# It's a new year - time for fresh new mini-rants! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 4, 2010, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-new-year-time-for-fresh-new-mini-rants/523629 "2010-01-04T16:26:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-new-year-time-for-fresh-new-mini-rants/523629/61 "2010-01-06T15:33:30Z")
Man, if I were of a mind to use a fraudulent credit card number, consecutive binges at Popeye’s would be _really low_ on my list of things to buy. ---
**Author:** ![Southern\_Yankee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/southern_yankee/32/2800_2.png) [@Southern\_Yankee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southern_Yankee)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-new-year-time-for-fresh-new-mini-rants/523629/62 "2010-01-06T15:55:30Z")
> [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](#): > > Man, if I were of a mind to use a fraudulent credit card number, consecutive binges at Popeye’s would be _really low_ on my list of things to buy. Yeah, not every criminal is Lex Luthor… ---
**Author:** ![kathmandu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kathmandu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kathmandu)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-new-year-time-for-fresh-new-mini-rants/523629/63 "2010-01-06T15:55:31Z")
> [@pbbth](#): > > Seriously? I think you could buy a Popeye’s franchise for $300! Who the hell is eating that much chicken? I think they must have purchased chicken for everyone in the city or something. Yeah, I thought it was really weird too. The only thing I can think of is maybe an employee was involved, but I’m not sure how he would do it and not get caught. ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-new-year-time-for-fresh-new-mini-rants/523629/64 "2010-01-06T16:24:15Z")
Well, the one time somebody hijacked one of \*my \*cards, all they used it for was a $20-something Skype charge. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-new-year-time-for-fresh-new-mini-rants/523629/65 "2010-01-06T16:34:13Z")
A mini-rant against people who are not familiar with the concept of inflation. I’ve been doing some research at the library lately, looking through old newspapers on microfilm. Inevitably there will always be somebody looking at newspapers from the 1950s, and commenting to a companion “WOW! YOU COULD BUY A CHEVROLET BACK THEN FOR ONLY THREE THOUSAND DOLLARS! A CADILLAC WAS ONLY SIX THOUSAND DOLLARS! LOOK! A DRESS FOR TEN DOLLARS! A POUND OF NEW YORK STRIP STEAK WAS ONLY A DOLLAR! THEY MUST HAVE EATEN LIKE KINGS THEN! EVERYTHING WAS SO CHEAP THEN! IF I LIVED THEN, I WOULD HAVE BOUGHT TWO CADILLACS IF THEY WERE SO CHEAP!” No, it wasn’t cheap, because _adjusted for inflation_, most products were about the same price as now, if not quite a bit more. That $300 _radio_ advertised in the 1926 newspaper is about $3,500 in 2010 dollars, or abut six large LCD televisions. That little 11 square foot Kelvinator refrigerator that sold for $300 in 1955 is the equivalent of $2,300 in 2010 dollars, or the same price as a Sub-Zero, or two high-end 25 cubic foot GE fridges with change left over. Also, in the days of old, most people were earning _four digit_ salaries. A five digit income would put you solidly in the upper middle class. You wouldn’t be able to afford that $6,000 Cadillac on your _$4,000_ annual salary. Christ, them and the old people who always go on about gasoline being 15 cents a gallon back in the day, without realizing that their job at the hardware store paid 25 cents an hour. Inflation, people! Inflation sucks, but it doesn’t mean everything was actually cheaper back in the good 'ol days! ---
**Author:** ![otternell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecc23a/32.png) [@otternell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/otternell)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-new-year-time-for-fresh-new-mini-rants/523629/66 "2010-01-06T16:34:15Z")
I actually had a charge for around $2 that was reported to me by the credit card company. The transaction originated in France. I was quite impressed that they caught something this cheap; the customer service person said that this was probably a “verification” type of transaction, so that the thieves know the card is good before they go out and spend some real money. ---
