The Bitching Thread

[Ryllharu]

Terrible, my condolences.

[Death BOO Z]

that's sad.
a puppy? how old was he?

[UChessmaster]

Thanks guys, apparentelly the neighbors had some serious birds problems in their house so they put some poisoned food around it, i don`t think it was intentional. Ironically we were living in an apartment where we weren`t really allowed to have animals, so i decided to move to this place i don`t even like just to keep him.

R.I.P Arold


http://img257.imageshack.us/img257/6243/26741101501476383302466.jpg (http://img257.imageshack.us/i/26741101501476383302466.jpg/)


http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=10150168402340246


how old was he?

1 year and 1 month.

[darkshadow]

What a shame and terrible luck, that was one cute doggy ;[

[rockmanj]

Sorry to hear that...and who new that women get angry if you mention that they snore? :\

[Buffalobiian]

Sorry to hear that...and who new that women get angry if you mention that they snore? :\

Of course they do. It is my belief that they view it as unsightly and unwomanly.

[rockmanj]

Of course they do. It is my belief that they view it as unsightly and unwomanly.

I should have known that...but I didn't. I mean, really, why care?

[UChessmaster]

Don`t call them fat either (even if they`re skinny as hell and you`re clearly joking), trust me.

[rockmanj]

Don`t call them fat either (even if they`re skinny as hell and you`re clearly joking), trust me.

Well, that goes without saying. Its not like snoring is something that can be controlled though. I for one, snore, sleepwalk, and talk in my sleep (among other things). I asked a good friend what her reaction would be, and she said that she would want to be woken up in order to stop her snoring. I am sure that the original lady didn't take it too badly (or I will be having some cold and lonely nights during my vacation).

[Assertn]

Don`t call them fat either (even if they`re skinny as hell and you`re clearly joking), trust me.
Unless it's your aim to make them self-conscious, in which case call them muffin top.

[rockmanj]

Unless it's your aim to make them self-conscious, in which case call them muffin top.

LOL That reminds me of my ex (she didn't have a muffin top), but I used to refer to a part of her as "muffin". Muffin is a really funny words to me for some reason.

[rockmanj]

I hate so say this, as of course we all have limitations to our thinking, but one of my coworkers seems to not be very, very shortsighted and narrow minded. She basically only considers things from her perspective, and is shocked or angered when someone else does not agree. For instance, the other day she was telling one of the directors that her job was harder than his. She does do a lot of menial work, but I know all the work that guy does (he kind of makes it look easy) and on top of that, he has another job and is a Phd candidate as well. My workplace is pretty lax, so he just kind of looked at her quizzically and kept talking, which I credit him for. Other things that she does that annoys me is call my lunch "amazing" everyday, not give me messages that are on the phone, and try to follow me to my home (She found out that we live fairly close to each other). I know it is wrong and high handed of me, but her I(dare I say) simple-mindedness gets on my nerves.

[Kraco]

Nah, do yourself a favour and stop worrying about considering her a fool. If she's a happy fool, let her be. Learn to ignore her. You will never be able to sync with all the people in the world so it's useless to waste energy (and sanity) trying to. You are no worse a person for accepting that fact. In fact you might get better along with her if you do.

[rockmanj]

I have pretty much accepted it; it just annoys me because we share the same space. It gets hard to ignore at times. Its not bothering me that much, but it helps to get it off my chest (although I am being annoyed at this very moment).

[Buffalobiian]

Dear Ebay,

If you need me to sign in, don't tell me that I'm logged in in the first place!!

Missed a goddamn bid because of you.

[rockmanj]

I know it seems like I complain a lot, but one of the people in my fellowship really gets on my nerves. She thinks that anyone that is attracted to a person different than them (ethnically) must have a fetish for that sort of person. She clearly does not understand the word and yells and overracts when someone (me) says something to the contrary. I am very tempted to tear down her psyche (for that and other offences).

[Kraco]

Where do you keep finding these wonderful acquaintances, rockman?

[rockmanj]

My profession puts me in contact with all these wonderful people.

[Buffalobiian]

-My ankles hurt
-My calves hurt
-My knees hurt
-My back hurts
-My shoulder hurts
-My triceps hurt
-My jaw hurts
-My head hurts
-I want to cough when I breath in too deeply

:(

[shinta|hikari]

What the?

Did you finally overdose on preservatives?

My knees hurt too, due to runner's knee. I miss running so badly, so I resort to drinking to relieve my stress.

[Buffalobiian]

What the?

Did you finally overdose on preservatives?


No Preservatives - the beauty of the canning process. ;)

Most of the above is due to physical exertion.

My jaws hurt because I decided to take up Haku's suggestion to chew stuff in order to build up head muscles (a preparation for when/if I have to go bald). I chewed gum vigorously for like.. 8 hours yesterday.

Not sure why my head hurts - probably from lacking sleep a little?

No idea regarding the cough either.. my brother's got a cold, but cough's usually the last thing to happen. I did sleep in too hot an environment though - that always makes me feel like crap, as if I just had a fever. Might have enhanced all of the above.

God Bless Painkillers. And a strong liver to break them down with.

[Archangel]

What you bitches need is some real exercise, especially Bill

Join a gym, you wont regret it

[rockmanj]

Gah! I think I will either have to confront that woman I work with or go to her boss about her communication with clients. She actually asked a client to answer the phone today! Besides being annoying and non-self aware, this seems to be a pretty serious issue. I don't think today will end well...

[The Heretic Azazel]

I just sat in court for three hours because the dumbass cuntface bitch who works up front told me to be there at 9am. The judge tells me my time to come is 1. Life is fucking stupid.

[Ryllharu]

I have no idea what I did, but my back goes on fire every time I take a full breath. I hope I just slept funny. Strangest thing is it started just randomly after lunch, felt perfectly fine before that.

[Assertn]

I just sat in court for three hours because the dumbass cuntface bitch who works up front told me to be there at 9am. The judge tells me my time to come is 1. Life is fucking stupid.

So didn't you sit in court for four hours then?

[Animeniax]

So didn't you sit in court for four hours then?

No, look at his posting time. It had only been 3 hours before he decided to bitch.

[rockmanj]

Gah...my former roommate keeps harassing me about a gas bill that was in his name that he did not cancel. He ended up getting charged for it and keeps telling me to pay him ASAP. I am going to pay him, but I can;y just hand over the money all at once (it was over a number of months). I mean, legally and otherwise it is his fault and we are helping him out. I don't feel like I am wrong here (or am I?)

[Animeniax]

Your former roommate sounds like your typical ahole who goes through life not taking care of little things, then puts that shit on other people when it hits him. I wouldn't pay him.

I hate doing the dishes. I try and try to clean as I go, but I always end up with a sink full of dishes. It doesn't help that most stuff I cook requires I use 10 different pots/pans/utensils each time.

[David75]

Your former roommate sounds like your typical ahole who goes through life not taking care of little things, then puts that shit on other people when it hits him. I wouldn't pay him.

I hate doing the dishes. I try and try to clean as I go, but I always end up with a sink full of dishes. It doesn't help that most stuff I cook requires I use 10 different pots/pans/utensils each time.

Get yourself a wife
or
Get yourself a dishwasher
or
Get yourself a decent job and stop cooking

;)

[Animeniax]

Get yourself a wife
or
Get yourself a dishwasher
or
Get yourself a decent job and stop cooking

;)

Decent job = eating out or paying someone else to cook for me? I'd hate that. I love cooking, I hate cleaning up afterwards. I have a dishwasher but I prefer hand-washing, I just don't have time for it. Same with the car, I could pay $6 at the local gas station for an auto car wash, but I'd rather hand-wash, just don't have time for it.

Latest bitch: got pissed playing BC2 so I hulk-slammed my keyboard so now it doesn't work. Add in that it's wireless, so I can't get the system to recognize it until Windows loads, but I can't get past the BIOS password without a keyboard.

[enkoujin]

Wash dishes as you wait while your food is cooking.

[Buffalobiian]

@rockmanj: it depends on how that whole situation came about. Did he move out, forgot to cancel his account, and you guys have been getting free gas in the meantime? If so, I think its only fair that you paid it. Sure, legally it's his fault and you don't owe him a dime, but looking at it from a moral perspective whoever used it should pay it.

I'll assume that the former agreement was that the bill went under his name, but you paid half while you two were still living together? There's a shared understanding that even though he's legally liable for the costs, in actuality you both have agreed to pay for what you used (and assumed a 50/50 split for simplicity's sake). This is just an extension of that since he forgot to terminante your agreement.

I don't think you should be pressured into a lump sum payment though. Try to make repaying him back as high a priority as possible without starving yourself or something.

[rockmanj]

@rockmanj: it depends on how that whole situation came about. Did he move out, forgot to cancel his account, and you guys have been getting free gas in the meantime? If so, I think its only fair that you paid it. Sure, legally it's his fault and you don't owe him a dime, but looking at it from a moral perspective whoever used it should pay it.

I'll assume that the former agreement was that the bill went under his name, but you paid half while you two were still living together? There's a shared understanding that even though he's legally liable for the costs, in actuality you both have agreed to pay for what you used (and assumed a 50/50 split for simplicity's sake). This is just an extension of that since he forgot to terminante your agreement.

I don't think you should be pressured into a lump sum payment though. Try to make repaying him back as high a priority as possible without starving yourself or something.

One of my current roommates and I told him we would pay him back, since we were using the gas at the time. The former one said he wants it all at once, and I told him that to demand that is unfair and not going to happen, since my other roommate and i have other bills & responsibilities. He does not think it is his fault at all, even though I constantly told him to terminate the gas bill so we could start a new one, and he did not. We are resolving the problem, just not as fast as he wants us to (I believe I tied the payments to my paycheck, so it automatically sends him money when I am paid). There were other problems with that bill for some reason before...I would ask him how much i owed him and he would say "I will let you know later" then demand money on whatever day he wished to tell me so that it isn't late.

[Animeniax]

Wash dishes as you wait while your food is cooking.

For me, the meals I cook are usually complex and multi-part, so it demands my attention throughout. I've tried cleaning between stages, but I always have to stop, wash off valuable suds, and get back to cooking.

Even cooking ramen, you only have 3 minutes. But that's actually 2 minutes since you have to add the meat and sauce pack at the 2 minute point. Then you let it cook 1 more minute and it's done. Then you have to eat it right away or the noodles get too soggy. No time to clean dishes during all of that. And after eating all that ramen, you're too sleepy to wash dishes.

[Kraco]

Today I read from my morning newspaper that the holding company that had earlier acquired the computer hardware store from where I have for years bought almost all of my computer stuff also acquired one old and bloated store from the other side of the city. That in itself wouldn't have mattered much to me, but I got an impression from the article they intend to move all the business in this city to the overly large store of the older company with its needlessly many employees who have very little interest to actually serve people unless you represent some big buyer (that is, a company or institution). Otherwise they only take your money but if you ask them something they can't answer from the top of their empty heads, they literally tell you to find the answer on your own time and go away. Which is the main reason I haven't visited them for a long time now, in addition to their ridiculous prices they still think are great.

As opposed to that, the small store I frequent has great prices (or as great as they ever are in Finland), has really cool guys working there who know much more of hardware and have always been willing to find the answers if they couldn't produce them immediately. And their shop apparently will be shut down in favour of the stupid oversized store with the idiot staff more interested in their suits than computers.

Tells volumes of why holding companies with no practical knowledge of anything they stick their rotten noses into should all go to hell.

[Buffalobiian]

They're still going to be open for a little while, right? Visit them and see where all current staff are going to be. If they move to the store further away, then at least you have some people who you know are reliable there. If not, then see if you can shop with them online in the future, or ask them to recommend a different retailer.

[Animeniax]

Easier solution is to open your own store and become that reliable shop that everyone goes to, until you sell it to a large conglomerate that closes it when they merge it with their other location.

[rockmanj]

Gah! Why are most of the people I have to deal with flakes? I have been getting blown off or not responded to a lot lately, and it's really getting my goat. I may just start cutting people off left and right (again).

[Kraco]

They're still going to be open for a little while, right? Visit them and see where all current staff are going to be. If they move to the store further away, then at least you have some people who you know are reliable there. If not, then see if you can shop with them online in the future, or ask them to recommend a different retailer.

I read the holding company's own web news bulletin, and now I get why the newspaper article was so hard to decipher; the company bulletin itself both said all the functions in this city will be consolidated, yet a little later they said that all the customers are still able to visit their usual stores... I guess I'll visit my usual store on monday and ask if they are any more enlightened of their own circumstances.

[enkoujin]

Man, my family members are slobs.

They make me wash the dishes every night and then they always use a boat load of dishes every day and night because they're not appreciating the work I put into washing the dishes. It's always "used ones go in the sink, clean ones comes out on the dish rack; never a miscommunication" with them. I always find myself slaving over the sink having to wash a variety of bowls, plates, utensils, etc.

