Really trivial stuff that bugs you

[profloater]

Britain has an Indian history, explaining the popularity, like Gin and Tonic, I believe Chicken Tikka Masala out numbers fish and chips per day in normal times. I have tried several Indian restaurants in USA and they are OK, just nothing like the UK experience which we hear is nothing like the experience in the original regions. It should be no surprise that the recipe evolves to suit the local customers.

[Noclevername]

Britain has an Indian history, explaining the popularity, like Gin and Tonic, I believe Chicken Tikka Masala out numbers fish and chips per day in normal times. I have tried several Indian restaurants in USA and they are OK, just nothing like the UK experience which we hear is nothing like the experience in the original regions. It should be no surprise that the recipe evolves to suit the local customers.

I have been told anecdotally, that Chicken Tikka Masala is not native to India and may in fact be a UK creation; just as Chow Mein and Fortune Cookies, staples of US Chinese restaurants, are foreign to China.

[grant hutchison]

I have been told anecdotally, that Chicken Tikka Masala is not native to India and may in fact be a UK creation; just as Chow Mein and Fortune Cookies, staples of US Chinese restaurants, are foreign to China.

Yes, there are a lot of stories about how Chicken Tikka Masala (and Madras and Balti dishes) originated in the UK. I used to eat regularly in a restaurant in Glasgow that claimed Chicken Tikka Masala as its own invention. But mainly, it's a fusion thing, with Indian dishes adapted for UK diners. Vindaloo travelled in the opposite direction, with an original Portuguese dish adapted for Indian tastes in Goa.
I think Phall is maybe the only curry that was invented completely in the UK, by Bangladeshi restaurants in Birmingham, probably in revenge for the Raj. (It's a senselessly hot concoction, like eating a tomato that's on fire.)

Grant Hutchison

[The Backroad Astronomer]

Yes, there are a lot of stories about how Chicken Tikka Masala (and Madras and Balti dishes) originated in the UK. I used to eat regularly in a restaurant in Glasgow that claimed Chicken Tikka Masala as its own invention. But mainly, it's a fusion thing, with Indian dishes adapted for UK diners. Vindaloo travelled in the opposite direction, with an original Portuguese dish adapted for Indian tastes in Goa.
I think Phall is maybe the only curry that was invented completely in the UK, by Bangladeshi restaurants in Birmingham, probably in revenge for the Raj. (It's a senselessly hot concoction, like eating a tomato that's on fire.)

Grant Hutchison

People have been fusing dishes for a long time before they called it fusion. When new foods came form the new world to Europe people eventually adapted recipes for the new ingredients.

[The Backroad Astronomer]

A couple of weeks ago a great aunt broke her arm and at night mom has been taken care of her. Last Wednesday they found the sister to that great passed away and the only way they found is that the first great aunts neighbor told her. The family of the great-aunt that passed away could phoned somebody, the one that passed away actually lives on a road that connects to our own.

[ozduck]

I think "Indian' Breads are like 'Artisan' Breads in that there are a huge number of varieties to choose from. I have eaten - at least - Chapati, Paratha, Puri, Naan, Appam, Bhatura, Poppadum & Roti. Sometimes you don't even know what variety it is, especially as the name is often spelled differently, but just point at one that looks interesting. I have yet to find one that didn't taste nice.

[Gillianren]

People have been fusing dishes for a long time before they called it fusion. When new foods came form the new world to Europe people eventually adapted recipes for the new ingredients.

To the extent that people now do not believe that certain foods are New World. The potato is from South America, for example.

I think "Indian' Breads are like 'Artisan' Breads in that there are a huge number of varieties to choose from. I have eaten - at least - Chapati, Paratha, Puri, Naan, Appam, Bhatura, Poppadum & Roti. Sometimes you don't even know what variety it is, especially as the name is often spelled differently, but just point at one that looks interesting. I have yet to find one that didn't taste nice.

In the old days, when travel was harder, regions would develop different kinds of bread that would be traditional to that region. Some of them are more about shaping than any other real difference, but it's not really surprising to consider how many things in grain-growing regions fit under the banner of "bread."

[Trebuchet]

To the extent that people now do not believe that certain foods are New World. The potato is from South America, for example.

And hot peppers. Alton Brown, during a show on them explained "How did people in India make curries? They didn't." Now I'm going to have to look up when capsicums got to Asia.

Misleading headline I just saw on Bing: "Man hits deer, wins $2M". My thought was to wonder who he sued over hitting a deer. He didn't. He hit the deer and won the lottery on the same day.

[grant hutchison]

And hot peppers. Alton Brown, during a show on them explained "How did people in India make curries? They didn't." Now I'm going to have to look up when capsicums got to Asia.

Sixteenth century, with the Portuguese. That feeds back into what I mentioned earlier, with reference to vindaloo curry being originally a Portuguese dish, carne de vinha d'alhos. It originally involved garlic and pepper, but the Portuguese had already livened it up with cloves from the Spice Islands and paprika and red pepper from the New World by the time they established themselves in Goa.
But suggesting that Indians couldn't make curry until they acquired peppers is a heck of a stretch. Garlic, ginger, coriander, curry leaves, cardamom, peppercorn, mustard, cloves, cumin, cinnamon ... you can mix up a rather lovely garam masala from that little lot with no bother at all.

