Things that confuse/annoy you

  • Thread starter UnkaD
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kolio
The 'rona.

Seriously though, it annoys the heck out of me too.

Also, isn't it a proper noun? I always capitalize it. As bolded in your quote.
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Not necessarily. Here is now the Associated Press is officially styling it. This is their opinion, but it seems like a solid way to view it.

AP
coronaviruses

A family of viruses, some of which cause disease in people and animals, named for crownlike spikes on their surfaces.

The viruses can cause the common cold or more severe diseases such as SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome), MERS (Middle East respiratory syndrome) and COVID-19, the latter of which first appeared in late 2019 in Wuhan, China.

As of March 2020, referring to simply the coronavirus is acceptable on first reference in stories about COVID-19. While the phrasing incorrectly implies there is only one coronavirus, it is clear in this context. Also acceptable on first reference: the new coronavirus; the new virus; COVID-19.

In stories, do not refer simply to coronavirus without the article the. Not: She is concerned about coronavirus. Omitting the is acceptable in headlines and in uses such as: He said coronavirus concerns are increasing.

Passages and stories focusing on the science of the disease require sharper distinctions.

COVID-19, which stands for coronavirus disease 2019, is caused by a virus named SARS-CoV-2. When referring specifically to the virus, the COVID-19 virus and the virus that causes COVID-19 are acceptable. But, because COVID-19 is the name of the disease, not the virus, it is not accurate to write a new virus called COVID-19.

SARS is acceptable on first reference for the disease first identified in Asia in 2003. Spell out severe acute respiratory syndrome later in the story.

MERS is acceptable on first reference. Spell out Middle East respiratory syndrome later in the story.
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Source: https://www.apstylebook.com/topical_most_recent
 
CLowndes888
It's not OK to call a fat person fat but it's OK to call a disabled person disabled.
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Is it okay to substitute fat with "curvy"? How about "husky", "tubby" or "chunky"? Is "crippled" an acceptable alternative to the latter? Why/not?

I've got the answer, but I'm interested to see if you arrive at it yourself.
 
I can’t count the amount of times ‘woke’ people have asked my why I’m so skinny. I ask them if they ever ask fat people why they’re so fat. All in humour, of course, then I explain that I’m normal sized because I exercise and don’t consume more calories than I need.
 
People who think making a change in life is easy for someone who is struggling. The phrase I absolutely hate is "If you don't like your ______, why don't you just _____."

I've been seeing this be even more prevalent with the virus and people mocking those essential workers in something like the food industry or auto industry for complaining about not being paid enough to risk their lives. Just to hear people say "if you don't like the job, just quit and find another one." It's not as easy as you think to find a job.... Or same goes for my current situation of absolutely hating my apartment neighbors and all I keep getting told is that I should "just" move. But the cost of living in Southern Maine isn't cheap and living up north, despite being cheaper, doesn't really mean much if you add to the factor of the cost of commuting from farther away. (And risks)

It's about as bad as someone with depression being told to "just cheer up," as if everyone's the same and can just make an immediate change.
 
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MedigoFlame
People who think making a change in life is easy for someone who is struggling. The phrase I absolutely hate is "If you don't like your ______, why don't you just _____."

I've been seeing this be even more prevent with the virus and people mocking those essential workers in something like the food industry or auto industry for complaining about not being paid enough to risk their lives. Just to hear people say "if you don't like the job, just quit and find another one." It's not as easy as you think to find a job.... Or same goes for my current situation of absolutely hating my apartment neighbors and all I keep getting told is that I should "just" move. But the cost of living in Southern Maine isn't cheap and living up north, despite being cheaper, doesn't really mean much if you add to the factor of the cost of commuting from farther away. (And risks)

It's about as bad as someone with depression being told to "just cheer up," as if everyone's the same and can just make an immediate change.
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This reminds me of so many of my family members who say "Just stop drinking" as if I'm deliberatly an addict.
 
Obnoxious people on the radio.
My local college has the radio on all the time at the cafeteria and I hear these kinds of people every morning. While it’s not new or surprising, this is something I have grown pretty tired of. Some of the ones that come to mind are:
1. One of my local radio stations has an early morning show they do where they will ask a question and if the caller answers correctly, the woman on that show gets WAY too loud about it, like worse than other stations typically are. She doesn’t seem to be aware of how loud she is being when she does this and it’s pretty annoying. If I was listening to it with earphones, it would probably make my ears hurt. I get radio stations do this stuff all the time, but she is easily one the most annoying and I wouldn’t mind the show itself if that woman wasn’t so dang loud.