Well, washing tableware, bowls and plates aren't too much of a hassle because they require minimal strength for washing. However, washing pans, pots and other cookware sucks too. They're so big and bulky and there's almost never enough space in my sink to wash those bastards. Right now, I've got about four or five pots and two pans that need to be washed. I mean, even if I do use the dishwasher, most hard-anodized cookware aren't dishwasher safe, so you end up cleaning them up anyway because your cooking-illiterate family believed in having your food taste like metal and having evenly cooked food as the best and only way one should prepare their food.

Also, washing wooden spatulas suck as well. Unless they've been lubricated with oil, you'll always bet that food or whatever is going to be sticking to them and then they become really hard to wash out unless you've soaked them in water for a couple of hours. And even then, you've got eggs or whatever shit that's still sticking on them so you have to wash them over and over. And since my family always find themselves using wooden spatulas because they're so incompetent at cooking besides their "great" stir-frying that I always find these wooden spatulas in the sink ready to be washed by me. I sometimes wish that I could buy a bandsaw and cut that shit up into toothpicks so that I can add them to my family's cooking and choke the person who's been using it every second day.

The same goes with tall cups in which your hand can never read the bottom, so you end up breaking it somehow and buying new ones later. It's especially becomes more difficult if my slobby family members drink some milk or some other fluids that are very perishable so then it's like your hand is touching some globs of bullshit. Point is - if your hand can't reach the bottom of the cup, the cup is, instantly, a failed product and the designers who made the cup clearly did not take into consideration the statistical size of its consumers' hands to be used in conjunction with washing dishes. Those mother fuckers.

Then, it gets complicated when you're washing other shit like rolling pins, cutting boards and other kitchen gadgets like can openers. How the fuck do you wash can-openers? They're like the most hardest gadget to wash. Washing pizza rollers? Easy. Washing jar openers? Moderately difficult. Washing muffin pans? Hard. But washing can-openers? You've got to be shitting me.

After that, we've got salad dressing. Fuck that shit, it's a bunch of bullshit! Salad dressing expires really fast if it's left unrefridgerated (which is the case most of the time if you're hand-washing shit) and depending on the sauce, it's just a bunch of white cheese and the shit, figuratively, smells like toenails. After that, if you do soak that shit in, and it's one of the last dishes to be put in the dish (or on the tower of dishes), then the white shit goes all over the god damn pots and dishes once you run it through water. Also, it's pretty gross once it collects in the sink - which brings me to my next point.

Penultimately, we've got those rubber gloves. I almost never use rubber gloves when I'm washing dishes. Why? It's because, occasionally, I'll get some water inside my gloves and the next day I use them, they emit an essence that cannot be described in any human language. Personally, I think it's a combination of shit leaking out of an elephant which has been regurgitated four times, a dead pile of cows all voiding their complex digestive system simutaneously and a roadkill skunk. Who the fuck wants to put their hands in something that smells like that? I wouldn't.

Finally, we've got shit in the drain. Really, this can't be avoided unless your family members ate all of their plates clean (which mine don't, unfortunately), then you get a shit load of shit stuck in the sink drainer and depending on how much shit there is in the sink drainer, you have to waste your time toggling with the amount of waste you let through the sink drainer because if you let too much out, then you might risk clogging up your pipes and waste your time sitting around all day until these guys come to your house, unclogging your shit, then leaving you to clean up the mess. If you let only little bit in, you'd have to waste your time watching water form a small whirlpool going down the drain. Yeah, that's right; it's like having to watch your shit go down the toilet every time you take a shit. It's a waste of time and hell, you could be doing something better while you watch the shit go down like washing your hands (only in this case, washing your hands will increase the time it takes for the water and shit to be drained).

tl;dr

Washing dishes suck.

[Animeniax]

You should spend less time writing these short essays and more time washing those dishes.

My bitch: mowed the lawn for the first time in almost 3 weeks. Lawn looks great but now my allergies are kicking my ass.

[Buffalobiian]

I was browsing this thread from my mobile, and from the reading the first line and eyeing the first two paragraphs of the post knew immediately it came from En. I'm not too sure what to make of it.

@dishes: wooden spatulas suck, I'm with you on that one. Stuff sticking to it isn't so big a problem since I just use steel wool and scrub the shit through it, but I dislike the way it holds the smell of whatever you last cooked for weeks to come. Same with white plastic ladles becoming temporarily discoloured.

I think Australia must have huge pipes for sinks or something. My parents always use those drain catcher things because they think the sinks will clog up. I've tipped saucepans of porridge down the sink for years without problems. (I've known of a Taiwanese family who've carried over a disgusting habit of throwing their used toilet paper in the bathroom bin so they don't clog their toilet. They must be squatting on their toilet bowls too, because I can't think of another reason for how they can fucking miss.)

I can't remember the last time I ever used gloves for dishes. Back ages ago my biggest bitch about dishes was getting splashed in dishwater. We don't have a habbit of using aprons (when we did they were cloth ones that got soaked anyway). Now I just make it a rule to wash dishes before showering, but that's less about splashing since I don't do that anymore and more about not having to reapply moisturiser to my arms.

@lawn: I only feel like shit (sometimess) when I'm actually mowing the lawn. Not after.

[The Heretic Azazel]

It would save money and the awful smells if you just showered with your dishes.

[Ryllharu]

The heater core in my car blew. That part is probably the absolute worst component in a car to lose. Huge labor cost, all day work, and as icing on the cake, the part alone is expensive ($300+).

[Animeniax]

Ate from a place that serves "bulgogi burger." Tastes pretty good, but as expected, it's now tearing through my innards (at least it was cool enough to wait until after I finished taking a final). I tell you, me and Korean stuff will never get along. If she's hot enough, I'd still give it a shot, but I know it would end dismally.

edit: it might not have been the Korean food that tried to kill me! Remembered I drank an expired bottle of 5 Hour Energy before my final and that might have been what messed me up. After purging, I feel better, but not great. Sux that I threw away the other half of my burger, and the last 2 bottles of expired 5 hour.

[rockmanj]

Ate from a place that serves "bulgogi burger." Tastes pretty good, but as expected, it's now tearing through my innards (at least it was cool enough to wait until after I finished taking a final). I tell you, me and Korean stuff will never get along. If she's hot enough, I'd still give it a shot, but I know it would end dismally.

edit: it might not have been the Korean food that tried to kill me! Remembered I drank an expired bottle of 24 Hour Energy before my final and that might have been what messed me up. After purging, I feel better, but not great. Sux that I threw away the other half of my burger, and the last 2 bottles of expired 24 hour.

Tsk, Tsk...do you not watch "The Inbetweeners (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0MUQj8zjE4)"? Today I got some hair and debris in my eye, and had to go to an eye doctor. To make things worse, my nose would not stop running the whole time, but she was pretty cool about it. Turns out I scratched my cornea pretty badly and have to constantly lubricate my eye for the next few days (no jokes, plz). At least it was only 50$ total.

[Animeniax]

Tsk, Tsk...do you not watch "The Inbetweeners (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0MUQj8zjE4)"?.

I've seen that episode. I stopped watching the show after 5 or 6 episodes because the crew are a bunch of unlikeable limey twits.

Unlike Will in this clip, I stayed home from work today while I recover from this. Gonna try to eat some rice now, wish me luck!

[rockmanj]

I've seen that episode. I stopped watching the show after 5 or 6 episodes because the crew are a bunch of unlikeable limey twits.

Unlike Will in this clip, I stayed home from work today while I recover from this. Gonna try to eat some rice now, wish me luck!

The grains or congee? Maybe try some mint or chamomile tea as well.

[Animeniax]

The grains or congee? Maybe try some mint or chamomile tea as well.

I made slightly wetter than usual rice, so not quite congee (if that's what I think it is). That was 5 hours ago and it hasn't come back up, though I feel slightly worse as my body tries to process the rice.

I found out about the BRAT diet for food poisoning sufferers: bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast (white bread) are supposed to be the best choices for sustenance and easy digestion. Also, tea like you said, though I'm drinking lemonade and that's staying put.

[Buffalobiian]

Ah, you were vomitting. I just thought you were just letting it all out the other end.

[Animeniax]

Got over my food-poisoning in almost 48 hours exact. I think it was a life-changing experience. So far, flowery smelling soaps seem to make me nauseous now, as does cold tea. I'm more paranoid about food preparation and cleanliness in the kitchen, though I wonder how long that will last, since I'm pretty sure I got sick from restaurant food or the expired energy drink. Cleaned out the fridge and cupboards of expired food and hope this never happens again. I still feel weak and tired as a kitten, though my appetite is returning.

edit: also, I like corn tortillas more than flour tortillas now... not sure if it's related to the illness, but it wasn't this way before.

[Buffalobiian]

I was going to pick and keep a bag of 3-days-expired potato chips out of the bin that my manager threw out, but in the end decided that acting suspicious/cheap/sneaky and getting caught wasn't worth a bag of chips.

[Animeniax]

I was going to pick and keep a bag of 3-days-expired potato chips out of the bin that my manager threw out, but in the end decided that acting suspicious/cheap/sneaky and getting caught wasn't worth a bag of chips.
It's good to have standards.

[Xelbair]

I have two things to bitch about, first one is about unimaginable thing that had happened in my country, the other one is related to car.

1) Imagine this - football(the football, not the handegg, you Americans!) fans were showing signs with anti-goverment slogans(targeted against the PM and the president) on the matches. Guess what was the media and government reactions.
Government forced the football clubs, which fans were showing those slogans, to close the stations for everyone - those clubs now have to play without anyone watching them. It is so stupid and surreal that i don't know what i was supposed to do - laugh or cry at their stupidity.
Media ,on the other hand, didn't show that anyone had displayed slogans, but they quickly found small groups of pseudo-fans and did a lot of reports showing that the fans are all a dangerous, social degenerated group(which is not true). they basically put up a nice smokescreen to obscure the news of government closing stations, and they channeled people's hatred against football fans. It was done by every media available over here - except few, very small ones. If someone tells me to believe in free media, I'll just laugh.

2) i've been changing tires(to be exact, whole wheels) from winter ones to summer ones, and the goddamn mechanic's helper broke one of anti-theft screws. so instead of 20minutes max, it took over two hours.

[rockmanj]

It's good to have standards.


That exchange almost got me in trouble at work for snickering.

[The Heretic Azazel]

My boss's wife is going around asking for donations for my boss's birthday present. She is getting him a new movie screen for his home theater.

Obviously I'm not required to give anything, but beyond that it pisses me off that they're going around begging for money ("begging" is what I call it when you come to my office and shake a manila envelope full of money in front of me) for an extravagant gift they can easily afford while I barely have enough money to put gas in my car. I wouldn't be caught dead asking my employees for birthday gift money.

[Uchiha Barles]

Did you give her any?


I wouldn't be caught dead asking my employees for birthday gift money.

Unfortunately for you, this will make it so that you'll never be the boss :-(. Gotta start exploiting whenever the opportunity arises.

[Kraco]

Unfortunately for you, this will make it so that you'll never be the boss :-(. Gotta start exploiting whenever the opportunity arises.

I have never had a boss like that. More like the boss himself brought a birthday cake or something else for the employees to enjoy. But Azazel's boss really sounds like the kind of capitalist swine the marxists were writing about, and the wife even worse. My condolences.

[Buffalobiian]

I have two things to bitch about, first one is about unimaginable thing that had happened in my country, the other one is related to car.

1) Imagine this - football(the football, not the handegg, you Americans!) fans were showing signs with anti-goverment slogans(targeted against the PM and the president) on the matches. Guess what was the media and government reactions.
Government forced the football clubs, which fans were showing those slogans, to close the stations for everyone - those clubs now have to play without anyone watching them. It is so stupid and surreal that i don't know what i was supposed to do - laugh or cry at their stupidity.
Media ,on the other hand, didn't show that anyone had displayed slogans, but they quickly found small groups of pseudo-fans and did a lot of reports showing that the fans are all a dangerous, social degenerated group(which is not true). they basically put up a nice smokescreen to obscure the news of government closing stations, and they channeled people's hatred against football fans. It was done by every media available over here - except few, very small ones. If someone tells me to believe in free media, I'll just laugh.



I think it depends on the laws in your country. Mass demonstrations here require prior approval, as does election campaigns and advertisements on television by parties who are trying to "slander" the other.

If those people are trying to use a loophole and use televised sporting events to demote certain political parties (if this is against the law), then I can't really blame your government for shutting the whole thing down in response.

[XanBcoo]

I think it depends on the laws in your country. Mass demonstrations here require prior approval, as does election campaigns and advertisements on television by parties who are trying to "slander" the other.

If those people are trying to use a loophole and use televised sporting events to demote certain political parties (if this is against the law), then I can't really blame your government for shutting the whole thing down in response.
You don't really mean this, do you?

[Xelbair]

It is legal to do so over here. you require permission only if your protest will block roads etc. and its more like setting up a time and route, it is not dependant on the topic of protest.
They are using pseudo-fans fights as a excuse for a reason.

