Overheard on Facebook

[frugalnacho]

Almost everyone I know drinks bottled water.   Most say it's because the tap water has a gross taste.  They are fucking nuts because I get the same tap water as them and it's perfectly fine.  We have excellent water in the metro detroit area. 

[Sugaree]

I'm probably spoiled because I grew up somewhere where the public water supply was spring-fed and tap water tasted fine.  When I moved away to college, I finally understood what people talked about when they said that tap water tastes funny.  I did use a Brita filter on my kitchen tap when I lived there.  I had a boss try to sell me on a whole-house filtration system right before I moved back home (I'm pretty sure it was an MLM).  Now, I work in a place where there are some probably-not-unfounded concerns about the mess Monsanto left behind contaminating the groundwater, so we run all of our drinking water/coffee water through a filter. 

[habanero]

On the web page of my city it just says "The water is perfectly safe to drink unless we say otherwise". If something funny happens (it can get light brown locally due to work on the main pipes) you get a text message explaining why it looks like it does, but still is perfectly safe to drink. On the very, very rare occation something serious happens, everyone in the affected area gets a text recommending boling water before drinking. Not happenend to me yet, but has been the case locally other places in the city over the years as there are more than one resevior and more than one plant where water is treated.

Few things are as throughly monitored as drinking water quality. Everywhere I go in Europe I drink tap water in the hotel and in the restaurants. If I somewhere more funky far away I tend to drink bottled water.

[honeybbq]

Almost everyone I know drinks bottled water.   Most say it's because the tap water has a gross taste.  They are fucking nuts because I get the same tap water as them and it's perfectly fine.  We have excellent water in the metro detroit area.

You've got to concede that at least folks in Michigan have reasons to be suspicious of the tap water. And any reports that say it's ok. And so the psyche could play with that a lot.
More so than say, southern California, with their crystal clear mountain water.

[Goldielocks]

Almost everyone I know drinks bottled water.   Most say it's because the tap water has a gross taste.  They are fucking nuts because I get the same tap water as them and it's perfectly fine.  We have excellent water in the metro detroit area.

Maybe Flint, MI is still fresh on their minds....

[Travis]

Almost everyone I know drinks bottled water.   Most say it's because the tap water has a gross taste.  They are fucking nuts because I get the same tap water as them and it's perfectly fine.  We have excellent water in the metro detroit area.

You've got to concede that at least folks in Michigan have reasons to be suspicious of the tap water. And any reports that say it's ok. And so the psyche could play with that a lot.
More so than say, southern California, with their crystal clear mountain water.

Yet millions of bottles of water are still sold in California. I laugh every time I'm home in CA and I see one of those "fresh mountain spring water" bottles, where in fine print it says "bottled in San Bernardino County."

[ysette9]

My host parents bought lots of bottled water as drinking water when I lived in France asn an exchange student. The tap water was fine to drink, so I gathered it must have been some vestige habits left over from when the water was not safe to drink. My mother lived in France for a few years as a girl when her father was stationed there with the US military, and she always says that the country she experienced was very poor. So a lot has changed over the past several decades.

I started bringing a water bottle to school with me that I would refill in the bathroom sink. At first my classmates found it odd but after a few weeks a number of them were doing the same thing.

A friend of mine had an au pair from Germany who got sick and had to be given something like 2L of fluids because she got so dehydrated. My friend said that apparently her au pair grew up in a culture where people just didn't drink much water at all, so it wasn't something that was on her radar for self care when sick. It is odd for me to think of since water bottles in our backpacks were a way of life when I was in high school and college.

[Imma]

I've only been outside the US a few times and I always figured having to buy bottled water was more about being a tourist and avoiding GI issues with the local tap water. Is it really that common outside the US to not have free/easy access to public drinking fountains, water at restaurants, etc?

I think it's more of a profit center for restaurants if they're able to sell a beverage instead of giving it away for free.

My first ever trip to a German restaurant I asked for a glass of water. It took a couple translations for the waitress to understand I was asking for tap water. She looked at me like I was either crazy or an asshole. I didn't know yet that a typical order of water was out of a glass bottle that you paid for.  I also learned on this trip that metal contaminants in tap water is a common concern. The faucets on our base in Germany all had warnings to run the water for 30 seconds to flush out lead.

Yes, if you go to a restaurant, it is very unusual to order tap water and expect it to be free. It's a bit like bringing your own food. But it get's more and more common.

But I am really surprised about the second part. There is no food in Germany that is as much regulated and tested as drinking water. I never heard anyone suggesting that "leitungswasser" is similar to sewer water.
In my lifetime (~35 years) I might have heard once that I should run the water for a while before I can drink it. (In this case, the problem is not the water but the plumbing within the house!) I might have heard this advice as a story from my parents, when they talk about old buildings in the 50th and 60ths...