2. If you live in North Carolina and listen to the radio, you’ve probably heard of him, but theirs somebody that goes by the name “Krazy Kevin Powell” that is quite infamous for this and very annoying to many. He has a dealer he advertises on the radio in various stations and he shouts in all of his commercials bragging about what he claims to do and will apply a lot of emphasis on his name at the very end. In his latest commercials, he’s resorted to singing some really bad covers of popular songs and they’re easily the worst I’ve heard yet. Okay, I am aware by shouting it can get people's attention and make them remember his business, thus increasing the chance for customers. However, most people I have encountered can’t stand to hear him (myself included) and all it ever does is make them want to turn the station instead. Some even refuse to visit his dealer because of these annoying commercials. (no joke)

He’s aware people find him annoying, but still does it anyway and he even featured people in his commercials that complained about his voice before, only to compliment him directly afterward. To make matters worse, I have read his business isn’t anything it’s hyped up to be, some even calling it false advertising, which really doesn’t make me feel any better about it.
Before anyone says it, yes I am aware I can just turn the station or turn the volume down so I don’t have to hear it, but that’s not an option when I am at college because I don’t have access to it, only the school staff does. Plus, the guy from the 2nd example has his commercials everywhere here in NC, so he's genuinely hard to avoid unless you just straight up don't listen to the radio. I am sure I could say more about this, but this all I can think of for now.
 
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The thing that absolutely annoys the heck for me is to hear journalist on TV or radio saying this:

"so and so is/was traveling at high rate of speed..."


High rate of speed?!!



The journalists just love to use that term! They will use it anytime they have the chance... they will use it ignorantly too.


You either say:
1) the car was traveling at high speed
OR
2) the car was accelerating rapidly/excessively


High rate of speed is the equivalent of accelerating rapidly...

Why can't they just say "accelerating rapidly"?
No, the journalist want to sound scientific, and in doing so, they are wrong...

Using "high rate of speed" is not doing them any good. In fact, if they use "high rate of speed", clearly it makes them sound very stupid to the educated people.

At this point, any journalist using "high rate of speed" is essentially a parrot, repeating ignorantly what they dont know.


One of my physics teachers pointed it out to us a few decades ago, and ever since that day, every single time i heard "high rate of speed", i just wanted to jump into the tv and radio and strangle the ignorant.


Please let your fellow journalist family and friends know... stop this madness.


And please dont use "high rate of acceleration" that's even more stupid.

Acceleration is the increasing rate of speed.
Saying "high rate of speed" is essentially saying "high acceleration", so why not use that term to make it simple, and you wont sound like a dimwit anymore?
 
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CTznOfTime
The thing that absolutely annoys the heck for me is to hear journalist on TV or radio saying this:

"so and so is/was traveling at high rate of speed..."


High rate of speed?!!



The journalists just love to use that term! They will use it anytime they have the chance... the will use it ignorantly too.


You either say:
1) the car was traveling at high speed
OR
2) the car was accelerating rapidly/excessively


High rate of speed is the equivalent of accelerating rapidly...

Why can't they just say accelerating rapidly?
No, no, the journalist want to sound scientific, and in doing so, they are wrong...

Using "high rate of speed" is not doing them any good. In fact, if they use "high rate of speed", clearly it makes them sound very stupid to the educated people.

At this point, any journalist using "high rate of speed" is essentially a parrot, repeating ignorantly what they dont know.


One of my physics teachers pointed it out to us a few decades ago, and ever since that day, every single time i heard "high rate of speed", i just wanted to jump into the tv and radio and strangle the ignorant.


Please let your fellow journalist family and friends know... stop this madness.


and please dont use "high rate of acceleration" that's even more stupid.

Acceleration is the increasing rate of speed.
Saying "high rate of speed" is essentially saying "high acceleration", so why not use that term to make it simple, and you wont sound like a dimwit anymore.
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I feel like I've lost knowledge reading this post. But yes, you are correct.

Also though, when journalist are quoting an officer or spokesperson for something of this nature, it's not their fault. It's the officer's fault. But yes before you say anything, the journalist should use the soundbite of the officer or just omit the quote when reporting on the story.
 
kolio
I feel like I've lost knowledge reading this post. But yes, you are correct.

Also though, when journalist are quoting an officer or spokesperson for something of this nature, it's not their fault. It's the officer's fault. But yes before you say anything, the journalist should use the soundbite of the officer or just omit the quote when reporting on the story.
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Sorry about the confusion mate.

"High rate of speed" should never be used by anyone.
 
CTznOfTime
And please dont use "high rate of acceleration" that's even more stupid.
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Let's assume I'm accelerating at 12ft/s/s (about 0.38G), then I press the bang pedal harder and increase that to 24ft/s/s (about 0.75G).

How would you describe that process in any other terms than me increasing the rate at which I am accelerating?
 
Famine
Let's assume I'm accelerating at 12ft/s/s (about 0.38G), then I press the bang pedal harder and increase that to 24ft/s/s (about 0.75G).

