldn’t care, but this is for my bunnies and I don’t want them chewing on the bars and getting god knows what in their mouths. Everything else with the shipment is fine. So I sent them an E-mail that night, saying “hey, you need to look into this and I’m not sure what I’m going to do with these parts yet” (at the time I thought I might still use it on the top, but now I doubt it). I figured I’d leave it in their court, see if they said “yeah, the coating is different, sorry it chipped” or “whoa, that’s weird, what do you want to do” or **something**. They were pretty good about checking E-mail before then, including an E-mail with instructions the day of shipping. Now? Nothing. Yeah. I’m going to be telling them I’m returning the parts. ---
**Author:** ![Jolly\_Roger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/91b2a8/32.png) [@Jolly\_Roger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jolly_Roger)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2010, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whew-its-hot-out-here-summer-mini-rants/544239/472 "2010-07-16T16:26:56Z")
> [@Shot\_From\_Guns](#): > > **Re** diculous is reserved for circumstances that are \*so \*diculous, they’re diculous all over again. > > Also, as someone else pointed out, you’ll probably be wanting to call a glass repair company. I’m not talking about typos, its just ridiculous with an “e” drives me batty. I don’t know why. It just does. But a friend told me that if I mentioned it three times it would be tridiculous. But for a good summer rant, how about we baseball bat everyone blaring a car stereo at 11 into a coma? ---
**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 16, 2010, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whew-its-hot-out-here-summer-mini-rants/544239/473 "2010-07-16T18:27:14Z")
> [@Dung\_Beetle](#): > > From us to 19 year old stepson: So, why are you letting this guy walk all over you? I was doing my own laundry, helping with family meals, and doing cleaning around the house when I was probably more than ten years younger than this loser. He’s a member of the household–and an adult one at that. Start treating him less like a toddler and more like someone who should be contributing–with labor if not with money. He can do his own laundry, clean his own room, help with dusting/vacuuming/cleaning bathroom and kitchen, help with seasonal groundskeeping if it’s a house (mowing lawn when there’s grass, shoveling in the winter if you get snow), help with meal prep, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2010, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whew-its-hot-out-here-summer-mini-rants/544239/474 "2010-07-16T18:33:43Z")
> [@Shot From Guns](#): > > So, why are you letting this guy walk all over you? Well, his mom died last year, but mainly because he’s just that special. ---
**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 16, 2010, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whew-its-hot-out-here-summer-mini-rants/544239/475 "2010-07-16T18:39:49Z")
So, what, he got a permanent vacation from being a contributing member of the family? I.e., was he required to do any of the stuff I suggested \*before \*his mom died? ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2010, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whew-its-hot-out-here-summer-mini-rants/544239/476 "2010-07-16T18:49:42Z")
> [@Shot\_From\_Guns](#): > > So, what, he got a permanent vacation from being a contributing member of the family? I.e., was he required to do any of the stuff I suggested \*before \*his mom died? No, that stuff is for _other people_. He moved in with us about two years ago, and his dad didn’t want to weigh him down with all these rules and stuff he wasn’t used to. Besides, at that time he had a job and was attending school (well, most of the time). ---
**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 16, 2010, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whew-its-hot-out-here-summer-mini-rants/544239/477 "2010-07-16T19:15:41Z")
> [@Dung\_Beetle](#): > > No, that stuff is for _other people_. > > He moved in with us about two years ago, and his dad didn’t want to weigh him down with all these rules and stuff he wasn’t used to. Besides, at that time he had a job and was attending school (well, most of the time). Well presumably it’s half your house, too. Let hubby know he can pick up your share of the kid’s slack from now on if he doesn’t want his precious flower to strain a finger. When I was a senior in high school (i.e., 17), I was carrying a full course load (including AP classes), either in dance \*and \*teaching lessons or working part-time, and doing household chores (my regular share was dusting, washing dishes, doing my own laundry, helping with meal prep, and trading off other duties like kitchen cleaning, mowing, and shoveling with my younger brother). I think a 19-year-old who seems to be spending most of the day with his thumb up his ass can handle at least part of that. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2010, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whew-its-hot-out-here-summer-mini-rants/544239/478 "2010-07-16T19:23:33Z")
Well, the “reasoning” now is that _we don’t want to drive him away!_\* Something bad might happen! But I’ll be damned if I can see what we’re protecting him from, since we really never know where he is or what he’s doing. \*Perhaps we should take a vote on this. ---
**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 16, 2010, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whew-its-hot-out-here-summer-mini-rants/544239/479 "2010-07-16T19:29:25Z")
> [@Dung\_Beetle](#): > > Well, the “reasoning” now is that _we don’t want to drive him away!_\* Something bad might happen! But I’ll be damned if I can see what we’re protecting him from, since we really never know where he is or what he’s doing. If you’re able to drive him away by asking him to contribute to the family in the same way a prepubescent child might be, he’s got more backbone than I’d give him credit for, which will serve him well in supporting himself. I predict that if you give him an ultimatum (_and stick to it_–no empty threats, so your husband would need to be in agreement), he’ll knuckle under like the lazy wuss he is. ETA: I especially predict he won’t leave because if he does, he’d \*still \*have to do all the chores (and probably more), but he’d also be out free room and board. You may wish to point this out to him if he gets pouty (or your husband when you’re trying to get him on board). ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2010, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whew-its-hot-out-here-summer-mini-rants/544239/480 "2010-07-16T19:42:52Z")
> [@Shot\_From\_Guns](#): > > (_and stick to it_–no empty threats, so your husband would need to be in agreement) Ah! And now we have reached the meat of the problem. ☹ This is a very volatile topic in our house. It cannot be approached without a fight. However, it’s really been weighing on my mind since I was awakened at five this morning by the kid coming home. I keep thinking, “Soon he’ll move out…soon he’ll move out…” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whew-its-hot-out-here-summer-mini-rants/544239.md?page=23) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whew-its-hot-out-here-summer-mini-rants/544239.md?page=25)