Things That Annoy You

[Eddie Coyle]

I can't imagine putting myself out there like that.  If I'm suffering the loss of a loved one, the last thing I'm going to be interested in is a camera in my face.

       Having just seen this spectacle again on the 11 o'clock news(at least the crowd was down to about 5 or 6 opposed to the 20-ish at 6pm) I'm guessing the people actually affected by the deaths are indoors and actually sincerely grieving. Opposed to the "I'm ons TV, cuz" imbeciles posing for the cameras.

       

[Yorkshire pud]

       Having just seen this spectacle again on the 11 o'clock news(at least the crowd was down to about 5 or 6 opposed to the 20-ish at 6pm) I'm guessing the people actually affected by the deaths are indoors and actually sincerely grieving. Opposed to the "I'm ons TV, cuz" imbeciles posing for the cameras.

It's worth bearing in mind that dignity is seen by some as an unnecessary and in some cases a hindrance. Their lives are mainly watching (and I use the word advisedly) 'celebrities' prostituting themselves in anyway they feel they need to make money/be famous for being famous/both. It's logical to overdo things for the cameras to make a point. I know that seems unfair and probably unfounded in some cases, but in my experience families who have lost don't make it a public spectacle (Royal families notwithstanding).

I don't know if this applies in the States, but over here we sometimes have the mother/father of a child who has been terribly murdered/raped etc and after the subsequent trial/ conviction, the parents are occasionally made the figurehead of a foundation that grows into a force of nature, experts in whatever crime that has visited their family; because they're the victims. It seems to me then that officials/politicians/police etc feel it non politik to point out that an expert in anything isn't the logical conclusion of being the unwitting victim's family, because it might come across as trampling on the grave of the victim, with the resulting shit heaped on by the press.  So it's accepted, and encouraged.

We get the roadside shrines here too. I'm sure for the immediate family and friends the loss of their loved one is terrible; but what I object to is the forcing the unconnected to be in some way guilty if they don't share the grief. I'm sure it isn't the intention by the bereaved but making a public display (literally) of a very private and possibly gruesome fatality is in my view a macabre and unbidden invasion. We have lamp posts, railings, trees even with weeks old cut flowers tied to them..I can take you to a road that has a large vinyl banner attached to a fence, the verge down to the road laid out like a Mediterranean garden about 15 feet long and the entire width of the verge, about 8 feet. In the middle is a large stone urn with flowers growing out of it! It's been there years and commemorates a mountain biker who on this occasion was killed whilst riding his motorbike. The fence is dripping with bits from cycles, that have been left as a mark of respect supposedly. Weird.   

Rant over.

[Yorkshire pud]

People who say they "were in shock" when they mean they were surprised or upset. Even worse when they "screamed in shock"...Do they actually know what shock is? (That's a rhetorical question)

[ItsOver]

Nuts.  Can another Adam Sandler crapola movie be far off? 

                Hernandez                                                     Sandler
   

[ItsOver]

.....I don't know if this applies in the States, but over here we sometimes have the mother/father of a child who has been terribly murdered/raped etc and after the subsequent trial/ conviction, the parents are occasionally made the figurehead of a foundation that grows into a force of nature, experts in whatever crime that has visited their family; because they're the victims. It seems to me then that officials/politicians/police etc feel it non politik to point out that an expert in anything isn't the logical conclusion of being the unwitting victim's family, because it might come across as trampling on the grave of the victim, with the resulting shit heaped on by the press.  So it's accepted, and encouraged....

No, something similar to that would NEVER happen in the Colonies.  Fortunately, this lady's husband is still alive.  Unfortunately, he's not fully functional.

[Sardondi]

"Grieving" for the cameras. Top story in the news in Boston is about a double murder...and the victims friends/neighbors are literally looking at the camera as they hug and emote.

       It seems a bit phony when they're doing it for FOUR different channels at 5, 5:30, 6, 9, 10 and 11. Live shots each time. They must have onions stuffed in their shirts.

I realize I'm stepping into a minefield here, but in my experience, there is an ethno-cultural connection with the Big Emoters. At least in the black community in the South, there is a long, long tradition of great emotional show at funerals.

It has nothing to do with publicity or high profile funerals. I'm talking the everyday "funeralizing" as it is known. In the white Protestant community, funerals are usually 2-3 days after death. In the black community, the funeral is almost always on a Saturday, so that family members from far away may get to town. If the death is late enough in the week, the funeral may be passed until the second Saturday. Funerals are a major event in the black community in the South, and I suspect in most black communities nationwide.

