Exchanges with People that Make Your Brain Hurt

[msmoose]

This isn't necessarily someone not knowing something... just a guy completely failing to think through what he's doing.

I bought a car several years ago. I bought it used private party, so there was no dealer tag or anything. In my state one has 7 days to pay the taxes and get a license tag for a new car; there are no other requirements. I carried the bill of sale and all the paperwork in the front seat in case I had any issues.

On the third day I had it (and the first time I drove it anywhere other than home for fear of this situation - I bought on a weekend), I went up to the tax collector's office to get my car registered after taking care of all the paperwork. As I was waiting on an opening to turn into the parking lot, I see blue lights behind me. I pulled into the parking lot across the street and stopped for the officer. He asked why I don't have a tag, and I tell him that I had just bought it a couple of days ago and was going to register it now, here's the paperwork showing the date and I'm within the 7 days, etc. He proceeds to go on a long rant about how he keeps having to waste his time stopping people like me who just can't be bothered to fulfill their legal obligations.. yada yada yada. I just stared open-mouthed and when he finished, pointed out (possibly foolishly) that yes, I'm aware I need to register my car, that's why I was trying to turn into the tax collector's office. He stopped, told me to get it taken care of and have a nice day. I can only assume he was having a very very bad day. The whole situation with the place and everything was beyond comical. I mean really, someone demonstrates to you that they are not, in fact, doing anything wrong while they are actively fixing this perceived wrong, and then you continue yelling at them about how they're completely irresponsible and doing something wrong? My head really had trouble grasping that one. I hope his day got better.

[RingTailedLemur]

I had an ex who insisted moon phases were caused by the Earth's shadow, and that the Moon does not rotate on it's own axis.  He simply refused to believe the truth, even when I showed him.  Trying to deal with wilful ignorance makes my brain hurt, but I do enjoy this thread

Well, you were both right. Moon phases are caused by the Earth's shadow and the moon's position in relationship to the sun and the Earth, due to its orbit around the Earth. And, yes, the Moon does rotate around its own axis. Its rotational speed "matches" its translational speed, sothe same side of the moon always faces the Earth and why there is such a thing as the "hidden side of the moon".

Sorry, but the Moon phases are not caused by the Earth's shadow.

I understand how the orbit of the Moon works.

[Hijinks]

Happens to me every. single. workday.

Person on phone:  *random request for information*
Awesome Me:  *begins to answer request*
Person on phone:  "Oh hold on ... let me grab a pen/paper/cat ..."

...

WHY did you ask me for information to be written down if you did not have said instrument to write it down with, and/or said fibrous writing material on which to write it??

[Sirius]

I once had to explain what acetaminophen (Tylenol) was to a nurse.  She told me she had never heard of it.

Was she from another country?  Its called paracetamol in most places, although I'd have thought the exam to practice in the US would have covered it...

As I recall she was not (this was 15 years ago), but I just found it jarring that I had to explain the generic name of one of the most common OTC meds in the United States to a nurse.  (She was an LVN.  I remember noticing her name tag.)

[Elfmama]

I had a man once tell me that salt melted ice because "the salt absorbs the water". 

And DH has dealt me a couple of doozies. 

#1) that men have one less rib than women, because of the Adam and Eve story.
#2) that meat is not the muscle tissue of an animal, but something else called "flesh".

[twiggy]

Happens to me every. single. workday.

Person on phone:  *random request for information*
Awesome Me:  *begins to answer request*
Person on phone:  "Oh hold on ... let me grab a pen/paper/cat ..."

...

WHY did you ask me for information to be written down if you did not have said instrument to write it down with, and/or said fibrous writing material on which to write it??

I have done this. What happened was I had called my phone company and based on previous experiences with their customer service I expected that I would be transferred several times, identify myself, pass the verification, explain my entire issue and be passed along again. When rep number two was able to help me and answer my question right away, I was totally unprepared.

Also, I typically leave a message when I call the pediatrician or nurse hotline. They are very busy, and rarely by a phone, but they're really good about returning phone calls. So, I am never prepared to have an actual person pick up, and the one time it happened, I didn't have pen or paper. Heck I think I even started my message spiel before my brain caught up and realized I was talking to an *actual person*

[rose red]

I think this happens to everybody:

Me:  Is your house the orange one or the purple one?
Them:  Yes.

