What's something modern you won't miss when it becomes obsolete?

[V.C. Brunswick]

I tried some of those energy drinks once or twice and they're awful. I don't know what the appeal is because it even looks gross.

 

[hatguy1]

Voice menus - press 1 for.... press 2 for.... I want to speak to a real live person dangit.

Add to this list of peeves, "It's on our website" as an answer to any question. Some of us don't have all day to prowl your website looking for a specific piece of data that we could get answered in 5 seconds of phone conversation. (We want to be here in TFL looking round at cooler stuff).

 

[LizzieMaine]

The word "retro."

Aqua nail poilsh.

Convenience stores that sell sushi.

People whose cars always smell like convenience store sushi.

People who overenunciate foreign words and phrases.

Radio formats called "Jack" or "Frank" or "Dave."

That dopey pouring cap on the side of the orange juice carton that gets all sticky and digusting.

People who think "Angus" hamburger tastes any different from common hamburger.

Upscale versions of working-class food.

The word "upscale."

"Comfort" socks that have an uncomfortable seam right across the top of your toes.

People who bring their dogs everywhere, whether the dog belongs there or not.

Cheap stickers for second-rate hipster bands stuck to traffic signs and light poles.

Aluminum baseball bats.

People who name their kid "Zooey" and never heard of J. D. Salinger.

People who name their kid "Zooey" *because of* J. D. Salinger.

The word "totes." Except when used by a backwoodsy Southerner talking about carrying something.

 

[Zombie_61]

...Add to this list of peeves, "It's on our website" as an answer to any question...

This is even worse when you're calling your Internet Service Provider because you can't access the Internet, and the recorded message suggests you visit their website to "help solve any connection problems you may be experiencing." :twitch:

 

[BigFitz]

This is even worse when you're calling your Internet Service Provider because you can't access the Internet, and the recorded message suggests you visit their website to "help solve any connection problems you may be experiencing." :twitch:

Yeah, and when I finally got a human on the phone and told them I couldn't log in online, they still told me to go online to access my account.:eusa_doh:

 

[jamespowers]

Yeah, and when I finally got a human on the phone and told them I couldn't log in online, they still told me to go online to access my account.:eusa_doh:

And the guy's name was John but clearly he is from a foreign country and there is a few seconds lag in between your conversation and their answer....

 

[Gregg Axley]

Yeah, and when I finally got a human on the phone and told them I couldn't log in online, they still told me to go online to access my account.:eusa_doh:

Was this Sonia, with an indian accent? I've talked to her. If it wasn't her, it's probably someone in her family.
I ran into this when an AT&T man was working on the telephone pole down from mine, and my service was out.
I called, and was told it was my router. Uh no. Then she said she'd send me one.
After I called back 2 more times and got someone that spoke more clearly, they put a work order in for a problem with the connection on the pole.
What was funny is that each time they'd tell me "relax and sit back and I will take care of your problem", I'd interrupt them with a valid point about my problem, and they'd have to start the script back over..."relax and sit back and I...." I must have done this 3-4 times just to hear them repeat it.
BTW "Sonia" did tell me there was more information on their website. When I asked her how I was supposed to check that when I don't have service I got "yes I apologize, relax and sit back..." that whole spiel again!
When my wife found out they have a call center here, she asked me to help her find it. I don't think so.

I might stir up the masses by mentioning this, but I'll say "e-books."
Tonight my wife and I spent 2hrs at a book store tonight, and noticed it was almost a ghost town had it not been for an author and tv star being there. Lara Parker from Dark Shadows fame spoke about her time on the show, her time with Johnny Depp while filming the movie Dark Shadows, and her relationship (both good and bad) with some of the original cast members. 95% of the people in that store were there for her, and not to buy a book. Instead of looking for a comfy chair to peruse through a book, now people look for a wifi connection and an electrical outlet. It was kinda sad to see the store in this condition. All these books (many I don't have an interest in) had nobody looking at them.
So I won't miss e-books when they disappear.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

 

[Virginia Creeper]

Pets need to be fed what's healthy for them. One of my dogs has severe allergies, and is on a special salmon and potato diet. It works wonders for him, though it's three times as expensive as the food my other dog eats. If for some reason your pet needs a special diet, by all means feed it to him/her. But it breaks my heart and boils my blood when people do things with their pets for their own benefit and not the benefit of the animal.

