The "Things that annoy me" thread

[93Flareside]

It’s what you do when the dunce you’re working worth has a 2 prong extension cord. Why those exist, I do not know. I used to work with a few trade people who had grounds cut off the core of their tools...

I much prefer charging up a fan capacitor and throwing it at people for a game of hot potato!

 

[Matt2000]

It’s what you do when the dunce you’re working worth has a 2 prong extension cord. Why those exist, I do not know. I used to work with a few trade people who had grounds cut off the core of their tools...

I much prefer charging up a fan capacitor and throwing it at people for a game of hot potato!

Crikey I was only kidding. Aren't those extension cords with 2 wires just for Christmas lights? I will always see US plugs and wires as flimsy, no matter what anyone (including Alec from Technology Connections) tells me. Maybe I just like our plugs too much... glances at plug on floor with pins pointing up - The Bear Trap™

If I visit the US (more likely now for reasons), remind me never to come over to your place for a drink and some 'games' .

 

[93Flareside]

Crikey I was only kidding. Aren't those extension cords with 2 wires just for Christmas lights? I will always see US plugs and wires as flimsy, no matter what anyone (including Alec from Technology Connections) tells me. Maybe I just like our plugs too much... glances at plug on floor with pins pointing up - The Bear Trap™

They are flimsy, but there's a more beefy type of extension cord you can get that looks more usual with thick silicone insulation and 12 or 14 AWG cable. I don't know why these exist as they're just a buzzkill when you look in the van for an extension cord thinking you found one.

If I visit the US (more likely now for reasons), remind me never to come over to your place for a drink and some 'games' .

Ha! I would never do it as I'm not sure if 400V 8microfarads is something that I'd want to subject myself to. It was joked about when I was in school for heating and building controls though.

 

[Tram]

Speaking of plugs, the EU plugs are not always easy to remove from extension cord sockets, especially if the extension cord end is quite small. I once accidentally hit my monitor slightly because the extension cord end is behind it (I know, not the best idea, but I'm very limited with space) while I was unplugging my laptop's charger cable.

Not all cables have this problem, but some do, and my laptop's charger has such cable. As does my monitor. And my PC.

 

[Matt2000]

If you mean Schuko, it's beautifully overbuilt but its size is sometimes an issue. Our plugs can be hard to remove too, the newest Apple USB charger is a real bitch because it seems more slippery than before and holds in there really tightly.

Reminds me that I need to buy a Schuko to UK multi-socket extension.

 

[Tram]

Yup, Schuko. I guess the fact it's overbuilt has many advantages, but for everyday use, they are quite clumsy. I guess they make sense for monitors and PCs, but for a laptop? I mean, Apple's classic MagSafe chargers have tips that are standard Europlugs, and they're 60W, I doubt my Dell 65W charger needs a Schuko.

 

[narf]

This is a Europlug: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/63/Euro-Flachstecker_2.jpg

 

[Tram]

What I meant is, this is how an Apple charger end looks like:

And this is how mine looks like:

The former type can also be found on some other laptops, I know my brother's Lenovo also has it. The latter type seems to be reserved for cheaper stuff, such as my Dell Inspiron. Which I find odd, because what's the point of a beefier charger plug when the laptop isn't any more powerful?

 

[narf]

The point of Schuko is the Schutzkontakt, the ground connector. It does allow more power, yeah - but that's irrelevant for laptops or monitors because Europlugs will do 2.5A or about 600W.
I doubt your laptop charger technically needs ground though probably a fully plastic charger.

 

[93Flareside]

Why is it that I'm told have to speak/work with specific people in my company yet they are the best ones are not being responsive? 2 people in particular don't answer their phone or emails....

 

[NecroJoe]

We're needing to take down a 50ft leaning (towards our home) tree. We met with 3 arborists, got 3 quotes, re-met with two of them to follow-up with some details, signed the proposal for one of them...and then never heard back. It's been 2 weeks, and no responses at all.

 

[Redliner]

I much prefer charging up a fan capacitor and throwing it at people for a game of hot potato!

