World of Suck

We have a shuttle bus that takes us to our parking lot at work. It is frequently on the fritz and we get a mini-van in its place. A co-worker was waiting patiently when I came down to wait. Another co-worker was waiting outside. Just as the van pulls up another co-worker comes down. Typically, the first person waiting getting first choice. The last person to come down quickly jumps in the coveted front seat, leaving the three of use to decide who will crawl into the sorry excuse for a seat stuffed in the rear of all mini-vans.

Here's the rub - little miss front seat grabber is half the age of the rest of us and she looks like she could put her legs behind her head in one stroke. Thankfully, one of my other 40-something co-workers was willing to crawl in the way back or the van. I was about to say something to her as he volunteered - something to the effect of "Where's your manners?".

Personally, I would rather walk the 10 minutes and cross a busy road Frogger style - than attempt to get in that way back seat. If I ever did attempt to get in that space they call a "seat", I'm sure they would need the jaws of life to get me out 'cause the old knees just don't work they way they used to - the way they did when I was little miss front seat grabber's age.

Straight from the pages of the National Post, a Canadian newspaper:

A British Columbia father has sued his son's Grade 2 Montessori teacher claiming that she "purposely and maliciously worked to damage the self-esteem" of his son over such things as failing to encourage the child's spelling, not sending home a daily homework list and, in one case, displaying an unfinished poem in the school hallway.

Okay, just from that one paragraph, I'm getting a very nice picture of what kind of parent this tool is. But I digress...shall we continue?

This latest case involves Kenneth H. Finkelstein, a management consultant in Victoria who is suing his son's private school teacher for "intentional infliction of emotional distress."

In a statement of claim first filed in court last fall, Mr. Finkelstein said that his son "suffered and will continue to suffer loss and damages" -- including anguish, suffering, humiliation, embarrassment, anxiety, worry and loss of dignity --because Susan Rialp, the boy's teacher at Selkirk Montessori School, did not make him do his homework or coax his reading and comprehension, and in one case, put his unfinished poem in a hallway for all to see. Ms. Rialp "falsely created and attempted to reinforce artificial differences between his son and his peers and falsely asserted the son exhibits behavioural difficulties," according to the writ.

In the lawsuit, Mr. Finkelstein says the teacher also failed to protect the boy when he was bullied by another student, blaming his son instead.

"Intentional infliction of emotional distress"? Back when I was that kid's age, that was called "motivation to do your damn homework". I had a teacher that would make you recite essays even if you didn't finish them. How often did that happen? Maybe twice...because the students knew they would have to read them regardless of whether they were complete or not!

YOU accepted the responsibility of parenting a child, YOU need to help motivate them. The teacher cannot be responsible for 30 (or more) pupils and whether their homework is done or not. If the kid needs help, the parent should GET him help. Just because you're paying big bucks to send the kid to a private school won't guarantee the kid will not need help with homework!

Oh, from the same article - figured I'd post it just for giggles.

In May, 2002, an Arizona high school student sued her English teacher one day before senior graduation because the teacher had failed her. A parents' letter stated unless "whatever action is necessary to correct this situation" was taken, they would file a lawsuit.

I was snooping around on Google when I decided to look up an RPG I'd only vagely heard about. I found this review. My gods, this boy can WRITE! Here, cast your eyes on just the intro...

Contrary to my expectations, the World of Synnibarr did not suck all of the flesh off of my face, leaving behind only a screaming skull. It did not rape my other gaming products, leaving them pregnant with “neomods”, McCracken-speak for something as simple as a gaming module. It did not shoot twin streams of hydrochloric acid into my eyes, nor did it squat on my chest and stare at me when I was trying to sleep.

But it God-Damn well should have, because any of the above would have been better than actually trying to review this bastard.

My hat is off to you Sir! An outrageous and eloquent use of prose! Author, author!!

The whole article...