Grant Hutchison

[Noclevername]

Likewise, though the "first" modern pizza was made in 19th century Naples, the term pizza dates to the tenth century AD long predating tomatoes in Italy, and based itself on the ancient and universal habit of cooking stuff on bread.

[Trebuchet]

My truck is still dead.
I own it primarily for the purpose of hauling trebuchets to the pumpkin hurling. Which last happened in September, 2019. I last drove it -- um, not sure. October 2020? When I had to get the yard guy to jump start it, the battery being dead. And it's dead again.
No problem, I have a yellow box for the purpose of jump starting! Except that seems to have failed as well. Not surprising, as it's from Harbor Freight and some years old. Perhaps tomorrow I'll try to jump it from one of the other cars.
What I really need is a better pickup, including mod-cons like AC and a working radio! And which could replace both the old truck and the RAV4 I routinely drive. But I don't want to go vehicle shopping just now. Maybe I'll buy a new battery.

In the amuses me department: I briefly looked on Amazon for jump start boxes. They were pushing a particular brand. A few minutes later, I was looking at YouTube and was recommended a video by BigClive of a teardown of a failed box of that same brand. Oops.

I think I'll go fix dinner!

[Trebuchet]

The truck is even deader than I though; going to have to have it towed.

But that's not why I'm here. Sequim, about 30 miles west of me is in the national news, not for a very good reason. I can't discuss that, but what bugs me is that at least one article described it as a "Puget Sound Town". Sequim is on the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and very much NOT on Puget Sound!

[ozduck]

As I mentioned in the Covid-19 thread yesterday we are starting a 5 day lockdown. In the 4 or so hours before the lockdown began the old 'Toilet Paper Hysteria' kicked in again. For a 5 day lockdown when the supermarkets are still open!

[Jens]

As I mentioned in the Covid-19 thread yesterday we are starting a 5 day lockdown. In the 4 or so hours before the lockdown began the old 'Toilet Paper Hysteria' kicked in again. For a 5 day lockdown when the supermarkets are still open!

It's really weird, isn't it? Actually, here we had a "state of emergency" in April, and the toilet paper disappeared. Now we've gone into a second one (as of the beginning of January), but there are still masks and toilet paper in the shops. Maybe people have just gotten used to it...

[ozduck]

It's really weird, isn't it? Actually, here we had a "state of emergency" in April, and the toilet paper disappeared. Now we've gone into a second one (as of the beginning of January), but there are still masks and toilet paper in the shops. Maybe people have just gotten used to it...

We seemed to have become so blasé about our virus-free status here that the snap lockdown sent a lot of people back into the sort of blind panic of early last year. They simply forgot, or chose to forget, that once the panic buying had subsided last year all these goods were in plentiful supply. The major supermarkets are now limiting the purchase of various items. Certainly not the finest hour for the local population.

[Gillianren]

But that's not why I'm here. Sequim, about 30 miles west of me is in the national news, not for a very good reason. I can't discuss that, but what bugs me is that at least one article described it as a "Puget Sound Town". Sequim is on the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and very much NOT on Puget Sound!

Yet when I was once looking for a lawyer, I found one who claimed to work in the "Puget Sound region" and wouldn't take my case despite my having lived literally in walking distance from the Sound, because they said they didn't work in my area.

[Trebuchet]

Dear commercial bakeries: You know those plastic clips you put on the bag? The white ones disappear on my countertop. Please make them bright colors.

[grant hutchison]

"This simple puzzle is exposing how bad everyone is at maths"

1) "Everyone" isn't bad at maths.
2) It's not maths.
3) It's barely a puzzle--it's understanding what the word "triangle" means and then counting stuff.
4) Who are these idiots?

Grant Hutchison

[Noclevername]

"This simple puzzle is exposing how bad everyone is at maths"

1) "Everyone" isn't bad at maths.
2) It's not maths.
3) It's barely a puzzle--it's understanding what the word "triangle" means and then counting stuff.
4) Who are these idiots?

Grant Hutchison

1. Everyone is shorthand for "I am, so I assume 'everyone' is."
2. Wouldn't be a Clickbait tagline without at least one major mistake or exaggeration.
3. Math-adjacent? ...I got nothin'.
4. It's an internet test, it self-filters for Poor Impulse Control.

[Trebuchet]

Sorry, Grant, but it bugs me when UK people say "maths" instead of "math"!

[profloater]

Sorry, Grant, but it bugs me when UK people say "maths" instead of "math"!

I must say it bugs me, just a little, when Americans say Math, instead of Maths, But I can still understand “mathematics”. But I would not comment on it, except perhaps the injunction “do the Math” rarely calls for arithmetic and seems to relegate one of mankind' s greatest achievements to “no brainer”, an ugly phrase in my opinion.

