# Ook-tober Mini-rants **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Tags:** monthly-mini-rant\ **Created:** [October 1, 2026, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ook-tober-mini-rants/1033511 "2026-10-01T14:18:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 10
**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 12, 2026, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ook-tober-mini-rants/1033511/181 "2026-10-12T16:04:49Z")
It’s Monday, so I’m here on those grounds alone. My stomach thing is still kinda happening. I’m not sure what’s up with that. But it was difficult to eat all weekend. It’s different than my usual stomach thing (IBS.) I’m really fucking unhappy about the furniture situation still, and I’m trying to get my husband to work with me by letting me outfit the room with complementary furniture early (like a bookcase, etc.) The room just looks bad and makes me feel bad, not least because it’s covered in my son’s things. But my husband is worried about money, which is ridiculous. I earmarked money specifically for this purpose when we first moved in. I hate when he acts like we don’t have money especially when I intentionally set the money aside. We’re not wealthy per se but we can afford a fucking bookcase. He just doesn’t want to do anything until we sell the old house. So I am trying to figure out how to make that room not suck, for free, if anyone has any ideas. Right now it’s a large rectangular open room with a single armchair and ottoman, a bench for our shoes, a box with a sideways crate on top, to function as a makeshift bookcase, and a plant sitting on some plastic bins. Not very inspiring. (It does have vaulted ceilings and lots of natural light so it will make a lovely room… Some day.) ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2026, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ook-tober-mini-rants/1033511/182 "2026-10-12T16:21:00Z")
Cluttered yards? Uncut lawn? Is this “Nosy Prick of a Neighbor Mutual Insurance” or something? I’m having an incredibly difficult time thinking how a cluttered yard or uncut lawn can lead to an insured loss. When I bought my house last year, I couldn’t get insurance without replacing the 30 year old roof, which at least can be tied to something that they might have to pay out for. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2026, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ook-tober-mini-rants/1033511/183 "2026-10-12T16:22:04Z")
I just spent 20 minutes walking around my house looking at smoke alarms to figure out which one is beeping every 60 seconds, only to realize it’s coming from my neighbor’s house. Which means I have to wait for them to figure it out & replace the battery. ---
**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 12, 2026, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ook-tober-mini-rants/1033511/184 "2026-10-12T16:29:06Z")
Cue my semi-annual “standard, daylight, split the difference, pick something else altogether, I don’t care, just pick something and STICK WITH IT” rant about switching all the clocks, pet mealtimes, etc. ---
**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:** [October 12, 2026, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ook-tober-mini-rants/1033511/185 "2026-10-12T16:52:16Z")
But DST changeover happens in November. This is the wrong thread; you gotta wait. 🤪 ---
**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 12, 2026, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ook-tober-mini-rants/1033511/186 "2026-10-12T16:53:03Z")
Nope, when the subject comes up, gotta rant. 🙂 ---
**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:** [October 12, 2026, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ook-tober-mini-rants/1033511/187 "2026-10-12T17:12:03Z")
Eh, I was just ranting too. Rage forth; DST was a dumb idea badly implemented and has only gotten worse with subsequent Congressional meddling. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2026, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ook-tober-mini-rants/1033511/188 "2026-10-12T18:30:19Z")
> [@Folacin](#): > > Plus, of course, a one-way street could have traffic for either direction. Some cyclists think that “One Way” is for cars only. Really watch for them. ---
**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 12, 2026, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ook-tober-mini-rants/1033511/189 "2026-10-12T18:41:49Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > So I am trying to figure out how to make that room not suck, for free, if anyone has any ideas Get temporary furniture at Goodwill. When the real furniture comes in, donate it back to Goodwill and claim the purchase price as the tax-deductible donation value. As long as the folderol is done by the end of the year, you should be golden. ---
**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:** [October 12, 2026, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ook-tober-mini-rants/1033511/190 "2026-10-12T18:43:25Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > But DST changeover happens in November. This is the wrong thread; you gotta wait. The one advantage of Europe’s change in October and North America’s change in November - twice the chance to rant! Oops. Didn’t realize that part of Canada no longer changes time twice a year. Which means that there are time changes going north from the U.S. into Canada during November/December/January/February/March. Fun times. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2026, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ook-tober-mini-rants/1033511/191 "2026-10-12T18:51:40Z")
We waited for years for California, Oregon, and Washington to get on board. But after a while, we saw that you weren’t going to, so we stopped waiting and got on with our lives. (BC is now on Mountain Standard time year-round, though apparently we’re not calling it that because reasons: it’s Pacific Time.) ---
