# It's the Great Minirants, Charlie Brown! (October minirants) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 1, 2020, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-great-minirants-charlie-brown-october-minirants/921997 "2020-10-01T23:41:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2020, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-great-minirants-charlie-brown-october-minirants/921997/61 "2020-10-10T01:06:55Z")
Ooh, what about making an almost-identical sign (same colors, fonts, and of course size), and replacing his with yours at 3 am? Since it’s his own, he probably never really looks at it, and won’t notice that it now says “RUMP/PENIS 2020” (or hopefully something more clever). ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2020, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-great-minirants-charlie-brown-october-minirants/921997/62 "2020-10-10T01:40:45Z")
Now, you and I, we’d just get each other in trouble. 😁 ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2020, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-great-minirants-charlie-brown-october-minirants/921997/63 "2020-10-10T02:02:23Z")
Ugh. I’m lucky I don’t have to deal with a lot of bullshit like this at my job. ---
**Author:** ![galen\_ubal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/galen_ubal/32/4440_2.png) [@galen\_ubal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/galen_ubal)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2020, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-great-minirants-charlie-brown-october-minirants/921997/64 "2020-10-10T03:36:23Z")
I don’t care to go into the specifics at the moment, but… 2020 _reaally_ needs to wander off and get lost. ---
**Author:** ![aurora\_maire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aurora_maire/32/328_2.png) [@aurora\_maire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aurora_maire)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2020, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-great-minirants-charlie-brown-october-minirants/921997/65 "2020-10-10T03:52:09Z")
Damn, damn, damn. Just after dark, I went outside to feed the neighbor kitties. And I heard a faint kitten-sized meow. I got a flashlight and starting looking around. I finally found a maybe 2 month old gray kitten under a bunch of branches piled up on the curb. I put it on the porch so I could get it some food and it frantically tried to get in the door and then jumped off the porch and ran. I went after it but lost it around the corner of the house. My house is on the corner so I went around to my neighbor’s yard calling to it and didn’t hear anything. That neighbor is the origin of all the neighbor kitties I’ve fed (and adopted) over the years. I thought maybe it came from there and had gone into the carport so I came back in. But it kept bothering me. It’s going to start raining later tonight and will rain all weekend thanks to Hurricane Delta and I didn’t want it to be out in that. I went back over there calling for the kittie. I didn’t hear anything and started back to my house when it meowed. This time it was under a tree that is surrounded by a tall mass of monkey grass and other thick vegetation. I can’t get anywhere near the tree. I got a long stick and tried moving stuff around to see if I could at least see the kitten and maybe be able to reach it. But no such luck. It stopped crying then. I waited about 15 minutes but then thought maybe I had scared it and it ran out the other side to… somewhere. I started back to the house when it meowed again. I tried again to part the vegetation to see if I could find it but it again stopped crying and I finally went inside. I waited a bit and went back out but it was still in there. I can’t wade into that mass of plants in the dark and I can’t stay there all night to see if it comes out, so I had to give up. I’m guessing that it has been dumped and was trying to hide in fright in the branches and now under a mass of plants. It breaks my heart that this poor little thing is alone and scared and about to be soaking wet. And makes me really angry at people who won’t take care of these innocent little creatures. I’m fighting the urge to go back out but it hurts to hear it cry when I can’t get to it and it already hurts enough. I’ll try again tomorrow and hope it makes it though the night ok. Damn. ---
**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:** [October 10, 2020, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-great-minirants-charlie-brown-october-minirants/921997/66 "2020-10-10T03:54:35Z")
> [@slalexan](#): > > pit my brain today. I have the sads today for no reason and am spending what should be a beautiful Friday in a cloud of sadness. Again, for no reason. Nothing bad is happening Duude/guurl same. Stupit brain mis-wiring saps a lot of fun outta life. * * * Jesus **overly** I really feel for ya. That sucks gigantic donkey balls. I also feel the need to point out that **Spice Kit** is one of the best Doper sidekick nicknames ever. It’s just so … perfect, on so many levels. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2020, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-great-minirants-charlie-brown-october-minirants/921997/67 "2020-10-10T04:46:53Z")
