Annoying Words & Phrases

[JHDK]

Kids call each other "big back" these days meaning fat ass.

That's what Pam tells me elementary school kids say. Apparently one kid calling another fat is like a capital offense these days so the kids have adopted that instead. The teachers all know it means the same thing so the kids still get admonished when the teachers hear it but they think they are being slick nonetheless.

I don't really hate the phrase, I am posting about it cause I think it's interesting they use that these days.

 

[Channel98]

The "big back" expression originated with Sir Mix-A-Lot's 1992 number-one hit Baby Got Back, which begins, "I like big butts and I cannot lie."

I am really tired of hearing pet owners refer to their dog or cat as their "fur baby." It's dumb. And look what we have in Los Angeles:

Furbabyrescue: Adopt A Pet Today | Los Angeles | Home

Furbabyrescue is a no-kill Animal rescue in Los Angeles. Puppy Rescue, dog adoption, puppy adoption, cat adoption, kitten adoption. Adopt a puppy, Adopt a Kitten, Adopt a Dog.

www.furbabyrescue.org

 

[sadchild]

I am really tired of hearing pet owners refer to their dog or cat as their "fur baby." It's dumb.

AGREED! Fubaby Furmom Furdad Furchrissakes stop it!

 

[HecticArt]

Is Furburger still OK?

 

[Channel98]

Of course you're talking about this 1972 song by Screamin' Jay Hawkins, right? And we all know what he was talking about.

 

[Channel98]

Ana Navarro on CNN tonight, contrasting the ouster of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro with the United States' attacks on Iran: "Iran and Venezuela are two completely different balls of wax." Huh???

 

[goreds2]

When you see those car warranty ads (CAR Shield etc.) on TV saying, “ It’s not a question of if — but when your car will break down. “

 

[scotchandcigar]

When you see those car warranty ads (CAR Shield etc.) on TV saying, “ It’s not a question of if — but when your car will break down. “

Yeah, according to the commercials, 100% of people will experience major drivetrain failures.

I feel the same about those LifeLock ads. They make it sound like most of the population is getting their bank accounts drained by hackers.

 

[Channel98]

The dumb word "stagflation" was coined in 1965. The dumb word "shrinkflation" was coined in 2014. Now we have another dumb "-flation" word.

The 'tipflation': U.S. tipping has changed—here's what you should know

Customers in the U.S. are expected to tip in more places and more generously than ever. For Americans and visitors alike, it’s creating social grey areas—and for some, it’s reached tipping point.

www.nationalgeographic.com

 

[scotchandcigar]

Here's a version of the article that's not behind a paywall

The 'tipflation': U.S. tipping has changed—here's what you should know

Customers in the U.S. are expected to tip in more places and more generously than ever. For Americans and visitors alike, it’s creating social grey areas—and for some, it’s reached tipping point.

www.aol.com

 

[scotchandcigar]

So, first of all, "tipflation" is a stupid and unnecessary word. And the article itself seems to be making a strawman (another stupid term) argument, floating the fallacy that tipping requirements are indeed increasing, so that people will follow along.

Here are my thoughts on the points they try to make in the article:
- Yes, during Covid, people tipped on things that normally didn't require a tip; such as take-out food and curbside pickup. That's because restaurants were not seating people, and there was no waitstaff. I don't see how this would apply to today.
- The cost of things is indeed higher, and so the same percentage tip will be greater than before. You don't have to increase the tip for that. In fact, when the price of the meal is up 25%, people are likely to tip at a lower percentage.
- I agree somewhat with the increased use of handheld pay devices, which tend to recommend tips of 18%, 20%, and 22% (or 25%). But I do 20% for good service, so there's no difference. If they use that machine for a pick-up order, I just type in $3 or something.
- It's also true that the rest of the world doesn't have tipping like the US, but that's always been the case.

 

[IdRatherBeSkiing]

Tip requirements are increasing. If you go to a lot of fast food places the machines now have prompts for tips where previously they did not exist. I always bypass them but I suspect a lot of people don't. Also if you got to a sit down restaurant, the tip prompt used to start at 15% (some even 10%). Now it is common for the lowest choice to be 18% or 20%. Again, if you know the buttons to push you can still give 15% but most people would just choose the lowest one. Then there are the facebook posts and various youtube/tictok videos about how if you tip less than 30% or 40% you are a cheap bastard. So yes, there is a general expectation to tip more. Part of the issue is in the USA, you allow waiters and waitresses to be employed at less than minimum wage so their salary then becomes dependent on the tips. I continue to tip only for sit down service (or delivery). If service is average/good I give 15%. 12% if bad. Less if horrendus. 18% if outstanding. No exceptions. If the restaurant automatically adds a tip, I do not add anything else.

