This one I’ve noticed a lot lately since I’ve been traveling:
1.) The plane gets to the gate, the captain turns off the seat belt signs, and immediately everyone STANDS UP IN THE AISLE, even though it’ll be 5-10 minutes before they even start their egress. It’s too crowded to remove luggage from the overhead bins, so I consider this mass standing-up as a neurotic but unfulfilled wish to get off the plane. As for me, I always occupy an aisle seat, so I resolutely sit in my chair until people start moving a bit ahead of me. Sometimes, when I do that, those in the middle or window seats in my row glare at me, as if I’m supposed to stand up and be uncomfortable but do nothing.
And language:
2.) The phrase “rocking a. . . . ” something, meaning, “displaying”. For example, “Beyoncé rocked this maternity mini-dress” or “One sexy snapshot shows [Matt McGorry] rocking chiseled six-pack abs.” This is what I call “with-it language”, a statement that does nothing except demonstrate that you’re up on the latest argot—you’re cool. And it doesn’t mean anything: when you’re “rocking” something, you’re doing nothing more than showing it, or showing it off.
Get off my damn lawn!
Maybe it’s time for readers to blow off steam by relating their most hated phrases or pet-peeve behaviors. (Here’s another one of mine: “gift” as a transitive verb: “John gifted his pal with a six pack of craft beer.”)
Leaving grocery carts in the middle of the parking lot.
Baby bump.
Leaving carts in the parking lot is one I hate too. Really pi$$e$ me off. Every step I take is physically painful and I always put mine away, even when I have to walk a long way because some a$$hole has taken a disabled park illegally again.
I don’t like the term “baby bump” much either.
You’ll be happy to know, Heather, that I return other lazy peoples’ carts back to where they belong. And thanks to you, I will never again feel embarrassed doing so.
Sorry thanks to NYPINTA as well for sharing.
A person of true nobility of conscience! Thank you!
You’re very welcome.
1. The grocery store parking lot where people will not push their carts to the back of an empty corral, thus leaving no room for others.
2. On a rural two lane highway behind a slow moving car. You finally get to a passing lane and the slow car speeds up as though the devil is on its tail.
Oh, god, the people who are on parking space away from the cart return, and don’t take their carts back. I even saw one person leave their cart just on the side next to the cart return!
Or even worse – the people who fling their vehicle’s door open without any regard for the vehicle parked next to them, leaving a nice dent, and then just carrying on like nothing happened.
That passing lane thing happens invariably. There has to be a reason for it. Perhaps because the road is straighter and wider where the passing lane is located?
I think yes, that people are more confident driving when they can see further ahead. Of course that’s where the passing lanes are.
Even on a multi-lane interstate, people tend to slow down on curves. (Disclaimer: I’m no scientist.)
Yes, you’re probably right about the reason for the speeding up. Needless to say, I think people who do that are inconsiderate a**holes who should be run off the road into the nearest tree (though so far I have managed to resist the temptation).
Allowing a following car to pass on a winding road is easy – approaching a right-hand bend (we drive on the left) that you can see is clear, just indicate left, lift off the throttle and keep left round the edge of the road and the following car, if he’s ‘with it’, will be past in a couple of seconds. Gets you out of his way and him off your tail and he’ll probably give you a ‘thank you’ wave.
cr
On the grocery cart issue, it really doesn’t bother me as long as people get it into to return reasonably straight. With a bit of a push the carts nest into each other, making more space.
The thing about cars speeding up as you try to pass drives me nuts as well here in Costa Rica. It must be somewhat cultural as I never really noticed this in the States. But it happens constantly here. I think it has something to do with a sort of competitive driving attitude. People will be driving along a leisurely pace then once they see me passing them, they hit the gas. Completely the opposite of what would make sense.
Nope, you missed this one. I stand as soon as I can (I try for an aisle seat for this very reason) because my legs hurt from the enforces sitting and jostling of my body that is the experience of a flight. It feels so good to be back on my feet, with my legs straight. That is why I stand.
Well, my legs don’t hurt I(I do leg exercises on long flights or walk down the aisle), so I didn’t miss anything. Or what did I miss?
Jerry, your knees probably fit behind the seat in front of you without having to splay them apart at an uncomfortable angle. For many of us that’s not the case – especially if the person in front has decided to recline the seat – a hanging offense as far as I’m concerned as it just leaves even less useful space (the commensurate increase above head level being useless).
One of the prices that I pay for being tall is not being able to fit into things, and one of the worst is plane seats, getting stood up asap is a huge relief.
My thoughts exactly, at 6’4″ my knees are wedged against the backrest of the seat in front of me the whole flight unless I’m lucky enough to have an empty seat next to me so I can angel my thighs in that direction. But even when I can sit comfortably, after a few hours of sitting, it feels good to stand up.
It’s my lower back that needs to be stretched by standing. That’s why I stand at the end of the flight.
But there’s no good reason for the glares you’re getting from others.
Ditto, here. I choose aisle seats and get up as soon as I can. I’ve been crammed in a little seat, banging my knees and suffering joint stiffness. I can’t afford the legroom of first class.
Plus a desire to get to the overhead bins before anyone else so your stuff doesn’t get trashed.
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Oh you get an overhead bin? Luxery!
Yeah! We had to keep our luggage on our laps, and we thought we had it good!
We only dreamed of having luggage.
You have dreams? What’s that like?
Looooxery
I’m always keen to get on first to ensure that.
When I’m not travelling business class … 😁
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It also makes it easier for people not in the aisle seat to collect their things and get ready to depart. Plus, it’s just more room for everyone – airplane seats are cramped.
Me too on all that.
I’m afraid Jerry would collect a glare from me.
Patience is a virtue, so I’m told. I must try it some time.
cr
Saying “Thx” instead of Thanks in emails.
Tx!
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I’m okay with Thx but Thnx I’ve also seen.
Getting lectured for typing “Thanks” or “Thank you” instead of “Thx.”
Being advised by an intrusive youngster that I don’t have to use proper punctuation and capitalization when typing a search term, causing me to wonder if the youngster him-/herself is competent in those skills.
Being asked by a school kid WHY I wear western boots.
Tolerating faux shock from someone who can hardly believe that I still use a clamshell phone instead of a smartphone (also being told by a smartphone sales rep that I am using an “old phone,” as if I somehow didn’t know that).
Being lectured by someone for not knowing EVERY Beatles song (e.g., “Because”)- “And you grew up during that time!” Oh, the shame! Where are the sackcloth and ashes?
Who out there currently presumes to lecture, and by what warrant, the rest of the universe what is “cool” or “with-it”? Some years ago it was Faith Popcorn.
My pet peeve is people who obsess about putting the divider between their groceries and your groceries on a till conveyor. In a world of mass shootings and potential nuclear war, some people are more terrified that they may accidentally pay for my milk. Relax people….
It helps the cashier to know when to stop, so speeds things up. Besides that, in addition to paying for your milk, maybe the other shopper will take it home. Is that what you want?
And, it’s polite to place the divider at the end of your or order, it’s a courtesy to the person behind you.
Nope, my peeve isn’t the divider, which is an eminently practical invention, it’s people who obsess about using it. I’ve seen people FREAK if their groceries aren’t completely separated from someone else’s. I’ve seen people lose their reason if I haven’t used it immediately. How did we shop for countless years without a physical divider ? And if you accidentally pay for someone else’s item ? No biggie, it can Be resolved very quickly. So I’m all for using it, just don’t obsess…..
My experience is that, if no divider is placed, the clerk always asks (hopefully not obsessively – likely directed by management to do so) if any of the items behind mine are mine, and that the clerk always will remove the divider. If the person behind places the divider, I don’t see that that person is being obsessive. Of course, I must confess that it is an inconvenience (however miniscule) to reach for, grab, and place on the moving counter, the divider.
I can’t stand it when people in front of you *don’t* put the divider down. Otherwise the belt smooshes your stuff together and confusion ensues.
In my local supermarket one aisle has a conveyor belt that doesn’t work. It’s been that way for months. You have to push your stuff up the belt.
I always do that as a courtesy to the person behind me so that they don’t have to do it.
Here in the UK, it is more or less mandatory to use the dividers.
Funny, I consider that a courtesy.
I think it’s a courtesy too.
Me three. But in his following comment he seems to be referring to people behind him demanding that he place the divider. That might be a little much. I always just hope the person in front of me does and give a warm thank-you if they do.
That would seem to require imposing on the person in front a duty to maintain a lookout for a possible behind person. One might be tempted to go ahead and put the divider down so as to be relieved of the constant lookout, and let any observer wonder what is going on. 😉
I refuse to place the divider because I do not work for the supermarket. I also refuse to pick up after myself at cafes and, rarely, when I am at a fast food place. I do not work there. Why not create a job?
In the stores I shop at the cashier is usually sufficiently beyond the end tail end of the conveyor belt so that it would be impossible for him to place the divider in that area. And that area is typically where I want to start piling my groceries; so I greatly appreciate a helpful placement by the shopper in front of me.
I don’t think your littering is very likely to create any new jobs–it’s just going to make the already stressed help even more so. You do realize there’s a reason fast food is cheap, right?
Yep, at the cafes (Starbucks, etc.) the place where people add their cream and sugar is a place where it is apparently alright to make a mess. Let the servants clean it up. And there are not a few male human primates who refuse to raise the lid when urinating in café and restaurant restrooms, some of whom also declining to inconvenience themselves to wash their hands. (Being male, I’m in no position to presume to similarly hold forth on women. in this regard, though I like to believe that they surely hold themselves to a significantly higher standard.)
By lid, I guess you mean seat. Not raising the lid would be very messy — and likely result in wet knees. 😬
But, *especially* blokes who use a cubical rather than the stalls in public toilets, inconveniencing those who *need* to sit down — and leave the door open while they’re doing it.
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“By lid, I guess you mean seat. Not raising the lid would be very messy — and likely result in wet knees. ”
Ar, ar, ya got me.
I guess that’s why one doesn’t see lids on toilets in cafes, restaurants, and other public settings. 😉
Perhaps there ought to be lids, possibly forcing more people to do what they ought to do, wash their hands.
Sitting in those cramped seats I can’t wait to stand up and let my legs breathe.
I don’t know why short people do it.
We short people no longer have foot rests under the seats in front of us and thus get sore backs on planes.
And when your back is already buggered it’s agony. I always wait for most other people to get off the plane though. It’s very hard on the back standing around waiting for your luggage once you get in the terminal as well.
I try to get aisle seats near the door for obvious reasons.
I always try to get window seats for the view. It spares me glares too, I realise now. (and no, I do not ‘glare’ if someone on the aisle seat does not stand up imediately). One should realise that at any rate the time bottleneck is at the baggage recovery.
Me too. For the view, and the greater ease of tuning out those around me, in my case.
