OT Phrases you'd like to see die

[David Carson]

So the radio and TV stations have been playing the annual press
release from whatever group it is that compiles the list of phrases
people want to die. I believe they said this year's top phrase, or one
of them, is "Fake news."

I've been on record for a long time as saying one of my biggest pet
peeve phrases is "human resources." But there's another one you hear a
lot at this time of year:

"Are you ready for Christmas?"

What does that even mean? Well, I've put my lights up, and I've got my
travel plans pretty well figured out, so ... wait ... are you asking
me if I've finished my Christmas shopping? Is "Are you ready for
Christmas?" code for "Have you finished your Christmas shopping?" I
*think* it is, and first of all, I think that's gross. Second of all,
if that's what you mean to ask me, then ask me "Have you finished your
Christmas shopping?" instead of "Are you ready for Christmas?" because
then at least I'll know what you mean. Third, of all, NO, I haven't,
and everyone please stop hounding me about it. I do my shopping late.
I enjoy doing it that way. I'm not procrastinating, I just like it
better. I'll be "ready for Christmas" (wink, wink) in plenty of time.

I've learned to just dismiss that question with an insincere "yeah,"
whenever it's asked of me.

[W.C. Green]

On 12/21/2017 11:58 AM, David Carson wrote:
<snip>

Post by David Carson
I've been on record for a long time as saying one of my biggest pet
peeve phrases is "human resources." But there's another one you hear a
"Are you ready for Christmas?"

Today, I put up my Christmas decorations; I'm the last one in my
building by at least two weeks. AFAIK, my neighbor has dusted her Baby
Jesus at least five times this holiday season.

[That Derek]

People saying "No problem" instead of "You're welcome" drives me bazooka.

Also, I truly wish that any adult with average intelligence who pronounces "library" as "lie-berry" should spontaneously combust.

Apropos of nothing, something/someone who needs to go is the guy at the Times Square New Year's ball-drop who strips down to his bare chest in 25-degree weather, climbs atop a Walk/Don't Walk traffic directive sign, and starts mugging for the Dick Clark (now Ryan Seacrest) cameras.

Yeah, and another thing: there are two "S's" in "Christmas" and one of them does not belong as part of the plural of "reindeer" and the other does not belong at the end of the name of the Scottish actor who portrayed Ebenezer Scrooge.

One gets tired of hearing folks sing the "Rudolph" song with the lyric "all of the other reindeerS; I wish I had a dollar for every time I've heard a Pauline Kael wannabe proclaim that "the only good version of 'A Christmas Carol' is the one with Alastair SimS." The name is "SIM" and simpletons probably wouldn't be able to name another one of his films.

[Michael OConnor]

Post by That Derek
People saying "No problem" instead of "You're welcome" drives me bazooka.
Also, I truly wish that any adult with average intelligence who pronounces "library" as "lie-berry" should spontaneously combust.
Apropos of nothing, something/someone who needs to go is the guy at the Times Square New Year's ball-drop who strips down to his bare chest in 25-degree weather, climbs atop a Walk/Don't Walk traffic directive sign, and starts mugging for the Dick Clark (now Ryan Seacrest) cameras.
Yeah, and another thing: there are two "S's" in "Christmas" and one of them does not belong as part of the plural of "reindeer" and the other does not belong at the end of the name of the Scottish actor who portrayed Ebenezer Scrooge.
One gets tired of hearing folks sing the "Rudolph" song with the lyric "all of the other reindeerS; I wish I had a dollar for every time I've heard a Pauline Kael wannabe proclaim that "the only good version of 'A Christmas Carol' is the one with Alastair SimS." The name is "SIM" and simpletons probably wouldn't be able to name another one of his films.

While we're at it, people who pronounce February as "Feb-u-ary", and of course, the people who say "New-cul-ler".

Also, the people who mispronounce Christopher Reeve as Christopher Reeves, confusing it I guess with the TV Superman George Reeves.

