# Pee-ew in September (September mini rants) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Tags:** monthly-mini-rant\ **Created:** [September 1, 2025, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pee-ew-in-september-september-mini-rants/1022657 "2025-09-01T16:27:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 17
**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:** [September 29, 2025, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pee-ew-in-september-september-mini-rants/1022657/321 "2025-09-29T18:05:41Z")
> [@mnemosyne](#): > > the thenar web space I think that’s where the starship Enterprise first encountered the Tholian species. ---
**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:** [September 29, 2025, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pee-ew-in-september-september-mini-rants/1022657/322 "2025-09-29T18:10:42Z")
A final followup to my [August complaint](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unjust-august-mini-rants/1021570/291) about the new “Latch” system they installed on the apartment doors. Summary - you now need an app on your phone, or to enter a 7 digit code, which you cannot set yourself, on a very small keypad, to get into your apartment. I moved out about a week ago, but have the apartment another few weeks. I went back this weekend to pick up the few things I left behind and check the mail. I found they had also installed the “Latch” system on the building entry doors (which they had told us would be happening at some point). So you now need your phone or a 7 digit code to get into the building. However, when they installed it it somehow got tied into the old intercom system - where a visitor would press your apartment number, then you could press a button to unlock the door to let them in. When you did that, a loud buzzer sounded at the door for 15 seconds so the visitor knew they could open the door. But now, _any time_ a resident opens the front door the buzzer sounds. For 15 seconds. It was loud enough to be clearly audible in my 2nd floor apartment, I’m assuming the poor first floor residents next to the door are ready to take it apart with a crowbar. ---
**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:** [September 29, 2025, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pee-ew-in-september-september-mini-rants/1022657/323 "2025-09-29T18:15:11Z")
Eff you, Google Maps. When I choose a route, stick to it. Do not _silently_ tell me you found a faster route, one which I’ve already elected not to take because it saves a couple of seconds on a two-hour drive & costs me an _additional_ $12 in tolls…& while we’re at it, how the 'eck do you show one route option listing tolls as $2.25 when there’s one mandatory toll alone that is \> $16??? …& a bigger eff you to the horse’s asses who don’t clean up after their horse’s ass. Don’t gimme some BS about it breaks down quicker or doesn’t smell as bad because they don’t eat meat like a dog does. It’s also (at least) 10x the size of a dog’s, & yes, legally, the pooper-scooper laws _do_ apply to you. If I catch your horse shitting on the public trails I _will_ call 911 on your ass! Unfortunately, all I saw was a couple of (large) remnants that horses had been on the trails yesterday. ---
**Author:** ![chela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chela/32/21582_2.png) [@chela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chela)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2025, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pee-ew-in-september-september-mini-rants/1022657/324 "2025-09-29T18:58:34Z")
Hell this text string from a land broker has gone bonkers. Best and highest has been offered and ignored. Not interested lady! So what happens next, a week goes by and a local KW agent is cold calling and asking around for off market deals. Spouse mentions vacant lot. She says she has a buyer. Told her full asking price and she doesn’t blink is bringing clients around tomorrow. Dang I might have to look at this offer. ---
**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:** [September 29, 2025, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pee-ew-in-september-september-mini-rants/1022657/325 "2025-09-29T20:47:48Z")
For the rest of this week, I’m gonna be living in 19th century “ice box” mode when it comes to refrigeration. The fridge is running 24x7 except when I occasionally shut it off with the manual switch to keep the compressor from overheating, and it barely manages to keep the freezer just below freezing and the larger part of the fridge only at about 45F. On the day of delivery of the new fridge, Friday, there’s gonna be a bunch of stuff put into a cooler chest but also a hell of a lot of stuff thrown out! I cannot even begin to express how much I hate this process of replacing a failed refigerator! ---