Me too. I wait until the queue is moving & most people are already off before I even think about getting up. Let’s face it, we all meet up again at the baggage carousel.
My pet peeve on planes is the number of people who, when the seat belt light goes out, immediately have to get up & queue for the loo. There are plenty in the terminal & they’re free so I can’t understand the immediate need to go.
Me too, exactly. Window seat if at all possible. It’s hard for me to understand why everyone doesn’t want window seats. Curmudgeons!
And, yep, just sit and relax in my window seat until the crowd has thinned. I’ve got no desire to get mixed up in the rush to be first off the plane.
If there’s nobody else in the row then I will always sit near the window. But aisle seats afford easier movement and, for me, that trumps the view.
Because my feet don’t touch the floor while I’m sitting down in those damn seats. It is such a relief to get them on the floor at the end of a flight, I stand up even when sitting in the middle or window seat (I’m short, so I can get away with that).
I’m with you on this, Dee.
This is “Sick”, describing something you like.
Ahemm.
That’s sic, not Sick.
I’m on your lawn Pops!
Um …
sick
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Hey! Get off my lawn!
Brrraaaap??
But maybe those people in the middle and window seats know that it may take them some time to get their stuff out of the overhead locker, or their laptop is up there and they don’t want other people shoving it around, and so they would like to get into the aisle as soon as possible to deal with that and not wait and try to do it while everyone is now on the move and they will have to hold everybody up. Just a thought.
They CAN’T get into the aisle: it’s full almost immediately, and if I stood up there wouldn’t be room for the others. I see this behavior as completely neurotic.
They are thinking that they somehow have to compete with the others to get off the plane even though it makes no logical sense. I always stay seated too otherwise I’ll just stand there for a while then get shoved by everyone and a fight will ensue.
I suppose at least a few have a tight connection schedule, but surely nowhere near as many as get up in the aisle. Would that somehow two exits from the plane could be used.
In less sophisticated airports that don’t have elaborate ‘airbridges’, two exits are used. They wheel steps up to both ends of the plane.
Jetstar does it on its budget domestic flights (Airbus A320’s) here in NZ, I think it helps them too with quicker turnaround time.
I find it ironic that the more elaborate the airport, the less convenient it is for passengers.
cr
Especially the ones in the window or center seats who stand stooped over for ten minutes.
Ha, I was just going to add that!
Quite valid Sarah, and I have a pet peeve about people who hold up the queue of shuffling passengers (once it starts to move) while they get their luggage out of the lockers.
(This is coupled with a peeve about people who bring on board enormous suitcases as ‘carry-on baggage’…)
cr
Hear hear
Now, PCC(E) – I love you, I love your writing, I love it all.
But you asked, so – and this occurred to me right before this here post – a pet peeve of mine, and not the worst one :
Including the time of day in salutations in electronic communications.
So, saying “Good Morning” in email, for instance.
Texting etc. is ok, or if you’re in an email volley.
“Avē!”
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What does Avē mean, he asked, expecting the worst….
https://translate.google.com/#la/en/ave
Wait–that bugs you? You must otherwise have an uncommonly stress-free life. 😉
If “Good Morning” is not acceptable, perhaps one should go Klingon and instead ask, “What do you want?” I see “Good Morning” as an example of an effort to be civil in an increasingly crass and rude U.S. pop culture.
Yes, that’s a very good way of putting it.
Mine is the use of the word, “Whenever” when what the speaker really means is simply “when.” As in, “Whenever I was younger, I used to….” Or, “Whenever Joe played college football he tried to play quarterback….” Among the biggest public offenders of this speech habit is Troy Aikman. For whatever reason, whenever I hear this, it drives me nuts.
“Whenever Joe played college football he tried to play quarterback….”
That seems fine. It emphasises that this is what Joe did every time, cf. “When Joe played college football he tried to play quarterback….”
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How about utilize instead of use.
I dislike that utilisation.
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Current language peeve: Using “task” as a verb, e.g., “He was tasked to sweep up the floor.”
Urk.
Seems legit to me.
As will “gift” as a verb, it is more concise v. “X gave Y smth as a gift”.
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PS. “gift” has been used as a verb with this sense since about 1600, according to the Historical Thesaurus of the Oxford English Dictionary.
* As with …
1. “Bling” still irritates. Ditto “liberry” and
“nucular” and “calvary” when “cavalry” is intended. Etc.
2. Insistence that a particular word has only one definition when it may have more, some of which depend on where you’re from: i.e “lavatory” can mean a basin for washing, a toilet for other functions, or the room that contains both. Makes for a strange image if one person is talking about laving one’s hands in a basin while another imagines you on the throne.
3. “EKG vs. ECG”. Some medical practitioners insist on one being more correct than the other, while some use the terms interchangeably. One derives from German, the other from English, but refers to the same equipment and/or process.
4. Insistence that two words mean the same but has come about due to incorrect usage: “undulation” and “ululation”, for example. Yes, word meanings can, and do, change over time but not so fast as some people think.
5. Lousy editing, or none, in written material intended for a large audience.
“The rapid undulation induced wild ululation!”
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“The elegant catenary induced euphoric caterwauling.”
Rowena, it is EKG because it derives from Greek ‘kardia’ (with a kappa) rather than from Latin ‘cor’ (with a C 😆). Of course, either can be used and should be considered correct. I’d say, with all due respect, that your pet peeve is somehow slighly superfluous there (in my modest opinion, that is).
Yes, the jumping-up-in-the-aisle (sometimes even *before* the captain has switched off the seatbelts sign) drives me bonkers.
Another air-travel-related peeve is the people who stand *right next to* the luggage conveyor belt – because of course their luggage is going to be the first to arrive!
On buses, streetcars (or trams, since I now live in Melbourne) and subway cars, my pettest peeve is people who stand in the doorway when they’re not getting off. Unless the car is so crowded that you can’t move in further, there’s no excuse for that kind of behaviour.
When I used to travel to the UK on business, I was always amused by the Brits who immediately rushed to get luggage carts, and then push up to the baggage conveyor. They looked like leaves on a branch. Of course, good luck getting your bags….
When the person at the grocery checkout chats with the cashier while others (especially me) are waiting.
Every time I hear “begs the question” used incorrectly (essentially every time I hear it).
Question begging is always hard for me to get on the spot.
I have to look it up every time. That and the words “odious” and … and the other one Hitchens would use….
Unctuous
What’s wrong with odious? As in ‘the odious Linda Sarsour’ (fill in any other odious person), I can’t see anything wrong with that. What is the other one the Hitch would use (used to use)? Obtuse?
I said I have to look it up every time just like I have to look up question begging. … and then I added “unctuous” after I remembered it. Everything I just wrote here <<<< is essentialy up there ^^^^ unless I am missing something
I am almost ready to concede on the misuse of “begs the question.” Some sources even almost accept it.
http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/begs-the-question-update
https://afterdeadline.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/09/25/begging-the-question-again/
I still fight on other fronts – nauseous when you me nauseated is a particular bugaboo.
Yeah,nobody uses nauseated any more.
Struck and White hate nauseous – calling it pretentious among other things. So you are in good company!
(Some dislike the over- use of exclamation marks!)
Oh God yes that drives me insane! Even worse though is when the cashier tells the customer in front the cost and after finishing packing their bags at the speed of a three toed sloth they slowly find their big handbag, then find their smaller bag within, which holds their bloody purse, which they then open and spend ages trying to find their loyalty card and then their bank card to pay. ARRRGGGG!!!!! Didn’t you know you were going to need them both? And why on earth didn’t you just get them ready so you aren’t keeping everybody? You knew you would need it for Christ’s sake! It gets even worse when, before leaving, they reverse the process putting the cards in the purse, purse in the bag, bag in the big bag, all at the speed of a tortoise that has overdosed on benzodiazepines. They are completely oblivious to anyone else and the fact that others may have somewhere to get to in a hurry. It honestly drives me mad – takes immense self control not to shout “HURRY UP for God’s sake!!!!
Superb rant. One wonders whether these people get some secret pleasure in their provocations.
Craft beer six-packs don’t rock, but my rocking chair does.
It is no good in a can!
It also leads to dad bods, which apparently do rock 🙂
Ask anybody, especially a beer snob, if beer tastes better from a bottle or a can, they almost always prefer a bottle. Do double blind tests, however, and the bottle preference disappears. In fact, double blind tests show a slight preference for cans. believe it, or not
Yes, recent can technology works better than bottles. Most beer geeks I know prefer cans now.
Eliminates the entire issue of light-struck beer.
Also, they don’t shatter, they are much lighter to pack out, and smaller, you can flatten them.
They don’t shatter but I have returned home from the store only to find that one of the cans in a six pack had been pierced somewhere and I only had a five pack.
This has happened twice to me. I now check every can before purchase.
If it pierced at the store, I would think you would notice, what with the weight of the six pack not being evenly distributed ???
I didn’t notice. I think you need two six packs in hand for comparison for that to work if you aren’t paying attention.
Recent can technology…
URBAN MYTH !
Can technology, vis a vis the lining, hasn’t changed much since cans were first introduced in 1935 ! (January 24th, if you must know the exact date )Problem was that until recently, canning equipment cost many millions of dollars. Thus only Mega Brewers could afford them. Hence only Mega Brews were put in cans, hence the poor perception of canned beer. Once small manual canning lines were introduced early this century, and micro breweries could afford to can their beers ( $10k for a small manual canning line vs several million for a conventional canning line) the perception of canned beer improved gradually to where it is today.
tl/dr. It wasn’t the cans that made canned beer taste bad, it was the bad beer put into cans that made canned beer taste bad
As a working engineer for 3+ decades, who has worked with polymers that entire time, you’ll have to excuse my skepticism that the lining polymers used in lining cans used for beer haven’t changed since 1935. And the polymer is what touches the beer. (Cans were also brazed in 1935 (additional metals to add to the chemistry), now they are (deep-draw) formed and crimped.)
Pretty much every polymer that gets much use in industry has been changed or replaced since that time.
These polymers were not in commercial use in 1935 (most hadn’t been invented/discovered), among many, many others:
Nylon
Polyurethane
Silicone
PTFE (“Teflon”, “Goretex”)
Polypropylene
Polyimide
Epoxy
Polyethylene
Polymethylmethacrylate (Acrylic)
Polyester
(PVC has just barely gotten going)
(That covers all the main biocompatible ones and a bunch of others.)
And: Thin film applications are hard to do well.