> [@aurora\_maire](#): > > I’m guessing that it has been dumped and was trying to hide in fright in the branches and now under a mass of plants. It breaks my heart that this poor little thing is alone and scared and about to be soaking wet. And makes me really angry at people who won’t take care of these innocent little creatures. I’m fighting the urge to go back out but it hurts to hear it cry when I can’t get to it and it already hurts enough. I’ll try again tomorrow and hope it makes it though the night ok. Damn. Wishing you luck. You’re a good person for trying to save it. It’s unbelievable how cruel and callous some people can be. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2020, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-great-minirants-charlie-brown-october-minirants/921997/68 "2020-10-10T05:05:18Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > Why is it that when we move into a new area, neighbors assume we are responsible for annoying stray dogs? > > Early this morning a neighbor (caught on security cam photo) dropped off a GSD/Lab mix at our place, _opening the gate and putting him in our fenced back yard_. This is the same dog (with collar but no license tag) who has shown up here a couple times this year with his delinquent oversized Labradoodle buddy and had to be chased off. > > When we moved into our Ohio home way back when, a couple of sour-faced women showed up at the front door with a large white dog of indeterminate parentage, demanding to know if it was ours and clearly disbelieving our assurance that we’d never seen the beast before. > > Our dog does not run loose and we are not the ASPCA. > > Dumbasses. You’re ranting about being blessed with the opportunity to adopt doggies? What’s wrong with you? 😀 I refer you to our own @Beckdawrek and her heartwarming story of an abandoned dog she found on her property. He was, of course, promptly adopted, and this has become the now-famous story of Bayliss, the best dog ever! 🙂 This is how things are supposed to be done. Bayliss has to put up with two crazy Siamese cats and some stupid beagle, but dogs tend to be stoic about such things. ---
**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:** [October 10, 2020, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-great-minirants-charlie-brown-october-minirants/921997/69 "2020-10-10T05:26:01Z")
It’s been pointed out upthread that there’s no such thing as a free cat. The same very likely also applies to dogs. Perhaps even moreso. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2020, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-great-minirants-charlie-brown-october-minirants/921997/70 "2020-10-10T05:36:56Z")
In all seriousness, it’s true: dogs are an expensive and time-consuming proposition. At a minimum, veterinary care is expensive, and in some cases can become extremely so. All the other miscellaneous things add up, too, including a big time investment. It’s a lot like a child (minus any concerns about a college fund!). But in much the same way, it’s worth every penny and every minute to anyone who is open to the joys of such things. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2020, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-great-minirants-charlie-brown-october-minirants/921997/71 "2020-10-10T13:34:23Z")
> [@purplehorseshoe](#): > > I also feel the need to point out that **Spice Kit** is one of the best Doper sidekick nicknames ever. It’s just so … perfect, on so many levels. I owe that one to **ivylass**. I don’t think she posts here anymore. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2020, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-great-minirants-charlie-brown-october-minirants/921997/72 "2020-10-10T15:17:26Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > > [@Jackmannii](#): > > > > Why is it that when we move into a new area, neighbors assume we are responsible for annoying stray dogs? > > > > Early this morning a neighbor (caught on security cam photo) dropped off a GSD/Lab mix at our place, _opening the gate and putting him in our fenced back yard_. This is the same dog (with collar but no license tag) who has shown up here a couple times this year with his delinquent oversized Labradoodle buddy and had to be chased off. > > > > When we moved into our Ohio home way back when, a couple of sour-faced women showed up at the front door with a large white dog of indeterminate parentage, demanding to know if it was ours and clearly disbelieving our assurance that we’d never seen the beast before. > > > > Our dog does not run loose and we are not the ASPCA. > > > > Dumbasses. > > You’re ranting about being blessed with the opportunity to adopt doggies? What’s wrong with you? I tracked down the owner. She said her electric fence was on the fritz, allowing an escape (something that evidently happens on a recurring basis). I’m concerned the beast will wind up as street pizza if her owners don’t get their act together. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2020, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-great-minirants-charlie-brown-october-minirants/921997/73 "2020-10-10T18:57:11Z")
I just got back from erranding, including a stop at WalMart. I wanted to get, among other things, a sack of potting soil so I can plant the herb seeds I bought. Nope. The _ENTIRE GARDEN DEPT_ is Christmas Land! No music, thank goodness, but trees and lights and ornaments and wrapping paper and I couldn’t get out of there fast enough. Yet people were shopping in there. It’s not even Halloween!!! Fortunately, Lowes had the dirt I wanted and I didn’t have to walk thru their Christmas displays to get it, thanks to the garden dept entrance. Bah, humbug, dammit. ---