**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:** [September 29, 2025, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pee-ew-in-september-september-mini-rants/1022657/326 "2025-09-29T21:54:00Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > I cannot even begin to express how much I hate this process of replacing a failed refigerator! It’s one of those things we take for granted until it breaks, and then suddenly we realize how dependent we are on it. ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2025, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pee-ew-in-september-september-mini-rants/1022657/327 "2025-09-29T23:11:10Z")
I’m probably a bit late to the party, pitting JK Rowling, but geez what a witch. I mean, I knew her views on trans are abhorrent, but didn’t realize how condescending and insulting she had been to the stars of her films that dared to disagree with her. A selection of recent tweets about Emma Watson: \ _“Like other people who’ve never experienced adult life uncushioned by wealth and fame, Emma has so little experience of real life she’s ignorant of how ignorant she is.”_ _“I wasn’t a multimillionaire at fourteen. I lived in poverty while writing the book that made Emma famous”_ _“I therefore understand from my own life experience what the trashing of women’s rights in which Emma has so enthusiastically participated means to women and girls without her privileges”_ Also: I’ve walked by JK Rowling’s childhood home: all that stuff about “growing up in poverty” is pure bull. Her family wasn’t rich, but that ain’t poverty. ---
**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:** [September 29, 2025, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pee-ew-in-september-september-mini-rants/1022657/328 "2025-09-29T23:12:41Z")
I read that today and it was so abhorrent I almost posted it in the evil MFers thread. ---
**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:** [September 29, 2025, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pee-ew-in-september-september-mini-rants/1022657/329 "2025-09-29T23:45:15Z")
> [@Mijin](#): > > Also: I’ve walked by JK Rowling’s childhood home: all that stuff about “growing up in poverty” is pure bull. Her family wasn’t rich, but that ain’t poverty. This was her childhood home (from age 9 until adulthood). > **[Church Cottage, Tutshill](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_Cottage,_Tutshill)** > > Church Cottage in the village of Tutshill, Gloucestershire, England, is a Grade II listed building, thought to have been designed by the architect Henry Woodyer. It was the childhood home, between the ages of 9 and 18, of Joanne Rowling, author (as J. K. Rowling) of the Harry Potter series of fantasy books. > The building was constructed in about 1852 in the Victorian Gothic style, and was originally used as a schoolhouse and then a rectory. Henry Woodyer designed the adjoining St. Luke's Chur... [![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e7/Church_Cottage%2C_Tutshill.jpg/1920px-Church_Cottage%2C_Tutshill.jpg) ](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e7/Church_Cottage%2C_Tutshill.jpg/1920px-Church_Cottage%2C_Tutshill.jpg) Her parents didn’t have a college education, but they were both in the UK Royal Navy at one point, and after service worked their way into decent professional careers, building a decent middle-class life. I certainly grew up poorer than she did, though like her parents I worked my way into a professional career. In your quote, though, she didn’t say she “grew up” in poverty. She said she “lived in poverty” while writing the books, which is plausible. At the time, Rowling worked temp jobs (secretarial in nature) and I don’t doubt she wasn’t making a lot of money. She also married a man who was physically abusive to her, and when she left him she found herself a single mother with very little income. I don’t think she was lying about being in poverty during the time she wrote the books. None of that excuses her hatred, bigotry, and overall pettiness, of course. ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2025, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pee-ew-in-september-september-mini-rants/1022657/330 "2025-09-30T00:36:27Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > In your quote, though, she didn’t say she “grew up” in poverty. She said she “lived in poverty” while writing the books, which is plausible. At the time, Rowling worked temp jobs (secretarial in nature) and I don’t doubt she wasn’t making a lot of money. Right – I should have been a bit more careful there. But in fairness, my slip is partly because of the slightly devious phrasing, where she contrasts Emma’s wealth at age 14 with…what was actually a brief period in Rowling’s adult life, after moving back to the UK and the breakup of her relationship. It’s definitely meant to leave you with the _impression_ that Emma grew up rich and Rowling grew up poor. The former is correct, but Rowling was comfortably middle class. And the temp jobs while secretarial, were explicitly bilingual and for employers like the Chamber of Commerce. Again not hugely paid but nowhere near minimum wage and hence _poverty_ wages. ---
