There Ought To Be A Law...
(Some reflections on what's wrong in our society)

As Fr. Frog gets older (and grumpier according to some folks) I find that there are an awful lot of things that get my flippers in a frazzle.  The following lists some of my hot buttons--things that I find really get my blood pressure up-- in no particular order.  Now I don't mean to imply that everyone is like the examples below, but there seem to be an awful lot of them out there.

"Every normal man must be tempted at times to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin to slit throats." -- H.L. Mencken

Some horrific act occurs--a violent criminal steals a firearm and goes on a killing spree, terrorists kill scores of innocents, a drunk drives his car into a crowd,  a wild animal kills a jogger,  etc., etc.--and the bleeding hearts cry, "There ought to be a law...."  We now have so many laws that a whole industry thrives trying to interpret (and circumvent) them, and none of these laws have the slightest effect on stupid people or those who would do wrong.  (Did anyone ever stop to think that, by definition, criminals are those who make their living breaking laws and that only those who are honest feel bound by laws.  Hey!  We have laws against, murder, kidnapping, and rape, and they occur with alarming regularity.)  DUH!

A GI in the tension and stress of urban combat, after having his comrades killed by "wounded" terrorists shoots a "wounded" terrorist in front of a news reporter and the world reacts as if that soldier was Adolf Hitler incarnate, screaming about "rules of war," brutality, and "fairness."  Yet when a terrorist beheads an innocent person live on TV or blows up a bus of school children no body seems to get really upset.  They are TERRORISTS!  I say kill 'em all on sight, and make sure they are really dead!

Maybe some of those haters of the soldiers should be stuck into urban combat for a while, right up front with the guy going through the door first. (And since most of them are anti-gun let 'em go through the door unarmed.)

An actor puts a .44 magnum loaded with blanks in his ear,  pulls the trigger and blows his brains out, and his estate sues the gun manufacturer.  A man gets drunk and drives his $50,000 sports car into a bridge at 100 mph and his estate sues the beverage manufacturer and the car manufacturer.  A woman puts a hot cup of coffee between her thighs and drives off in her car burning herself and she sues the restaurant chain. A jogger, alone and unarmed in a wilderness area, is attacked by a wild animal and she sues the state government.  

Products ranging from airplanes to plastic bags now carry warnings that you risk death and dismemberment (or worse) if you do something incredibly stupid with them.  Cups of hot coffee now all carry warnings "Warning! Contents Hot."  Duh?  Plastic wrap and bags carry warnings not to put over your face. Sets of kitchen knives have "Danger! Sharp!" warnings advising the user not to put fingers under them.  There are even warnings on computer keyboards warning of risk of injury by using them!  Could this be next?

Just recently, I saw the warning to top all warnings.  I know some people are allergic to peanuts, but come on now.  On a bag of peanuts distributed in-flight on America West Airlines was the following warning. "Warning!  Produced in a plant that processes peanut products."  Good grief!  No kidding?

It use to be that people actually had enough brains to know that firearms, knives, hammers, drills, automobiles, hot things, chemicals, and wild animals could do you serious injury if mishandled.  If they did something stupid they owned up to it, accepted the consequences,  got on with life, and didn't try to blame others for their stupidity. 

Lawyers are getting rich suing companies because someone used a product in an obviously stupid manner and got hurt.  And we're paying for it with increased prices!

Maybe there ought to be a law!  A law simply banning  S T U P I D I T Y !

Then there is the trend for the government to protect us by passing laws banning firearms.  Firearms are banned because they "look" evil," have black plastic furniture, or have such things as flash hiders, vertical grips, or bayonet lugs.  Bayonet lugs?  When was the last time you heard of a 7-11 being held up at bayonet point?  In some jurisdictions simply changing the configuration of the wood stock makes you a felon with the attendant lose of rights.  Large capacity magazines?  I felt so much safer when new magazines over 10 round capacity were banned. (NOT!)  Consider this.  Someone is pointing a pistol with a magazine capacity of 15 rounds at you.  Then they remove 5 rounds from the magazine and point the pistol at you.  There, don't you feel safer?  Wouldn't matter even with 5 rounds or a single shot.  As for sustained fire, with a modicum of training a person can learn to swap magazines in about 1 second.  Now (2004-09-13) that the stupid "assault weapon" ban has expired most folks generally don't have to worry about these things but there are still some jerks out there trying to blame all crime since the "big bang" on such things.

