The Soapbox

[swordwench]

Bah! What’s up with bad restaurant service? I’ve been to a lot of restaurants in my time. A LOT. I’m old. I love good food. So it stands to reason I’ve seen a lot of badness in my time in search of the occasional jewel. But you? YOU took the cake. If you crossed Christina Aguilera with a really ugly hooker, you would get… you. But at least maybe she could sing.

This was the worst paid-for meal of my life. Worst food. Worst service. Worst ambience. Worst wine. WTF? We paid a king’s ransom for that meal. The appetizers were inedible. My meat was tougher than leather. The wine – the wine? Tasted like it came out of a box. You’re situated among some of the most amazing little Italian places in the city. What gives you the right to serve bad food? OK, not your fault, you’re not the chef – but what gives you the right to serve such bad food so BADLY? For god’s sake, if your patron sends back a glass of wine that’s simply undrinkable, you don’t get all sassy and say “Well, I figured you knew what you were doing and you ordered it anyway, so what am I supposed to do about it?” You take the glass, apologize for its inferior quality, and return with a glass of the next wine requested. You don’t argue about it – you just do it. I’m pretty certain you then spit in my trebbiano, but I have no proof of that, now, do I?

Don’t call us “You’s guys.” We are not your drinking buddies. Articulate, please. And next time, try clearing a few plates as they’re finished, so we can get on with our meal. Don't stack them on top of each other and leave them there! This isn't your trailer kitchen. Don’t get all huffy when you ask how everything is, and we are honest. You didn’t cook it – we assume. You’ve got a couple of well-seasoned cooks at your table, PAYING cooks, so respect their right to tactfully explain what is lacking in each dish. You might learn something. Don’t toss our entrees in front of us when you’re still (finally) clearing the appetizers. Chances are, you’ll get a better tip if you don’t try pushing us out into the streets in half an hour. Remember to bring the bread without having to be asked half a dozen times. Don’t make fun of the nice Hispanic busboy who doesn’t speak any English. Yelling at him slowly – in ENGLISH – to make him understand that we still need utensils will not improve his language skills. Your rudeness was staggering! The young man was humiliated. I wanted to apologize to him for your manners – and I do speak Spanish. And even if I didn’t, I would have been able to communicate with him in a manner that wasn’t racist and belittling. You need to find a job at the registry of motor vehicles. I believe they like common tarts like you with the manners of a fishwife.

Accckkkk! I hate bad service!

[sjpfencer220]

this is a "rhetorical" question:
whats outside outer space?
if outer space went on forever, it would have to overlap itself in every direction, making it a sphere, but if this was so, what would be outside that sphere? we could be in a snow globe, sitting in some huge life-forms living room for all we know. if is did continue on like a plane in every direction and eventually just stopped, than what would be outside that cube. the part about this that annoys me most is that we probably will either never know or waste our lives away thinking about it, only to come an inch away from discovering the answer and suddenly having something go dreadfully wrong. For anyone who was wondering, yes, I have though about thiss for a long time, I was a philosopher of a little kid; from probably about age 5 I was pondering on this matter as well as many others and still, 8 years later, think of different possiilities for every one of them in the time before I go to sleep, lying in my bed at night. Ughh!!

[Mr Epee]

Just say NO!

[Epee_Pox]

Don't you hate posts like this one? I know I do.

[bigdawg2121]

[quote=sjpfencer220] if is did continue on like a plane in every direction and eventually just stopped, than what would be outside that cube. QUOTE]

Out of curiosity how did you extrapolate a cub from the projection of planes in every possible direction....also you might just want to read up on and try to understand if you can the latest work on string theory. That and also understand that the world of "knowledge" and knowing things is rather tenuous at best.

[mrbiggs]

Originally Posted by sjpfencer220

if outer space went on forever, it would have to overlap itself in every direction, making it a sphere, but if this was so, what would be outside that sphere?

Nothing is. You're assuming space has a boundry, which we don't know that it does. If there IS an area outside of outer space, it wouldn't actually be a place at all.


Actually, I shouldn't say this, as general relativity, I read somewhere, does allow space to be a sphere. But it would be a four-dimensional sphere, so large that we can't tell that it isn't flat.

Originally Posted by sjpfencer220

we could be in a snow globe, sitting in some huge life-forms living room for all we know. if is did continue on like a plane in every direction and eventually just stopped, than what would be outside that cube.

It's not a cube, it's infinite. It has no edges. It doesn't stop.

[Epee_Pox]

If outer space went on in all directions forever, there wouldn't be any such thing as "outside" it anyway. It would include everything.

[Morion]

Originally Posted by Mr Epee

Just say NO!

I think I heard of this stuff when I was in college in the early 70's!

[fencingfrog]

people who aren't allowed to see pg 13 movies like monty python ...and they're 14 almost 15!!! grrrrr.

[Gav]

I think that today's rambling comment is going to continue with what appears to be todays theme.

It seems that the the online community consists mostly of two [perhaps more] groups: The Illiterati and the Ignorates.

The Illiterati: The completely not secret society of [mostly] teens. Unable to speak, think, construct sentences (indeed meaningfully communicate in any way) they hang around in little desultory groups throwing drivel, in large amounts , at message boards in the hope that some of it sticks. For them reality TV and speaking wigga are the bywords of sophistication.

Ignorates: This is a group of people who feel that poor communication is ok. Badly written, badly constructed, poorly thought, completely randomn, completely pointless etc. are all acceptable for good-enough communication. There are lots of different sub-groups and they can frequently appear to be quite sophisticated. However it has to be pointed out to these people that a wikipedia search is not the same thing as actually doing research in a given area. Far too common on message boards for my liking. Sometimes they are fully badged members of the illiterati (see above).

