What is your pet peeve of the day?

[ERD50]

My pet peeve is all the on-all-the-time little LED etc lights on stuff We have 8 in our kitchen.

At least you can put a dab of paint over an LED.

Similar to that, but more of a pain to me, is all the appliances that have clocks prominently displayed. I don't need 5 different clocks within 15 feet of each other in the kitchen (I thought I was exaggerating, but no - oven, micro-wave, coffee maker, radio, and the wall clock that I do want. I like an analog clock with sweep second hand).

And I can't just put tape over that clock, because the display is used for other things in other modes (setting temperatures, station #'s, etc). And if I see a clock, it should be set correctly. So 2x a year, or any power glitch, you go through the digital clock setting dance on all these stupid things that I don't even use the clock function for.

There should be an option to blank the clock display.

-ERD50

 

[Texas Proud]

At least you can put a dab of paint over an LED.

Similar to that, but more of a pain to me, is all the appliances that have clocks prominently displayed. I don't need 5 different clocks within 15 feet of each other in the kitchen (I thought I was exaggerating, but no - oven, micro-wave, coffee maker, radio, and the wall clock that I do want. I like an analog clock with sweep second hand).

And I can't just put tape over that clock, because the display is used for other things in other modes (setting temperatures, station #'s, etc). And if I see a clock, it should be set correctly. So 2x a year, or any power glitch, you go through the digital clock setting dance on all these stupid things that I don't even use the clock function for.

There should be an option to blank the clock display.

-ERD50

OH, and I hate it that they do not put in some kind of capacitor to handle even a millisecond of no electricity!!! REALLY? It would cost you how much to keep the time for say 5 minutes? That would save a number of clock resets a year...

 

[folivier]

Our oven and microwave, which is over it, are the same brands yet the microwave will gain about 5 minutes over a few days. Why? So I usually leave the display set on 0 seconds.
But I agree, I don't like all of the darn bright little leds. My office at night looks like a bordello! Router has 6 leds on the front and a few on the back. Both printers have leds, the new Xerox energy saving led is so darn bright you could read by it! The usb thingy has a red led and 7 green leds! The security system has 10 flashing leds on the back and 2 on the front, and if that isn't enough it has a red glow from inside! You need sunglasses sometimes. I just counted them, 37! and half of them are flashers.
And aftermarket stereos for cars that have these teeny tiny little buttons with the teeny tiny writing and nondescript icons. And the bright flashing displays. Very distracting especially at night. Guess that one should have a topic all its own.

 

[GalaxyBoy]

OK, my newest peeve (which I have had for a couple of months but not put down) is the crap that is sold in stores... they should be able to do better...

The American Public says they want high quality but when it comes time to pay for it, they (we) will opt for the lowest price every time. Just look at the crap for sale at Wal-Mart.

 

[ERD50]

OH, and I hate it that they do not put in some kind of capacitor to handle even a millisecond of no electricity!!! REALLY? It would cost you how much to keep the time for say 5 minutes? That would save a number of clock resets a year...

Yes, and adding to all that - most of these new devices have a 'soft' power switch. That is, it is an input to the control circuits, it isn't an actual physical cut-the-power type switch.

The problem is, many of these don't handle a power glitch well. I've had power glitches that left a radio or TV "ON", blasting full volume at 3 AM. Arghhhhh!

-ERD50

 

[Texas Proud]

Yes, and adding to all that - most of these new devices have a 'soft' power switch. That is, it is an input to the control circuits, it isn't an actual physical cut-the-power type switch.

The problem is, many of these don't handle a power glitch well. I've had power glitches that left a radio or TV "ON", blasting full volume at 3 AM. Arghhhhh!

-ERD50

I solved that one (at least for the TV downstairs) by putting the DVR and TV on battery backup... I have actually had a short power outage before and not known about it until I went into the kitchen and saw all the clocks back to 12:00...

 

[John Galt III]

**** And aftermarket stereos for cars that have these teeny tiny little buttons with the teeny tiny writing and nondescript icons. ***** Right! First you have to find the hidden button, then you have to figure out what it is for! I almost bought a new computer screen after my sister-in-law turned it off after she visited. I thought the screen had died, since I couldn't find an on/off switch anywhere. Finally found it hidden behind the bottom edge. Wasted a few hours on that one.

 

[Walt34]

I almost bought a new computer screen after my sister-in-law turned it off after she visited. I thought the screen had died, since I couldn't find an on/off switch anywhere. Finally found it hidden behind the bottom edge. Wasted a few hours on that one.

I once returned what was probably a perfectly good scanner because what I thought was the power switch wasn't, and they had hidden the power switch somewhere low in the back of it. When the replacement arrived I stumbled across it in the process of unpacking it.

