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Minor things that bother you

Started by planxtymcgillicuddy, November 27, 2019, 12:15:11 AM

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hbelkins

I saw someone checking out in front of me at Walmart yesterday buying a bag of Great Value Nacho Cheese Flavored Tortilla Chips. The bag was the same shade of red as a Doritos bag.
Government would be tolerable if not for politicians and bureaucrats.


J N Winkler

Quote from: GaryV on January 25, 2025, 05:50:28 PM
Quote from: wxfree on January 25, 2025, 04:23:49 PM"more than 50" in a news story

That might be because they don't know the actual number. It might be 52, it might be 54. It might be even more. But until all the cars in that snowstorm wreck are pulled off the Interstate, the news reporter (and the police who are informing the reporter) don't really know the specific number.

This is one of the contexts in which I would use a "more than" expression, the specific number quoted corresponding to the quantity I can confirm.

I also say "more than" or "upwards of" when discussing estimated cost of a highway construction project.  Typically there is an estimate precise to the cent (or smallest allowable fraction of the base currency unit) that can be stated (or is intentionally withheld by the agency as a matter of policy) when a contract is ready to go to bid, but (e.g.) "more than $21 million" is easier to write and parse than "$21,327,528.47."  Given the realities of how construction works, neither amount is likely to be especially close to the final outturn cost.  In this case, saying "$21 million" instead of "$20 million" also functions as a (weak) signal that the amount has been truncated to remove fractions of a million, instead of being rounded down to the nearest integer multiple of $5 million or $10 million.  Regardless, I try to retain at least two significant digits to respect the tradition of 10% contingency in civil engineering.
"It is necessary to spend a hundred lire now to save a thousand lire later."--Piero Puricelli, explaining the need for a first-class road system to Benito Mussolini

dlsterner

Quote from: hbelkins on January 25, 2025, 10:44:01 PMI saw someone checking out in front of me at Walmart yesterday buying a bag of Great Value Nacho Cheese Flavored Tortilla Chips. The bag was the same shade of red as a Doritos bag.

Seems like a lot of "knock-off" items or "house brands" use "look-alike" packaging.  Which in and of itself could be a topic for "Minor things that bother you".  (Unless it has already, but I didn't feel like searching through 10000+ posts)

Scott5114

Quote from: dlsterner on January 26, 2025, 06:51:45 PM
Quote from: hbelkins on January 25, 2025, 10:44:01 PMI saw someone checking out in front of me at Walmart yesterday buying a bag of Great Value Nacho Cheese Flavored Tortilla Chips. The bag was the same shade of red as a Doritos bag.

Seems like a lot of "knock-off" items or "house brands" use "look-alike" packaging.  Which in and of itself could be a topic for "Minor things that bother you".  (Unless it has already, but I didn't feel like searching through 10000+ posts)

The house brand needs some prominent way to communicate to the customer "This is an attempt at a Doritos clone" without using the Doritos trademark, which could get them sued. Copying the design of the packaging is often a successful way of doing this.
uncontrollable freak sardine salad chef

SEWIGuy

Quote from: Scott5114 on January 26, 2025, 08:29:48 PM
Quote from: dlsterner on January 26, 2025, 06:51:45 PM
Quote from: hbelkins on January 25, 2025, 10:44:01 PMI saw someone checking out in front of me at Walmart yesterday buying a bag of Great Value Nacho Cheese Flavored Tortilla Chips. The bag was the same shade of red as a Doritos bag.

Seems like a lot of "knock-off" items or "house brands" use "look-alike" packaging.  Which in and of itself could be a topic for "Minor things that bother you".  (Unless it has already, but I didn't feel like searching through 10000+ posts)

The house brand needs some prominent way to communicate to the customer "This is an attempt at a Doritos clone" without using the Doritos trademark, which could get them sued. Copying the design of the packaging is often a successful way of doing this.

Right. Which I don't know why it would be bother anyone because it's actually customer-friendly.

Anyway its better than the black and white generic packaging from the 1970s.

https://www.reddit.com/r/GenX/comments/zgzu5o/does_anyone_remember_the_generic_food_labels_of/?rdt=50919

kphoger

Quote from: LilianaUwU on January 25, 2025, 04:26:32 PMOn a similar note, don't get me started on "half a dozen". There's a three-letter word describing exactly that number that has existed for ages.

We should now start using phrases like 'half a hundred', 'half a thousand', 'half a score', and 'half a gross'.
Keep right except to pass.  Yes.  You.
Visit scenic Orleans County, NY!
Male pronouns, please.

Quote from: Philip K. DickIf you can control the meaning of words, you can control the people who must use them.

Big John

Quote from: kphoger on January 27, 2025, 11:32:22 AM
Quote from: LilianaUwU on January 25, 2025, 04:26:32 PMOn a similar note, don't get me started on "half a dozen". There's a three-letter word describing exactly that number that has existed for ages.

We should now start using phrases like 'half a hundred', 'half a thousand', 'half a score', and 'half a gross'.
I remember seeing an old soda bottle carrying a pint labeled as "half quart".

hotdogPi

Quote from: kphoger on January 27, 2025, 11:32:22 AM
Quote from: LilianaUwU on January 25, 2025, 04:26:32 PMOn a similar note, don't get me started on "half a dozen". There's a three-letter word describing exactly that number that has existed for ages.

We should now start using phrases like 'half a hundred', 'half a thousand', 'half a score', and 'half a gross'.

deciscore (2)
binary dozen (8)
metric dozen (10)
quasquidozen (15)
binary score (16)
sesquidozen (18)
baker's score (21)
long score (24)
ternary score (27)
very short hundred (80)
metric gross (100)
sesquigross (216)
kilohalf (500)
kilodozen (12000)
Clinched

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Max Rockatansky

Anyone want to a numeric value on "fuck ton?"

