# April Sours... (Monthly Mini-Rants) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 1, 2025, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/april-sours-monthly-mini-rants/1016445 "2025-04-01T06:45:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 10
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2025, 11:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/april-sours-monthly-mini-rants/1016445/181 "2025-04-12T11:37:18Z")
Yep. I have a gas-company branded credit card that I use just for that. If it gets skimmed the damage is limited to my gasoline purchases, not the other 300 e-merchants who have my card on file. And yes, it comes with a cents-off discount when buying own-branded gas. Right now that discount is about 4%, but varies with the price of gas, since the cents off number is fixed. Conveniently there’s a station near home of that brand that also has some of the lowest base prices anywhere. So win-win for me. And yes, from the gasoline company’s POV this is all about channeling all my fuel purchases to them. There’s another differently-branded station nearby that offers a similar cents off discount for their branded card, but has some of the highest prices within miles. Anyone nearby falling for their deal is being scammed hard. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2025, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/april-sours-monthly-mini-rants/1016445/182 "2025-04-12T17:04:54Z")
Was on my way to Home Depot in my F-150, and my truck broke down. I am waiting for AAA as I type this. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Ellecram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellecram/32/18948_2.png) [@Ellecram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellecram)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2025, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/april-sours-monthly-mini-rants/1016445/183 "2025-04-12T19:45:34Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > Was on my way to Home Depot in my F-150, and my truck broke down. I am waiting for AAA as I type this. ☹ That sucks. Hope it it worked out OK. ---
**Author:** ![LurkMeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@LurkMeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkMeister)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2025, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/april-sours-monthly-mini-rants/1016445/184 "2025-04-14T20:18:49Z")
Today I called my dentist and they confirmed that they were not part of my new dental insurer’s network. In fact, I was told that the owner has decided that the clinic will no longer be part of _any_ dental insurance network. Apparently, they had dropped out of my dental insurer last year, but the insurer hadn’t updated their online listing. 🙄 Now I’m going to have to find another dentist, triple-check that they are part of my insurer’s network, and arrange to have my records transferred. ---
**Author:** ![Mundane\_Super\_Hero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mundane_super_hero/32/6304_2.png) [@Mundane\_Super\_Hero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mundane_Super_Hero)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2025, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/april-sours-monthly-mini-rants/1016445/185 "2025-04-14T20:22:12Z")
> [@LurkMeister](#): > > Now I’m going to have to find another dentist, triple-check that they are part of my insurer’s network, and arrange to have my records transferred. Sorry, man. There’s no Novocaine for that pain. ---
**Author:** ![LurkMeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@LurkMeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkMeister)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2025, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/april-sours-monthly-mini-rants/1016445/186 "2025-04-14T20:27:03Z")
The particularly annoying thing about this is that I had changed to my current dentist because my previous dentist had dropped out of the network I had had at that time. Maybe I should check to see if he’s in-network with my current insurer. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2025, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/april-sours-monthly-mini-rants/1016445/187 "2025-04-14T23:52:50Z")
People who waste their money being space tourists and taking sub-orbital flights are not “crew” in any way, shape, or form. They are fucking passengers. That is all. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2025, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/april-sours-monthly-mini-rants/1016445/188 "2025-04-15T00:16:14Z")
> [@LurkMeister](#): > > the insurer hadn’t updated their online listing. 🙄 That’s a pile of doo-hickey right there. ---
**Author:** ![LurkMeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@LurkMeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkMeister)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2025, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/april-sours-monthly-mini-rants/1016445/189 "2025-04-15T01:33:07Z")
It’s certainly a pile of _something_. And just to annoy me further, when I tried to log on to the account I had previously set up on my dental insurer’s website in January using FireFox I wasn’t able to. For some reason I now have to use Chrome to log on and check my claim status and provider listing. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2025, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/april-sours-monthly-mini-rants/1016445/190 "2025-04-15T22:45:38Z")
I now have a small shelf/table for my drinks. If a drink spills on that, the particle board should be okay. My apartment floor is some kind of plastic fake wood. So, it should handle spills pretty well. Unfortunately, I spilled milk into my new laptop last Saturday. It has been off and unplugged since then. I opened the cover when I got home on Sunday night. There is weird build up on the mother board and a few other places. A friend dropped off 91% isopropyl, surgical gloves and tiny brushes today. Surprisingly, this has never happened before. I could use some advice on exactly how to clean my laptop. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2025, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/april-sours-monthly-mini-rants/1016445/191 "2025-04-15T22:59:23Z")
> [@DocCathode](#): > > I could use some advice on exactly how to clean my laptop. Isopropyl alcohol is the best thing to use to clean it, since it is a good cleaner and will fully evaporate afterward (the alcohol itself I mean; it’s up to you to remove anything else in there, and of course make sure the alcohol is fully dry before reassembling the computer). It’s the go-to if you need to clean anything internal in electronics, and it has been an important tool for me professionally my whole career (though I fortunately don’t need to use it that often). Of course make sure it’s unplugged and remove the battery before doing any cleaning (or at least unplug it if it’s not easily removable; some laptop batteries have a small internal cable to plug into the motherboard, especially in new laptops, and ensuring that the computer can’t get internal power is important for the safety of both you and the computer). Be as thorough as you can. You don’t want a dairy product in that machine getting moldy over time if you can help it. Yuck! Not to mention the potential damage it can do to the machine. On that note, it’s possible that the machine has already had some damage, but hopefully not. The best you can do is clean it carefully and thoroughly and hope for the best. If something was damaged, hopefully it’s something easily replaceable, but that’s unlikely as the bulk of what is inside a laptop is part of the motherboard itself. Good luck. I hate working inside of a laptop and I’m glad that where I work, I usually turn those tasks over to warranty support folks. It is so easy to accidentally damage something inside of a laptop because so much is tiny and delicate. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2025, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/april-sours-monthly-mini-rants/1016445/192 "2025-04-15T23:07:45Z")