And yes, I did RTFM. No mention anywhere of where the dang switch was.

 

[Souschef]

I once returned what was probably a perfectly good scanner because what I thought was the power switch wasn't, and they had hidden the power switch somewhere low in the back of it. When the replacement arrived I stumbled across it in the process of unpacking it.

And yes, I did RTFM. No mention anywhere of where the dang switch was.

When DW got her first PC, before I knew her, she tried to turn it on but could not. The manual was a PDF file on the PC. She finally called the help desk.
On her new PC, the power button is a little black button on a black case- go find it!

 

[easysurfer]

My pet peeve of the day is the ESPN broadcast of the wildcard baseball game last night. Instead of just showing the game, there was too many graphics that viewing felt like I was watching a video game instead of a ball game.

At one point, a key at bat, the broadcast has a split screen pretty much the entire at bat. Left side, the action, the right side a close up of the pitcher who just left the game. Do I really need to see the reaction of the pitcher who just got taken out the entire at bat?

 

[ChiliPepr]

My pet peeve of the day is the ESPN broadcast of the wildcard baseball game last night. Instead of just showing the game, there was too many graphics that viewing felt like I was watching a video game instead of a ball game.

At one point, a key at bat, the broadcast has a split screen pretty much the entire at bat. Left side, the action, the right side a close up of the pitcher who just left the game. Do I really need to see the reaction of the pitcher who just got taken out the entire at bat?

You were on the wrong channel. ESPN was broadcasting the game on two channels, ESPN which was a normal broadcast and ESPN2 which was a "STATS" broadcast. ESPN2 did all the split screens and statistics.

 

[easysurfer]

You were on the wrong channel. ESPN was broadcasting the game on two channels, ESPN which was a normal broadcast and ESPN@ which was a "STATS" broadcast. ESPN 2 did all the split screens and statistics.

Thanks for the info. I thought I was on ESPN, but from your post, looks like I was not.

I'll have to pay more attention if there is a next year. About time to cancel my Sling TV anyhow since the Cubs got bounced out of the post season .

 

[ChiliPepr]

Thanks for the info. I thought I was on ESPN, but from your post, looks like I was not.

I'll have to pay more attention if there is a next year. About time to cancel my Sling TV anyhow since the Cubs got bounced out of the post season .

Here is an article about it...

If you’d like a different feel and sound to the game tonight, ESPN is producing an “alternate” broadcast of the game which will be carried via ESPN2. It will be heavy on statistics, using data provided by Statcast. White Sox play-by-play man Jason Benetti will be calling the action, assisted by Eduardo Perez and MLB.com Statcast writer Mike Petriello.

 

[easysurfer]

Here is an article about it...

Thanks. Yes, I definitely was on the wrong channel as the stats announcers were on (though I didn't listen to them as I have a set up to sync the TV with my local radio broadcast).

I guess with ESPN stats, the game is a second priority compared to the stats .

 

[gwraigty]

People who treat in-person business transactions like a leisurely social call. (Unless you're at the hair salon chatting while the stylist is doing your hair. )

Just as an example, when a bank customer service person asks for your phone number, she isn't interested in why you have a separate phone from your spouse, what calls you get on your phone, or what calls your spouse gets on their phone. (And that's just a tiny part of what went on for what should have been a relatively straightforward transaction.)

Details upon request, but you get the picture.

 

[calmloki]

The Presidential Alert.

 

[braumeister]

The Presidential Alert.

You got one too?
I thought I was special.

 

[Rianne]

The Presidential Alert.

OMG is he going to send that with every tweet in caps? How can we turn it off?

 

[Bestwifeever]

Yeah, when did we consent to that? That’s the last person I want ever contacting me. I have emergency and amber alerts turned off but still got a text-ish notification. Go away.

 

[braumeister]

This one you can't turn off. We'll just have to deal with it.

In theory anyway, you won't want to turn it off since it should only be used for an extreme, life-threatening emergency.

 

[Bestwifeever]

If I didn’t have a cell phone I imagine I would somehow find out what to do and survive or not, without receiving this (self-moderating my further comment).

 

[easysurfer]

I prepared the best I could by turning the phone volume very very low.

 

[gwraigty]

What sort of Presidential Alert could we possibly get?

"We're being nuked! Take cover! Oh, I have a bunker and you don't. Sucks to be you! Bye!"

 

[Sue J]

I didn’t get the alert and neither did DH. We don’t have smartphones, just old flip phones but we do get texts. Our carrier is Verizon so I’m surprised we didn’t get the alert. I’m certain that if an alert goes out we will somehow learn about it within a few minutes.

 

[travelover]

..........you won't want to turn it off since it should only be used for an extreme, life-threatening emergency.

Like notification of an argument with Roseanne Barr, for example.