Now the new trend is to make even minor and non violent offenses a "felony" or to treat them as a felony, and thus proscribe the person from ever owning a firearm or voting.  (Remember, it's not the sentence you actually get but rather the maximum sentence that could be imposed that counts.)  States like NJ are violating ex post facto and passing laws that are retro-active, turning otherwise honest citizens into "felons" who then have their doors kicked in to "protect" the public.  The government is NOT interested in public safety and order, never has been and never will be.  Even if everyone lived by the Golden Rule the government would still find ways to make that a crime so that they could lord their power over the citizens and make the government employees superior to the ordinary people. 

"There's no way to rule innocent men. The only power government has is the power to crack down on criminals. Well, when there aren't enough criminals, one makes them. One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking laws." -- Ayn Rand

And while we're on the topic.  There should at least be an easy and inexpensive process for non-violent "felons" to have their rights fully restored at the completion of their sentence.  Personally I'd feel safer living next door to a "felon" who had his rights restored and who owned a gun, than next to any government employee or agent of the state.

How about concealed weapons permit holders.  Folks with CCW permits undergo a tighter background check than law enforcement applicants in many cases (and generally get better training), yet they can't carry in many places--because they can't be "trusted."  And those "gun free" school zones (which are better termed "Please kill us" zones.  Why not just hang out a sign that reads "If you want to rob or kill our kids feel free to do so in complete safety."  Of course someone with malice on their mind will simply ignore such laws (What!  You mean signs aren't magic talismans of protection?)  and know that no one will resist them as they go about their evil rounds..  Those idiots who actually think such laws make them safer tell people that when confronted by a bad person that all they have to do is dial "911."  "Don't resist!  You might get hurt!" they bleat.  Of course since it can take quite a while for the boys in blue to show up (assuming that you can actually call them), so watcha gonna do while you're waiting and the bad guy is coming toward you?  Die?

Of course there is always the issue of political correctness.  You can actually be arrested and jailed in many places because you utter something about another person or their life style under your breath, or tell a joke that, someone with too much time on their hands overhears.  Meanwhile the utter lack of morals, self control, and honesty among members of the government is "OK."    If you disagree with someone's lifestyle, beliefs, or actions; or if you choose to associate with like minded people, the liberals, the media,  and the so-called "minorities" call you a bigot or a phobic even though THEY can put down anyone they choose.  Try setting up a white college fund, a conservative white  caucus, or a German-American college fund,  and see what happens.  If someone says something that "offends" you you have 3 options.  Put on your big-girl panties and deal with it, politely explain that you're upset, or punch their lights out.  Don't go whining to your lawyer or the press.  

By the way the term "homophobic" needs to be stricken from the language.  Phobic, from the Greek phobis means an abject paralyzing fear of something.  I know many people who are disgusted or revolted by such things but just because someone does not agree that homosexuality is a moral life style, or just because they prefer that their children not be influenced by it, does not mean they are paralyzed with fear by them.  Everyone does not have to agree with those of different views.  We just have to treat everyone with common courtesy.  The gay and PC crowd uses the term to make it seem that anyone not in full agreement with them is a bigot.

And speaking of "correctness" why is it ok for Muslims, blacks, and some other "minority groups" and their leaders to say anything vile, hateful, racist, or biased that they want about other races (especially) Caucasians and Christians, to defame icons of Christian faith, or the founders of our country.  The media is silent, but when a Caucasian or a Christian says the slightest slur, (real or imagined) the resulting uproar is in the news for days.

Another thing that really gets me is the shallowness of many "friendships" and number of people with the "What's in it for me," or the "It's about ME," attitudes.  They may claim to be a friend and turn to you when they need help, but the first time you find yourself in tough times or are in some need they are conveniently no where to be found.   Or, if it suits the occasion or they need to look good, they can speak ill of you to others yet smile to your face if you have what they want or need.  All they want is to take from you.  I have experienced this enough times and have had others speak of it that I truly believe that true friendships, honesty, integrity, and  morals are dying in our civilization. Maybe it's the current culture of instant gratification and self-aggrandization that is the root cause, but it is very sad.  I treasure my real friends.  And remember that this runs both ways.  Stick by your friends, and keep your word.

