Does this get on your nerves?

Bryophyte

Lifer
Apr 25, 2001
13,430
13
81
There's a commercial on tv, I think maybe LA Weightloss or something like that, where a woman says, "Lose up to 20 pounds or more in the first month!" WTF? Up to 20 pounds or more basically means zero to infinity. It means absolutely nothing. It would be like a weatherman saying "today we'll get up to two inches of rain or more" which could mean it'll be sunny or a monsoon or anything in between (I haven't heard a weatherman say that, that's just an example of something that would be similarly useless to say.)

Another example is when there's a news report and they interview random people on the street about some event. The person says obvious things like "I didn't see the shooting but I heard sirens and saw an ambulance drive by" or "I saw the fire, the firemen were using a hose to put it out" or "I live next door to the rapist/murder and see him out getting his mail everyday. I didn't expect him to do something like that." Well, no sh!t. I get so tired of watching the local news because so much of it is just time-wasting filler like that drivel that provides absolutely no information whatsoever.

Kind of a pitiful rant, but it's something that grates on my nerves sometimes.
 

Jeff7

Lifer
Jan 4, 2001
41,596
20
81
They need to keep it ambiguous or else they're open to lawsuits. It's like those weight loss pill commercials like Hydroxycut - the fine print always says "When combined with diet and exercise" and "Results not typical." Alright, so the diet and exercise are what do the trick, and the pill serves its purpose, namely that it makes stupidity expensive - stupidity should hurt.
 

Platypus

Lifer
Apr 26, 2001
31,046
321
136
Talking heads are good at this too.. I've found that more often than not you cannot get a solid answer of out anyone these days.

I see this especially working in corporate America, everything is phrased to offer a backdoor out incase of problems, drives me crazy.
 

Steve

Lifer
May 2, 2004
15,945
11
81
Head On! Apply Directly To The Forehead!
Head On! Apply Directly To The Forehead!
Head On! Apply Directly To The Forehead!
 

rivan

Diamond Member
Jul 8, 2003
9,677
3
81
Yes, it gets on my nerves, too. You're not alone. The ones I particularly hate it from are politicians.

Then again, lots of things get on my nerves.
 

5to1baby1in5

Golden Member
Apr 27, 2001
1,250
109
106
Originally posted by: Bryophyte
There's a commercial on tv, I think maybe LA Weightloss or something like that, where a woman says, "Lose up to 20 pounds or more in the first month!" WTF? Up to 20 pounds or more basically means zero to infinity. It means absolutely nothing. It would be like a weatherman saying "today we'll get up to two inches of rain or more" which could mean it'll be sunny or a monsoon or anything in between (I haven't heard a weatherman say that, that's just an example of something that would be similarly useless to say.)

Another example is when there's a news report and they interview random people on the street about some event. The person says obvious things like "I didn't see the shooting but I heard sirens and saw an ambulance drive by" or "I saw the fire, the firemen were using a hose to put it out" or "I live next door to the rapist/murder and see him out getting his mail everyday. I didn't expect him to do something like that." Well, no sh!t. I get so tired of watching the local news because so much of it is just time-wasting filler like that drivel that provides absolutely no information whatsoever.

Kind of a pitiful rant, but it's something that grates on my nerves sometimes.

So, what was your point again?
 

dullard

Elite Member
May 21, 2001
26,074
4,720
126
That irritates me all the time. So many commercials use the "up to X or more" phrase. That makes the X number absolutely meaningless. But marketers will keep doing that for all of time.
 

Superself

Senior member
Jun 7, 2001
688
0
76
After being married for 14 years, I have noticed that the women in my wife's circle talk a heck of a lot about nothing. I mean they go on about each other and such and such at the baby shower...etc. Just a bunch of goddamn gossip.

 

compuwiz1

Admin Emeritus Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
27,112
930
126
Chris Darden, of the OJ trial, was absolutely annoying. Anyone remember? That man went on, and on, and on, but nobody could figure out what he was trying to say. The man went on for hours, but didn't say anything.