[Buffalobiian]

You don't really mean this, do you?

It hinges on the bold part.

If those people are trying to use a loophole and use televised sporting events to demote certain political parties (if this is against the law), then I can't really blame your government for shutting the whole thing down in response.

[XanBcoo]

What I meant was, it should never be against the law. And if it is, the government should not get a pardon for exercising such strict control over the media.

[shinta|hikari]

I think he was speaking realistically of what is currently applicable in that situation, not what he thinks is ideal.

[Buffalobiian]

My mum recently learned of the term Densha Otoko and has been using it to categorise me. She acts like she knows what she's talking about, and uses the term as a convenient remark to comment about everything I do. She thinks being in front of a computer for extended periods of time decreases your ability to communicate with humans when it's her that I have issues talking with (and vice versa). She reckons I have communication problems when I'm really just pissed and annoyed. Of course, this is all because I'm a Densha Otoko.

She did this last time she learned of the "Your mind is like this cup that is filled to the brim and is unable to accept anything else" line too.

I'm pissed and annoyed.

[Animeniax]

My mum recently learned of the term Densha Otoko and has been using it to categorise me. She acts like she knows what she's talking about, and uses the term as a convenient remark to comment about everything I do. She thinks being in front of a computer for extended periods of time decreases your ability to communicate with humans when it's her that I have issues talking with (and vice versa). She reckons I have communication problems when I'm really just pissed and annoyed. Of course, this is all because I'm a Densha Otoko.

She did this last time she learned of the "Your mind is like this cup that is filled to the brim and is unable to accept anything else" line too.

I'm pissed and annoyed.

I think the proper term to describe your type is "hikikomori". Teach her that if you want her to be accurate.

[Kraco]

Simple solution, Bill, simple solution: Move out.

[Buffalobiian]

I think the proper term to describe your type is "hikikomori". Teach her that if you want her to be accurate.

I think Hikikomori is even less accurate. From Hikikomori wiki:


The Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ministry_of_Health,_Labour_and_Welfare_%28Japan%29 ) defines hikikomori as people who refuse to leave their house, and isolate themselves from society in their homes for a period exceeding six months.[1] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hikikomori#cite_note-0)
While many people feel the pressures of the outside world, hikikomori react by complete social withdrawal. In some cases, they lock themselves in a room for prolonged periods, sometimes measured in years.

In general, the prevalence of hikikomori tendencies in Japan may be encouraged and facilitated by three primary factors:
1 - Middle class affluence in a post-industrial society (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post-industrial_society) such as Japan allows parents to support and feed an adult child in the home indefinitely. Lower-income families do not have hikikomori children because a socially withdrawing youth is forced to work outside the home.
Hikikomori tend to be financially supported by their parents, or by receiving social assistance. They seldom work since jobs usually require socialization.I'm not withdrawing from any pressure imposed on me by society, I don't receive social security payments, I'm working and I'm paying for my share of food/board.

Densha Otoko was inaccurate in that she believed that computer use was the key to my "communication problem". Communication problems experienced by Densha Otoko are more like they're unable to express what they think or feel due to the inability to express oneself. That's not me. I'm perfectly able to express myself and my thoughts. In fact, in group meetings and assignments I'm often the one who has to both facilitate the meetings so we can keep talking (and not stare each other), keep talking in a direction that advances towards what we're trying to achieve in the project, and interpret(rephrase) what people are saying so other people can understand each other. (seriously, on this matter I don't know what's wrong with my groups. It's not a language barrier thing.. people just aren't listening.. and don't seem to pick up that others aren't understanding them.. but that's another matter).

If you had to describe the problem that exist between us, it would be personality clash. If you wanted to push it all on me, anger management issues would be the best (albeit still incorrect) way to describe it.

Hikikomori requires me to hide from something and to posses a fear of social interaction. None of that applies to me. What does apply to me is that when I'm using my free time, I like to do things and communicate with people who share the same interests as me. Not many of those two things can be done without a keyboard and monitor because they're simply not available otherwise.

@Kraco: I'm a fairly lazy person to be honest. Moving requires effort, searching, planning, effort, change of environments, packing, money to do the actual move... did I mention effort? The board I'm currently paying is likely to be more than what I'll need for rent/food after moving out (I'm paying this so I won't ever have the excuse of "You were better off here because you incurred less rent etc" bite me in later years) - but in exchange for that money I can stay in a place that I've familiarised myself with for the last 16 years of my life. For a person as resistant to unnecessary change as I am, moving's the final straw (at least until I'm further ahead in my career where my working hours would be such that I'd move just to cut down on transport time alone).

[Kraco]

The board I'm currently paying is likely to be more than what I'll need for rent/food after moving out (I'm paying this so I won't ever have the excuse of "You were better off here because you incurred less rent etc" bite me in later years) - but in exchange for that money I can stay in a place that I've familiarised myself with for the last 16 years of my life. For a person as resistant to unnecessary change as I am, moving's the final straw (at least until I'm further ahead in my career where my working hours would be such that I'd move just to cut down on transport time alone).

You are even paying rent for living in your parents' house? I'm understanding you less and less, because free living was the only thing I'd have somewhat understood. Or if it was some sort of family business related form of living you'd inherit, like a store with the living quarters upstairs and you were already working downstairs. Maybe what you perceive as a communication problem between you and your mom is actually your mom trying indirectly to tell you to find your own place...

[Animeniax]

I think Hikikomori is even less accurate.Yeah I was just messing with you man. Sorry about that.


You are even paying rent for living in your parents' house? I'm understanding you less and less, because free living was the only thing I'd have somewhat understood. Or if it was some sort of family business related form of living you'd inherit, like a store with the living quarters upstairs and you were already working downstairs. Maybe what you perceive as a communication problem between you and your mom is actually your mom trying indirectly to tell you to find your own place...Asians tend to live with their parents as long as possible, usually into their 20s. In China, they might stay until their 30s.

My bitch: websites that don't move the cursor to the search field or the most likely place you will go on their website. Amazon.com is guilty of this.

[dragonrage]

What seems to be getting under my skin lately is the fact there there are commercials everywhere. It seems that you can't view a video or a clipping of an article without being forced to sit and watch another commercial. Makes me loose the desire and interest I had in the first place.


Pretty soon you won't be able to sleep without some commercial invading your dreams, like it doesn't stick in you head anyways. Those bastards are after your subconscious impulses and it doesn't seem to be anyway to keep them out.

[Animeniax]

What seems to be getting under my skin lately is the fact there there are commercials everywhere. It seems that you can't view a video or a clipping of an article without being forced to sit and watch another commercial. Makes me loose the desire and interest I had in the first place.


Pretty soon you won't be able to sleep without some commercial invading your dreams, like it doesn't stick in you head anyways. Those bastards are after your subconscious impulses and it doesn't seem to be anyway to keep them out.
Our economy depends heavily on consumerism, which depends heavily on advertising to get you to spend your money on their products. It's all a part of the same vicious cycle.

[dragonrage]

Our economy depends heavily on consumerism, which depends heavily on advertising to get you to spend your money on their products. It's all a part of the same vicious cycle.

I know this very well, I am part of it. Just pisses me off sometimes, especially when it's a bad day.

[Edort4]

I got fired. Nothing new and I was totally expecting it after witnessing recent events but it still pisses me of how they do things and why. In the last few months I have seen some friends and co-wokers getting fired. The reasons where arbitrary and the way they did it was nasty. The modus operandi is as follows.

Two of the branch bosses go to your workplace without notice and give you the papers. Firing advise, indemnization and so. They tell you to sign it and to take all your things and leave at once. They make it clear that the company is willing to indemnizate you above what you deserve if you sign at the moment and that the reasons for the firing where that you where being lenient and that you had bad performance lately.

If you dont sign and leave at the moment they subtlely tell you that company will take it to the courts so you will get less money and much more later. Here this kind of procedures can take 6 months easily. You must understand that this bosses are co-wokers too and posibly you are "friends" with them so its kind of hard to go against them. They go in pairs so they can be witnesses if you dont want to sign and start making a ruckus, so they can protect any company property and sign the papers as witnesses (with the administrative that usually is with you) that you where fired.

Its true that since the crisis things got hard and we have had less work for too much people so its logic to get the branch reduced but what they have done for the last 2 years is fire the cheaper ones. The ones with lower salaries and that have been less time in the company. This is a good move from a boss perspective. They present costs reductions to their bosses and dont have to pay much in indemnizations cause all of them where newbies and had low salaries.

The thing is and I tried to explain it over and over to my boss is that if you fire people that represent the 2% of the brach cost but produce the 5% in the long term you are making a big loss. Here usually the people that have been long in the company (its quite new so the most veterans have been there for about 12 years) dont work at all, they know that they are expensive to kick out. They have the highest indemnizations for antiquity and their salary just kept going up year after year thus making them more expensive at the firing.

So for example after other firings I ended in a team of 4 people (2 vets and a protegee) doing around 60% of the work myself, when even when everyone gives 100% things go wrong. Also to sum to it this people had me in their sights from a previous project we where rulling in parallel in wich they ended expending more money and ended 4 months later than the team I was in, so they ended having some kind of rivalry. My team was almost made of youngsters and newbies in the company so they tried to bully us from the begining. This company is kind of a kindergarden.

So to conclude this rant I ended up getting fired cause project was taking ages and costs where sky high (you have to pay the obscene salaries those guys have for way more months than planned). The other 2 vets and the protegee stood there looking at me with a controlled smile. I ended up not signing the papers cause Im not going to give my consent to something that says that my work was defective, thus giving those guys an excuse to say that I was the reason that project was such a complete mess.

I talked to the boss telling him what happened and what I thought and all he said to me was: Yeah you may be right cause I noticed that every project those guys are in ends being a mess but... those guys aint a threat for the bosses cause they cant do the job... and you where cheaper.

So I end with a sense of freedom for not having to work for those guys again and gotten freed from my co-wokers( some days I felt like john malkovich in burn after reading). But on the oher hand Im angry cause I gave some of my best yeas to those incompetent leeches.

[Kraco]

Seems strange such a company would stay in business. Not much competition?

[Buffalobiian]

Are rival firms also in the same position, or are they ready to mop up all the talent that your company's been culling?

[Animeniax]

@Edort4: Was this a real job or working at a McDonald's? Living and working under the spectre of possibly layoffs or getting fired is no way to live and work. I think it's best that it happened so you can move on to better things, instead of spending each day wondering if or when it will happen. I've been through this, and it sucked. Hopefully you have some options and savings to keep you afloat until you find something new.

[Edort4]

Well the whole sector suffered heavily after the crash in middle 2008. Cause projects take time to be auctioned and durations are around 18 months the real problem started to show at middle 2010. All previous projects where ending and almost no new project was coming in, mine was one of the last. Experts said that around 70% of the sector had to dissapear because it was oversized.

So I heard the same thing happens in every other company. A friend of mine went to a rival and said that it was the same or even worse. Cause seeing how much people is available they have worsened the conditions, lower salaries, more working hours, less benefits and so.

It was a real job (are there unreal ones?) I didnt expect to sound as a part time worker or so. I dont find it being fired so bad, I mean its part of life. If they pay me what they owe me and treat me well. I have good savings and coverage problem is that actually unemployment rates are very high so geting another job will take time and the conditions will be much worse. Just have to decide if I stick with this kind of job or try something different. I dindt work on what I studied so maybe I should go back to that and recycle myself. Anyway bad moment to get out.

What I hated was how it happened and that maybe if my boss would have made a bet for his working people instead of "experienced" ones and protegees things could had been saved or at least well completed, wich never leaves a bad mouth taste.

[Animeniax]

What sector is this exactly? Sounds like an engineering job.

[IFHTT]

http://jam-it.in/images/herniateddisc.jpg

Herniated L4/L5 Disc and severe Canal Stenosis (not pictured)

feelsbadman.jpg

[Animeniax]

Does it hurt as bad as it looks? Cause it looks pretty bad. I should get my back checked out, been having pain there from poor habits. What's the milky white snake going down the center that the disc is mashing into, your spinal cord?

[IFHTT]

Yeah, it's some pretty spectacular pain. I am pretty much crippled right now.
The white line spanning the back of the spine is the spinal canal. So, essentially yes, it's protruding into and pinching the nerve roots in my lower back. :(

Another Slice (http://jam-it.in/images/69AE19CA.jpg)

[KitKat]

Aiya, that's awful TT :( What sort of treatment have they recommended for you?

My complaint is just small, but I found out that hiding food in the back of my fridge is NOT equivalent to labelling it with my name. I thought it would be safe for a couple hours when I went out, and I came back intending to eat the delicious half-price pasta salad I bought, but it was gone when I got home and I was sad. I feel like there has been so little food in my house these days that everyone is one the brink of starvation and will eat any small amount of prepared food that appears in the fridge. I'm going to prepare a very large amount of something edible today in such a quantity that there's guaranteed to be leftovers for me to eat tomorrow.

[XanBcoo]

Eat out of only one side of the container. That will confuse them long enough for you to defend it.

