You Know What Really Grinds My Gears? Now with 3x more gears...

[Wormius]

The spoon-tip on the straw is pretty useless, actually worse than useless - the remaining 5mm is inaccessible because you can’t drink it with those spoon-tipped straws. When I get a slurpee I just grab a normal straw.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by Wormius

The spoon-tip on the straw is pretty useless, actually worse than useless - the remaining 5mm is inaccessible because you can’t drink it with those spoon-tipped straws. When I get a slurpee I just grab a normal straw.

Just turn it upside down and use the flat part to get those last bits.

[Wormius]

Originally Posted by getbak

Just turn it upside down and use the flat part to get those last bits.

Then I’d have to probably touch the sticky straw and also risk drips. I don’t think there is a really good use case for spoon straw. Maybe… if you sucked all of the flavour-filled liquid out and have that semi-hardened slug at the bottom and still wanted to eat that.

[DoubleF]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Haha we do that, too. Have some in every car and my wife throws some in her purse for movies. At Oppenheimer we even shared them with people in our row and they were so stoked.

It's satisfying in a special way that something as cheap as plastic straws bring such joy to many people.

Originally Posted by Wormius

The spoon-tip on the straw is pretty useless, actually worse than useless - the remaining 5mm is inaccessible because you can’t drink it with those spoon-tipped straws. When I get a slurpee I just grab a normal straw.

I mainly used the spoon like a spade to break the slurpee at the bottom, not as a true spoon. And to finish the bottom, I tilt the cup and push the spoon into the corner so it folds. I don't think I lose much of anything.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by DoubleF

It's satisfying in a special way that something as cheap as plastic straws bring such joy to many people.

I mainly used the spoon like a spade to break the slurpee at the bottom, not as a true spoon. And to finish the bottom, I tilt the cup and push the spoon into the corner so it folds. I don't think I lose much of anything.

Remember 'millionaire cigarette butts' from the 90s? When people would toss a smoke without getting it down near the filter? That's me with slurpees. I write off that last 5mm.

[habernac]

Originally Posted by NinePack

Watching my old mans health start deterating.

It can really change quickly. My Dad went from “ hey, we’ve probably got 6 months to a year” to gone in three weeks. Say everything you want to say soon. I did ok, but there’s a few discussions I didn’t get to have with him.

[OutOfTheCube]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Haha we do that, too. Have some in every car and my wife throws some in her purse for movies. At Oppenheimer we even shared them with people in our row and they were so stoked.

This is a good idea, I keep forgetting that the theatre moved to paper straws too. I can tolerate a paper straw for a short term drink but you kind of cradle a theatre soda for like 2 hours -- the straw is a mess before the trailers are over.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by OutOfTheCube

This is a good idea, I keep forgetting that the theatre moved to paper straws too. I can tolerate a paper straw for a short term drink but you kind of cradle a theatre soda for like 2 hours -- the straw is a mess before the trailers are over.

Plastic straws are a solution, but I still believe you guys could stop treating straws like you’re trying to impress them at the end of a date.

I have yet to have a straw fail before the end of a movie. Paper straws just feel gross, but they aren’t made of tissue paper.

[DoubleF]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Remember 'millionaire cigarette butts' from the 90s? When people would toss a smoke without getting it down near the filter? That's me with slurpees. I write off that last 5mm.

I don't recall that trend from the 90s? I'm younger though. In the 90s, I was at an elementary here in Calgary and I saw nicotine addicted kids that would run around the playground finding and unpeeling cigarette filters and chewing them. Kinda weird. I hope that Miguel kid turned out OK. It's this childhood memory of this kid and another kid doing this that makes me feel weird seeing people use chewing tobacco and snus.

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

Plastic straws are a solution, but I still believe you guys could stop treating straws like you’re trying to impress them at the end of a date.

I have yet to have a straw fail before the end of a movie. Paper straws just feel gross, but they aren’t made of tissue paper.

The moment the paper straw flexes, it's game over. I've noticed that many times the lid bends the straw slightly and it begins to absorb liquid rapidly. I would have to bring like 2-3 extra straws to address this.

I might be able to get this straw to last an hour or two, but the kids ain't got no patience or dexterity for that.

Originally Posted by habernac

It can really change quickly. My Dad went from “ hey, we’ve probably got 6 months to a year” to gone in three weeks. Say everything you want to say soon. I did ok, but there’s a few discussions I didn’t get to have with him.

I'm in a scenario where I've watched rapid mental deterioration for the last 6-8 months. It's hard to watch and really stressful. It's not Alzheimer's or anything, but basically post retirement, brains are scrambled eggs. It's personality changing for both them and me.

