Minor things that bother you

[1995hoo]

All I know about WhatsApp is that we have a client in Kuala Lumpur whose employees used it and now we can't get at their communications to find out what the heck was going on, this due to Malaysian privacy laws (which, as a general matter, I think are a good thing).

[GaryV]

The flu shot, however, is required for health care workers ...

And somehow, the fact that I work in IT for an insurance company that happens to be affiliated with a hospital makes me a "health care worker" and I have to get an annual flu shot.  The last flu shot I had before taking this job was for the Swine Flu where they herded everyone in college to the local armory to get it.

This year, they added Tdap to the requirements, unless you had an official record that you were vaccinated for Pertussis (Whooping cough).  I doubt my mother's handwriting in a baby book would be considered official, and my pediatrician must be long dead.  Would county health records even exist from over a half decade ago? So I got the shot.

[kphoger]

Re:  WhatsApp

Does it allow you to send a text message to multiple people, but change the settings such that replies do not reply-all but instead reply only to the sender?

Because my #1 minor thing that bothers me–and this stands head and shoulders above all others–is when people reply-all to group text messages when they shouldn't.  Some people have told me it's because their phone or their message app doesn't allow them to reply to only a single recipient if it started as a group message.

[roadman]

The media describing events as "historic" even before the outcome is known.  People describing anything and everything as "iconic".

[xcellntbuy]

The media describing events as "historic" even before the outcome is known.  People describing anything and everything as "iconic".

...or "unique," when they aren't.

[jeffandnicole]

The media describing events as "historic" even before the outcome is known.  People describing anything and everything as "iconic".

...or "unique," when they aren't.

Or, the 'first', when often commenters find that it wasn't the first, or not even close to the first.

[GaryV]

The media describing events as "historic" even before the outcome is known.  People describing anything and everything as "iconic".

...or "unique," when they aren't.

Or, the 'first', when often commenters find that it wasn't the first, or not even close to the first.

Or carefully redefining the criteria, adding restrictions so it is the "first".

[hbelkins]

While we're speaking about technology...

I don't know how I feel about WhatsApp. I guess I'd have to know more about how it works and how it interacts with your phone number. My phone number and contact information are available to only a select few people. Folks who know me, but don't have my number, can contact me through Facebook Messenger if they are friends with me on FB or have access to my profile. If WhatsApp allows the whole world access to my cell phone number, then forget it.

I'm bothered by the fact that all the messenger services that allowed the use of a computer (Yahoo Messenger and AOL/AIM) have gone away, and that Kik is phone-only. I'm also bugged by the fact that you can't sign out of Facebook Messenger on your phone -- at least I have not found a way to do so short of deleting the app and the reinstalling it when you want or need it.

I'm also bothered by the fact that you can't turn off your phone or text availability while still maintaining data service. The only option I've found is the mute button on the ringer. There needs to be a true "do not disturb" feature whereby callers get a message, "this user is not accepting calls at this time, please leave a voicemail" if they call, or an auto-reply, "this user is not accepting texts at this time, your message will be read when messaging is re-enabled," if they text/SMS.

[formulanone]

Airplane Mode set to "on" with Wi-Fi availability will take care of all cell-network intrusions. If you're using iMessage or any other non-SMS messaging, might as well turn off the ringer and notifications.

Or shut off the phone and open up a laptop.

[kphoger]

I'm also bothered by the fact that you can't turn off your phone or text availability while still maintaining data service. The only option I've found is the mute button on the ringer. There needs to be a true "do not disturb" feature whereby callers get a message, "this user is not accepting calls at this time, please leave a voicemail" if they call, or an auto-reply, "this user is not accepting texts at this time, your message will be read when messaging is re-enabled," if they text/SMS.

Airplane Mode set to "on" with Wi-Fi availability will take care of all cell-network intrusions.

But that will only work if he has a Wi-Fi network to connect to.  I understood him as wanting to be able to use his data plan while being unavailable for phone calls or text messages.

[formulanone]

I'm also bothered by the fact that you can't turn off your phone or text availability while still maintaining data service. The only option I've found is the mute button on the ringer. There needs to be a true "do not disturb" feature whereby callers get a message, "this user is not accepting calls at this time, please leave a voicemail" if they call, or an auto-reply, "this user is not accepting texts at this time, your message will be read when messaging is re-enabled," if they text/SMS.

Airplane Mode set to "on" with Wi-Fi availability will take care of all cell-network intrusions.

But that will only work if he has a Wi-Fi network to connect to.  I understood him as wanting to be able to use his data plan while being unavailable for phone calls or text messages.

1) Do Not Disturb set for everyone.

or

2) Buy a second phone or portable WiFi device and tether it in Airplane Mode.

or

3) Too bad. The future is to be constantly notified and tracked.

[Max Rockatansky]

I'm also bothered by the fact that you can't turn off your phone or text availability while still maintaining data service. The only option I've found is the mute button on the ringer. There needs to be a true "do not disturb" feature whereby callers get a message, "this user is not accepting calls at this time, please leave a voicemail" if they call, or an auto-reply, "this user is not accepting texts at this time, your message will be read when messaging is re-enabled," if they text/SMS.

Airplane Mode set to "on" with Wi-Fi availability will take care of all cell-network intrusions.

But that will only work if he has a Wi-Fi network to connect to.  I understood him as wanting to be able to use his data plan while being unavailable for phone calls or text messages.

1) Do Not Disturb set for everyone.

or

2) Buy a second phone or portable WiFi device and tether it in Airplane Mode.

or

3) Too bad. The future is to be constantly notified and tracked.

