Little things that annoy the hell out of you

[ryu]

Just noticed that the stereo in my office can only read in 40 directories from usb. wtf

edit: even dumber, it can only read 999 songs from usb. The others it just pretends don't exist on the stick

[TransatlanticFoe]

Yeah seems that tech hasn't moved on since USB playback was first introduced, bought a new one last year and it has the same limitations.

[vol.2]

My office has a (relatively recent) printer that doesn't allow file system browsing on a USB stick. It just scans the whole thing and shows you all the valid filetypes on the whole thing in one big list that loads slower than a tape-based game on a C64.

[orange808]

When my paid YouTube Music stops working because I have an ad blocker.

[vol.2]

When my paid YouTube Music stops working because I have an ad blocker.

I switched to Ublock and it seems to be tolerant of that. One thing it never works with is if you have a Youtube-specific adblocker; those it somehow breaks when you have paid.

[BulletMagnet]

Finding a bird nesting in my air ducts for the second time in two years after property management told me they'd fixed things so it wouldn't happen again after the first incident.

[orange808]

Finding a bird nesting in my air ducts for the second time in two years after property management told me they'd fixed things so it wouldn't happen again after the first incident.

I can relate. Had to cap the chimney because bats kept getting trapped in the fireplace.

[PC Engine Fan X!]

Finding a bird nesting in my air ducts for the second time in two years after property management told me they'd fixed things so it wouldn't happen again after the first incident.

Your supervisor needs to quickly correct this pressing situation at hand as it's no fun in dealing with bird parasites getting inside living quarters after the hatchings hatch -- then you have an even bigger situation to deal with. Perhaps a fine wire mesh screen covering oughta do the trick with your air ducts. Yes, birds can be quite deft/resourceful in finding such small openings to make a nest to roost in.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[BulletMagnet]

Apparently they've switched to a different pest control company since the last incident, and to their credit both the housing rep and the pest service got back to me quickly once I put in the call, but unfortunately they can't get here until Monday at the soonest, so I can only hope not too much damage is being done to my flimsy foil ductwork in the meantime, not to mention deal with the constant chirping and rustling noises reverberating through my entire unit until the sun goes down; moreover, last time around after the birds were gone my unit was infested with flies for days afterwards, apparently whatever they left behind (and the previous service failed to clean up) led them to serve as one more middle finger from mother nature.

What especially sucks is that the way I first noticed they were even there was the fact that I took a few vacation days this week, and was thus around to hear the noise from the ceiling when I normally wouldn't be; dealing with this really wasn't how I wanted to spend my time off, especially since I may well need to ask work for more time off depending on when someone can actually get here.

[BIL]

Oof, that sucks. Had similar problems when we first moved here, daft fuckers kept getting into the roof spaces through a tiny gap. Dunno how the previous tenants never did anything about it, but as PCEFX says, mesh did the trick.

Finding a bird nesting in my air ducts for the second time in two years after property management told me they'd fixed things so it wouldn't happen again after the first incident.

I can relate. Had to cap the chimney because bats kept getting trapped in the fireplace.

That's the really bad stuff with birds, since their nesting materials can trap carbon monoxide in your home. Godawful shit!

[orange808]

That's the really bad stuff with birds, since their nesting materials can trap carbon monoxide in your home. Godawful shit!

The first one made it all the way down to the fire chamber. (I don't know the proper name for it.) Didn't know anything was in there. Opened the glass to a nasty surprise--and closed it back immediately.

I would have preferred a bird over a bat, personally.

[ChurchOfSolipsism]

Not only have i spent the last six hours scooping up water in my cellar, when I finally went to have a piss outside (since indoor plumbing can't be trusted right now... looking forward to taking a crap in the woods tomorrow), I fell into an open manhole in my fucking garden of all places. Turns out the fire brigade has pumped out groundwater to reduce the water pressure but they forgot to pick up the hose and, most importantly, close the cover again. Smashed my upper thigh and might have fucked up my kneejoint.
It's still raining (will be for the next six hours at least), and I'll have to get back to the cellar again soon.