Even traditional neighborhoods are having problems.  When we first moved here the neighbors on either side of us came over, welcomed us,  introduced themselves, and offered any assistance that we might need to get settled.  Several of these folks have since died or moved and the people who replaced them are very unfriendly.  When my wife went over and introduced herself to one new young couple to welcome them to the neighborhood she was very rudely rejected and they basically ignore everyone here.  Nowadays its seems like many people don't want to be bothered with anyone but themselves and I hear things like this from all over.  Won't be sharing my supplies with them when the SHTF.

What part of ILLEGAL alien don't you understand?  If they are here illegally or have overstayed their visas, round 'em up and send them back. No ifs, ands, buts, nor excuses.  If they can't stand their governments, may they should work for changes in their own countries rather than mooching off the US.  It's not our fault their country is screwed up. Don't come here and mooch off of my taxes and the public welfare system, not pay taxes like the rest of us, and expect me to have to translate every stinking sign, document, and product's label, into your language because you are too lazy to learn the defacto language of this country.  Maybe we should give each illegal alien a rifle and 100 rounds of ammo and send 'em back to "reform" their own country.  And while we're at it lets nail those businesses that knowingly hire illegal aliens--especially those in communities with any unemployed US citizens.

I have friends in the UK and Europe who want to immigrate to the US but can't, because of quotas and visa restrictions.  They are successful, self-supporting businessmen and women who would be contributors to our society.  Yet some folks want illegal aliens to get all the social service benefits available, many of which are denied to hard working citizens.  Of course, hard working, successful people tend to vote conservatively while illegal aliens vote for whomever lets them stay here and get free benefits.  Maybe we need to introduce reciprocity and handle immigration violators the same way that their countries handle foreign citizens who violate their laws.  I wonder how certain countries would react if we enforced the same laws that they have against non-citizens.

Amnesty?  If they give ILLEGAL aliens, who are by law "criminals," blanket amnesty and rights then they must also give a blanket amnesty and restoration of  rights to all US citizen non-violent "criminals," (both those in jail and especially those who have completed their sentences) that the government has created through their stupid regulations.  They talk about giving amnesty to  those foreigners who break our laws by coming here and living off the "system," yet a US citizen who accidentally checks the wrong box on a federal form or commits a non-violent "crime" can lose their rights and it is just about impossible these days to get them restored.  

And...  It use to be that immigrants came to America and became AMERICANS.  They had to learn English and about our history and culture before they became citizens.  The illegals come here, live in enclaves, fly the flag of their former country, and expect US to adapt to them.  As Theodore Roosevelt once said

"In the first place we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the man's becoming in very fact an American, and nothing but an American...There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag, and this excludes the red flag, which symbolizes all wars against liberty and civilization, just as much as it excludes any foreign flag of a nation to which we are hostile...We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language...and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people." 

and

"In this country we have no place for hyphenated Americans. A hyphenated American is not an American at all. This is just as true of the man who puts 'Native' before the hyphen as of the man who puts German or Irish or French before the hyphen. Americanism is a matter of the spirit and of the soul. Our allegiance must be purely to the United States. We must unsparingly condemn any man who holds any other allegiance."

Ever have a question about or problem with a product and go to the company's or manufacturer's web site?  You dig through stuff and find the "contact us" page.  There in big bold print is a "click here to email us" button.  You click, fill out the form, and send it, and then... NOTHING.  Same problem with government agencies, organizations, and many informational web sites.  Never a response.  If they don't answer, why do they have a "contact us" page?  Heck, some companies don't even respond to written requests sent with an SASE.  And, what about the sites which have ZERO contact information? Or, even "better" the sites which only have a customer (non)service telephone number at $35 an hour?

Speaking of telephone customer support.  How about those help-lines where the person can barely speak English and where it is obvious that they are reading from a script and have no idea about trouble shooting. Some companies won't even talk to you without wanting a credit card number to charge you an outrageous fee for crappy support.  I recently had a problem with a piece of electronic equipment which stopped working.  After going through 3 "technicians" who were progressively stupider and stupider I was told that I had to send it back for repair (at a flat rate cost of some $80--almost as much as the device cost).  Something didn't sound right to me and I did some Internet research and found out that the unit would sometime lose it's settings and freeze if unplugged while turned on.  By simply holding down one of the control buttons and then turning the unit on, the unit would reset itself and work again.  Not only did the "technicians" not know or reveal this fact, it isn't even in the manual.

