Random things you hate

bmasters9

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Why do people tack the phrase "to be honest" on to every other sentence these days?
It used to be used as an apology for being blunt or possibly offensive. Now it seems to carry no connotation at all - unless it means that being honest is unusual for them.

True-- if you want to be honest about something, just say what's on your mind; no need for the preface.
 

DallasFanForever

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Why do people tack the phrase "to be honest" on to every other sentence these days?
It used to be used as an apology for being blunt or possibly offensive. Now it seems to carry no connotation at all - unless it means that being honest is unusual for them.
I’ll throw “to be clear” in there as well. I think it gets overused also. I feel like asking “well, what exactly is not clear? I’m standing here listening to everything you’re saying.”
 

Seaviewer

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When I was a kid, raspberry jam had a consistency like paste; it was easy to spread. On American shows they called it "jelly", a word we reserve for the rubbery dessert but I just figured that was a case of differences in usage. Over more recent years, the "jam" has become more like a "jelly" as we would call it - and it's now impossible to spread. Instead it just breaks up into pieces. Was it always like that in America?
 

Snarky Oracle!

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When I was a kid, raspberry jam had a consistency like paste; it was easy to spread. On American shows they called it "jelly", a word we reserve for the rubbery dessert but I just figured that was a case of differences in usage. Over more recent years, the "jam" has become more like a "jelly" as we would call it - and it's now impossible to spread. Instead it just breaks up into pieces. Was it always like that in America?
I recall reading an article describing the differences between jelly, jam, preserves, marmalade, etc. but I could not explain them if my life depended on it.

Like "fall" and "autumn," I always got the impression that "jelly" and "jam" were interchangeable.... But never, ever hold me to that.

I think I've only heard "marmalade" used in the context of orange. But that, too, could be a misinterpretation.

"Preserves" is only a term I've heard used when jelly/jam/marmalade was made by Grandma. Or when your store-bought jelly wound up shoved into the back of the refrigerator and, once located a few years later, you're unable to determine the expiration date, and so decide to take a spoon to it anyway.
 

Seaviewer

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The fact that the seasons in Australia officially start on the first of the month instead of the twenty-first. Almost every year at the beginning of December someone will complain that "it's summer but it's still cold." Conversely, there will be widespread wonder at the fact that the first half of March is still hot.
 

Daniel Avery

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Speaking of the royals, I hate how so many of the press still refer to Princess Kate as "Kate Middleton". She's been married to Prince William for ages. Do these writers really think that if they say "Kate" or "Princess Kate" that no one will know who they're talking about? I don't recall them referring to her mother-in-law as "Diana Spencer" for years after she married Charles, nor do we hear anyone refer to the Duchess of Edinburgh as "Sophie Rhys-Jones" any more....
 

Biggie

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I’ve never understood the difference between jelly, jam, marmalade, preserves, etc. I was always under the impression that they were pretty much the same thing but I’ve also heard it explained as being four different things, none of which I understand.
DFF if memory serves as I hope but alas can't guarantee... it's something along the lines of:

Jelly (in the UK) is little more gelatin with sweetener and a colour dye to mimic the flavour.

Jam is produced by boiling down the main constitute ingredient until it forms the viscous gelatinous state.

Marmalade is made in a similar way but the peel and rinds are included in suspension.

Preserves are chunks of fruit in a syrup that Preserves the concoction.
 

Willie Oleson

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Jelly is the only one of the above-mentioned that I've never actually seen in real life, let alone eat it.
Therefore I'll file it under "possible conspiracy theory" until its existence has been proven.
After all, it's hard to imagine that anyone would want to eat a transparent, neon-coloured pudding. It's what they serve in dystopian sci-fi movies, It's soylent green! It's FAKE!
 

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Jelly (in the UK) is little more gelatin with sweetener and a colour dye to mimic the flavour.

Jam is produced by boiling down the main constitute ingredient until it forms the viscous gelatinous state.
See, this is how it used to be in Australia, too. But per my original complaint, "Jam" now has the consistency of Jelly, and is impossible to spread. Maybe I should try a different brand. It might be better.
 

Angela Channing

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It's not really a random thing but I hate the courier company Evri (formerly Hermes) with a passion and I will rejoice if ever their license to operate is suspended.

I've bought 3 things online since summer and every time Evri have given me a time slot for delivery so I have had to stay at home to receive the item, only for them to cancel the delivery at the last moment. This charade was repeated several times over the subsequent days or weeks before they send me a message telling me they have lost my parcel and would have to contact the seller to see if they would refund me. The last package they did this for they falsely claimed they had delivered it (no attempt was made) and changed parcel's status to say it was completed which prevented me from asking for a refund. It's taken me 6 weeks and emails to their Chief Executive Officer, Chief Customer Officer and their Chief Operations Officer to finally get an reply yesterday in which they acknowledged that they lost the item and it was an error to change the status of the package to delivered. The latter is a lie because it was a deliberate attempt to cover up their failure as they had backdated it by 2 weeks, so it is likely not to be an error.

Evri are little better than a criminal outfit who are taking customers' money and not providing the service they are paying for. In the future, when I buy something online I will check what company is being used for delivery and if it is Evri, I will buy from someone else.
 

Daniel Avery

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....and make it clear to the company that you want(ed) to buy from them, but backed out of the purchase because of the company they hire to handle the delivery. Whether you say it plainly or just imply it, their choice of delivery service is losing them business, and they need to recognize it. Telling the delivery company that they suck feels good but it doesn't really encourage them to improve, since they likely already know they suck. But if retailer-partners learn they suck and lose customers like you as a result, one or both parties will be inclined to make changes that will benefit the consumer.
 
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