"Not Immediately Returned" and Other Things That Grind My Gears

I'm feeling grouchy this morning, so it's time to get in touch with my inner curmudgeon again by griping about a few things.

One of the things we are blessed with here in the United States is a vibrant and unbridled free press. The problem is that "vibrant and unbridled" doesn't always equate to "intelligent." One of the things that amazes me is the trend toward what I call "Gotcha Journalism" - the desperate search for the scandal that just has to be there if the reporter only digs long enough. Part of Gotcha Journalism is the line that is almost standard in any embarrassing investigative report (i.e., gotcha article): "A call to Congressman Earmark's office asking for comment was not immediately returned."

Not immediately returned. I think this line represents the height of arrogance. It implies that nothing is more important than returning that call from Marty Muckraker at the Daily Bloviator. I don't always immediately return calls. At my age, when I come home I don't immediately check the answering machine...I immediately go to the bathroom. Whatever's on the answering machine can wait. But in the context of Gotcha Journalism, not immediately returned implies that that Congressman Earmark, that dirty scumbag, is hiding something by avoiding the stern gaze of Mr Muckraker, lantern-jawed guardian of the public good.

What a crock.

Another thing that irritates me nowadays: point-of-sale terminals.

I almost never pay cash for anything over about $5.00 any more - I use my debit card. I used to write a dozen or more checks a week...now I write them only to pay bills that have to be paid by mail, or to rent floor space for practice at a local dance studio. Everything else goes on the debit card. The problem is that there are no two places on earth that have identical point-of-sale terminals. Do you swipe on the left, right, top or bottom of the machine? Magnetic strip up or down, left or right as you swipe? Do you have to select credit or debit, or does the machine sense it? How many silly questions do you have to answer on screen while you wait? Where are the yes/no buttons to answer them with - left, right, or on the screen? Is the machine a touch-screen that needs a stylus (which is usually missing) or can you use your finger?

Someday, when I'm fabulously wealthy and spending the rest of my life taking Princess Cruises to every destination they visit, I'm going to endow a foundation dedicated to developing and fielding a single, standard, easy-to-use point of sale terminal...and driving every business that doesn't use it into receivership.

So there.

Gas prices. Out of sight. And I'm tired of everyone saying it's nobody's fault, particularly when the major oil companies are posting all-time record profits even as the local stations make pennies on the sale of each gallon. You may have seen these pictures:

and...What more can I say?

It's Friday, which means that the weekend is almost here. And I'll spend much of it swiping my debit card at a dozen different point of sale terminals.

If you listen carefully, the low, griping sound you hear in the background is me.

Have a good day. More thoughts tomorrow.

Bilbo