Since Consumerist didn't post my tip, here's one for any eBayers: eBay has recently introduce "List 5 items free every 30 days" - Be careful! There's a considerable increase in the "Final Value Fee" and you might end up paying more.

@Airjoe: Which makes me thing, why doesn't Consumerist host a small forum of some sort? Just for quick discussions and tips that maybe shouldn't waste space on the front page?

@Airjoe: Something like... this?

Well, if it's really open to anything, I think I'll mention how absolutely psyched I was that one of my comments made it to the front page (I wrote on the latest ATM skimming store that you could use any card to get into most ATM vestibules).
I'm not a really avid commenter even though I really read the site a lot. I had been feeling a bit like my comments might be unwelcome since there's such a strong existing community with frequent commenters dominating most articles, and having one of my comments show up on the front page really made me change my mind!

@mobiuschic42: Don't be discouraged. I try to check the site on the sly at work and usually miss out on the greatest discussions because I share an office with my boss...

And congrats on your front page feature! Whoohoo!

This weekend looks to be nice, so I'm going to go swimming, eat sushi, and walk my rats on leashes so they can enjoy the milder summer temperatures.

[farm3.static.flickr.com]

oh, and I'm also going to waste a few hours on World of Warcraft... just hit 80 on my Tauren Druid a few nights ago.

It's a well-deserved lazy weekend.

@zombies.like.lattés.too: That's only 1 less than I have received on the front page, and I've been on Consumerist over two years. Congrats my friend!

@Pink Puppet: Why yes, exactly like... that!

@Airjoe: Hey now, don't you mock my dramatic ellipsis!

@Ratty: I can only imagine you'd get some strange looks when you take those little guys out for walks. Either from dog owners or their likely equally confused pets.

Happy Labor Day Weekend guys!

@Ratty: Very odd indeed.

@Oranges w/ Cheese in rainy Central FL: whoohoo, best weekend ever!

Woo hoo open thread!! Just in time for me to be able to spam some links.

Can I spam a link? I promise it wont be terrible!

Bling Cat!

I'm so happy about Labor Day weekend. I'm relishing the thought of sleeping in - on a weekday! How awesome is that? I'm giddy. And in fact, I'm really itching to leave right now, even though I work for another half hour or so. Must...stay..strong...

You get odd looks walking anything but a dog. I always turned heads when I tried to walk my cat. Of course, whenever I hooked on the leash he turned into Jello-cat and I had to carry him around by his harnass like a six-pack...

Note that was years before this smug puss. He's too scared to go outside. I can leave the door hanging wide open and he will go up to the threshold and look around, but he won't step foot out the door.

I would like to say that I wish there were more straight-up COLD COCKS in sports.

Well played, LeGarrette Blount & Byron Hout.

[Just kidding. What a joke - all this after a pre-game handshake between teams to promote sportsmanship.]

I got a call from someone claiming to be with Wells Fargo about refinancing my home equity loan, but typing the number in google came up with nothing but whocalled.us listings. Scam?

What, no mention of the "I like striking little kids in the face, wanna make something of it?" story?
Shenanigans!

@vorpal_hamster: I had a kitty like that...I tried to take my 'fraidy cat outside once. He scrambled down from my arms, ran back inside, and sprayed liquid poo all over the wall in protest.

Either that, or he had an upset tummy and that's why he didn't want to go out in the first place.

Regardless...never tried that again.

@Ratty: yes, i must get my tauren druid to 80 as well. just hit 40 with it and went and pimped her out in epic mount-ness and dual spec deliciousness. now to decide on what the second spec should be. druids are so hard to pick because they do it all so well D:

@jacques: If you think it's a scam, then yes, it is. Ask them where the nearest branch you can go to is to discuss it in person. If they pause, and try to dissuade you, it's a scam.

@Trai_Dep: We have a call of Shenanigans!

@Trai_Dep: Yeah, seriously!

But though it has 527 comments, its only 16224 views. What a conversion rate!