[gtmac]

Originally Posted by fencingfrog

people who aren't allowed to see pg 13 movies like monty python ...and they're 14 almost 15!!! grrrrr.

Given that the last Monty Python movie, "The Meaning of Life" released in 1983 was rated R, the first movie to be given a PG-13 rating was "The Flamingo Kid" (1984), and the first film to be released with a PG-13 rating was "Red Dawn" (1984), I find your claim highly dubious.

[gtmac]

Originally Posted by Gav

I think that today's rambling comment is going to continue with what appears to be todays theme.

It seems that the the online community consists mostly of two [perhaps more] groups: The Illiterati and the Ignorates.

Gav, don't forget the Complainerati. This also common creature scans the web for the idiocy of others and posts at times lengthy diatribes on the inanity of the common level of communication. Their noble interest is often the defense of the written word and the halting of the latest regression from academic and cultural depth. Frequently their complaints are without practical solution, for there are none, and the result is tilting at societal windmills.

It's easy for me to recognize this additional group because I often find myself one of them.

[Phincer]

Originally Posted by swordwench

Bah! What’s up with bad restaurant service? I’ve been to a lot of restaurants in my time. A LOT. I’m old. I love good food. So it stands to reason I’ve seen a lot of badness in my time in search of the occasional jewel. But you? YOU took the cake....... You need to find a job at the registry of motor vehicles. I believe they like common tarts like you with the manners of a fishwife.

Accckkkk! I hate bad service!

By the grace of the internet gods, I have stumble upon this post....AMEN SISTER!!!

Years ago, when I was a much younger mother, a group of us new moms decided we would have a nice evening out at a nice restaurant. This place was the newest, hottest place to go, and without mentioning names (BAM!), we found it had the worst service imaginable! (BAM!)

It would help that waitstaff remember who is PAYING for the meal, who is leaving the tip, and who can afford to do so.

It also irks the heck out of me when I walk in a store or boutique and some wench looks down her nose at me b/c I'm not in the latest fashion or down to her string-bean weight standards. Hello? I'm the one who can afford to shop here, and don't have to work here to get the merchandise with an employee discount...

And before anyone accuses me of being snotty-I earned the right to say this b/c I've worked retail, been a maid, delivered papers, slung hash and waited tables-in essence waited on others, always with a smile and with respect.

Having said that-if anyone has the chance to go to Commander's Palace in New Orleans, that place has not only the best food on the planet, but the most wonderful wait staff in the world. The only thing missing is someone strewing rose petals at your feet as you go to your table. And N.O. needs your tourism now, so go, spend the fortune for the meal and have the time of your life.

[SaberGirl]

I dislike teenagers. I am teenager but they(not me) are snobs

[needle]

Originally Posted by gtmac

Gav, don't forget the Complainerati.

It may also be worthwhile to mention a small (one), but highly visible subgroup of the Compainerati, known as ThisPollIsFlawederati

[Zasha]

whiners.
i know it's very hot outside. and the idotic flat hats do not block the sun. and all the guests have water and we do not. and the robes don't breathe at all. and the sweat marks show straight through. and the speeches are boring. but we are graduating. just, please, shut up, and it will be over shortly.
the above is from yesterday.

[Inquartata]

Originally Posted by gtmac

Gav, don't forget the Complainerati.

And the Moderatorati.

[the ingmar]

i hate the way cashiers jerk theyr habd before giveing it to you

when people wait to turn before they signal


guitar salesmen

[swordwench]

Wipeable Nylon.

(Hooray! Yet another opportunity to vent! This time, I take an excerpt from my journal, scrawled earlier today, for your viewing pleasure.)

Just yesterday, I received an invitation to try a free issue of a new magazine called “Cookie.” The front of the glossy envelope promises that it will be “the new magazine for the woman within the mother” and seeks to entice me with the offer of a free gift in addition to said free issue. The BACK of the envelope, however, is another story. The back describes what you’ll find inside… (Please note: these are the exact words listed.)

- Where to find the most adorable fashions for your boy or girl.
- The difference between a Newbery book and a Caldecott book.
- Dreamy vacations for the whole family.
- The end of the missing sock.
- The perfect haircut for your child.
- A bit of pampering for you.

I sh!t you not. THAT is what they bill as a magazine for "the woman within the mother". Last I checked, that was for the FACELESS MOTHER within the mother back in the 1950s, when the idea of a full-fledged woman lurking within was only a gleam of hope on campuses like mine.

In quick answer to that list…
- Bargain Den of (insert store name), in my little world. Classy, cute, discounted.
- OK, I’m curious. What’s the difference? But I can google it.
- The concept of a dreamy vacation with the whole family includes self-medication and long stretches of unconsciousness. I don’t much care whose.
- You lost ‘em? Wear socks that don’t match. Whatever. Or buy new ones.
- Whatever they can live with. Keep the bangs short enough so I they don't poke you in your eyes.
- I don’t do pamper. I fence. I sweat. That’s about all I need, maybe with some alone-time.

I am disgusted.

Oh, and the free gift they’re touting? It’s an exclusive Cookie bag – “a perfect combination of classic good looks and practicality” – whose “sturdy straps help keep your hands free”, and has a “roomy interior for snacks, toys, and list-minute kid essentials". The best part? It’s made of “good-looking, wipeable nylon.” Wipeable nylon! Alert the media! They actually say that like it’s a good thing!

I think will keep my black leather Coach bag with brushed nickel hardware, thank you very much. Sure, it gets banged around a lot, but it’s MY Coach bag, and I paid for it from my OWN salary, and I’ll not surrender it for anything. I’ve managed to keep these two kids alive AND have some semblance of a career while still using it.

OK, I'm done.

[Fencergrl]

I just want to say bar-none S’wench knows how to rant better than anyone. I am so glad she doesn’t have my phone number… the volume is lower