I recently emailed a company about obtaining a replacement cover for my old UMAX 1220S document scanner.  Simple request, for a user replaceable part.  I was informed that I needed to call their tech support (at $35 per call) as my scanner "needed repair." Another 3 emails later (trying to get them to understand I didn't need a repair, just a part), they finally said that 1) the part is not available, and, 2) they do not sell parts to consumers because they need to be installed by qualified individuals.  Considering that the cover is identical to that on some of their current models (I know I checked) and the fact that when you buy the scanner you have to install the cover yourself they are full of horse pucky.  Duct tape works miracles but I won't be buying their brand again.

Here's a good example of "support" submitted by George Grimmel.  

"There is a problem with the online billing forms used by BellSouth. Silly me decides to call the help line. After navigating the 4,391 layers of the automated response insanity the "problems with online billing" option gets me "for online billing problems see our website's online billing section" as a response then it hangs up.  Hey MORONS I'm having a PROBLEM with the ONLINE billing website, that's why I called.  Being the patient sort (not really) I call back, find (after a "few" attempts) an option that gets a HUMAN. This genius gives me the same response and switches me to the automated response that hangs me up. Call back the fourth or fifth time get a human and ask for a supervisor. FINALLY after a mere 45 minutes manage to get someone who can understand a question.  Still can't solve the problem.  Because THEIR software is screwed up. I (that'd be me) have to pay a $5 fee to do a telephone payment.  HUH?  Get supervisor's supervisor, this genius' first question - have you tried our online payment option?  Excuse me, are you looking at a problem screen?  Yes, sir! Okay, what does it say my problem is?  It says you are having a problem with our online billing software; so, have you tried our online payment option?  Aaaaarrrrggghh!"

And here's another.  I recently got a new Nikon digital camera and wanted a lens hood for the lens.  According to the manual the model I wanted was an HB-33.  However, according to all the stores it was either on long back order or discontinued. Contacted Nikon and they said "find an HB-33."  I asked if the HB-45 lens hood that is designated for a newer model of the same lens would fit.  "No!  Find and HB-33"  Hmmm! Dead in the water?  Then my stepdaughter who lives in NY and has the same lens checked with a camera store she passes and discovered that 1) the HB-33 was discontinued; and 2) that the HB-45 fits both lenses perfectly and the dimensions were the same as the old HB-33 (which the salesman at the store had on his own camera.  She sent an HB-45 to me and it is a perfect fit in all respects.  Contacted Nikon tech support again and informed them of the facts.  Received a reply that the HB-45 will not fit on the old model lens (in spite of the fact that I had one mounted on the lens in my hand).  DUH! [Update: To someone's credit I received an email from a different tech recently stating that he had actually checked and found that the new HB-45 will, in fact fit, on the old lenses and that it is the replacement for the HB-33.  He was going to get the word out to the rest of the support group.  At least someone still has brains.]

How about "thank yous?"  Now we shouldn't expect to get recognized and have our name in neon lights for everything we do, but what ever happened to the words "Thank you," and "Please?"  I half expect to see them missing in the dictionary soon.  A genuine kind word can go a long way.  And then there are the folks who simply do what they should be doing and think that because of that fact that the world owes them something more than a simple "Thank you."  

In addition to not saying "please" or "thank you," don’t you just love being addressed as "dog," "bro," "playa," "guys," or something equally indicative of the quality of upbringing in play?  Here in NM, the common MO is to ask in the negative, such as "Yo, dog, you don’t got an extra cigarette?"  I initially thought this was a symptom of speaking Spanish as a primary language, but no longer think so.  The incorrect (in English) double negative is correct in Spanish and I, therefore, thought this to also be a symptom of Spanish language influence.  Not surprisingly, however, the double negative lives on without the influence of a foreign language.  The most impressive performance I’ve witnessed was a QUADRUPLE negative within the span of one sentence.  Much of this is symptomatic, of course, of a general trend in society to worship the blatantly immoral and/or antisocial.  ’ve never understood the idea of it being "cool" to be ignorant, impolite, disrespectful, offensive or sloppy.  It’s now admirable to be a thug, pimp, gangsta or any number of other criminal miscreant types.   I suppose that’s what we get for teaching self-esteem instead of morality. Now everyone is taught to feel really good about themselves even when doing something wrong.   Here in New Mexico there are a lot of Hispanics and, therefore, Catholics. What I see is so much un-Christian behavior. These knuckleheads have tattoos on their bodies and murals on their cars of religious icons for the world to see, but act in such a way that is an affront to even an atheist.