I’ve never had an issue with cans — but then I more or less never drink beer from it’s shipping packaging. In a glass, please!
https://www.wired.com/2015/03/secret-life-aluminum-can-true-modern-marvel/
The oldest can in my collection is a Pabst Blue Ribbon from 1938. Back in the days, the virtues of canned beer was actually printed on the side of the can . Here is what is printed on the side of my can:
“Here is beer as Pabst made it, in the non refillable, brewery sealed container which protects it against tampering, and the harmful effects of light…”
What’s old is new again
Beer in a can or bottle is terrible. Pour the beer into a glass.
https://lifehacker.com/pour-a-foamier-beer-to-minimize-stomach-bloat-1797941662
I recently bought a six pack (cans) of Pinball beer from a local microbrewery, Two Brothers.
http://twobrothersbrewing.com/artisan-collection/artisan-beer/
The primary reason microbreweries use bottles rather than cans is that bottling equipment is much cheaper than canning equipment. The upfront capital costs of a microbrewery are high. Long term, canning is cheaper then bottling (I think) but bottles save up front cost. Some microbreweries are beginning to invest in canning equipment as they get more established.
I wanted to see what a can from a microbrew was like. So I opened a can of Pinball and drank from the can. It was terrible. When I poured it into a proper beer glass, it was great. Do not drink beer from a bottle or can. Pour it into a glass and let the CO2 escape.
I have a rule – I will only drink beers that are brewed within 200 miles of me. 200 miles to include Grand Rapids, MI which has great beer – Bell’s, Founders, many more.
https://www.experiencegr.com/things-to-do/beer-city/
That rule will stay in effect until I can no longer find great, interesting beers in a 200 mile radius. Pretty sure there is enough out there to keep me going until I die.
Never had anything bad from Bell’s, but there was this one . . .
Can’t remember how long ago, but probably more than 5 years ago. I was at a neat little place that had a large variety of good beers. They had a keg of a special, one time only, small batch IPA by Bell’s. Can’t remember what it was called. I of course got that. It was easily the most spectacular IPA I’d ever had. When the glass was first placed in front of me I was surprised by the amazing aroma. It’s hard to describe. It was something like the smell of orange blossoms on a warm summer night breeze.
For a few moments I didn’t even drink, I just sat there with my head down over the glass breathing. I was almost afraid to drink it because I was sure that the taste would be nothing like the aroma and that it would be a big let down. I was so happy to be wrong about that. It tasted very much like it smelled. All achieved with just hops, no added fruit juice or anything like that. It was amazing. I’ve never come across another IPA even remotely like it. I’ve never had another beer of any kind where the aroma was such a significant part of the experience of partaking of it. And I’ve had a lot of different beers.
Speaking of IPAs, another peeve! I am so sick of IPAs. These days when you walk into a variety beer store or a drinking establishment that prides itself in its large variety of craft beers, more often than not about 80% – 90% will be IPAs. I’m done with IPAs! There are other styles of beer.
Thank you. I also am over IPA’s.
I must also voice complete agreement regarding IPAs.
NOT(!) just hops. Many beer aromas are generated by the yeast! Good malt adds its aroma as well.
Oh, I didn’t mean to say that hops is the only or primary aroma and taste producing ingredient in beers generally, but hops is the dominant flavoring of traditional IPAs.
As you may already know, India Pale Ale came about as a solution to a problem in the British Empire. The problem was that the ale spoiled on long voyages. Like shipping ale to India for the troops. A solution that worked was to put a bunch of extra hops into the ale. That prevented the ale from spoiling and gave it a very distinctive, and strong, taste. Thus IPA was born. Or so the story goes.
So (pet peeve anyone?), craft IPAs are often merely an exercise in figuring out how to cram as much hops as possible into an ale. Including, in extreme cases, dispensing the ale through a large tube stuffed with fresh hops to add an extra hops^3 note to the already hops^2 ale as it drops into the glass. And, as I’m sure you know, hops is where the citrus aroma and taste, and the bitterness, of the IPA comes from.
But I’m all for yeasty brews! Belgian Abbey Ales are a passion of mine.
“So (pet peeve anyone?), craft IPAs are often merely an exercise in figuring out how to cram as much hops as possible into an ale.”
Completely with you!
I pretty much only drink these days (regularly):
Bass (a really fine British PA, of course)
Pilsner Urquell
Stella Artois
Many Belgian ales
Seems to me most of the craft brewing industry in the USA has gone off the rails.
As a home brewer pretty well since it began (legally) in 1976, I saw this all happen. It’s easy to understand how home brewers and then craft brewers went for hops (and malt instead of cheap adjuncts like corn, rice, and corn syrup): Anything to provide more flavor than the insipid “beer” produced by the big breweries. I was, of course, very encouraged by the birth of the craft brewing industry in the US.
But then they lost their way. Hops good? Tons more must be even better, right? Not so much.
Same thing with oak in US wines. A little is lovely. However, when I drink wine, I want to taste wine, not a wooden pallet.
Not that I have a strong opinion on this subject! 🙂
Many micros have heard you. Many more traditional styles have been introduced.
I agree, it is beginning to get better. Slowly (and that’s OK!)
I completely agree about drinking beer. Bottled or canned, I don’t care. As long as there’s a glass I can pour it into. (And as long as it is a good brew!)
Indeed! From a glass please!
Manual canning lines are quite cheap. But being manual, and only lidding two or four cans per pass, there is quite a bit of labor involved
The best beer in the world (to my modest taste), the Belgian trappist beer ‘Orval’, only comes in bottles. I guess indeed because on an industrial scale the Orval monastry is ‘micro’.
I’ve had Orval (in Belgium many times and elsewhere).
Of course, this is completely, à chacun son goût; but I disagree.
I find Orval far too dry for my tastes and heavy on the hops.
Other Belgian ales I’d take any day over Ovral:
Hoegaarden Grand Cru (sadly no longer produced, I think)
La Chouffe (maybe my favorite beer)
Duval
any St. Bernardus
Scotch De Silly
Gordon’s Scotch
(not a big Chimay fan, except the Cinq Cents)
Westmalle Tripel
Saison Dupont (edging towards too dry for me)
(many more)
The rocking term is a fad & will likely disappear – we hope!
As for the plane/aisle thing, why do they not disembark people in rows or sections? Likewise they should embark in sections – some airlines do I think. Have not flown for about 5 years though –
carbon footprint!!!
“Rocking” to mean “wearing” has been slang for at least 30 years.
Some airlines embark passengers by sections of rows defined numerically. I see no reason why disembarking couldn’t be handled the same way.
Which makes me think of another pet peeve: road conditions any time two lanes must merge into one and some people wait until the last minute to force their way into the one lane. I almost got run off the road by such a person.
Use of impact as a verb, and the phrase ‘going forward’ as in ‘we will evaluate our procedures going forward.’ These are examples of bureaucratese or attempts to sound smarter or more in control or impartial (or something that I haven’t quite put my finger on). I despise such abuse of language.
You beat me to it. The version I was going to cite was “Moving forward”, and it is used by politicians over, and over, and over. Listen for it.
I hate that phrase too. I’d say the reason we dislike it is because its superfluous and as with people who say “um” repeatedly its a way of slowing down ones speech to allow the brain to catch up.
Amen! Impact seems to be acceptable as a verb now, but I can’t stand it.
I’ve seen “impactful” as adjective. Ouch.
Replying to “Thank you” with “No problem.”
People behind me in the supermarket checkout line who insist on bumping me with their cart.
I have no problem with “no problem” or no worries, or de nada, or de rien. This type of response has a long history and broad usage.
I don’t care for “thank you” in response to thank you.
I’m with Art. I didn’t ask if they had a problem – I asked if they needed anything, and “No, thank you” seems the proper response.
Except that he’s complaining about a response to “thanks you”. (He wasn’t asking a question.)
True – in which case the answer would be “You are welcome.” 🙂
Many options …
I have no problem with ‘no problem’, but the carts in your Achilles tendons should be considered as physical assault, and dealt with accordingly.
As a onetime (Midwestern) sailor, it irks me when people say, “She took a different tact.”, when what they should say is, ” She took a different tack.”
People who do so obviously have no tact.
Wow, not sure if I’ve ever heard that infelicity before! Yikes! Looking for a different type of adhesive were they?
Nevermind, mixed my words up!
I read this in a CNN article just yesterday.
I had not flown for several years but it’s interesting that people are just as stupid now as they were 15 or 20 years ago. Sit down and shut up.
One of my complaints would be all the edit police who seem to find it necessary to correct every little thing you put on the posting. I don’t know if it is because they are teachers or some other reason. Don’t know how else to tell them except, it is not necessary.
“Rock” as verb of action not pertaining to music has relegated to second tier mad communications, not street speak. My peeve is when people have peeves that are already passé. 😉
Oh and WordPress editing.
The use of the word “woke,” defined by Merriam-Webster as “aware of and actively attentive to important facts and issues (especially issues of racial and social justice).” The Urban Dictionary amusingly defines it as “A state of perceived intellectual superiority one gains by reading The Huffington Post.” Its example sentence is “Ali is so woke. At brunch she explained how wearing anything other than Chuck Taylor’s or Tom’s is really a microaggression. Hey did you get your Amy Schumer tickets yet?”
No, I didn’t get my tickets because I’m a victim of “intersectionality”.
And I don’t like “did you get them yet”…Should be “have you gotten them yet”….It’s a lost cause🤓
“have you got”!
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Gotten is more American, I suppose. But did you do something yet is, like, totes ungrammatical.
Teachers making you write “got” instead of “gotten” just piss me off.
‘Referenced’ instead of ‘referred to.’ I know language is dynamic and cannot be constrained by anything like a ‘Royal Academy,’ but surely I am allowed to begrudge this solecism, whereby a perfectly good compound verb (that is, verb + preposition) is silenced by promoting a noun into its less lovely successor.
“Woke”, “cringe”, and “amazing” (it’s the new average). The latter is best (or worst, really) when stated using vocal fry.
Is ‘amazing’ more or less amazing than ‘awesome’? When I rang a utility provider yesterday, the person at the other end of the telephone repeatedly thought it awesome that I could give her my account number, name and address.
Lol!
The phrase “on the ground” which is used constantly by political commentators on MSNBC. It devolved from the phrase “boots on the ground” which originally meant ground troops used in a war zone as opposed to only air power. Then reporters started using it to describe themselves whenever they weren’t sitting at their desk. The other day I heard it used several times in the course of an hour: reporters would describe the situation in Puerto Rico “on the ground”.
I wish I had a lot of money so I could destroy my TV every time someone says this.
I become enraged when I hear politicians say “optics”, e.g., “It will be bad optics if I vote for gun control.”
I see way too many internet comments with “would of” instead of “would’ve.”
And way too many teens are saying “literally.”
Literally preceded by like…
Optics and granularity🤢
A more recent peeve I have are apologist for this guy Donald Trump. Whether some news person or some of his employees always passing over or covering something stupid that just came out of his mouth or other body parts. The recent trip to Puerto Rico and just about everything he has tweeted about this matter confirms with no doubt what a complete and total jerk this human being is. He can only be properly described as a complete asshole. Sorry I could not come up with another word for this.
