# Thanks for Nothin'! November Mini-Rants **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 1, 2023, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanks-for-nothin-november-mini-rants/992417 "2023-11-01T13:42:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2023, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanks-for-nothin-november-mini-rants/992417/101 "2023-11-04T11:47:30Z")
I used to have a compressor that plugged into the cigarette lighter (or whatever that outlet is called these days) but never seemed to have enough oomph to air up my car tires. Maybe it’s time to look for a new one. This is the second time in a year or so that I’ve got stuck waiting behind a knucklehead who didn’t seem to know how to use the air pump. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2023, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanks-for-nothin-november-mini-rants/992417/102 "2023-11-04T12:24:07Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > From my POV it isn’t necessarily hard to do, it’s more a question of it being worth my time. If I buy something for $4.17 and it is bad, returning it involves a 20 minute drive there and then 20 minute drive home. The cost of gas and wear and tear on my vehicle means that I’m out \>$4.17. I’ve also wasted an hour of my time which is worth far more than $4.17. > > I try to ascertain that what I’m buying is what it purports to be. If it turns out I’m wrong, I just accept that I’ve fucked up. That’s my POV as well. Accept it and move on. It’s not worth the hassle. And to have to remember to return the item on my next grocery run requires that I keep the receipt (I don’t keep any receipts), and it’s another thing on my to do list. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2023, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanks-for-nothin-november-mini-rants/992417/103 "2023-11-04T12:29:51Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > (I don’t keep any receipts) I typically leave my receipt hanging when I self checkout. If there’s a cashier I tell them no thanks when they offer me a receipt. ---
**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:** [November 4, 2023, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanks-for-nothin-november-mini-rants/992417/104 "2023-11-04T13:17:14Z")
> [@Shoeless](#): > > I used to have a compressor that plugged into the cigarette lighter (or whatever that outlet is called these days) but never seemed to have enough oomph to air up my car tires. Maybe it’s time to look for a new one. This is the second time in a year or so that I’ve got stuck waiting behind a knucklehead who didn’t seem to know how to use the air pump. I have one of those. Very handy. Leaving my car in hard-to-access parking lots for several days at a time as I often do, I never go anywhere without mine. Modern decent ones have plenty of oomph to fill a car tire to even 40 psi. Not real quickly, but it still takes as long to get it out of the trunk, unpack it and hook it up as it takes for it to top-up a tire. Just screw the nozzle onto the tire’s valve stem, flip the switch & watch the gauge slowly climb for a minute or 3. Mine is a few years old and now with modern battery tech it seems most include an onboard Li-ion battery so they can even be used without a car nearby. This seems to be the latest iteration of what I have: [https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07JLTMQJT](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07JLTMQJT) ---
**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:** [November 4, 2023, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanks-for-nothin-november-mini-rants/992417/105 "2023-11-04T13:30:03Z")
> [@DocCathode](#): > > “I care for you deeply. I want us to express our feelings physically. Would you kindly put your wang in my hooha and shimmy shimmy until we both yeehaw?” Thought of this at a most inappropriate time this morning, dang you! 😠 😄 ---
**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:** [November 4, 2023, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanks-for-nothin-november-mini-rants/992417/106 "2023-11-04T14:14:11Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > This reminds me of trying to get my scrip filled at Walgreens… and the line was too long to sit through… I feel like I lucked out. When I went on Medicare, I found a “Community” pharmacy nearby I’d never noticed. Well, it’s run by Walgreen’s, but it’s tiny. No store, just a prescription window that you can walk right up to (ONCE there was someone in line). The downsides are what you’d expect of a tiny, small town pharmacy. Not open weekends, close at 6, and (this blows my mind) they take a half hour lunch break because they usually only have one pharmacist working. . And they don’t have the huge floor-standing Tube Tester cabinet for Doc’s cathode tubes… ---
**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:** [November 4, 2023, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanks-for-nothin-november-mini-rants/992417/107 "2023-11-04T15:17:43Z")
Thanks for the tip, but those things are made for standard 750 ml bottles and slight variants thereof. It specifically says it will not fit the wide-mouth 1.75 liter bottles. For some reason (possibly some arcane legality) bars typically don’t buy the large bottles. Eh, I solved the problem by staging the rum in a 300 ml plastic Coke bottle, which I fill using a kitchen funnel. Same funnel I use for filling small water bottles from a giant jug of spring water. 300 ml is equal to just under 7 normal shots, probably more like 5 the way I pour! ---
**Author:** ![Mundane\_Super\_Hero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mundane_super_hero/32/6304_2.png) [@Mundane\_Super\_Hero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mundane_Super_Hero)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2023, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanks-for-nothin-november-mini-rants/992417/108 "2023-11-04T15:28:18Z")
I bet he has a Toyota. When it gets colder in the Fall, every single Toyota has their internal ‘low pressure warning’ light go off. The driver has to literally fill all of his/her tires to the Exact PSI to turn it off. PS- That goes for the spare too. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Girlfriend](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.girlfriend/32/193_2.png) [@Dr.Girlfriend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Girlfriend)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2023, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanks-for-nothin-november-mini-rants/992417/109 "2023-11-04T16:43:44Z")
This is true. I drive a Corolla. First time the temperature goes below 20F I have to top off all the tires. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2023, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanks-for-nothin-november-mini-rants/992417/110 "2023-11-04T16:46:07Z")
My old landlord- the place where my lease expired and I haven’t lived for two months and I formally gave notice of moving out- wants rent for this month. I keep calling. I keep getting the answering service. I don’t live there. My lease expired. I wish they would leave me alone. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2023, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanks-for-nothin-november-mini-rants/992417/111 "2023-11-04T16:49:12Z")
