Can we make the time-since display optional?

If a bug is a feature that can't be turned off, then comments and categories both share a bug :)

Can we add simple admin checkbox option on both of these to omit the second box line showing the time since the entry (or most recent entry) was made? I can see where they may have use in some situations, but I'm finding for all my sites, the information isn't really important enough to place into the sidebar box.

It's simple enough to snip it out, but I'd rather it was an option.