[A Friend]

Post by Michael OConnor

Post by That Derek
People saying "No problem" instead of "You're welcome" drives me bazooka.
Also, I truly wish that any adult with average intelligence who pronounces
"library" as "lie-berry" should spontaneously combust.
Apropos of nothing, something/someone who needs to go is the guy at the
Times Square New Year's ball-drop who strips down to his bare chest in
25-degree weather, climbs atop a Walk/Don't Walk traffic directive sign,
and starts mugging for the Dick Clark (now Ryan Seacrest) cameras.
Yeah, and another thing: there are two "S's" in "Christmas" and one of them
does not belong as part of the plural of "reindeer" and the other does not
belong at the end of the name of the Scottish actor who portrayed Ebenezer
Scrooge.
One gets tired of hearing folks sing the "Rudolph" song with the lyric "all
of the other reindeerS; I wish I had a dollar for every time I've heard a
Pauline Kael wannabe proclaim that "the only good version of 'A Christmas
Carol' is the one with Alastair SimS." The name is "SIM" and simpletons
probably wouldn't be able to name another one of his films.

"Simpletons" sounds like what you'd call Sim's fanboys, like Star
Trek's Trekkies.

Post by Michael OConnor
While we're at it, people who pronounce February as "Feb-u-ary", and of
course, the people who say "New-cul-ler".
Also, the people who mispronounce Christopher Reeve as Christopher Reeves,
confusing it I guess with the TV Superman George Reeves.

It's been almost forty years since the first Reeve movie came out, and
some dopes still get his name wrong. I have no hope they'll ever get
it right.

Back in the day, George Reeves was frequently misidentified as Hercules
actor Steve Reeves, but you don't hear that anymore. I guess all
*those* dopes died off.

[c***@aol.com]

The only people I’ve ever heard say “lieberry” are black. But they also say “birfday.”

[Michael OConnor]

Post by c***@aol.com
The only people I’ve ever heard say “lieberry” are black. But they also say “birfday.”

I don't know if it is just a southern thing, but around here a lot of African Americans pronounce Shrimp as Skrimp. It's like mispronouncing ask as axe. I'm not being racist in noticing it or pointing it out, but I have never seen a Caucasian person pronounce it that way.

[c***@aol.com]

It’s not racist to point out facts. Blacks often mispronounce words in quite bizarre ways.

[Sarah Ehrett]

It’s not racist to point out facts. Blacks often mispronounce words in quite bizarre ways.

I have noticed how Blacks will say things like, " I'm going to my
boyfriend house." and " This is my momma car. "

[RH Draney]

Post by Michael OConnor

Post by c***@aol.com
The only people I’ve ever heard say “lieberry” are black. But they also say “birfday.”

I don't know if it is just a southern thing, but around here a lot of African Americans pronounce Shrimp as Skrimp. It's like mispronouncing ask as axe. I'm not being racist in noticing it or pointing it out, but I have never seen a Caucasian person pronounce it that way.

Actually, I've only heard that one from the obese redneck woman on "The
Cleveland Show" (she was talking to Rollo, the little African American
kid, at the time)....r

[Louis Epstein]

Post by Michael OConnor

The only people I?ve ever heard say ?lieberry? are black. But they also say ?birfday.?

I don't know if it is just a southern thing, but around here a lot of
African Americans pronounce Shrimp as Skrimp. It's like mispronouncing
ask as axe. I'm not being racist in noticing it or pointing it out,
but I have never seen a Caucasian person pronounce it that way.

The script for the Gilbert & Sullivan musical Ruddigore has a sailor
character say "Axin' your pardon",as period dialect...there are no black
characters.

I'm also told that if you go back far enough,"ask" is actually a
corruption of earlier words in which "aks" was indeed the order of
the sounds.

-=-=-
The World Trade Center towers MUST rise again,
at least as tall as before...or terror has triumphed.