Since then, nobody has annoyed me. ;)
 

hanoverphist

Diamond Member
Dec 7, 2006
9,867
23
76
Originally posted by: Superself
After being married for 14 years, I have noticed that the women in my wife's circle talk a heck of a lot about nothing. I mean they go on about each other and such and such at the baby shower...etc. Just a bunch of goddamn gossip.

as opposed to a group of guys discussing the weekends sports scores over a few beers? its the same thing, just different subject matter. just because it doesnt interest YOU doesnt make it uninteresting to someone else.
 

Linflas

Lifer
Jan 30, 2001
15,395
78
91
Originally posted by: rivan
Yes, it gets on my nerves, too. You're not alone. The ones I particularly hate it from are politicians.

Then again, lots of things get on my nerves.

What really annoys me with politicians is that they are asked a question and the answer they give does not address the question at all. 9 times out of 10 the interviewer will not re-ask the question and point out that the pol did not answer it.
 

FoBoT

No Lifer
Apr 30, 2001
63,084
15
81
fobot.com
if you keep starting threads like this, your post count could be up to 10,000 or more by next year! :sun:
 

VTHodge

Golden Member
Aug 3, 2001
1,575
0
0
Amen, brother. Every time I hear Geico say "Save up to 15% or more", I always think why not say "up to 90% or more". That would get some phone calls.

Now that I'm thinking about it, doesn't that type of phrase mean that you could never save exactly 15%? I think I'll sue.
 

sao123

Lifer
May 27, 2002
12,653
205
106
Originally posted by: Bryophyte
There's a commercial on tv, I think maybe LA Weightloss or something like that, where a woman says, "Lose up to 20 pounds or more in the first month!" WTF? Up to 20 pounds or more basically means zero to infinity. It means absolutely nothing. It would be like a weatherman saying "today we'll get up to two inches of rain or more" which could mean it'll be sunny or a monsoon or anything in between (I haven't heard a weatherman say that, that's just an example of something that would be similarly useless to say.)

Another example is when there's a news report and they interview random people on the street about some event. The person says obvious things like "I didn't see the shooting but I heard sirens and saw an ambulance drive by" or "I saw the fire, the firemen were using a hose to put it out" or "I live next door to the rapist/murder and see him out getting his mail everyday. I didn't expect him to do something like that." Well, no sh!t. I get so tired of watching the local news because so much of it is just time-wasting filler like that drivel that provides absolutely no information whatsoever.

Kind of a pitiful rant, but it's something that grates on my nerves sometimes.



Weak...

I get more pissed off at people who take an hour to say something which could be told in 4 sentences or less...
 

Bryophyte

Lifer
Apr 25, 2001
13,430
13
81
Originally posted by: sao123
Weak...

I get more pissed off at people who take an hour to say something which could be told in 4 sentences or less...


"Wah, wah, it takes me an hour to read something that others can read in 30 seconds."
Or is that up to an hour or more? There are some good medications out there for ADD. You should ask your doctor. :p
 

Jeff7

Lifer
Jan 4, 2001
41,596
20
81
Originally posted by: Superself
After being married for 14 years, I have noticed that the women in my wife's circle talk a heck of a lot about nothing. I mean they go on about each other and such and such at the baby shower...etc. Just a bunch of goddamn gossip.
Oh god, there's this girl where I work, and she's one of those who talks with everything as a question. Like this.
That's how she talks.
She did this too:
"And he was like, 'Are you buying that?'"
"And she was like, 'Yeah, otherwise I wouldn't have put it in the cart.'"
"And he was like, 'Ok, but are you sure that's the right one?'"
"And she was like......"

Everything she said, for at least 10 sentences in a row, started with, "And he/she was like blah blah pointless nothingness."

It stopped being irritating at some point. Now I just try not to bust up laughing every time I hear her talk.
I usually work there by myself now, but there was someone else there with me last semester. Sometimes she'd just look over at me when these conversations started in the other cubicle, and we'd just start laughing quietly. Oh my god? I can't stand it? I think I'm going to go insane soon? Does she not know how stupid she sounds? Who taught her to talk?