“He really puts the ‘ass’ in compassion, doesn’t he?” — JIMMY KIMMEL
That Jimmy…really on a roll lately.
Ignoranus??
Appropriate for the T”Rump”.
Yes, ignoranus: both ignorant and an a-hole.
Any noun can be verbised.
I’d like to generalise your observation of everyone standing up and getting nowhere. I think it is a clamour to not “lose”. I see it when folk clamour to get on a tube (underground train) or bus, even when everyone will be able to get on, and will be able to get a seat (or no one will) (and when there’s an obvious fair order). I’m trying to propagate an antidote: mutter to oneself, but audibly, “have some dignity people” (losing their dignity should chime with their need not to “lose”). As it is, I’m probably just coming across as an unhinged mutterer.
Verbing weirds words.
– Calvin (from Calvin and Hobbes)
The people at the back don’t know they are going to get on, and the people at the front don’t care. In Tokyo they actually hire “pushers” to move people along.
What’s so wrong with verbification?
My most hated phrase: “The body politic.” What the frack does that mean?
LOL frack.
Felgercarb!
It’s a metaphor. The earliest use I recall was Hobbes in Leviathan. He described the King as the head, and the nobility as the arms (I think), etc. It made some sense then in a society divided into political orders. Now it’s just a cliché.
I always too sit in the aisle seat (if possible).
I stand up right away because I want to unfold from that horrible, cramped posture required by coach class airline seating! I am 6′-5″ tall and after 4-8 hours in one of those seats, my most fervent desire is to simply to stand up!
Then I wait patiently for those in front of me to move.
I agree that it makes no sense for those not on the aisle to get up (and stand, bent over, under the overhead bins).
Totally agree on “rocked”. And, also, “how do you roll?” (Or “that’s how I roll.”) Gak!
“Go ahead and …”
as in: “I’ll teach you to find an excellent grammar website now, go ahead and type in ‘grammar disasters.”
Atrocious use of “there’s”…
“There’s plenty of fish in the sea.”
“There’s a lot of lobsters in this tank.”
This problem is so widespread, grammar experts and even some online dictionaries are hinting it will/has become acceptable usage.
It is caused by laziness. It is easy to say “there’s” while it takes elocutionary dexterity to say “they’re.”
I cringe hearing the misuse every time.
Me, too🤢
“There are” just ends up as “therrrrr” for me.
Nothing wrong with therrr
@vampyricon
How many syllables in “therrr?” as you say it?
Do you ever say “there are”?
Do you ever say “there’s” instead, even with a plural noun following?
I hate bullying drivers. That’s my pet peeve today. I’m in a bad mood and someone came close to hitting me head-on a few days ago because he just had to pass a farm tractor on a country road right then even though there was no one behind me. I hit the brakes and decreased my speed by 20 kph and he barely got in.
And guns have something in common with autos similar to alcohol.
In case you’ve not seen Lost Highway (David Lynch film), there is a brilliant scene relating to this which I’m sure you’ll appreciate.
Then you should just stop bullying them!
(Sorry. I couldn’t help myself.)
I’ve seen drivers in mostly the MA area (some CT and VT) slam hard on their brakes if being followed too closely. I only ever tried this once myself as it puts both cars in danger. That was the only place I have seen that while living there.
Yeah, I understand the impulse but that is crazy dangerous.
Just turn on the lights, the rear lights will send a message – which rarely works but we can try
Okay, if it’s driving pet peeves, I’ve got a few.
The order does not indicate the degree of peeve.
1) People that drift onto the shoulder or into the next lane. This has become ubiquitous. Virtually every time I drive, even a 3 minute drive to the corner store, there will be a person in front of me who lazily drifts partly out of their lane, often for an extended period of time. This is dangerous as hell. This is why it is unsafe to walk or bike or stand on the side of the road.
2) People that sit at a light after it has turned green for a significant fraction of the time the light will be green. How considerate to make all those people behind you have to sit at the light for another cycle because you’re caught up in an Instagram chat.
3) Tailgaters. Freaking stupidest thing to do. An accident waiting to happen and of absolutely no benefit. It actually reduces your options because you have less room to maneuver around the person if you need or want to. It certainly doesn’t get you where you are going any faster.
4) People that don’t know how to go around a turn. They’ll actually come to nearly a complete stop by the time they are passed the middle of the turn. Double peeved for such people that, once they’ve got the vehicle going straight again then accelerate aggressively to a high speed.
5) Compulsive brakers.
6) People that pull out onto the road in front of you such that you have to slow down in order to accommodate them, even though there is nobody behind you and if they had simply waited for 2 or 3 seconds they could have pulled out without inconveniencing anyone.
7) People that drive giant vehicles that are incapable of maneuvering them. If it’s too big for you to drive park the piece of shit.
8) People that hang out right next to you, in your blind spot is the best, during highway driving. Look, if you’re going to pass, then pass. It’s that little peddle on the right. Step on it. Ghosting another vehicle is unsafe and rude.
9) People that park on the line on one side of their parking space.
10) People that drive in the passing lane as a matter of course, regardless of any rolling roadblocks they create.
I’m sure there are more, but that will do it for now. Basically it boils down to two primary things. So many people don’t take driving seriously enough to make an effort to learn how to do it well, and too many people just don’t give a shit about how what they do impacts the other people around them. These things both really piss me off.
I will add drivers who dawdle along approaching a green light and then speed up at the last second leaving you to stop for a red.
Ohhh yeah. That definitely belongs on the list.
Most thoroughly agree with all those.
I’d add, people driving slowly on winding roads who make no attempt to assist the queue behind them to pass.
cr
Your driving peeves are valid, but you missed my biggest ones so I’ll add them here:
– Drivers that do not accelerate to the speed of traffic in the merge lane, then merge at a dangerously low speed. This, more than just about any other driver behavior, gets my blood boiling.
– Drivers that cannot manage a zipper merge.
Agreed!
Regarding the zipper merge challenged folks, I think the cause of that is more often simple dickishness than a lack of skill / talent / experience.
Although stupidity likely goes hand in hand with the dickishness. It’s stupid to not let the next car merge because if enough people do it, and there is almost always enough people doing it, then it slows the whole thing down for everyone. Including the stupid dicks.
Drivers who speed by a slow-moving exit lane and then horn their way in up front deserve honorable mention.
Drivers in the freeway entrance lane who speed past slow moving freeway traffic to get a few more car lengths ahead. Once, when I was adjusting my speed to merge onto the freeway, had the driver behind me honk at me because I did not pass the cars on the freeway to get as far as possible to the end of the merging lane. I have even seen drivers on the freeway move into a entrance lane to pass a few cars on the right.
Also, people that turn into the second lane. Especially if they are behind me, they are turning right into my blind spot which makes it hard to properly lane switch after the turn.
Oh yes. That goes on the list for sure.
Directly related is when someone in front of you turns into the second lane and then, usually just about the time you are closing on them because they are moving slowly, they pop back over into the inside lane.
Someone did that to me then when I changed lanes she figured I did something wrong and passed me then slowed down to glare at me.
“People that pull out onto the road in front of you such that you have to slow down in order to accommodate them”
This has long been one of my standards for determining that the drivers as f***ed up. If you make the person you pull out in front of brake, you have f***ed up.
Oh, they love to do it though!
Exactly! I’ve often said / complained that the best attitude to have about driving is that you should strive to drive such that other people do not have to react to anything that you have done. Of course that is impossible to do completely, but degrees do matter!
It is safer and more polite. Why on Earth would you intentionally put yourself in a position where you have to rely on the willingness or competence of a stranger to do the right thing to ensure your safety? Why would you willing put your life in the hands of a stranger?
HAha I agree with all of those. They must’ve been pent up a long time for you because you put a lot of careful effort into that post!
🙂 Not pent up so much as experienced nearly every day.
Agree with most of that, but my greatest peeve in traffic is people that want to turn right (that would be left in the US and Europe) on a road that has a broad center median strip, to stop without engaging the strip, blocking aĺ the road users in the lane behind them. This is extremely common in South Africa, drives me nuts.
Related: at traffic lights (called ‘robots’ here) people wanting to turn right (again, that would be left in the US and Europe) that drive up only a meter or so, ensuring that no other car behind them may turn right (left) when the lights change.
11) At red light idiots who leave too much space in front of them. Whenever possible I pull around them into the open space. These idiots prevent someone behind them from making the green light.
12) Idiots who refuse to turn right on red when it’s clear to do so and who refuse to turn after I honk at them from behind.
13) Idiots who don’t turn on headlights at dark and who refuse to turn them on when I remind them by honking and flashing my lights at them.
14) Idiots who drive on the shoulder to avoid waiting in a traffic jam like the rest of us normal people.
15) Idiots who use the left turn lane to pass the long line of traffic going straight, then cut into the straight lane without even signaling.
16) Idiots who don’t move when light turns green because they’re playing with their phone.
I am provoked to road rage regularly by these idiots.
My first language pet peeve is ‘solution’ as a verb. It is often used by IT managers. Example: “Let’s solution this situation.” Why do they feel that is a better sentence than “Let’s solve this situation’?
Next is also from IT. Often I hear a single location called ‘premise’. They think premises is only for plural locations.
Oh, yes! That’s my major bugbear. An “on-premise” solution. I’ve even had to correct our editors. And I take delight in pointing out the error in vendors’ documentation.
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I find almost every phrase employed by the MailOnline sidebar of shame (sometimes the Mail is the only place for a story!). In particular:
Packing on the PDA (I mean, WTF?)
So and so struggles to contain her* curves.
So and so showcases her bump/new boobs/bottom lift.
*’So and so’ is always a woman; for some reason they never say Donald Trump struggles to contain his curves.
I don’t mind these infelicities of language much since I know English is constantly in a state of flux anyway- lots of phrases in Jane Austen and the King James Bible meant something different then.
But…the use of acronyms along with the word for which the last letter stands?
Examples:
Your PIN number?
Is that your Personal Identification Number number??
The SQL language?
That would be the Source Query Language language??
At a reliable computer website (stackoverflow.com) I find an essay on CGI with this sentence:
“Programs implementing a CGI interface”.
That would be a Common Gateway Interface interface.
Fortunately, this has not worked its way into social media slang, or else we might have “BBL Later”.
You’ll need to check those with the Department of Redundancy Department!
I especially hate repetitive redundancy in particular.
And Table Mesa.
Torpenhow Hill in Cumbria …
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Mount Fujiyama.
The classic: HIV virus.
“Enter your PIN number on the ATM machine…”
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“Armed gunman.”
Speaking of lawns. My neighbours on both sides of me mow their lawns nearly every other day. It is hard to enjoy a nice summer day when all you hear is the sound of lawnmowers.
I think I’ll move to a highrise condo or something.
Hear, hear!
Yes indeed. Pretty much any given day the annoying sound of ICE powered lawn equipment is polluting the airways. I’m listening to some right now.