As to what goes on, weeping and sobbing don't come close. Screaming, hands thrown up in the air, wailing, fainting, collapsing, running down church aisles, mourners throwing themselves on the casket. It is almost exclusively the women. It's more than just a sign of regard for the deceased, since displays of grief often become contests between family members to show which loved the deceased more. If you're not ready for it, it can really shake you up.

[Usagi]

This has little to do with the well-made emoting point, Sardondi, but the very mention of black funerals puts me in a tither...

I once worked as a waitress at a semi-rural central Georgia chain restaurant.  There was a popular black funeral home in town and almost every Saturday there would be a party of 20-50 that would come in and the funeral director would always pay (I assume the bill would be added to the final funeral bill.)  He NEVER EVER EVER tipped a dime - on several hundred dollar bills.  Not once, not to anyone as far as I know (although, it sounds horrible, he may have tipped the black servers, although this may not be true).  It was total dread when they would come in and get your section, because you know you'd have problems paying your bills that week from being out nearly a whole day's worth of tips.  I doubt the members of his parties knew about it or else some may well have had a problem with the "practice."  (Mind you, there were bad and good tippers around there, black and white... mostly bad on both accounts.  The dollar per person rule, not counting children and no matter the tab, was quite popular, even in the early 2000's).

You would think that any self-respecting front of the house manager would "suggest" to a regular customer to pay f-ing tips or gtfo.  But, of course, this was a corporate chain with managers as afraid of getting fired as the servers, so nothing of the sort ever occurred.

Okay, well.  In short, I hate the mention of black funerals.  Thank you for your time.

[Usagi]

One of the best tippers, though, was the Catholic priest who actually didn't have a flock.  He ran more of a mission than a church... in the land of 10,000 churches.  He was one of the few that would sit in the bar and actually have a real drink.  (We all gave up trying to "upsell" with the special margarita, as instructed, after the umpteenth offended huff).  He could also carry on an intelligent conversation, unlike most of the customers. 

Poor guy.  I always felt sorry for him and almost converted to Catholicism just so he'd have someone there for mass.

[Unquenchable Angst]

There is a 'memorial' at the end of my street. Had a neighbor that was profoundly depressed and he committed suicide by running his bicycle in front of a car at the intersection. He was on section 8 housing at the apartments here. He had had 2 mopeds stolen from him. I feel sorry for the woman he chose to do him in.
There are crosses just about everywhere anyone had died on streets and roads here in SC.

[b_dubb]

contemporary American popular "culture". invented by a group psychopathic douchebags in an executive boardroom.

[onan]

There is a 'memorial' at the end of my street. Had a neighbor that was profoundly depressed and he committed suicide by running his bicycle in front of a car at the intersection. He was on section 8 housing at the apartments here. He had had 2 mopeds stolen from him. I feel sorry for the woman he chose to do him in.
There are crosses just about everywhere anyone had died on streets and roads here in SC.

Caring after the fact is always so helpful.

And yeah, I see people all the time that want to end themselves by walking into traffic. When I pose the question regarding how that will affect the person that is driving the automobile, more often than not, I get a deer in the headlights look.

[Treading Water]

Caring after the fact is always so helpful.

And yeah, I see people all the time that want to end themselves by walking into traffic. When I pose the question regarding how that will affect the person that is driving the automobile, more often than not, I get a deer in the headlights look.

And is that disconnect a big contributor to all the road rage that's growing?  People don't seem to realize that other PEOPLE are in those other vehicles.
Of course, I know some don't really give a shit. 

[onan]

And is that disconnect a big contributor to all the road rage that's growing?  People don't seem to realize that other PEOPLE are in those other vehicles.
Of course, I know some don't really give a shit.

Sort of, one is anger directed internally and the other anger directed externally. In the overall though just an inability or unwillingness to realize they are no more or no less important than those around them.

[eddie dean]

This new breed of Telemarketing calls is maddening!
I have little problem with legitimate company's trying to make a buck and using cold calls to offer products or services. That is, if they play by the rules and take my number off their lists when I request it.
But now there are robo calls who fake their caller ID and offer no way to be removed from the list. When I press 1 to talk to a human (bean) and kindly ask to be removed, they laugh and hang up.
Then they call even more because I just verified my number is a valid, working phone. FUCK!
I'd assume these are not legit companies in the first place, due to the hiding and misrepresenting the ID's.

Do they really think that someday their constant harassment is going to convince me to buy the crappy shit they sell?
Or suddenly I will want to participate in some bogus free energy inspection they push?

sometimes I'd like to beat these people liberally, about the head and neck with a heavy blunt object.
Probably time to dump my land line, and with it, my frustrations.
ass hat scum bags!
I rarely get this pissed off and worked up, over stupid petty BS,
I feel better now.