Thanks to Lee Murphy for this one.

Ever buy a package of some product in the food store and notice the legal disclaimer on the picture on the box, "Serving suggestion only?"  Do you really mean that some people think that the plate, the table setting, and the kids are actually in the box.  And then there are those disclaimers at the end of movies, "Any similarity between actual people and events and the story and characters portrayed is purely accidental."  Well maybe if the movie is based loosely on a real life event, but you mean to tell me that people actually believe that Star Trek, The Terminator, Shrek, and Roger Rabbit are real?  Some movie makers do have a sense of humor about this though.  Several years ago I watched a movie that had a great disclaimer at the end.  

"This movie was the product of several deranged minds and is based upon their hallucinations and fantasies.  No animals were harmed in the making of this movie, but the entire cast was either killed or injured so badly that we can't make a sequel."

How about the "Do not attempt. Trained professional on a closed course" on those automotive adds that show the new Mark 7 Super SUV jumping buildings and running through rock slides.  If people are stupid enough to try those stunts do you actually think they can read the warnings?  

My new favorite "box comment" comes from one of the new microwaveable "steamed" dishes which come in their own bowl, so you can eat right from the microwave.  On the box is the wonderful suggestion--"Meal can also be enjoyed  by placing steamed food on a plate and topping with sauce."  NO shit!  What will they think of next!  Why didn't I come up with that idea?

Ever go to a store or restaurant and run into a surly clerk or waiter?  Bet you have!  Don't you love it when they come up to the table and say, "Wadda yous guys want?"  Whatever happened to "service" and politeness in most business?  The really service and customer oriented businesses are so rare these day as to stand out like a day-glow orange sign. Luckily, living in a small town the majority of businesses here still care about their customers but the misfits are beginning to creep in.

And how about, you pause for a breath and a bit of conversation in the restaurant and the server comes up and says, " Are you still working on that?"-- in reference to food still on the plate. Oh, that just chaps me to hear that. I'm not "working" on anything, I'm eating! I guess they are so used to patrons coming in, eating, and leaving all in the space of 20 minutes, rather than enjoying the meal and the company. Whatever happened to, "May I take your plate, sir?"

Thanks to Matt Sanford for this one.

All of this also works in the other direction.  There is no reason to berate or to be surly to a clerk or a waiter either, or for that matter any sales person.  I once got stranded in an airport when the airline cancelled all flights from that airport leaving two young lady ticket agents to deal with the public.  While it was a "very bad thing" it wasn't these ladies' fault.  Yet the display of foul language and bad manners by the passengers was disgusting.  When I finally got to the counter I made it a point to be calm and polite and acknowledge the fact that it wasn't their fault.  I just asked that if it was all possible that I get out of there by 7 pm and that I'd take any flight--even multi-hop "red-eye" ones.  She thanked me an said that she would do her best and call me.  About 45 minutes later I was called to the counter and given tickets and directed to go to a gate immediately.  Upon arriving at the gate I was ushered into a first class seat on a non-stop flight that would get in 2 hours before my original flight would have.  Politeness counts!

How about smiling?  Most folks seem to go around with a broom up their nether regions and look like they'll bite your face off if you say anything to them.  If you smile at them what you get in return is a dirty look.  If you are so unhappy either stay home and mope or get some professional help.
Hey!  I'm having a great day.  Too bad you're not. <BIG smile>  J

Here in AZ we have a real beauty.  Folks move here from crowded California and then try to turn us into what they left.  They get all in a tizzy when they see someone carrying a pistol, freak out when a wild critter shows up in their back yard (especially when it eats their poor little Fluffy that they let run loose to crap in someone else's yard), put up huge gated dense-pack developments on prime land, and waste water like there's no tomorrow.  And of course there's always their "get out of my way I'm in a hurry" attitude they display on the road and in stores.  I've also noticed that there is distinctly more roadside trash appearing.  I'm all for a competency test and proof of common sense before you can move here.