[Kraco]

Must be indeed quite a cave of starving wolves if the occupants eat any food left unguarded, not only their own. Because I can't imagine KitKat would live with people with no manners or morals, so it must be the hunger driving them to fell deeds.

[Uchiha Barles]

That used to piss me off. We'd share a food bill back in school, but people would buy stuff I didn't care for. So I'd go out and buy stuff I did enjoy, but those would be the first things to go, and as often as not, they'd be gone before I could eat any.

[Buffalobiian]

Just label your food. Is that not enough of a territorial mark for those who share homes?

[shinta|hikari]

I eat food that is not mine in the staff house I am staying in right now. I know it belongs to someone else, but they never eat it anyway until it spoils. I hate waste, so I do them and earth a favor by preventing that.

It also helps with the expenses, so it's all good, for me anyway.

I sometimes prepare meals using leftover stuff too (I cooked szechuan pork with cashews for everyone today using common stuff and stuff that is not mine), so I would think that that much would be enough compensation for my occasional thievery.

[Uchiha Barles]

Just label your food. Is that not enough of a territorial mark for those who share homes?

Well back then, we shared the bill. Eventually we did stop doing that as I wasn't the only person with a problem on how the food was consumed. But yeah, if you're going to be sharing a bill, it kind of goes against the spirit of things to label stuff, specially in the quantities I'm talking about.

[Sapphire]

Weird, that never happens to me. Go to a restaurant that splits 1 meal into two and puts it on each side of the table?

[Animeniax]

I eat food that is not mine in the staff house I am staying in right now. I know it belongs to someone else, but they never eat it anyway until it spoils. I hate waste, so I do them and earth a favor by preventing that.

Do they seem to mind that you eat their food?

I didn't think I'd be the kind of person to eat others' food, but when I had roommates before, one of them worked for Amway so he always had these juice cartons in the fridge and I would drink 2 or 3 out of every 10. He never complained, but I doubt he was happy about it.

[Sapphire]

When I first came to NYC I rigidly ignored all of the random people (men) on the street who would holla ( "hi!" "hey beautiful," "you're so beautiful," *whistle* etc) at me. But over the years I've loosened up, and at least offer a smile or nod in return. I'm one of the few people I know in Manhattan who doesn't ignore any and all attempts at transient communication from the locals and tourists.

But I really can't stand the people in NYC who wait a split second after you pass them to holla at you or whistle, because at that point of walking past them you can't really acknowledge them and just keep walking. So it turns into having some perverted coward scream at your back and not really being able to turn around because that's just awkward. And its not like you can individually yell at them for being cowardly because the next day someone is going to do the same thing. :[

[shinta|hikari]

Do they seem to mind that you eat their food?

They don't even notice it's gone. They are not simply feigning ignorance either, because the last time I mistakenly (I thought it belonged to the person I replaced when I came in) drank a protein drink the owner emailed everyone staying at the staff house complaining about it.

I only get rid of the stuff that will expire anyway.

[Animeniax]

When I first came to NYC I rigidly ignored all of the random people (men) on the street who would holla ( "hi!" "hey beautiful," "you're so beautiful," *whistle* etc) at me. But over the years I've loosened up, and at least offer a smile or nod in return. I'm one of the few people I know in Manhattan who doesn't ignore any and all attempts at transient communication from the locals and tourists.

But I really can't stand the people in NYC who wait a split second after you pass them to holla at you or whistle, because at that point of walking past them you can't really acknowledge them and just keep walking. So it turns into having some perverted coward scream at your back and not really being able to turn around because that's just awkward. And its not like you can individually yell at them for being cowardly because the next day someone is going to do the same thing. :[
Do you walk past a lot of construction sites?

I think it's nice that you accept compliments and not just walk past with your nose in the air. I wouldn't recommend doing that in some places like Vietnam though, or the street vendors will never leave you alone.

[Uchiha Barles]

When I first came to NYC I rigidly ignored all of the random people (men) on the street who would holla ( "hi!" "hey beautiful," "you're so beautiful," *whistle* etc) at me. But over the years I've loosened up, and at least offer a smile or nod in return. I'm one of the few people I know in Manhattan who doesn't ignore any and all attempts at transient communication from the locals and tourists.

But I really can't stand the people in NYC who wait a split second after you pass them to holla at you or whistle, because at that point of walking past them you can't really acknowledge them and just keep walking. So it turns into having some perverted coward scream at your back and not really being able to turn around because that's just awkward. And its not like you can individually yell at them for being cowardly because the next day someone is going to do the same thing. :[

Just convince yourself that they're taking the time to confirm that your ass is as awesome as the rest of you, and that the holla is a nod of approval. That way, you turn a slightly annoying, daily encounter into a regular ego boost. Win-win.

[Buffalobiian]

On a related note about greetings, I wish "Welcome" can be used in English like it's used in Japanese. It saves having people going like:

Me: How are you going today?
Customer: Crap. But you don't really care do you?

[Ryllharu]

Ever try just saying, "Hello,"?

If you are contractually required to say more than that, go with, "Hello, can I help you find anything?"

That said, I'm a big fan of responding to "How is it going?" with a negative, then waiting for the "Good!" auto-reply. It lets you know right away they weren't expecting anything but "Good!" or "Fine," and that they weren't going to listen to your reply in the first place, because they really don't care about anyone's well being when they use that particular greeting. It's also the reason I shifted my standard greeting to, "Mornin'." [With, "Afternoon." and "Evening." as applicable.] That way, "How goes it?" is reserved for people I legitimately give a shit about.

[Buffalobiian]

Re: Hello - a bit too short? :P
Re: Hello, can I help you find anything? - when they're bringing stuff to the counter it sounds even more like an automated answer.

I'll try mixing in those (amongst others) every now and then to see what works though..

[enkoujin]

"What can I help you with?"

"What assistance do you need?"

"How can I be of help to you?"

"What's your concern/issue?"

I think "Hi there", and the applicable greeting that varies on the time of day works best from Ryllharu's suggestion works best too. Since you're a pharmacist and people come to you, you just have to say something minimal to indicate that you're ready to help the next person. That's really all you have to say.

[Kraco]

Oh, right, you were talking about greeting customers. Never in my life has a store's salesperson asked me how I'm doing instead of a normal, neutral greeting (good day, etc.) or asking if they can help me with something (assuming I wasn't carrying already anything). Fortunately asking about one's tidings is not even a habit in Finland unless you really want to hear a real answer, and thus it's not an option with total strangers.

[Ryllharu]

Re: Hello, can I help you find anything? - when they're bringing stuff to the counter it sounds even more like an automated answer.Usually you use that one when you first see them enter, otherwise, you can use, "Hello, did you find everything you were looking for?"

[Animeniax]

Usually you use that one when you first see them enter, otherwise, you can use, "Hello, did you find everything you were looking for?"The problem with that is if they answer, "no, I need this or that," then you have to go help them find it or call someone to go help them find it, meanwhile there's a line of people waiting to check out, and you're halfway through scanning their order, so you have to cancel it out or wait for them to come back to finish processing them. It's a bad situation all around. Really it's best if you just ignore them and let them find their own way.

[Buffalobiian]

@Ani: no matter what your response is, they ask you to do that anyway.

@En: this is a bottleshop scenario.

I keep having to do overtime without being paid for it "because that's the culture". The manager has to work overtime, everybody in general works overtime. The casuals get paid for it though, while the managers get bonuses for running the store well. Us full-timers on the other hand just get paid a set salary which is only supposed to be for 38 hours per week plus "reasonable" overtime "when required". Don't you just love the wording?

And the balls of my foot having been hurting for 2 weeks now. I have to curl the toes of my left foot inwards so that I push off them instead of the balls. My self diagnosis is that I've popped one or more metatarsals out of alignment. I'm hoping whatever the problem is, that the solution is relatively inexpensive, quickly done, and fundamentally permanent. (I better have enough sick leave to cover this...)

[Kraco]

At least you get a longer vacation using your overtime hours, if nothing else. Still sucks, of course.

[Ryllharu]

@Ani:

If you don't have it, you reply, "I'm sorry, I'll see what I can do for next time," or "I'll let my boss know there is an interest for [product]."

If you do have it, it may be behind the counter (cigarettes, pint bottles, etc.). Grab it, and include it in their checkout.

If you do have it, and it isn't behind the counter, point to it, and then wait for them to go get it. Look to the next person in line, and apologize for the wait.


It's the service industry, and furthermore it's a package store, not something like a drugstore or a supermarket. It's really not that hard.

[Buffalobiian]

At least you get a longer vacation using your overtime hours, if nothing else. Still sucks, of course.

I don't get OT hrs. It's just free labour period.

@Ryll: they often ask you "could you get me x, y and z". You don't really have a choice but to get it for them (not that I mind if there's no line).

[Kraco]

I don't get OT hrs. It's just free labour period.


Now I get perfectly why you started getting increasingly acquainted with your store's products. Forgive my lack of understanding earlier. Though I won't stop making jokes out of it.

[Sapphire]

My PSU blew up while I was in the middle of watching He's Just Not That Into You. :(

[dragonrage]

That sucks.. Good movie.

rip PSU

[Buffalobiian]

My PSU blew up while I was in the middle of watching He's Just Not That Into You. :(
Buy a better one.

[Animeniax]

My PSU blew up while I was in the middle of watching He's Just Not That Into You. :(
Seems your PSU didn't like that crap either. I got to the contrived scene with Scarlett and Brad Cooper in the grocery store and had to turn it off.

[Animeniax]

I was watching the video Assertn posted with the kids enacting fight scenes and about 1 minute in I wanted to post my reaction without even bothering to finish watching what turned out to be an awesome video in its entirety. I fought the urge and finished the video before posting, but the urge to post is what worries me. I find I often skim or just watch the first minute of stuff before rushing to comment on it and usually not even finishing it.

And I a narcissist, or am I just too self-involved? Or worse yet, am I desperate for attention and recognition?

[Sapphire]

Knowing your compulsions is good.

Read all of the stories in the story contest thread while you are aware of your compulsion and want to conquer it. :D

[XanBcoo]

I was watching the video Assertn posted with the kids enacting fight scenes and about 1 minute in I wanted to post my reaction without even bothering to finish watching what turned out to be an awesome video in its entirety. I fought the urge and finished the video before posting, but the urge to post is what worries me. I find I often skim or just watch the first minute of stuff before rushing to comment on it and usually not even finishing it.

And I a narcissist, or am I just too self-involved? Or worse yet, am I desperate for attention and recognition?
Sounds more like a byproduct of a brain accustomed to constant stimulation and instant gratification:

http://www.cnn.com/2011/HEALTH/06/23/tech.popcorn.brain.ep/

[Buffalobiian]

I'm not sure if Ani's urge to post is just the urge to make a comment when one pops up in your mind.

I followed that link of Xan's to the virtual-addiction test. I'm not sure if I'm just in denial when I say they don't really apply to me.

[IFHTT]

I definitely suffer from popcorn brain. When I'm near a computer it's hard for me to want to focus on whatever tasks I'm supposed to be seeing to, rather than jumping online to do basically nothing of any real importance.

Also I realized how much of a sick-minded individual I've become from spending so much time online at some of the more nefarious havens of scum and villiany (*cough*4chan*cough*) when I read this paragraph:


Levy, a professor with the Information School at the University of Washington, tells the story of giving a speech at a high-tech company. Afterward at lunch, an employee sheepishly told him how the night before his wife had asked him to give their young daughter a bath. Instead of enjoying the time with his child, he spent the time on his phone, texting and returning e-mails. He didn't have to work, it was just that the urge to use the phone was more irresistible than the child in the tub.

I don't think I need to elaborate on any of that. :(

[IFHTT]

I hate my little brother. He's a thieving, soulless, parasitic meat bag drifting aimlessly through life on the coattails of everyone else, constantly looking for the next host to feed on. I wish him nothing in life but loneliness and misery followed by a slow, agonizing death. He has no respect for anything or anyone and cares only about himself. He's been given far too many second chances and opportunities to right his wrongs, yet still chooses to march headlong down the same line of worthlessness and depravity. I'm done. Fucking Done.

[Archangel]

I hate my little brother. He's a thieving, soulless, parasitic meat bag drifting aimlessly through life on the coattails of everyone else, constantly looking for the next host to feed on. I wish him nothing in life but loneliness and misery followed by a slow, agonizing death. He has no respect for anything or anyone and cares only about himself. He's been given far too many second chances and opportunities to right his wrongs, yet still chooses to march headlong down the same line of worthlessness and depravity. I'm done. Fucking Done.

http://img202.imageshack.us/img202/1588/sc67cfla.jpg

[IFHTT]

http://jam-it.in/images/darthtonton.jpg

[enkoujin]

Did you try to understand his situation?

From what you're telling us, it looks like he's a pretty shitty person, but maybe you should consider sitting down with him and have a heart-to-heart talk with him. Try to understand why he sees the world that day - maybe he has a misanthropy that can't be controlled and needs to see a professional (psychologist) to help fix his problems.

