[–] 17 points 4 days ago (3 children)

It's different for women. "Miss" implies youthfulness but can also be used as a snide way of implying nobody wants to marry her, whereas "ma'am" implies deference on the part of the speaker but can also be used cruelly to imply she's old and matronly. There's basically no situation for a woman in which something neutral or positive can't also be used as a way of making a dig at her for not being as good as a theoretical ideal woman.

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  • [–] 2 points 5 days ago (1 child)

    In 1987 I got mugged in East St. Louis and when the guy ran away I shot him in the back four times and took everything he had on him. When I got on my greyhound an hour later, the cops still hadn't shown up, and it never even made a police blotter anywhere. The only record of that he ever existed is the knife he threatened me with, which I use to whittle toys for my grandkids.

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