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Minor things that bother you

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

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Max Rockatansky

Quote from: texaskdog on November 29, 2019, 10:46:17 AM
In football: not using analytics and therefore punting the ball away on 4th and 1 just so they don't get criticized; overcalling of penalties.  Having two football teams in Los Angeles.  Not going to an 18 game schedule/having those ridiculous pre-season games.

Just think of the Chargers as being from San Diego, everyone in California still does. 


texaskdog

Quote from: CNGL-Leudimin on November 29, 2019, 04:32:17 AM
Quote from: wanderer2575 on November 28, 2019, 09:43:24 PMAlso, singular use of plural pronouns, e.g. "I talked to the person and they said..."


I watch too much Judge Judy I keep thinking "you can't tell me what someone else said that's hearsay"

texaskdog

Quote from: Max Rockatansky on November 29, 2019, 10:47:49 AM
Quote from: texaskdog on November 29, 2019, 10:46:17 AM
In football: not using analytics and therefore punting the ball away on 4th and 1 just so they don't get criticized; overcalling of penalties.  Having two football teams in Los Angeles.  Not going to an 18 game schedule/having those ridiculous pre-season games.

Just think of the Chargers as being from San Diego, everyone in California still does. 

lol.  I think they should just be a traveling team.  4 games in London, 1 in Mexico City, 1 in Toronto, and put the other 2 in potential expansion cities every year like San Antonio, Sacramento, etc.

Max Rockatansky

Quote from: texaskdog on November 29, 2019, 10:50:05 AM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on November 29, 2019, 10:47:49 AM
Quote from: texaskdog on November 29, 2019, 10:46:17 AM
In football: not using analytics and therefore punting the ball away on 4th and 1 just so they don't get criticized; overcalling of penalties.  Having two football teams in Los Angeles.  Not going to an 18 game schedule/having those ridiculous pre-season games.

Just think of the Chargers as being from San Diego, everyone in California still does. 

lol.  I think they should just be a traveling team.  4 games in London, 1 in Mexico City, 1 in Toronto, and put the other 2 in potential expansion cities every year like San Antonio, Sacramento, etc.

Hell if the Chargers moved to Sacramento they probably would get a decent draw from all the Central Valley people who want nothing to do with the Bay Area or Los Angeles.  What I always found odd was that for some reason the Raiders are the media darling of the California teams but really have a tiny following compared to the Rams and 49ers. 

roadman

Quote from: texaskdog on November 29, 2019, 10:46:17 AM
In football: not using analytics and therefore punting the ball away on 4th and 1 just so they don't get criticized; overcalling of penalties.  Having two football teams in Los Angeles.  Not going to an 18 game schedule/having those ridiculous pre-season games. 

The "pass interference" call.  Isn't that the defender's job?
"And ninety-five is the route you were on.  It was not the speed limit sign."  - Jim Croce (from Speedball Tucker)

"My life has been a tapestry
Of years of roads and highway signs" (with apologies to Carole King and Tom Rush)

texaskdog

Quote from: roadman on November 29, 2019, 11:15:16 AM
Quote from: texaskdog on November 29, 2019, 10:46:17 AM
In football: not using analytics and therefore punting the ball away on 4th and 1 just so they don't get criticized; overcalling of penalties.  Having two football teams in Los Angeles.  Not going to an 18 game schedule/having those ridiculous pre-season games. 

The "pass interference" call.  Isn't that the defender's job?

I hate "offensive pass interference".  The QB Is not passing to the defense!!!!!

1995hoo

#81
Something I thought of while reading this morning's newspaper: It drives me crazy when some people insist you can't split an auxiliary verb from the main verb with an adverb. Those people would object to "He will usually take an extreme position" because they say you should not split the verb phrase "will take," so they'll insist you must write "He usually will take an extreme position." A former boss of mine insisted on this construction and it led to bizarre sentences like "We will analyze carefully the documents you sent us."

A well-known proponent of not splitting the verb is Chief Justice Roberts, and there's some suggestion that his insistence on this practice may be why he flubbed the presidential oath of office at Obama's first inauguration. The oath is prescribed by the Constitution: "I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States ...." Roberts objects to splitting a verb phrase, so "I will faithfully execute" is a repugnant phrase to him. He instead said, "I will execute the office of President of the United States faithfully." (Actually, he also messed up and said "President to the United States.") Roberts's construction introduces too much separation between the adverb and the verb, never mind the bigger issue that the Constitution prescribes particular language anyway.