Relatively low-revving and fairly constant-speed lawnmowers are not nearly as obnoxious as leaf-blowers, weed-whackers and chainsaws which are always loudly but irregularly revving up. (Chainsaws being relatively rare in urban areas, it’s the leaf-blowers that really get my goat).
cr
My next door neighbor uses his very loud gas powered blower to blow off just a few (less than ten) leaves. I’ve watched him do it. After mowing he blows his grass clippings over in front of my house. I’ve watched him do it.
Oh yeah. Gas powered blowers and weed-whackers are easily the most annoying.
I hear people on TV talking-head panels begin their answer with “So:…”. I don’t recall hearing that verbal mannerism before this year. It is not a peeve, exactly; I just wonder how it got started.
I hear that “so,” as well.
Perhaps it is a response to many people objecting to an even worse thing, “listen,” as in “Listen, we are never going to …” etc.
So, the ‘so’ is intended as a milder gentler first-barb.
That irritates me too (and I think I’ve mentioned it on WEIT before!); academics seem particularly prone to this affectation.
I don’t like that new use of the word ‘so’, because it means ‘therefore’, which does not make sense in that context. What is wrong with the traditional ‘well’ to begin a reply?
I was a nervous public speaker when I was younger. I found the hardest part was starting to talk, once I got going it was fine. I would often intentionally start off a sentence with “So…” as a mechanism to get my head in gear.
I was going to say exactly that. It’s a way to gain a little time while you marshal your thoughts.
Equivalent to “Well, …” and slightly less obvious than “Umm… err…”
cr
So they do that on TV now?
In writing, deploying the “so” (unfortunately) as a stand-in for a split-second of pause, you have to use a comma. My editor told me so!
So, they do that on TV now?
Interacting verbally is now pressure-packed because most people have been brought up on sound-bites, fast cutting, and compression due to the ‘cost’ of air time. They cannot abide ‘dead’ air.
Taking a second — literally (hahaha) a second — to pause in silence for a breath and to gather oneself is likely to trigger the questioner into panic and attack.
Or they will stereotype you as old and/or demented. Useless.
“Learn” is not a noun. Nor is “learning”. We don’t acquire “learns” or “learnings”.
We learn lessons. Grrrrr.
Actually, I think ‘learning’ can be a noun but not a plural noun.
I don’t mind people saying things which are considered by some to be grammatical errors, but there are a few phrases which annoy me. Chief among these is ‘so-called’ – as in, ‘These so-called politicians don’t have a clue.’ It’s meaningless and whiney. The whiney annoys me more than the meaningless, as I think we all have a bit of redundancy in our speech. (And yes, I’m aware that this comment is essentially a whine.)
The BBC now repeatedly refers to Islamic State as ‘so-called Islamic State’, which is political correctness gone mad!
NPR does this too. Stupid! Is it the “so-called” Republican Party in the USA. Or the “so-called” Democrat Party?
If they call themselves that, then that’s hat they are! Doesn’t matter whether they control territory or not.
It’s so called because it’s not actually a state. Not to use “so-called” would be legitimising their claim to statehood.
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Abe Lincoln used to refer to “the so-called Confederate States of America” for that reason.
Abe Lincoln used to refer to “the so-called Confederate States of America” for that reason.
More than once, apparently.
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Agree with Ant there. The self-styled “Islamic State” deserves all the derision and contempt anyone can muster towards it.
cr
I prefer air-quotes
Good to see so many people channelling their inner Ed Reardon.
“Ed Reardon’s Week” is an excellent Radio 4 comedy series, highly recommended to anyone who thinks that the world has been taken over by twelve year olds.
And he’s got a cat, called Elgar.
People buying lottery tickets in front of me at the convenience store.
I don’t know if this is just a Canadian thing in terms of how lotteries sell tickets (I never play them), but all to often when I’m just trying to grab a quick drink or whatever, someone darts in front of me to the cashier and starts the lottery ticket process, buying tickets, and whatever that long process is of the person handing dozens of tickets over to the cashier to go through a machine. It just goes on, and on and on and I just want to shout “stop holding me up with your depressing dream of winning something you will never win!!”
(Ok, I know they win little amounts which keep them coming back…and make the process in front of me even longer when it happens).
The connection between lottery sales and these stores often takes the “convenience” out of convenience stores.
Another pet peeve with convenience stores, and again I don’t know if this is just in Canada: The attempt to sell you things other than what you buying. Especially from certain chain stores, inevitably with a nice Indian gentleman behind the counter. I put the single item I want to buy on the counter and as I’m paying the patter begins, hands moving over various other items on the counter:
“you want lotto 649, lotto max, lotto…”
Me: No, just the diet coke.
*waves hand over other items*
“you want Gateraid, orange on special?”
No…no thanks…I just want this.
“water, 2 for one? You want chocolate bar, you want…?”
NO! Just this. This is ALL I want, please.
It’s come to the point where, when I put my single item on the counter I try to stop in advance the onslaught of sales: “I would like to buy this, and only this please. I don’t want anything else.”
*accepts debit card* “You also want lotto 649, Loto max? Chips on special…”
It’s a robotic patter that they seem completely incapable of stopping.
One last one: At some point every fast food place, Mcdonald’s being the worst, started trying to push more than one item for a bit more money. And with it, came the death of the the singular. No longer, did anyone understand what “a” meant.
As in “I would like a cookie.”
Cashier: Sure, how many would you like?
Me: I just told you.
Cashier: You get two cookies for X amount more.
Me: I only asked for one, thanks. If I wanted more than one, I wouldn’t say “a” cookie, I’d say I’d want *some” cookies or I’d tell you how many I want. (Ok, I often wasn’t that direct, but it was going through my head).
Sometimes I’d even say I want ONE..and then I’d be asked how many I want.
It’s this sort of rote, robotic, script-like interaction that tends to get under my skin I guess.
+1
At Burger King:
Me: Hello, I would like a regular Whopper meal with cheese, please, with a diet coke.
Cashier: A Whopper?
Me: That’s right. With cheese.
Cashier: What drink would you like with that?
Me: A diet coke, like I said.
Cashier: Do you want to go large?
Me; No thanks, regular, like I said.
Cashier: So a Whopper meal with coke coming up.
Me: Grrrr!
Absolutely, that one drives me crazy too.
I order a small or medium (diet) coke at the window because THAT’s WHAT I WANT. Like every other human on earth, I’m quite aware the drinks come in small, medium or large, and I’ve made my choice. I don’t want you to upsell me to a Large every single damned time I order what I actually want.
And sometimes they just give you the large anyway after all this “because it worked out better for you price-wise.”
Stop it. I didn’t order a ridiculously large drink because I neither wanted to carry one nor did I want to drink that much. Just take my order!
I used to work at a movie theater chain where Concession people were REQUIRED to “upsell” [try to get a patron to buy a larger size] and “suggestive sell” [try to get a patron to buy an additional item] with EVERY order. There was a script they had to follow:
“Welcome to Loews.”
“I want a small Coke.”
“Would you like to try our Super Combo Deal?”
“No, I just want a small Coke.”
“For an additional 50 cents you can get a medium.”
“I want a small Coke.”
“Would you like Milk Duds with that?”
“I just want a SMALL COKE!”
Each week there was a specific item they had to suggestive sell. And they always had to push the Super Combo Deal, even if a patron already said what he or she wanted. The chain sent spies [euphemistically called “checkers”] to the theater to be sure that the employees were complying. The employees wore name tags and if they didn’t follow the script, the checker would send a report to the home office: “Tammi didn’t try to upsell.” The District Manager would call the theater Manager and chew him out [“Why aren’t you training your staff properly!?”] who would then berate Tammi. [“The District Manager just called me up and he was livid! You’re making me look bad!”].
So it ain’t the employees’ fault.
Who would want a Whopper meal with a diet coke? You get what you deserve! 😆
Oh yeah, that gets on my nerves so hard. I literally just told you my order. LISTEN DAMMIT!
I think the lottery is a positive evil. It preys on materialism, greed, and fantasies of huge wealth. It denigrates the virtues of hard work and thrift. The odds against winning are ridiculous — the lottery has accurately been described as a tax on the stupid. And why is someone entitled to hundreds of millions of dollars for no effort whatsoever? (This also applies to inherited wealth.)
Except that it preys on those who can least afford it. A truly regressive tax
I have never played the lottery and probably never will. Yet, I have mixed feelings about it. My guess is that the vast majority of people who play it, do so for the amusement value. They do not expect to win. For a few dollars a week, they are having some fun. It is true that some people waste a lot of money that they can’t afford. But, with that logic, we may as well shut down Las Vegas. People who want to gamble and can’t control the habit will always find a way to do so, even if it is illegal. The lottery is a painless way for governmental entities to raise revenue. I think the good significantly outweighs the bad.
Leaving aside the pernicious social message of the lottery, gambling when the odds are overwhelmingly against you, as they are in the lottery, perhaps more than any other game, strikes me as supremely irrational. Gambling on stocks, or sports, or poker can be rational because with skill you can win. Gambling on the lottery or slot machines and the like is just stupid — a way to separate rubes and gambling addicts from their money.
As I indicated, the motive for playing the lottery must be considered. If it’s a cheap form of entertainment, I see no harm in it. For those who play with the expectation of winning big and spend money they can’t afford, then the game is a symptom and not a cause of their problem. Perhaps education of the odds against them would help. If not, they need more profound help, as do all addicted gamblers.
I’m not suggesting outlawing gambling or anything like that, but I question the government’s role in promoting what is effectively a wildly regressive tax.
By the way, reports are that the Las Vegas shooter was a gambling addict and was partial to casino games where the house always wins in the long run. I wouldn’t be surprised if it turns out he was deeply in debt to some unsavory characters.
“and was partial to casino games where the house always wins in the long run.”
Isn’t that all of them?
Be careful what you wish for…
In 1994, I was in Ohio visiting the relatives.
Really went into my sister for spending so much $$$ on the lottery. Told her how the odds of winning are so low, how in the long term, only the House wins, how its the worst type of gambling (lowest % returned to players), etc.
Then I got on a plane, and flew back to Texas.
You’ll never guess what happened three days later…
Well, let us guess, she won BIG in the lottery.
I was once talking with a friend who had worked in a fast food place who now had a better job. I congratulated him, “No more asking people if they want fries with that.”
“Oh no,” he said, “that wasn’t a question.”
Now I view fast food workers as always trying to pull the Jedi mind trick on customers.
Oh I hate the lottery ticket thing too. So many times I want to yell, “Is this a or a gambling area?!” And in Canada it’s extra annoying when they play that awful tune and it yells “winner!” then in French, “Gagnant!”
Listen here for those who have not gotten the joy of some guy holding up the line with this.
Yes! That damned sound! Makes my skin crawl.
That’s the sound of my time being wasted!