[Louis Epstein]

Post by A Friend

Post by Michael OConnor

Post by That Derek
People saying "No problem" instead of "You're welcome" drives me bazooka.
Also, I truly wish that any adult with average intelligence who pronounces
"library" as "lie-berry" should spontaneously combust.
Apropos of nothing, something/someone who needs to go is the guy at the
Times Square New Year's ball-drop who strips down to his bare chest in
25-degree weather, climbs atop a Walk/Don't Walk traffic directive sign,
and starts mugging for the Dick Clark (now Ryan Seacrest) cameras.
Yeah, and another thing: there are two "S's" in "Christmas" and one of them
does not belong as part of the plural of "reindeer" and the other does not
belong at the end of the name of the Scottish actor who portrayed Ebenezer
Scrooge.
One gets tired of hearing folks sing the "Rudolph" song with the lyric "all
of the other reindeerS; I wish I had a dollar for every time I've heard a
Pauline Kael wannabe proclaim that "the only good version of 'A Christmas
Carol' is the one with Alastair SimS." The name is "SIM" and simpletons
probably wouldn't be able to name another one of his films.

"Simpletons" sounds like what you'd call Sim's fanboys, like Star
Trek's Trekkies.

Post by Michael OConnor
While we're at it, people who pronounce February as "Feb-u-ary", and of
course, the people who say "New-cul-ler".
Also, the people who mispronounce Christopher Reeve as Christopher Reeves,
confusing it I guess with the TV Superman George Reeves.

It's been almost forty years since the first Reeve movie came out, and
some dopes still get his name wrong. I have no hope they'll ever get
it right.
Back in the day, George Reeves was frequently misidentified as Hercules
actor Steve Reeves, but you don't hear that anymore. I guess all
*those* dopes died off.

Meanwhile,another actor named Steeve Reevis died recently.

-=-=-
The World Trade Center towers MUST rise again,
at least as tall as before...or terror has triumphed.

[David Carson]

On Thu, 21 Dec 2017 12:08:04 -0800 (PST), Michael OConnor

Post by Michael OConnor

Post by That Derek
People saying "No problem" instead of "You're welcome" drives me bazooka.
Also, I truly wish that any adult with average intelligence who pronounces "library" as "lie-berry" should spontaneously combust.

I say it that way for fun sometimes.

Post by Michael OConnor
While we're at it, people who pronounce February as "Feb-u-ary"

I pronounce it "Feb-you-air-y," "Feb-uh-wear-y," or correctly, depending
on my mood. If I'm saying it more than once in the same conversation, I
try to use all three pronunciations.

[Louis Epstein]

Post by David Carson
On Thu, 21 Dec 2017 12:08:04 -0800 (PST), Michael OConnor

Post by Michael OConnor

Post by That Derek
People saying "No problem" instead of "You're welcome" drives me bazooka.
Also, I truly wish that any adult with average intelligence who pronounces "library" as "lie-berry" should spontaneously combust.

I say it that way for fun sometimes.

Post by Michael OConnor
While we're at it, people who pronounce February as "Feb-u-ary"

I pronounce it "Feb-you-air-y," "Feb-uh-wear-y," or correctly, depending
on my mood. If I'm saying it more than once in the same conversation, I
try to use all three pronunciations.

My mother invoked A.A. Milne to get me to remember "roo" in the middle.

-=-=-
The World Trade Center towers MUST rise again,
at least as tall as before...or terror has triumphed.

[Dave Garrett]

Post by That Derek
People saying "No problem" instead of "You're welcome" drives me bazooka.

Like nails on a chalkboard, that one.

It is unfortunately endemic among many service industry employees. I
have to admit I'm not too concerned (more precisely, I don't give a
fuck) with whether or not someone was momentarily inconvenienced by
performing one of their normal job duties for which I politely expressed
gratitude.

You will never hear a Chick-fil-A employee respond to "thank you" with
anything other than "my pleasure". I assume this is drilled into them
during new hire training. Whatever one thinks of that company, this is
one habit that could stand to be emulated by others.