CNGL-Leudimin

Quote from: hotdogPi on January 27, 2025, 12:15:20 PMdeciscore (2)
binary dozen (8)
metric dozen (10)
quasquidozen (15)
binary score (16)
sesquidozen (18)
baker's score (21)
long score (24)
ternary score (27)
very short hundred (80)
metric gross (100)
sesquigross (216)
kilohalf (500)
kilodozen (12000)

I'll have to coin one such term for 41 :sombrero:.
Supporter of the construction of several running gags, including I-366 with a speed limit of 85 mph (137 km/h) and the Hypotenuse.

Please note that I may mention "invalid" FM channels, i.e. ending in an even number or down to 87.5. These are valid in Europe.

kphoger

Keep right except to pass.  Yes.  You.
Visit scenic Orleans County, NY!
Male pronouns, please.

Quote from: Philip K. DickIf you can control the meaning of words, you can control the people who must use them.

wxfree

Quote from: Max Rockatansky on January 27, 2025, 12:33:24 PMAnyone want to a numeric value on "fuck ton?"

That's very simple.  It's defined as exactly 6/5 of a metric fuck ton.
I'd like to buy a vowel, Alex.  What is E?

kphoger

Keep right except to pass.  Yes.  You.
Visit scenic Orleans County, NY!
Male pronouns, please.

Quote from: Philip K. DickIf you can control the meaning of words, you can control the people who must use them.

mgk920

Return to the 'barleycorns' legal length standard!

:nod:

Mike

Rothman

Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position(s) of NYSDOT.

kphoger

Quote from: Rothman on January 27, 2025, 03:25:13 PMI really like kilodozen.

It does have a mass murder sort of ring to it.
Keep right except to pass.  Yes.  You.
Visit scenic Orleans County, NY!
Male pronouns, please.

Quote from: Philip K. DickIf you can control the meaning of words, you can control the people who must use them.

formulanone

#10316
Quote from: wxfree on January 27, 2025, 02:28:12 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on January 27, 2025, 12:33:24 PMAnyone want to a numeric value on "fuck ton?"

That's very simple.  It's defined as exactly 6/5 of a metric fuck ton.

1 Fuckton = 2.25 Craploads
1 Crapload = 4 Spentmorsel
1 Spentmorsel = 18/7 Gristlethrobs
1 Gristlethrob = 9.2 Quarkwhistles

~ 212.80 Quarkwhistles to the Fuckton

There's also the Short Fuckton, but that's because Quarkwhistles hadn't been discovered yet, so improvising the Gristlethrob was averaged out by using the Imperial Cracked Knuckle. It's no longer needed except for baking blueberry muffins.

Quote from: LilianaUwU on January 25, 2025, 04:26:32 PMOn a similar note, don't get me started on "half a dozen". There's a three-letter word describing exactly that number that has existed for ages.

I wonder if they just don't want people to think "they can't count to five properly", so a half-dozen sounds like "a set" or "small collection".

Quote from: CNGL-Leudimin on January 27, 2025, 02:18:41 PM
Quote from: hotdogPi on January 27, 2025, 12:15:20 PMdeciscore (2)
binary dozen (8)
metric dozen (10)
quasquidozen (15)
binary score (16)
sesquidozen (18)
baker's score (21)
long score (24)
ternary score (27)
very short hundred (80)
metric gross (100)
sesquigross (216)
kilohalf (500)
kilodozen (12000)

I'll have to coin one such term for 41 :sombrero:.

Discoral lagniappe

kphoger

Quote from: formulanone on January 27, 2025, 03:58:38 PMbut that's because Quarkwhistles hadn't been discovered yet, so improvising the Gristlethrob was averaged out by using the Imperial Cracked Knuckle. It's no longer needed except for baking blueberry muffins.

I thought we were supposed to keep Alanland out of otherwise-decent threads.
Keep right except to pass.  Yes.  You.
Visit scenic Orleans County, NY!
Male pronouns, please.

Quote from: Philip K. DickIf you can control the meaning of words, you can control the people who must use them.

Big John


Scott5114

uncontrollable freak sardine salad chef

thenetwork

Quote from: Max Rockatansky on January 27, 2025, 12:33:24 PMAnyone want to a numeric value on "fuck ton?"

One fuck ton ≈ 750 shitloads

formulanone

Quote from: kphoger on January 27, 2025, 04:03:54 PM
Quote from: formulanone on January 27, 2025, 03:58:38 PMbut that's because Quarkwhistles hadn't been discovered yet, so improvising the Gristlethrob was averaged out by using the Imperial Cracked Knuckle. It's no longer needed except for baking blueberry muffins.

I thought we were supposed to keep Alanland out of otherwise-decent threads.

Fine, I'm not sharing my blueberry muffin recipe. Go hunt your own wild blueberries (hint, use the smallest arrows).

kphoger

I have a childhood memory of my mom making blueberry muffins.  When we bit into the muffins, we discovered that there were pits in the blueberries.  It turns out they weren't blueberries at all, but she had mistakenly bought Concord grapes at the store.
Keep right except to pass.  Yes.  You.
Visit scenic Orleans County, NY!
Male pronouns, please.

Quote from: Philip K. DickIf you can control the meaning of words, you can control the people who must use them.

Rothman

Quote from: kphoger on January 27, 2025, 07:47:20 PMI have a childhood memory of my mom making blueberry muffins.  When we bit into the muffins, we discovered that there were pits in the blueberries.  It turns out they weren't blueberries at all, but she had mistakenly bought Concord grapes at the store.

*vomits*
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position(s) of NYSDOT.

Max Rockatansky

My wife made a killer batch of blueberry muffins last week.



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