# You May Share Your Mini-Rants Here! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 1, 2014, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-may-share-your-mini-rants-here/687431 "2014-05-01T12:30:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 18
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2014, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-may-share-your-mini-rants-here/687431/341 "2014-05-27T15:47:10Z")
IIRC, they drown in it. ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_Hey\_Paula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hey\_Hey\_Paula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_Hey_Paula)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2014, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-may-share-your-mini-rants-here/687431/342 "2014-05-27T16:09:03Z")
I’ve been trying to find time to get my car’s AC fixed for months - it’s hot as hell in L.A. right now, and I’ve been miserable when driving. So, finally, my life calms down a bit and I get some weekend time back (my late in-laws’ house is finally sold, I no longer have to spend my weekends getting it ready for sale), so I make plans to take the car in Friday evening. Hooray, right? By Tuesday, it is apparent that my clutch is going and needs to be replaced. So, Friday evening I take the car in, not to get the AC fixed, but to get a new clutch. I get it back Sunday evening, and Monday afternoon I went to do some errands…in the 90+ degree heat. And it’s going to be in the 90’s all this week. I’m so tired of heatwaves. This summer is going to be miserable. ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2014, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-may-share-your-mini-rants-here/687431/343 "2014-05-27T16:49:39Z")
> [@Lacunae\_Matata](#): > > Also, I can’t let Tony see the sentry gun site. He’ll want one, and the safe is already full, and I would insist on keeping that in the gun safe, and that would kind of defeat the purpose, wouldn’t it?! But it’s just a paintball gun. Harmless fun! (Aside from the welts and bruises of course.) ---
**Author:** ![Lacunae\_Matata](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8491ac/32.png) [@Lacunae\_Matata](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lacunae_Matata)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2014, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-may-share-your-mini-rants-here/687431/344 "2014-05-27T17:32:01Z")
I have a 2-year-old and a 4-year-old. There’s no such thing as “harmless” paint in my house! (Yes, my son and I painted the entire flipping house before we moved in January. And since then, I’ve touched up the walls no fewer than 4 times: the girls got into Sharpies, my lipstick, crayons, and most memorably, a can of spray paint. And they can find/reach EVERYTHING - from the tallest shelf to the cabinets with “child-proof” latches - if they are unsupervised for a nanosecond.) ---
**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:** [May 27, 2014, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-may-share-your-mini-rants-here/687431/345 "2014-05-27T17:57:32Z")
“Harmless” probably isn’t as much of a problem as “fun.” Or rather, “harmless” makes people think it’s okay to platy with indoors, and next thing you know, visitors start thinking that your interior decorator was Jackson Pollock. ---
**Author:** ![overlyverbose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9dc877/32.png) [@overlyverbose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/overlyverbose)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2014, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-may-share-your-mini-rants-here/687431/346 "2014-05-27T18:28:05Z")
> [@slalexan](#): > > She’s two months old and I feel like a bad parent if we take her out or to daycare without her feet covered. Anyway, It turns out that the cat finds them to be fun play things. Should have checked under the bed before buying new socks. Oh well, can’t have too many baby socks. > > And since this is the pit, I pit the upstairs neighbors. They must be elephants for all the noise they make walking around. Parental guilt is fun, isn’t it? Daycare used to be give me crap about not covering my kids’ feet, too, even in summer when it was nearly 100 degrees. Unfortunately, my daughter is the sweatiest kid alive, even when she was 2 months old. Her feet would smell to high heaven if they were covered too much. As long as they’re covered when they might be cold, I think you’re golden. ---
**Author:** ![LavenderBlue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e95f7d/32.png) [@LavenderBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LavenderBlue)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2014, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-may-share-your-mini-rants-here/687431/347 "2014-05-27T19:55:42Z")
> [@Projammer](#): > > Ya’ll just haven’t given enough consideration to the entertainment opportunity presented here. > > You really need [one of these.](http://realsentrygun.com/) Or two. > > Me too! Happy birthday to us! Sorry you had to work. May is a fabulous month for a birthday. I gave birth to my eldest in late December and she has never quite forgiven me for it. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2014, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-may-share-your-mini-rants-here/687431/348 "2014-05-27T19:59:48Z")
> [@Projammer](#): > > But it’s just a paintball gun. Harmless fun! (Aside from the welts and bruises of course.) And the putting your eye out chance. ---