Understanding is the key - sure, you might make yourself vulnerable when you try to understand someone you dislike or try to discuss opposing opinions. Once you understand, you can understand how to diagnose his problem and come up with a solution to help him with his mess. Really, if he keeps this up, you'll feel guilty on about giving up [too early] and there may be volatile repercussions that may come back to you later in life.

[IFHTT]

I wouldn't have posted such a thing if not for having been through these motions several times before. Five years of constant drug abuse, stealing, lying, and general lack of remorse for anything he's ever done, in the face of five years of constant support, understanding, leniency, and love is plenty of reason for me to feel the way I do. His actions speak perfectly clearly. You cannot fix people, you can only encourage them to fix themselves. Outside of that, it's all on them. I understand completely his situation. As I stated before, I'm done.

[Sapphire]

I refuse to use the subway any longer.

Its not the fact that it's dirty and nasty that bothers me. I have come to terms with this. It's the price that I can't get over. It costs $2.25 to get any where, so I end up spending at least 2.25*2*7*4 = 126 dolla a month going to simple places like work. Or I can buy a monthly pass, which is $80 , and I cringe every time I do that because I'm cheap, man.

Anyway, I'm going to walk everywhere until I finally get a used bike. It takes an estimated 1 hr 14 minutes to walk from my apartment to work, but I'm willing to bite the bullet on this one.

[XanBcoo]

What's wrong with paying for the $80 monthly pass?

[Sapphire]

It's $80.

I want to use my money/save for other useful things.

I see your point. Cars are a total necessity in Austin. In fact, it was so weird to walk in Austin that I would frequently get honked at, or people would stop and offer to give me a ride, with expressions of fear and worry. But in Manhattan, people my age pretty much walk everywhere. So it's like an extra inconvenience to start using the subway as much as I do and spending all that money. :(

Upside? at least 6 miles a day
Downside? at least 6 miles a day

[Edort4]

At least you will get some nice legs from that, I know people that take the car to cover less than 5 miles and it ends having its price. Anyways it always surprisses me how big those cities are. Here if you dont live at the outskirts you can go walking almost everywhere and metro isnt so expensive either. Travels inside the city go for a bit less than a $

[Archangel]

I pay 13 euros for my monthly pass, i'm just saiyan...

[darkshadow]

I pay 0 euros for my free nationwide public transport pass, I'm just saying...

[Animeniax]

I drive a 300hp car that takes me wherever I want to go anytime. Just sayin'...

[Edort4]

I pay 0 euros for my free nationwide public transport pass, I'm just saying...

Nationwide? that rocks. I would be traveling every weekend.

@Animeniax 300hp is that much even used? it must consume quite a bit...

[XanBcoo]

At least you will get some nice legs from that
You get nice legs from squatting/running/biking a lot, not from walking.

[Uchiha Barles]

It's $80.

I want to use my money/save for other useful things.



What?! How are you getting your monthly pass for 80 a month? Mine's costing 109.../wrist

[Kraco]

I pay 0 euros for my free nationwide public transport pass, I'm just saying...

How is that commercially viable?

[Edort4]

You get nice legs from squatting/running/biking a lot, not from walking.

Walking at a pace of 6 km/h is 5-8 times less effective than doing those but you still burn like 300 cal/hour and if you dont do any more exercise is what experts recomend. Read about it.

[Archangel]

Walking at a pace of 6 km/h is 5-8 times less effective than doing those but you still burn like 300 cal/hour and if you dont do any more exercise is what experts recomend. Read about it.
He didn't claim it wasn't a good way to burn calories but that it's not a viable method for "getting nice legs". And he's right, walking hardly tones your legs at all.

[Animeniax]

You get nice legs from squatting/running/biking a lot, not from walking.

I wouldn't discourage people from walking as a bare minimum way to get in shape. If they won't even walk to places, it's probably not likely they'll ever do squats/run/or bike.

Where I work on campus, freshmen always ask us where a certain room is. I point the way, but I always direct them to take the stairs and leave out the fact that they can take the elevator which is right next to the stairs. It's only 2 flights up.


He didn't claim it wasn't a good way to burn calories but that it's not a viable method for "getting nice legs". And he's right, walking doesn't tone your legs at all.Maybe if you wear those goofy toning shoes, walking can help.
http://tsa.imageg.net/graphics/product_images/p7069505dt.jpg

[Edort4]

And even without those goofy shoes. I didnt believe it at first but I started reading about it and found some curious things, like walking slight slopes is like doing stair stepping. Its obviously less effective than more agresive workouts but it still helps a lot. Not only for your leg muscles, even shoulders and hands, the lungs and the circulatory system.

Edited for below: Of course you wont get bulky and if you are already fit it wont help more than keeping it that way.

[XanBcoo]

I wouldn't discourage people from walking as a bare minimum way to get in shape. If they won't even walk to places, it's probably not likely they'll ever do squats/run/or bike.
Didn't mean to discourage, just wanted to clarify that walking does nothing to your body aesthetically.

I did have to discourage a girl from buying those stupid shoes, however. What a waste of money.

[darkshadow]

How is that commercially viable?

Government funding?

[Animeniax]

Government funding?

ie, peoples' income taxes are funding other peoples' abilities to ride for free. Same as with universal healthcare.

[Sapphire]

ie, peoples' income taxes are funding other peoples' abilities to ride for free. Same as with universal healthcare.

Same as any government institution whatsoever...

[darkshadow]

ie, stop your annoying bitching and pay the gas for your car.

[Animeniax]

ie, stop your annoying bitching and pay the gas for your car.

I think she's complaining about paying for a subway pass, not gas for a car...

[darkshadow]

I'm talking about you obviously, stop acting like a dumbass.

[Animeniax]

Same as any government institution whatsoever...

I think some "government institutions" are worthwhile and in the common interest, like roads and bridges and such. But I don't like the idea of paying for other peoples' bus rides or healthcare. Though the more people take the bus, the fewer are jamming up traffic. So maybe I'm on the fence about public funding of mass transit.

But I'm firmly against public healthcare. The sick people who can't afford healthcare can all just go live on an island.

[Dark_Sage]

I think some "government institutions" are worthwhile and in the common interest, like roads and bridges and such. But I don't like the idea of paying for other peoples' bus rides or healthcare. Though the more people take the bus, the fewer are jamming up traffic. So maybe I'm on the fence about public funding of mass transit.

But I'm firmly against public healthcare. The sick people who can't afford healthcare can all just go live on an island.

How much do you think you're going to lose in wages to be able to provide the poor of this country with basic access to medical care?

[Animeniax]

How much do you think you're going to lose in wages to be able to provide the poor of this country with basic access to medical care?
No idea... how much do Canadians pay in taxes? I think I heard Swedes pay 50% of their income to taxes to support their hedonistic welfare system.

[enkoujin]

It's gradual taxation over here.

The higher the income one has, the higher % you would expect to pay. Expect to pay 15-30% of taxable income from ~$40,000-130,000+. That's just federal income taxes. Then you have provincial income taxes, varying from province to territory, but it's about another ~8-16% (gradual) of the same range.

Aside from all the other taxes, you've got provincial sales tax which is a tax placed on almost anything you buy (average of about 8% of purchase) and the national sales tax (5%) of the entire purchase.

So yes, it becomes an astronomical value in the end. I'm a fiscal conservative, but I wouldn't mind helping to pay for national basic services like medical care to take care of my countrymen - even if they are assholes. It's a nice safety net for everyone should they be in a situation where going to the hospital is their only option.

While the health care system we have right now is on the verge of collapsing, especially with the aging baby boomers, there are few who would suport privatization of hospitals. You can bet that the politicians will be shifting from treating diseases to preventative medicine through bombardments of taxes on junk food, higher food regulation, physical activity tax cuts and emphasis on physical fitness through government ads.

For more information regarding Canadian taxes, visit:

http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/tx/ndvdls/fq/txrts-eng.html

[Animeniax]

Thanks for all of the info... it confirms that I will never live in Canada. All my life I've lived in states that don't even have a state income tax. So I only pay the yearly 22-28% federal income tax and sales taxes (5-8.25% in the various states I've lived in).

I do not believe in paying for others. When I got my utility bill this month, there was a section for "helping others with their high utility bills" and it made me mad. I leave the thermostat at 81 F most of the day, which keeps my electricity bill low. I'm not paying for some a-hole to be able to leave his thermostat at a cool 78 F.

If I can wake up at 5:45AM every morning to make it on time to a 7:45AM job, then anyone can.

[enkoujin]

Wow, that electric bill sounds like a bunch of bullshit.

If you have to involuntarily help pay for someone else's utility bills that they themselves can use and control, then that's a bunch of bullshit.

However, if it was regarding life or death, it's an entirely different issue to Canadians.

[Sapphire]

The hell? Only day two of my boycott, and it's already raining cats and dogs. I even woke up early to do this. I am contemplating walking 72 blocks in the rain-

OMG ITS THUNDERING SO HARD OMG IM SCARED OMG IM GUNNA GET ELECTROCUTED


However, if it was regarding life or death, it's an entirely different issue to Canadians.

You could blanket that term to electricity, or basically government program though, right? I think the main issue is that people think that no one will help the poor and sick, unless the government forces everyone to. (nevermind that the government is the main reason for rising health care costs anyway.)

[Xelbair]

Poland is bad example of free healthcare -we have to pay 46(!)% of our income to magical institution called ZUS, that puts all that money into some kind of black hole, because it is still lacking money. and they use floppy disks for data storage.. this institution theoretically provides welfare and healthcare, but they give back approx 5% of what they get. and no, you can't resign from paying and forfeit your future 'benefits'... and that 'benefits' won't exist for next generation according to them - because they claim that they have not enough money.
Next is VAT tax, 8% for really cheap stuff, and 23% for rest, income taxes, bills for gas,water and electricity... and you are left with 12% of your earnings(according to calculations done my and my father - approximate value).

Social welfare and free healthcare in my opinion is something that must exist in well developed countries. You know - we stopped being savages when we started caring about elderly and sick/ill people. But this thing mustn't take most of people's earnings.

[Buffalobiian]

We pay our normal progressive tax, then have a medicare levy of 2% on top of that. But the majority of the healthcare funding comes from the standard tax itself, not the levy.

[Sapphire]

Poland is bad example of free healthcare -we have to pay 46(!)% of our income to magical institution called ZUS, that puts all that money into some kind of black hole


You know - we stopped being savages when we started caring about elderly and sick/ill people. But this thing mustn't take most of people's earnings.

Um, I agree with the first part of your second statement, I think. However, having someone take your money (without your knowledge/consent) to give to the elderly doesn't make you any less of a savage. Also, this seems to imply that no one took care of the sick/elderly before the government made it compulsory to. Kind of like when people say "no one would be educated, if not for government schools" when in fact literacy rates in America continuously get lower (despite the fact that the amount of money the government has thrown towards education has more than tripled per capita in the last 50 years).

The government would be a lot better at handling money if people were held accountable for their horrendous mistakes (they aren't). But as a people we tend to let them take our money for "black holes" as you call them, for whatever reason.

[Animeniax]

I don't feel bad for the elderly who can't afford electricity. That most likely means they lived a carefree life, always living in the now, rarely planning for the future. My parents are both retired and living comfortably because they made sacrifices throughout their (and their children's) lives to make sure they'd have enough for their retirement.

Also, if you're old and your kids aren't taking care of you or at least helping with the bills, that means you were probably a terrible parent and your kids hate you. Also your fault. So suck it up and enjoy the sweltering heat or numbing cold and don't expect others to "be decent" and help your ass out.

[Sapphire]

I don't feel bad for the elderly who can't afford electricity. That most likely means they lived a carefree life, always living in the now, rarely planning for the future. My parents are both retired and living comfortably because they made sacrifices throughout their (and their children's) lives to make sure they'd have enough for their retirement.

Also, if you're old and your kids aren't taking care of you or at least helping with the bills, that means you were probably a terrible parent and your kids hate you. Also your fault. So suck it up and enjoy the sweltering heat or numbing cold and don't expect others to "be decent" and help your ass out.

Stop making economic conservatives look bad. :mad::mad::mad:

[Edort4]

I always thought that it has to do with how things are handled and the responsabilty of the ones that handle them. Control, monitorizing and resposabilty depurations are a must when handling public fundings. The more people who must account for them the less likely to find those black holes. Public workers are just average citizens so if public service is bad, corrupt and/or incompetent is mostly a reflection of the culture of the country, way of life and education.

I find amuzing and depressing that it looks like that we are willingly giving control over our lifes, rights, freedoms, education etc but when it comes to our money things change. This is what I found a complete hipocrisy about not supporting taxes. Dont giving a fuck what they do with everything except our income.

