Things That Really !&$% You Off

It's the unforced stupidity of youtube right now that often sees the mighty fall.  These companies get to the top, then they start being arrogant and doing utterly stupid things, and then next thing they know their users are leaving for a new rival site and their stock is plummeting.  Personally I wouldn't mind seeing youtube fall to another competitor after this content id debacle, the fact it punishes legitimate users while slapping on the wrist those doing things they probably shouldn't be doing (like uploading background music for the sake of uploading it) is the biggest farce of all.  It also proves my belief that these companies will never learn that crackdowns will never punish those they are supposed to, only the legitimate users.

DRM, it never does anything good.

I think it's been talked about recently, but I'd like to bring up "fun-size", as in "fun-size chocolate bar" or "fun-size cupcake" or what have you. How is less chocolate more fun? It isn't, and it's false advertising.

I did a presentation on that very subject in GCSE English. I gave someone a fun size mars bar and someone else a standard one then asked who was having more fun.

Balladeer wrote:

I think it's been talked about recently, but I'd like to bring up "fun-size", as in "fun-size chocolate bar" or "fun-size cupcake" or what have you.  How is less chocolate more fun?  It isn't, and it's false advertising.

I have this one out at least once every six months. Good call!

In a similar vein, I had a rant about an insulin pen we keep in stock which has the official colour classification of 'Fun Blue'. What the hell, I ask the manufacturer, is fun about diabetes?

Balladeer wrote:

I think it's been talked about recently, but I'd like to bring up "fun-size", as in "fun-size chocolate bar" or "fun-size cupcake" or what have you.  How is less chocolate more fun?  It isn't, and it's false advertising.

Don't start me off on chocolate bars getting smaller!   

Okay, I'll change the subject: being pursued by someone you have nothing in common with and who doesn't appeal to you whatsoever.  I am not very good at telling people to push off.  

(That is really really weird, Stu.  What makes this blue so fun anyway?)

Balladeer wrote:

(That is really really weird, Stu.  What makes this blue so fun anyway?)

As you can see, this pen is so much more fun than its boring, silver counterpart:



Has said person reached stalker status yet, Balla? Or maybe your lack of interest is due to you being pursued by a bloke...

(If it helps, I have a hard time telling people to sod off, too. I usually find that completely ignoring them works, if all else fails)

I try and tell people to sod off, but somehow I end up sleeping with them... then hurting them more when I do meet someone else. I need to be either a bit more or a bit less of an arse hole, I have just the wrong balance.

That is one heck of a fun pen.  

She's not stalking me or anything, Stu (and yes it is definitely a "she").  She just keeps inviting me to have drinks/coffee with her, and gave me a little bag of cakes.  It's not that big a deal, hence the  ; it just makes me feel awkward.  I couldn't ignore her, though (the patented Stu method of dealing with many things  ): I've been on the receiving end of the silent treatment before, and I hate not knowing what's going on.  I'd rather be told straight-up that I'm not wanted.

I'm not likely to have Buska's problem, either.  No way is she getting anywhere near my genitals.

Is it someone you completely dislike or just have no interest in a romantic sense? Because as long as you make your intentions clear, it might be that she'd appreciate a cup of coffee as friends.

She's a little overbearing, but otherwise fine. But I've seen her twice in two days (she invited me out with her friends, and I was feeling sociable), which is enough for me from almost anyone.

You can't complain when you're getting little bags of cakes! (unless they're fruit cakes, in that case fair play)

They're ginger cakes.

Hmm, I'm not sure where I stand on them. I think they're edible at least.

Feminism. Yes, vertical and horizontal labour segregation (and other structural factors, natch) is a powerful, long-standing boundary, but they don't take care not to overgeneralise. It's variable. It's polarised. Another thing: discrimination in it's many forms applies to both genders, does it not? Feminists only fight half the battle, only look at half the challenge. I want equality for all.

