# Winter's a-coming! Season of Death Mini-Rants **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 18, 2010, 9:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winters-a-coming-season-of-death-mini-rants/554833 "2010-09-18T09:03:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 42
**Author:** ![Catamount](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/catamount/32/2840_2.png) [@Catamount](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catamount)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2010, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winters-a-coming-season-of-death-mini-rants/554833/821 "2010-11-03T14:28:30Z")
Lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part, graphically illustrated! In all the planning you did for this meeting, did it not occur to you to double check to make absolutely sure you had booked a meeting room? Were you not embarrassed to show up this morning to find that we did not have any clue what you were talking about when you asked if the meeting room was ready for you? Making pointed comments about how the same thing happened in Charlotte does not make us look unprepared, it reflects back on you. You’re damn lucky that no one else had booked the meeting room-- what would you have done if someone else was using that room today? Bet you didn’t think of that, did you Smarmy McGee. Also, while you’re waiting for us to scramble to get the room ready at the last minute, can you first of all not discuss politics in front of the desk and get in the way of people who are actually staying here and need to check out and/or get directions to their next destination? Secondly, can you take your half-empty coffee cups with you when you leave? Thirdly, can you stay at the desk for the thirty seconds it takes me to go back and get the faxed contract for you to sign? God, I hate insurance salesmen. ---
**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:** [November 3, 2010, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winters-a-coming-season-of-death-mini-rants/554833/822 "2010-11-03T15:15:38Z")
> [@curlcoat](#): > > OK, I am totally sick of the song “Brand New Key”. I’d throw something at the TV but it’s the hubster’s pride and joy and I’m afraid I’d break it. 😕 I got sick of that song nearly forty years ago. What year are you posting from? ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2010, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winters-a-coming-season-of-death-mini-rants/554833/823 "2010-11-03T15:34:58Z")
The scene: The polling place where I was presiding judge yesterday. The task: Writing all of the names of those who had requested and returned absentee ballots for our precinct. The conversation: Me: Here in the polling book, write down the names of all of those who have returned their absentee ballots. They are marked. Her: Only write in the ones that are returned? Me: Right. They are marked. Her: Okay. _writes_ Me: He hasn’t returned his ballot. See, it isn’t marked. Her: Oh, I’m only supposed to write in the ones that are marked? Me: Yes, only the ones that are marked like this. Her: Okay. _writes the same name_ Me: He is not marked. He did not return a ballot. Her: Oh, I’m only supposed to write the ones that are returned? Me: Yes, this book is only for people who have voted. If they haven’t returned a ballot, they haven’t voted. Only voters are to be put in this book. So, don’t put them in the book if they haven’t returned a ballot, since that means they haven’t voted. Only put in the ones that are marked like this. Her: Oh, I get it. _writes the same name_ Me: If you write that name one more time I BREAK ALL OF YOUR FINGERS BEFORE I KILL YOU AND STOMP ON YOUR FUCKING CORPSE\*. \*This may not have been the exact final exchange before I took the book away, but I was thinking it. Oh, I was thinking it. ---
**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:** [November 3, 2010, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winters-a-coming-season-of-death-mini-rants/554833/824 "2010-11-03T15:44:51Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > 😕 I got sick of that song nearly forty years ago. What year are you posting from? There’s an ad playing this song that shows a baby in a little wheeled seat on a madcap ride through the countryside, from their scenic vacation stop all the way home. Since I’m bad at remembering the featured thing in commercials that bug me, all I remember is that it’s some kind of photo printer. ---
**Author:** ![WolfpackJeep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpackjeep/32/2921_2.png) [@WolfpackJeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WolfpackJeep)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2010, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winters-a-coming-season-of-death-mini-rants/554833/825 "2010-11-03T16:18:28Z")
> [@Ferret\_Herder](#): > > There’s an ad playing this song that shows a baby in a little wheeled seat on a madcap ride through the countryside, from their scenic vacation stop all the way home. Since I’m bad at remembering the featured thing in commercials that bug me, all I remember is that it’s some kind of photo printer. It’s HP…I hate that commercial, and now I hate that song. ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2010, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winters-a-coming-season-of-death-mini-rants/554833/826 "2010-11-03T17:27:22Z")