Cell phones.  Sheese!  What did we do before they were invented?  I carry one too, but is anything so important that you have to drive while talking on them (I've come within inches of being hit by jerks on their cell phone while they were trying to turn a corner), walk around a store yelling into the phone, or carry on a loud, meaningless conversation in the middle of a restaurant?   Recently I was nearly hit by an idiot who was driving and talking on the cell phone and who failed to stop for a stop sign.  As he missed me by inches he took his other hand off the steering wheel and flipped me "the bird."  It's not like you are carrying the nuclear launch codes or the fate of the nation depends upon your phone call.   I even had one go off in the middle of a funeral I was conducting--and the jerk answered it and started talking! (Luckily, one of the ushers was very polite (and 6'4").  The individual did not come back in and I didn't ask the usher where he hid the body.

And in the movies!  There is a short clip shown in some theaters before the movies, of Indians sneaking up on herd of buffalo. Just as they are almost ready to attack a cell phone (in "the audience") goes off and the herd scatters. The Indians lament that the tribe will starve this winter because of such a lack of manners.  End of courtesy message.  Then the movie starts.  I bet you that within 10 minutes someone's cell phone will go off.  By the way why do they have to have those stupid and annoying long ring tones and have them at maximum volume?   Then they let them ring 3x before answering. Why can't they have them set on vibrate or "chirp" mode.  I'd love to distribute a self-destruct ring tone that would cause a cell phone left on in a inappropriate area to simply explode.  The resulting short "bang" would certainly be less annoying that "Dadingdadingdabringdedingdingtadadadingdabringdedingding. (repeat)"  

Thanks to Larry Minn for reminding me of the movie problem.

Litterers.  Don't you just hate it when you see all the trash on the roadside or in a wilderness area?  Hey!  Why can't they carry a small bag in the car and dump their trash when they stop.  I won't even go there about dirty diapers left in shopping center parking lots.  And then there are the idiots who toss their cigarette out the car windows.  Bad enough in town but when they do it in a dry wilderness area....  Should be a capital offense enforceable by anyone who catches a litterer.

The follow comments were written by Deroy Murdock and published in the Federalist Digest.  

"The ongoing collapse of courtesy is no surprise in a nation with so many people who are as self-absorbed as black holes. Consider this T-shirt I've spotted. "It's all about me -- deal with it."

"Push in your seat when leaving tables in restaurants, libraries, and conference rooms. Abandoning your chair or barstool in the middle of a path obstructs those who walk by after you depart.  It remains civilized to hold open the door for someone who is walking a few steps behind you. Letting the door slam in his face is rude. When someone opens a door for you, say "thank you."  Muttering "Excuse me" makes a gracious person feel his thoughtfulness is abusive. Walking by and saying nothing, as if that lady or gentleman were your servant or simply invisible, is vulgar. "Please" and "thank you" are not vulgarities. Use them generously, especially around children. They need to learn two of the language's finest words, even if adults say them less than they should.

Trash cans are there for a reason.  Use them. A major airline's East Coast shuttle lounge in Washington, DC's Reagan National Airport -- gateway for learned attorneys, lobbyists, journalists, and members of Congress -- recently almost suffocated beneath whole sections and loose pages of various newspapers. They were strewn across the floor and on many seats. These literate adults apparently did not have their mommies on hand to locate the ubiquitous, neglected garbage bins. The point of all this is not necessarily to turn every American man and woman, respectively, into Cary Grant and Grace Kelly, though we could do worse. The idea is to encourage each of us -- every day, in tiny ways -- to subtract from, rather than add to, the worries of an impolite world."

How about "warm-body" voters.  I bet that a very large percentage of voters can't even recite (or come close to reciting) 4 of the 10 articles of the Bill of Rights as written, let alone tell you what the candidates really stand for.  With public education freely available for all (including ILLEGAL aliens), I'm all for competency tests for voters and positive ID.  What's wrong with required proof of citizenship and identity, and the ability to understand English,  to vote in this country?  How does that inconvenience the poor or non-driving public when someone can get an "official state ID for free or only a couple of dollars upon proof of citizenship.  For that matter how about requiring anyone running for public office to recite the Bill of Rights and to have served the country for a minimum of 2 years either in the military or some national service corps?