[danny burstein]

Post by Dave Garrett
You will never hear a Chick-fil-A employee respond to "thank you" with
anything other than "my pleasure". I assume this is drilled into them
during new hire training. Whatever one thinks of that company, this is
one habit that could stand to be emulated by others.

I'm kind of partial to "by your command".

(ref: Battlestar Galactica)

[That Derek]

DISCLAIMER! This posting contains "fake news."

George Reeves died before I was born. While enjoying daily reruns of "The Adventures of Superman" on NYC's WPIX/Channel 11, my older sister would remind me that "He's DEAD" at an age when I did not fully comprehend the concept od death and dying. She told me that George Reeves "really thought he was Superman and jumped off a building ..." (She also like to delight in reminding me that Bert Lahr was dead with the annual network TV broadcast of "The Wizard of Oz.")

As I became older and more inquisitive, I'd ask certain relatives about Reeves, those who were alive when it happened. Some uncle told me that the Steve Reeves "Hercules" movies had started to become popular around the time "Superman" was winding down and that one pf the reasons that fueled his "suicide" was that he was jealous of "his brother" Steve Reeves' success.

SPOILER ALERT! Years ago, I was watching with my adolescent nieces a video of the film "Somewhere in Time" in which Christopher Reeve is hypnotically brought back to 1911 where he romances Jane Seymour on Michigan's Mackinac (properly pronounced "MAK-i-naw") Island. Without giving too much away, Reeve is suddenly transported back to 1981 (or whatever year the film was released) and is unable to replicate the time travel. One of my nieces inquired "how come he can't go back?" to which I rejoindered "Aw, come on, he's not Superman>"

"It is forbidden to interfere with man's destiny."

[That Derek]

Post by c***@aol.com
The only people I’ve ever heard say “lieberry” are black.

Trust me, this is a dynamic that is cross-racial and that the offenders come in all colours.

[c***@aol.com]

It may be but I’ve never heard a non black person say lieberry unless you count 4 year olds.

Also “ambuhlance” is annoying but nothing beats people who don’t know when to use:
Seen/saw
Between/among
They for he/she

[Kenny McCormack]

Post by David Carson
So the radio and TV stations have been playing the annual press
release from whatever group it is that compiles the list of phrases
people want to die. I believe they said this year's top phrase, or one
of them, is "Fake news."

Getting rid of the phrase "Fake news" is easy. Just get rid of the dude
who keeps saying it all the time.

[c***@aol.com]

Getting rid of that one dude won’t solve the problem when you’ll still have cable news peddling innuendo and lies 24/7. You get more fake news in an average hour of Hannity or Maddow than on TMZ.

I’d get rid of “woke” which is just about the dumbest most meaningless word ever invented.

[l***@fl.it]

Getting rid of that one dude won’t solve the problem when you’ll still have cable news peddling innuendo and lies 24/7. You get more fake news in an average hour of Hannity or Maddow than on TMZ.
I’d get rid of “woke” which is just about the dumbest most meaningless word ever invented.

Try 'Sooo' which is currently so loved. Took over from 'moving
forward' and I wish sooo much it would go on its way.

[RH Draney]

Post by l***@fl.it
Try 'Sooo' which is currently so loved. Took over from 'moving
forward' and I wish sooo much it would go on its way.

I've got no problem with it that way, but I hope something very bad
happens to people who start an entire conversation with "so"....r

[David Carson]

Post by David Carson
So the radio and TV stations have been playing the annual press
release from whatever group it is that compiles the list of phrases
people want to die. I believe they said this year's top phrase, or one
of them, is "Fake news."
I've been on record for a long time as saying one of my biggest pet
peeve phrases is "human resources." But there's another one you hear a
"Are you ready for Christmas?"

Also, one that seems to have caught on pretty recently, and I'm hearing
more of this season: using "gift" as a verb, as a synonym for "give." Its
all over the TV commercials.

