Your Grrrs ...
Michael from cyberspace: Grrr! to all the waiters and waitresses who complain about the tips they receive. Here's a tip for you ... if you don't like making $2 an hour, get a new job.
Angela from cyberspace: I have a great Grrr! for you. Post-9/11 and our nation decides to ”ANNOUNCE” that you can bring sharp objects back on to commercial flights. I guess with the magic of just time passing, terrorism is no longer a threat!
Susan from Pace, Fla.: My Grrr! is to the many parents who fail to supervise their children at neighborhood buffets. We eat at a couple of local Chinese buffets that are really good. However, last night my husband and I watched a girl look around to see if anyone was watching (she didn't notice us). When she thought she was safe, she pushed — with her hands — the contents of her plate back into the buffet serving tray!
Julie from Michigan: My Grrr! goes to the state of Illinois for having toll booths that only accept change! I was on an Illinois toll road and after stopping for at least four tolls which cost .80 cents a stop, we forked over the money and kept going. We eventually came to a toll booth where there was no person, only a machine and the toll was $1.10! We scraped together every coin we could find in the car and were able to successfully go through the toll. But sure enough, not long after that we came to another change-only toll for another $1.10! Who carries around that much change? I had no choice but to go through the toll without paying. We finally arrived at the end of the toll road to find a person waiting patiently for me to hand over another $2.10. I explained what happened and asked if I could pay now! I let out a big Grrr! as I drove away because she told
me that I had to mail in a check to the state of Illinois for $1.10 (plus .37 cents for a stamp)! If a simple pop machine can accept dollar bills, why can't a toll booth?
Monica from Alamogordo, N.M.: When is Hollywood going to start making some new movies? Who thought a remake of "Cheaper by the Dozen" was a good idea? And "The Pink Panther?" Don't get me wrong, Steve Martin is fantastic ... but as Clouseau? YUCK! Besides, why not write something new for him to star in?
Amanda from Milwaukee, Wis.: My Grrr! goes out to the people on my floor at the office. They are complete oblivions about liquids at the kitchenette. We have water coolers with five-gallon jugs of water, and several times a week people will take the last of the water without changing the jug. If you cannot lift the jug, ask someone else — don't just leave an empty jug on the water cooler.
Lee from Arcadia, La.: My Grrr! is those telephone salespeople who won't take a simple "no" for an answer and then try to tell you how to run your business as if they are some experts. The most common ones I get want me to renew an advertisement I once had on a magnet or map. I say: "No thanks, I'm not interested." They say "Can I ask why not?" I say "No." They say: "Don't you want to increase your business?" I tell them "No" and end up hanging up.
Andrew from cyberspace: I have one major Grrr! And that is the lack of the good news from Iraq that is being reported by the press. Neither FOX News nor CNN are reporting the enormous amount of good news of events in Iraq (nor is network news). For instance, where is the news piece about the 2nd Iraqi Army Brigade’s recent certification to conduct independent military operations in Iraq?
Brad from cyberspace: I have noticed more and more of the "talk or shout over" conversations taking place with news anchors. All networks seem to have that same problem. Whatever happened to good old-fashioned manners? One at a time.
Robin from cyberspace: My Grrr! is to PETA and its crazy campaign against fishermen. They say that fishing is cruel and should be outlawed. They created an ad aimed to children saying if their fathers fish, then they are murderers and to keep the family pets away from them. If they take the same concern they have for fish and put it toward something more important, like abused children or women, they might actually achieve something good.
Maureen from New York City: What is a holiday tree? Last time I checked, it was a Christmas tree. It is said that using the term "Christmas" is offensive to people. Well, I’m going out on a limb here, but I assume that if you have a tree or go to a lighting of a tree, then you must celebrate Christmas. I do not know of any other religions that use trees as part of their celebration. Does this mean people should call menorahs candlesticks? Of course not — that would be offensive. People really need to stop thinking so much and just enjoy what ever holiday they want and call it what ever they want. Next thing you know, they’ll be fighting to eliminate the trees all together.
Chad from Houston, Texas: My Grrr! is fat people! Let me explain before all the big people crucify me. I am a trainer part time and deal primarily with overweight women. I give them all the tools and knowledge they need to achieve their weight loss goals. About 25 percent of my clients do make it and manage to stay that way. The rest all fail and it is just unbelievable what they blame it on besides themselves. People are fat because they choose to be that way. They shouldn't blame their busy schedules because they're too lazy to go to the gym. When will Americans learn that you eat to live, not live to eat?
Mark from Chattanooga, Tenn.: My Grrr! is that I can't even read a news story (or even the Grrr! column) without it being interrupted by an online advertisement. To make matters worse, I even have to be told that the story continues below the ad! Grrr!
T.J. from Dayton, Ohio: My Grrr! is for last evening's episode of "Entertainment Tonight." Toward the end of the broadcast, the hosts took delight in showing pictures of Hollywood stars caught without their makeup on — GASP! And they commented with snide little remarks on how bad they looked. This ticks me off so much, because you know that sometime they will have a special "report" on anorexia or bulimia and how Hollywood pressures women to go to drastic lengths just to measure up! How hypocritical! Their putting such an emphasis on how plain some stars look when they decide to give their skin a break, or maybe they just want to be normal for a day and showing such glee in the comments they make about that is disgusting.
Tina from cyberspace: Huge Grrr! to that woman at the customer service desk who could not wait to exchange her one item. She cut in front of a whole line of people simply because she had been there earlier (at the same time I got there to exchange my three items). To make it even better, she was on her cell phone the whole time. Then to top it all off, there were only two people at the desk and one agent standing there pulling on her hair and chomping gum rather than helping people in the line. By the time I left, the line went all the way to the restrooms.
Robert from cyberspace: I have a serious Grrr! My Grrr! goes to the automakers that are building these SUVs that have evolved into these super artificial intelligence monsters. Whatever happened to the diminutive Yugos that would cower on the road when other vehicles came near them? We, as Americans, need to demand that our vehicle not be so smart. We are supposed to be in charge of the vehicle; it shouldn't be in charge of us. I say we boycott all SUVs until they take that smart chip out of them. If we aren’t careful, we will allow the automakers to start building cars that will do everything for us.
Jim from St. Louis: Grrr! Many restaurants automatically add a "gratuity" for large groups (sometimes seven or eight people are considered a large group). Now, a gratuity is given for good service and should not be automatically charged. What they're really doing is asking payment of a surcharge for being a "volume buyer" of their services. Most organizations give discounts to "volume buyers." Then, to top it all off, they won't even divide the bill. I know that some will say that it's my choice to do business with such places, but since virtually all restaurants do this, it's really not a choice. I also know that some will say that this is to make sure that the servers receive a tip, but I really doubt that.
Michelle from cyberspace: Why should I be made to feel guilty about reclining my seat on an airplane? It is my seat. I paid (a lot) for it. The airline provided that feature for my comfort. I highly doubt that the two inches or so that the top of my seat invades into the one behind me is going to make a lot of difference. The minute the flight attendants tell me I can, I will continue to push that nifty little button that provides at least a little ease from back pain, and the slightest bit higher chance of sleeping.
Dave from Atlanta, Ga.: My Grrr! goes out to anyone who just can't stand to say "Merry Christmas" and feel the need to say "Happy Holidays" instead. Do what I do and ask them which holiday they are referring to and run down the whole list of holidays. They may look at you funny, but it does get your point across when you end it with "Oh, you mean Merry Christmas" and walk off.
Respond to Mike | Grrr! Lexicon
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