Ack ack ack! 150%

[EyeballsintheSky]

How the blazes can you give 150% when 100% is the absolute maximum? Even 101% is impossible.

I know it's crept into the language and maybe I should just accept it but it hurts my ears, like fingernails on a blackboard every time I hear it.

Well mathematically you can .... I think...

It is just how overused the expression is by team captains???

I seethe at this...

yes you can...

If the value of my house was 50K and is now value at 200K what is the % increase?

of course you can if theres an increase in something.

OK, but in terms of putting in effort or the like. I stand corrected on increases etc.

It made me laugh on 'I'm a Celebrity' when Christopher Biggins said 'We're behind you 40%!'

Ah yes Eyeballs there you are right. 'Tis annoying and incorrect.

It is silly hyperbole, but it the meaning is easily understood and reasonably logical (ie whatever you think you can give is 100% and the team captain type person is urging you to exceed your own expectations of what is possible). I'm sure it's a useful shorthand for people who are keen on competitive sports and the like.

I don't particularly like it, but I don't think it's wrong.

Oh, all those idiots on "The Apprentice" are always giving Sralan "110%". I'm just waiting for him to say "well, you carn even do maffs, sunshine, so I ain't gonna be employin' you!"

You're right. It's not nice.

Funny, cos where I work, they're always going on about giving 120%. So that's a bit better than Alan Sugar's lot but not quite as good as the OP's bunch. Oh what to say for the best.

love the impression unquiet dad. think you should've sneaked a "balluddy" in there too though....

Eyeballs - I totally agree with you. It's such a farking stupid thing to say, and it IS wrong. What they are trying to say (in a piteously ineloquent manner) is that they will give their all. All of themselves = 100%

If you're going to break the laws of mathematics, why not go for something a bit more impressive than 110% FGS??? I want to see them give 678368713491394410%

piteously? I meant pitifully. I think...I'm not 110% sure.