In some situations, I think not splitting the verb can arguably change a sentence's meaning. A Washington Post sports article talking about NHL free agency once said something like, "The Capitals only can offer him a seven-year contract." The issue related to a CBA provision limiting contract length such that a team can re-sign its own free agent to an eight-year contract, but other teams are limited to offering the same guy a maximum seven-year contract. Saying "the Capitals only can offer him a seven-year contract" arguably suggests the Capitals are the only team who can offer the seven-year deal, but that's wrong because it's not what the CBA says. The sentence should have said, "The Capitals can only offer him a seven-year contract," especially when you're comparing it to another team being able to offer an eight-year deal: "The Islanders can offer him an eight-year contract. The Capitals can only offer him seven years."



Edited to add: Shortly after I posted that, I looked at the Post's website and found this headline. Ugh. The better wording would be "Bill Peters will no longer coach ...."

"You know, you never have a guaranteed spot until you have a spot guaranteed."
—Olaf Kolzig, as quoted in the Washington Times on March 28, 2003,
commenting on the Capitals clinching a playoff spot.

"That sounded stupid, didn't it?"
—Kolzig, to the same reporter a few seconds later.

roadman

Phrases like "The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to discuss the investigation." or similar.  Nothing but self-serving gloating.
"And ninety-five is the route you were on.  It was not the speed limit sign."  - Jim Croce (from Speedball Tucker)

"My life has been a tapestry
Of years of roads and highway signs" (with apologies to Carole King and Tom Rush)

hbelkins

Quote from: Brandon on November 29, 2019, 06:56:17 AM
Quote from: CNGL-Leudimin on November 29, 2019, 04:32:17 AM
Quote from: wanderer2575 on November 28, 2019, 09:43:24 PMAlso, singular use of plural pronouns, e.g. "I talked to the person and they said..."

In that vein, while I respect people who decide their pronouns aren't the binary ones (he/his and she/her), why they choose "they/them"? They imply more than one, so I don't see why they have to designate an individual, and besides, there is already "it" as a gender-neutral singular pronoun.

"They"/"them" is the plural, and should never be used in the singular.  The gender-neutrals are "it" and "one".  Otherwise, "he" and "she" should be used or "he/she".  Let's stop abusing the English language.

Would this be the place where I say that people who reject pronouns that are based on their DNA are really annoying?

As well as...

*High taxes
*Insecure national borders
*Groundless impeachment proceedings
*Overmoderation of this forum  :-D :-D


Government would be tolerable if not for politicians and bureaucrats.

CNGL-Leudimin

Quote from: texaskdog on November 29, 2019, 10:48:48 AM
I watch too much Judge Judy I keep thinking "you can't tell me what someone else said that's hearsay"

I have no idea what Judge Judy is, so I cannot have said that. Therefore, FTFY.

(Also, English is not my first language. Spanish is, and we don't really have gender-neutral pronouns, because most things have gender, unlike English)
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.

Beltway

Just filled my gas tank at a station.  Common gripes --

Not replacing the squeegees when they are worn out.  They stink, the fabric is coming apart, and the rubber blade doesn't track smoothly on the glass.  Also, not keeping the washer fluid filled.

Being able to clean your windows when you fill up should be a given part of the service when you buy fuel.

Another would be the receipt paper running out, and that means that you have to go inside the store and wait in line to get a receipt.
http://www.roadstothefuture.com
http://www.capital-beltway.com

Baloney is a reserved word on the Internet
    (Robert Coté, 2002)

Beltway

Quote from: hbelkins on November 29, 2019, 02:03:32 PM
Would this be the place where I say that people who reject pronouns that are based on their DNA are really annoying?
As well as...
*High taxes
*Insecure national borders
*Groundless impeachment proceedings
*Overmoderation of this forum  :-D :-D

How about calling people "anti-tax" and "anti-tax orthodoxists" when they oppose huge tax increases?

One of the writers for the Richmond Slimes-Dispatch has been doing that for at least 30 years.
http://www.roadstothefuture.com
http://www.capital-beltway.com

Baloney is a reserved word on the Internet
    (Robert Coté, 2002)

kphoger

#87
Quote from: Brandon on November 29, 2019, 06:56:17 AM

Quote from: CNGL-Leudimin on November 29, 2019, 04:32:17 AM

Quote from: wanderer2575 on November 28, 2019, 09:43:24 PM
Also, singular use of plural pronouns, e.g. "I talked to the person and they said..."