I got my English language peeve in above, but here’s my social behavior one:
Harley Davidson Fart Machines.
I’ve had owners tell me that they modify the exhaust to make it more obnoxiously loud just to make the bikes and riders safer from louts like me who need to ‘start seeing motorcycles.’ Category error here, folks.
And why is it that HD’s evidently don’t have to meet the same emission requirements as automobiles? My sense of smell tells me, with disgust, that this is so.
I find it amusing when Harley riders use the “safety” argument when justifying their obnoxiously loud motorcycles. If they were so concerned about their safety, they wouldn’t be dressing in black or wearing minuscule excuses for helmets. It is a rationalization and excuse, they simply LIKE the noise they make as immature, inconsiderate, pseudo-rebellious attention-seekers.
Bullseye! And why do the(morons)y rev their damned engines. All the time! When sitting in parking lot! Look at me, look at me, look at me!
Oh…my…goodness do I agree about Harleys, and loud motorcycles in general.
I have tinnitus so ear-blasting noise is particularly threatening. In spring it happens to me every time: The weather has just turned beautiful, I’m out for a stroll on the streets and then BLAT-BLAT-BLAT-BLAAAAAAT-BLAT-BLAT-BLAT-BLAAAAAT….
the first Harley approaches, every window pain shivering, bones wobbling, ear drums imploding. Then I remember “Ugh, it’s not motorcycle season. Sigh…”
And this excuse I always hear for loud motorcycles, the one you mention, that they make them so loud for “safety” to let people in cars know they are there.
Great. To these motorcyclists I have to say: So apparently because YOUR choice of vehicle is so inherently dangerous in traffic
you modify it to be the equivalent of a car with it’s horn stuck on blaring at all times “I’m HERE…I’m HERE…you can’t IGNORE ME!”
Thanks. The rest of us really appreciate it.
“Ugh, it’s now motorcycle season. Sigh…”
Oh I frickin’ hate those things.
I don’t ride motorcycles, valuing my life too much. And I don’t like the noise. Still, I’m from Milwaukee so I’m compelled to offer some defense of Harley-Davidson, no-matter how half-hearted.
They have a really cool museum. Worth a visit!
I’ve had several motorcycles, including most recently a stock Harley Sportster. My 427 Cobra with header pipes puts them to shame. 🙂
Once when my son was about 6 years old he was standing right next to just such a car, a friends, when it was started. He levitated about 18 inches straight up and his hair stood on end.
My daily driver, recently delivered, is a Tesla Model X that makes no noise at all.
I wouldn’t mind having one of those. Not one little bit. Actually, the whole family (wife & kids) want a Tesla Model S or X.
Once you’ve got some time / miles driving it maybe you could write about it and have Jerry post it or link to it here?
*jealous*
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P100D. Insane car. 0-60 in about 3 seconds. Top speed 155mph. Equivalent (cost) gas mileage (it doesn’t use gas) of about 90 mpg. No pistons, no connecting rods, no crankshaft, no valves, no camshaft, no timing belt or chain, no ignition system, no pump (no fuel), no water pump (no water), no gears (no transmission), no driveshaft. Two three-phase induction motors, front and back, and a 100 kWh battery.
You didn’t mention the price tag! 😀
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Generally speaking I like the sound of loud, higher performance engines of all sorts. But the typical Harley engine sound is not my favorite.
The V-twin Harley engines sound best with their loping idle, in my opinion. It has a unique rhythm that brings a smile to the mechanically inclined.
Generally speaking I do like the sound of a big V-twin. My favorite though isn’t the typical Harley sound (sounds more like potato potato than others). It was a 102 cubic inch, push rod, air cooled Yamaha V-twin I owned. Should never have gotten rid of that bike. Looked great, rode great and sounded great.
I can’t stand those big cylinder-deficient monster bikes with exhausts modified to sound as loud and painful as possible. They don’t and can’t ever sound good, just obnoxious.
A multi-cylinder Jap bike, now, howling at 10,000 rpm, sounds magnificent (in the right context, which is not suburban streets)
IMO of course…
cr
“Jap bike” ???! Wouldn’t “slant-eyed or “slope head” more suitable describe origin?
They’re commonly know as rice burners. It’s not a term of derision or condescension. Japanese bikes are held in high regard, possibly except for hardcore Harley ideologues.
Tell the “japs” in my neighborhood here in Tokyo it’s not offensive. Yankee-go home!
I like all sorts. For instance smaller displacement high performance twins like those typical on Italian sport bikes like Ducatis sound cool.
But it is hard to beat a high performance in-line 4 on a Japanese liter track bike. My current liter bike is a Yamaha YZFR1. It produces about 185 hp. With stock gearing the top of 1st gear is just over 100 mph. By the time you pass through about 10,000 rpm on your way up to the 15,000 rpm red line the sound makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up.
Perhaps the most evil sounding bike I’ve had was a 1st generation Hayabusa with a BDE Gen III exhaust system and a few other mods.
It’s not just Harleys here. Some random car will pass by and suddenly I’m near-deaf.
Using the word ‘that’ in place of ‘who’ when referring to persons, as in “the people that run for office” instead of “the people who run for office”. I find it an ugly and dehumanizing form of expression.
Most of these objects running for office can safely be referred to at ‘that’. 😆
as
Sooo many pet peeves. Regarding the getting up when the seatbelt light goes off, I am just happy to be able to change position. What really pisses me off is the people that immediately start taking their bags down no matter how far back they are sitting. Oh, and people who don’t keep their damn legs together. Get your effing knee off me!
“Bless you” after someone sneezes. I mean, do we ‘bless’ people after they cough, burp, or fart? So why do we say it after one sprays their germs everywhere?
To keep their souls from escaping! Souls can’t get away using farts!
Are you certain?!! Especially if it’s “T-Rump”.
So we’ll bless Mr. Tump’s farts? While we are at, it wy not his groping little hands?
That doesn’t bother me so much (I always say Gesundheit). It’s people who, when you ask them how they are, say “Blessed.” Well, I am happy mathematical probability is working out for you.
Mathematical probability, but mostly confirmation bias.
1. If a sandwich place puts mustard and mayonnaise on when I specifically asked for NO mayonnaise and just a little bit of mustard. It took me many years to even try any condiments at all. This has happened twice and I can’t honestly say I handled the *best* way. 2. Cutters. It makes me feel faint. Maybe not technically a pet peeve. 3. I also find the word blog repulsive. Before I came across this website. I really don’t have too many more.
Same for me, but with drinks and ice. I specifically asked for none of it, thank you very much.
People who like, say ‘like’ all the time. That like, really annoys me.
🙂
1. The phrase ‘Reach out’ meaning ‘contact’. Call me, text me email me, but don’t reach out for me…i will punch you in te nose.
2. The phrase ‘I would like to…’ as i ‘I would lie to thank you for helping out.’ As Yoda says either do it or don’t. Just say ‘Thank you’
Irony: the only g*d–
When I was in college ‘contact’ was not acceptable as a verb. The [language] memes they are a-changin’.
My son-in-law uses the term ‘reach out.’ It drives me silently twitchy.
Right. I don’t like it when verbal descriptions are peppered with that word to mean something like an assertive “you know.”
Also, spoken sentence that begin with “look,” which is supposed to mean that what follows is a frank assessment of the truth, no BS. But it’s used so much you know it’s just another opinion.
“Rocking” does not simply mean “wearing” or “displaying”.
It means “looking good/attractive in”. It is generally as much statement about the attractiveness or coolness of the person doing the “rocking” as it is a statement about the thing which is rocked.
“Grandma was really rocking that chair!”
I’m still irritated by the dilution of “awesome”. I think it began happening about thirty years ago, but I still find it annoying. It doesn’t help that my wife is addicted to HGTV. “Awesome” is, far and way, the favorite adjective of the prospective buyers describing appliances, counter tops, floors, bathroom fixtures, etc. on that network.
In the late 18th/early 19th century (England and the U. S.) the English words ‘awful’ and ‘terrible’ meant utterly sublime. But they are used today almost solely as conventional words of dislike or mild sympathy.
Ans “silly” once meant “crazy”.
Pregnant women who cradle their bellies. “Look at meeee!”
Sorry another one…
When did we start making sandwiches upside down???
When I was growing up everyone knew how to make a sandwich. You have the bread or bun, the meat (or main filling) goes on first, the veggies and other additions – cheese, sauces, whatever – on top. This was the sandwich hierarchy as God intended it, and everyone followed the rules. You go to a Mr. Sub (Canadian again) and that’s how they were made. You make a sandwich at home, that’s how you make it.
This makes sense, because whatever the filling is – usually meat – it’s the main attraction. So it’s the first thing aside from the bread that greats your tongue. You taste it. Now, the first thing you taste is shredded lettuce, or an old tomato, or whatever, and the top of your mouth – the part with no taste buds – just feels the meat.
But sometime in the last decade (or two?) sandwiches and subs started being made upside down: All the veggies and trimming on the bottom, meat put last on top. What gives?
I remember first noticing this change at a Mr. Sub years ago, when the guy put the veggies on the bottom, meat on the top. I asked if he could reverse that because that’s how I prefer it, and that’s how they’d always been made. “Oh no” he said, “we’ve always made the subs like this at Mr. Sub.”
No you haven’t. I grew up eating there, I know how they’ve always been made. Don’t try this twilight-zone trippy stuff on me, buster!
Am I the last sane person who’s noticed this nefarious trend of upside-down sandwich-making?
Rotate that sub 180°. You’ve been eating your sandwiches upside down!
🙃
So far so good about not seeing my pet peeve here. My pet peeve are people who say, when giving a quote, “S/he *goes*,”blah, blah…”” when what they mean is “S/he *said*…”
I read this as well as hear it.
1. “At the end of the day” is about the most useless six words currently in use. The first time I heard someone use it, I expected he was referring something that would actually happen at the end of the day.
2. Apparently the “application” of some thing has now become a “use case” for that thing.
I have to nominate the phrase “on point” as most hollow descriptor. Apparently a big one with the younger crowd, especially if you read reviews like Yelp etc.
“The tacos at this place were on point.”
“Those shoes were on point.”
WTF does it even mean?
On point only appropriate for wearing toe shoes in ballet.
I think this comes from the use I’ve heard in wines: The wine was aged until it was on point (at its best).
“Use cases” are one method of requirements gathering in software development (and elsewhere) – it wouldn’t surprise me if the terminology has escaped …
I use “use case” all the time, and it seems very natural, and different in meaning from “application”. Which would also be ambiguous in an IT context. “My” use cases are distinguished by which users are accessing which applications from which endpoint devices &c.
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I hate overhead bins in general. There should be a guaranteed, labelled slot for each passenger to put a proper-sized small bag because each seated customer paid for it. Sometimes the overhead compartment are “full”. Why? Who is lugging all this crap on the plane and taking more than their share of overhead space?