[Louis Epstein]

Post by David Carson

Post by David Carson
So the radio and TV stations have been playing the annual press
release from whatever group it is that compiles the list of phrases
people want to die. I believe they said this year's top phrase, or one
of them, is "Fake news."
I've been on record for a long time as saying one of my biggest pet
peeve phrases is "human resources." But there's another one you hear a
"Are you ready for Christmas?"

Also, one that seems to have caught on pretty recently, and I'm hearing
more of this season: using "gift" as a verb, as a synonym for "give." Its
all over the TV commercials.

Has a long history,I believe.

For me,I never want to see "his husband" or "her wife"...

-=-=-
The World Trade Center towers MUST rise again,
at least as tall as before...or terror has triumphed.

[MJ Emigh]

In recent years I have been hearing people (all races, incidentally) start whatever they want to say with, "I mean."

I first started noticing it with baseball players answering questions. Q: "What was going through your mind when you dropped that routine fly?" A: "I mean, things like that can clearly impact the score."

It seems to be a national obsession, now. Just starting a conversation requires, "I mean,...."

[Louis Epstein]

Post by MJ Emigh
In recent years I have been hearing people (all races, incidentally) start whatever they want to say with, "I mean."
I first started noticing it with baseball players answering questions. Q: "What was going through your mind when you dropped that routine fly?" A: "I mean, things like that can clearly impact the score."
It seems to be a national obsession, now. Just starting a conversation requires, "I mean,...."

Well,that's because,like,um,y'know,right?

-=-=-
The World Trade Center towers MUST rise again,
at least as tall as before...or terror has triumphed.

[Travoltron]

Post by David Carson
human resources

I don't know what to tell you. EVERY employer uses that term. "HR".
There's no way to avoid it. It's been in use my entire adult working
life. I know it used to be called "personnel department" which I
personally would prefer. "Human resource" sounds degrading to me. Like
I'm some thing to be used by the company and then disposed of after my
usefulness is depleted.

I know every 25 years or so they change the names of all the jobs to
make people feel more important. They still pay you shit wages, but
instead of a clerk, you're an "office automation administrator" or
something.

Nobody is a secretary or a stewardess anymore for some PC reason.

It makes it very difficult when I'm applying for jobs because these job
titles are PC gobbledygook and I have no idea what I'm applying for.

[David Carson]

Post by Travoltron
Nobody is a secretary or a stewardess anymore for some PC reason.

The irony of "secretary" is that it is now usually only heard in
association with a high position. When Secretary Clinton kept calling Mr.
Trump "Donald" during the debates, I so wanted him to refer to her as
"Administrative Assistant Clinton."

David Carson

[c***@aol.com]

That’s a good one. I still say stewardess. Flight attendant is silly.

[Louis Epstein]

That?s a good one. I still say stewardess. Flight attendant is silly.

A steward is an administrator,an attendant is a lackey.
Sheer foolishness for them to demand a lower-ranked title.

-=-=-
The World Trade Center towers MUST rise again,
at least as tall as before...or terror has triumphed.

[Terry del Fuego]

On Fri, 22 Dec 2017 17:34:41 -0800, Travoltron

"Human resource" sounds degrading to me. Like I'm some thing to be
used by the company and then disposed of after my usefulness is depleted.

In other words, it's one of the few genuinely honest things in the
modern adversarial workplace.

[Kenny McCormack]

Post by Terry del Fuego
On Fri, 22 Dec 2017 17:34:41 -0800, Travoltron

"Human resource" sounds degrading to me. Like I'm some thing to be
used by the company and then disposed of after my usefulness is depleted.

In other words, it's one of the few genuinely honest things in the
modern adversarial workplace.

Well put!

I was thinking the same thing - that it was truth in advertising.

[AngloSaxon]

Post by Terry del Fuego
On Fri, 22 Dec 2017 17:34:41 -0800, Travoltron

"Human resource" sounds degrading to me. Like I'm some thing to be
used by the company and then disposed of after my usefulness is depleted.

In other words, it's one of the few genuinely honest things in the
modern adversarial workplace.