[BIL]

Jesus, that calls for a Bigger Annoyed Hell. I'd be seeing about compensation for that, if you're injured. Or even if you're not. Totally negligent leaving a manhole open like that.

[ChurchOfSolipsism]

daylight's returned, and I took a closer look at the manhole: jesus christ, it's at least 5 meters down. Good thing my fall was stopped by my leg somehow. Also, I think the knee joint's alright, but I have a couple of really nice abrasions. All in all, my thigh feels like it was kicked by a 2012 José Aldo.

[Lemnear]

Not only have i spent the last six hours scooping up water in my cellar, when I finally went to have a piss outside (since indoor plumbing can't be trusted right now... looking forward to taking a crap in the woods tomorrow), I fell into an open manhole in my fucking garden of all places. Turns out the fire brigade has pumped out groundwater to reduce the water pressure but they forgot to pick up the hose and, most importantly, close the cover again. Smashed my upper thigh and might have fucked up my kneejoint.
It's still raining (will be for the next six hours at least), and I'll have to get back to the cellar again soon.

Where are you? Is there a weather warning there? technically you can sue your municipality (or whatever it's called where you live) for negligence.

[BulletMagnet]

Got in touch with the pest control service; according to them since there are chicks present in the nest they're not allowed to take any action until they get big enough to leave. Which is understandable as far as it goes, since it's not the birds' fault that the previous company didn't seal up the vent like they said they would, but this also sentences me to heaven knows how many weeks straight of constant noise from 5 AM to 10 PM and having to place fresh newspaper on top of my dryer to catch the shit raining down from the vent above it. And that's before I get to find out how completely wrecked my ductwork will be by the time they finally leave, and whether or not the housing association will pay for any of it. Fun times ahead.

[ChurchOfSolipsism]

Not only have i spent the last six hours scooping up water in my cellar, when I finally went to have a piss outside (since indoor plumbing can't be trusted right now... looking forward to taking a crap in the woods tomorrow), I fell into an open manhole in my fucking garden of all places. Turns out the fire brigade has pumped out groundwater to reduce the water pressure but they forgot to pick up the hose and, most importantly, close the cover again. Smashed my upper thigh and might have fucked up my kneejoint.
It's still raining (will be for the next six hours at least), and I'll have to get back to the cellar again soon.

Where are you? Is there a weather warning there? technically you can sue your municipality (or whatever it's called where you live) for negligence.

I live in Germany's deep south between Kempten and Memmingen. Luckily, nothing big and/ or expensive was damaged; had the water risen just a couple of centimeters more, it would have fucked the majority of a Creature from the Black Lagoon pinball machine I have been restoring the last couple of months.
Anyway, since several of you mentioned suing, I will not sue the people that saved all of my shit. Mistakes, even stupid and rather dangerous ones like the one mentioned above, happen in these extreme circumstances. Just out of curiosity: are you guys Americans? Funnily, one of the stereotypes about Americans that many Germans have is that they like to sue at every opportunity; sometimes, stories like "woman sues microwave company for not including in the manual that she can't dry her poodle in a microwave" make the rounds in German media.

Got in touch with the pest control service; according to them since there are chicks present in the nest they're not allowed to take any action until they get big enough to leave. Which is understandable as far as it goes, since it's not the birds' fault that the previous company didn't seal up the vent like they said they would, but this also sentences me to heaven knows how many weeks straight of constant noise from 5 AM to 10 PM and having to place fresh newspaper on top of my dryer to catch the shit raining down from the vent above it. And that's before I get to find out how completely wrecked my ductwork will be by the time they finally leave, and whether or not the housing association will pay for any of it. Fun times ahead.

Shit man, that's definitely not a minor nuisance...

