Endorsements bug me. They're the zipless you-know-what of LinkedIn. Recommendations required that the writer actually know you, have worked with you, and had something to say (and took the time to write something up); they weren't easy to create or earn.

And yes, the generic invites bug me too. If you want to be added to my contacts list, the least you could do is personalize the reason and let me know HOW you know me (if we're not old friends/colleagues) or why I should add you to my connections (like "so and so said we should be connected").