The Vent and Rant Thread

[Dylrob]

You know the worst part of being congested? You lose the subtle fragrance that makes a good cup of tea so enjoyable!

[WT Sharpe]

Originally Posted by DawnFalcon

Probably still dosn't sting as badly as being bitten by a grass snake, though. It's like a really deep papercut ...

I just looked up grass snakes on Wikipedia. They look very similar to the garter snakes we have here in Virginia.

I found a garter snake by the pool in our backyard a few months ago, picked it up, and started talking to it. It bit me on the nose. Since these snakes are usually non-aggressive, at first I thought it must have been something I said, then I remembered that snakes are deaf to airborne sounds. Now there was a mystery to solve. I remained baffled as to its behavior for several minutes, but at length, reflection came to my aid. Of course the thing bit me. If I no ears and some strange creature picked me up and started showing off how its species could communicate via airborne communication, I’d probably bite the critter’s nose mydamnself.

I kept it around the house for a couple of days, then turned it loose where I had found it.

[DawnFalcon]

Originally Posted by WT Sharpe

I just looked up grass snakes on Wikipedia. They look very similar to the garter snakes we have here in Virginia.

Well what you Americans call a grass snake isn't what we call a grass snake, heh. Then again there are just three native snake species here, two harmless* and a moderately poisonous species of Adder (Viper), which is typically only found in gorse scrub.

*As I said, bad papercut. And I had just put my hand on its tail.

[yvanleterrible]

Originally Posted by WT Sharpe

I just looked up grass snakes on Wikipedia. They look very similar to the garter snakes we have here in Virginia.

I found a garter snake by the pool in our backyard a few months ago, picked it up, and started talking to it. It bit me on the nose. Since these snakes are usually non-aggressive, at first I thought it must have been something I said, then I remembered that snakes are deaf to airborne sounds. Now there was a mystery to solve. I remained baffled as to its behavior for several minutes, but at length, reflection came to my aid. Of course the thing bit me. If I no ears and some strange creature picked me up and started showing off how its species could communicate via airborne communication, I’d probably bite the critter’s nose mydamnself.

I kept it around the house for a couple of days, then turned it loose where I had found it.

Bad breath maybe?

[wodin]

We ain't got no steenking snakes in the beautiful Sandwich Isles!

[montsnmags]

Originally Posted by wodin

We ain't got no steenking snakes in the beautiful Sandwich Isles!

We've got some. The other day there we found a dead scrub turkey out front on the nature strip, and down the road a dead whip snake. We're not sure if the two are related.

We've also had a smallish green tree snake drop in front of us on a dog walk, and have had a small (1m), pretty harmless carpet python on our bottom balcony and under the spa (going after the native rats). Then there was the bit bigger one on the upstairs balcony:

http://www.parknmeter.com/gallery/ma...?g2_itemId=237

Cheers,
Marc

[badgoodDeb]

Wow Marc -- I don't remember seeing the catcher pics when you first posted these. (Maybe I just repressed that memory!) That dude is braver than me, that's fer shure!

[montsnmags]

Originally Posted by badgoodDeb

Wow Marc -- I don't remember seeing the catcher pics when you first posted these. (Maybe I just repressed that memory!)

I can't remember...I might have just posted the pictures of the python.

That dude is braver than me, that's fer shure!

Definitely. I wouldn't do it. It is a python though, with backwards-facing teeth, and no venom, so, as he said, he can often just pick them up and put them in the bag, no worries (he actually needed to use that tool a little bit for this one, but it wasn't really riled up - just stubborn).

Cheers,
Marc

[phenomshel]

Originally Posted by montsnmags

I can't remember...I might have just posted the pictures of the python.



Definitely. I wouldn't do it. It is a python though, with backwards-facing teeth, and no venom, so, as he said, he can often just pick them up and put them in the bag, no worries (he actually needed to use that tool a little bit for this one, but it wasn't really riled up - just stubborn).

