# First Rants Thread of 2015 - January Minirants **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 1, 2015, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-rants-thread-of-2015-january-minirants/708681 "2015-01-01T15:55:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 13
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2015, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-rants-thread-of-2015-january-minirants/708681/241 "2015-01-23T17:56:11Z")
> [@EmilyG](#): > > I love my cat but he farts too much. ☹ Do his farts smell like cat food? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![MissTake](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misstake/32/3189_2.png) [@MissTake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MissTake)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2015, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-rants-thread-of-2015-january-minirants/708681/242 "2015-01-23T18:27:07Z")
> [@purplehorseshoe](#): > > Metoometoometoo! I don’t have a pic of the completed work, but [here](http://xsquared.mysupadupa.com/collections/fractals/products/fractal-219) is the pattern. It’s approx 16" x 16". ---
**Author:** ![Catamount](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/catamount/32/2840_2.png) [@Catamount](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catamount)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2015, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-rants-thread-of-2015-january-minirants/708681/243 "2015-01-23T20:03:47Z")
> [@MissTake](#): > > I don’t have a pic of the completed work, but [here](http://xsquared.mysupadupa.com/collections/fractals/products/fractal-219) is the pattern. It’s approx 16" x 16". Complicated cross-stitch! _starry-eyed_ I’m bookmarking the hell out of that site. When I’m done with my current complicated cross-stitch I’ll have to peruse those patterns. ---
**Author:** ![overlyverbose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9dc877/32.png) [@overlyverbose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/overlyverbose)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2015, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-rants-thread-of-2015-january-minirants/708681/244 "2015-01-23T20:37:15Z")
> [@SpazCat](#): > > Complicated cross-stitch! _starry-eyed_ > > I’m bookmarking the hell out of that site. When I’m done with my current complicated cross-stitch I’ll have to peruse those patterns. Holy crap, that’s beautiful. I’m cranky because my daughter has an ear infection. My pitting is more directed at me than that. You know how sometimes you just _know_ your kids are sick, but you go into denial because they say they’re fine and you want that to be true? I should’ve known better than to listen to that BS - she woke in the middle of the night saying her ear hurt and has been sleepwalking more than usual. Just because she says she’s fine so she doesn’t have to spend extra time in bed doesn’t mean she’s fine. Oh, well. I was kind of relieved to get her. I’ve worked almost 30 days with no day off. Our IT group will be pissed with me, but dammit - they can fuck right off. I need the afternoon off and my daughter needs me. They can suck it. ---
**Author:** ![MissTake](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misstake/32/3189_2.png) [@MissTake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MissTake)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2015, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-rants-thread-of-2015-january-minirants/708681/245 "2015-01-23T21:51:26Z")
Here it is: [fractal](https://plus.google.com/u/0/app/basic/photos/photo/117379100019816458885/6107657047185242322?cbp=jq1q52ht1ka8&sview=20&cid=5&soc-app=115&soc-platform=1&pct=ab&pcv=6107657045377560945&spath=%2Fu%2F0%2Fapp%2Fbasic%2Fphotos%2F117379100019816458885%2Falbum%2F6107657045377560945&sparm=cbp%3D1icrqg7teyfzg%26sview%3D1%26cid%3D5%26soc-app%3D115%26soc-platform%3D1%26spath%3D%2Fu%2F0%2Fapp%2Fbasic%2Fstream%2Fz12kipzaywboj1z0l22hgvkx4ynaipine%26sparm%3Dcbp%253Dph7b1mc58fd6%2526sview%253D2%2526cid%253D5%2526soc-app%253D115%2526soc-platform%253D1%2526spath%253D%2Fu%2F0%2Fapp%2Fbasic%2Fstream%2526sparm%253Dcbp%25253D1fii0m7yzpeft%252526sview%25253D54%252526cid%25253D5%252526soc-app%25253D115%252526soc-platform%25253D1) And the new chart just arrived! ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2015, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-rants-thread-of-2015-january-minirants/708681/246 "2015-01-24T00:12:59Z")
> [@MissTake](#): > > Here it is: [fractal](https://plus.google.com/u/0/app/basic/photos/photo/117379100019816458885/6107657047185242322?cbp=jq1q52ht1ka8&sview=20&cid=5&soc-app=115&soc-platform=1&pct=ab&pcv=6107657045377560945&spath=%2Fu%2F0%2Fapp%2Fbasic%2Fphotos%2F117379100019816458885%2Falbum%2F6107657045377560945&sparm=cbp%3D1icrqg7teyfzg%26sview%3D1%26cid%3D5%26soc-app%3D115%26soc-platform%3D1%26spath%3D%2Fu%2F0%2Fapp%2Fbasic%2Fstream%2Fz12kipzaywboj1z0l22hgvkx4ynaipine%26sparm%3Dcbp%253Dph7b1mc58fd6%2526sview%253D2%2526cid%253D5%2526soc-app%253D115%2526soc-platform%253D1%2526spath%253D%2Fu%2F0%2Fapp%2Fbasic%2Fstream%2526sparm%253Dcbp%25253D1fii0m7yzpeft%252526sview%25253D54%252526cid%25253D5%252526soc-app%25253D115%252526soc-platform%25253D1) > And the new chart just arrived! Got a “400: Not Found” error. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Eureka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/74df32/32.png) [@Eureka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eureka)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2015, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-rants-thread-of-2015-january-minirants/708681/247 "2015-01-24T01:37:41Z")