**Author:** ![Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_the_Impaler)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-new-year-time-for-fresh-new-mini-rants/523629/67 "2010-01-06T16:39:00Z")
Someone got ahold of my Wells Fargo number and charged about five-hundred bucks worth of stuff yesterday and the day before. Fraud noticed, shut down my card, and called me last night. But that’s not why I’m mini-pitting Wells Fargo. Shit happens, you know? This morning, I have an email from Wells Fargo saying my account information, specifically my phone number, has been updated. And that if I didn’t make this change call this number… Well, I didn’t recall changing phone numbers with the gal from Fraud that I spoke to, and in light of the theft I… called Wells Fargo. They have no idea what I’m talking about. Come to find out after about ten minutes of talking to the customer service dippity-do… the department that sent the email and the number I called back to is the checking/savings account department, not the credit card department. Years ago I had a checking account with Wells Fargo. I mean, years ago. So, finally I get transferred to the online department. Yes, they sent me the email. No, they don’t know why. But, before I go any further, says the rep, if I feel there are products you might be interested in, would you like to discuss them? Um, NO. You don’t seem to care that someone has stolen money from you via my Wells Fargo card and now Wells Fargo is sending me emails related to an account I no longer have. The rep even said this email could be related to a phone number change I requested years ago when I had the actual account! Way to be on top of things, Wells Fargo. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-new-year-time-for-fresh-new-mini-rants/523629/68 "2010-01-06T17:15:37Z")
If I hear ONE more thing about Tiger Woods, I’m going to fucking SCREAM. ---
**Author:** ![NinjaChick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@NinjaChick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinjaChick)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-new-year-time-for-fresh-new-mini-rants/523629/69 "2010-01-06T17:39:15Z")
Attention every single person I know who is not in my immediate age group: I DO NOT WANT YOUR SHITTY, USELESS AND ENTIRELY UNSOLICITED ADVICE. If I want advice - on anything, but particularly how to find a job - I will fucking _ask_. I probably won’t, because the majority of you are in fact deeply dissatisfied with where you’ve ended up in life. I’m not sure what the message there is supposed to be - “I wish I’d done \ and then maybe I wouldn’t have ended up as miserable as I am, but I obviously never actually tried it”? Or is it “I did \ but it apparently didn’t work because I hate my job. You should try it!”? Regardless, I don’t want your fucking advice. And if you start a conversation with, “Can I give you some advice?”, it’s fair game for me to say no in response. ---
**Author:** ![Dante](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dante/32/9673_2.png) [@Dante](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dante)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-new-year-time-for-fresh-new-mini-rants/523629/70 "2010-01-06T17:44:09Z")
> [@Southern\_Yankee](#): > > Yeah, not every criminal is Lex Luthor… [Don’t be so sure.](http://superdickery.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=30&Itemid=48&limitstart=4) ---
**Author:** ![Southern\_Yankee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/southern_yankee/32/2800_2.png) [@Southern\_Yankee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southern_Yankee)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-new-year-time-for-fresh-new-mini-rants/523629/71 "2010-01-06T17:48:39Z")
> [@Dante](#): > > [Don’t be so sure.](http://superdickery.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=30&Itemid=48&limitstart=4) Do you really think Lex Luthor would write his own captions? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-new-year-time-for-fresh-new-mini-rants/523629/72 "2010-01-06T23:07:06Z")
Do those stupid pine needles spontaneously generate in our kitchen rug, or what? I can’t think of any other way that more could have gotten there after I vacuumed, given that we didn’t leave the house. ---
**Author:** ![ENugent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/4af34b/32.png) [@ENugent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ENugent)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-new-year-time-for-fresh-new-mini-rants/523629/73 "2010-01-06T23:43:02Z")
> [@niblet\_head](#): > > They have no idea what I’m talking about. Come to find out after about ten minutes of talking to the customer service dippity-do… the department that sent the email and the number I called back to is the checking/savings account department, not the credit card department. > > Years ago I had a checking account with Wells Fargo. I mean, years ago. We got a “welcome to your home warranty” flyer from our home warranty company last month (the warranty was included when we bought our house in July). I was annoyed to notice that it was addressed to the previous owners, not to us - they may have paid for it, but we own it now. Then I looked closer, and saw that it was a “welcome to our company” flyer for _their_ policy - the one they got when they bought the house in 1993. “Expires February 1994” was clearly printed on it. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2010, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-new-year-time-for-fresh-new-mini-rants/523629/74 "2010-01-07T06:03:26Z")
