Pet Peeves: Aka Things That Make You Go "Gah!"

[Guest]

Sorry to hear that news was banned that sucks.

Although I do wish that the writers or AI that write news articles like they are in a post-modern lit course would stop.  I have yet to come across anything as entertaining as that Rolling Stone article about X files I cut up and randomly reassembled in college.  I still have no idea what that was all about.  But I do not like badly written, meandering news articles that don't go anywhere. I guess they are just for the clicks and they don't really expect anyone to read them.

[EtheltoTillie]

14 hours ago, Dimity said:

A peeve only fellow Canadians will probably get - a while ago legislation got passed that banned news content on Facebook and a few other social media sites.  Anyway recently I've been noticing a ton (well it seems like a ton) of stories that have a catchy headline and then it says "to read more go to the first comment".  Ok I'm clueless, it took me until now to realize that this is the way the dodgier "news" sites are circumventing the ban. 

So great, just great, actual responsible journalistic sources won't stoop to this but nothing is stopping the bad actors out there from taking advantage of this and boy are they doing it.  Grrrrr

How is it possible they can ban news?  That is insane.  I guess as US residents we just don't understand such a thing. 

[Quof]

News is not "banned". We Canucks can get news from any number of sources.  Just not Facebook and Instagram, which was a commercial decision rather than an issue of censorship.

Given what I hear from people who rely on those sources for their news, it's not a bad thing.  

[bluegirl147]

44 minutes ago, EtheltoTillie said:

How is it possible they can ban news?  That is insane.  I guess as US residents we just don't understand such a thing. 

The problem is all news is not created equal.  What used to be called opinion pieces are now presented as facts. 

42 minutes ago, Quof said:

News is not "banned". We Canucks can get news from any number of sources.  Just not Facebook and Instagram, which was a commercial decision rather than an issue of censorship.

Given what I hear from people who rely on those sources for their news, it's not a bad thing.  

I always look at the source and if it's not a legitimate news organization I'm less likely to believe it.  I always cringe when I hear someone say "I saw it on FB" when trying to win an argument.

[Quof]

20 minutes ago, bluegirl147 said:

I always cringe when I hear someone say "I saw it on FB" when trying to win an argument.

You've been talking to my mother! How is she? 

[annzeepark914]

"Canucks"?? I thought that word was on the Do Not Use list. So, Canadians use it?

[Quof]

What list is that, and who compiled it? 

We Canucks proudly claim the title.  

[Dimity]

1 hour ago, bluegirl147 said:

I always look at the source and if it's not a legitimate news organization I'm less likely to believe it.  I always cringe when I hear someone say "I saw it on FB" when trying to win an argument.

This.  A  consequence of Meta's decision to ban/block legitimate news content has been that fake news, already bad, has exploded.  Sigh.  I didn't disagree with the intent behind the legislation but the results, sadly, are somewhat predictable.

News is being replaced by memes, says media expert

[bluegirl147]

49 minutes ago, annzeepark914 said:

"Canucks"?? I thought that word was on the Do Not Use list. So, Canadians use it?

I think you mean

Spoiler

cucks.

 

8 minutes ago, Dimity said:

This.  A  consequence of Meta's decision to ban/block legitimate news content has been that fake news, already bad, has exploded.  Sigh.  I didn't disagree with the intent behind the legislation but the results, sadly, are somewhat predictable.

News is being replaced by memes, says media expert

As with everything you have to take the good with the bad.  I think memes are great as commentary on something.  But I prefer to get information from a reputable source. And yes I know it's getting harder to find those.

[PRgal]

1 hour ago, annzeepark914 said:

"Canucks"?? I thought that word was on the Do Not Use list. So, Canadians use it?

Canuck isn't a slur.  

[Mindthinkr]

Confirmation Bias is being allowed to become a legitimate defense. 

[annzeepark914]

44 minutes ago, bluegirl147 said:

I think you mean

  Reveal spoiler

cucks.

 

No. I meant canuck. Many years ago I read that Canadians considered it an insult when Americans used that word.