> [@WolfpackJeep](#): > > I was driving through a poorly lit area on my way home tonight, when suddenly some little flicks of silver showed up on the road ahead of me. Turns out it was some douchebag jogger in a black outfit…I was seeing some tiny reflective strips on his sneakers. We have perfectly good sidewalks in this neighborhood; in fact, they’re usually deserted at that time of the evening. Why the hell would this entitled asshat prefer jogging in the middle of the street??? Some days a week, I drive to work between 3:30 and 4 am. One day last week, I saw mysterious reflective stuff going across the major road I was driving on-- not at an intersection. When I got closer, I determined that it was a douchebag biker in a black outfit. I saw the reflective bits on his wheels. To his credit, he was far enough away that I may have braked slightly, but nothing major. To his discredit: Bikers do not belong on or near major streets. Or any street between 3:30 and 4 am. Bikers should wear white or construction yellow or reflective clothing-- even in daylight. Bikers who are out in the dark should have lights on their bikes. ---
**Author:** ![MissTake](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misstake/32/3189_2.png) [@MissTake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MissTake)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2015, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-rants-thread-of-2015-january-minirants/708681/248 "2015-01-24T02:34:51Z")
Try [this](http://s1380.photobucket.com/user/kajeMN/media/imagejpg1_zpsbbaedea6.jpg.html) ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2015, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-rants-thread-of-2015-january-minirants/708681/249 "2015-01-24T04:33:13Z")
> [@Eureka](#): > > Bikers who are out in the dark should have lights on their bikes. I think you mean Cyclists. Because [bikers](https://www.google.com.au/search?q=biker&num=100&safe=off&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=cCDDVLiRKoHxmAXYnIKgCA&ved=0CCUQsAQ&biw=1432&bih=856) are something different. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2015, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-rants-thread-of-2015-january-minirants/708681/250 "2015-01-24T05:26:36Z")
> [@MissTake](#): > > I don’t have a pic of the completed work, but [here](http://xsquared.mysupadupa.com/collections/fractals/products/fractal-219) is the pattern. It’s approx 16" x 16". Bloody hell, I’ll have to take up cross.-stitching again just so I can make some of those. Probably could adapt them to rugs, too. ---
**Author:** ![Eureka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/74df32/32.png) [@Eureka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eureka)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2015, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-rants-thread-of-2015-january-minirants/708681/251 "2015-01-24T12:15:56Z")
I woke up to about 4 inches of snow this morning. The good news is that it’s Saturday, so everyone else can stay home. No missed school for the county, unless roads are icy on Monday (odds are . . . probably in favor of missed school on Monday). The bad news is I work retail, and am expected to be at work at 8 am-- unlike the past two days. So guess who just shoveled the drive? Fact: Most people around here won’t bother. Equally relevant Fact: I grew up in Minnesota. We bother. ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2015, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-rants-thread-of-2015-january-minirants/708681/252 "2015-01-24T12:46:26Z")
> [@MissTake](#): > > Try [this](http://s1380.photobucket.com/user/kajeMN/media/imagejpg1_zpsbbaedea6.jpg.html) “moved or deleted” ---
**Author:** ![slumtrimpet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@slumtrimpet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slumtrimpet)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2015, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-rants-thread-of-2015-january-minirants/708681/253 "2015-01-24T12:48:11Z")
> [@Seanette](#): > > “moved or deleted” Scroll right. And it’s gorgeous! Love the dark background. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2015, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-rants-thread-of-2015-january-minirants/708681/254 "2015-01-24T13:54:40Z")
> [@EmilyG](#): > > My city is apparently going to spend $11 million on baseball. Not that I hate baseball, but how about investing that money in public transit instead? Heck, just use enough of that money to restore the bus service that was FUCKING CUT, and then spend the rest of the money on baseball. There. Nice compromise. > > I just want my 11:00 bus back dammit. They’re bringing back the Expos? And it’s only costing 11 million dollars? If they can get bargains like that they should be able to get bus service pack for about 15 bucks. ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2015, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-rants-thread-of-2015-january-minirants/708681/255 "2015-01-24T15:54:47Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > They’re bringing back the Expos? And it’s only costing 11 million dollars? If they can get bargains like that they should be able to get bus service pack for about 15 bucks. They’re not bringing back the Expos (not yet, anyway.) The $11 million is apparently going towards maintaining the baseball diamonds in local parks so ordinary people can play baseball. ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Hedonia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ann_hedonia/32/319_2.png) [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2015, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-rants-thread-of-2015-january-minirants/708681/256 "2015-01-24T18:10:00Z")