[Lemnear]

I live in Germany's deep south between Kempten and Memmingen. Luckily, nothing big and/ or expensive was damaged; had the water risen just a couple of centimeters more, it would have fucked the majority of a Creature from the Black Lagoon pinball machine I have been restoring the last couple of months.
Anyway, since several of you mentioned suing, I will not sue the people that saved all of my shit. Mistakes, even stupid and rather dangerous ones like the one mentioned above, happen in these extreme circumstances. Just out of curiosity: are you guys Americans? Funnily, one of the stereotypes about Americans that many Germans have is that they like to sue at every opportunity; sometimes, stories like "woman sues microwave company for not including in the manual that she can't dry her poodle in a microwave" make the rounds in German media.

well yes it is understandable.
I'm not American (but i think most users are) btw, i knew it was the Americans who sued for everything
But they will surely say the same about everyone else on the other side of the world haha
the absurd thing is lawyers who accept certain cases and then even manage to win them ahhaha

[BIL]

Anyway, since several of you mentioned suing, I will not sue the people that saved all of my shit. Mistakes, even stupid and rather dangerous ones like the one mentioned above, happen in these extreme circumstances. Just out of curiosity: are you guys Americans? Funnily, one of the stereotypes about Americans that many Germans have is that they like to sue at every opportunity; sometimes, stories like "woman sues microwave company for not including in the manual that she can't dry her poodle in a microwave" make the rounds in German media.

American is one of the few things my Anglomutt ass is not, though we all share a certain common heritage out here in the former colonies.

No, I get how it sounds. But skullfuck-basic protocol lapses leave some poor pricks seeing bone or planning funerals. \(˘w˘)/ Even in the arse-end of rural Jamaica where I'm from, I'd be stunned if the lads in our FD left someone's garden in that state, particularly after dark. Even a small access point will fuck legs up. Time-tested siege defense. I'm just glad your knee sounds ok, honestly.

[Rastan78]

As an American I never personally witnessed any crazy case like that. Like you hear about the guy who used his lawnmower as a hedge trimmer and cut off his fingers, so he get a million. In reality this stuff is probably very rare and makes for viral news stories.

What I did see multiple times personally was wealthy people leveraging the extreme expense and cumbersome length of legal battles to abuse the system.

For example say you owe a contractor 100k and simply don't pay or make partial payment. They would have to take you to court to get their money. Then you can use various delay tactics to drag the trial out for many months. All the while the bills rack up to the extreme. Essentially the person with deep pockets will win. They can afford 50k in legal fees and still save 50k through non-payment. The contractor will have to decide to accept their loss since they can't afford to battle forever. Even if you win there is no guarantee in the US you will get your legal fees paid on top of the original money owed.

Basically weaponizing the legal system. Worked at two companies where Donald Trump never paid. An in-law worked at company where he did the same and they were actually able to get paid finally by taking him to court. Other people I've known have had this type of experience after having bajillionaire hedge fund types as clients. One case the guy even sued to claim he was overcharged and wanted money back that already went towards completing a major project. The guy's company and life was destroyed in the process.

Why do people with already so much money do this? Maybe they're sociopaths or sadists? Don't really know. But the current legal system enables a money=power dynamic. So jerks with money are going to flex that power.

Maybe these situations aren't unique to the US. For example did every Russian billionaire get there by playing nice?

[BIL]

Maybe these situations aren't unique to the US.

They're definitely not, at least in my experience. Left home in my 20s for Florida, then Illinois, before moving to England. Some of the worst depredations I saw involved the English Post Office, of all things. Absolutely diabolical. Technically criminal rather than civil, but the real insult was in the compensation. (back in the headlines currently, in classic plummy "lessons will be learned, sorry about your dead and impoverished lmao" form)

[Rastan78]

@BIL They deserve a kick in the plumbs mate. Grew up in Illinois myself.

Found an article that coincides with my own anecdotal knowledge working a few jobs in NY:
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/pol ... /85297274/

I don't think this type of practice is too uncommon among wealthy sociopaths. Robert Mercer is another one I've heard a horror story about. Just takes someone as publicly visible as a 300 pound oompa loompa to bring it to light.