Or get rid of the cellular device outright or carry a tablet when WiFi is desired but cell service isn't needed?

What I've found interesting about the proliferation of cell phones is that everyone expects it to be attached to your his.  God forbid you don't return a phone call or text within a short window lest your; friends, family or co-workers think something happened to you.  I go off the grid all the time for hikes or camping and occasionally get panic calls/messages when I return to cell service.  The expectation of constant availability is an almost exclusive modern frustration. 

[kphoger]

1) Do Not Disturb set for everyone.

I wonder if there's an app that will let you do that with the press of a button (OK, really with the navigation of three sub-menus, but you know what I mean).  If there is, then that might be in his interest to install.

[formulanone]

1) Do Not Disturb set for everyone.

I wonder if there's an app that will let you do that with the press of a button (OK, really with the navigation of three sub-menus, but you know what I mean).  If there is, then that might be in his interest to install.

I'm not entirely sure how you set on Android, but on iPhones, you can set it to either ignore everyone or just your Favorites (one-press contacts/speed dial).

[KEVIN_224]

Naming winter storms

It's not just The Weather Channel doing it. WFSB-TV (CBS) channel 3 of Hartford has been naming them for over 40 years. It goes back to when the Traveler's Insurance Corporation owned the station. They were assisted by the New England Weather Service. THE Blizzard of 1978, as an example, was called Blizzard Larry. Then channel 3 wanted to get all cute all call the Blizzard Of 2013...Nemo. Yup!

[hbelkins]

Naming winter storms

I have a hard and fast rule that I will not use their winter storm names in any official communications. I wish other governmental agencies would do the same. I cringe every time I see a DOT warning about Winter Storm (Name).

[jeffandnicole]

I'm also bothered by the fact that you can't turn off your phone or text availability while still maintaining data service. The only option I've found is the mute button on the ringer. There needs to be a true "do not disturb" feature whereby callers get a message, "this user is not accepting calls at this time, please leave a voicemail" if they call, or an auto-reply, "this user is not accepting texts at this time, your message will be read when messaging is re-enabled," if they text/SMS.

Airplane Mode set to "on" with Wi-Fi availability will take care of all cell-network intrusions.

But that will only work if he has a Wi-Fi network to connect to.  I understood him as wanting to be able to use his data plan while being unavailable for phone calls or text messages.

3) Too bad. The future is to be constantly notified and tracked.

No different than 40 years ago when you had a phone and if you didn't want it to ring you left the phone off the hook or unplugged it from the wall.  While you're not exactly being tracked using a Bell Phone, you had those two options if you didn't want to hear the phone ring.

If anything, the difference today is that people feel that every conceivable option should be available, and blame the manufacturer or network host if those very specific options aren't available.  Most people would just mute the sound from the phone, or simply not immediately write the person back.  If someone demands an immediate answer, then the receiver should take that up with the demanding sender.

[texaskdog]

People who insist the new decade begins in 2021, not 2020

[Brandon]

People who insist the new decade begins in 2021, not 2020

People who lack any understanding that there was no Year 0, hence it starts in 2021, not 2020.

[Beltway]

People who insist the new decade begins in 2021, not 2020

People who lack any understanding that there was no Year 0, hence it starts in 2021, not 2020.

True indeed, yet I watch for when the 9 changes to 0, as do many other people.

[vdeane]

People who insist the new decade begins in 2021, not 2020

People who lack any understanding that there was no Year 0, hence it starts in 2021, not 2020.

Culturally, decades/centuries/millennia are defined by how the number looks, not additive increments since the start of the calendar.  If that means there's a short decade at the beginning, so be it (incidentally, having a calendar that goes from -1 to 1 makes zero (pun intended) mathematical sense whatsoever, so I have no idea why it was done that way).

[CNGL-Leudimin]

People who don't realize there's more than one time zone. This hasn't happened this year, but has happened in the past.

[GaryV]

People who insist the new decade begins in 2021, not 2020

People who lack any understanding that there was no Year 0, hence it starts in 2021, not 2020.

Centuries are numbered:  1st, 2nd, ... 19th, 20th, 21st.  Thus they begin on XX01.

Decades are not numbered though.  No one says the 199th, 200th, 201st ... decade.  Decades are named for the years that comprise them:  The 70's, the 80's, the 90's, etc.  Just because we've had no good names for the last 2 decades doesn't change the fact that now we are in the 20's.

[SSOWorld]

How about New Years Resolutions.

Mine's 320x240.

[crt08]

The stock question "How are you?" or "How's it going" and the constant response of "I'm doin'" or "it's goin'" I know it's a pleasantry but small talk just has never been my thing.

Drivers that at a particular traffic light here where US-27 changes from three to two lanes immediately after, will get in the right most lane seeing full well it ends ahead, just so that they can speed around everyone and merge in when the light turns green. It shouldn't bother me, but the idea of "I'm more important than everyone else" bothers me far more than it should.

Cars that like both of mine unfortunately have been, have the gas fuel cap on the passenger side. Just a terrible design, IMO. Not so much the inconvenience of having to go around to the other side, but that too. But that most cars have them on the driver's side, so going to gas stations you basically have to go against the flow of traffic, so to speak in order to fill up. Many times I've approached an empty pump to fill, and someone who has the cap on the (correct) side of their vehicle will pull in from the other side of the pump just as I'm approaching so I have to reverse and find another.  It seems years ago that the hoses at gas stations were often long enough to reach either side of the car, especially when it was more common for cars to have the cap behind the license plate. But it is not so today at most stations.