Too true. My snow-flake hipster college bubble young nieces and nephews have
an unspoken yoot-code that if it's necessary, they WILL fire the boss. LOL.
The idea that they shouldn't be board director at 24 boggles their mind.

[Louis Epstein]

Post by Travoltron

Post by David Carson
human resources

I don't know what to tell you. EVERY employer uses that term. "HR".

Not sure about that.
My county has a Personnel Director (its longest-serving employee,
he is actually retired from the job while still holding it,i.e. he
collects his 6-figure salary and his vested pension simultaneously).

Post by Travoltron
There's no way to avoid it. It's been in use my entire adult working
life. I know it used to be called "personnel department" which I
personally would prefer. "Human resource" sounds degrading to me. Like
I'm some thing to be used by the company and then disposed of after my
usefulness is depleted.

A company I held shares in had both a Vice President,Personnel AND
a Senior Vice President,Human Resources.

Post by Travoltron
I know every 25 years or so they change the names of all the jobs to
make people feel more important. They still pay you shit wages, but
instead of a clerk, you're an "office automation administrator" or
something.

I've pondered a hypothetical merger between companies that used different
titles for the same jobs,so functions got duplicated...if someone got
the bright idea of not having to fill out one application for Personnel
and another for Human Resources,the press releases about this would be
issued by both Corporate Communications and Public Affairs.

Post by Travoltron
Nobody is a secretary or a stewardess anymore for some PC reason.
It makes it very difficult when I'm applying for jobs because these job
titles are PC gobbledygook and I have no idea what I'm applying for.

-=-=-
The World Trade Center towers MUST rise again,
at least as tall as before...or terror has triumphed.

[Jason]

Post by Louis Epstein
A company I held shares in had both a Vice President,Personnel AND
a Senior Vice President,Human Resources.

Did they also have a Department of Redundancy Department?

[c***@aol.com]

FO-ward. There’s no such word.

[Louis Epstein]

Post by Louis Epstein

Post by Travoltron

Post by David Carson
human resources

I don't know what to tell you. EVERY employer uses that term. "HR".

Not sure about that.
My county has a Personnel Director (its longest-serving employee,
he is actually retired from the job while still holding it,i.e. he
collects his 6-figure salary and his vested pension simultaneously).

Post by Travoltron
There's no way to avoid it. It's been in use my entire adult working
life. I know it used to be called "personnel department" which I
personally would prefer. "Human resource" sounds degrading to me. Like
I'm some thing to be used by the company and then disposed of after my
usefulness is depleted.

A company I held shares in had both a Vice President,Personnel AND
a Senior Vice President,Human Resources.

Post by Travoltron
I know every 25 years or so they change the names of all the jobs to
make people feel more important. They still pay you shit wages, but
instead of a clerk, you're an "office automation administrator" or
something.

I've pondered a hypothetical merger between companies that used different
titles for the same jobs,so functions got duplicated...if someone got
the bright idea of not having to fill out one application for Personnel
and another for Human Resources,the press releases about this would be
issued by both Corporate Communications and Public Affairs.

Post by Travoltron
Nobody is a secretary

Except in the Cabinet...

Post by Louis Epstein

Post by Travoltron
or a stewardess anymore for some PC reason.

If I owned an airline,I'd make sure the job title for the head
of the cabin crew was steward/ess so that it was a promotion from
"flight attendant".

A steward is an administrator;
an attendant is a lackey.

Post by Louis Epstein

Post by Travoltron
It makes it very difficult when I'm applying for jobs because these job
titles are PC gobbledygook and I have no idea what I'm applying for.

-=-=-
The World Trade Center towers MUST rise again,
at least as tall as before...or terror has triumphed.

[Steve Hayes]

Post by David Carson
So the radio and TV stations have been playing the annual press
release from whatever group it is that compiles the list of phrases
people want to die. I believe they said this year's top phrase, or one
of them, is "Fake news."

Going forward.

What's wrong with "in (they) future"?