**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:** [September 30, 2025, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pee-ew-in-september-september-mini-rants/1022657/331 "2025-09-30T00:40:33Z")
> [@Mijin](#): > > It’s definitely meant to leave you with the _impression_ that Emma grew up rich and Rowling grew up poor. The former is correct, but Rowling was comfortably middle class. Oh, I don’t disagree with you here. Her statement was at best misleading, and overall nasty. ---
**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:** [September 30, 2025, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pee-ew-in-september-september-mini-rants/1022657/332 "2025-09-30T13:04:40Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > I don’t know where else to put this, but I finished my novel. Huge congrats! Now, relax a bit. Plenty of time to pick another hobby… ---
**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:** [September 30, 2025, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pee-ew-in-september-september-mini-rants/1022657/333 "2025-09-30T19:40:17Z")
> [@digs](#): > > Huge congrats! > > Now, relax a bit. Plenty of time to pick another hobby… Thanks. I’m trying my hand at science fiction now. This is the most exciting part about writing a book, when you have no idea where it’s going. ---
**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:** [September 30, 2025, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pee-ew-in-september-september-mini-rants/1022657/334 "2025-09-30T21:16:40Z")
Finally having my sleep study tonight. The timing is shit, I’m still kinda reeling from last week, and the HR guy scheduled a meeting at 9am the following day, so I’m going to have to leave the lab at 6:30am, go home and shower then drive all the way out to work and have three meetings and get nothing done. I don’t even know what to say about FMLA. I mentioned it as a potential option and that I needed to think about it, and he keeps trying to accelerate this process and I don’t even know what my son is going to need at this point. Or what I need. I have so much work on my plate this month and I’m supposed to do it with reduced hours? I just don’t see it working. I would love the time but I just don’t know if I can make it. I’m so profoundly overwhelmed. Last night was just one long anxiety dream about work. I’m exhausted today, hopefully I can sleep better in the lab tonight, but I’m not holding my breath. ---
**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:** [September 30, 2025, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pee-ew-in-september-september-mini-rants/1022657/335 "2025-09-30T22:21:31Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > Last night was just one long anxiety dream about work. I’m exhausted today, hopefully I can sleep better in the lab tonight, but I’m not holding my breath. All the sleep studies I’ve heard of lately are done with borrowed units you take home with you, not labs anymore. Much easier to sleep in your own bed. But good luck! ---
**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:** [September 30, 2025, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pee-ew-in-september-september-mini-rants/1022657/336 "2025-09-30T23:03:21Z")
I tried that a few years ago. It was inconclusive. So probably good to just get it done in lab. ---
**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:** [September 30, 2025, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pee-ew-in-september-september-mini-rants/1022657/337 "2025-09-30T23:07:18Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > I’m trying my hand at science fiction now. This is the most exciting part about writing a book, when you have no idea where it’s going. Stephen King made the same comment about his writing. In the realm of fiction, I’ve never written anything more than a short story, but I can imagine the fun of creating your own world on the fly. Never did it, but I can appreciate 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:** [September 30, 2025, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pee-ew-in-september-september-mini-rants/1022657/338 "2025-09-30T23:09:20Z")
When it’s going right, it’s _euphoric._ It’s only all the other times where you suffer. 😊 ---
**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 1, 2025, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pee-ew-in-september-september-mini-rants/1022657/339 "2025-10-01T13:26:29Z")
New month of griping: > [@Season of the Kvetch (October Mini-Rants)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/season-of-the-kvetch-october-mini-rants/1023563): > > Continuing the discussion from [Pee-ew in September (September mini rants)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pee-ew-in-september-september-mini-rants/1022657): It’s now time to stress about Halloween. I generally love the holiday but every year we get more and more trick-or-treaters. Last year we went through three giant bags of assorted candy from Costco and this year I have no idea how much it will take. There are just more people around each year. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pee-ew-in-september-september-mini-rants/1022657.md?page=16)