We feed our dog the swank, grain-free kibble, as our young son has both celiac disease and a fondness for playing in the dog's dish. Regardless of what we feed her, though, it seems the majority of the dog's diet is purloined butter and scraps from the childrens' plates. It does make for a glossy coat.

 

[hatguy1]

Agree, Bruce. My good ol' fashioned, hard copy book takes no battery power, doesn't have to be turned off for takeoff and landing, can be loaned to friends ad infinitum free of charge and I can take my good ol' fashioned ballpoint pen and take notes in the inside covers and margins to my heart's content. I've read a few books via the Kindle app on my smartphone, but...somehow it just ain't the same.

 

[Gregg Axley]

Thanks Bruce.
I couldn't agree more.
Although my dvd collection is more impressive than my book collection.
Well I can't sit still and read more than 10 minutes before drifting off, at least a tv show or movie will keep me interested for a couple of hours.

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

Agree, Bruce. My good ol' fashioned, hard copy book takes no battery power, doesn't have to be turned off for takeoff and landing, can be loaned to friends ad infinitum free of charge and I can take my good ol' fashioned ballpoint pen and take notes in the inside covers and margins to my heart's content. I've read a few books via the Kindle app on my smartphone, but...somehow it just ain't the same.

And it's also something that you actually, physically own!

 

[Zombie_61]

...I've read a few books via the Kindle app on my smartphone, but...somehow it just ain't the same.

I've read a grand total of one book on my dumbphone: Treasure Island. And that was only because it was a free download, and I was sitting at the local Chevy dealer waiting for them to finish working on my wife's car and I had nothing better to do. Having any number of books available to you at the push of a button is convenient, but I still much prefer holding a real book in my hands.

 

[Dragon Soldier]

Eh, no. I'll keep the Kindle (other e-readers are available) thanks.

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

As I've alluded to in my previous post, one of the things I don't like about e-readers is that you don't really own the books. I still remember a few years ago when Amazon didn't have the publishing rights to Orwell's 1984, appropriately enough, so they deleted it from everyone's accounts.

 

[LizzieMaine]

I hate the look of type on a screen. Period. I'm lobbying hard behind the scenes for the Lounge to be released in a paper edition, and then I can get rid of this fool computer entirely.

 

[Foxer55]

Lady Gaga! I am familiar with her celebrity from the news but nothing else. I heard this outrageous noise coming from the radio the other day and found that it was, well, yes, Lady Gaga. It was the most horrendous sound I think I'v ever heard, even worse than rap. I mean it was a-w-f-u-l! When all these little celebrity twits like her are gone we will have turned a corner.

 

[1961MJS]

Voice menus - press 1 for.... press 2 for.... I want to speak to a real live person dangit.

Add to this list of peeves, "It's on our website" as an answer to any question. Some of us don't have all day to prowl your website looking for a specific piece of data that we could get answered in 5 seconds of phone conversation. (We want to be here in TFL looking round at cooler stuff).

My Mom especially hates that one. She has a computer that Dad used, but she won't and he died a few years ago.

About 7-8 years ago we found that if you cuss like crazy to the press 1 thing, you'll eventually get a human who will chastise you for talking dirty. Personally I chant "I wanna talk to a human" repeatedly until I get to.

Later

 

[Dragon Soldier]

Voice menus - press 1 for.... press 2 for.... I want to speak to a real live person dangit.

Add to this list of peeves, "It's on our website" as an answer to any question. Some of us don't have all day to prowl your website looking for a specific piece of data that we could get answered in 5 seconds of phone conversation. (We want to be here in TFL looking round at cooler stuff).

The Irish airline, Aer Lingus, admitted several years ago that it was actually impossible to speak to a human being through their 'phone system. There simply was no means to be answered by a person. Recorded messages deemed worthy would get a ring back.

By the same token, if you 'phone a company and get connected to an outsourced call-centre 90% of the time you are speaking to someone who has no power, no authority, no anything to help you. They simply cannot do it. So there's no point in getting cross with them.

They are a "human firewall" only the most annoyed or most determined complainants will get past them to speak to someone who is actually authorised to action anything.

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

[video=youtube;wf-aMZmDCvA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wf-aMZmDCvA[/video]