[stevesh]

This new breed of Telemarketing calls is maddening!
I have little problem with legitimate company's trying to make a buck and using cold calls to offer products or services. That is, if they play by the rules and take my number off their lists when I request it.
But now there are robo calls who fake their caller ID and offer no way to be removed from the list. When I press 1 to talk to a human (bean) and kindly ask to be removed, they laugh and hang up.
Then they call even more because I just verified my number is a valid, working phone. FUCK!
I'd assume these are not legit companies in the first place, due to the hiding and misrepresenting the ID's.

Do they really think that someday their constant harassment is going to convince me to buy the crappy shit they sell?
Or suddenly I will want to participate in some bogus free energy inspection they push?

sometimes I'd like to beat these people liberally, about the head and neck with a heavy blunt object.
Probably time to dump my land line, and with it, my frustrations.
ass hat scum bags!
I rarely get this pissed off and worked up, over stupid petty BS,
I feel better now.

Seems simple enough to me. Program everyone you want to talk to into your phone contacts and don't answer if it's anyone else. Not ragging on you, but I've never understood the compulsion to answer a phone regardless.

[McPhallus]

And is that disconnect a big contributor to all the road rage that's growing?  People don't seem to realize that other PEOPLE are in those other vehicles.
Of course, I know some don't really give a shit.

Reminds me of a couple of years back when an attractive and seemingly successful woman in her 40s (married and with kids, BTW) decided to throw herself in front of a commuter train a few miles from me.  The driver and everyone on that train were made non-consenting instruments of her death.  I'm a little haunted by it, myself, even though I wasn't there and didn't know anyone involved.

[stevesh]

Usually, cops of all stripes annoy me, but this amazes me - not one complaint.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18563_162-57518127/no-complaints-about-this-traffic-cop/

[PB the Deplorable]

This new breed of Telemarketing calls is maddening!
I have little problem with legitimate company's trying to make a buck and using cold calls to offer products or services. That is, if they play by the rules and take my number off their lists when I request it.
But now there are robo calls who fake their caller ID and offer no way to be removed from the list. When I press 1 to talk to a human (bean) and kindly ask to be removed, they laugh and hang up.
Then they call even more because I just verified my number is a valid, working phone. FUCK!
I'd assume these are not legit companies in the first place, due to the hiding and misrepresenting the ID's.

Do they really think that someday their constant harassment is going to convince me to buy the crappy shit they sell?
Or suddenly I will want to participate in some bogus free energy inspection they push?

sometimes I'd like to beat these people liberally, about the head and neck with a heavy blunt object.
Probably time to dump my land line, and with it, my frustrations.
ass hat scum bags!
I rarely get this pissed off and worked up, over stupid petty BS,
I feel better now.

Get a whistle

[Eddie Coyle]

And is that disconnect a big contributor to all the road rage that's growing?  People don't seem to realize that other PEOPLE are in those other vehicles.
Of course, I know some don't really give a shit.

       One of the innumerable reasons I don't drive. I saw a classic one yesterday as two "Latin" hotheads nearly collided with each other in a parking lot. "You muthafukka" vs "watch where you goin' nigga". Both parties had kids in their cars as they barked at each other for a few minutes. Ultimately, nothing happened...probably due to the likelihood of neither one being properly armed(it was 1pm)

        That's the conundrum. Living in the city, I don't need to drive. But living in the city I get unlimited access to Pedro vs Carlos nearly crashing into each other.

[onan]

       One of the innumerable reasons I don't drive. I saw a classic one yesterday as two "Latin" hotheads nearly collided with each other in a parking lot. "You muthafukka" vs "watch where you goin' nigga". Both parties had kids in their cars as they barked at each other for a few minutes. Ultimately, nothing happened...probably due to the likelihood of neither one being properly armed(it was 1pm)

        That's the conundrum. Living in the city, I don't need to drive. But living in the city I get unlimited access to Pedro vs Carlos nearly crashing into each other.

It is amazing... I got flipped off yesterday by a person I was letting into traffic.

Someday I am going to get a '42 De Soto and just "clean" the streets.

[UnscreenedCaller]

I was at my happiest when my ride had a big hole in the side. People left me alone. But living in NY, you see some jaw dropping stuff every single time you get on the road, like two guys passing a crack pipe on a local parkway while the car weaved in and out of the lane. Then there was the road rage incident early on a work morning where someone rolled open the passenger window and threw a container of coffee at another car, missing that car and hitting someone else's car. And of course the pissed off who tail one another through traffic cutting people off and coming withing inches of your bumper because they are pissed at each other and are going to catch up and slam on their breaks.