[Cappy]

Bamboo straws are superior to every alternative. Even plastic

[DoubleF]

Originally Posted by Cappy

Bamboo straws are superior to every alternative. Even plastic

Bamboo straws can trap black mold. You also can't super heat them to kill that stuff without them cracking, so while you can use it more than a few times, it's not a great long term solution IMO.

Silicone on the other hand you can run through the dishwasher.

What is odd to me though is how we haven't found an inexpensive solution for biodegradable straws that don't melt, when I always thought it would have been reeds. I could see durability of reeds being inconsistent, but beyond, no idea what happened. Same as manufactured bamboo, I wouldn't use them more than a few times due to bacteria and mold. Maybe it's taste cleaning and allergies?

https://www.amazon.ca/Holy-City-Stra...33&sr=8-8&th=1


But seriously though, I thought there was another easy answer for biodegradable paper products, but it hasn't transpired. I wonder why. Remember those ultra loud sun chips bags? A layer of that type of product between the paper before making straws or plates would go a long ways to reduce the speed of which the plates, straws etc. turns into floppy useless ####. I also assumed that a product like that would have other uses as well. Weird.

[Wormius]

For silicone, or any reusable straw I used small bottle brush. I have tried running them through the dishwasher, but after drinking a smoothie or milkshake the dishwasher doesn’t do a great job.

I assumed for bamboo though, the poster didn’t mean them to be reusable.

[TorqueDog]

If the morons in power didn't ban biodegradable straws for who knows why, these would have been nice to have.

Banning biodegradable straws and Co-Op's biodegradable bags is stupid as hell.

[White Out 403]

My ball hurts again. You don't know how fast your mood and quality of life collapses when your testicle hurts all day for days on end.

[The Yen Man]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

Plastic straws are a solution, but I still believe you guys could stop treating straws like you’re trying to impress them at the end of a date.

I have yet to have a straw fail before the end of a movie. Paper straws just feel gross, but they aren’t made of tissue paper.

I had a bubble tea the other day with a paper straw, and it seriously ruined the taste of the bubble tea. I'm not sure if it was because the straw was also a purple colour, so it had some sort of gross dye on it, but I had to chuck the straw and just drink it directly from the cup.

[stazzy33]

Originally Posted by White Out 403

My ball hurts again. You don't know how fast your mood and quality of life collapses when your testicle hurts all day for days on end.

I am on month 4 of constant ball pain. All tests are negative and antibiotics haven't helped. Chronic epididymitis is a bitch.

Also, it sounds like you've dealt with this before, but if you are in extreme pain head to the hospital. Testicular torsion is no joke.

[White Out 403]

Originally Posted by stazzy33

I am on month 4 of constant ball pain. All tests are negative and antibiotics haven't helped. Chronic epididymitis is a bitch.

Also, it sounds like you've dealt with this before, but if you are in extreme pain head to the hospital. Testicular torsion is no joke.

It's not extreme pain, its, like a dull, throbbing 3 or 4 that goes on for a couple weeks. I'm told this is just what happens to some men who get a vasectomy. I've had my balls and pelvis ultra sounded 3 times since I had this done, blood work, you name it, all good.

It doesn't help my wife and kids are in Cape Breton and I've been alone now for (almost) a couple months. I think it's all just hitting me at once and I'm unbelievably miserable right now

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by White Out 403

It's not extreme pain, its, like a dull, throbbing 3 or 4 that goes on for a couple weeks. I'm told this is just what happens to some men who get a vasectomy. I've had my balls and pelvis ultra sounded 3 times since I had this done, blood work, you name it, all good.

It doesn't help my wife and kids are in Cape Breton and I've been alone now for (almost) a couple months. I think it's all just hitting me at once and I'm unbelievably miserable right now

That's super bad timing. Family away for two months and you count even pound one out on the regular? Fate can sure be cruel.

[opendoor]

Originally Posted by TorqueDog

If the morons in power didn't ban biodegradable straws for who knows why, these would have been nice to have.

Banning biodegradable straws and Co-Op's biodegradable bags is stupid as hell.

PLA isn't really biodegradable outside of industrial composting facilities, unless you're talking about over a period of centuries. So those things are really no better than normal plastic in terms of their impact if they end up in the environment.

The real issue is that banning plastic straws is even a priority. They make up such a tiny amount of plastic waste, it really is more like slacktivism to ban them.

[OutOfTheCube]

Originally Posted by Sliver

That's super bad timing. Family away for two months and you count even pound one out on the regular? Fate can sure be cruel.

There's a possibility that that's maybe the problem. After my vasectomy I would have this happen sometimes and I would call it, umm, a 'back-up' for lack of a better term. Taking care of the back-up would make it feel better. Stopped happening after about a year post-snip.

Not saying that's his issue here, but you never know.