If I have learned something from my working life is that people dont do things willingly if they are even the slights bother so having a supra conciousness (or moral form) is needed to force individuals to do what somehow majority feels as right. As every other thing mankind makes it has its pros and cons. Here they made what I think is a good move by forcing parents to school they children until the age of 16 and if they are found out to pay a nice fine. Its sad but the other thing I have learned is that here people only moves his ass when it hurts their pockets.

Edit: thanks for that info about stef. Seems interesting, the few I watched didnt discover anything new but liked the unpretentious tone of them. The only contra is that there is too much material, anything in particular to watch?

[Dark_Sage]

I don't feel bad for the elderly who can't afford electricity. That most likely means they lived a carefree life, always living in the now, rarely planning for the future. My parents are both retired and living comfortably because they made sacrifices throughout their (and their children's) lives to make sure they'd have enough for their retirement.

Also, if you're old and your kids aren't taking care of you or at least helping with the bills, that means you were probably a terrible parent and your kids hate you. Also your fault. So suck it up and enjoy the sweltering heat or numbing cold and don't expect others to "be decent" and help your ass out.

You have interesting views. May I assume you consider yourself Libertarian?

[Xelbair]

Sapphi, healthcare is free over here in name only. there are month-long queues for doctors, unless you are willing to go for a private visit(paid by you, not govement), and in most cases, unless you go for paid visit, you'll get shitty diagnosis(my friend walked with a broken wrist for a year thanks to this), elderly people receive about 300 USD per month(even less, sometimes as low as 100 usd).
Plus you know how it is with families when someone is really old - one part of family(usually small part, very small) is trying to stop majority of family from taking every last bit of money and possessions from elders...

[KitKat]

My internet is broken. Still. I phoned tech support on Wednesday last week when it went down, and they confirmed that there was something wrong with the cable line. They said Saturday morning was the first available time they could send a technician to come fix it. Then Saturday turned into Tuesday, and then Tuesday turned into Thursday. So my internet browsing time is limited to what I can sneak in at work or on my lunch break.

But, on the up-side, I find that I'm a million times more productive at home now. I weeded half my garden, made a kick-ass stir-fry, hosted an epic BBQ, cleaned my whole house, wrote a paper, and rediscovered my love of playing Scattergories.

...but I still miss my internets *sniff*

[Kraco]

That sucks, although I guess it really can do wonders to your RL productivity. But don't you have any portable Internet you could use instead in the mean time? Since you live in a big city, there should be good 3G/3.5G coverage.

[Sapphire]

I wish my Internet was down. Today I'm going to the library to try to unaddict myself to the Internet.

[Buffalobiian]

I wish my Internet was down. Today I'm going to the library to try to unaddict myself to the Internet.

lol, I have no wish to do that.

I only wish I can learn to survive on less sleep.

[Sapphire]

I have been trying to do that for a while:

Article 1 (http://www.dustincurtis.com/sleep.html)
Article 2 (http://everything2.com/title/Everyman+Sleep+Schedule)

When I finally dominate this, I can do anything.

[Animeniax]

I have been trying to do that for a while:

Article 1 (http://www.dustincurtis.com/sleep.html)
Article 2 (http://everything2.com/title/Everyman+Sleep+Schedule)
I think Kramer tried the uberman method and it didn't work out too well for him.

I've been doing the siesta for a while now, but I find the 20 minute nap isn't long enough and I wake up groggy from it, then pass out and it ends up being a 2 hour nap in the afternoon (which refreshes me for the rest of the evening) or evening (which messes up my main sleep that night, screwing up the cycle for the next day).
When I finally dominate this, I can do anything.
I think Kramer from Seinfeld tried the uberman method and it didn't work out too well for him.

I've been doing the siesta for a while now, but I find the 20 minute nap isn't long enough and I wake up groggy from it, then pass out and it ends up being a 2 hour nap in the afternoon (which refreshes me for the rest of the evening) or evening (which messes up my main sleep that night, screwing up the cycle for the next day).

If you master it, Sapphy, let me know how and we can patent it together.

[Buffalobiian]

My schedule would never let me do that. Roster times can be kinda all over the place, and I work 8+ hour shifts with only 30 minutes break for lunch. Often, the act of eating lunch itself can take that long. (So I don't really rest during that time.. just using my jaw muscles instead of my legs/arms.)

I do sleep whenever I can on the bus (which can be up to 1.5hrs per trip, but more like 1hr or less taking into account interruptions and all. Plus, that's not one contiguous block and I get interrupted often).

Like I said though, since my schedule varies day to day, I've never tried adding up my sleep hours - alongside the fact that I can't really estimate the time I'm actually sleep on a bus instead of just having my eyes shut.

[enkoujin]

The Gods or spiritual beings must be laughing at me.

I'm trying to drink my sorrows away with some red wine I just bought at home only to realize I don't have a corkscrew, so I can't get buzzed/drunk even if I wanted to.

I don't drive either, so it's out of my way to walk/ride transit and I have to go sleep in a couple hours because I have work in the next ten hours.

This is a crock of bull.

Also, no, I don't want to open my bottle without a corkscrew (http://www.wikihow.com/Open-a-Wine-Bottle-Without-a-Corkscrew), I wanted to do it "the right way" because it'll enhance the drinking experience and thus, make it taste better.

Furthermore, because my family doesn't drink, the only wine glasses available all have all these sticky residues on my drinkware.

This is a crock of bull.

[Buffalobiian]

Since when was there a "proper" way to open a bottle...

[enkoujin]

I can't say that there is a "proper" or "right" way of opening it, but I wouldn't want to forsake generations and years of forged European and Western wine-opening tradition because I didn't have a corkscrew.

It's the experience that makes it worthwhile, I'd say.

If I wanted to get a cheap drunk feeling, I would've went for some beers or lagers instead, but it wasn't what I was after.

[Animeniax]

Dude, opening a wine bottle without a corkscrew is a pain in the ass. Pretty much anything else you use destroys the cork or pushes it into the bottle. I say stick to wine coolers, they have twist off caps.

edit: Wtf, I wish I had been clever enough to google it like you did. Some of those tricks at I don't want to open my bottle without a corkscrew (http://www.wikihow.com/Open-a-Wine-Bottle-Without-a-Corkscrew) definitely make it easy.

[Sapphire]

I would definitely break the wine bottle that way. Or get arrested.

[Kraco]

Speaking of European traditions, there's this saying that no drink was ever left undrunk because the bottle couldn't be opened.

[Buffalobiian]

I would have recommended the "put the bottle in your shoe and beat it against a tree" method to a customer who asked about how to open her bottle without the intended tools, except that was a bottle of sparkling wine that she was dealing with, and I wasn't sure how the pressure would work with all that.

[Edort4]

Well the uncork isnt so important, they usually do it the "cool" way for the waiter or sommelier to smell the cork and decide if its in good state before drinking it wich could screw their sense of taste if it was in bad shape.

I would say that the altenative screw method is the most effective and I even have seen people doing it with some small twezeers. Anyways what its most important about wine "experience" is to let it oxigen (wich should take a few minutes wich could make it heat to more than the ideal temperature) so lately the trend here is to use some decanter that has Venturi effect.

[Kraco]

I would have recommended the "put the bottle in your shoe and beat it against a tree" method to a customer who asked about how to open her bottle without the intended tools, except that was a bottle of sparkling wine that she was dealing with, and I wasn't sure how the pressure would work with all that.

What the heck kind of tools do you need for sparkling wine? Unless you call your hands tools. The cork only needs a bit of encouragement to leave the bottle all by itself. Must have been her first bottle of sparkling wine ever.

[fahoumh]

I've actually noticed a lot more winemakers using twist off caps lately then before. And not just cheap wine, either...one surprise was a $30+ bottle of Wolf Blass Grey Label. I can't remember if it was the Shiraz or Cabernet, but it was pretty tasty.

[Death BOO Z]

well, fuck.
I just found out that a project, which I thought was due to mid-august, is actually due next week, I need to sit on my ass real hard to get it done.
Also, another project, which I need to hand over in two weeks, but it's a project in three-men team and I'm really not getting along with the rest of the team right now (which is bad, because one of them is my go-to-girl) and we got the notes on our draft, and it was really bad.

so, as to say. fuck. (and I hate my job, Diabetes... if you know you've got it, go see the doctor)

[Buffalobiian]

What does diabetes have to do with it all?

[Death BOO Z]

my job in the medical care organization puts me in direct contact with diabetic people. they became the enemy which I need to ensnare in the web of meeting the doctors (eye and regular) and bloodtests.

they don't want to, so I hate them.

[Buffalobiian]

Ah. I thought you were still selling stationary. How long ago was that?

Yeah, assignments creeping up on you suck, haha.

[Animeniax]

Netflix will soon start charging for DVDs in the mail and streaming separately for the same price as what I pay now for both services. Money grubbing bastards. Their selection sucks too. I'll be dropping their service when the new pricing goes into effect after Sept.

[Sapphire]

It's like they want you to torrent! Mwahahhahaha...

[rockmanj]

Netflix will soon start charging for DVDs in the mail and streaming separately for the same price as what I pay now for both services. Money grubbing bastards. Their selection sucks too. I'll be dropping their service when the new pricing goes into effect after Sept.

I don't think it is because they are particularly greedy. I have been reading about them for a few months, and it seems that a lot of the content generators (movie studios and cable stations, etc.) are not happy with the amount of money netflix has been making with their content, and is now charging them way more than they used to. For instance, their initial deal with Starz cost them $25 million a year, with their new deal (estimated) to be $250 million (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/13/business/media/13bewkes.html?_r=1&ref=technology). Hollywood wants to get their money too (fairly understandable), so they charge netflix more, and the costs are passed on to consumers.

[Buffalobiian]

And when consumers are faced with costs and seek an alternative to their needs... the vicious cycle continues..

[Assertn]

fuckin netflix

[IFHTT]

fuckin netflix
echoing that sentiment.

[Edort4]

Stress tests results failed.
Risk premium over 340 points.
State bonds to 10 years at 6'13%
New welfare state cuts in perspective.
Not enough GDP growth to fight unemployment (22%).
Probable interest rates rise.
Possible new money impression due to QE3 rising inflation and diluting savings.

My friking country is in the verge of going into stone age for the next 10-20 years and the share of reality shows and gossip shows are around 40% and prosecuted politicians get absolute majority.

Sick & tired. Monday when stock markets open will see if we sink into oblivion.

[Buffalobiian]

Parents.

Again.



So they always have this idea that what they're doing is right. Because their intentions are right. Because it's for (Enter Retarded Reason Here).

I turned on the stove, the kettle and took out some noodles after work to let the water heat up while I take my showe. I come out of the shower, notice the smell of cooked noodles in the air, and knew someone had touched my shit.

But I play nice anyway, go out, asked if someone cooked my food for me, and said "Thanks, but no thanks. Please don't do it again next time."

Then starts the crap about "caring for each other" and shit and how rude I was. That I'm not being appreciative when I'm being helped.


Get. This.



This isn't about me, it's about you. You're helping me because you want to do something to help me, because it makes you feel better as a parent if you're doing something for me. But guess what. I'm not being helped.

I never asked you to do something. I don't even know when I want something, and how I want it done. So what makes you think you've got a chance? And so.. my noodles were soggy as fuck because she can't get the timing or the method right. (to clarify, I'm angry at this whole idea/event, not that I got soggy noodles. I'll be just as angry if it was firm)

When I came home, there was also some soup that she had prepared for me which I had to chug down despite not wanting it since it's already cooked. Just because I wanted soup last week, and had soup (and only soup) for dinner every single night last week, doesn't mean I do this week. And even if I do, how do you know which soup to make?

Now, when you're reading this, I know some of you, if not most of you, will think I'm some kind of unappreciative asshole who's being picky as fuck about the food my mum made for me.

BUT. But.. that's because you don't know that I've already acknowledged this with her. She's already complained that it's hard to prepare for dinner if I'm being so impulsively random. So I've given her clear instructions on this. DON'T PREPARE DINNER FOR ME. ASSUME I'M NOT EATING DINNER.

Simple? Easy to understand? I think so.

I don't expect you to be able to guess at my preferences. Not even I can until it happens. So.. don't try.

When you don't know, or something hasn't had a precedence, I play nice and say "Thanks, that was nice of you. But really, don't do it again next time."

When you don't acknowledge this and keep going, it's no longer about helping me. It's about making you feel good to think you're helping me. In the end man, it's about fulfilling your own desires and to feel good that you've been a good mother.

What's funny is - she tells my dad to stop buying things for her because he doesn't know her preference and what she likes or sees as aesthetically pleasing.

SAME. FUCKING. IDEA.

Times like these, I just feel the only way I can vent is to punch a hole in my door. Again.

[rockmanj]

Gah! My tooth just broke out of nowhere, and my insurance coverage ended 2 weeks ago :\.

[Sapphire]

Parents.

Again.



So they always have this idea that what they're doing is right. Because their intentions are right. Because it's for (Enter Retarded Reason Here).

I turned on the stove, the kettle and took out some noodles after work to let the water heat up while I take my showe. I come out of the shower, notice the smell of cooked noodles in the air, and knew someone had touched my shit.