@vorpal_hamster: I tried to walk a rabbit one time - he took a look at the world beyond the grass and shot me this "you must be joking" look. I've read before that sometimes rabbits can be trained to go on walks like dogs do, but I find for the most part, rabbits are perfectly content just to lie in sunbeams and be lazy. I haven't tried to walk him in two years.

Weirdly enough, I've taken him to Petsmart for a toy after any of his particularly invasive vet trips, and he loves sitting in the cart, looking at people. You would think that he would like the same from being outdoors, but he hates it.

@mobiuschic42: Relax, Thats exactly One More than I have been on the front page. But then, all I ever do it troll ;)

I finally got an avatar...now...followers! I need followers to join me on the spaceship which is coming to take us away!

@Yoko Broke Up The Beatles: The pre-game handshake is such a joke. A post game one would actually be a good idea.

@MostlyHarmless: Will it help me whiten my teeth?

@mobiuschic42: Unless I take credit for "Why s ths n Cnsmrst?"...I'm not making the front page.

@Smashville_makes his own comments at home: 3 out of 4 dentists say it will. The fourth one could not be bribed enough.

@GitEmSteveDave_Galactica1980: I will pistol whip the next person who says "Shenanigans".

@Smashville_makes his own comments at home: Dont most sports have a post game handshake?

@Smashville_makes his own comments at home: CABAL! You just want to get a cabal together to push your socialist POV, dont you?

@zombies.like.lattés.too: Believe it or not, it's mostly positive reactions. little kids think it's extremely cool to see a rat in a jingly sparkly harness. If they approach calmly I let them pet the rats, and if they sit still I'll let the rats sit on their shoulders for a moment. All the while the kids are wide-eyed and saying how cool it is

Some people think they're kittens... I wonder where they've seen kittens.

And on the theme of walking weird animals: [www.snakewalker.com]

I hope i don't encounter one walking my rats, unless someone else is walking a mongoose nearby. would a ferret work?

@vorpal_hamster: When my dog was alive I used to walk him with my parrot on my shoulder and my cat trailing behind us. Strange looks indeed :oD

My cat has always loved following us on walks but only to a certain point and then he'll turn back around and go home. He's definitely a porch/deck kitty.

@Smashville_makes his own comments at home: I shall follow you on your strange spaceship adventures.

@Ratty: Is that your actual rat?? That's the cutest thing ever!!!

I've met quite a few friendly pet vermin (rats are also surprisingly smart!) but picking them up, especially the solid colored ones, still freaks me out a bit.

@GitEmSteveDave_Galactica1980: SPEAKING OF WHICH! Look what I found on the woot forums:

[shirt.woot.com]

@Ratty: Suddenly I'm glad my rat rides in my hoodie.

@MostlyHarmless: Then I say we smack his two year old around a bit until he wisens up.

I went to an insanely excellent concert last week. I screamed my face off, touched some of the bandmembers (appropriately, unfortunately), and in general behaved like a stupid, stupid teenager.

All of this had nothing to do with Ticketmaster.. and for that I am thankful.
So for this, my first OpenThread™ post, I say:

"Screw you, Ticketmaster."

@Ratty: Hahahaha that thing is awesome.

@MostlyHarmless: In Little League and in the playoffs. Generally not in the regular season.

@MostlyHarmless: Actually, I need to build up enough people to remove any and all negative information from the Cash4Gold article. "Jeff Aronson is a known deity" should be included, of course.

I feel totally justified in saying the following:

Anyone who applies for a loan with me (I work at a small financial institution) and repeatedly gets rejected should have to bring me a cupcake with every loan application.

Applying for the same loan again one week later does not increase the likelihood of you getting approved.

I require cupcakes for my trouble. I would also accept brownies as long as they have no chunks or nuts. I may have gotten the idea from [consumerist.com]

Also: Thank you Laura for keeping up with the kitty pictures! I have noticed : )

Cash4Gold would like you to cease and desist your false and defamatory ratings of the "top posts" of the week.

So I was sooo psyched to dump Charter internet this week and when I called Verizon up for DSL they said I couldn't have it. They said something about too many people in the neighborhood having it already or something, but I don't care. I can't believe they're fighting to give Charter more business.