# Your greatest and most august mini-rants **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 1, 2017, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-greatest-and-most-august-mini-rants/792550 "2017-08-01T06:12:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 14
**Author:** ![Helena330](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/helena330/32/531_2.png) [@Helena330](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena330)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2017, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-greatest-and-most-august-mini-rants/792550/261 "2017-08-30T16:37:28Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Our veterinarian spays cats right up to their due date. So killing a litter of kittens. That wouldn’t be my vet. ---
**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:** [August 30, 2017, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-greatest-and-most-august-mini-rants/792550/262 "2017-08-30T16:48:20Z")
> [@Helena330](#): > > So killing a litter of kittens. That wouldn’t be my vet. Killing a litter _or_ saving the pregnant female, depends how you look at it. Pregnancy is not a risk-free state. I’ve known several people who could not afford a c section, where the alternative is humane euthanasia. ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2017, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-greatest-and-most-august-mini-rants/792550/263 "2017-08-30T18:55:08Z")
> [@Folacin](#): > > I’m just curious as to why they didn’t go ahead and spay her anyway. Unless it is would have put her at risk? There is no shortage of kittens in the world, so I don’t understand a reluctance to abort this set? I know it’s their policy, and that policy seems to be pretty consistent across the no-kill, TNR rescue groups of which I’m aware. I don’t know the reasoning. ---
**Author:** ![Helena330](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/helena330/32/531_2.png) [@Helena330](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena330)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2017, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-greatest-and-most-august-mini-rants/792550/264 "2017-08-30T21:18:05Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Killing a litter _or_ saving the pregnant female, depends how you look at it. Pregnancy is not a risk-free state. I’ve known several people who could not afford a c section, where the alternative is humane euthanasia. Ok, I didn’t understand you meant only one or the other(s) could be saved. I thought you meant a standard spay when the kittens were almost at term, which I found horrifying. I agree that it would be a difficult choice most likely made on the assessment of who had the better chance of survival. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2017, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-greatest-and-most-august-mini-rants/792550/265 "2017-08-30T21:29:11Z")
Who the hell decided the journalistic standard for reporting on a tweet was to put the text of the tweet in quotes, then put it again in a slightly indented box in the same font? It just looks stupid. ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2017, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-greatest-and-most-august-mini-rants/792550/266 "2017-08-30T21:36:51Z")
> [@Helena330](#): > > Ok, I didn’t understand you meant only one or the other(s) could be saved. I thought you meant a standard spay when the kittens were almost at term, which I found horrifying. I agree that it would be a difficult choice most likely made on the assessment of who had the better chance of survival. Just to clarify, in this case, the mother’s life was in no danger. It was not a choice of removing the litter or saving her life, and she was within about two weeks of giving birth when they found out she was pregnant. ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2017, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-greatest-and-most-august-mini-rants/792550/267 "2017-08-30T21:38:47Z")
In other news, I cracked my head but good on a concrete floor on the 19th, and while the lump and the tenderness have greatly reduced, it _still hurts_. And putting an ice pack on it directly (that is, not wrapped in something) actually makes it hurt worse. Ugh. ---
**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:** [August 31, 2017, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-greatest-and-most-august-mini-rants/792550/268 "2017-08-31T00:03:21Z")
> [@Morgyn](#): > > One of the kitten fosterers I watch is losing a kitten tonight. It’s fading. Poor wee kitten didn’t bake long enough, or there’s something congenitally wrong. The fosterer thinks that maybe the Mama was aborting the group of kittens it was born in (there was an empty sac and two stillborns in the group), and this one just happened to survive. One of the things making him think that is that another kitten was born today, four days after the first group. THIS one is extremely vigorous and hasn’t stopped nursing for about 6 hours. > > Everyone watching is very sad and heartbroken for the fosterer. He’s worked night and day to save this kitten. ☹ I’m watching the same one. I couldn’t get away to sneak a peek to see how the kitten was doing so I got the sad news when I got home today. Glad the surprise kitten is doing well. I’m too lazy to dig up the workplace rants thread so… Fix the goddamn elevators already! Our building is just about a year old and the elevators have never worked right for any stretch of time. This morning I was greeted by the building manager who was manually working the elevators. He could get them to stop on only three of the eight floors. I don’t like elevators much anyways so to get into one and not trust that it’s going to work is no fun. ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2017, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-greatest-and-most-august-mini-rants/792550/269 "2017-08-31T00:16:20Z")
I’ve worked in the no-kill shelter business and doing spay/neuter surgery since 2003. Spay abort is standard, and if we found out another shelter in the area wasn’t doing it and perpetuating litters, possibly generating hundreds to thousands more preventable cats in the area, the rest of the shelter community here would make sure they weren’t a shelter any more. Finders, fosters, and TNR caregivers who refuse spays (and often it’s not obvious the cat is pregnant until the incision is done), after it’s all explained, are no longer welcome to receive services. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2017, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-greatest-and-most-august-mini-rants/792550/270 "2017-08-31T00:17:07Z")
> [@Dr.Girlfriend](#): > > I’m too lazy to dig up the workplace rants thread so… Fix the goddamn elevators already! Our building is just about a year old and the elevators have never worked right for any stretch of time. This morning I was greeted by the building manager who was manually working the elevators. He could get them to stop on only three of the eight floors. I don’t like elevators much anyways so to get into one and not trust that it’s going to work is no fun. Contact the state inspector. Most states require annual inspections of elevators, and they are quite concerned about ones not working properly. There should be an inspection permit inside the elevator (usually in with the emergency phone) that will have the contact info for the inspection authority. Or just google your state = ‘elevator inspection’. ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2017, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-greatest-and-most-august-mini-rants/792550/271 "2017-08-31T01:33:32Z")
