I hate nit picking. Rules that do not insure anything other than every once in a while someone will get screwed for a mistake or slip up that has nothing to do with anything. A sip up that costs the person EVERYTHING!
For instance, in golf years ago a professional signed his score card after finishing the final hole in first place in a big tournament. It turns out he signed the card incorrectly. The final score was correct, but the score on one hole had been marked incorrectly. Everyone knew the correct score. The scores for every golfer were all on a giant scoreboard at the venue. The event was televised and every fan watching knew the score. This golfer, Roberto DeVencenso I believe, won the tournament, but because his score card was incorrect and he signed it, he was disqualified.
Nit Picking!
A rule probably established 100 years before TV and giant scoreboards cost him the tournament. Not a shot out of bounds, a missed putt or a course hazard…a stupid meaningless nit picking rule.
Schools today have a no exception policy toward sexual harassment and weapons in school. So a five year old gets suspended for hugging a little girl and a six year old gets suspended for making a noise while pointing his finger gun like.
Nit picking.
Just the other day a game-show contestant lost a lot of money because of nit picking. In this word game the contestant has to guess the words in a puzzle before all the letters are filled in. If he states the words incorrectly he loses a turn. In this puzzle the answer for four words were:
Dog/Cat/ Mouse/ Frog (not the actual words).
Before solving the hosts always warns, “Just the words, don’t add anything.”
At least several times a year a contestant will solve “Dog, Cat, Mouse, AND Frog.”
He is disqualified for adding “AND”. Yes he is warned, yes he should know better, but adding AND is just a natural way of communicating.
Nit picking…and stupid.
Another show requires an answer be in the form of a question. Many contestants have lost for responding “George Washington” instead of “Who is George Washington.”
Nit picking and stupid!
I know, a rule is a rule and the line has to be drawn somewhere, but every once and a while common sense should prevail.
Just as you might not be able to define pornography, but you know it when you see it; I can’t say where to draw the line at all times, but I know nit picking when I see it.
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