In that vein, while I respect people who decide their pronouns aren't the binary ones (he/his and she/her), why they choose "they/them"? They imply more than one, so I don't see why they have to designate an individual, and besides, there is already "it" as a gender-neutral singular pronoun.

"They"/"them" is the plural, and should never be used in the singular.  The gender-neutrals are "it" and "one".  Otherwise, "he" and "she" should be used or "he/she".  Let's stop abusing the English language.

I used to be bothered by the singular "they" a lot more.  I'm consciously trying to be less bothered by it.  The reason is that the singular "they" has existed in the English language for more than 600 years.  What that means is that the singular "they" predates Modern English as a language.  It also means that the plural "they" only existed for about 100 years before it came to be used as a singular as well.  If the usage has that long and strong of a history in the English language, then I have a really hard time defending its deprecation.  However, having said, that, I still try to use "him" or "one" as often as possible, just because "they" still sounds wrong to my ears.




Quote from: CNGL-Leudimin on November 29, 2019, 02:20:27 PM
I have no idea what Judge Judy is

It's a person, not a thing.  :)




Speaking of YouTube ads...  I am slightly annoyed by two ads during or before a video.  But, what annoys me the most is when one of those ads is for YouTube itself, and it suggests I should pay money in order to avoid seeing that very ad in the future.
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.

texaskdog

Quote from: Beltway on November 29, 2019, 03:42:24 PM
Just filled my gas tank at a station.  Common gripes --

Not replacing the squeegees when they are worn out.  They stink, the fabric is coming apart, and the rubber blade doesn't track smoothly on the glass.  Also, not keeping the washer fluid filled.

Being able to clean your windows when you fill up should be a given part of the service when you buy fuel.

Another would be the receipt paper running out, and that means that you have to go inside the store and wait in line to get a receipt.

Here they don't put squeegees out because the bums steal them.  As far as paper 99% of cashiers are too lazy to go replace the paper.

kphoger

How about when the gas station doesn't use the winter blend soon enough, such that, when it's only 25 degrees outside, the reservoir of windshield cleaner is already a block of ice?
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.

MNHighwayMan

Quote from: hbelkins on November 29, 2019, 02:03:32 PM
As well as...

*High taxes
*Insecure national borders
*Groundless impeachment proceedings

Here's one: people that needlessly bring up politics in a non-political thread.

ce929wax


Max Rockatansky

Quote from: ce929wax on November 30, 2019, 12:26:48 AM
It is NOT soda, it is pop.

I can attest as a Michigan native more people around the country use "Soda"  by a large margin.  Using Midwest slang didn't do me favors when I moved in Middle School so I ended up dropping it quickly. 

Flint1979

Quote from: CNGL-Leudimin on November 29, 2019, 02:20:27 PM
Quote from: texaskdog on November 29, 2019, 10:48:48 AM
I watch too much Judge Judy I keep thinking "you can't tell me what someone else said that's hearsay"

I have no idea what Judge Judy is, so I cannot have said that. Therefore, FTFY.

(Also, English is not my first language. Spanish is, and we don't really have gender-neutral pronouns, because most things have gender, unlike English)
You meant to say you have no idea who Judge Judy is. Judge Judy is a person not a thing. And Judge Judy is one of the highest rated Court television shows in the United States.

hotdogPi

University abbreviations that mean something else. UT, ND, and VT are states unrelated to the universities, and UK is a country.

Calling any indoor temperature "freezing".
Clinched, minus I-93 (I'm missing a few miles and my file is incorrect)

Traveled, plus US 13, 44, and 50, and several state routes

I will be in Burlington VT for the eclipse.

CNGL-Leudimin

In that vein, until not too long ago I frowned upon the usage of ETA as "Estimated Time of Arrival" or "Edited To Add". It also meant Euskadi Ta Askatasuna (Basque for "Basque Country and Liberty"), the Basque terrorist group which fortunately is now gone. Back when I was a child the Basque Country was "forbidden land" for me because of the terrorists and I embraced Catalonia, now due to happenings it's the other way round.
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.

1995hoo

Quote from: 1 on November 30, 2019, 05:27:44 AM
University abbreviations that mean something else. UT, ND, and VT are states unrelated to the universities, and UK is a country.