Yup. RAV4. Another annoying thing my Toyota does – do they all do this? – as soon as the external temperature hits 37°, I get the “Warning! Roads may be icy!” alert. Exactly 37°, every single time, doesn’t matter what the weather is. ---
**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:** [November 4, 2023, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanks-for-nothin-november-mini-rants/992417/112 "2023-11-04T16:58:43Z")
I would send them a registered letter giving the particulars and dates and politely telling them to fuck off. If you appear to be just ignoring them, even if it’s their fault that they’re unresponsive, it could damage your lease history and even possibly your credit rating. ---
**Author:** ![LurkMeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@LurkMeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkMeister)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2023, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanks-for-nothin-november-mini-rants/992417/113 "2023-11-04T17:07:07Z")
Hmm. I’ve got a friend coming over during Thanksgiving week. Maybe I can go with her to the local Massage Envy and see if she wants anything. Unfortunately, using it to get her a massage isn’t an option, because she’s not into those. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2023, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanks-for-nothin-november-mini-rants/992417/114 "2023-11-04T18:18:49Z")
> [@Shoeless](#): > > Another annoying thing my Toyota does – do they all do this? – as soon as the external temperature hits 37°, I get the “Warning! Roads may be icy!” alert. Exactly 37°, every single time, doesn’t matter what the weather is. My 2019 4Runner does not do this, and I go through large temp differences. 🤷‍♂️ ---
**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:** [November 4, 2023, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanks-for-nothin-november-mini-rants/992417/115 "2023-11-04T18:23:24Z")
Many cars have a temperature-triggered warning about potentially icy roads. And since the only input the computer has is temperature, that’s the only thing it cares about. Note also that bridges can be icy from dew on cold clear nights and mornings. It doesn’t have to be actively snowing for roads and especially bridges to be icy. You might be able to switch that alert off within the bowels of the settings menu for the car’s computer. If you can’t, maybe the dealer can with their configuration tools. Googling might give you the secret recipe as well. If there is one. ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2023, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanks-for-nothin-november-mini-rants/992417/116 "2023-11-04T18:51:37Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > I’ve been banned for 3 days Badge of honor. My gripe is that someone stole the chair cushion I mail ordered out of the package room at our apartment bldg. Hell, the UPS driver is probably sitting on it today. This guarantees that I will ask my friend if I can ship all deliveries to her address. But the real problem is that I can’t afford to order a new one because of job change and general skint-ness. This was my one splurge purchase at only $70 but rent is due and I’m still waiting on my first job. Luckily, the landlord is aware of skintness (but is denying that someone would steal my cushion) so I am not panicking about overdue rent. Yet. But damn the chairs at work are hard on my back. The cushion was supposed to help. ---
**Author:** ![Al128](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/al128/32/16541_2.png) [@Al128](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al128)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2023, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanks-for-nothin-november-mini-rants/992417/117 "2023-11-04T20:04:08Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > I have one of those. Very handy. Leaving my car in hard-to-access parking lots for several days at a time as I often do, I never go anywhere without mine. > > Modern decent ones have plenty of oomph to fill a car tire to even 40 psi. Not real quickly, but it still takes as long to get it out of the trunk, unpack it and hook it up as it takes for it to top-up a tire. Just screw the nozzle onto the tire’s valve stem, flip the switch & watch the gauge slowly climb for a minute or 3. the trick is to have the engine running when operating the compressor - as this brings the voltage up to 14.7v - as opposed to 12.7ish … and hence some 15% faster … and won’t leave you stranded in a worst case scenario > [@carnut](#): > > But damn the chairs at work are hard on my back. The cushion was supposed to help. don’t you have work inspection or somesuch to take care of that kind of stupidity? ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2023, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanks-for-nothin-november-mini-rants/992417/118 "2023-11-04T21:43:28Z")
> [@Al128](#): > > don’t you have work inspection or somesuch to take care of that kind of stupidity? No, the business runs on a shoestring because this is a lowest-bidder contract. There’s lots of problems that they must pay attention to and chairs are on the list but there are higher priority items that must be tackled first. We now have better headsets than the ones I trained on. They are getting the parking lot paved (this was a serious need for a company that must keep their small busses and vans running). I’m not sure where chairs fall on the list, but I imagine they can’t bring in new chairs until they know they have eradicated the bedbug problem (that they inherited from previous occupants). And I just discovered that the bedbug problem needs a better solution than the one they are using. Just wait until I tell HR… ---
**Author:** ![Al128](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/al128/32/16541_2.png) [@Al128](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al128)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2023, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanks-for-nothin-november-mini-rants/992417/119 "2023-11-05T02:11:57Z")
ok, the bedbug problem makes the chair problem sound so much less relevant, … oh boy … ---
**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:** [November 5, 2023, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanks-for-nothin-november-mini-rants/992417/120 "2023-11-05T02:23:56Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > … my cheap Chinese tires started to develop slow leaks. The useless fuckers never had decent traction, either. So I replaced them with Firestone all-weather\* tires, which are excellent on wet and dry pavement and pretty decent in snow. And they don’t leak! I just checked to make sure, and FTR, it’s these – Firestone Weathergrip – great tires for those who can’t be bothered to switch between summer and winter tires and who live in a marginal area where it’s not really necessary but you do get some snow … [![](https://assets.firestonetire.com/content/dam/consumer/fst/shared/tires/weathergrip-weathergrip/tilted.jpg) ](https://assets.firestonetire.com/content/dam/consumer/fst/shared/tires/weathergrip-weathergrip/tilted.jpg) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanks-for-nothin-november-mini-rants/992417.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanks-for-nothin-november-mini-rants/992417.md?page=7)