 

[bone]

What people pronounce the name of the tool as "saw zaw".

And more so by a power greater than the temperature of the sun, people who write/type the name of the tool as "saw zaw".

View attachment 3560055

we call that a recipro

 

[calvinhobbes]

Why can’t people read the documents that you show them? Neither the airline ground staff in Madrid nor the federal police guy at the arrival gate in Frankfurt was able to figure out that what I was showing them wasn’t a negative covid test, but an exemption from testing and quarantine. These people could save themselves and everyone else a lot of time and hassle if they were just slightly more professional.

Anyway, I made it home, went for the usual post-arrival test (not something I will ever get used to) and just wanted to vent a little bit.

 

[93Flareside]

^
I can attest to that. Working with some guys in Iowa and this replacement controller we sent requires some wiring changes and that they need to follow a wiring diagram.

They burned up the new controller by sending 110VAC to a 24VDC circuit. Now they're pissed and we're going out there next Thursday.

 

[NecroJoe]

It's been 10 months. How are professional entertainers still using their computer's integrated webcams to record themselves for pre-recorded interviews, etc?
I'm watching the SF Sketchfest "live stream" right now, and it's a medly of pre-recorded sketches and bits...and almost everyone recorded their bits with, what I can only asssume, are 640x480 2002-vintage digital cameras. Like...people that I know have done countless interviews and other videos over the course of the entire pandemic. I suppose i can have some forgiveness for live-streams, since that can require a more complicated set-up...but when it comes to pre-recorded video...jesus, just use your goddamn phone. It'll be 1x better than whatever shit camera is built into your computer. Or spend $60 and get an HD webcam. Ugh.

And eeeeveryone is clipping their mics. Ugh.

 

[GRtak]

I caught part of an interview where the person went to the effort of having a clip on mic, but they played with it a few times...

It is mot a toy to be fondled!

 

[captain_70s]

That sounds so bizarre to me. Are there any other scenarios in day-to-day life there where you're expected to pay more than the listed price for something (not including taxes, duties, fees, etc etc)?

Not to my knowledge, I think it's more along the lines of that you are competing against other prospective buyers who may or may not exist. I don't get it.

Of course the housing market differs depending on where you're buying, my parent's old house in the rural North East was valued at £230,000 but they bought it for £190,000 because it'd been on the market for years.

Crikey I was only kidding. Aren't those extension cords with 2 wires just for Christmas lights? I will always see US plugs and wires as flimsy, no matter what anyone (including Alec from Technology Connections) tells me. Maybe I just like our plugs too much... glances at plug on floor with pins pointing up - The Bear Trap™

The earth prong on my angle grinder's plug got snapped off somehow (not even a real earth, just a plastic prong) so now I have to press in the earth mech in the wall socket with something to hand, usually something metal, while putting the plug in. SAFE.

I can't even replace the plug easily because it's one of those bloody bonded on ones due to the powers that be deciding we shouldn't be able to replace plugs...

 

[93Flareside]

The burner says "weishaupt" it's printed on parts bags, boxes, the burner itself AND YET, people still will call it "Weisskoff, Weizoff, Wissbop."

I especially find the trade name of calling the controllers used "the Fire Eye" or saying they're getting "fire eye faults" really annoying. Can you read? None of the equipment is made by fire eye, nowhere does it say it and you've had this stuff for nearly a decade and yet you're still not understanding what you have. Imagine telling your Ford dealer that your VW is getting VW faults? What the fuck guys?

 

[Eye-Q]

Weisskoff

To be fair, "Haupt" in german can mean "Kopf" (head in english) so weishaupt and weiskopf (pronounced badly) can mean the same thing...

Wissbop

That could be because they don't know (or don't care) that it's a german name. I get why english speakers who don't know that would pronounce the first part "wiss" instead of "wise" because they don't know that "ei" is always pronounced like "eye", and the second part might be "hopt", not "bop" because of the similarity to "caught" or something.




Ouch, ouch, alright, alright, I'll show myself out...