> [@tenacious\_j](#): > > I’m still mad, can’t let it go. We aren’t “that kind of friends” so I’m not in a position to put the smack down, but I’m getting close. > Your kid is not 4, she’s almost 14. She will be in high school next year. Do not bring her over here for dinner tonight and not make her eat what I’m cooking. It’s not exotic, or spicy, or anything normal people don’t eat every day. > Everytime we have dinner with this group, everyone else’s kids (WAY younger, BTW) eat something- a piece of bread, some salad, spaghetti and/or the sauce, and if they are hating something at the moment they skip it. They say please and thank you. > > I am not going to enjoy watching you make your little sweetie a hot dog bun and mustard, but no freaking hot dog, or peanut butter crackers, for the hundredth time because “it’s the only thing she likes?” If this is how she’s going to be, at least make her make it herself. She’s practically an adult, for F’s sake. Seems like a good lead in for a mini-rant about the boss’s wife. I know you have taken helicopter parenting and honed it to a fine art. I remember the time two years ago when you insisted on accompanying your 15 year old daughter along with your husband, a male friend of his and his daughter to a “father-daughter” NBA game outing, basically because you were scared that your husband might let your precious snowflake eat a hot dog or a bag of potato chips or something she might actually like. Note: My last attempt to be polite to this woman was about 3 years ago when I offered her some organic artisanal crackers made by a friends business ( thinking these might be up her narrow alley ) and she snottily informed me she didn’t eat food that came in packages. But I digress: Fast forward about a year and 4 months ago when you found out that your then 16 year old daughter had a ::::::gasp:::::: boyfriend. Your reaction seemed extreme to everyone but you … pull her out of school and rip her away from home and family and ship her to a boarding school 3 hours away in rural Connecticut. I guess you forgot they have boys in Connecticut because last month you found out she had a new boyfriend. Your reaction: Pull her out of boarding school and ship her off to live with relatives in Texas. Now some mutual friends have gently suggested to you that 17 is not an inappropriate age for a boyfriend and you replied that it wouldn’t be for MOST girls but your daughter is different because of her highly sheltered upbringing and she wasn’t raised to be equipped to handle relationships with the opposite sex. You said this like it was a good thing. My heart breaks for the poor girl. And, guess what you’re forgetting, SuperMom?? There are teenaged boys in Texas, too. ---
**Author:** ![Helena330](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/helena330/32/531_2.png) [@Helena330](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena330)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2015, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-rants-thread-of-2015-january-minirants/708681/257 "2015-01-24T19:20:18Z")
> [@Ann\_Hedonia](#): > > And, guess what you’re forgetting, SuperMom?? There are teenaged boys in Texas, too. And potato chips! She’ll be 18 soon. I hope this young woman can break away from her prison guard, I mean, mother. Crazy bitch. ---
**Author:** ![Catamount](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/catamount/32/2840_2.png) [@Catamount](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catamount)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2015, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-rants-thread-of-2015-january-minirants/708681/258 "2015-01-24T19:26:36Z")
> [@Ann\_Hedonia](#): > > And, guess what you’re forgetting, SuperMom?? There are teenaged boys in Texas, too. My God! There are boys _everywhere_! Someone should really put some traps down. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2015, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-rants-thread-of-2015-january-minirants/708681/259 "2015-01-24T20:39:31Z")
> [@Ann\_Hedonia](#): > > Your reaction: > Pull her out of boarding school and ship her off to live with relatives in Texas. > Now some mutual friends have gently suggested to you that 17 is not an inappropriate age for a boyfriend and you replied that it wouldn’t be for MOST girls but your daughter is different because of her highly sheltered upbringing and she wasn’t raised to be equipped to handle relationships with the opposite sex. You said this like it was a good thing. My heart breaks for the poor girl. > > And, guess what you’re forgetting, SuperMom?? There are teenaged boys in Texas, too. Suggest she might end up with a _girlfriend_ if she was raised to not be able to handle a boyfriend … ---
**Author:** ![Eureka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/74df32/32.png) [@Eureka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eureka)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2015, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-rants-thread-of-2015-january-minirants/708681/260 "2015-01-24T21:50:27Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > I think you mean Cyclists. Because [bikers](https://www.google.com.au/search?q=biker&num=100&safe=off&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=cCDDVLiRKoHxmAXYnIKgCA&ved=0CCUQsAQ&biw=1432&bih=856) are something different. I don’t think I mean cyclists, but I’ll agree that bikers is often used to mean something different. (I don’t mean cyclists because I don’t think I’ve ever encountered that word in the wild, so to speak). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-rants-thread-of-2015-january-minirants/708681.md?page=12) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-rants-thread-of-2015-january-minirants/708681.md?page=14)