[Yeah No]

55 minutes ago, Dimity said:

This.  A  consequence of Meta's decision to ban/block legitimate news content has been that fake news, already bad, has exploded.  Sigh.  I didn't disagree with the intent behind the legislation but the results, sadly, are somewhat predictable.

News is being replaced by memes, says media expert

It's too bad they can't find a way to only ban sites other than big reputable news sources.

Just now, annzeepark914 said:

No. I meant canuck. Many years ago I read that Canadians considered it an insult when Americans used that word.

I also thought it was one of those words that Canadians can use about themselves but that if Americans did it it would be considered an insult.

I saw it used in Canada last month when I went there, like a gift shop with Canuck in the title and items that said they were proudly made by Canucks, etc.

[ebk57]

2 hours ago, annzeepark914 said:

No. I meant canuck. Many years ago I read that Canadians considered it an insult when Americans used that word.

The Vancouver hockey team is the Canucks.  I hope that's not an insult... 

[EtheltoTillie]

Im completely confused about this news ban now. Can someone explain?  Is it in Canada only?  Was it a decision by Meta?  But if so why only in Canada?  

[Quof]

In a nutshell, Canadian legislation required platforms such as Meta and Google to pay publishers to link to their content.  They refused. 

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/meta-ending-news-availability-permanently-1.6924370

[rcc]

My grandfather was born in Quebec and married my American grandmother when he crossed the border for work and to live. All of us were born in Maine and most still live here. We consider ourselves Canucks. To me it isn't a slur.

[Dimity]

7 hours ago, PRgal said:

Canuck isn't a slur.  

My first thought when I hear the word canuck is the Crazy Canucks  (famed skiers) and of course the immortal Johnny Canuck whose also had his name used for a restaurant chain.  So, yes, not an insult.   

[EtheltoTillie]

2 hours ago, Quof said:

In a nutshell, Canadian legislation required platforms such as Meta and Google to pay publishers to link to their content.  They refused. 

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/meta-ending-news-availability-permanently-1.6924370

I see. What a crazy law. You can see why meta would do that. 

Edited July 30 by EtheltoTillie

[Dimity]

9 minutes ago, EtheltoTillie said:

I see. What a crazy law. You can see why meta would do that. 

Apparently they did enter into an agreement with Australia (not sure of the details) but have since reneged on it and last I read meta is considering blocking news content there as well.

[BooksRule]

Pet peeve for today:  Food packages that make it really hard (almost impossible) to figure our portions.  It's fairly easy when the portion size matches the contents (such as beer-battered fish filets are 210 calories per portion, a portion size is 2 filets and there are 8 in the bag/box).  But I have a special 'grrrr' against such products as breaded (or grilled) chicken strips that say '8 servings in bag' (3 oz. each serving) and there are something like 11 pieces in the bag.  And not every piece is the same size and each piece is a different weight.  I'm really trying hard to portion out my foods so that I can keep within a calorie count, but it's almost impossible with this type of packaging. I do the best I can, but I know I'm off with the amount some times.  

[SoMuchTV]

3 hours ago, BooksRule said:

Pet peeve for today:  Food packages that make it really hard (almost impossible) to figure our portions.  It's fairly easy when the portion size matches the contents (such as beer-battered fish filets are 210 calories per portion, a portion size is 2 filets and there are 8 in the bag/box).  But I have a special 'grrrr' against such products as breaded (or grilled) chicken strips that say '8 servings in bag' (3 oz. each serving) and there are something like 11 pieces in the bag.  And not every piece is the same size and each piece is a different weight.  I'm really trying hard to portion out my foods so that I can keep within a calorie count, but it's almost impossible with this type of packaging. I do the best I can, but I know I'm off with the amount some times.  

Not to downplay your peeve at all, but can I say, a few years ago I got a food scale for about $10, maybe as much as $20, and I've used it way more than I expected to.  (Pretty sure it was from Amazon but I'm sure there are other options.)  The battery lasts for years, you can switch between ounces/grams/liquid measurements, and it's also handy for weighing something that needs postage. 

