Exchanges with People that Make Your Brain Hurt

[MommyPenguin]

The "Didn't I just say I was going to do that?" stories reminded me of an experience I had years ago.  I might have mentioned this one in the early days of this thread but it still makes me go, "Buh?"

When I was younger, I went through a bout of persistent UTIs and one particularly ugly one occurred over the weekend.  I was unable to see my regular doctor so I went into urgent care instead.  As soon as I started showing symptoms, I popped a couple of those numbing pills to keep me from killing someone before I could be seen by a professional.  These things have a color changing effect on your output. 

As I was in triage, I mentioned to the nurse why I was there and also that I had taken the numbing pills.

A culture is taken.  The doctor then comes in and starts scolding me for taking the numbing pills.  People are always taking those and then they feel better and just ignore the fact that they have an infection and need to be seen.  It's irresponsible!!  It's ridiculous!  How is he supposed to do his job if we insist on taking these things!  They don't cure the infection, they just numb the pain.  THE HUUUMMMAAAANNNNIIIITTTYYYYY!!!!

The nurse and I were both 

I get what he was saying but I was THERE.  Waiting for him to confirm that I did have a UTI.  So I could get it treated with the proper medication.   Dude was preaching to the choir.

This sounds like today, when I attempted to call a system to update my record with correct information.  It had one of those awful automated systems where you never get anywhere or anyone.  When it gave you some menu options, one of them was, "Update my information."  I pressed the button for this, and was then treated to a one-minute long message of, "It is *very* important that you always update your information with our system if it goes out of date.  You should always notify us of any changes."  Etc.  Hello!  I'm dialing your number and chose the update option, obviously that's what I want!

[Cat-Fu]

Sorry for the double post, but a friend of mine posted this link

http://www.businessinsider.com/japanese-robot-suit-approved-for-worldwide-rollout-2013-2#ixzz2MPHiHSMa

The part that hurt my brain was the names of the device and the company that made said device.

Don't worry too much, there needs to be 8,995 revisions before it reaches HAL 9000 and then gains self awareness via Skynet.

[magicdomino]

Sorry for the double post, but a friend of mine posted this link

http://www.businessinsider.com/japanese-robot-suit-approved-for-worldwide-rollout-2013-2#ixzz2MPHiHSMa

The part that hurt my brain was the names of the device and the company that made said device.

I don't think the names are unreasonable at all.  It hurts my brain that anyone would associate a Japanese product in 2013 with a 45 year old American film, or even a 29 year old American film. Most likely half the people working on these robots weren't even alive when those films came out, and being on a totally different continent that speaks a different language then the films were made in, they probably have little to no knowledge of their existence or relevance.

As long as the robot limbs don't sing "Bicycle Built for Two" or say, "I can't do that, Dave." I think the name is fine. 

[jedikaiti]

Sorry for the double post, but a friend of mine posted this link

http://www.businessinsider.com/japanese-robot-suit-approved-for-worldwide-rollout-2013-2#ixzz2MPHiHSMa

The part that hurt my brain was the names of the device and the company that made said device.

I don't think the names are unreasonable at all.  It hurts my brain that anyone would associate a Japanese product in 2013 with a 45 year old American film, or even a 29 year old American film. Most likely half the people working on these robots weren't even alive when those films came out, and being on a totally different continent that speaks a different language then the films were made in, they probably have little to no knowledge of their existence or relevance.

It hurts my brain that their marketing folks DIDN'T - in this day and age, businesses need to take multiple cultures into consideration, lest they totally alienate a potential client base. Also, most of the folks I know who would be most interested in this development absolutely WILL associate both those names with those films, regardless of age. One of those films is something of a cinematic classic, even if it's not everyone's cup of tea.

Sorry for the double post, but a friend of mine posted this link

http://www.businessinsider.com/japanese-robot-suit-approved-for-worldwide-rollout-2013-2#ixzz2MPHiHSMa

The part that hurt my brain was the names of the device and the company that made said device.

I don't think the names are unreasonable at all.  It hurts my brain that anyone would associate a Japanese product in 2013 with a 45 year old American film, or even a 29 year old American film. Most likely half the people working on these robots weren't even alive when those films came out, and being on a totally different continent that speaks a different language then the films were made in, they probably have little to no knowledge of their existence or relevance.

As long as the robot limbs don't sing "Bicycle Built for Two" or say, "I can't do that, Dave." I think the name is fine. 

Fine, but still amusing. 

[Reika]

It hurts my brain that their marketing folks DIDN'T - in this day and age, businesses need to take multiple cultures into consideration, lest they totally alienate a potential client base. Also, most of the folks I know who would be most interested in this development absolutely WILL associate both those names with those films, regardless of age. One of those films is something of a cinematic classic, even if it's not everyone's cup of tea.

Thank you! I wasn't quite sure how to respond, but this is perfect. And I had to do a couple of searches to make sure this wasn't a gag on his part, but apparently it's legit.

[Iris]

It hurts my brain that their marketing folks DIDN'T - in this day and age, businesses need to take multiple cultures into consideration, lest they totally alienate a potential client base. Also, most of the folks I know who would be most interested in this development absolutely WILL associate both those names with those films, regardless of age. One of those films is something of a cinematic classic, even if it's not everyone's cup of tea.