 

[Channel98]

In an ideal world, restaurant workers and fast-food workers would be paid well enough that tipping would not be necessary or expected.

Tired of tipping? Vacation in these countries where tips aren't required or expected.

https://www.frommers.com/tips/money-and-currency/tried-of-tipping/

 

[scotchandcigar]

Tip requirements are increasing. there are the facebook posts and various youtube/tictok videos about how if you tip less than 30% or 40% you are a cheap bastard. So yes, there is a general expectation to tip more.

I've never seen or heard of any of these. I'm not saying you're making this up, but neither I nor the people in my life have acted like they've seen these. We tip at 20% for typically good service. It's really more, because I do about 20% on the bill with taxes added, so it's really 21 or 22 percent. I do 15% or less for less than good service. But that's all up to the individual.

In an ideal world, restaurant workers and fast-food workers would be paid well enough that tipping would not be necessary or expected.

That could easily be done; but in the US, part of our system of capitalism is that people in the service industry work for tips. And many of them do much better than if they were paid a straight wage. So no, an ideal world would not necessarily eliminate tips. But you're free to feel that way.

Tired of tipping? Vacation in these countries where tips aren't required or expected.

I just mentioned above that most countries outside the US either don't tip, or have built-in tips.

 

[HecticArt]

Tip requirements are increasing.

Tip suggestions, not requirements.

I usually tip 20% for decent service. A little less or more as appropriate for the service level.
I stick with 20% because it's considered customary, and much easier math. (The kind I can do without pausing a conversation, after a few martinis, or taking my shoes off in the restaurant.)

So while I agree that there are too many places asking for tips these days, there are a few that don't that puzzle me.
The local Chipotle doesn't give you the option when you pay with plastic. Penn Station and a couple of others are the same way.

I won't usually go 20% for a fast-casual place like that, but throwing a couple of $2 or $3 is fine. I've got to remember to try to carry a few $1 bills for places like that that have the tip bucket next to the register.

 

[IdRatherBeSkiing]

Tip suggestions, not requirements.

I usually tip 20% for decent service. A little less or more as appropriate for the service level.
I stick with 20% because it's considered customary, and much easier math. (The kind I can do without pausing a conversation, after a few martinis, or taking my shoes off in the restaurant.)

So while I agree that there are too many places asking for tips these days, there are a few that don't that puzzle me.
The local Chipotle doesn't give you the option when you pay with plastic. Penn Station and a couple of others are the same way.

I won't usually go 20% for a fast-casual place like that, but throwing a couple of $2 or $3 is fine. I've got to remember to try to carry a few $1 bills for places like that that have the tip bucket next to the register.

Suggestions is a better word I guess. I don't worry about the math since the machine always does the calculations now (although on the post tax amount). If I was worried about the math, then 10% is even easier to calculate.

 

[Aaron]

I'm a good tipper but I do consider if I'm a regular there or not. If I'm just passing through a town I might give 18% whereas if I often dine at a place, likely to give more for the same level of service.

 

[Channel98]

Merriam-Webster publishes a Word-Of-The-Day calendar. I propose an Annoying-Word-Of-The-Day calendar. "Fempocalyse" can be today's word.

INGERSOLL: We're On The Eve Of A Fempocalypse. But They Won't Go Without A Fight

Meghan Markle is probably going to lose her job. Netflix awarded her the gig to much fanfare. It also cost them tens of millions.

dailycaller.com

 

[IdRatherBeSkiing]

Don't know what that is as they won't show the article without disabling ad blocker (which I won't do).

 

[scotchandcigar]

Don't know what that is as they won't show the article without disabling ad blocker (which I won't do).

I had no problem reading it, but better that you didn't.

The guy who wrote the article, Geoffrey Ingersoll, is, IMO, a piece of shit. He's one of those alt-right bros. He cited (and I can't believe I'm saying this in 2026) "Joe the Plumber" as an example of a good-guy American, a masculine figure who was taken down by the "me-too" culture. Never mind that Joe the Plumber was a made-up character, a non-existent anti-woke dog whistle.

So anyway, Ingersoll is angry about the increasing occurrence of women in positions of leadership and power. It's all fraudulent. and the poster child for this charade is Meghan Markle. Here's an article about Ingersoll (which you probably can't read either)

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/26/business/media/daily-caller-opinion-violence.html