Spelling and grammar. Yes, I'm a bit of a traditionalist, I know - and I also appreciate that languages evolve - witness the number of new words that enter the OED each year.
I hate seeing spelling and grammatical errors written down - and there's plenty of opportunities for that on social media nowadays - but it definitely seems worse when you see it in the so-called quality press.
It can be amusing however - I've already used a word in this blog that often reveals the hidden Glaswegian in anyone. The West of Scotland pronunciation of the word has so stressed the third syllable that it seems the natives now believe you should spell it "definately".
Tuesday, 3 December 2013
Wednesday, 2 October 2013
Pet Hate No. 16
A really trivial one this time, but I'll have a moan anyway. Last week, I received a card from the Royal Mail telling me I had to pick up a package - and it would cost me £1.50.
So I trotted off to the local office at Tillybrake the following morning on my way to work - but I was too early - it didn't open until 7 am.
Next chance I got was the following morning and this was what I received in exchange for the fee:
I could tell almost immediately that it was just a circular - from Banchory Lodge, advertising their Christmas deals. Two trips and £1.50 this had cost me - don't think I'll be going to Banchory Lodge for any Xmas celebrations this year - and they couldn't even spell my name properly!
So I trotted off to the local office at Tillybrake the following morning on my way to work - but I was too early - it didn't open until 7 am.
Next chance I got was the following morning and this was what I received in exchange for the fee:
I could tell almost immediately that it was just a circular - from Banchory Lodge, advertising their Christmas deals. Two trips and £1.50 this had cost me - don't think I'll be going to Banchory Lodge for any Xmas celebrations this year - and they couldn't even spell my name properly!
Wednesday, 7 August 2013
Pet Hate No. 15
From http://curmudgeonlyramblings.blogspot.com/:
This one is borne out of recent experience - and frustration, having just returned from our annual trip to USA.
We used our BA/Avios Air Miles to book the flights - Business Class returns to Las Vegas. Going out was fine - all Terminal 5, but the return transatlantic flight went back in to Gatwick, which meant we had to get from Gatwick to Heathrow to get our flight back to Aberdeen.
Now, remember we are flying Business Class - whether we used Air Miles or not, it's supposed to be a premium service. So, when we check our bags in at Las Vegas on the way home, I politely ask if that's them checked all the way through to Aberdeen (as they usually are)?
I could go on - but I won't - at least not now.
This one is borne out of recent experience - and frustration, having just returned from our annual trip to USA.
We used our BA/Avios Air Miles to book the flights - Business Class returns to Las Vegas. Going out was fine - all Terminal 5, but the return transatlantic flight went back in to Gatwick, which meant we had to get from Gatwick to Heathrow to get our flight back to Aberdeen.
Now, remember we are flying Business Class - whether we used Air Miles or not, it's supposed to be a premium service. So, when we check our bags in at Las Vegas on the way home, I politely ask if that's them checked all the way through to Aberdeen (as they usually are)?
- "No" was the reply - "you have to pick up your bags at Gatwick".
- "I see", says I - "is there some transportation laid on between airports?"
- "I believe you can catch a National Express coach"
- "Mmmm......"
When we arrived at Gatwick, it all came flooding back - how crappy our transport infrastructure is in this country. Apart from Terminal 5, Heathrow is a mess, and Gatwick is pretty awful now as well. Not a great first impression for visitors to our country.
What's worse, I queued for National Express tickets at Gatwick, and whilst I was waiting, I was reading all their sales adverts - "Central London - just £8" - not at all bad, I thought. When I get to the front of the queue and ask for 2 singles to Heathrow, the girl says "that'll be £50 please sir". What!!!!
What's the difference? Competition, that's what - there's a good fast train service in to Central London, but the only way to get from Gatwick to Heathrow is by National Express coach - or taxi, if you're a multi-millionaire who can afford such extravagances.
It's not even a decent coach service. The seats are too close together - no leg-room - and they slope downwards, so you can't even sit properly. There's not even any Wi-fi. Even the country bumpkin buses in darkest Aberdeenshire have all got free Wi-fi - and I don't have to pay anything to use those buses either.
I could go on - but I won't - at least not now.
Monday, 22 July 2013
Pet Hate No. 14
From http://curmudgeonlyramblings.blogspot.com/:
More of a sadness than an anger this one. It's what FaceBook has become. I like keeping in touch with friends and relatives - especially those you don't see often - and it's good to see what they're up to and where they're going, plus some photos.
Some people, however, use public postings to send personal one-to-one messages to their friends - duh! That's what "messages" are for - use it properly. Don't bother the rest of us with this. Perhaps this is down to a lack of understanding of how FB works and what you can do with it, so maybe I can forgive a few of these.
However, what I really hate is when people express their personal opinions on FB. This may be a rant on what's in the news, or perhaps some political slant they are trying to get over, but I, personally, don't want to see this on FB. It makes me want to "unfriend" them - although I've never actually done this yet.
Is it unreasonable of me to expect FaceBook to be a friendly, non-political place to go, where I'm unlikely to have to trawl through personal dogma?
More of a sadness than an anger this one. It's what FaceBook has become. I like keeping in touch with friends and relatives - especially those you don't see often - and it's good to see what they're up to and where they're going, plus some photos.
Some people, however, use public postings to send personal one-to-one messages to their friends - duh! That's what "messages" are for - use it properly. Don't bother the rest of us with this. Perhaps this is down to a lack of understanding of how FB works and what you can do with it, so maybe I can forgive a few of these.
