Archive through August 03, 2002
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TV ClubHouse: Archives: The return of The Return of the Gripe Thread (ARCHIVE): Archive through August 03, 2002

Wargod

Thursday, July 25, 2002 - 01:14 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
You guys are making me realize I got very lucky with my kids teacher! The school district on the other hand, is absolutely disgusting. Or maybe that has to do with the state?

Our school district basically supplied books this year. My sons teacher bought all the kids school supplies....crayons, glue, pencils, erasers scizzors, and so on. When we went to back to school night, she had a "wish list" sitting on each students desk. I thought it a bit strange to do that, thinking back to when I was in school and the only time parents had to do anything was when we had pot luck parties. She did explain that she had purchased all the kids supplies, but it wasn't until the first day of school the teachers were told the school district would no longer supply stuff like copy paper and boxes of tissue for them anymore. We helped out as did many parents. This btw is singing praise of the teacher, not dismissing the gripe!

Makes me wonder where the states priorities are. How are kids supposed to learn and teachers to teach if there is no copy paper for say math worksheets? And how do kids learn (excuse me) when they have snot running down their faces and a teacher to teach when she is facing 22 6 year olds with snotty noses? I thought that the point of lowering class sizes and building new schools was to give kids a better chance at education, didn't realize that meant at the cost of simple things like crayons and kleenex.


Can you tell I'm not real impressed with the public school system? The teacher we have is great, as are many others, but it just seems to me the whole school system is trying its hardest to make things difficult on the kids, parents and teachers...sigh.

Twiggyish

Thursday, July 25, 2002 - 08:05 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Your teacher sounds wonderful. The school boards no longer supply some of these things.
I guess that's why supplies etc... are now purchased by either parents or unfortunately, teachers.
It seems when we were kids, we only brought paper and pencils with us.

Wargod

Thursday, July 25, 2002 - 08:26 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
She's a great teacher. Seems so sad to have the teachers and parents pick up the slack though.

Guess my problem is with the school district itself. They want the kids taught, want good teacher, but don't support them right.

Whoami

Thursday, July 25, 2002 - 09:41 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
In my day, we also bought paper, pencils and notebooks for school. Part of the fun of "Back to School" shopping was to express our individuality and personality in the selection of notebook covers, and pen styles. This was especially exciting for someone like me, whose family was too poor to express personality in the newest fad clothing of the day!

About ten years ago, I was flabbergasted when I accompanied a friend who was shopping for her grandson, and the enormity of the list. To top it off, they were not to pick out things of an individual nature (the list specified brands of notebook paper, brands and sizes of glue bottles and crayons, and brands/colors of pens/pencils, etc. . Pens, paper, and EVERYTHING on the list was to be dumped in a communal bin in the classroom, where students would have a "free-for-all" access to anything in the bin. No child was allowed to have their own supplies!

Halfunit

Sunday, July 28, 2002 - 11:31 am EditMoveDeleteIP
BREATHE.... BREATHE.... BREATHE....

OK, I feel a little better - I almost made the terrible mistake of getting into it with a poster on the BB3 boards.... I had to bite my tongue, click my mouse, and find the gripe thread.

At times, it can be very challenging being married to a police officer. I came across a post from someone saying that they think all cops lack intelligence.... I looked up their profile and I knew I best not reply when they said they planned on marrying Jason and their state was "ecstasy"....

Repeat to self:
consider the source - you know better
consider the source - you know better
consider the source - you know better

Thanks for letting me vent !!!!!!!!!!!!

cop

Car54

Sunday, July 28, 2002 - 12:03 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Half...you did the right thing. Remember, there are a lot of folks on the board who do not come here regularly....and some of them don't really get what we are about here.

Isn't this a great place to cool down?

Buttercup

Sunday, July 28, 2002 - 12:33 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Halfunit, come on over to the The Get Away Corner!

It's a great place to relax and chill--no BB talk there

Buttercup

Azriel

Sunday, July 28, 2002 - 01:04 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Okay, I want to gripe about some of the threads that are started around here. I've noticed quite a few threads over the last few days that have a provocative title and mislead people.

You read the first post and you realize that this is just someone's idea of a funny post. Problem is some people read it and don't quite get that it's not for real and get stirred up trying to defend or explain something. I guess the person that started the thread thinks it's very funny that he has 'fooled' people.

It does not add to my enjoyment of the board and I think it is downright rude. A thread title should not be misleading. If you want to raise conjecture then use What if... in your title or something but don't mislead people.

~breaths deeply~ okay, I feel better now :)

Halfunit

Sunday, July 28, 2002 - 01:13 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Thanks you guys!!

I was reading Ryn's post about how the tone can be so negative on the "other side". I am so thankful that most of those mean people don't even know (or don't care) about the General Discussion area - that's good for us!

I took a lot of time today and spent it reading many of the threads on this side and what a difference in attitude! I realize it happens at the beginning of shows when the mad rush of new posters comes in, and I have to take it with a grain of salt. I also know it's not personal. A few bad apples and all that jazz....

I think what makes me mad the most is I let it get to me!! I am usually the most happy go lucky person, but when I read that I wanted to reach through my monitor and, well...

I think my new stance on things will be this: If the poster doesn't have a members folder, then I won't pay much attention to what they say, LOL !!!

Thanks for understanding - I really love this place, and you guys too!!!

cop

Weinermr

Monday, July 29, 2002 - 03:32 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Halfunit - I just happened upon the post which made you so angry, and I realize what a herculean effort it must have been not to respond to it. I have done quite a bit of tongue biting so far, reading the various BB3 posts, mostly because I am infuriated by them and don't want to acquire a new nickname as "The Angry Poster".