Cheers,
Marc

I don't blame him, I wouldn't want to leave your balcony either!

[pdurrant]

So - I have a spare 13.3" MacBook to sell, having upgraded to a rather nice 15" MacBook Pro.

eBay auction - all goes well, even sells for a little more than I expected - £510.

Except the winner doesn't pay. And then I receive a note in the eBay system asking me to contact him about payment. And then a faked Paypal email arrives, telling me I've received £630 from the winner of the auction, and it'll be fully credited once dispatch of the item has been verified.

B@$%@~d!!! Not only is he trying to fool me into sending the MacBook without paying for it, he's even trying to get me to pay him £120 in a 'refund' for the 'accidental' overpayment.

Oh well. So now it's relisted. I wasn't fooled, but it's wasted my time.

And then after eBay have killed the account, he even sends me another faked email, saying the unless the item is sent immediately, eBay will suspend my account for not completing the transaction!

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

So - I have a spare 1.3" MacBook to sell, having upgraded to a rather nice 15" MacBook Pro.

eBay auction - all goes well, even sells for a little more than I expected - £510.

Except the winner doesn't pay. And then I receive a note in the eBay system asking me to contact him about payment. And then a faked Paypal email arrives, telling me I've received £630 from the winner of the auction, and it'll be fully credited once dispatch of the item has been verified.

B@$%@~d!!! Not only is he trying to fool me into sending the MacBook without paying for it, he's even trying to get me to pay him £120 in a 'refund' for the 'accidental' overpayment.

Oh well. So now it's relisted. I wasn't fooled, but it's wasted my time.

And then after eBay have killed the account, he even sends me another faked email, saying the unless the item is sent immediately, eBay will suspend my account for not completing the transaction!

sigh... there are so many thieves online. The problem is, that less "ontop of it" people don't realize this stuff is happening.

Why would any reasonable person over pay for something they bought on line then ask for a refund. It is so obviously a con.

Sorry you had to deal with this worm.

Originally Posted by pdurrant

So - I have a spare 1.3" MacBook to sell, having upgraded to a rather nice 15" MacBook Pro.

I assume you mean a 13inch not 1.3inch?

BOb

[Sparrow]

Originally Posted by montsnmags

The other day there we found a dead scrub turkey out front on the nature strip, and down the road a dead whip snake. We're not sure if the two are related.

No, they're not related - being from completely different species is a good indication they're not even distant cousins.

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

So - I have a spare 1.3" MacBook to sell, having upgraded to a rather nice 15" MacBook Pro.

eBay auction - all goes well, even sells for a little more than I expected - £510.

Except the winner doesn't pay. And then I receive a note in the eBay system asking me to contact him about payment. And then a faked Paypal email arrives, telling me I've received £630 from the winner of the auction, and it'll be fully credited once dispatch of the item has been verified.

B@$%@~d!!! Not only is he trying to fool me into sending the MacBook without paying for it, he's even trying to get me to pay him £120 in a 'refund' for the 'accidental' overpayment.

Oh well. So now it's relisted. I wasn't fooled, but it's wasted my time.

And then after eBay have killed the account, he even sends me another faked email, saying the unless the item is sent immediately, eBay will suspend my account for not completing the transaction!

It's this kind of thing that has caused me to avoid ebay from the beginning.
Just not worth the hassle even if you can avoid getting screwed!

[pshrynk]

Originally Posted by montsnmags

We've got some. The other day there we found a dead scrub turkey out front on the nature strip, and down the road a dead whip snake. We're not sure if the two are related.

Marc

Most definitely they were related. At least by marriage, I think. That was probably one of those domestic squabbles that ends up in thrown accusations and, eventually, axes. Sadly common in mixed marriages, unfortunately...

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by Sparrow

No, they're not related - being from completely different species is a good indication they're not even distant cousins.

Snakes and chickens aren't closely related, but they're certainly distant cousins. Very distant. 300 millionth cousins at most, I'd say