# Unjust August (Mini-Rants) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Tags:** monthly-mini-rant\ **Created:** [August 1, 2025, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unjust-august-mini-rants/1021570 "2025-08-01T05:04:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Showing post:** 28
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2025, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unjust-august-mini-rants/1021570/28 "2025-08-01T20:30:34Z")
Continuing the discussion from [Jewel Eye: Staring down the beryl (July Mini-Rants)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewel-eye-staring-down-the-beryl-july-mini-rants/1020332/345): > [@Jewel Eye: Staring down the beryl (July Mini-Rants)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewel-eye-staring-down-the-beryl-july-mini-rants/1020332/345): > > You are not entirely wrong. Most telecom companies are desperate to shut down their TDM networks. These switches are expensive to run, require a shitload of power, and just are not as reliable as IP switches. Also, the folks who actually know how to maintain them are all retiring. I believe every word you said! They’re awful. They’ve convinced me to get off their system as soon as I can arrange it. I’m upgrading my internet service next week and will migrate my phones to VoIP as soon as the ISP equipment upgrades have been accomplished. My CL phone service was restored yesterday afternoon, but no telling for how long I’ll have it so I’m working fast. * * * New sort-of mini-rant: I am now pondless. From the day I moved into my place, there was a charming farm pond that provided habitat for fish and game. It has always been a feature of my property, and though I never used it for much, it was pleasant to have. The other day as I was leaving the property, I glanced over at the pond and there was… no pond. Gone. Empty. The little fishing dock in it is dry and fully exposed, as is the spillover outlet. I suspect roots from one of the many trees drilled through the dam. Repairing it would be a difficult and expensive undertaking. I guess I now have only a creek. Makes me sad. --- _[View the full topic](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unjust-august-mini-rants/1021570)._