# Jewel Eye: Staring down the beryl (July Mini-Rants) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Tags:** monthly-mini-rant\ **Created:** [July 1, 2025, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewel-eye-staring-down-the-beryl-july-mini-rants/1020332 "2025-07-01T03:26:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 12
**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:** [July 16, 2025, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewel-eye-staring-down-the-beryl-july-mini-rants/1020332/221 "2025-07-16T13:43:30Z")
Not a rant so much as a sigh of relief and a Public Service Announcement. I noticed that my much-valued tablet, which I use constantly, started charging much more slowly than usual. I’ve had this thing 5 or 6 years at least, and I use it so often that it’s charged at least daily, so it’s had thousands of charges so far. I plugged it in to charge when it was down to 39% and about an hour and half later it was only up to 46%. The USB cable I was using was old and frayed (not the one that it originally came with). I told myself that a USB cable used only for charging is the sort of thing that either works or it doesn’t. If the cable was defective it wouldn’t charge at all. Not so, boys and girls, and today we learn a new lesson – a cable can go bad in such a way that it delivers only a small amount of current instead of the full capacity of the charger. I switched to a better cable and now it charges as normal! Unfortunately I need that cable for other purposes so I guess I have to get a new one someplace. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2025, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewel-eye-staring-down-the-beryl-july-mini-rants/1020332/222 "2025-07-16T13:59:10Z")
> [@WolfpackJeep](#): > > So I’ve ended up with a small pile of Shell gift cards, so I tried using one at the pump today. > > “SEE CASHIER.” > > No. So I came home and tried to check the balance, just in case I accidentally put one back in my wallet after using it…and the website tells me that balance check feature is “temporarily unavailable.” 🤬 Well it _told_ you to see the cashier to check the balance… 🤷 ---
**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:** [July 16, 2025, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewel-eye-staring-down-the-beryl-july-mini-rants/1020332/223 "2025-07-16T14:05:38Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > My son has been in swim class for two years and he’s still not swimming. At what point do you quit swimming lessons? If it was me not until they can dog paddle enough to keep their head out of water long enough to be discovered and rescued. Drowning is the number one cause of death of autistic kids. Number one cause: … [https://www.publichealth.columbia.edu/news/individuals-autism-substantially-heightened-risk-injury-death](https://www.publichealth.columbia.edu/news/individuals-autism-substantially-heightened-risk-injury-death) My 8 year grand daughter who is AuAD has done swimming/drownproofing classes for 5 years and we’ll keep at it as long as we can find willing private teachers. The Y was not autism friendly at all and unwilling to learn how to accommodate invisible disabilities and we’ve done much better with private lessons where sensory overload can be moderated. ---
**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:** [July 16, 2025, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewel-eye-staring-down-the-beryl-july-mini-rants/1020332/224 "2025-07-16T15:55:39Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > The USB cable I was using was old and frayed (not the one that it originally came with). I told myself that a USB cable used only for charging is the sort of thing that either works or it doesn’t. If the cable was defective it wouldn’t charge at all. I can absolutely tell you that’s far from the truth. Even a brand-new cable could be of poor quality and charge slowly or intermittently. A lot of the marketing BS like “gold connectors” and such are just that - bullshit - but there are differences. And you absolutely should **never** use a frayed cable; that’s dangerous. (And good luck in your search for a new cable!) ---
**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:** [July 16, 2025, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewel-eye-staring-down-the-beryl-july-mini-rants/1020332/225 "2025-07-16T17:05:10Z")
> [@BippityBoppityBoo](#): > > My 8 year grand daughter who is AuAD has done swimming/drownproofing classes for 5 years and we’ll keep at it as long as we can find willing private teachers. The Y was not autism friendly at all and unwilling to learn how to accommodate invisible disabilities and we’ve done much better with private lessons where sensory overload can be moderated. I think we may just have to find somewhere else, then. He does have private lessons. He refuses to put his face in the water and I haven’t seen the needle move on any skills in 6-12 months. He is at risk of drowning. But I don’t know how to help him. > [@Atamasama](#): > > I really like the Galaxy Tab series; I have an S8+ that’s a couple years old. I also bought a Tab S6 Lite for my oldest daughter. FYI, I really like the Galaxy Tab A9, and it’s doing exactly what I had hoped it would do; allow me to stitch with PatternKeeper first thing in the morning without getting sucked into other distractions. The PatternKeeper app is so fucking cool. It not only keeps track of what’s already stitched but it gives you the whole color key and you can highlight colors individually to make sure you didn’t miss any, it lets you mark parked threads and tells you how much you stitched that day and the percentage you are done with the project. And it will already grid diagonal lines. I’m sure that means nothing to nobody but I don’t want anyone to think I bought a tablet just to use some crappy app. ---
**Author:** ![WolfpackJeep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpackjeep/32/2921_2.png) [@WolfpackJeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WolfpackJeep)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2025, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewel-eye-staring-down-the-beryl-july-mini-rants/1020332/226 "2025-07-16T18:48:05Z")
I try to avoid going in that particular store. 😁 ---