> [@](#): > > Christ, them and the old people who always go on about gasoline being 15 cents a gallon back in the day, without realizing that their job at the hardware store paid 25 cents an hour. > > Inflation, people! Inflation sucks, but it doesn’t mean everything was actually cheaper back in the good 'ol days! Inflation sucks in another way, too. Even though my husband’s wages have vastly increased, I still have a mental notion of how much things SHOULD cost, and how much is too much. Every now and then, I’m tempted to remark on something like the price of gas, or ground meat, or another staple. Then I reflect on what my husband made when we first got married, and what he makes today, and realize that the adjusted price of the staple is far lower for me now. And I feel very, very old. Which sucks. ---
**Author:** ![Trepa\_Mayfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/edb3f5/32.png) [@Trepa\_Mayfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trepa_Mayfield)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2010, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-new-year-time-for-fresh-new-mini-rants/523629/75 "2010-01-07T06:13:44Z")
Man, FinnAgain is really being a complete and total _idiot_ in [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=546686). ---
**Author:** ![overlyverbose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9dc877/32.png) [@overlyverbose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/overlyverbose)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2010, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-new-year-time-for-fresh-new-mini-rants/523629/76 "2010-01-07T06:35:40Z")
Why the fuck does every single baby toy have to tout its ability to enhance and encourage development in kids? Why? I want to entertain my baby with this rattle and mobile, not send her to fucking college next week. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2010, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-new-year-time-for-fresh-new-mini-rants/523629/77 "2010-01-07T07:06:05Z")
I discovered and new and exciting way my teeth are deficient today - I got them cleaned with an ultrasonic cleaning device at the dentist, and it was EEEEEEEEEEE for my teeth. It felt like a milder version of biting on tinfoil whenever he hit a sensitive spot, which with my teeth was about 80% of the time. Gah. Do not want. Oh, and my gums are all infected in spite of brushing twice a day and flossing every night. I’m not sure I’m buying it. ---
**Author:** ![Polerius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d78d45/32.png) [@Polerius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polerius)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2010, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-new-year-time-for-fresh-new-mini-rants/523629/78 "2010-01-07T07:14:59Z")
> [@overlyverbose](#): > > Why the fuck does every single baby toy have to tout its ability to enhance and encourage development in kids? Why? I want to entertain my baby with this rattle and mobile, not send her to fucking college next week. Similarly with some of today’s cartoons: They seem too educational, trying to teach about everything from math, to Spanish, to sharing, to the environment, etc. Back in my day, we had Bugs Bunny and Tom and Jerry and we loved them. I don’t think those cartoons ever taught us anything. ---
**Author:** ![tumbleddown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@tumbleddown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tumbleddown)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2010, 11:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-new-year-time-for-fresh-new-mini-rants/523629/79 "2010-01-07T11:05:59Z")
Elvis Costello, please please never try to speak in rhythm with music again. Please. ---
**Author:** ![Scruff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Scruff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scruff)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2010, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-new-year-time-for-fresh-new-mini-rants/523629/80 "2010-01-07T13:03:31Z")
> [@Polerius](#): > > Back in my day, we had Bugs Bunny and Tom and Jerry and we loved them. I don’t think those cartoons ever taught us anything. Ah yes. What Calvin describes as “Idiots, explosives and falling anvils!” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-new-year-time-for-fresh-new-mini-rants/523629.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-new-year-time-for-fresh-new-mini-rants/523629.md?page=5)