I had to wait 15 minutes at my precinct while the clerk called in to see if I had mailed in a ballot because they had me marked as receiving a mailed ballot. I have never requested a mail in ballot so why did they mail one? I don’t even remember receiving one, if I did I probably thought it was one of those sample ballots and tossed it. I live about 2 minutes away from my voting site, it’s rarely busy when I go, it’s never taken more than 15 minutes total so I would not have requested a mail in ballot. Now I have to do something extra to make sure I don’t get one again and go through the same crap because somewhere the system is fucked up. ---
**Author:** ![MissTake](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misstake/32/3189_2.png) [@MissTake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MissTake)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2010, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winters-a-coming-season-of-death-mini-rants/554833/827 "2010-11-03T17:36:50Z")
Our main computer system has been down all day. I’ve been ‘working’ for 6 hours now. Cleaned out my e-mail, read meeting minutes for pretty much every group in our organization posted in the past 3-4 months, cleaned my state e-mail, read anything vaguely interesting on the state site, took down the Halloween decorations, cleaned the fridge, folded two baskets of laundry… And not one e-mail from IT letting us know what’s going on other than “the system is down”. ---
**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:** [November 3, 2010, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winters-a-coming-season-of-death-mini-rants/554833/828 "2010-11-03T18:29:04Z")
The drip in the ceiling is back. Last time it rained, we filled a trash can 1/4 of the way up with nasty ceiling-sludge when the tiles started dripping. They came… and replaced the ceiling tile. The maintenance guy even admitted: they’re not fixing the leak, just replacing the nasty-ass ceiling tile. It’s been pouring since yesterday. Predictable results ensue. Now there’s a trash can on the floor directly behind my chair while I try not to think about all the mold and crap that’s now busy breeding directly overhead. If one more person wanders by and asks, “Hey, what’s that trash can doing in the middle of the floor like that?” I’m gonna … I’m gonna … I’m gonna … ---
**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:** [November 3, 2010, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winters-a-coming-season-of-death-mini-rants/554833/829 "2010-11-03T18:35:59Z")
> [@Ferret\_Herder](#): > > It’s just… is it too much to ask that **when I’m old enough to be given a mammogram requisition that I NOT be bothered about whether I REALLY don’t want kids?!** You’re a woman. You want kids. If you don’t think you want kids, you’re wrong. Just shut up and pop out a baby already. > [@SpazCat](#): > > In all the planning you did for this meeting, did it not occur to you to double check to make absolutely sure you had booked a meeting room? My god, do you work with my colleagues? > [@MissTake](#): > > And not one e-mail from IT letting us know what’s going on other than “the system is down”. Doo-doot doo-doo-doo doo-doot doo-doo-doo :flicks lights on and off: ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2010, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winters-a-coming-season-of-death-mini-rants/554833/830 "2010-11-03T18:47:54Z")
> [@purplehorseshoe](#): > > Now there’s a trash can on the floor directly behind my chair while I try not to think about all the mold and crap that’s now busy breeding directly overhead. If one more person wanders by and asks, “Hey, what’s that trash can doing in the middle of the floor like that?” I’m gonna … I’m gonna … I’m gonna … Just toss in a couple of apples and tell them it’s set up for the bobbing for apples competition. Offer to let them have a go at it. ---
**Author:** ![curlcoat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea5d25/32.png) [@curlcoat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curlcoat)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2010, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winters-a-coming-season-of-death-mini-rants/554833/831 "2010-11-04T00:22:02Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > 😕 I got sick of that song nearly forty years ago. What year are you posting from? Heh, this year. It’s being used on TV to advertise, I think, a new phone app and it seems like every station I watch is having a contest to see who can run the ad the most often. Even with my currently limited up time I must hear it six or seven times a day! Urgh. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2010, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winters-a-coming-season-of-death-mini-rants/554833/832 "2010-11-04T00:48:44Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > Me: Here in the polling book, write down the names of all of those who have returned their absentee ballots. They are marked. > Her: Only write in the ones that are returned? > Me: Right. They are marked. > Her: Okay. _writes_ > Me: He hasn’t returned his ballot. See, it isn’t marked. > Her: Oh, I’m only supposed to write in the ones that are marked? > Me: Yes, only the ones that are marked like this. > Her: Okay. _writes the same name_ > Me: He is not marked. He did not return a ballot. > Her: Oh, I’m only supposed to write the ones that are returned? > Me: Yes, this book is only for people who have voted. If they haven’t returned a ballot, they haven’t voted. Only voters are to be put in this book. So, don’t put them in the book if they haven’t returned a ballot, since that means they haven’t voted. Only put in the ones that are marked like this. > Her: Oh, I get it. _writes the same name_ > Me: If you write that name one more time I BREAK ALL OF YOUR FINGERS BEFORE I KILL YOU AND STOMP ON YOUR FUCKING CORPSE\*. I am reminded of [this Monty Python sketch](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3YiPC91QUk#t=1m50s). ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2010, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winters-a-coming-season-of-death-mini-rants/554833/833 "2010-11-04T00:56:00Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > I am reminded of [this Monty Python sketch](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3YiPC91QUk#t=1m50s). Why is that funny to watch but so much less than funny to live through? WHHYYYY? ---
**Author:** ![Apricot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bcef8e/32.png) [@Apricot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apricot)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2010, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winters-a-coming-season-of-death-mini-rants/554833/834 "2010-11-04T02:34:31Z")
> [@WolfpackJeep](#): > > It’s HP…I hate that commercial, and now I hate that song. Those people should not have reproduced! They put their toddler in a walker (those things even legal to sell anymore?) on the edge of a cliff. Awesome! And I hate hate hate that song. ---
**Author:** ![curlcoat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea5d25/32.png) [@curlcoat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curlcoat)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2010, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winters-a-coming-season-of-death-mini-rants/554833/835 "2010-11-04T02:49:32Z")
> [@Apricot](#): > > Those people should not have reproduced! They put their toddler in a walker (those things even legal to sell anymore?) on the edge of a cliff. Awesome! They are then apparently OK with her zooming thru traffic in the thing too! ---
**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:** [November 4, 2010, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winters-a-coming-season-of-death-mini-rants/554833/836 "2010-11-04T03:17:44Z")
> [@Shot\_From\_Guns](#): > > \ > Doo-doot doo-doo-doo doo-doot doo-doo-doo :flicks lights on and off: Dammit! [Scooped as usual!](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwZwkk7q25I) ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2010, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winters-a-coming-season-of-death-mini-rants/554833/837 "2010-11-04T15:17:22Z")
I’m on hold in Hell. I’ve been on hold for 15 minutes. The hold music is the Love Theme from the Godfather as played by Zamfir. If I start sobbing at my desk and soliciting a bullet to the brain from passersby, all of you should stand as witnesses that I didn’t want to go on living. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2010, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winters-a-coming-season-of-death-mini-rants/554833/838 "2010-11-04T15:31:18Z")
37 minutes. On hold. With Zamfir. ---
**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:** [November 4, 2010, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winters-a-coming-season-of-death-mini-rants/554833/839 "2010-11-04T18:43:10Z")
Dammit, **js**. Now I’m going to call in to this meeting earlier than I’d planned just so I can groove out to our amazing smooth jazz. Solidarity! :terrorist fist jab: ---
**Author:** ![lisacurl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/41988e/32.png) [@lisacurl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisacurl)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2010, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winters-a-coming-season-of-death-mini-rants/554833/840 "2010-11-04T19:50:09Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > Why in the world do some men think it’s okay to mention they would kill my cats if they had the chance? WTF? To give you the opportunity to tell them in great detail what might happen to them if your cats die anything but a decidedly natural death. Sorry about the Zamfir. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winters-a-coming-season-of-death-mini-rants/554833.md?page=41) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winters-a-coming-season-of-death-mini-rants/554833.md?page=43)