Sometimes I'll get one of those salad kits that have 2 or 3 servings, and I want to split it into two meals.  Weighing the lettuce and the little packets makes it much easier than eyeballing to get two roughly equal servings.  Plus if you ever experiment with recipes that are in grams vs. cups (or vice versa, depending on where you live) it's a great tool.

 

[Bastet]

54 minutes ago, SoMuchTV said:

Not to downplay your peeve at all, but can I say, a few years ago I got a food scale for about $10, maybe as much as $20, and I've used it way more than I expected to. 

Yeah, I had never used one in my decades of cooking, but when one was offered on Freecycle several years ago, I got it, figuring I'd pass it along if I never wound up using it.  I only use it once every month or two, probably, but I do use it -- I obviously did fine without it, but it is a handy thing to have. 

[Dimity]

Today's peeve: Candy Crush, I am almost embarrassed to admit what level I am at in Candy Crush and mostly it's been fun and a nice time waster. But in the last few weeks  I've reached my limit.

Obviously the goal is to encourage users to spend money but at earlier levels eventually the powers that be would realize it wasn't gonna happen and would throw you an easy board.  Not now.  I guess the higher the level the more likely it is that you will crack and throw money at them to FINALLY finish a level.

Well I think I've got the Candy Crush monkey off my back once and for all.

 

[Yeah No]

2 hours ago, SoMuchTV said:

Not to downplay your peeve at all, but can I say, a few years ago I got a food scale for about $10, maybe as much as $20, and I've used it way more than I expected to.  (Pretty sure it was from Amazon but I'm sure there are other options.)  The battery lasts for years, you can switch between ounces/grams/liquid measurements, and it's also handy for weighing something that needs postage. 

I got an electronic scale about 5 years ago and it's been life changing. I'm perpetually watching my portion sizes and use it at least a few times a week. In fact I'm using it tonight to weigh our burgers so they only weigh 5 ounces each. We just came off two Costco roast chickens in a row so I had to have something other than chicken, LOL. I normally make beef burgers only about once a month or so and buy the 93% lean variety so as to reduce the amount of saturated fat per portion. 

On top of that I'm an Ebay seller so I use it for postage all the time, LOL.

[chitowngirl]

I use my scale for when I buy bulk meat and put it into smaller bags and freeze them.

[oliviabenson]

Pathological liars! A guy across the street lies like a rug! He told me one of my neighbors died. Guess what a few days later I see the guy alive and well! This is like the third person he lied about dying. Also says he has$1 million in cash for a house. Well monthly later he hasn’t moved. Claims he can’t find anything in his budget. Now he says he’s moving to FL in December let’s see if he is going!

He is such an annoying POS. Just talks ans talks and talks.

[Ohiopirate02]

In what may be the most perfect example of a pet peeve, whomever cleans my workplace refuses to take the extra half-step to put my office trash can back where I left it. Every morning the can is 6 inches away from its proper place for me to use while remaining seated. So, every morning I have to move it back to where it belongs.

[Yeah No]

1 minute ago, Ohiopirate02 said:

In what may be the most perfect example of a pet peeve, whomever cleans my workplace refuses to take the extra half-step to put my office trash can back where I left it. Every morning the can is 6 inches away from its proper place for me to use while remaining seated. So, every morning I have to move it back to where it belongs.

OMG, I had to laugh when I read this because this was a HUGE irritation for me when I worked. Every once in a while I'd get a cleaning person that would do that every single day and I'd inevitably end up having to move the can. Even worse was that the can was often left in a very inconvenient place, like right in front of my desk. In my last job it once got so bad that I actually called the maintenance supervisor to tell her about it. I apologized for calling because I didn't want to seem like a picky, privileged "Karen", but she actually thanked me for telling her and assured me it would never happen again. And it never did. I guess that's a situation where "the squeaky wheel gets the oil".

[Ohiopirate02]

18 minutes ago, Yeah No said:

OMG, I had to laugh when I read this because this was a HUGE irritation for me when I worked. Every once in a while I'd get a cleaning person that would do that every single day and I'd inevitably end up having to move the can. Even worse was that the can was often left in a very inconvenient place, like right in front of my desk. In my last job it once got so bad that I actually called the maintenance supervisor to tell her about it. I apologized for calling because I didn't want to seem like a picky, privileged "Karen", but she actually thanked me for telling her and assured me it would never happen again. And it never did. I guess that's a situation where "the squeaky wheel gets the oil".