**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:** [May 27, 2014, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-may-share-your-mini-rants-here/687431/349 "2014-05-27T20:55:05Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > We sold our house! > > And I got into a verbal altercation while walking home from the store this afternoon. 🙂 (Some people don’t take getting filmed while breaking the law very well.) Sweet! Congratulations. Also, ouch about the altercation. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2014, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-may-share-your-mini-rants-here/687431/350 "2014-05-27T22:22:17Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > When I have modem trouble, all the best help is online. This is an eternal frustration with no obvious solution. We were having problems with our cable and they wanted to send out a tech and charge us for his services. I tried contacting the cable company online to work through what the problem was, but the cable bill is in my mother’s name. My mother is: 1-Technophobic 2-Virtually blind They would only deal with her via chat, which was not an option. ---
**Author:** ![flatlined](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb9ed0/32.png) [@flatlined](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flatlined)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2014, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-may-share-your-mini-rants-here/687431/351 "2014-05-27T23:11:25Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > We were having problems with our cable and they wanted to send out a tech and charge us for his services. I tried contacting the cable company online to work through what the problem was, but the cable bill is in my mother’s name. My mother is: > 1-Technophobic > 2-Virtually blind > > They would only deal with her via chat, which was not an option. That bites. Can you do the keyboard stuff with her giving you the answers? That’s not really lying, because you would be translating for her…just like you would if she spoke a different language than the CSR. **LavenderBlue** Happy birthday. It sucks having to work on your birthday, no matter when it is. Our washing machine was supposed to be delivered today. It wasn’t. I don’t know what happened, and I really don’t care. They made excuses and apologized. I’ve cancelled the delivery and had the fee refunded. Tomorrow my plan is to borrow one of the company’s pick-ups that have a lift and pick it up myself. Its not far, I can do it at lunch. The biggest problem I’ll have is that people (Tony, husband, housekeeper, assorted neighbors, random strangers off the street.) will try to help. I have a plan. I know what I’m doing. I know how to move things that weigh more than I do. Get the fuck out of my way and let me do it! Good lord, why is replacing an appliance such a pain in the butt? ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2014, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-may-share-your-mini-rants-here/687431/352 "2014-05-28T01:28:45Z")
> [@Yllaria](#): > > Sweet! Congratulations. > > Also, ouch about the altercation. Thanks, and yeah, it was not as much fun as you’d think. For someone who doesn’t like confrontation, I seem to have quite a few of them! Happy Birthday, everybody! ---
**Author:** ![The\_Vorlon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@The\_Vorlon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Vorlon)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2014, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-may-share-your-mini-rants-here/687431/353 "2014-05-28T02:07:05Z")
> [@flatlined](#): > > That bites. Can you do the keyboard stuff with her giving you the answers? That’s not really lying, because you would be translating for her…just like you would if she spoke a different language than the CSR. > > **LavenderBlue** Happy birthday. It sucks having to work on your birthday, no matter when it is. > > Our washing machine was supposed to be delivered today. It wasn’t. I don’t know what happened, and I really don’t care. They made excuses and apologized. > > I’ve cancelled the delivery and had the fee refunded. Tomorrow my plan is to borrow one of the company’s pick-ups that have a lift and pick it up myself. Its not far, I can do it at lunch. The biggest problem I’ll have is that people (Tony, husband, housekeeper, assorted neighbors, random strangers off the street.) will try to help. > > I have a plan. I know what I’m doing. I know how to move things that weigh more than I do. Get the fuck out of my way and let me do it! > > Good lord, why is replacing an appliance such a pain in the butt? Because said unit has a core of depleted Uranium. Accept the help, washers make a equal volume of lead look light. ---
**Author:** ![flatlined](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb9ed0/32.png) [@flatlined](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flatlined)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2014, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-may-share-your-mini-rants-here/687431/354 "2014-05-28T03:01:53Z")
> [@The\_Vorlon](#): > > Because said unit has a core of depleted Uranium. Accept the help, washers make a equal volume of lead look light. Cracks up. As usual. I always love your pithy comments. You are right, they are heavy. But, I’ve been moving heavy stuff for a very long time and I know how to do it without hurting myself…as long as other people don’t get in my way. Seriously, open the door for me, that’s helpful. Standing out of the way while I’m moving something heavy is also very helpful. Running up to help while I’ve got the load moving risks someone getting run over and makes me have to stop and then lever the hand truck back up. That is very not helpful, so just don’t do it. ---