I also dislike how slowly people deplane. It’s like watching the sands of your life pour onto the hourglass dune collecting on the bottom.
“Deplane” is a bit of a peeve of mine. You don’t debuss, or deboat, or detrain. You delouse and deodorize. “Deplane” essentially means that you’re getting rid of the plane, so maybe it’s appropriate after all. 🙂
I’ve always liked “deass.” Applicable to any type of conveyance.
‘Deplane’ is the modern equivalent of ‘defenestrate’ I suppose (though, hopefully, usually less drastic).
cr
You’re not “up on”, you’re “down with”…Get with the program🤓
The verb “to pass” as a euphemism for “to die”. Tom Petty passed. No he didn’t, he died. Kidney stones pass, not people.
Also, the way Americans don’t pronounce the “h” in “herbs” or the “é” in coupé.
AS I said!
That was meant to go with a previous comment.
I also deplore passed away and its variations. We don’t pass. We die. And it has hints of religion. It is the worst euphemism-
Thank you –
The “pass” thing annoys me to no end. But “passing’ is a little different from things like missing the “h” in “herbs”. The latter is just linguistic drift. But “passing” represents an active avoidance of reality. Make-believe pretend-talk that the dead person is still around, just not around here.
People never talk about cattle “passing on” in a slaughter house.
There was a time, when Gothic novels were the thing, when “gave up the ghost” meant “died” — rather than just “gave up”.
I suppose it’s a mild peeve that the old meaning has been lost.
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It’s even more grating when it’s used (I’ve seen it on news reports) of murder victims.
‘Passed [away]’ (which implies a natural death) be buggered, s/he was *killed*.
cr
Mr. Praline: ‘E’s not pinin’! ‘E’s passed on! This parrot is no more! He has ceased to be! ‘E’s expired and gone to meet ‘is maker! ‘E’s a stiff! Bereft of life, ‘e rests in peace! If you hadn’t nailed ‘im to the perch ‘e’d be pushing up the daisies! ‘Is metabolic processes are now ‘istory! ‘E’s off the twig! ‘E’s kicked the bucket, ‘e’s shuffled off ‘is mortal coil, run down the curtain and joined the bleedin’ choir invisible!! THIS IS AN EX-PARROT!!
With apologies to all posters above, and especially to the one who wrote, “I don’t mind these infelicities of language much since I know English is constantly in a state of flux . . .”(with which I grudgingly agree), NOTHING is as grating to my ears as the term ‘wellness.’ In fact, I can’t believe that I actually wrote it down.
But that goes way back, doesn’t it? Something to do with Kellogg’s … ?
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1. Pronouncing the “t” in “often.”
2. Misuse of the conditional tense–“I wish I would have known” instead of “I wish I had known.”
3. “Gift” as a transitive verb–hate, hate, hate this.
Pet peeve: people who have a “I want it now” attitude towards release schedules.
“Let me perfectly clear.” – because what, I’m an idiot?
“Changing the calculus.” – Really???? Who’re you? Euclid? Leibnitz? Einstein? LOL
Thanks so much for letting me vent. Happy to see others who feel the same way.
As a former calculus teacher I hate how the word calculus is mis-used.
How is it misused?
Calculus is the mathematical study of continuous chsnge. People throw it around at rsndom to attempt to describe all manner of political or social goings-on I suppose in an attempt to sound erudite.
I believe dictionaries list a meaning for calculus used in the way you dislike; I don’t think this is a new usage, either.
In medicine, the word [calculus] also has been used from 1732 to mean kidney stones, etc., then generally for “concretion occurring accidentally in the animal body,” such as dental plaque. 🙂
But one is entitled to one’s peeves.
Yeah, I think some Crest boxes say “Fights calculus” on the side. Good way to attract kids who hate math🐸
Or maybe they think, “Hey, a ally!”
I used Crest all through high school & I still got duped into taking math!
You’re probably right, Diane, but it still sounds pretentious to me🤓
I’ve learned dentists, podiatrists & optometrists just really like using Greek and Latin words as if they are speaking in code. I enjoy breaking their code.
Sounds horrible. Next time ask what their function is.
Did anybody mention “boots on the ground”?
That’s too old fashioned, today we say “took to Twitter” 😉
Yes, they have! Not sure on which comment #.
Again, answering questions by indicating you’ve already covered the material even if you haven’t is, again, irritating.
Wow, we all have a lot of peeves. 🙂
A local supermarket installed a row of Tesla recharging stations. Every once in a while, I’ll see a huge diesel truck parked in one. I imagine it’s supposed to be a metaphorical “F you” to those horrible tree-huggers.
Linguistic outrages which bug me:
“That’s just a theory” implying it is just a guess or somehow equally idiotic as the speaker’s favorite religious dogma.
“irregardless” a made-up word by Al Capp in his execrable Lil Abner cartoons of many decades ago.
“Do you even {noun}?” (example: Do you even logic?). My response to the latter is “Do you even verb?”
As for the lawn, I’ve adopted a simple, economical solution and bought a condo in a high rise. 🙂
Hey, I just realised: Jerry commonly verbs “brain”! As in, “I can’t brain today.”
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People at the head of long lines at a coffee shop who dig in their wallets or purses (mostly purses, I’m afraid) only after they’re served–like it didn’t occur to them that they were going to have to pay! This may be a Portland (Oregon) thing,however, because everyone in this town feels entitled.
It happens everywhere…what’s even worse is when they reach in their purse and pull out a checkbook. Nooooooo!
Similarly people who get on a bus, *then* open their bag and rummage around in it for their purse, *then* sort through it to give the driver their fare, while the entire busload of pax waits impatiently. They’ve been waiting at the bus stop for five minutes ffs, why couldn’t they do it then?
(Bonus points if all they can find is a twenty-dollar note for a three-dollar fare and use up all the driver’s small change…)
cr
“As a” person with pet peeves, I don’t like the “As a” type arguments.
As a I don’t like X (Where X has nothing to do with .
1. “To be perfectly frank,” which means that your default mode is to lie.
2. Elevating “first responders” to sainthood. This may be a touchy one, or too soon after Las Vegas or Puerto Rico, but it seems to me that every tragic event that happens in the US today becomes characterized by how the “first responders” performed miracles above and beyond, well, doing their job (and doing it well, no doubt) by showing up quickly.
“with all due respect…” means I’m about to indulge in extreme disrespect.
Also, in Britain there is a bit of a fad for writing “polite notice” at the top of notices that are not necessarily at all polite.
The practice originates from road side notices put up by civilians in the hope that passing motorists would rd it as “police notice”, but it’s now infected everyday life.
I regard that as rather pathetically futile.
The ‘Polite Notice’ thing, I mean.
cr
‘with all due respect’ is quite useful in saying something that may be interpreted as disrespectful, but is not intended as such. Are there any suggestions for something better?
Yes, but people do use it as license to be deliberately disrespectful.
Not nearly as much abused as “Just sayin…” which almost guarantees that the preceding post has been offensive and inflammatory…
cr
Oh, and another one:
3. When a famous person dies, people comment on how that person is up in heaven doing what they did in life, but now for God as their audience. I heard this last week when Monty Hall, a long-time game show host, passed away. Someone commented, “Monty is now up in heaven, running the show, and God’s enjoying this a lot” or some such rot.
Usually happens more with B and C-list celebrities (think: Joan Rivers). I noticed though that no one said this of Hugh Hefner, presumably because Hef was sent downstairs…
Let’s do something, let’s look into it, shall we? It’s a common phrase among YouTubers. Their pretending to be spontaneous goes on my nerves.
A style of language that send my eyes rolling is postmodern, intersectional tribespeak and related “Pseudoacademic Metaconceptese”. I recall, I complained about it before. Delegetimizing marginalized identities who are oppressed by Whiteness and coloniality; Issues which are problematic. If spoken, it is authentic only uttered in Valley Girl Accent with Vocal Fry.
Who wants to rock a dress, when you can sport it? Also, Jerry, I think your epic list misses a few pet peeves. If you could add them, that would be awesome.
Ultimate current English writing pet peeve–confusing “rein in” (what the rider does to restrain a horse) and “reign over” (what a king does to his subjects). I see “reign in” ALL THE TIME, including in the NY Times.
Also, confusion between “lie” and “lay” — long ago, when I was a child, this was something schoolteachers jumped on like ducks on a June bug. Now I hear highly educated people saying “I’m going to lay down for a nap”, and I wonder whether Mrs. Parsons is spinning in her grave.
(Lay/lie) It all happened because of Bob Dylan …
My pet peeve:
Truckers who speed up on the interstate to pass you, and then slow down to lower speed than you once they’re directly in front of you.
Truckers? How about cars doing that?
People interspersing their comments with #this, #that, #theothersillything.
Two pet peeves come to mind.
1) When ordering food or drink, it has become popular to say “I’ll DO a —.” As in, “I’ll do a Coors Light.”
How do you DO food or drink? Can’t we just stick with traditional requests, such as “I’d like…” or “I’ll have…?”
2) Everything is “sourced” now. “This is locally sourced” or “We sourced this from recycled materials.”
Well that’s just a fancy way of saying you GOT it! You ain’t fooling me.
[in restaurant at table]
“Are you still working on that or..”
“Why, did I put my safety helmet down? Did my mouth stop making sloshing and banging noises?”
My pet peeve is the use of obscure acronyms in a context where most of the readers are unlikely to recognize it. I really don’t like acronyms in general, but I am OK with well established ones.
The worst case is when someone uses an acronym they just coined to reference some 3 word phrase they used several paragraphs back. The usual annoying google search won’t turn up anything because they literally just made up the acronym. It used to be more common for people to first introduce the new acronym by placing it just after the phrase it stands for before using it by itself. Now it is fairly common for people to skip this courtesy.
IKWYM!
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Agreed. We used to have a manager who used Random Capitalisation, Widespread Abbrvtn, and Multiple Acronyms in his emails, and it used to make them almost unitelligible. Such as “The Engn Wrkg Grp welcomes Fred Nurk to the Church St Team for JPI and PDMR for Q3 98 to boost QC procdrs & add cpcty for 2nd Stage of DCA…”
He’d go on like this for pages.
cr
Uh oh. I literally just did that.
One of my pet peeves is when people whoop and holler at concerts like Pan troglodytes instead of clapping their hands like Homo sapiens.
Also whooping and hollering AND clapping before the song is finished. Sometimes those final flourishes are worth listening to.
And just after it has started. “Look at me, I recognise this song”. So shut up and let the rest of us enjoy it.
At rock concerts–everyone standing up throughout the whole performance. Only the tall can see a damn thing.
At the Springsteen concert I
went to a few years ago, the only one standing near us was a woman right in front of me, in her 50s ( younger than me), texting her friends the whole frigging time. Her daughter was mortified, but couldn’t get her to sit down.