It really is the dumbest thing, and I would never go through the hassle to complain about it. They were also attempting to place another trash can in the incorrect spot, but after 2 days of me putting it where it belongs fixed that issue.

[Browncoat]

I knew a faculty member once upon a time who got so fed up with the trash can not being put back in the "right" spot that he taped an outline on the floor for it.  He also put signs saying something like "The can goes here" in the middle of the outline.  It worked, though.

Some of our current custodians just skip rooms some nights -- I'll come in the next day to a full trash can.

[Ohiopirate02]

5 minutes ago, Browncoat said:

Some of our current custodians just skip rooms some nights -- I'll come in the next day to a full trash can.

That is my actual complaint with the cleaners for my building. I find their schedule interesting. Monday through Thursday the can come in and clean at a set time, but they apparently clean over the weekend at a different time every single weekend, and they apparently cannot clean the building when we are open on Saturdays. So if the cleaning crew decides they are cleaning the slate of buildings at 1pm on a Saturday, then we don't get any trash taken out or bathrooms cleaned and restocked until Monday night. And for reasons I do not know, they cannot come back and clean our building after we close at 4pm. I often wonder if the cleaning company is billing for services they are not providing, but I do not handle the bill nor do I think the entity that does really cares if my building is cleaned per contract. 

[Dimity]

Accidental misogyny.  Is that a thing?  Anyway we are gifting a dining room table we no longer use and the friend who is taking it just called and asked if I could get my husband to measure it so they'd know if it will fit in the back of their van.

Um, hello, I may not be a man  but I think I can handle using a tape measure!

Edited August 1 by Dimity

[Angeltoes]

19 hours ago, oliviabenson said:

Now he says he’s moving to FL in December let’s see if he is going!

I live in Florida so I hope he's lying.  We're full.

1 hour ago, Dimity said:

the friend who is taking it just called and asked if I could get my husband to measure it so they'd know if it will fit in the back of their van.

Ha, Mr. Angeltoes spent the day putting in a new vanity in our hall bathroom.  I was at work through all of this (thank heavens) but we spoke on the phone before he went to buy a new one.  I asked if he measured the space and he said he did (I believe what he said was "mmmmm").  Lugged new vanity into the house and it was too big.  Had to lug it back to the store and replace it.  I stand proud that I didn't mention my measuring suggestion.  

[Yeah No]

8 hours ago, Ohiopirate02 said:

It really is the dumbest thing, and I would never go through the hassle to complain about it. They were also attempting to place another trash can in the incorrect spot, but after 2 days of me putting it where it belongs fixed that issue.

I tried that, but it didn't work. I also wrote a note in both Spanish and English asking if the trash could be put "here" (with an arrow to show where) because I heard from coworkers that stayed late that the cleaning staff often only spoke Spanish. That didn't work unfortunately. And I asked people that sat near me if that was happening to them too, but according to them it wasn't. I couldn't for the life of me figure out why I was being singled out. I had never even seen the cleaning people! I finally called their supervisor because I was the department admin. and we knew each other. If one of the people I supported had told me about something similar I would have called her about it anyway to ask them to stop. And she took it very seriously and told me they should know better than that.

So I don't think there was anything wrong with calling her after going through all of that for months on end. I mean this can was far out between the chair and the front of my desk pretty much every day, and unfortunately it wasn't very clean either and required me having to touch the dirty bag at the lip of the can (they didn't replace the plastic liner that often). Yuck. It really started to feel like it was being done intentionally to jerk my chains. It was too blatant and ridiculous for me to believe it was just out of lack of thought or haste.

The thought did cross my mind that it could have been done by a coworker but I had good relationships with my coworkers and couldn't imagine any of them would engage in such behavior so that felt like a longshot to me. They were all very nice people. And the fact that it abruptly stopped after I told the supervisor about it told me it was being done by the cleaning person. Who knows? Maybe they saw something on my desk or a photo on my wall that triggered them in some way to do that. I have no idea.