But I play nice anyway, go out, asked if someone cooked my food for me, and said "Thanks, but no thanks. Please don't do it again next time."

Then starts the crap about "caring for each other" and shit and how rude I was. That I'm not being appreciative when I'm being helped.


Get. This.



This isn't about me, it's about you. You're helping me because you want to do something to help me, because it makes you feel better as a parent if you're doing something for me. But guess what. I'm not being helped.

I never asked you to do something. I don't even know when I want something, and how I want it done. So what makes you think you've got a chance? And so.. my noodles were soggy as fuck because she can't get the timing or the method right. (to clarify, I'm angry at this whole idea/event, not that I got soggy noodles. I'll be just as angry if it was firm)

When I came home, there was also some soup that she had prepared for me which I had to chug down despite not wanting it since it's already cooked. Just because I wanted soup last week, and had soup (and only soup) for dinner every single night last week, doesn't mean I do this week. And even if I do, how do you know which soup to make?

Now, when you're reading this, I know some of you, if not most of you, will think I'm some kind of unappreciative asshole who's being picky as fuck about the food my mum made for me.

BUT. But.. that's because you don't know that I've already acknowledged this with her. She's already complained that it's hard to prepare for dinner if I'm being so impulsively random. So I've given her clear instructions on this. DON'T PREPARE DINNER FOR ME. ASSUME I'M NOT EATING DINNER.

Simple? Easy to understand? I think so.

I don't expect you to be able to guess at my preferences. Not even I can until it happens. So.. don't try.

When you don't know, or something hasn't had a precedence, I play nice and say "Thanks, that was nice of you. But really, don't do it again next time."

When you don't acknowledge this and keep going, it's no longer about helping me. It's about making you feel good to think you're helping me. In the end man, it's about fulfilling your own desires and to feel good that you've been a good mother.

What's funny is - she tells my dad to stop buying things for her because he doesn't know her preference and what she likes or sees as aesthetically pleasing.

SAME. FUCKING. IDEA.

Times like these, I just feel the only way I can vent is to punch a hole in my door. Again.

I just think parents from foreign countries don't get how specific our western generation is when it comes to food.

[Kraco]

Move out, Bill. Problem solved. Nobody will help you then. At least until you find a wife and make your own kids to offer your unwanted help to...

[darkshadow]

Well buff doesn't even want kids....

[Buffalobiian]

I just think parents from foreign countries don't get how specific our western generation is when it comes to food.

It doesn't have to do with food. That's an example of what happened.

The whole idea is that they try to do something, and when you tell them to stop because they're doing it wrong, they continue to do so anyway just so they feel like they're doing something.

[enkoujin]

The bigger issue here aren't your parents. The issue here is why you would leave the kitchen with the stove on to take a shower.

This sounds like a potential fire risk in which your mother took precautionary measures to protect her and your life, protect her property assets and prepare you a meal all at the same time.

It also sounds to me like your parents are those one-perspective typical Asian parents who bitch at you for practising and assimilating yourself in European-originated culture and mannerisms. A lot of first-generation citizens with immigrant parents have to deal with the same situation, but I strongly believe that if you have a good talk with them politely explaining your preferences and make a genuine attempt at understanding their love for you, you will a healthier relationship with your parents.

If talking too much is too much of a hassle, I would just bite the bullet for the sake of your mental health and their's as well. Once your parents are gone, you'll be wishing they can do the same things they're doing now for you even if they are annoying.

[Buffalobiian]

The bigger issue here aren't your parents. The issue here is why you would leave the kitchen with the stove on to take a shower.

I put enough water in the pot so it'll take like 40 minutes to dry out. There's really no risk until that happens.


It also sounds to me like your parents are those one-perspective typical Asian parents who bitch at you for practising and assimilating yourself in European-originated culture and mannerisms. A lot of first-generation citizens with immigrant parents have to deal with the same situation, but I strongly believe that if you have a good talk with them politely explaining your preferences and make a genuine attempt at understanding their love for you, you will a healthier relationship with your parents.

Ah.. the good old talk. I don't even know how many times we've tried this. And it always ends unsuccessfully too - the "good" talk.

[enkoujin]

It's probably because you're not going for a "win-win" situation. Don't compromise or maliciously obey. Don't end in a deal where your parents win and you lose. The same is true with the opposite - don't let your parents lose and have you solely win.

Keep on talking if it takes days, weeks and months to understand each other and establish firm ground. You establish that you appreciate their love and you show it on a weekly or daily basis. In return, they will respect your privacy, growth, maturity and the way you do your own things. The key thing here is not to impose your opinion on them, but to bear everything they throw at you and be resilient during the entire talk. Do not let your spirit nor your mind falter and genuinely try to have a good sit-down talk with them. Prepare examples, a script, anecdotes, etc. if you have to do so. It also might be effective to bring in an arbiter or someone with slightly more liberal views who are close to your parents. Your parents are more likely to listen to this arbiter than to you, from what it sounds like.

If all else fails, Kraco's idea is the most viable for getting away from this situation, but keep in mind that they'll be more worried sick about you if you haven't earned their trust and respect for your methods judging from this incident and multiples that you have claimed. It will deteriorate their health in the long-run because your radicalism opposing centuries worth of deeply rooted tradition will, from their point of view, shame them to their graves.

[Kraco]

The bigger issue here aren't your parents. The issue here is why you would leave the kitchen with the stove on to take a shower.

This sounds like a potential fire risk in which your mother took precautionary measures to protect her and your life, protect her property assets and prepare you a meal all at the same time.

I do that all the time. Although I don't have a gas stove (almost nobody does in this country) but an electric one. I can even leave something to boil and go take the trash out, not only take a shower. Although I haven't ever gone any further than that, certainly not to a grocery shop nearby or anything.

[shinta|hikari]

@Buff and his issue - I absolutely understand. It took me years to beat my mother into submission (not literally), but even then she lapses from time to time. She basically has nothing else to do in life but to interfere with my affairs (this one literally) so that is what she does to pass the time.

I've also tried the "good" talk, around 400 times (no, that is not an exaggeration. If anything I lowballed it.), but it never really worked. What worked was me moving out and working or studying overseas. She got bored out of her mind (until I got back) and in fear of me leaving again she tries her best to stop being pesky.

On the subject of cooking, I also keep telling my mother to stop doing it for me (or anyone else) not because of preference but because she sucks at it. I, on the other hand, am skilled at it so I cook most of the meals for the two of us. The rest of the time we buy from restaurants or other food establishments.

[Archangel]

Fucking HDMI cables, 5 meters set me off by 35 euros even with a 10 euro discount

[Xelbair]

Parents.

Again.



So they always have this idea that what they're doing is right. Because their intentions are right. Because it's for (Enter Retarded Reason Here).

I turned on the stove, the kettle and took out some noodles after work to let the water heat up while I take my showe. I come out of the shower, notice the smell of cooked noodles in the air, and knew someone had touched my shit.

But I play nice anyway, go out, asked if someone cooked my food for me, and said "Thanks, but no thanks. Please don't do it again next time."

Then starts the crap about "caring for each other" and shit and how rude I was. That I'm not being appreciative when I'm being helped.


Get. This.



This isn't about me, it's about you. You're helping me because you want to do something to help me, because it makes you feel better as a parent if you're doing something for me. But guess what. I'm not being helped.

I never asked you to do something. I don't even know when I want something, and how I want it done. So what makes you think you've got a chance? And so.. my noodles were soggy as fuck because she can't get the timing or the method right. (to clarify, I'm angry at this whole idea/event, not that I got soggy noodles. I'll be just as angry if it was firm)

When I came home, there was also some soup that she had prepared for me which I had to chug down despite not wanting it since it's already cooked. Just because I wanted soup last week, and had soup (and only soup) for dinner every single night last week, doesn't mean I do this week. And even if I do, how do you know which soup to make?

Now, when you're reading this, I know some of you, if not most of you, will think I'm some kind of unappreciative asshole who's being picky as fuck about the food my mum made for me.

BUT. But.. that's because you don't know that I've already acknowledged this with her. She's already complained that it's hard to prepare for dinner if I'm being so impulsively random. So I've given her clear instructions on this. DON'T PREPARE DINNER FOR ME. ASSUME I'M NOT EATING DINNER.

Simple? Easy to understand? I think so.

I don't expect you to be able to guess at my preferences. Not even I can until it happens. So.. don't try.

When you don't know, or something hasn't had a precedence, I play nice and say "Thanks, that was nice of you. But really, don't do it again next time."

When you don't acknowledge this and keep going, it's no longer about helping me. It's about making you feel good to think you're helping me. In the end man, it's about fulfilling your own desires and to feel good that you've been a good mother.

What's funny is - she tells my dad to stop buying things for her because he doesn't know her preference and what she likes or sees as aesthetically pleasing.

SAME. FUCKING. IDEA.

Times like these, I just feel the only way I can vent is to punch a hole in my door. Again.

I have the same problem. it is fucking annoying. I want to do something in way A, they say 'do it in way B!'. If i don't they will fucking keep yelling, and create overall shitstorm. fuck this i really need to move away.
Also my dad lately haves this weird mood shifts - from being normal to full-rage mode for no apparent reason.

[Animeniax]

Gah! My tooth just broke out of nowhere, and my insurance coverage ended 2 weeks ago :\.I think that's Murphy's law or some other smart ass guy. My floor jack broke 2 months out of warranty. It's all a scam I tell you.

[Xrlderek]

so full tilt poker has been down for 1month 10 days now and I have 43k$ on there. Thank you DOJ. it's about 50/50 atm that it will come back it seems, some people think higher. I have the option to try to sell for 0.40$ on the dollar, but would have to sign contracts etc and would likely have to look for a while to find a buyer(but that is the going price). I am not in need of money at all(student loans), savings in bank account. Not sure if I should try to sell or not.

[Animeniax]

so full tilt poker has been down for 1month 10 days now and I have 43k$ on there. Thank you DOJ. it's about 50/50 atm that it will come back it seems, some people think higher. I have the option to try to sell for 0.40$ on the dollar, but would have to sign contracts etc and would likely have to look for a while to find a buyer(but that is the going price). I am not in need of money at all(student loans), savings in bank account. Not sure if I should try to sell or not.Is that $43k in real money or online money? Are those all winnings or did you deposit money into the account as well?

[Xrlderek]

winnings, started with small deposits. real money. well not anymore. now it's like 0.40$/1$. got a bunch transferred off for 0.90$/1 before things looked too bad(they had trouble with payment processors so I had to trade with other players for other sites or moneybookers), but I kept playing two sites and winning on this one/losing on the other which is a bit unlucky.. then 5 days into my thailand vacation the site goes down, perfect start to the summer. now summers over and I'm getting ready for exams and it doesn't look like it will come back up soon... blehhh

[Killa-Eyez]

Went to a street basketball tournament yesterday. My PSP got stolen there.

Guess I have another reason to buy the new PSVita soon.

[Buffalobiian]

Went to a street basketball tournament yesterday. My PSP got stolen there.

Guess I have another reason to buy the new PSVita soon.

Did you win in return? Or was it a double loss?

[Killa-Eyez]

Did you win in return? Or was it a double loss?

Ahh shoot, I didn't even play. Thanks for rubbing that in.

[Buffalobiian]

Ahh shoot, I didn't even play. Thanks for rubbing that in.

Heh, well I was going to ask whether you were an audience before, but then I didn't think you'd get it stolen if you were one.

But then again,

1) you didn't have to be an audience for what you said to match up
2) You're not Enkoujin.

[Animeniax]

Just stopped drinking coffee today after slowly reducing how much I drank. I feel terrible. Headache and lethargy and crankiness. I went from 2 cups each morning for 1.5 years, to 1 cup each morning for a week, to zero today. It's surprising how much withdrawal hurts.

[Archangel]

You don't have to go cold turkey you know? You could be even more gentle about it if you started taking some caffeine pills and reduced the amount each day

[Animeniax]

I was surprised that I didn't feel any withdrawal going from two cups to one cup, so I went to no cups and it hit harder than I expected. I'm going back to one cup a day for another week. Good thing school starts next week when I stop again :rolleyes:

[Assertn]

How to become an iOS developer:

1) Upgrade to XCode 4.
2) Be unable to find install for XCode 4 because it's restricted to only licensed developers.
3) Buy a 1yr developer license for $99.
4) Wait 6 hours for authentication code.
5) Wait until Monday because the authentication code doesn't work and tech support is closed on the weekends.
6) Download XCode 4 but realize that it now requires Snow Leopard.
7) Go to an Apple outlet store to purchase Snow Leopard, but be told that outlet stores no longer carry Snow Leopard.
8a) Buy Snow Leopard online, which means waiting up to 5 business days because Apple has to physically ship the install cd to you instead of letting you digitally download it for some reason OR
8b) Break down and borrow a friend's copy of the install CD.
9) FINALLY install XCode 4 after finally upgrading.
10) XCode 4 crashes because your laptop is probably too old.
11) （╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻

[Animeniax]

You should upgrade directly to Lion to get the full shitty Apple experience, complete with slow boot times!