Thank you! I wasn't quite sure how to respond, but this is perfect. And I had to do a couple of searches to make sure this wasn't a gag on his part, but apparently it's legit.

I have to say I agree. Both movies have infiltrated popular culture to a greater or lesser extent - they're not just movies anymore. l vote marketing fail.

[Hillia]

My SIL and  brother were moving from Tucson to another state.  SIL was pregnant at the time.  She's, um, high strung at the best of times, and had a tough time with pregnancy hormones.  So her mother, who lives in another state, got her all worked up about hantavirus because they lived in the southwestern US and everyone there was exposed to hanta and you would diiiiieeeeeee immediately.  (hantavirus, from what I understand, is primarily carried through mouse excrement; SIL kept a very clean house and there were no mice anywhere).

So we're all out for dinner as they get ready to move, and SIL says to DB, 'As soon as we get to the new house, we have to wash all the dishes and cookware in the dishwasher to kill the hantavirus!'.  DB says, ok, fine, we'll do that. 
SIL: No!  You don't understand!  We have to wash EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!
DB: OK, you just tell me how you want to handle it and I'll help.  We'll run everything through the dishwasher
SIL: You're not getting it!  We have to wash everything!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
DB:  Right, we will.  I'll do whatever you need me to do
SIL: YOU'RE NOT LISTENING TO ME!  WE HAVE TO WASH EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111

DB finally had to tell her rather sharply to let it go, they'd talk about it later.

[Diane AKA Traska]

It hurts my brain that their marketing folks DIDN'T - in this day and age, businesses need to take multiple cultures into consideration, lest they totally alienate a potential client base. Also, most of the folks I know who would be most interested in this development absolutely WILL associate both those names with those films, regardless of age. One of those films is something of a cinematic classic, even if it's not everyone's cup of tea.

Thank you! I wasn't quite sure how to respond, but this is perfect. And I had to do a couple of searches to make sure this wasn't a gag on his part, but apparently it's legit.

I have to say I agree. Both movies have infiltrated popular culture to a greater or lesser extent - they're not just movies anymore. l vote marketing fail.

I vote marketing win, actually.  The names aren't offensive, they don't make you react negatively to the product itself, and you're talking about them.

[Elfmama]

It hurts my brain that their marketing folks DIDN'T - in this day and age, businesses need to take multiple cultures into consideration, lest they totally alienate a potential client base. Also, most of the folks I know who would be most interested in this development absolutely WILL associate both those names with those films, regardless of age. One of those films is something of a cinematic classic, even if it's not everyone's cup of tea.

Thank you! I wasn't quite sure how to respond, but this is perfect. And I had to do a couple of searches to make sure this wasn't a gag on his part, but apparently it's legit.

The folks at Universal Technical Institute didn't realize that the initials that they go by means something entirely different to the female half of humanity... (Yes, I know that men can get UTIs, but it's much rarer than for women.)

[Shalamar]

2littlemonkeys, weren't you tempted to tell the male doctor "No uterus, no opinion"?  Because I would've been!

[Nikko-chan]

It hurts my brain that their marketing folks DIDN'T - in this day and age, businesses need to take multiple cultures into consideration, lest they totally alienate a potential client base. Also, most of the folks I know who would be most interested in this development absolutely WILL associate both those names with those films, regardless of age. One of those films is something of a cinematic classic, even if it's not everyone's cup of tea.

Thank you! I wasn't quite sure how to respond, but this is perfect. And I had to do a couple of searches to make sure this wasn't a gag on his part, but apparently it's legit.

The folks at Universal Technical Institute didn't realize that the initials that they go by means something entirely different to the female half of humanity... (Yes, I know that men can get UTIs, but it's much rarer than for women.)

Before the Pennsylvania Culinary Institute was called the Pennsylvania Culinary Institute (PCI) it was called Pennsylvania Institute of Culinary Arts. All fine and dandy, til someone points out that your acronym (PICA) is also a name for a disorder where people eat things that shouldn't be eaten! My former high school science teacher apparently pointed that out to them.

back to the regular scheduled thread!

[nutraxfornerves]

Many, many years ago, my employer did a reorganization and created a unit that my boss named "Research and Technical Services" and asked me to be in charge of it. I asked him if he had ever thought about the acronym. He hadn't.

At the first meeting of the new group, I asked them what they felt about the name and if they wanted to come up with another one. They thought it was pretty cool, so it stayed. And, until I moved on, my informal job title was Heat Rat.

[Garden Goblin]

I have to say I agree. Both movies have infiltrated popular culture to a greater or lesser extent - they're not just movies anymore. l vote marketing fail.

Makes me wonder if someone did the name it in as a joke expecting it to get caught, and it just swooooshed by the marketing people.

I've done that a few times - deliberately created an acronym and waited for somebody to catch it, or put a joke name in as a placeholder and had it make it to the final.  That's actually how a set of streets ended up named after my family members.

[Shalamar]

My project's initials are PMS.   

[LadyJaneinMD]

My project's initials are PMS.   

My college degree is in Applied Social Science.   Yeah, I have a degree in that.