**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:** [October 10, 2020, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-great-minirants-charlie-brown-october-minirants/921997/74 "2020-10-10T19:01:38Z")
I’ll support this rant. Holidays need to line up and take their proper turns. Halloween first, then Thanksgiving (and not the Black Thursday “who cares about being thankful for what we already have, we need more STUFF” greed-fest, thanks), THEN Christmas. ---
**Author:** ![aurora\_maire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aurora_maire/32/328_2.png) [@aurora\_maire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aurora_maire)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2020, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-great-minirants-charlie-brown-october-minirants/921997/75 "2020-10-10T19:31:19Z")
> [@aurora\_maire](#): > > I’ll try again tomorrow and hope it makes it though the night ok. Damn. Well, this is not going well. I was getting ready to go to bed about 3 when I heard kitten cries. I looked out on the porch and two of the neighbor cats were there. I stepped outside (and found a dead mouse) and realized the cries were coming from the car. I got the flashlight and looked under the car. Nope, coming from up inside somewhere. And, of course, it’s pouring rain. I popped the hood (and noticed there is a wasp nest in my door - problem for another day) but couldn’t see anything. There wasn’t anything I could do so I tried to get some sleep since today was probably going to suck. And suck it does. The kitten is still in there. It’s raining. I put food out but it hasn’t come down. I’m pretty sure it can’t. It’s just a baby. And it’s crying. I put a message on Nextdoor to see if there is a mobile mechanic who can come by and jack up the car. Haven’t heard anything yet except for a couple folks who say I should just leave it there, it will come out (why don’t you come over and listen to it cry?) and three who suggested I put food out. Did they read the original post? Fuck people who throw kittens out. ---
**Author:** ![BippityBoppityBoo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bippityboppityboo/32/5745_2.png) [@BippityBoppityBoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BippityBoppityBoo)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2020, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-great-minirants-charlie-brown-october-minirants/921997/76 "2020-10-10T19:43:02Z")
> [@aurora\_maire](#): > > Fuck people who throw kittens out. This indeed, several times over, without end. You’re a good soul to keep trying. Hang in there. ---
**Author:** ![galen\_ubal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/galen_ubal/32/4440_2.png) [@galen\_ubal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/galen_ubal)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2020, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-great-minirants-charlie-brown-october-minirants/921997/77 "2020-10-10T22:18:43Z")
> [@galen\_ubal](#): > > I don’t care to go into the specifics at the moment, but… > 2020 _reaally_ needs to wander off and get lost Okay, I feel the need to vent a little. My 87-year old father has bacterial pneumonia, and is in the hospital now. The immediate prognosis is good, for certain values of good. He’s expected to recover, and he’ll be out of the hospital and in a convalescent home in a few days. The big difficulty is that he lives in Michigan, and I live in Australia. One of my sisters lives nearby, and has been helping out for the last few years, and that’s a mercy. But if things go south…it’ll take me a couple of weeks, probably, to get a travel exemption to go there, then the flight. On return (and I don’t see _any_ flights from the US to Aus), I’d have to do two weeks in quarantine at my expense. _sigh_ Borrowing trouble at the moment, I suppose. Still, it’s something that preys on me, that I’m so far from family, and even in normal times I could lose last chances. Both Mom and Dad are pretty old, and I don’t know how long either of them are for the world. Still, prepare for the worst, hope for the best. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2020, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-great-minirants-charlie-brown-october-minirants/921997/78 "2020-10-10T23:46:23Z")
Wishing you luck, aurora. I’ve wondered about that kitty all day. ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2020, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-great-minirants-charlie-brown-october-minirants/921997/79 "2020-10-10T23:48:35Z")
> [@FairyChatMom](#): > > It’s not even Halloween!!! [https://secureservercdn.net/45.40.150.47/f47.662.myftpupload.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/454en.jpg](https://secureservercdn.net/45.40.150.47/f47.662.myftpupload.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/454en.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2020, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-great-minirants-charlie-brown-october-minirants/921997/80 "2020-10-11T01:27:44Z")
> [@galen\_ubal](#): > > The immediate prognosis is good, for certain values of good. He’s expected to recover, and he’ll be out of the hospital and in a convalescent home in a few days. Hope all goes well. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-great-minirants-charlie-brown-october-minirants/921997.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-great-minirants-charlie-brown-october-minirants/921997.md?page=5)