Wow! That’s just bizarre.
My friend Sandra posted the following comment and it was held for moderation but Mr. Coyne did not choose to allow it. I can’t imagine why since it’s polite and informative. It would appear that in addition to being passive aggressive toward his fellow airplane travelers our host censors people who disagree with him no matter how cordial they may be. In the past I’ve often seen him say he was not publishing comments because the commenters were rude, but now I see that it was a mistake to believe those self-serving claims.
She is far too nice to say it, Mr. Coyne, so I will: grow up. Be polite to those around you, and do not censor views simply because they are different from your own. It is petty and should be beneath you.
To anyone reading this, I’m certain I will be banned as well after publishing this comment, so please do not take my upcoming silence to mean anything other than that.
===============================================================
A few things you may wish to consider:
– For many people, standing up after a flight is not uncomfortable – just the opposite, it is a welcome relief to stretch one’s cramped legs. And in fact sitting for more than four hours (as on airplanes) is potentially life-threatening due to deep-vein thrombosis:
A family member of mine died from DVT after a long flight. This is a real and very serious risk, and it is one of the reasons why I make a point of standing frequently on flights. Recent research suggests that sitting any longer than 30 minutes at a time can be deleterious to one’s health.
– There is generally sufficient room to get your bags when you stand. I do so on every flight I am on when I sit in the aisle, and others who stand in the aisle generally do the same. As long as everyone is considerate in how they arrange their bag (and not overly large themselves) there is plenty of room. This also helps everyone deplane faster.
– Standing, especially when you are in the aisle seat (and especially moving into the aisle when you are in that seat), gives more room for your rowmates to collect and organize their belongings, put on their shoes and coats, etcetera. By sitting, you are making it difficult for them to prepare to deplane, which may delay them once you do stand and they are finally freer to move. That may explain the dirty looks you are getting. As a seasoned traveler I sometimes see people who choose to sit, and they inevitably delay the unloading of their row and by extension the rest of us on the plane.
So I would urge you to reconsider your actions here. The glares you are receiving from your rowmates are a clear sign that the choice you are making is having a negative effect on them (and the remainder of the passengers on the flight), and extending the time they have to sit can genuinely harm their health. If standing does not harm you and may help the people in your row, why not do it? Or if it is painful for you to stand for some reason, perhaps politely explaining this to your seatmates would help to reduce the animosity, and perhaps even lead them to assist you.
If the poster is new hereabouts and there are multiple links, a comment is automatically held for moderation, iirc.
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I haven’t had a chance to look at most comments all day as I’ve been busy and out most of the day, and now I find this one, and see the other one in moderation. In fact, Ant is correct; the comment was held because it was new, long, and I hadn’t gotten around to reading it and approving it. (I can approve comments through emails, which I sometimes do, or by going to the dashboard. But now I see yours, which reproduces your friend’s comment, and I’m leaving it up. If I wanted to deep-six that comment, why wouldn’t I trash yours, too?
And yes, I’m banning you now, because—and I’m loath to call names but I will because you deserve it—you’re a jerk who didn’t find out what happened before jumping into the fray and insulting me.
And grow up, you mushbrain. Find out how new comments are dealt with. Do you think I’m on the computer constantly? Most posts are written before 8 am and scheduled throughout the day. Comments are approved sometimes by my clicking approve on an email, or by looking at what’s on the dashboard.
So many peeves, so little time! Age inappropriate and body-type inappropriate attire [or lack thereof]
I have real problems with the following examples of language usage, they drive me round the bend:
The use of ‘medal’ as a verb – e.g. “I think the GB relay team are very likely to medal tonight”. It is being used more and more in the UK, especially with regard to the Olympics.
The word ‘performant’ – I’m a software engineer and hear this word every day, it grates on me and drives me mad! Another one I hear is ‘deinstall’! When did either of these become a legitimate word in the English language ?
Coincidentally there is a word that drives me mad in the tetchy comment immediately above this one – ‘deplane’. Urgh…. I can explain no rationale behind why I hate it, but it does my head in!
Well, “deinstall” should be “uninstall” … and I can”t recall hearing or reading “deinstall”, at least not often enough to mention.
But “performant” seems a useful addition to the lexicon, to avoid verbose phrasing.
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The thing is though, in any engineering discipline concise language is so important. So performant doesn’t really mean much at all. Exactly what component is more ‘performant’? And at the expense of which other component(s) of the system? Apart from me just hating the word, it is so very imprecise. Making one component of the system more ‘performant’ will necessarily impact others. Increased security will require more CPU cycles, or tighter physical security, or better monitoring, or cleverer programmers. Increased speed of a software process, needs more CPU cycles, or needs to keep more data in RAM, which takes longer to load in from disk, which slows startup time……
“Exactly what component is more ‘performant’?”
PerformAnt**, obviously. 😉
cr
(**@antallan)
Restaurant servers who tell me that what I order is “perfect” no matter what it is.
I’ll have a slice of key lime pie and a pint of beer, please.
Perfect!
Yes, that’s one I’ve brought up before too.
The all pervasive reply of “perfect” from those in the service industry. Everything from stores, to banks, to home services, the answer ending all questions is “perfect.”
It was really bizarre because I noticed it everywhere for years, and when I’d bring it up to anyone they’d say “no, never noticed.” It was very twilight-zonish, as if the city had been suffused with billboards with that word but no one claimed to see them. So it’s always good to see someone else notice the use of that word.
I too have noticed its use for years, and it’s especially funny when they say it repeatedly within one transaction.
They live, we sleep. Where’s Rowdy Roddy Piper when you need him?
*SJW*.
I’ve struggled with understanding its usage, but a recent check with Wikipedia has helped to clarify how it devolved from a positive term to a pejorative one. Too bad, as I admire true social activists, and the term SJW can be confusing.
Here’s wiki’s explanation:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_justice_warrior
Among my many peeves, my ultimate kill-them-with-fire one is newscasters who leave the verb out of the sentence. (If it ends in ‘ing’ it ain’t a *&&^*ing verb!)
Such as “Forecasters warning the hurricane may reach force 5” or “People unable to access emergency services”. Those are not complete sentences, morons!
(This supersedes my previous bete noire of omitting the article in such statements as “Council has decided…” – ‘Council’ is a thing, it gets a ‘the’ unless you use its proper name such as ‘Auckland Council’…)
cr
Pet peeve phrases: “going forward” and “multiple… “, “gentlemen” in reference to say, escaped convicts
I haven’t read the 322 (!!) comments above, but as someone who takes a lot of 1- and 2- stop flights, I often get up as soon as the light turns off…because I have 30-40 minutes to make it to the next gate.
So my own etiquette rules of thumb about this are: (i) if you’re at your final destination, sit down until it’s your turn to walk of the plane. (ii) Let others go by if they’re in a hurry, because there are many good reasons why they could actually be in a hurry. (iii) If you have a closely timed connecting flight, by all means try and get off this plane as fast as possible, and I wish you luck.
In every picture I see of Facebook multi-billionaire Mark Zuckerberg he’s wearing a gray tee shirt. What is his problem? Too cheap? Too lazy? Trying too hard to appear like a regular guy?
I have a job. With .all. that that means.
Thus: no peeves at this time.
None yesterday either. It will rock me
and My Solitude to find out at c o b
within 24 hours’ time hence that:
I will likely have experienced within
no peeves … … tomorrow.
Blue
Using the word “virtually” to mean “almost”.
When the plane gets to the gate I am so tired of sitting I want to stand – even if I cannot get off the plane for 5 or 10 more minutes.
“Mom” and “Dad” used not as terms of address, but as generic synonyms for “mother” and “father,” especially in headlines: “Mom Drowns Kids in Bathtub.”
I always hated it when people would ask, “How’s your dad?” instead of “How’s your father?” I have no idea why this irritates me so much, but it does.
After paying for my whatever at the checkout, the clerk tells me to have a “Blessed day.” How in the hell does one do that actually? Nevermind that, keep your damn religion to yourself please I have no interest in it.
A +1 to all of the driving peeves stated earlier. Let me add one, it is a situation I call taking hostages. While you are waiting to make a right turn, the oncoming car you are waiting to clear before you pull out, turns in with no signal indicating their intent. Thanks asshole.
Oh, another one. Approaching a stop sign at a “T” intersection an oncoming vehicle from my right turns in lazily crossing through my right of way, causing me to stop twice at the stop sign. What is so difficult about making a proper turn?
I saw this earlier the use of lieberry, instead of library. And pronouncing jewelry as “joolery” really starches my hide.
Interesting side note, just last night my granddaughter used the word lieberry.What’s a
lieberry, I asked? Is that a berry that is incapable of telling the truth? We had a laugh and then worked on pronunciation for a minute 🙂
This should be called the “get a life” thread…
And yet you felt the need to post to it.
My pet peeve is for those who slow up for green traffic lights. I suppose they are in fear that it may change to red before they pass through the intersection. By slowing up, they increase the odds that the light will change.
The proper thing to do is slow up for red lights and speed up for green lights.
Oh ya, one of my other pet peeves: when people say “slow up” when “slow down” is clearly correct. 😉
Another one that I was reminded of this morning was the growing usage of the term “Red Pilled”
Urban Dictionary:
“‘Red pill’ has become a popular phrase among cyberculture and signifies a free-thinking attitude, and a waking up from a “normal” life of sloth and ignorance. Red pills prefer the truth, no matter how gritty and painful it may be.”
My peeve is that most of the people that use this term about themselves tend to show no sign of enlightened thinking.
It is often used in similar manner as ‘woke’ which has been mentioned above.
My pet peeve is the phrase: “pet peeve.”
My pet peeve is people who post “My pet peeve is the phrase: “pet peeve”” on pet peeve posts. (I.e., think it’s been done before…)
Gee, just think how meta this could get!
you win!
Pet peeve:
Today, I say to a colleague, “So, how would I go about examining the impact of X”
Colleague: “It’s on the website; self-explanatory.”
Infuriating. Obviously, I wouldn’t have asked if the website were “self-explanatory”. Colleague’s reply is either totally tone deaf or an indirect way of indicating colleague doesn’t think explaining is worth their time.
“Get off my lawn”, indeed!
One of my many pet peeves is when people misunderstand the meaning of a phrase, then criticise their own misunderstanding. ‘Rocking’ being a case in point. To ‘rock’ a look means to wear it well, not simply wear it.
A second pet peeve is when a phrase such as ‘rocking’ has its original meaning diluted to the extent it becomes nothing more than another synonym for ‘wearing’, and is thus rendered little more than a superfluous affectation open to criticism by dint of it being unnecessary.
People who call me “buddy”. First, I am no ones buddy, and second, they probably have forgotten my name 🙂
Or “dude”. Or “brah” or “bruh” for “bro”.
Matt – agreed, bro 🙂 Sorry….