Miserable posts

Roger and Eliot!!

When someone didn't give them enough appreciation for posting information that nobody was looking for.

And anything else where someone rolled into the forum as a self appointed expert and didn't check the lay of the land first. That's universal for any forum. Cross expertise also leads to miserable posters. For example, machinists who do good work for 45 years and want to be an authority about woodworking because they figure everyone else is dumb and couldn't set up a machine or use a dial indicator.

(peter, pardon the post that I just accidentally sent through the complaint box. It was, of course supposed to be this post and not a complaint)

David, I see the very same problem at work with physics and astronomy professors.  Expertise in one field does not mean expertise in all fields!

There is a lot of this everywhere these days such as influencers on social media. The one that bugs me are the celebrities that are hawking some product. I'd be happy to have a well-known actor or singer instruct me on how to do those things but please don't tell me how to invest money or other unrelated topic.

Bill Howatt wrote:

There is a lot of this everywhere these days such as influencers on social media. The one that bugs me are the celebrities that are hawking some product. I'd be happy to have a well-known actor or singer instruct me on how to do those things but please don't tell me how to invest money or other unrelated topic.

Agree 100%.  I need to remember that one when trying to quietly tolerate a know-it-all phd!  At least I'm not trying to tolerate a know-it-all celebrity!

John in NM wrote:

David, I see the very same problem at work with physics and astronomy professors.  Expertise in one field does not mean expertise in all fields!

I see it in applied mathematical consulting fields, too, but at least most of us know the folks who own the businesses at that point have transitioned to managing their business and selling things (as in, they think they're right about everything, but the rest of us know they've gotten out of touch with how things are completed in the trenches - way different situation than a tenured professor who you expect to have the authoritative answer rather than employ someone who does). 

Somewhere in the last 2 years (almost 50 and it took me this long to hear the saying), I heard an accusation that someone was "sniffing too many of their own farts". It's such a good saying for unbearable egomaniacs. it's strange how you can get the most confident people so angry by doing or saying things confident people wouldn't have a problem with.

Peter Martin wrote:

I don't have any of these issues

I probably don't have some of the same ones, but I do have the miserable part if tired or in a time crunch. Dad's got a good friend who could stand at your podium, though. He's got less than a bachelors in a technical field and refers to a local combination phd physicist and attorney (not Gass!)....as "my colleague" and considers himself exceptionally well read, and knows everything about everything despite never showing anything he's done other than his day job (now retired). He can tell you what girls are doing wrong in local soccer, or "John, don't bother traveling to your son's to help put cabinets in, his house is old and it won't be square - it'll be a waste of your time" (up yours, Frank - I didn't make the cabinets square either, so they'll fit without any effort!). 

He reminds me of someone, except the dad's bud did manage to be continuously employed - and left a long trail of really annoyed coworkers! 

the long running joke among dozens of people now any time someone says they don't know anything "Ask Frank, he'll tell you". 

I don't know who won the yankees game. "call Frank, he'll know without checking". I don't know if I should withdraw more from my retirement account. "Call Frank, before you do the wrong thing!". I can't tell if your mother is mad at me. "Call Frank, he'll know! He does the Friday NYT crossword with a pen!"

People who hang on to resentments forever....NEVER missing any opportunity to drag them out and vomit them all over anyone within earshot.

Peter Martin wrote:

This woodworking thing isn't that hard. I picked up an old saw at Goodwill for $3 and think I've about got it mastered.

Saved on clamps, too.