# Workplace griping, anyone? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 12, 2010, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/workplace-griping-anyone/560401 "2010-11-12T06:39:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 177
**Author:** ![Daithi\_Lacha](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/daithi_lacha/32/5430_2.png) [@Daithi\_Lacha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daithi_Lacha)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2012, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/workplace-griping-anyone/560401/3522 "2012-04-30T19:08:25Z")
> [@StarvingButStrong](#): > > I thought you had to repay loans from your 401k plans right away if you lost/quit your job? They treat it like you cashed it out. He’ll take the tax hit for it but he won’t have to worry about that until later - and because he’ll be a full-time student, there might be workarounds. ---
**Author:** ![SCSimmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e495f1/32.png) [@SCSimmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCSimmons)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2012, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/workplace-griping-anyone/560401/3523 "2012-04-30T20:33:16Z")
> [@martu](#): > > What **Ludovic** said, it is a design decision that creates a huge overhead if the list has to change. In a perfect world I would only have to release one update to a data table which could be done at any time and require minimal testing. Now I have to > > [ul] > [li]Update the database to add the list, new table and lookup procedure, as it should have been done[/li][li]Modify the software to read from this list[/li][li]Create a script to update the database[/li][li]Create a software release package[/li][li]Test the new software[/li][li]Arrange a release - the software will be offline for 10 minutes, people may have to reboot etc[/li][li]Buy cake[/li][/ul] > > and as it has the magic AML (Anti Money Laundering) words in the request it gets top priority. Changing the code requires going through release management, is the short version … There’s a web page used internally at my company which includes an ‘entry submitted by’ drop-down listing all of the authorized users of the application, which is coded this way. I grit my teeth every time I have to ask the owners to add a new authorized user, because I know it will take six weeks when it shouldn’t take six minutes. (Laying aside the fact that it shouldn’t even have a drop-down–it should just read the user ID from the network …) That said, I coded a similar page that way, once upon a time, when I was positive it would be static. I’ve learned better, I swear. ---
**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:** [May 1, 2012, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/workplace-griping-anyone/560401/3524 "2012-05-01T00:00:10Z")
All of the big plants scattered around the office were repotted recently. The one next to my desk looks great, as do some of the others. There’s a large one in the document control room that didn’t make it though…it has turned many shades of yellow and brown (though the tallest part still has some green), and it’s really starting to stink. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Girlfriend](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.girlfriend/32/193_2.png) [@Dr.Girlfriend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Girlfriend)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2012, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/workplace-griping-anyone/560401/3525 "2012-05-01T00:38:14Z")
Hey **flatlined** , I think one of your RatKing’s minions has made their way to my workplace. I got a call today from one of the parking lot booth cashiers saying that the gate arm at the booth wasn’t working. So I tell the service guy, who heads out to the booth to see what’s wrong. He opens up the service panel and startles a rat! He said he didn’t know who jumped higher, him or the rat. Apparently there was a strategically placed pile of rat turds that was interfering with the gate arm functioning. Cleaned out the turds and the gate starts working again. For now at least, until the RatKing gets word of this and sends reinforcements… :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2012, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/workplace-griping-anyone/560401/3526 "2012-05-01T01:02:56Z")
> [@digs](#): > > Keep us in the “w a-wr p t” loop. For you and anyone else who wants to know: I had an interview with the boss at the company and he sounded very positive and that he needed to talk to a few people but at this time he saw no reason not to hire me. Then he mentioned the hourly rate he was thinking of and it’s almost triple what I’m currently making an hour. To be honest, I had a hard time focusing after that. I’m not counting on anything until the inks dry but it sort of looks like I may actually be on the cusp of a real, adult job. I’m excited and nervous and someone pinch me because I must be fucking dreaming! ---