**Author:** ![eenerms](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/cdc98d/32.png) [@eenerms](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eenerms)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2014, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-may-share-your-mini-rants-here/687431/355 "2014-05-28T04:09:11Z")
> [@eenerms](#): > > Bathtub faucet leaking and our handy man is on vacation. Oh how I dread to call a plumber.( I could try to fix it myself , but the water turn off is by the road, there is no valve in the house.) Handyman back…hope he calls tomorrow!! ---
**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:** [May 28, 2014, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-may-share-your-mini-rants-here/687431/356 "2014-05-28T05:21:05Z")
> [@flatlined](#): > > Good lord, why is replacing an appliance such a pain in the butt? The first time I bought a washer on my own, I made the mistake of purchasing the hoses but allowing them to be delivered with the washer rather than leaving the store with them that day. The delivery crew used the hoses that should have been mine for a different installation, and by the time they reached my house they didn’t have any hoses. :smack: But hey, the delivery was free, and they only scuffed the wall in one spot. ---
**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:** [May 28, 2014, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-may-share-your-mini-rants-here/687431/357 "2014-05-28T05:48:18Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > We were having problems with our cable and they wanted to send out a tech and charge us for his services. I tried contacting the cable company online to work through what the problem was, but the cable bill is in my mother’s name. My mother is: > 1-Technophobic > 2-Virtually blind > > They would only deal with her via chat, which was not an option. Is it webcam chat? What’s to stop you signing onto the chat feature AS your mother? Do they have some way of knnowing who’s typing into the dialogue fields? My minirant for the week: I did a load of laundry yesterday, with no problems. This morning I did another one, then took **kaylasmom** for a blood draw at the lab, followed by breakfast. When we got home, the ground surrounding the washer was covered with water. A look behind the washer revealed a continuous spray from the fitting on the cold water hose that I had replaced not six months ago. So I shut off the cold water supply valve and went to bed (what? I work nights, and I needed a nap). When I got up, I peered behind the washer and determined that I might be able to correct the problem by simply tightening the hose. Of course, that meant shutting off BOTH valves and disconnecting the hoses at the faucet, so I could manhandle the machine into a position where I could reach everything. But the operator on the hot water valve is broken, meaning I have to open and close it with a water pump pliers. AND the packing gland might as well be empty, so in betweenn the back seat and the main seat, the damn thing is spraying water everywhere. It’s a damp and annoying task. But at least it’s finished. ---
**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:** [May 28, 2014, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-may-share-your-mini-rants-here/687431/358 "2014-05-28T05:57:40Z")
BTW, **Cat Whisperer** , are you going to tell us about the verbal altercation, and the illegal behavior that its videoing precipitated it, or are you just teasing us with the hint? For now, I’m giving you the benefit of the doubt, and presuming that you’re prepping the video for posting on youtube, so you can provide visuals when you do tell us. ---
**Author:** ![slalexan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@slalexan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slalexan)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2014, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-may-share-your-mini-rants-here/687431/359 "2014-05-28T12:11:03Z")
If you can’t tell, I am a new mom. It has been awesome so far but I find the mommy community to be lacking when it comes to having research based recommendations. I have been told that I should both never microwave breastmilk and never shake it. I am a working mom so I pump while I am at work. I ask why, though, and the answers sound like bullshit. I look for the research that backs the recommendations and I can’t seem to find any. I would ask you all but I feel like I sound like a troll. “Why is it bad to shake breastmilk? And don’t give me none of that breaking the long chain fatty acid nonsense, I want real science.” See? That sounds troll-y to me. In case you are wondering, the reasons behind not microwaving breastmilk are usually related to uneven heating and evil plastics leeching into the milk. And you shouldn’t shake the breastmilk because it either breaks down long chain fatty acids into smaller ones or denatures the proteins. All of those sound like stupid and/or unfounded reasons to not do something. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2014, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-may-share-your-mini-rants-here/687431/360 "2014-05-28T14:16:57Z")
Does that also mean moms shouldn’t do vigorous exercise - or bending over - lest they screw up their own pre-dispensed breast milk? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-may-share-your-mini-rants-here/687431.md?page=17) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-may-share-your-mini-rants-here/687431.md?page=19)