As you have discovered, TVCH for the most part is a great place, full of intelligent, witty, kind, caring, and sympathetic people. You will be glad if you stick around, and get to know everyone. Hang in there!

Juju2bigdog

Monday, July 29, 2002 - 08:10 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Besides which, Halfunit, murdering children would make you really look bad.

ex-cop Juju
(now a really cool yellow dawg with pink ears)

Weinermr

Monday, July 29, 2002 - 01:07 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
1 Juju is the coolest. 2

Halfunit

Monday, July 29, 2002 - 02:59 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Mr & Juju,

Thanks to both of you. I've acutally been around here for a while (I did some LFP during BB1), but I never got as involved with the "people of the boards" more than the show itself until this year. I'm glad I did.

And Juju, one of the good things about having an in with the men in blue is that I know how to make it look accidental.... but I digress...

cop

Meme9

Monday, July 29, 2002 - 09:09 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
LOL Halfunit!

I haven't even been visiting the post in the BB area after about the first few days(lack of time)but also alot of the post seem way out there for me!

Abbynormal

Monday, July 29, 2002 - 10:58 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
This is not really a gripe I guess, just more of a weird thing going on. Well, yes it is a gripe.

I answer the phone and this lady asks me if I know Mr. John Doe. I misunderstood her and said no, I don't. She says the name again and says he's your neighbor. I say oh yes, I do. She proceeds to tell me who she is and gives me an 800 number and says they have been trying frantically to get in touch with him. So I deliver the message and the neighbor says, oh it's probably a bill collector. Fine, message delivered and none of my business.

BUT, now the people won't leave me alone! I have told these people don't call me again, I delivered the message and I am not these neighbors secretary! This company is hounding me and it's not even my problem. What can I do? Am I going to have to take legal action? Don't you think it's kind of over the top to be calling a neighbor in the first place? I am so frustrated about this and am really starting to get extremely ticked off. Opinions please!!

Whoami

Monday, July 29, 2002 - 11:10 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Wow! That really does sound over the top.

Do you have a company name that this person is calling from? I'd be wondering how they got my phone number if it was me.

It seems like there must be some type of agency to report this to!

Abbynormal

Monday, July 29, 2002 - 11:45 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Whoami, I do still have the name and number the lady gave me. All I can figure is they must have cross referenced our addresses or something. You know if you think about it, it really is scary!

Grooch

Tuesday, July 30, 2002 - 06:34 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Next time they call, say, "I'm so sorry, but he died last night. Goodbye." or that he moved out of town in the middle of the night. Or give them his phone number, or get a foghorn and blast it into the receiver into their ear, or start telling them all about Abe, the sock and just keep speaking over them about Abe.

Actually, you can have a lot of fun with this. :)

Twiggyish

Tuesday, July 30, 2002 - 07:37 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Abby, you can report them.

Here are the laws governing unfair collection practices..hope this helps: (I did a google search)

http://www.fdic.gov/regulations/laws/rules/6500-1300.html#6500titleviiidcp

Juju2bigdog

Tuesday, July 30, 2002 - 09:08 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Good work, Twiggs. What she is doing sounds illegal to me.

Halfunit

Tuesday, July 30, 2002 - 02:50 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Abby - I just wanted to add something to make it not so scary for you.

There are books available (and I'm sure by now they are online) that are not only reverse phone directories, but they can look up street names that list every house number, owner and phone number. I can't remember the name of the publication, but hubby uses it all the time for his job. He will radio the station and tell them to look up the phone number for 304 Maple Street, to try and contact the homeowner.

It's not a solution for your problem, I just wanted to try to take the edge off if you were concerned. It still isn't right what this company is dong.

PS - I agree with Grooch's approach... I do it all the time!!!

cop

Sia

Tuesday, July 30, 2002 - 07:18 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Abby, the bill collector who is (wrongly) trying to get at your neighbor by calling you may have used an internet look-up like www.infospace.com or www.infoseek.com, which allow anyone to type in a phone number (in the reverse-look-up function) and find a name and address for that number. There is then a feature that maps a route to the home in question and another feature that lists the neighboring homes!!

I find this option absolutely horrifying and have unsuccessfully tried to remove my name from all such internet search-engine listings. It is extremely difficult to do. I feel it is an invasion of privacy and I don't know what will turn this trend around: there is TMI (too much information) available about each and every one of us and there is no attempt to keep the data from people who have illegal, immoral, or illicit purposes in mind from obtaining personal information about us.

I wish you luck with your attempts to get the caller off your back. I am buying a "tele-zapper" unit the next time they're on sale and I continue to read all the articles I come across regarding privacy and security.

Azriel

Thursday, August 01, 2002 - 11:38 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Were you ever roughhousing with your siblings and knocked over your mom's pretty crystal vase and it shattered into a million pieces and your mom came running into the room and just stood there and sobbed, 'I can't have nothing nice!'

I know how she felt, cuz that's how I feel right now. :(

I guess it's time for a good night's sleep.

Whoami

Thursday, August 01, 2002 - 11:47 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
You DO have something nice. Your kids.....

Seriously, I do know how depressing it can be to have a sentimental item destroyed. I hope you feel better Azreil.

Sia

Saturday, August 03, 2002 - 01:25 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Here's my gripe: my nephews spent a couple of nights here and the amount of SAND tracked in from the sandbox is just staggering! I can't take it! Their mom did help with making beds and running the sweeper in the kitchen and bedroom before taking them home, however! Yay! (I'm sitting here reading threads until I gather the strength to tackle the sand.)