**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:** [July 16, 2025, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewel-eye-staring-down-the-beryl-july-mini-rants/1020332/227 "2025-07-16T19:29:51Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > > [@wolfpup](#): > > > > The USB cable I was using was old and frayed (not the one that it originally came with). I told myself that a USB cable used only for charging is the sort of thing that either works or it doesn’t. If the cable was defective it wouldn’t charge at all. > > I can absolutely tell you that’s far from the truth. Even a brand-new cable could be of poor quality and charge slowly or intermittently. You’re obviously correct, and in the spirit of an anti-rant, I’m so glad it’s just the shitty cable and not my tablet. I don’t even know where this thing came from. The one that came with the tablet is much thicker and obviously much higher build quality. I would never have thought that a defect in a cable used simply to transmit a small amount of low-voltage current could be anything but all-or-nothing, but here we are! > [@Atamasama](#): > > A lot of the marketing BS like “gold connectors” and such are just that - bullshit - but there are differences. I’ve known for years that this is true for high-performance applications like HDMI cables, but I didn’t think it was true for simple electrical cables. I once had an issue with an HDMI cable that seemed to work fine but intermittently caused my TV to declare a “:HDMI Protocol Error” and go into a state that could only be cleared by unplugging it from the wall for a few seconds. A new higher quality cable solved the problem. And you’re right that there’s so much hype about things like “oxygen-free copper” and other BS that makes absolutely no difference except to the profitability of the cable vendor. I’ve found Monoprice to be a reliable source of quality cables at reasonable prices. Never had a problem with one. ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2025, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewel-eye-staring-down-the-beryl-july-mini-rants/1020332/228 "2025-07-16T19:54:43Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > And you absolutely should **never** use a frayed cable Should one use a worn rope to tie something? I’m a frayed knot I’m here all week, try the veal Probably should go into the June mini-rants: I have more mileage in the past five days than I did in all of June; that’s more a testament of how little I ran in June than how much I’ve done this week. ---
**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:** [July 16, 2025, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewel-eye-staring-down-the-beryl-july-mini-rants/1020332/229 "2025-07-16T19:59:12Z")
> [@Spiderman](#): > > Should one use a worn rope to tie something? I snorted IRL. > [@wolfpup](#): > > You’re obviously correct, and in the spirit of an anti-rant, I’m so glad it’s just the shitty cable and not my tablet. That is indeed pretty awesome. My knee-jerk reaction to a problem with a device that old is to replace it, since after 5 years any sophisticated piece of technology is obsolete and they aren’t usually meant to last that long. But if it still works and you find a cheaper solution, that’s great. I do at times hang onto old electronics longer than recommended because dammit, they work. ---
**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:** [July 16, 2025, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewel-eye-staring-down-the-beryl-july-mini-rants/1020332/230 "2025-07-16T20:26:03Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > I would never have thought that a defect in a cable used simply to transmit a small amount of low-voltage current could be anything but all-or-nothing, but here we are! A USB power cable is far more than simple pair of wires. There’s a little IC chip in one connector and there’s a complex signaling protocol between the source, the cable, and the device about how much power to provide and consume. If the chip dies or the EM noise is too high on the power wires, it all defaults to USB 1.0 minimal slow mode. ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2025, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewel-eye-staring-down-the-beryl-july-mini-rants/1020332/231 "2025-07-17T00:01:34Z")
I’ve had my work cell for a couple of years now. Since the day I got this number, I’ve had 3-5 calls per day from collections agencies for one particular asshole. I’ve tried blocking numbers and at this point most don’t go through but these fuckers keep changing phone numbers and even if the phone doesn’t ring, _it still goes to my voicemail_. I’m so sick and tired of deleting these fucking automated messages asking this dude to call them back. I’ve actually answered a few times and told them to cease calling this number but it never stops. Fuck collection agencies. Stéphane isn’t here, man, I’ve never met the asshole. ---
**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:** [July 17, 2025, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewel-eye-staring-down-the-beryl-july-mini-rants/1020332/232 "2025-07-17T00:32:20Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > > [@needscoffee](#): > > > > I have spinal surgery scheduled for Thursday. It was arranged in June. Today the hospital let me know that my insurance still hasn’t okayed it yet. > > Today, the hangup with the insurance company is I didn’t complete all 6 sessions of PT 6 months ago because it wasn’t helping, it was making things worse, and looking at the MRI there was no possible way it even _could_ have helped. Today the hangup with the insurance company is they don’t agree with my extremely experienced, skilled neurosurgeon who thinks my spine surgery should be done as inpatient. This isn’t a minimally invasive surgery. ---
**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:** [July 17, 2025, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewel-eye-staring-down-the-beryl-july-mini-rants/1020332/233 "2025-07-17T03:13:39Z")
> [@mnemosyne](#): > > Fuck collection agencies. Stéphane isn’t here, man, I’ve never met the asshole. Yes. I’ve been trying to tell collection agents for over 6 years that I’m not Shawntel and this Tacoma area phone number isn’t for a person in Atlanta. Instead they’re calling a Washington State government phone. ---