However, what I really hate is when people express their personal opinions on FB. This may be a rant on what's in the news, or perhaps some political slant they are trying to get over, but I, personally, don't want to see this on FB. It makes me want to "unfriend" them - although I've never actually done this yet.
Is it unreasonable of me to expect FaceBook to be a friendly, non-political place to go, where I'm unlikely to have to trawl through personal dogma?
Wednesday, 13 March 2013
Pet Hate No. 13
From http://curmudgeonlyramblings.blogspot.com/:
It's appropriate that I should write my 13th. rant on the 13th. day of the 13th. year.
The targets of my wrath this time are Developers and Council Planners. For those that don't know, industrial parks have been springing up to the west of Aberdeen city in the last couple of years - Westhill to start with, but now Kingswells too.
No problem with that - good investments in nice new facilities for all the booming oil service companies out there. The problem is there are now thousands of people working in these new offices, but the access roads are exactly the same narrow little country roads that have always been there. How exactly did the Developers get away with building these huge industrial parks without improving the infrastructure around them?
The new industrial parks are so recent that Google Earth still shows them as just green fields:
The pink xxx's in the circle above are what's built on already and the xx's across the road are where they are about to start building next, with the two areas divided by a narrow country road.
From a personal point of view, it's a bit of a disaster as it means the former Aberdeen city traffic build-up now starts several miles outside the city and on my main route to our factory at Bridge of Don. I have developed rat runs that manage to avoid some of it, but these minor roads can't be used when the weather's a bit dodgy.
The workers at these new units can't be best pleased either as they struggle to get in and out of their industrial compounds. I believe it's utter madness trying to get out any time after 4:30 pm.
And don't start me on the much delayed Western Peripheral Road (http://www.awpr.co.uk/) - it's at least 25 years overdue now and still nothing's been done. The population has virtually doubled since Oil came to the North East over 40 years ago, and we're still living with the same road structure.
And whilst I'm on a roll - they're about to close Mugiemoss Road for 6 months, which is going to make the Haudagain roundabout - which leads down to the only crossing of the Don in the area - an even bigger nightmare - and that's going to be my only access and exit route to Bridge of Don. I should retire now.
Mugiemoss Road in pink to the left, with Haudagain roundabout circled, and, in the top right hand corner, my place of work - Bridge of Don.
It's appropriate that I should write my 13th. rant on the 13th. day of the 13th. year.
The targets of my wrath this time are Developers and Council Planners. For those that don't know, industrial parks have been springing up to the west of Aberdeen city in the last couple of years - Westhill to start with, but now Kingswells too.
No problem with that - good investments in nice new facilities for all the booming oil service companies out there. The problem is there are now thousands of people working in these new offices, but the access roads are exactly the same narrow little country roads that have always been there. How exactly did the Developers get away with building these huge industrial parks without improving the infrastructure around them?
The new industrial parks are so recent that Google Earth still shows them as just green fields:
The pink xxx's in the circle above are what's built on already and the xx's across the road are where they are about to start building next, with the two areas divided by a narrow country road.
From a personal point of view, it's a bit of a disaster as it means the former Aberdeen city traffic build-up now starts several miles outside the city and on my main route to our factory at Bridge of Don. I have developed rat runs that manage to avoid some of it, but these minor roads can't be used when the weather's a bit dodgy.
The workers at these new units can't be best pleased either as they struggle to get in and out of their industrial compounds. I believe it's utter madness trying to get out any time after 4:30 pm.
And don't start me on the much delayed Western Peripheral Road (http://www.awpr.co.uk/) - it's at least 25 years overdue now and still nothing's been done. The population has virtually doubled since Oil came to the North East over 40 years ago, and we're still living with the same road structure.
And whilst I'm on a roll - they're about to close Mugiemoss Road for 6 months, which is going to make the Haudagain roundabout - which leads down to the only crossing of the Don in the area - an even bigger nightmare - and that's going to be my only access and exit route to Bridge of Don. I should retire now.
Mugiemoss Road in pink to the left, with Haudagain roundabout circled, and, in the top right hand corner, my place of work - Bridge of Don.
Tuesday, 12 February 2013
Pet Hate No. 12
From http://curmudgeonlyramblings.blogspot.com/:
New Year, new moans. Just thought I'd let off a bit of steam today.
Who or what am I complaining about now, you may ask? Well, some of you may know I am a bit of an Organiser - with a capital "O". I've always got involved in arranging things for various groups - golf, football, squash, hill-walking, music etc.
What gets on my goat is lack of, poor, or incomplete responses. Surely if somebody is doing something for you, then the least you can do is reciprocate a little and try to respond fully and promptly to any requests for information or assistance? Well, it seems not everyone thinks this way.
Some people don't even respond at all when you ask. Grrr.
New Year, new moans. Just thought I'd let off a bit of steam today.
Who or what am I complaining about now, you may ask? Well, some of you may know I am a bit of an Organiser - with a capital "O". I've always got involved in arranging things for various groups - golf, football, squash, hill-walking, music etc.
What gets on my goat is lack of, poor, or incomplete responses. Surely if somebody is doing something for you, then the least you can do is reciprocate a little and try to respond fully and promptly to any requests for information or assistance? Well, it seems not everyone thinks this way.
Some people don't even respond at all when you ask. Grrr.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)