I'm only half in jest when I say I want a turret on my car.

[Yorkshire pud]

This new breed of Telemarketing calls is maddening!
I have little problem with legitimate company's trying to make a buck and using cold calls to offer products or services. That is, if they play by the rules and take my number off their lists when I request it.
But now there are robo calls who fake their caller ID and offer no way to be removed from the list. When I press 1 to talk to a human (bean) and kindly ask to be removed, they laugh and hang up.
Then they call even more because I just verified my number is a valid, working phone. FUCK!
I'd assume these are not legit companies in the first place, due to the hiding and misrepresenting the ID's.

Do they really think that someday their constant harassment is going to convince me to buy the crappy shit they sell?
Or suddenly I will want to participate in some bogus free energy inspection they push?

sometimes I'd like to beat these people liberally, about the head and neck with a heavy blunt object.
Probably time to dump my land line, and with it, my frustrations.
ass hat scum bags!
I rarely get this pissed off and worked up, over stupid petty BS,
I feel better now.

In the UK we have a service called caller preference, where you can have any number you subscribe to taken from the lists that get sold; however, it is clearly disregarded by companies from overseas...That being the case here's a few ideas...

1) keep a VERY high pitched whistle next to the phone. How and when you use it is up to you, as I couldn't possibly suggest you use it to inflict ear damage.

2). Been calls you; take the call, and be very apologetic and explain you're in the middle of cooking and need to take the pan off the heat....and put the phone down but not disconnected..If it's your only phone you're stuck until they get bored and hang up though. But they will.

3) Ask how the hell they got your number as they've reached a classified installation (they'll be stupid enough to believe it-sometimes)...and that they'll be traced and arrested.

Enjoy...

Prank Call

[Juan]

Back when they were live callers, I used to do let them make their pitch for 30-seconds.  Then I'd pull a Noory and ask a question that had been answered in the first two seconds of the call.  When they'd answer, I'd say, "Tell me while you called." The person would begin the pitch again, I'd put the phone down and go about my business. 

Sometimes, if the caller were male, I'd listen to about 10 more seconds, then stop the caller, and ask permission to ask a question.  Upon receiving it, I'd say, "Are you a top man or a bottom man?"  That would usually produce an explosive, and hilarious, retort.

[ItsOver]

Hanging up is so simple.

[Eddie Coyle]

It is amazing... I got flipped off yesterday by a person I was letting into traffic.

Someday I am going to get a '42 De Soto and just "clean" the streets.

        No good deed goes unpunished.

       My ex brother in law has a '71 Gran Fury which would be an incredible battering ram, it looks like it would have been used in "The Seven Ups"...unfortunately, he values the car and probably frown on it being used as a weapon of mass destruction.

[HorrorRetro]

My driving complaint is that, all of a sudden, it seems like everyone here is going way below the speed limit.  In perfect 80-degree, sunny weather, jackasses are going 20 or 25 in a 35 and 45 in a 60 MPH zone. I've seen them going 17 in a 35 recently for no discernible reason.  It used to be mainly elderly people would be the ones going this slowly, but now I see people of all ages doing it.  The worst are the ones who try to enter I-5 and other interstates going 35 down the damn ramp, causing the rest of us to get clogged up until someone lets them over. 

[McPhallus]

Hanging up is so simple.

I don't even answer the phone anymore I less I'm sure I know who it is.

Many of the "telemarketers" these days aren't really selling anything--they just want to take your money.

Reminds me of a Henry Rollins bit where he asks the TM'er creepy questions and tries to pick him up.

[stevesh]

My driving complaint is that, all of a sudden, it seems like everyone here is going way below the speed limit.  In perfect 80-degree, sunny weather, jackasses are going 20 or 25 in a 35 and 45 in a 60 MPH zone. I've seen them going 17 in a 35 recently for no discernible reason.  It used to be mainly elderly people would be the ones going this slowly, but now I see people of all ages doing it.  The worst are the ones who try to enter I-5 and other interstates going 35 down the damn ramp, causing the rest of us to get clogged up until someone lets them over. 

I see a lot of this too, and I assume the idiots are texting.

[aldousburbank]

Someday I am going to get a '42 De Soto and just "clean" the streets.

I call shotgun!

[aldousburbank]

I see a lot of this too, and I assume the idiots are texting.

I assume they are getting head while pulling on some whipits with a vibrator up butt listening to Rush.