**Author:** ![Chicagojeff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b19c9b/32.png) [@Chicagojeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chicagojeff)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2012, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/workplace-griping-anyone/560401/3527 "2012-05-01T01:15:52Z")
Congratulations inner stickler. My hitch is about my Sgt. This is a guy whobwas a shifty coward of an officer who took the test. He immediately looks at any situation as to how he can cya and get out of it. The other day we had a major situation involving a off duty drunk officer…the idiot drove the wrong way on a major interstate and hit a vehicle. I.had to come out and run the whole shebang. It’s getting a little tough to tell the younger guys to respect the rank. And not to be nasty…at 320plus lbs its not like he can do anything in a crisis. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2012, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/workplace-griping-anyone/560401/3528 "2012-05-01T04:12:35Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > … I’m not counting on anything until the inks dry but it sort of looks like I may actually be on the cusp of a real, adult job. I’m excited and nervous and someone pinch me because I must be fucking dreaming! My dad always used to leave with a line “Write when you get work!” Well, congrats–write when the ink’s dry! ---
**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:** [May 1, 2012, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/workplace-griping-anyone/560401/3529 "2012-05-01T04:40:13Z")
> [@Chicagojeff](#): > > Congratulations inner stickler. My hitch is about my Sgt. This is a guy whobwas a shifty coward of an officer who took the test. He immediately looks at any situation as to how he can cya and get out of it. The other day we had a major situation involving a off duty drunk officer…the idiot drove the wrong way on a major interstate and hit a vehicle. I.had to come out and run the whole shebang. It’s getting a little tough to tell the younger guys to respect the rank. And not to be nasty…at 320plus lbs its not like he can do anything in a crisis. Thank you for your service to the community, **Chicagojeff**. I hope there were no serious injuries. Be careful out there. P.S. Keeping my fingers crossed for you, **Inner Stickler**! Keep us posted. ---
**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:** [May 1, 2012, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/workplace-griping-anyone/560401/3530 "2012-05-01T04:45:07Z")
Fingers and toes crossed for you, **Inner Stickler**. I had a contract job once where the guy offered me about three times what I normally make for office work, and asked me if that was okay. I felt the same way - “Holy shit, dude, do you know how much officer workers normally make? Hell YEAH it’s okay!” ---
**Author:** ![spotthegerbil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@spotthegerbil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spotthegerbil)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2012, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/workplace-griping-anyone/560401/3531 "2012-05-01T23:00:34Z")
Hi new colleague. Nice perfume. Am I detecting the plesant, floral hint of a drop behind the ears? Am I hell. You’ve applied it like a marinade, and the reek is so bad that your other colleagues are snorting lines of printer toner just to sanitize their nostrils. ---
**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:** [May 1, 2012, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/workplace-griping-anyone/560401/3532 "2012-05-01T23:19:58Z")
Hey **spotthegerbil** , I think we share a workplace! I had to sit through a lengthy meeting this morning sandwiched between two perfume-bathers. My sinuses were on fire. ---
**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:** [May 1, 2012, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/workplace-griping-anyone/560401/3533 "2012-05-01T23:24:00Z")
A workplace mini-rant - when you need to line things up, use a properly set tab, not spaces and just hitting tab until it lines up (sort of). Also, make lines with either a line tab or a drawn line, not hyphens. Sheesh. I spent an hour today cleaning up headers and footers with crappy formatting. And while I’m at it, if all the other headers and footers are Arial, don’t use Times New Roman for a handful of them. ---
**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:** [May 1, 2012, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/workplace-griping-anyone/560401/3534 "2012-05-01T23:45:03Z")
Our headers and document bodies are Arial; footers are Times New Roman italic. Indents are typically performed with a long string of tabs and spaces; sometimes, someone will try to make things line up using a table with invisible borders. Don’t get me started on line spacing…sometimes it’s 1.5 spacing after the headers, and sometimes it’s 3 pts after the header. I’ll admit that you can’t always see it on the screen, but the mixture looks horrible when printed. ---
**Author:** ![flatlined](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb9ed0/32.png) [@flatlined](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flatlined)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2012, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/workplace-griping-anyone/560401/3535 "2012-05-02T04:48:35Z")
> [@Dr.Girlfriend](#): > > Hey **flatlined** , I think one of your RatKing’s minions has made their way to my workplace. Be afraid. Be very afraid. The snakes will be next… ---
