Things that Annoy You

[fleabane]

More Jack White on Friday, Kinny! (Ya-Boo Bill Bryson!!!).

A real muso only needs an instrument, a seat and a light to show him where his drink is. Everything else is superfluous.

Once saw Bowie like that. (No, not the one with the knife).

[Kinoulton]

I just don't get the idea that for a singer to get a song across, he/she needs to be surrounded and drowned out by a bunch of session singers and a dance troupe.

I recall Lisa Minelli (when she was a complete nutter) standing in front of the Petshop Boys singing Am I Losing My Mind by standing still and staring at the audience.

I couldn't move from my seat. No dancers, no pretend trombones, no fireworks at the end. Just a performer that held your eyes like some zombie. Absolutely stunning.

[DickyP]

The latest trend on this (rather fun) thread where it has headed towards talent shows has made me think of a slight digression.

Not just 'Things that annoy you' where we expect 'normal' people to agree with us but the things we get annoyed by/don't like but realize we are in the minority.

I for instance hate/detest with a passion all forms of talent contests, reality TV and make-over programmes on TV. It truly baffles me as to how or why the can be considered as entertainment. Many is the evening I've been sitting in my den watching repeats of my recorded favourites whilst 'she-who-must-be-obeyed' is happily watching 'Strictly come re-build you house' or some equivalent brain-dead TV.

I suppose that I should just be happy to celebrate peoples various differences.

[Kinoulton]

When Rowland Rivron danced to Weapons Of Choice on Comic Relief I had the best laugh all year. Very well practiced, well put together and he had a knack of suddenly looking at the audience to make them laugh.

It didn't matter a jot what programme it was on, it was just funny.

The problem with these shows (mercifully avoided by Comic Relief) is that they want us to buy into how some bloke was bullied as a kid, some girl is singing for her dead nan, a dance ensemble come from a bad part of Manchester....

Fine! The dancers on the latest shows have been superb and entertaining. Certainly better than the Tiller Girls, Pan's People, Hot Gossip, and all the other cr*p I've put up with over the decades.

Today's mobs are far better than them. But I don't have the attention span to cope with their life stories, just as they don't give a fig about mine.

That's the end of my little rant.

[Bill W (2)]

I suppose that I should just be happy to celebrate peoples various differences.

Vive Les Differences! Everybody is mad exept thee and me, and I'm not too sure about thee!

[Kinoulton]

Todd Carty showed what these celeb programmes should be about when he went out of control and slid right off the set. True entertainment.

But what annoys me about the makeover progs, house buying progs, cooking progs that involve "normal" people is that it's just a parade of mental freaks and homosexuals.

I think the world is all the more colourful for having mental freaks and homosexuals, but could other people get a look in now and again?

[tigerburnie]

I asked Sky if I could just have the Sport channels and get rid of all the other .I'm waiting for them to call back

[Kinoulton]

As I said in a previous rant, the Thatcherite and post Thatcherite quest to give us choice means that instead of one or two quality channels we now have hundreds of cr*p ones.

We were all sold on the idea that if you wanted to watch a minoirty sport, like dressage or motocross then there would always be a channel showing it.

This was a totally unfulfilled prophecy. When TV consisted of two channels only, the coverage of equine events and motorcycle events was far far better. As was the coverage of wrestling, angling etc.

And you weren't required to shell out loads of money to see a boxing match at 4 a.m.

All these channels now get away with showing some twit not buying a house, or a re-run of Gavin and Stacey, both of which turn my brain
to mush.

[Rizzo]

But on the other hand you can watch rugby even when Tigers are not playing, including European and SH games.

And you can watch Eden channel all day today where they are showing the Lost Land series (Volcano and Jaguar mainly) back to back all day, which cheers up my wildlife cameraman friend before he heads off to do stuff in cold places for Planet Earth Live.

Things that annoy me today would be politicians - all of them from all parties - and endless piffle about Leveson enquiry which clogs up the news and prevents us having proper reports made by a reporter standing in water to demonstrate how a river has burst its banks even though we're in official drought.

[BJ.]

People who believe it's compulsory to eat popcorn at the cinema regardless of the time of day. We've just been for the 12.00 showing of The Avengers at the Odeon in Derby and I would say at least 75% of the people there had a large bucket of popcorn with them. It might have the word 'corn' in its name but I'm sure it doesn't count as one of your five a day. It's the sickly sweet smell of the stuff that almost makes me retch.

[Bill W (2)]

People who believe it's compulsory to eat popcorn at the cinema regardless of the time of day. We've just been for the 12.00 showing of The Avengers at the Odeon in Derby and I would say at least 75% of the people there had a large bucket of popcorn with them. It might have the word 'corn' in its name but I'm sure it doesn't count as one of your five a day. It's the sickly sweet smell of the stuff that almost makes me retch.

How intolerant! At least (shame) they are not allowed to smoke anymore!

[BJ.]

How intolerant! At least (shame) they are not allowed to smoke anymore!

You don't warrant a reply.

[Kinoulton]

I recall one very good raconteur (it may have been Keith Waterhouse or Alan Coren) saying how when they first signed up to newspapers then tabloids like the Express, for instance, would always have a reporter out on the spot in Aden, Biafra, Cuba or any other place where important things were happening so they could bring you something defined as NEWS. I.e. something you didn't already know.

Nowadays 99% of printed and broadcasted media is an excercise in stating the obvious.

Millions watched Chav and Chavny get married on Eastenders last night. "A" level students are getting their results this morning. Well if any of those things were even slightly relevant to me, I would already know, wouldn't I?

The fact that the Muslims and Christians in Nigeria have started slaughtering each other again is perhaps more concerning, but that might need someone to go out have a look.

[DickyP]

Been proof reading school reports this morning - so far I've had:

'Anty' when meant 'ante' (not even a real mistaken word 'anti').
'Thrown' when meant to use 'throne'.
'Alley' when meant to use 'ally'.

I really get peeved when people don't check their work when necessary. It's one thing to write rubbish on a forum like this - it matters little, and the worst you'll get is a little light-hearted derision - but when it puts you whole professional ability and the good name of your organization in question I'm baffled that people can't be bothered!

[Kinoulton]

Yesterday I pulled up on a narrow section of road to give way to a big vehicle coimng the other way with a massive trailer in tow.

These chaps can reverse, but it's a quite a hassle and much easier if I perch my little hatchback on the grass verge and let them through.

But not one, but two ignorant BMW drivers drove straight round me, went bumper to bumper with the oncoming vehicle and then clearly had no idea what to do next.

How are these people allowed to drive?

It took ages to sort out, after which the oncoming driver spread his arms out and apologised to me, not that it was his fault at all, but the BMW drivers just tootled off into the distance in blissful ignorance.