[StatisticalOutlier]

You know those desktop toys where you build a magnetic sculpture?  Thirty years ago I had one on my desk in my cubicle, and one day I got to work and it had an interestingly intricate sculpture that I didn't (and certainly couldn't) do.  And other days I'd get there and there would be a different one, just as good as the last.

I figured out it was one of the janitors doing it (it was a government job and the cleaning crew were fellow state employees), so when I was leaving that job, I put a note on the toy saying I wanted them to have it.  I got a note back that started with "Thank for gift" and continued in barely understandable English.

It was so sweet.

[Blergh]

OK, here's a pet peeve: folks who won't accept no for an answer!

 I was at a restaurant with my very polite mother and this person offered her some of their dessert. OK, that was fine in itself. 

However when my mother politely thanked this person for the offer but explained that she was too full to consume any more. This person pressed AGAIN. ..several more times. Not wanting to see my mother eat something she believed she was unable to consume and get physically  overwhelmed, I finally told this person that my mother  politely declined several times and that was ENOUGH on the subject.. . then incredibly they pressed forth  yet AGAIN! ARGHH!

Yes, I was thankful that my mother somehow let practicality win over not wanting to chance hurting this other person's feelings (this time)  but I wasn't happy she got put into that position.  She knows better than anyone else what her own capacity is! Thankfully, no one attempted to make me apologize.

[isalicat]

1 minute ago, Blergh said:

I was thankful that my mother somehow let practicality win over not wanting to chance hurting this other person's feelings (this time)  but I wasn't happy she got put into that position.  She knows better than anyone else what her own capacity is! Thankfully, no one attempted to make me apologize.

This is a classic (unfortunately!) trope that is all about the person doing the insisting, not your mother or you. And it often comes up around dessert because what is happening here is that the person feels guilty eating something they probably shouldn't (for whatever reason) and wants to make themselves feel better by pretending to be generous and at the same time reducing the actual portion they will be consuming. If the person gets too insistent I would call them on it, but otherwise the best course of action is to say "no is a complete sentence" and then refuse to respond to further entreaties...wear them down with silence, you know? 😸

[Cloud9Shopper]

When I’m the closing cashier at work and with 10 minutes to me leaving, three or four people line up all with full carts of about $100 in groceries. Worse yet when I’m made to stay after my light is off and I’ve mentally cut off the line but I’m told I have to take care of someone who doesn’t show up until after my light is turned off. It’s happened twice now since I’ve been working here and it’s so unfair to me. Obviously I serve them and I don’t like spit in their face or anything but I want to go home. I don’t want to be here all night waiting on people who didn’t get in here sooner, like the other 13 hours we were open.

My manager told me tonight when I had to take care of a lady after the light was off (she was paying with check and was really rude to me during the time she was being waited on)…she said the customer is always right and (she) doesn’t agree with that herself but that we basically have to serve her since she wanted to pay with check and self checkout doesn’t take them. 

Also, whoever invented the phrase “the customer is always right.” Seriously, some of these people need to be put in their place. 

[Bastet]

1 hour ago, Cloud9Shopper said:

Also, whoever invented the phrase “the customer is always right.”

It was Harry Gordon Selfridge, an early 20th century business owner, and what he said was "The customer is always right, in matters of taste”, not the blanket statement of entitlement rude customers like to toss around by only quoting the first part. 

[Yeah No]

2 hours ago, Bastet said:

It was Harry Gordon Selfridge, an early 20th century business owner, and what he said was "The customer is always right, in matters of taste”, not the blanket statement of entitlement rude customers like to toss around by only quoting the first part. 

Speaking of that, a pet peeve of mine is when people are quoted out of context!

[bluegirl147]

On 8/1/2024 at 4:51 PM, Dimity said:

Accidental misogyny.  Is that a thing?  Anyway we are gifting a dining room table we no longer use and the friend who is taking it just called and asked if I could get my husband to measure it so they'd know if it will fit in the back of their van.

Um, hello, I may not be a man  but I think I can handle using a tape measure!