I mean this sincerely, thank you very much! ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2025, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/april-sours-monthly-mini-rants/1016445/193 "2025-04-15T23:11:21Z")
You’re welcome! Any laptop made by one of the large manufacturers should have PDF service manuals online, so if you don’t have one look up your make and model. It should show you step-by-step how to get to parts of the computer. The times that I have been forced to work in a laptop, I have relied on those manuals because otherwise I’d have no idea what I was doing. I swear, the people who design these things intentionally hide screws in the last place you’d expect to find them… Oh, and I’m repeating myself again, but be careful. For the most part, a laptop should come apart with a minimum of force, so if something seems “stuck” you’re probably doing it wrong. Again, a service manual should show you how to take things apart and put them back together safely. I unfortunately speak from experience here. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2025, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/april-sours-monthly-mini-rants/1016445/194 "2025-04-15T23:31:49Z")
I wonder if isopropyl is a decent solvent for milk? IANA chemist but my bet is “no”. I’d sooner completely depower the computer, soak a few hours in dish detergenty water to remove the milk, then soak a few hours in clear water to remove the soap, then bake a few hours at ~120F to utterly dry off the clear water. Then let cool for a couple hours to.ambient, make an offering to the gods of digital electronics, power it up, & hope for the best. Or, more easily, ship it back to the store for warrantee replacement. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2025, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/april-sours-monthly-mini-rants/1016445/195 "2025-04-15T23:45:17Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > I wonder if isopropyl is a decent solvent for milk? IANA chemist but my bet is “no”. You’d lose that bet. It’s actually a very commonly-recommended way to clean milk stains. It does a pretty good job of it. It can remove the milk and more importantly keep it from smelling bad afterward. It’s not just recommended for electronics, but also for removing milk spilled on clothing or carpet, and many other materials. > [@LSLGuy](#): > > I’d sooner completely depower the computer, soak a few hours in dish detergenty water to remove the milk, then soak a few hours in clear water to remove the soap, then bake a few hours at ~120F to utterly dry off the clear water. The problem with this is that “soaking in clear water” will be insufficient to remove soap residue, and risks damaging the machine once it’s turned on. A delicate electronic device isn’t a t-shirt or frying pan. You need to treat it more carefully than that. _If_ you decide to clean it with detergent, you need something like distilled water or (again) isopropyl alcohol to help ensure that all residue is removed afterward. You’re better off just not using the soap though. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2025, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/april-sours-monthly-mini-rants/1016445/196 "2025-04-15T23:59:15Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > Or, more easily, ship it back to the store for warrantee replacement. I don’t know OTTOMH if the lapot (certified refurbished from the Best Buy website) is covered by a warantee in general or if this particular damage is covered. Update- I was attempting to remove the battery. I realized that all the screwdrivers I usually use with electronics are still packed away- if they made the trip. None of the ones I have fit the screws to remove the battery. Bah. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2025, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/april-sours-monthly-mini-rants/1016445/197 "2025-04-16T00:06:46Z")
> [@DocCathode](#): > > None of the ones I have fit the screws to remove the battery. You will need precision screwdrivers to be able to take it apart I’m sure. > [@DocCathode](#): > > I don’t know OTTOMH if the lapot (certified refurbished from the Best Buy website) is covered by a warantee in general or if this particular damage is covered. It’s worth exploring though. That was a very good suggestion from @LSLGuy. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2025, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/april-sours-monthly-mini-rants/1016445/198 "2025-04-16T00:09:22Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > It’s worth exploring though. That was a very good suggestion from @LSLGuy. Yeah, it was. I am waiting for a code from the Best Buy site to get into my account. I still have the e-mail with my order number and details. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2025, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/april-sours-monthly-mini-rants/1016445/199 "2025-04-16T00:39:01Z")
After some looking around the web site, I found the Geek Squad number. He said that the warantee covers software only. He said that they would have to replace the mother board. I asked how much that would cost. He said at least $200. As the Certified Refurbished laptop cost me a total of $302.09 including sales tax and free shipping, It would make more sense to just buy another laptop. Bah. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2025, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/april-sours-monthly-mini-rants/1016445/200 "2025-04-16T00:48:19Z")
> [@DocCathode](#): > > As the Certified Refurbished laptop cost me a total of $302.09 including sales tax and free shipping, It would make more sense to just buy another laptop. I would agree. If you want to make the effort to try to clean it yourself, you can make the attempt, and if it doesn’t work you would just need a new one. At the very least, if there is critical data on it that you can’t replace, it might be worth trying to restore it long enough to get at it. Or, if you think you’re likely to get a new computer anyway, it might be better to remove the hard drive to put in an enclosure in order to retrieve the data. Assuming that the drive didn’t get soiled during the accident. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/april-sours-monthly-mini-rants/1016445.md?page=9) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/april-sours-monthly-mini-rants/1016445.md?page=11)