[ChurchOfSolipsism]

American is one of the few things my Anglomutt ass is not, though we all share a certain common heritage out here in the former colonies.

No, I get how it sounds. But skullfuck-basic protocol lapses leave some poor pricks seeing bone or planning funerals. \(˘w˘)/ Even in the arse-end of rural Jamaica where I'm from, I'd be stunned if the lads in our FD left someone's garden in that state, particularly after dark. Even a small access point will fuck legs up. Time-tested siege defense. I'm just glad your knee sounds ok, honestly.

Cheers, man. It definitely was a dumb as shit mistake that I will make sure to mention in the thank you-letter to the FD (along with an amusing pic of the abrasions on my leg, and a beverage store voucher or something along those lines). Dem fuckers spent the night in people's cellars instead of in their own beds, and I think most of them don't even get paid.

[ChurchOfSolipsism]

As an American I never personally witnessed any crazy case like that. Like you hear about the guy who used his lawnmower as a hedge trimmer and cut off his fingers

how in hell do you manage to fuck up so badly...

[Rastan78]

Sometimes these things are probably urban legends. I heard about this guy once . . .

[BIL]

@BIL They deserve a kick in the plumbs mate. Grew up in Illinois myself.

Always has a fond place in my heart! First time I saw snow was one of our Christmases with family there. I think it must've been around the SNES US launch, still got the Game Players full of gloriously unfocused SMW and Actraiser CRT shots.

Also where I learned the value of warm clothes and hot food! New acquaintances often remark I must hate the English cold and I politely defer, but inside I'm all "ain't got shit on that time I went to the movies in a t-shirt and nearly froze"

Cheers, man. It definitely was a dumb as shit mistake that I will make sure to mention in the thank you-letter to the FD (along with an amusing pic of the abrasions on my leg, and a beverage store voucher or something along those lines).

Good compromise; no lie, I was thinking a nice letter and some booze, usually smooths things over.

[Rastan78]

Also where I learned the value of warm clothes and hot food! New acquaintances often remark I must hate the English cold and I politely defer, but inside I'm all "ain't got shit on that time I went to the movies in a t-shirt and nearly froze"

I can recall doing my paper route around that time frame. Got out of bed at 5am to a not so balmy -28°F

Another thing I'll encounter having moved is people assume it's all Norman Rockwell, Beaver Cleaver and Andy Griffith like everywhere there. Welcome to the big city. Bet you didnt see that much back in IL. The small city I grew up in was scarier than Baltimore or Detroit lol

[BIL]

Bet you didnt see that much back in IL. The small city I grew up in was scarier than Baltimore or Detroit lol

Definitely Rockwell country where they are. Quite idyllic. Still my only experience of suburban commuting to date, living with them for a few years. Never hung around Chicago proper, although tbf I'm the same even with relatively harmless Manchester and Liverpool. Hillbilly survival instinct.

[BulletMagnet]

Sometimes these things are probably urban legends. I heard about this guy once . . .

In other cases they're deliberately misrepresented to serve an agenda, the most famous probably being the "lady who sued McDonald's because the coffee was too hot" story.

[PC Engine Fan X!]

Sometimes these things are probably urban legends. I heard about this guy once . . .

In other cases they're deliberately misrepresented to serve an agenda, the most famous probably being the "lady who sued McDonald's because the coffee was too hot" story.

Hence why we see "Warning: Contents may be hot! Use caution." printed statement on the paper coffee cups at the local McD's joints nowadays -- you wouldn't see that phrase on the McD's paper cups back in the 1980s and into the 1990s America time period. Didn't that lady win her case against McD's and win a $4+ million dollar payout for her pain and suffering? I do recall that it made national news headlines that day/night once the judge ruled in favor of the victim -- how could she be so careless in spilling hot coffee on herself in the first place?

It's a given that the American conglomerates/corporations have to retain an army of lawyers in case if "shit hits the fan" stints happen to protect themselves from further legal action and set out of court with a NDA with both parties + an undisclosed sum of monetary compensation if it needed be. So be it.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~