[atirial]

I had an ex who insisted moon phases were caused by the Earth's shadow, and that the Moon does not rotate on it's own axis.  He simply refused to believe the truth, even when I showed him.  Trying to deal with wilful ignorance makes my brain hurt, but I do enjoy this thread

Well, you were both right. Moon phases are caused by the Earth's shadow and the moon's position in relationship to the sun and the Earth, due to its orbit around the Earth. And, yes, the Moon does rotate around its own axis. Its rotational speed "matches" its translational speed, sothe same side of the moon always faces the Earth and why there is such a thing as the "hidden side of the moon".

I didn't think Earth's shadow came into it for phases, just eclipses. Here's a diagram of phases: http://www.moonconnection.com/moon_phases.phtml

And I've had the rotation discussion more than once, but the only time I've ended up banging my head on the desk was a gentleman who thought the moon was actually physically made of light material on one side and dark on the other, hence "dark side of the moon".

[shadowfox79]

I think this happens to everybody:

Me:  Is your house the orange one or the purple one?
Them:  Yes.

Or, similarly:

"To which address would you like that sent?"
"My house."

[Otterpop]

The whole situation with the place and everything was beyond comical. I mean really, someone demonstrates to you that they are not, in fact, doing anything wrong while they are actively fixing this perceived wrong, and then you continue yelling at them about how they're completely irresponsible and doing something wrong? My head really had trouble grasping that one. I hope his day got better.

Ill bet that was one clueless and frustrated police officer, constantly pulling over people who were unregistered.  When he finally realizes the reason is:  the location of his patrol, his experience will make sense.  *facepalm*

[dtbrad]

Happens to me every. single. workday.

Person on phone:  *random request for information*
Awesome Me:  *begins to answer request*
Person on phone:  "Oh hold on ... let me grab a pen/paper/cat ..."

...

WHY did you ask me for information to be written down if you did not have said instrument to write it down with, and/or said fibrous writing material on which to write it??


EXACTLY - don't ask me for a phone number and then say, "Let me grab a pen."

[RingTailedLemur]

I had an ex who insisted moon phases were caused by the Earth's shadow, and that the Moon does not rotate on it's own axis.  He simply refused to believe the truth, even when I showed him.  Trying to deal with wilful ignorance makes my brain hurt, but I do enjoy this thread

Well, you were both right. Moon phases are caused by the Earth's shadow and the moon's position in relationship to the sun and the Earth, due to its orbit around the Earth. And, yes, the Moon does rotate around its own axis. Its rotational speed "matches" its translational speed, sothe same side of the moon always faces the Earth and why there is such a thing as the "hidden side of the moon".

I didn't think Earth's shadow came into it for phases, just eclipses. Here's a diagram of phases: http://www.moonconnection.com/moon_phases.phtml

And I've had the rotation discussion more than once, but the only time I've ended up banging my head on the desk was a gentleman who thought the moon was actually physically made of light material on one side and dark on the other, hence "dark side of the moon".

You are right atirial.

Interestingly, one of Saturn's moons, Iapetus, is dark on one side and bright on the other.

[Sirius]

You are right atirial.

Interestingly, one of Saturn's moons, Iapetus, is dark on one side and bright on the other.

And it's also shaped like a walnut. 

[RingTailedLemur]

You are right atirial.

Interestingly, one of Saturn's moons, Iapetus, is dark on one side and bright on the other.

And it's also shaped like a walnut.

Yes, but still isn't as cool as Mimas, which at uni we called the Death Star Moon 

[mariejkt]

When I worked for the Red Cross I had to make phone calls to notify miltary members of deaths, births, accidents etc of family.  Well one day I called one of the main red cross offices to transfer a message to a base in New Mexico (I don't remember what for it was over 12 years ago).  Well the operator kept arguing with me for almost 20 minutes saying I need APO address (used for Out of the Country mail) since New Mexico is not in the United States.  I finally had to ask for a supervisor and the supervisor asked what was the issue and I said your operator is saying I need an APO address  and they said yes you do for Mexico and I said but I am trying to get the message to New Mexico not Mexico and the supervisor said I need to have talk with my worker you are right New Mexico is not out of the country.  The supervisor took the message and hung up and I wanted to go beat my head against the wall but didn't.