We have fantastic tap water in the Netherlands, and so does Germany. I like the water that comes out of my tap better than the water that comes in the blue Spa bottles. But I know quite a few Germans who won't drink tap water and instead buy these massive bottles of water. One of them complained they couldn't find gigantic bottles in shops in NL (the largest is 1,5 liter) and she thought I was crazy for even suggesting that. But just because water is safe to drink doesn't mean it tastes nice. I know tap water is 100% safe in the UK but in certain locations there's water coming from the tap that's too disgusting to even brush your teeth with. But I'm sure if you grew up with it you'd think it was fine.

I do think people drink less water here, especially during winter. People over a certain age don't carry around water bottles and drink all day. Eating and drinking all day long is really considered to be a very American thing to do.

[zolotiyeruki]

We have fantastic tap water in the Netherlands, and so does Germany. I like the water that comes out of my tap better than the water that comes in the blue Spa bottles. But I know quite a few Germans who won't drink tap water and instead buy these massive bottles of water. One of them complained they couldn't find gigantic bottles in shops in NL (the largest is 1,5 liter) and she thought I was crazy for even suggesting that. But just because water is safe to drink doesn't mean it tastes nice. I know tap water is 100% safe in the UK but in certain locations there's water coming from the tap that's too disgusting to even brush your teeth with. But I'm sure if you grew up with it you'd think it was fine.

I do think people drink less water here, especially during winter. People over a certain age don't carry around water bottles and drink all day. Eating and drinking all day long is really considered to be a very American thing to do.

In my recollection, the whole water bottle trend started in the mid 90's.  I remember thinking it was the weirdest thing for other students to be carrying a bottle of water around the school instead of just getting a drink from the drinking fountain.

[TheGrimSqueaker]

We have fantastic tap water in the Netherlands, and so does Germany. I like the water that comes out of my tap better than the water that comes in the blue Spa bottles. But I know quite a few Germans who won't drink tap water and instead buy these massive bottles of water. One of them complained they couldn't find gigantic bottles in shops in NL (the largest is 1,5 liter) and she thought I was crazy for even suggesting that. But just because water is safe to drink doesn't mean it tastes nice. I know tap water is 100% safe in the UK but in certain locations there's water coming from the tap that's too disgusting to even brush your teeth with. But I'm sure if you grew up with it you'd think it was fine.

I do think people drink less water here, especially during winter. People over a certain age don't carry around water bottles and drink all day. Eating and drinking all day long is really considered to be a very American thing to do.

In my recollection, the whole water bottle trend started in the mid 90's.  I remember thinking it was the weirdest thing for other students to be carrying a bottle of water around the school instead of just getting a drink from the drinking fountain.

That sounds about right. The water fountain was a thing throughout school, for me, until engineering school when they suddenly appeared. My bestie and I-- the only females in the class-- exploited the trend of people bringing coffee and water in bottles for our own entertainment.

We conducted a massive experiment on our instructor and fellow students to condition them to truly not believe we were drinking alcohol in class. We did this first by ostentatiously bringing "Irish Cream" flavored coffee from the machine, in machine dispensed cups, and asserting that there was real booze in it. The next week we did the same, except we made a big show of pouring it into our Thermoses. We'd offer it around, to be polite, and nobody took us up on an offer of a sip. The third week, we just started making coffee at home and adding that fake creamer that had "Irish Cream" on the label. We did this in front of our instructor and classmates before the class began. Week four, we just started showing up with the pre-mixed beverage. Except it wasn't the fake Irish Cream at all. We brought coffee from home and poured the booze into the Thermoses in the parking lot, mixing it up and getting mellow. "There's real booze in it," we'd say, but nobody believed us. The rest of the term was pretty mellow and I recall we both got straight A's.

[dragoncar]

I went to HS in the 90s and we had a water bottle trend.  It was filling your reusable water bottle from the tap (nalgene or GTFO)

[Kitsunegari]

We have fantastic tap water in the Netherlands, and so does Germany. I like the water that comes out of my tap better than the water that comes in the blue Spa bottles. But I know quite a few Germans who won't drink tap water and instead buy these massive bottles of water. One of them complained they couldn't find gigantic bottles in shops in NL (the largest is 1,5 liter) and she thought I was crazy for even suggesting that. But just because water is safe to drink doesn't mean it tastes nice. I know tap water is 100% safe in the UK but in certain locations there's water coming from the tap that's too disgusting to even brush your teeth with. But I'm sure if you grew up with it you'd think it was fine.

I do think people drink less water here, especially during winter. People over a certain age don't carry around water bottles and drink all day. Eating and drinking all day long is really considered to be a very American thing to do.

In my recollection, the whole water bottle trend started in the mid 90's.  I remember thinking it was the weirdest thing for other students to be carrying a bottle of water around the school instead of just getting a drink from the drinking fountain.

That sounds about right. The water fountain was a thing throughout school, for me, until engineering school when they suddenly appeared. My bestie and I-- the only females in the class-- exploited the trend of people bringing coffee and water in bottles for our own entertainment.

