Sometimes I see a commercial I don't understand. It's a recent McDonald's commercial. Guys sitting around some bench, likely on their lunch break, playing poker and eating. One guy says he's got to pick someone for shipping supervisor (or something). One guy surveys his lunch (from McDonald's), sees his hand has 4 Queens and some other card, thinks a few things, and then folds, saying "I got nothing." What just happened? I don't understand this commercial at all. What am I supposed to get from this commercial?
Is he folding because he wants to eat his lunch? Does he not want the supervisor position? I really don't know. Have I seen the short version of this? Maybe they have a longer version that explains it.
I also should gather together more stupid commercials that really bother me. Such as: MaxTall shoe inserts that are supposed to make you look taller for some reason. That Gyrobowl commercial where you see some kid flip his hand around wildly. Why does he do that? And then you see some other kid trying to skateboard while holding that bowl in one hand. Isn't that dangerous? And then that thing claiming a familiar style of cheap amber lensed sunglasses is "HD". No, SunGlasses Are Not HD You Stupid People. Why do you keep trying to sell them? And why does Breathe Right need to say that their product that sticks to most people's noses is "drug free"? I don't get it. They don't advertise "Band-Aids" as drug free and they could be stuck on your nose. They do have a variety that has something on the pad, but they don't draw attention to the ones that don't have anything on them.
I say it sticks to most people's noses because I'm sure it won't stick to mine. Draw whatever conclusions you want from that.
Some commercials annoy because of the music they use. Usually it annoys me when it plays too many times during the day.
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Friday, January 13, 2012
Grammar ignorance that annoys me
There's a number of grammar ignorance errors that I see on the web that really annoys me. Let me offer some examples:
1. "should of" - OK, what you are saying actually is the contraction of "should have" and that's "should've". You are NOT saying "should of", you are saying "should've".
2. Take and Bring - These verbs are used wrong A LOT. You take medicine, you take things with you, but you bring it when you when someone asks you to bring it. You don't bring back it to the store, you're taking it back to the store. When you're away going somewhere else, other people ask you to bring something with you. While you're doing that, you're taking it with you.
3. Than and Then - 3 Is More Than 1. Then you'd write it 3>1.
4. How to Use Only.
5. Apostrophe S - It's sad when people get this one wrong. Plurals don't need an apostrophe. People even get the possessive "its" confused for the contraction "it's" which means "it is." I really hate seeing plurals that use an apostrophe.
6. Using "revital" (which isn't a word) when they mean Rejuvenate or Renew.
7. "Even know" when you mean "Even Though."
8. Your and You're - It's just 2 more characters. Type Them. One means "You are". The other is 2nd person possessive.
The other thing that annoys me, aside from grammar ignorance, is people who don't know where to pull up at a traffic light. There's a white painted bar on the road that shows you where to stop at the red light. You do not stop behind the vehicle detector loop, but instead on top of it at least. But get that front bumper (or even your front tires) on that white bar. And a green light during a left turn (this is known as an unguarded left turn) means progress into the intersection and wait until it's clear. If this means waiting until the light turns red again for traffic to clear, so be it.
1. "should of" - OK, what you are saying actually is the contraction of "should have" and that's "should've". You are NOT saying "should of", you are saying "should've".
2. Take and Bring - These verbs are used wrong A LOT. You take medicine, you take things with you, but you bring it when you when someone asks you to bring it. You don't bring back it to the store, you're taking it back to the store. When you're away going somewhere else, other people ask you to bring something with you. While you're doing that, you're taking it with you.
3. Than and Then - 3 Is More Than 1. Then you'd write it 3>1.
4. How to Use Only.
5. Apostrophe S - It's sad when people get this one wrong. Plurals don't need an apostrophe. People even get the possessive "its" confused for the contraction "it's" which means "it is." I really hate seeing plurals that use an apostrophe.
6. Using "revital" (which isn't a word) when they mean Rejuvenate or Renew.
7. "Even know" when you mean "Even Though."
8. Your and You're - It's just 2 more characters. Type Them. One means "You are". The other is 2nd person possessive.
The other thing that annoys me, aside from grammar ignorance, is people who don't know where to pull up at a traffic light. There's a white painted bar on the road that shows you where to stop at the red light. You do not stop behind the vehicle detector loop, but instead on top of it at least. But get that front bumper (or even your front tires) on that white bar. And a green light during a left turn (this is known as an unguarded left turn) means progress into the intersection and wait until it's clear. If this means waiting until the light turns red again for traffic to clear, so be it.
Wednesday, January 04, 2012
It never fails
Ok, so Cooking Channel is running Anthony Bourdain's first travelling chef TV show, A Cook's Tour again, and now once again they promise they're going to air his first episode, A Taste of Tokyo. I waited for Dining with Geishas last time I noticed they were running his first foray into food TV (he later went on to No Reservations, a much better show) and Cooking Channel didn't even run it. I think I got on their case, asking when my TV provider and they would be getting on the same page. Last night it finally happened. I've been waiting to get Bourdain's 2 Japan episodes of A Cook's Tour on tape when I found out about that show.
However, I've had mom's VCR sitting atop the TV on a couple stacks of DVDs since I had it recording The Playboy Club (all 3 aired episodes of it) and was trying to remember to get the new Winx Club episodes Nickelodeon was running.
I hadn't used the VCR in a while, so it really increased my anxiety level when I dump a tape in it and it's making an odd noise. I get the cover off and there's something about the spinning video head on the underside hitting something when it's spinning. I make an analysis and determine the way I had it sitting on the DVD stacks somehow pushed on the wrong spot and flexed it just enough to make the VCR now sound like a film projector when the video head is in action.
It doesn't seem to be affecting recording or playback much if at all, but it's annoying to know this noise is going to be heard when it's playing or recording a tape. I've tried removing the bottom metal plate but I can't find the last screw to get it off. The best I can hope for is to wedge things between that plate and the plastic casing and hope it unflexes back the way it's supposed to be.
It's a decent Panasonic model VCR. If I had to replace it, I'd want the same exact model.
Oh - I did tape that episode in spite of the annoying noise. I did some tinkering and got it to abate somewhat, so this condition appears to be temporary.
However, I've had mom's VCR sitting atop the TV on a couple stacks of DVDs since I had it recording The Playboy Club (all 3 aired episodes of it) and was trying to remember to get the new Winx Club episodes Nickelodeon was running.
I hadn't used the VCR in a while, so it really increased my anxiety level when I dump a tape in it and it's making an odd noise. I get the cover off and there's something about the spinning video head on the underside hitting something when it's spinning. I make an analysis and determine the way I had it sitting on the DVD stacks somehow pushed on the wrong spot and flexed it just enough to make the VCR now sound like a film projector when the video head is in action.
It doesn't seem to be affecting recording or playback much if at all, but it's annoying to know this noise is going to be heard when it's playing or recording a tape. I've tried removing the bottom metal plate but I can't find the last screw to get it off. The best I can hope for is to wedge things between that plate and the plastic casing and hope it unflexes back the way it's supposed to be.
It's a decent Panasonic model VCR. If I had to replace it, I'd want the same exact model.
Oh - I did tape that episode in spite of the annoying noise. I did some tinkering and got it to abate somewhat, so this condition appears to be temporary.