How would you describe that process in any other terms than me increasing the rate at which I am accelerating?
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Also makes me wonder what "low rate of speed" means...?
 
Famine
Let's assume I'm accelerating at 12ft/s/s (about 0.38G), then I press the bang pedal harder and increase that to 24ft/s/s (about 0.75G).

How would you describe that process in any other terms than me increasing the rate at which I am accelerating?
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It is technically correct in the stated situation, but whoever bother using that term must be bored out of their mind....
 
CTznOfTime
It is technically correct in the stated situation, but whoever bother using that term must be bored out of their mind....
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I road test cars. Comparative acceleration rates are useful.
 
On a related note, this has me thinking of a time my neighbor gave us a carpet and told us how it wasn't cheap, albeit in a rather confusing manner. She told us "It was not inexpensive". Okay, maybe it's just me, but it threw me off, I had a difficult time processing this due to how it was worded and I ended up misunderstanding it as a result. She could've just said "It was not cheap" and not only does it have the same meaning, but it's far easier to understand. I don't know why she didn't just say that instead.

I have no doubt I have had other instances like this in my life, but this is the only one that comes to mind right now.
 
kolio
Also makes me wonder what "low rate of speed" means...?
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Either decelerating or low acceleration..., But either way, just use the terms I just use... There is no good reason for a normal person to use low rate of speed... It doesn't make you any smarter.

Famine
I road test cars. Comparative acceleration rates are useful.
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I understand but still, you would want to use :
Slow/er acceleration or
Fast/er acceleration

...

Anyhow, I can't tell you how to do your job...

PS : I would like to be as bored as you are ;)
 
News reporters are generally a victim of their profession in that they often have to fill a time describing things they know nothing about. So no matter what, they end up sounding clueless since they usually are, depending on the subject. The more you as a viewer know about a subject being reported, the more painfully apparent this effect is.
 
CTznOfTime
PS : I would like to be as bored as you are ;)
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How do you come to the conclusion that one is bored when all you have to go by is discussion not pertaining to being bored? Is the willingness to engage in discussion with others indicative of boredom?
 
TexRex
How do you come to the conclusion that one is bored when all you have to go by is discussion not pertaining to being bored? Is the willingness to engage in discussion with others indicative of boredom?
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It's not going to be funny anymore now that I have to explain myself.

I initially claimed that someone would have to be bored out of their mind if they ever use the above terms, although technically correct given specific scenario.

Famine came out to refute my claim saying he might need to do so for his activity of reviewing and testing cars.

Reviewing and testing cars is something that I would very much would like to do so, who here wouldn't want ?!

With his revelation, I simply admit I would like to be as "bored" as he is...

That's all.

Subjectively, you are not correct,
but objectively you are. ;)
 
UnkaD
News reporters are generally a victim of their profession in that they often have to fill a time describing things they know nothing about. So no matter what, they end up sounding clueless since they usually are, depending on the subject. The more you as a viewer know about a subject being reported, the more painfully apparent this effect is.
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Somehow, somewhere, someone started saying high rate of speed, and everyone uses it including officers of the laws, which then gives authority to the journalists to repeat constantly this error that have been feeding on itself for decades...

How can we break this?

Education and information... Please pass it on...

My ears, brain and sanity thank you in advance...
 
Sonygamer455
On a related note, this has me thinking of a time my neighbor gave us a carpet and told us how it wasn't cheap, albeit in a rather confusing manner. She told us "It was not inexpensive". Okay, maybe it's just me, but it threw me off, I had a difficult time processing this due to how it was worded and I ended up misunderstanding it as a result. She could've just said "It was not cheap" and not only does it have the same meaning, but it's far easier to understand. I don't know why she didn't just say that instead.

I have no doubt I have had other instances like this in my life, but this is the only one that comes to mind right now.
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To me it seems like a polite way to infer that the carpet was expensive but without sounding snobby.


Sonygamer455
I'm genuinely curious to see what homeforsummer has to say about this because if I recall correctly, he is a journalist. (correct me if I'm wrong)
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You’re wrong, he a submarine washer.
 
Sonygamer455
On a related note, this has me thinking of a time my neighbor gave us a carpet and told us how it wasn't cheap, albeit in a rather confusing manner. She told us "It was not inexpensive". Okay, maybe it's just me, but it threw me off, I had a difficult time processing this due to how it was worded and I ended up misunderstanding it as a result. She could've just said "It was not cheap" and not only does it have the same meaning, but it's far easier to understand. I don't know why she didn't just say that instead.

I have no doubt I have had other instances like this in my life, but this is the only one that comes to mind right now.
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I could not fail to disagree with you less.
 
People using the term "graphics" as a blanket term for anything involving how a game looks visually (including stuff like art style, setting, etc.) , and not just whatever graphical effects or details that it uses.
 

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