[darkshadow]

I approve of nr. 11

[Xelbair]

How to become an iOS developer:

1) Upgrade to XCode 4.
2) Be unable to find install for XCode 4 because it's restricted to only licensed developers.
3) Buy a 1yr developer license for $99.
4) Wait 6 hours for authentication code.
5) Wait until Monday because the authentication code doesn't work and tech support is closed on the weekends.
6) Download XCode 4 but realize that it now requires Snow Leopard.
7) Go to an Apple outlet store to purchase Snow Leopard, but be told that outlet stores no longer carry Snow Leopard.
8a) Buy Snow Leopard online, which means waiting up to 5 business days because Apple has to physically ship the install cd to you instead of letting you digitally download it for some reason OR
8b) Break down and borrow a friend's copy of the install CD.
9) FINALLY install XCode 4 after finally upgrading.
10) XCode 4 crashes because your laptop is probably too old.
11) （╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻

That is how apple gets the new developers for their devices? and people still buy that? O_o

[Assertn]

That is how apple gets the new developers for their devices? and people still buy that? O_o
Yes, however, after every ????? comes profit. Just the way the world works.

[Animeniax]

Is "bauss" a recent internet meme? I'm seeing it everywhere among the reddit/imgurl/facebook crowd.

[Uchiha Barles]

Bauss...ugh. Probably a bastardization of "Boss" from "Like a Boss" that originated from this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NisCkxU544c

[Animeniax]

Yeah it's pretty obnoxious. Can't wait until it's outmoded and people stop using it.

[darkshadow]

Uhh what, it didn't "originate" from that video, I've been using that term for like a decade now; something being "boss" is actually slang from the 1950's.

[Animeniax]

Something being "boss" has been around a while, but something being "bauss" is relatively new.

[Buffalobiian]

Now you're reminding me of those names like Destinee and shit. :(

[Archangel]

New? Shit's like 2 years old

[Uchiha Barles]

Uhh what, it didn't "originate" from that video, I've been using that term for like a decade now; something being "boss" is actually slang from the 1950's.

Didn't know that. I've personally never even heard of something being "boss" until last year. And since the first time I've heard it, I've seen it everywhere, just like other internet memes. If the usage of the word is that old, then its current ubiquity must've been sparked by something more recent.

[RyougaZell]

*sigh*

So our webproxy, IPRISM, suddenly decided to link GOTWOOT to 'Copyright Infringement' and 'Peer to peer' and has blocked it definitely. I can't browse the forums at the office anymore. Fuckers.

[enkoujin]

*sigh*

So our webproxy, IPRISM, suddenly decided to link GOTWOOT to 'Copyright Infringement' and 'Peer to peer' and has blocked it definitely. I can't browse the forums at the office anymore. Fuckers.

As much as I advocate more Gotwoot forum activity, should reading fora really be a priority while you are working?

I'm sure hundreds of millions, if not billions, of dollars are lost due to an increasing decline in worker productivity with the advent of social networking and entertainment websites like Facebook and Youtube.

Alternatively, since mobile networking is becoming more common these days, isn't it better for you to browse Gotwoot via 3G network on your mobile device?

[RyougaZell]

I used to browse the forum while a long query was running, while running some test cases and the system was processing or before the actual day started. I do hate facebook so I don't use it. However the whole fucking building does spent 3 daily hours there and it isn't blocked.

Regarding mobile devices... I refuse to pay a 100 dollar monthly fee.

[dragonrage]

that's sucks RZ. How did that happen?

[Assertn]

I'm sure hundreds of millions, if not billions, of dollars are lost due to an increasing decline in worker productivity with the advent of social networking and entertainment websites like Facebook and Youtube.

Fuck that. Americans already get less paid vacation time than any other first world country.

[Animeniax]

If we didn't have the internet to squander our work hours with, we'd find other ways. It's the (North) American way.

[dragonrage]

Speaking from experience there Ani. I don't know about you but the two weeks vacation and couple days sick leave doesn't really help much, that is assuming you get it. Most people end up bring home work to meet deadlines and if browsing the net while you work to keep oneself from shooting someone that's annoying or just to keep sane, I'm all for it. But people do take it to extremes with the slack.

p.s. I dislike Facebook, just so you know.

[Kraco]

Checking the few new posts a silent forum such as Gotwoot might have takes less time than a smoker requires to wander to the smoking place three times during the working hours (assuming you don't attempt to write novel length posts). So, Gotwoot is quite a different case compared to the fricking Facebook addicts.

[Ryllharu]

Websense has blocked Gotwoot from where I work for at least two years. No idea why. I can sympathize RZ.

[Kraco]

I don't know if it's due to switching from dedicated phone equipment to some computer software and cheap headsets, but I dislike companies whose phone services have poor voice quality. Today I needed to call one company about to an unclear bill/deal and I lost like every fourth sentence the lady was saying. Fortunately I could get around it by guessing and verifying what she said, but it's still annoying. I don't particularly care about those telemarketers whose words I can't decipher since I'm not going to buy anything from them anyway, but it's a different thing when you are the one making the call.

[rockmanj]

New? Shit's like 2 years old

The "boss" revival is at least 10 years old...and Rick Ross has brought it back AGAIN.

[Killa-Eyez]

LIMBO - why is this game so hard???

[Marik]

LIMBO - why is this game so hard???

I feel the same way about Comix Zone.

[Killa-Eyez]

Don't know the game but from the looks of it, there's.... a LOT going on in it. Think you need 3 Monster drinks just to keep up.

Oh, and BLAST those Rick Astley - Never Gonna Give You Up troll vids on youtube!

[Buffalobiian]

I bought an Intel SSD a week ago and diagnostic tests keep coming up with data integrity errors. (it writes random data to the disc and reads it back). Sent it back to warranty, got approved, but the new unit is the same. There's a review on newegg that says someone's been able to change a setting to get rid of these "fake" fail results, but he doesn't give details. So far my brother's PC has ran the test 3 times successfully.I'm not sure if I want to return the drive for a refund, or spend money buying parts to troubleshoot if my board is having issues with it.. I have a weird idea that I'll try tonight, but this sucks. :(.I even got to use the SSD for a day so I know how awesome it is now :S

[XanBcoo]

Things have finally come to a head with that awful girlfriend I have posted about several times in the past.

Without sharing too much, it's become clear to me that she has been sending emails to her ex boyfriend, telling him how much she loves and misses him. He never replies, but she just keeps sending him romantic emails. She is quite clearly hung up on him, and spends her emotional energy on him while ignoring and patronizing me.

This is it. This is what's finally put it over the edge for me. I was weak before but now I can finally do what I need to in order to be happy and rid myself of this terrible relationship.

I have been up since 5 am yesterday, and it is almost 5am again now. I'm about to go to work with no sleep whatsoever. I feel dead and used.

Sorry if that's tmi, Gotwoot. I just feel hurt.

[Death BOO Z]

it's for the better
you can go on with your life without having to clean up for the crap she's giving you, and she can continue running her life.

[enkoujin]

Good job on finally manning up, XanBcoo.

I knew you could do it.

[Buffalobiian]

Good job on finally manning up, XanBcoo.

I knew you could do it.

Anyone would do that after the email incident, I'd think.

The question is, if the same sort of situation happened again (but this time Xan didn't discover the backdoor emails, or if they didn't exist), would Xan still be indecisive, or will he use this example as a precedence to make his judgement?

[dragonrage]

/me hands Xan a tissue a beer and a condom. Go out and relieve some stress.

[rockmanj]

Things have finally come to a head with that awful girlfriend I have posted about several times in the past.

Without sharing too much, it's become clear to me that she has been sending emails to her ex boyfriend, telling him how much she loves and misses him. He never replies, but she just keeps sending him romantic emails. She is quite clearly hung up on him, and spends her emotional energy on him while ignoring and patronizing me.

This is it. This is what's finally put it over the edge for me. I was weak before but now I can finally do what I need to in order to be happy and rid myself of this terrible relationship.

I have been up since 5 am yesterday, and it is almost 5am again now. I'm about to go to work with no sleep whatsoever. I feel dead and used.

Sorry if that's tmi, Gotwoot. I just feel hurt.

Sorry to hear that...it is going to be a rough time, but I am sure you will pull through feeling better. Good job making a firm decision.


Ah, today has been really crappy for me as well, but was capped off by the police harassing me, cuffing me, searching me, all (I think) unnecessarily. I was walking from my office to pick up a Zipcar and was stopped by a police officer while crossing the street. He hopped out the car and told me to put my hands on the car. Very calmly, I asked what the problem was and what I had done wrong. He kept telling me to just put my hands on the car and then a second officer came behind me and cuffed me. After going through my pockets and bag, they told me that there was "a black with dreadlocks" that had stolen something from a store somewhere near there or something (the person also apparently had 3 women with him). Then they asked me 3 times where I was coming from, to which I replied "my office", and even suggested that they call there to verify that I had just been there.

Afterward, they let me go, but one cop said to me that "I should use one of the cell phones in have and call them if I see anymore blacks around". I thought it was over after that, but then when I kept walking and had gotten about 2 blocks away, 2 police SUVs surrounded me and 2 cops got out and started questioning me, demanding my ID and asking me where I was going. They then demanded that I go with them, and I refused; as even they admitted that they knew the 1st 2 cops had already searched me. They kept telling me to go with them, and I kept refusing, and then they got a call and drove away.

I understand that they were looking for a "black with dreads", but that cannot have been the only description. Also, I was being cooperative; I don't understand why I had to be cuffed. It was pretty humiliating, as people walking down the street were looking at me like I was some sort of criminal. I don't even know if filing a police complaint would be worth it, since I would have to sign an affidavit and give a statement. :(

[dragonrage]

Damn, Rockmanj that really sucks. Racial profiling at it's worst I guess. Did you take down their badge numbers and note the precinct they were from to file a complaint because this can be considered police harassment.

It all depends on how you feel about it man, it's going to be a long process and if the system is as slow as it is here you're going to loose a good day of work and even feel more violated.

It would have been good if someone recorded the incident and have it uploaded or sent to a news station or something to expose what has happened because as it is, it's your word against theirs and they don't really give a shit about you.

Hope the day gets better.


btw, I have always wondered, what the hell is "Deigo Quality"

[Ryllharu]

That sucks, Rockmanj, but I'm not sure it is all that unusual. A friend of mine drove a blue truck years ago. One night while he was driving home, the cops randomly pulled him over. They got him out of the car, cuffed him, forced him to lie on the ground (I think it had been raining earlier so it was nice wet pavement), and searched through his car very thoroughly. After about 5 minutes searching the car, they got him up, uncuffed him with out saying anything, and drove off.

Apparently, some other random white guy who also owned a blue truck had robbed a bank or business or something. He found that out the next afternoon reading the local paper.

You getting hassled twice even though they already knew you were searched is what really sucks.

[rockmanj]

btw, I have always wondered, what the hell is "Deigo Quality"

This is "Diego Quality" (http://www.mangafox.com/manga/history_s_strongest_disciple_kenichi/v36/c333/1.html) I can see why they wanted to question me, but it seemed kind of unprofessional since they did not listen to anything I was saying, and I know exactly what precinct it was, since I work at an economic development council that deals with a lot of community issues. I don't know if I will file a complaint, but I did email the district commander and tell him exactly what happened. I did not get any badge numbers, but I remember the name of one of the officers. And the day has been very sucky since I woke up (likely got stood up on a date, forgot my medicine at home, was coerced into agreeing to move into a crappy studio, got into an argument about Korean culture), but thanks.

[Animeniax]

Yeah that sucks to hear what happened rockmanj, though I'd suggest you not take it personal or think of it as racial profiling. Like Ryllharu mentioned, they identified you by description, not necessarily by race. Police are under a lot of stress and pressure to stop crime and sometimes get overzealous. Plus imagine getting lied to and given the run-around day after day by 99% of the people you deal with ("it's not mine officer, it's my cousin's, I was just holding it for him") and you learn not to trust people at their word. When you suggest they call to confirm your story, it's seen as a stall tactic or like you're messing with them.

Though your post makes my tongue-in-cheek racism/xenophobia about Xan's students seems less fun.

[Kraco]

When you suggest they call to confirm your story, it's seen as a stall tactic or like you're messing with them.

What the heck is that? If they ask where you come from, what's the alternative if they don't believe you? Get a police dog to track your movements back based on odour traces left behind? If they aren't going to believe the answer from the beginning, they shouldn't be bothered if they receive a 100% logical and very easy suggestion.

I live in one of the bigger cities in Finland and I don't believe I've ever seen anybody get cuffed. I'm not even sure I've ever witnessed an arrest. I have only seen the police stop to talk to some chaps in a nonaggressive manner. Getting randomly cuffed when you walk out of your office building sounds like some fricking dystopian science fiction to me.