My ears always go up when I hear something like that.  Sometimes I do say something because if you don't people don't learn that what they are saying is bothersome. At least to me it is.

Sometimes people don't even realize what they are saying is problematic.  I was a at a salon once and I was talking about my granddaughter, she was probably 6 at the time and I said something like she like she likes to put on makeup, she said it makes her feel pretty. The receptionist said oh the boys will like her being pretty when she is older.  I said no no no.  I said how she feels about herself shouldn't be based on how a boy makes her feel. 

[Dimity]

33 minutes ago, bluegirl147 said:

Sometimes people don't even realize what they are saying is problematic.  I was a at a salon once and I was talking about my granddaughter, she was probably 6 at the time and I said something like she like she likes to put on makeup, she said it makes her feel pretty. The receptionist said oh the boys will like her being pretty when she is older.  I said no no no.  I said how she feels about herself shouldn't be based on how a boy makes her feel. 

Not exactly the same but similar - I was telling someone about my granddaughter - then aged about 4 - who loved all things pink and Barbie.  They were shocked and insisted I need to give her some trucks or a doctors kit or some other stereotypically boy toy.  I was not happy. I pointed out she was also playing hockey (well what passes for hockey when you're 4) moreover  she was NOT only being given "girl" toys.  She chose what she wanted to play with and what she wanted to wear.  She went through the pink and Barbie phase, as many girls do.  And there was nothing wrong with that.

[bluegirl147]

3 minutes ago, Dimity said:

She chose what she wanted to play with and what she wanted to wear. 

My other granddaughter who is two loves dinosaurs.  But next week it could be Barbies.  Let kids play with what they want.

[Dimity]

Just now, bluegirl147 said:

My other granddaughter who is two loves dinosaurs.  But next week it could be Barbies.  Let kids play with what they want.

And a friendly word of advice to anyone buying for little kids - they do change their minds a lot so don't buy ahead too much.

  In the midst of the pandemic when I wasn't seeing my grandchildren often  I knew my younger grandson was into all things Paw Patrol so I bought him a Paw Patrol Lookout Tower for Christmas.  Well in the meantime he'd aged out of Paw Patrol and moved into lego.  Hard.  Luckily I found this out before the big day and was able to pivot!

[Bastet]

1 hour ago, bluegirl147 said:

My ears always go up when I hear something like that.  Sometimes I do say something because if you don't people don't learn that what they are saying is bothersome.

Sometimes I just don't have the energy, but usually I say something. 

[PRgal]

When I was a little girl, I desperately wanted to wear dresses to school.  I was not allowed.  My parents thought that all that running around in Canadian schools meant that it was better to wear pants.  That's why I loved picture day, when I COULD wear dresses!  I also really wanted to go to a school where there was a uniform since back in the day, girls wore tunics or skirts.  Now that I'm an adult, dresses and skirts are still my thing when I'm out in public, especially in the summer. 

[Dimity]

1 minute ago, PRgal said:

I also really wanted to go to a school where there was a uniform since back in the day, girls wore tunics or skirts. 

I remember being so disappointed when I got to grade 7 because that was the year our school board abolished uniforms.  I'd been wearing tunics up to that point and just living for the day I'd get to wear a spiffy grey skirt and a blazer. 

Looking back it was funny how we went, within one summer, from wearing uniforms to basically living in jeans for the rest of our school days.  Which did somewhat become our uniform come to think of it.

[SweetieDarling]

I had taken my kids to a playground years ago, and we encountered a set of grandparents and their granddaughter. The little girl was wearing a very fancy party/holiday kind of dress as she attacked the jungle gym with vigor. The grandmother told me she got the dress for $5 at the thrift store. The little girl loved girly clothes, but was also a bit of a tomboy. They didn't really care if she destroyed the dress, being only $5,  it made her happy.

 

ETA: I thought they were awesome!

Edited August 5 by SweetieDarling

[fairffaxx]

I started first grade at a Midwestern public school in 1953 & was disgusted to find that I had to wear a dress (or at least a skirt & blouse).  When we moved to the west coast in 1956, the same rules applied.  I graduated from high school in 1965, still required to "dress like a lady".  Times change, thankfully.