I feel I should provide some counterpoint, because a lot of my friends identify as feminists, as do I.  The way I understand it, feminism is about equality for all.  The reason the name is "feminism" is because several of the most recognisable barriers and discriminations (labour segregation as you mention, slut-shaming, the way rape is too often handled etc.) impact on women, but that doesn't mean that men should be discriminated against as a result.

Yes you'll get a couple of crazies who think that women are inherently better (I bumped into somebody in a May Ball who went on about how in the years to come, men will become obsolete), but any group has crazies and extremists.  And due to the nature of the Internet, the crazies and extremists will often be more observable.  The majority of feminists I know are not like that.

What made you bring this up, Cappa?

Maybe it's just me that's had bad experiences with feminists - I've encountered a lot more craziness than balance in my interactions with them. That's a whole different story, though. I just find that the most recognisable barriers impact on those women's brothers/fathers/uncles as well, and in my personal experience I've seen no signs whatsoever that they give a toss. Actually, in my personal experience it seems that a lot of the feminists round here (and at the Uni I'm doing my postgrad) just use it as an excuse to go to the pub. "Feminists" would probably be a fairer name for them.

They definitely sound like "feminists" to me: most of the feminists I know (being generally left-leaning) want to see barriers other than those defined by gender removed, in addition to the ones that are. Or maybe I've just been lucky; I don't know. Anyway, a true feminist never needs an excuse to go to the pub!  

Balladeer wrote:

I couldn't ignore her, though (the patented Stu method of dealing with many things 

  

Just to make myself sound like less of a bastart: I only resort to the ignoring method when repeated attempts to tell someone nicely to beggar off fail. You wouldn't believe how hard some people try, despite the fact they've been told I'm not interested. I've been stalked by one woman and (near enough) one guy in the past. In retrospect, I suppose it was a bit scary at the time.

~~~

Do you know what I don't like? Women who think it's patronising for a man to hold a door open for them. That's just common manners, madame. I don't descriminate, either: I will hold a door open for a man, woman or child.

If it's proper stalking, beyond "I'm not interested, go away," then almost anything is fair game.

Well, possibly not bear traps. Depends on how bad they are.

Stu_the_great wrote:

Do you know what I don't like? Women who think it's patronising for a man to hold a door open for them. That's just common manners, madame. I don't descriminate, either: I will hold a door open for a man, woman or child.

Dude, could not agree more! I've had that before, wound me right up.

Similarly, being told I was sexist because I asked a male member of staff to lift something I knew my female colleague couldn't.

[quote="Buskalilly"]

Stu_the_great wrote:

Similarly, being told I was sexist because I asked a male member of staff to lift something I knew my female colleague couldn't.

Sounds like the lady in question was looking for a confrontation, there. She should've just accepted that you'd thought it through.

Everyone should just accept I know what's best. It would usher in a golden age.
But seriously, she is someone who just likes to argue, and question every decision.

We should really change the name of the thread to we have women problems.

Right to Balla,

I would tell the girl you want to be friends or something and don't be mean. I know how it feels to like someone but then be rejected (I was in the dread FRIEND ZONE) by someone you bought things for & hanged out with. But you say you have nothing in common but she must like you for some reason what ever that is.

I had the same problem again with the Dr Who girl, she just want's to be friends they all say your a nice guy but I see you as a friend. I'm awful at reading signals as I've be told by mates a girl likes me but never realized in till it's to late.

I would like some female attention myself but unfortunately I'm getting it from my EX at the moment. She keeps texting me, I have texted her back but only things like I picked froakie as my starter pokemon. Nothing to encourage her but she is sending me Christmas present (she doesn't even celebrate Christmas) and want's to meet in January. I don't want to but don't want to be mean, how to I get rid of her.

Ohh and Balla how do you know she's a she

Ohh Buska are cleaner section leader at work is one of theses know it all women, right pain in the ass.

Buskalilly wrote:

Everyone should just accept I know what's best. It would usher in a golden age.
But seriously, she is someone who just likes to argue, and question every decision.

I work with one of those. If I weren't bald already, I'd definitely be bald as a result.