We conducted a massive experiment on our instructor and fellow students to condition them to truly not believe we were drinking alcohol in class. We did this first by ostentatiously bringing "Irish Cream" flavored coffee from the machine, in machine dispensed cups, and asserting that there was real booze in it. The next week we did the same, except we made a big show of pouring it into our Thermoses. We'd offer it around, to be polite, and nobody took us up on an offer of a sip. The third week, we just started making coffee at home and adding that fake creamer that had "Irish Cream" on the label. We did this in front of our instructor and classmates before the class began. Week four, we just started showing up with the pre-mixed beverage. Except it wasn't the fake Irish Cream at all. We brought coffee from home and poured the booze into the Thermoses in the parking lot, mixing it up and getting mellow. "There's real booze in it," we'd say, but nobody believed us. The rest of the term was pretty mellow and I recall we both got straight A's.

I used to use a vodka bottle to carry around my tap water, because why not
I got reported to HR at work :-D but after a while people were used to it, so when I started to bring Amaretto nobody checked anything

[shelivesthedream]

I know tap water is 100% safe in the UK but in certain locations there's water coming from the tap that's too disgusting to even brush your teeth with. But I'm sure if you grew up with it you'd think it was fine.

I only drink tea or juice when I visit my grandmother. The water doesn't taste *bad* exactly, just... off. I live in one of the hardest water areas in the country, she lives in one of the softest.

[Imma]

I know tap water is 100% safe in the UK but in certain locations there's water coming from the tap that's too disgusting to even brush your teeth with. But I'm sure if you grew up with it you'd think it was fine.

I only drink tea or juice when I visit my grandmother. The water doesn't taste *bad* exactly, just... off. I live in one of the hardest water areas in the country, she lives in one of the softest.

That's it!!! We have hard water at home. From my memory water was particularly bad in Manchester and Birmingham. Google tells me those cities have very soft water. Leeds and York are fine but it turns out water there is much harder. This may sound a little obsessive but whenever I arrive in a new place, one of the first things I do is check whether the water is drinkable.

[Taran Wanderer]

So Facebook told us tonight that the COVID vaccines will cause sterility in women.  And the late-breaking in the article they threw in men, too. So, for all those listening, my DW’s crackpot Facebook friend from high school wants you all to know that you’ll go sterile if you get the COVID vaccination.

If someone is receiving advertising revenue for lying, isn’t that fraud or something?

[zolotiyeruki]

So Facebook told us tonight that the COVID vaccines will cause sterility in women.  And the late-breaking in the article they threw in men, too. So, for all those listening, my DW’s crackpot Facebook friend from high school wants you all to know that you’ll go sterile if you get the COVID vaccination.

Maybe it'll be considered as an alternative for vasectomies? :P

[RetiredAt63]

My, people have inventive minds. 

Not a problem anyway for us oldsters, or those who have already had as many kids as they want.  Free permanent birth control, no need for surgery.

Yes, being sarcastic here.

[Morning Glory]

My, people have inventive minds. 

Not a problem anyway for us oldsters, or those who have already had as many kids as they want.  Free permanent birth control, no need for surgery.

Yes, being sarcastic here.

Covid vaccine baby boom,?

[RetiredAt63]

My, people have inventive minds. 

Not a problem anyway for us oldsters, or those who have already had as many kids as they want.  Free permanent birth control, no need for surgery.

Yes, being sarcastic here.

Covid vaccine baby boom,?

OMG, if people believe it and don't take precautions . . .   But then, if they believe it they won't get vaccinated, so Covid is a more likely outcome than a Covid vaccine baby.  :-(

My brain hurts following the logic of this.

[Sibley]

Well, that would be one way to address the low birth rate.

[Just Joe]

So Facebook told us tonight that the COVID vaccines will cause sterility in women.  And the late-breaking in the article they threw in men, too. So, for all those listening, my DW’s crackpot Facebook friend from high school wants you all to know that you’ll go sterile if you get the COVID vaccination.

If someone is receiving advertising revenue for lying, isn’t that fraud or something?

Just another reason to quit Facebook.

[AlanStache]

So Facebook told us tonight that the COVID vaccines will cause sterility in women.  And the late-breaking in the article they threw in men, too. So, for all those listening, my DW’s crackpot Facebook friend from high school wants you all to know that you’ll go sterile if you get the COVID vaccination.

If someone is receiving advertising revenue for lying, isn’t that fraud or something?

Just another reason to quit Facebook.

The recent redesign was the last straw, I have only logged in once or twice in the last week.  Cant say I feel any different in life (yet...).  Its just the hassle of learning a new UI seemed greater than any benefit I might get from continued FB use.

[Kitsunegari]

On a Fb group I follow, someone ask about what weird NYE traditions we have
Someone commented they start the new year getting rid of all the consumable they have around the house and opening up new packages on Jan 1st. !!!
The idea of someone throwing out their dishsoap for absolutely no reason but a sort of "I felt like it" it's absolutely mind-boggling to me

[Davnasty]

Post: I'm looking to invest in stock. Friends, drop some companies I should look into below.
Response: I would look into AAPL, TSLA, AMZN, WMT. Due to the fact that they will be reporting their earnings soon and those companies are expected to release higher than expected earnings.

I expect this will end well...