Calling any indoor temperature "freezing".

"UT" and "ND" in reference to universities can be ambiguous, depending on where you are–I think of "UT" as referring to Tennessee, for example, especially because I had a college roommate from Nashville, but plenty of other people think of Texas when they hear those letters.

The University of Vermont is abbreviated as "UVM," short for the Latin for "University of the Green Mountains." The institution in Southwest Virginia that some people refer to as "VT" is also often known as "VPI" or "VPISU," both abbreviations for longer forms of that school's full name (the latter being odd as well because the "S" stands for "State," despite Virginia's well-known insistence on referring to itself as the "Commonwealth"). Apparently their administration didn't like it when people sounded out "VPISU" as "Vippy Sue."

Then you have the people from Chapel Hill who get outraged at references to today's Carolina—Clemson football game (at noon in Columbia).
"You know, you never have a guaranteed spot until you have a spot guaranteed."
—Olaf Kolzig, as quoted in the Washington Times on March 28, 2003,
commenting on the Capitals clinching a playoff spot.

"That sounded stupid, didn't it?"
—Kolzig, to the same reporter a few seconds later.

Beltway

#97
Quote from: 1995hoo on November 30, 2019, 10:36:10 AM
The institution in Southwest Virginia that some people refer to as "VT" is also often known as "VPI" or "VPISU," both abbreviations for longer forms of that school's full name (the latter being odd as well because the "S" stands for "State," despite Virginia's well-known insistence on referring to itself as the "Commonwealth"). Apparently their administration didn't like it when people sounded out "VPISU" as "Vippy Sue."
Here's some info from the school's branding guide.

Our official name is Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, but using the full name is cumbersome.  Thus, "Virginia Tech" is preferable in all but formal uses.  Virginia Tech is used in news releases, feature articles, academic journals, and publications and on the Web.

When using the full name of the university, never use an ampersand instead of "and."  Never use VPI&SU, VPI and SU, VA Tech, or Virginia Tech University.  "Tech" is acceptable after a first reference to "Virginia Tech," but it should not be used repeatedly or solely.  "VT" and "Va. Tech" are acceptable only in limited, informal situations, such as a news headline where space is tight.  Do not use "VT" or "Va. Tech" in body copy, in titles of publications, on signs (if space permits), or in any "formal" publication.

"VPI," which was the university's acronym/nickname from 1896 to 1970, should be used only in historical contexts.  The same is true for "VAMC," the university's acronym/nickname before 1896.


Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College.

VPI was used much more routinely up until the 70's when it started to fall out of favor.  VT is just a nickname that has found favor over VPI.  VPI is still used though.  You'll see it engraved on some buildings and I believe the belt buckle on the corps uniforms says VPI.

I went to VCU so I am not a part of the VT/UVA rivalry, although my sister and her husband went to VT, and my mother got her masters at UVA Extension in NoVA.
http://www.roadstothefuture.com
http://www.capital-beltway.com

Baloney is a reserved word on the Internet
    (Robert Coté, 2002)

jeffandnicole

QuotePerformers of the national anthem at sporting events who think it's an opportunity to display artistic interpretation or have a jam session.

Especially when the team or association picked them to sing the National Anthem. These people just didn't walk on the field and started singing;  someone saw their audition tape and specifically selected them!

Max Rockatansky

#99
Quote from: Flint1979 on November 30, 2019, 04:53:22 AM
Quote from: CNGL-Leudimin on November 29, 2019, 02:20:27 PM
Quote from: texaskdog on November 29, 2019, 10:48:48 AM
I watch too much Judge Judy I keep thinking "you can't tell me what someone else said that's hearsay"

I have no idea what Judge Judy is, so I cannot have said that. Therefore, FTFY.

(Also, English is not my first language. Spanish is, and we don't really have gender-neutral pronouns, because most things have gender, unlike English)
You meant to say you have no idea who Judge Judy is. Judge Judy is a person not a thing. And Judge Judy is one of the highest rated Court television shows in the United States.

Technically shows like Judge Judy are generally arbitration and not true small claims court. 

Incidentally the best part of any Courtroom TV show was the intro to the People's Court.  The opening theme "The Big One"  perfectly represents the seedy late 1970s/early 1980s world the People's Court was born out of.  I wasn't too surprised to find out that it apparently was used as porno movie music before being made famous on TV. 



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