**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 13, 2026, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ook-tober-mini-rants/1033511/192 "2026-10-13T02:23:16Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > So I am trying to figure out how to make that room not suck, for free, if anyone has any ideas. If there’s an Ikea near you, get (or order for delivery) a couple of Poang chairs. They’re comfy to read in, and handy to have around. ---
**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 13, 2026, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ook-tober-mini-rants/1033511/193 "2026-10-13T02:26:24Z")
I pit pizzas with too much crust around the perimeter because they only spread the filling out halfway. The more expensive the restaurant, the more they seem to do this. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2026, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ook-tober-mini-rants/1033511/194 "2026-10-13T02:52:18Z")
Not a rant: Sonny’s BBQ has declared this month **Porktober** and we’re celebrating big time! When our waitress (a really sweet girl) welcomed us to Porktober today, I laughed (snorted, actually) out loud. ---
**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:** [October 13, 2026, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ook-tober-mini-rants/1033511/195 "2026-10-13T04:18:54Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > When our waitress (a really sweet girl) welcomed us to Porktober today, I laughed (snorted, actually) out loud. You were just getting into the spirit of Porktober. ---
**Author:** ![pullin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c57346/32.png) [@pullin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pullin)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2026, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ook-tober-mini-rants/1033511/196 "2026-10-13T11:57:07Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > It’s as if – in Dilbert world – the thermostat was designed by Dilbert and competent fellow engineers, and the manual was written by the marketing department under the supervision of the Pointy-Haired Boss. I’ve been searching for the actual replacement schedule for my truck’s transmission fluid. The idiots at the dealership claim it’s “Lifetime fluid, and never needs changed!”. The manual only covers two of the three transmissions installed in their trucks – and is silent about mine. Googling it gets me a confident, AI generated claim of 60K miles, but cites only Reddit discussions – no actual documentation. I finally got frustrated and called the manufacturers main number from their website, and was quickly connected to someone who had this top-secret information. Roughly 70% of their trucks are built with this model of transmission. I’m trying to figure out why they didn’t include a maintenance schedule for the most popular one? PHB idiocy? Or something more devious? ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2026, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ook-tober-mini-rants/1033511/197 "2026-10-13T12:03:04Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > Not a rant: > Sonny’s BBQ has declared this month **Porktober** and we’re celebrating big time! When our waitress (a really sweet girl) welcomed us to Porktober today, I laughed (snorted, actually) out loud. Tell here you’re also looking forward to Sloppyjoevember. mmm ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2026, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ook-tober-mini-rants/1033511/198 "2026-10-13T12:55:38Z")
Dynamite! She’ll enjoy that. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2026, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ook-tober-mini-rants/1033511/199 "2026-10-13T14:01:33Z")
Well, you didn’t include it, either. Maybe there’s a curse that prevents people from writing it down? ---
**Author:** ![pullin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c57346/32.png) [@pullin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pullin)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2026, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ook-tober-mini-rants/1033511/200 "2026-10-13T16:52:34Z")
It’s a secret man… We can’t tell just anyone. (Seriously, I didn’t think anyone would be interested.) ZF8 (8 speed) transmissions don’t need fluid replaced until 100,000 miles. They’re sealed, and don’t have dipsticks or refill openings. Apparently, fluid replacement _not_ a DIY operation\*, as the entire pan must replaced with new, and the vehicle has to be elevated in such a way that the transmission is exactly level, the replacement fluid has to be pumped in while the vehicle is running and must be kept within an exact temp range during the whole process. There were a bunch more rules, and Dealer’s typically charge $1000 or more for this. \*For most of us anyway. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ook-tober-mini-rants/1033511.md?page=9) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ook-tober-mini-rants/1033511.md?page=11)