**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:** [May 2, 2012, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/workplace-griping-anyone/560401/3536 "2012-05-02T04:56:57Z")
> [@WolfpackJeep](#): > > Our headers and document bodies are Arial; footers are Times New Roman italic. Indents are typically performed with a long string of tabs and spaces; sometimes, someone will try to make things line up using a table with invisible borders. > > Don’t get me started on line spacing…sometimes it’s 1.5 spacing after the headers, and sometimes it’s 3 pts after the header. I’ll admit that you can’t always see it on the screen, but the mixture looks horrible when printed. You’re giving me hives. {Shudders} ---
**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:** [May 2, 2012, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/workplace-griping-anyone/560401/3537 "2012-05-02T23:48:08Z")
😃 I aim to please. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Girlfriend](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.girlfriend/32/193_2.png) [@Dr.Girlfriend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Girlfriend)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2012, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/workplace-griping-anyone/560401/3538 "2012-05-02T23:48:24Z")
> [@flatlined](#): > > Be afraid. Be very afraid. The snakes will be next… There’s been snakes too. It was before my time there- someone found a snake in the warehouse. :eek: Speaking of snakes, you guys remember the crazy snake oil lady I work with who thinks that essential oils cure everything from hiccups to cancer? Well today she came up with a real doozy. She told me today that sunscreen causes cancer. “All those chemicals can’t be good for your skin!” Her theory is that people in the old days didn’t have sunscreen, and they didn’t get skin cancer either and they spent way more time outside than we do now. Of course to her eating sugar causes cancer, wearing makeup causes cancer, eating meat causes cancer, drinking tap water causes cancer… Some days I wonder why she doesn’t just seal herself into a bubble. ---
**Author:** ![EmAnJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d2c977/32.png) [@EmAnJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmAnJ)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2012, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/workplace-griping-anyone/560401/3539 "2012-05-02T23:56:37Z")
> [@Dr.Girlfriend](#): > > There’s been snakes too. It was before my time there- someone found a snake in the warehouse. :eek: > > Speaking of snakes, you guys remember the crazy snake oil lady I work with who thinks that essential oils cure everything from hiccups to cancer? Well today she came up with a real doozy. > > She told me today that sunscreen causes cancer. “All those chemicals can’t be good for your skin!” Her theory is that people in the old days didn’t have sunscreen, and they didn’t get skin cancer either and they spent way more time outside than we do now. > > Of course to her eating sugar causes cancer, wearing makeup causes cancer, eating meat causes cancer, drinking tap water causes cancer… Some days I wonder why she doesn’t just seal herself into a bubble. I have heard this too, and was actually supplied with some decent supporting information (i.e. a couple of articles from peer reviewed journals) when I questioned it. I’ll see if I can dig it up. ---
**Author:** ![EmAnJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d2c977/32.png) [@EmAnJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmAnJ)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2012, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/workplace-griping-anyone/560401/3540 "2012-05-03T00:00:40Z")
Here’s a wiki on it: [Potential Health Risks of Sunscreen](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potential_health_risks_of_sunscreen). What the person was focusing on was the increased cancer risk (malignant melanoma) related to the use of oxybenzone, benzophenone, octocrylene, and octyl methoxycinnamate in sunscreens, as quoted in the wiki. A couple of studies have found that the incidence of this type of cancer is higher in sunscreen users. ETA: All that said, I think sunscreen is a good idea. Benefits vastly outweigh the possible negatives. ---
**Author:** ![Qwakkeddup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/90ced4/32.png) [@Qwakkeddup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qwakkeddup)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2012, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/workplace-griping-anyone/560401/3541 "2012-05-03T00:00:41Z")
> [@Dr.Girlfriend](#): > > Of course to her eating sugar causes cancer, wearing makeup causes cancer, eating meat causes cancer, drinking tap water causes cancer… Some days I wonder why she doesn’t just seal herself into a bubble. Bubbles causes cancer too.😉 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/workplace-griping-anyone/560401.md?page=176) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/workplace-griping-anyone/560401.md?page=178)