[grant hutchison]

If I got bugged by every difference in usage between the USA and UK, I think I'd be worn out by the end of an average day.
I am somewhat bugged by people who say "mathematics" when they mean "adding a couple of numbers together". In my world, that's arithmetic, which bears the same relationship to mathematics as spelling does to writing.

Grant Hutchison

[profloater]

If I got bugged by every difference in usage between the USA and UK, I think I'd be worn out by the end of an average day.
I am somewhat bugged by people who say "mathematics" when they mean "adding a couple of numbers together". In my world, that's arithmetic, which bears the same relationship to mathematics as spelling does to writing.

Grant Hutchison

I guess my interpretation of bugged, is, I notice, like I notice if an insect (bug) enters my peripheral vision. If bugged means aroused, then that is not my feeling. There is too much to worry about in the world, well outside my control, to get bugged by trivia. But this forum is not about those issues.

[grant hutchison]

I guess my interpretation of bugged, is, I notice, like I notice if an insect (bug) enters my peripheral vision. If bugged means aroused, then that is not my feeling. There is too much to worry about in the world, well outside my control, to get bugged by trivia. But this forum is not about those issues.

Well, in Norman Spinrad's novel Bug Jack Barron, the object of the TV show was to annoy the host, not merely to draw things fleetingly to his attention. And the OED offers the definition "to annoy, irritate" and Merriam-Webster "to bother, annoy"--so it seems the bug in question is a biting one.
Trebuchet's the expert, though--it's his thread, and he did use the word "bother" when he started it.

Grant Hutchison

[PetersCreek]

Sorry, Grant, but it bugs me when UK people say "maths" instead of "math"!

I assume you're not similarly bothered by German speakers saying die Mathe or by the Spanish term, los mates, right? So, I don't really get why something said in another variant of English would be so bugacious, to coin a term. In fact, I rather like our differences. I think they make life more interesting. I also prefer the Oxford comma. Sue me.

Also interesting...to me, anyway: this turn in the discussion prompted me to do some light googling of math vs maths and I found a couple of examples of US usage from the 1830s that showed mathematics in the contracted form, math's. I believe UK usage was the same at that time. According to Etymology.com, math dates to 1890 in the US, while the UK later dropped the apostrophe in 1911, resulting in maths. So we truncated the word and they contracted it. Toe-may-toe, toe-mah-toe.

[PetersCreek]

In fact, I rather like our differences. I think they make life more interesting.

Now, contrary to my self-proclaimed open-mindedness, something that does mildly bug me is when people from certain regions in the US drop "to be" from infinitive verb forms. Back in my military days, I was talking with a young coworker when I asked if he was from Pennsylvania. He said, "Yes. How did you know?" I replied, "You said that your car needs washed."

[Noclevername]

Now, contrary to my self-proclaimed open-mindedness, something that does mildly bug me is when people from certain regions in the US drop "to be" from infinitive verb forms. Back in my military days, I was talking with a young coworker when I asked if he was from Pennsylvania. He said, "Yes. How did you know?" I replied, "You said that your car needs washed."

My sister was brought up in the Northeast, moved to the South and then settled in the Midwest. Her "to be" was lost sometime during the move.

[grant hutchison]

Now, contrary to my self-proclaimed open-mindedness, something that does mildly bug me is when people from certain regions in the US drop "to be" from infinitive verb forms. Back in my military days, I was talking with a young coworker when I asked if he was from Pennsylvania. He said, "Yes. How did you know?" I replied, "You said that your car needs washed."

That's a pretty standard construction in Scotland, which some have suggested is the origin of the usage in the USA. In fact, adding the "to be" would be considered a little affected.
In England, you'll also hear "your car wants washing". But Scots aren't comfortable with inanimate objects wanting things, or with the use of the gerund, reasonable though that construction is grammatically.

Grant Hutchison

[PetersCreek]

That's a pretty standard construction in Scotland, which some have suggested is the origin of the usage in the USA.

Now that you mention it, I seem to remember having read that.

[Trebuchet]

I assume you're not similarly bothered by German speakers saying die Mathe or by the Spanish term, los mates, right? So, I don't really get why something said in another variant of English would be so bugacious, to coin a term. In fact, I rather like our differences. I think they make life more interesting. I also prefer the Oxford comma. Sue me.

Also interesting...to me, anyway: this turn in the discussion prompted me to do some light googling of math vs maths and I found a couple of examples of US usage from the 1830s that showed mathematics in the contracted form, math's. I believe UK usage was the same at that time. According to Etymology.com, math dates to 1890 in the US, while the UK later dropped the apostrophe in 1911, resulting in maths. So we truncated the word and they contracted it. Toe-may-toe, toe-mah-toe.

It was a joke, actually! Sorry.

Now, contrary to my self-proclaimed open-mindedness, something that does mildly bug me is when people from certain regions in the US drop "to be" from infinitive verb forms. Back in my military days, I was talking with a young coworker when I asked if he was from Pennsylvania. He said, "Yes. How did you know?" I replied, "You said that your car needs washed."

I had a co-worker who did that all the time. He's lived his whole life here in the Pacific Northwest and I don't hear other people doing it so I don't know where it came from. Parents, perhaps.