> [@SeaDragonTattoo](#): > > I’ve worked in the no-kill shelter business and doing spay/neuter surgery since 2003. Spay abort is standard, and if we found out another shelter in the area wasn’t doing it and perpetuating litters, possibly generating hundreds to thousands more preventable cats in the area, the rest of the shelter community here would make sure they weren’t a shelter any more. > > Finders, fosters, and TNR caregivers who refuse spays (and often it’s not obvious the cat is pregnant until the incision is done), after it’s all explained, are no longer welcome to receive services. The one’s I’m referring to allow the momma to have her litter. ALL of the kittens, and the momma, are fixed before they’re adopted out. ---
**Author:** ![UCBearcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/77aa72/32.png) [@UCBearcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UCBearcats)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2017, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-greatest-and-most-august-mini-rants/792550/272 "2017-08-31T01:53:38Z")
> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#): > > Contact the state inspector. Most states require annual inspections of elevators, and they are quite concerned about ones not working properly. > > There should be an inspection permit inside the elevator (usually in with the emergency phone) that will have the contact info for the inspection authority. Or just google your state = ‘elevator inspection’. Get the state involved as it is a huge ADA violation to not have the elevator working. ---
**Author:** ![Helena330](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/helena330/32/531_2.png) [@Helena330](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena330)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2017, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-greatest-and-most-august-mini-rants/792550/273 "2017-08-31T15:26:51Z")
> [@SeaDragonTattoo](#): > > I’ve worked in the no-kill shelter business and doing spay/neuter surgery since 2003. Spay abort is standard, and if we found out another shelter in the area wasn’t doing it and perpetuating litters, possibly generating hundreds to thousands more preventable cats in the area, the rest of the shelter community here would make sure they weren’t a shelter any more. > > Finders, fosters, and TNR caregivers who refuse spays (and often it’s not obvious the cat is pregnant until the incision is done), after it’s all explained, are no longer welcome to receive services. So what you’re saying is that killing near-term kittens is standard practice?? Or am I having trouble with my reading comprehension? I certainly understand and agree with controlling the population, but that blows my mind and no shelter I’ve ever worked with has done it. What’s done with the live kittens? OMG. If that’s true, it’s sickening. ---
**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:** [August 31, 2017, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-greatest-and-most-august-mini-rants/792550/274 "2017-08-31T16:57:28Z")
> [@Helena330](#): > > So what you’re saying is that killing near-term kittens is standard practice?? Or am I having trouble with my reading comprehension? I certainly understand and agree with controlling the population, but that blows my mind and no shelter I’ve ever worked with has done it. What’s done with the live kittens? > > OMG. If that’s true, it’s sickening. This is standard for cat shelters around here, and I only support shelters that do this. The pregnant female is the patient. It is safer for her to remove the pregnancy than it is to allow her to go to term. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2017, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-greatest-and-most-august-mini-rants/792550/275 "2017-09-01T00:13:10Z")
I just now realized that the word “defecation” basically means “de-fecalize”. I’m so stupid. ---
**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:** [September 1, 2017, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-greatest-and-most-august-mini-rants/792550/276 "2017-09-01T02:41:46Z")
It’s gonna be up to 115 degrees this weekend. Sigh. ---
**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 1, 2017, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-greatest-and-most-august-mini-rants/792550/277 "2017-09-01T04:48:46Z")
> [@Leaper](#): > > I just now realized that the word “defecation” basically means “de-fecalize”. > > I’m so stupid. No, you’re not. I’m a smarty-pants teacher, and I learned it from you! If I were defenestrated, I’d be simultaneously defecalized. ---
**Author:** ![Helena330](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/helena330/32/531_2.png) [@Helena330](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena330)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2017, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-greatest-and-most-august-mini-rants/792550/278 "2017-09-01T06:10:41Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > This is standard for cat shelters around here, and I only support shelters that do this. The pregnant female is the patient. It is safer for her to remove the pregnancy than it is to allow her to go to term. I’m astonished. In the several shelters where I’ve volunteered, healthy pregnant mamas were allowed to give birth. If there were problems, appropriate decisions were made. Not ONCE have I heard that the mama was spayed so as not to have to deal with the babies. Not once. How can attitudes be so different? How are the live kittens killed?? Are they euthanized or just allowed to die? Jesus. ---
**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:** [September 1, 2017, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-greatest-and-most-august-mini-rants/792550/279 "2017-09-01T11:35:25Z")
> [@Helena330](#): > > How are the live kittens killed?? Are they euthanized or just allowed to die? Jesus. I’ve participated in spay-a-thons (Doris Day spay day). Sometimes a barbiturate is injected into a uterine vessel after the uterus has been removed en bloc. For early pregnancies, where the fetuses are tiny, the tissue is just discarded. A question for you: in the shelters you’ve volunteered in, how is pregnancy diagnosed preoperatively? When cats are being spayed, early pregnancies are often the case and not known until surgery. Indeed, in cats trapped in the spring, the vast majority are pregnant at time of spay. Is your objection to _any_ aborted pregnancy or only later stage pregnancies? ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2017, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-greatest-and-most-august-mini-rants/792550/280 "2017-09-01T12:08:12Z")
Holy crap, it’s already morning and nobody has won the race to be the one to start the minirant thread and give it a cutesy title? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-greatest-and-most-august-mini-rants/792550.md?page=13) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-greatest-and-most-august-mini-rants/792550.md?page=15)