It's from the US so not eligible for CGA and frankly isn't worth the hassle. I've ordered another copy from a local supplier (a couple of posts over at AVS confirm that the local version is in the non-Imax ratio). But it's still a small thing that annoys me!

eracode:

Geektastic:

 

Today's irritation is excessive use of dramatic language in modern 'news' reports.

 

 

 

Everything is "tragic", "amazing", "shocking", "stunning", "vile" etc - such invariably erroneous use of dramatic hyperbole is not only ridiculous, it cheapens the value of the words themselves.

 

Couldn’t agree more. What also annoys me about this is that it almost takes away the reader’s ‘right’ to react to the news item in their own way - the writer tells you how you should feel about something. I’ll decide whether I find something is vile or shocking thank you very much.

In the same vein, newsreaders on some radio stations (looking at you Newstalk ZB) use overly emotional and dramatic inflections in their speech to indicate to the listener whether they should react to each item with sympathy or shock or amusement or amazement or whatever. I really dislike that - once again I’ll decide how I feel about this, thanks - but I am getting to be a grumpy old bastard.

I really hated the TV3 turkey Story on the few occasions I saw any of it. What moron thought the presenters should sit there ignoring their viewers while they told each other what they thought about something? God, that was irritating, not to mention just plain stupid!

@Geektastic:

 

Today's irritation is excessive use of dramatic language in modern 'news' reports.

 

Everything is "tragic", "amazing", "shocking", "stunning", "vile" etc - such invariably erroneous use of dramatic hyperbole is not only ridiculous, it cheapens the value of the words themselves.

 

On the same vein, the overuse of "terrifying". Something is terrifying when it inspires terror., not when the so-called editors and writers use it as a prop.

Along with the general decline of literacy and brain-decaying textspeak, there has also been a terrifying drop in journalistic standards. Competition from social media and Internet news has resulted in a general dumbing-down (and devaluation) of news reporting. As traditional media lose advertising revenue, they resort to cutting costs and cutting corners. Sub-editors have been edited out of existence so there is no-one left to check copy before it is published. These days the reporter (‘journalist’ is a big word here) covers the story, writes it into the computer, ‘edits’ it, ‘prints’ it. The entire chain of quality control has been eliminated. On top of that, the mainly young reporters doing all this are treated like battery hens made to churn out more for less, and they have been disgorged from a deteriorating educational system with no knowledge of either history or spelling, so they pass their ignorance on to whoever still reads their crap. But hey, they are cheaper to employ than real journalists.

It should be noted that the above applies mainly to mass media that have been taken over by corporate octopi that have no tradition or love of quality journalism. Like craft breweries, many excellent small media sites are popping up that are maintained by real journalists who actually care about their profession. These need to be cherished and protected.

Geektastic: Here's a great example of dumbing down on the ingredients list of a jar of pasta sauce:

<0.01

*< Means "less than"


So (a) now people are not expected to know mathematical symbols and (b) why bother using them then explaining them? Why not just print "less than 0.01" and leave it at that?!

eracode: Or maybe they need to explain what the asterisk means.

Well, judging by the number of people that call it an "asterix"...

Rikkitic:

 

The rat I discovered under my desk this morning. Except it wasn't small at all. It actually set a new record of rat giganticness. It was easily the hugest rat I have ever seen in my room, maybe anywhere. That rat was at least as big as the cat that dispatched it. I am suitably impressed. Her Catness is now sleeping it off on the couch, a well-deserved rest. 

 

Sorry, no photo. I was too grossed out at the time. I just wanted to get rid of the damned thing.

 

 

 

Set up one of these doodads under your desk:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pNmpbopHwe0

All the coughing and sniffing and snorting going on around me in the office at the moment.

If you're sick, go home  (and no, I don't care if you're a contractor and that means you don't get paid)!!

My partner and I have both been as sick as hell with what ever strain of the cold virus is doing the rounds. Coughing, feeling weak, aching muscles, etc. It's not nice at all.

DarthKermit:

 

My partner and I have both been as sick as hell with what ever strain of the cold virus is doing the rounds. Coughing, feeling weak, aching muscles, etc. It's not nice at all.

 

Starting to sound like a flu (IANAD).  Get well soon and look after yourselves.

floydbloke:

 

All the coughing and sniffing and snorting going on around me in the office at the moment.

 

If you're sick, go home  (and no, I don't care if you're a contractor and that means you don't get paid)!!

 

There's clearly a cultural difference for people from India. It would appear to be acceptable there to sniff and snort loudly and continually. My colleague sitting across from me is a very nice person but the long loud wet sniffing is awful and difficult to bring up without causing offence. Plus he's staff and I'm contractor...

People who park their electric cars in the EV charging spots to just park and not charge ... and I don't even have an EV! :-)