Things that have bothered you for a long time.

[sasquath]

Why Amazon age restricted bike cassettes like the were drug or leathal weapons?

 

[Blue Hills]

Why Amazon age restricted bike cassettes like the were drug or leathal weapons?

didn't know that - have folks been taking them apart, sharpening them, turning them into throwing weapons?
Or is it something that only applies to 12 speed where they have to check that there is informed consent, that buyers are aware of the consequences?

 

[sasquath]

didn't know that - have folks been taking them apart, sharpening them, turning them into throwing weapons?
Or is it something that only applies to 12 speed where they have to check that there is informed consent, that buyers are aware of the consequences?

I could see it being stuck at the end of a rope or stick, but pry bar is more lethal and not age restricted.

No it's on 9 speed too.

 

[Chris S]

What's the point of buying a Million Pound Motorhome? Think about all the five star hotels you could stay in for that sort of money.

 

[Drago]

Why does Keir Starmer look like a Spitting Image puppet?

And why does he never wear a tie outside of parliament? I bet he would even wear brown shoes with a a blue suit. That sort of thing grinds my gears.

 

[mustang1]

The absurd excuses cycling journalists use for high bike prices and the public who repeat them.

Yeabut bike prices were shooting up way before covid/brexit. Example:
Spesh Lansgter in 2006 cost £350. Around 2015 (or so) it was £750! But in the final year before it was removed from UK market, it dropped to £700. That's DOUBLE the price even before covid/brexit existed.

Some excuses for high bike prices are:
1. more tech: Langster had no more tech, no gears, it's single speed, same brakes.
2. more research and development costs: what... in a ssfg bike, there was no aero excuse, there was no lightweight materials excuse, there is no r&d in a langster
3. bikes today are better than years ago: no, a 2015 langster is the same as a 2006 one.
4. then the classic one: if you don't want to buy an expensive bike, then buy a cheaper one. But that's deviating from the original point of feeble excuses of why prices have gone up.

Ps: this isn't a spesh rant, that's just an example. ALL bike prices from ALL companies have gone up.

 

[Drago]

People who say, "I reached out to..."

No ducky, you emailed him.

 

[Andy in Germany]

People who say, "I reached out to..."

No ducky, you emailed him.

Aaarg. Yes. I find that annoying too.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

People who say, "I reached out to..."

No ducky, you emailed him.

Yup - same here - damn stupid phrase the way it is used

STarted on some American shows I think

which brings me onto

"my good friend"
"my great friend"

no - it is clear that this is someone you bought a car from several years ago and you have kept his number in case he gets another car you might be interested in
he is NOT a great friend - stop exaggerating to ludicrous extents

What would they say if it really was a lifelong friend who they trust with their life???

I hate it when people exaggerate a friendship and expression of thanks far too much - thus leaving nowhere to go for something that really deserves it
CNN are terrible for it
"Thank you sooo much for coming on"
NO - this is either a paid expert or a politician whose ACTUAL JOB is to get on shows like this
a polite thanks is OK
"thanks you soo much" is too far


I've told them about this a million times!!!

end rant - sorry - but this thread is bound to generate rants

 

[Oldhippy]

When I have to go to training or rarely meetings I distribute Bullsh*t Bingo cards with the current trendy corporate b*llock words on, 'your journey' etc. Someone has shouted Bingo! In the past mid presentation.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

Reminds me of when I worked in IT many years ago
We got a lot of marketing stuff trying to get us to buy stuff for lots of money
My boss/colleague got most of it and got annoyed at all the merketing words on some of them

One day he was holding forth on an especially long and wordy document that used the word "leverage' at least every other sentence

Then one of the managers walked in - he dealt with contracts and went to presentation by suppliers (people like IBM and such) a lot - so he thrust the document at his and asked what the **** leverage actually means

He looked at it for a short while - passed it back and said if you replace 'leverage' with 'use' it will nearly always work perfectly

It just doesn;t sound as fancy

anyway - I'm just off to leverage some bread to make a sandwich for lunch

 

[DaveReading]

He looked at it for a short while - passed it back and said if you replace 'leverage' with 'use' it will nearly always work perfectly

To be fair, leverage has been around ever since Archimedes.

It's the turning a perfectly acceptable noun into a dodgy verb that gets up my nose.

 

[swee'pea99]

he thrust the document at his and asked what the **** leverage actually means

It's the turning a perfectly acceptable noun into a dodgy verb that gets up my nose.

I feel your pain. I suspect, tho, that you're on a hiding to nothing. Nouns have been becoming verbs for some time: think interface, think impact. If people like them, for good or ill, they will ease their way into the language. It's one of the great strengths of the language, even if it can be a bit grim at times. A classic case in point in an article I was reading yesterday about the Facebook whistleblower, quoted as saying...

It's an important point, on an important issue, but....'super tragic'?

Oh, FWIW, though often misused, leverage is actually a meaningful and on occasion appropriate word. It means use, yes, but more than that...something along the lines of 'intelligently exploit to maximum effect, thereby optimising value-add'.

 

[matticus]

Nouns have been becoming verbs for some time: think interface, think impact. If people like them, for good or ill, they will ease their way into the language

What about the ones that people really really hate? Can we stop them easing their way into the language?
(like leverage, and medal)

I do actually think some nouns make good verbs - I guess it's where they naturally indicate some action. your "impact" seems a good example.
(Am I the only kid that was taught that "verbs are action words"? :-\ )

 

[youngoldbloke]

I had a head of department fond of 'cascading' information to us peasants below. It amused me when I discovered that at one time an alternative usage of 'cascade' was 'vomit'.