**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:** [July 17, 2025, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewel-eye-staring-down-the-beryl-july-mini-rants/1020332/234 "2025-07-17T05:32:33Z")
> [@BippityBoppityBoo](#): > > > [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > > > My son has been in swim class for two years and he’s still not swimming. At what point do you quit swimming lessons? > > If it was me not until they can dog paddle enough to keep their head out of water long enough to be discovered and rescued. Drowning is the number one cause of death of autistic kids. To which I will add that there’s nothing wrong with the dog-paddle (although I have a certain prejudice in that regard 😉 ) But I mean that seriously. The important thing for a child is to not have fear of water because they know how to stay afloat and move through the water to safety. A dog-paddle works just fine for that purpose. I hang my furry head in shame and admit that I never got past the dog-paddle stage of swimming competency, but since I never intended to be a competitive swimmer, it worked just fine for me, both for fun and, in one case, to easily get myself to safety when, as a kid, I fell off a dam into deep water. ---
**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:** [July 18, 2025, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewel-eye-staring-down-the-beryl-july-mini-rants/1020332/235 "2025-07-18T17:29:32Z")
I’ve got a compendium. 1. Fuck mobile OS’ that force you to keep their stupid apps on your phone whether you want them or not. 2. Fuck Microsoft for restarting my computer every time I select, “update and shut down.” 3. Fuck the Trump Administration for forcing me to switch from a SAVE account to one of their IBR programs by charging me interest _while they already have a growing two-year backlog of applications processing._ 4. Also fuck them for their condescending sneering tone every time they discuss student loans. 5. I have been ordering delivery all week because nobody went grocery shopping last week and decided today I was going to do the right thing and make some Goodles (high protein Mac and cheese.) Had the water all boiled and ready when I realized we’re out of almond milk, or any kind of milk actually, so I can’t even make boxed Mac and cheese. Now I have to wait for my lunch to be delivered and I’m _hungry_. ---
**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:** [July 18, 2025, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewel-eye-staring-down-the-beryl-july-mini-rants/1020332/236 "2025-07-18T17:39:53Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > There’s a little IC chip in one connector and there’s a complex signaling protocol between the source, the cable, and the device about how much power to provide and consume. > > If the chip dies or the EM noise is too high on the power wires, it all defaults to USB 1.0 minimal slow mode. I’m always impressed by how much random but useful information you - and others - know and share. ---
**Author:** ![WolfpackJeep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpackjeep/32/2921_2.png) [@WolfpackJeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WolfpackJeep)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2025, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewel-eye-staring-down-the-beryl-july-mini-rants/1020332/237 "2025-07-19T00:28:28Z")
Thanks to the office of North Carolina’s Attorney General, Amazon has refunded my money. ☺ Now to sort out the Shell gift cards. I went in a station yesterday, and was told that they couldn’t check balances either…the best they could do was initiate a transaction for a set amount. Based on that, we determined that the card in question is likely empty. The website for checking balances still isn’t working. I also forgot to move my poor little poinsettias yesterday before the house was pressure washed. 😢 Either that, or they have root rot. I think two of them might make it. ---
**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:** [July 19, 2025, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewel-eye-staring-down-the-beryl-july-mini-rants/1020332/238 "2025-07-19T02:30:48Z")
My friend with two cancers was just diagnosed with another cancer. And no, this is not the colon cancer resurgence. They are all different cancers (lung, kidney, lymph nodes.) The doctor told him the odds of this happening are approximately one in 140,000,000. He has to do genetic testing. He remains optimistic, which is… really not like him. Some people are just not lucky. And I seem to know these people. I have another friend who has had hundreds of kidney stones. _Hundreds._ The doctors didn’t believe her until she brought them in a bin, to show them. And that’s not even her worst health problem! I guess by these standards I’m doing okay. ---
**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:** [July 19, 2025, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewel-eye-staring-down-the-beryl-july-mini-rants/1020332/239 "2025-07-19T17:33:40Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > The doctors didn’t believe her until she brought them in a bin, to show them. Damn, she must pee like a machine gun! (I’ve had over a dozen in my life but hundreds?) ---
**Author:** ![Die\_Capacitrix](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/die_capacitrix/32/9_2.png) [@Die\_Capacitrix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Die_Capacitrix)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2025, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewel-eye-staring-down-the-beryl-july-mini-rants/1020332/240 "2025-07-19T18:20:56Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > That may be an issue with the charger. If this was a hand-me-down, it might not have come with its original charger. I was thinking this as well. My Kindle Paperwhite only charges correctly with the original charger, even though though the connector is the same. ☹ Minor rant. I had read that I could get a free bag if I bought a certain quantity of macarons. I ordered some macarons and some other things and then asked if I would get a bag. Nope. Didn’t buy enough macarons. Should have first asked how many I needed to buy. Don’t really need a bag. But it’s cute. Oh well. And yes, I could have bought more, but the macarons are only good for a day or so. And I already bought some. What a maroon. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewel-eye-staring-down-the-beryl-july-mini-rants/1020332.md?page=11) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewel-eye-staring-down-the-beryl-july-mini-rants/1020332.md?page=13)