Don't you just hate this. You are watching a program and when it goes to commercial the sound becomes so loud it rattles your windows. Is that so you can hear it if you are in your kitchen getting a snack?  Well, what if you thought ahead and have all your goodies next to you. It's bad enough that commercials have all that fine print on the bottom or have fast talking people to tell you every side effect that might happen if you use their product. I'm all for requiring that  commercials should have an ID encoded in the video stream and all TVs should have the option to cut the sound for commercials. 

By the way, there should be a limit on the number of commercials allowed during a program.  Not long ago I taped a 1 hour program from a major network and when I played it back there were over 23 minutes of commercials during that "1 hour" show.

Ah, those "feed the children" of poor countries ads.  Chances are that the kid pictured in the commercial was staged and the child in question could now be your 29 year old neighbor. They should have a date posted on the bottom of the commercial to show exactly when the commercial was first made and a statement declaring what percent of the money collected actually goes to helping others. Better yet, don't send money to some other country when we have plenty of folks in need here.  Heck, that kid will probably grow up and demonstrate against those "evil Americans."

The Motor Voter Law.  A 15-year-old goes into the DMV to get a Learner's Permit and is given voter registration paperwork. Later, the clerk asks specifically for that paperwork and when it's not returned filled out, the clerk wants to know why.  It happens again several months later when the now 16-year-old goes in to get a Driver's License.  These attempts have been  witnessed enough by many people that I've often wondered how many under-age and alien drivers get pressured into illegally registering to vote?

Meetings.  One of the big things that I don't miss since I retired from the rat race is meetings.  How many times have you sat in a long meeting that accomplished nothing of value, while you had import work to do?  How many thousands of hours are wasted each year doing nothing.  In 30 years of the rat race I attended exactly two (2!!!) meetings that actually accomplished something important in a timely manner.  Both meetings took under 10 minutes and everybody stood. (No doughnuts, either.)

Personal attire (or lack thereof).  Have you noticed the general decline in dress and personal pride.  Folks wander about and even travel looking like they just got out of bed (or looking like they want to take someone "to bed").  Men look like they need a haircut, shave, and a bath, or like they were working on their car.  Teachers dress like they are working in the garden.  Every day I see women and young girls out in public wearing(?) clothing that barely covers them with everything flapping in the breeze, and makeup that would do a professional hooker proud.  Now I'm not a prude and I enjoy the sight of an attractive female as much as any man.  However, belly buttons, bra straps, nipples, butt cracks, and the top of ones pubic hair showing while shopping or in a restaurant is NOT sexy.  Of course if some scantily clad female notices you looking at her you're in danger of getting a sexual harassment suit thrown at you.  Hey! Try looking in the mirror before you go out in public and don't advertise if you don't like window shoppers!. (And just HOW do they get into those jeans?)  

And not to leave out the males, what about those boys (and even some adult(?) men) with those ill-fitting, dirty, baggy pants that look like they're about to fall off  with their underwear showing, and their heads (Oops! I mean hats) on backwards that seemingly can only use words that would make my old drill sergeant blush.

What's your degree in?  The current preoccupation with a person's "credentials"  rather than their abilities is at an all-time high.  The qualification for just about any major job nowadays requires the applicant to have a "degree" or some kind of  "professional certification," a major criminal and financial background check, and 87 references.   Seeing the level of intelligence and common sense (or lack thereof), the inability to write coherently, or to use proper grammar, that is coming out of many of our schools of "higher" learning" and the hypocrisy of many professional certifying organizations I wonder how any real work gets done.  In 30 years of the rat race the smartest most capable people I encountered were usually those without fancy degrees or credentialing.  When a problem arose or something needed to get done those were the folks who rose to the occasion.    

Now I don't begrudge those who seek higher learning as some people really invest a lot of time and effort and achieve great results, but that doesn't automatically make them "better" than someone else.  I've seen lots of Master's Thesis's that were poorly written, incomprehensible garbage yet the person got a degree.  Judging from conversations I've had with folks another problem is that newly minted degree holders frequently with zero real world experience think they know more that the folks who have been in the field for many years.  My wife who has been an award winning teacher for 33 years with a Masters plus and supervisory credentials reports that the current crop of folks coming on board with education degrees seems to think that they are magically superior to everyone else even though they can't effectively teach without the latest high tech equipment and have no control over there classrooms.

Maybe what is really needed is a degree in common sense.  You have your MCmnS???  Yes?!  You're hired!

How about those busy-bodies.  No matter what someone does or no matter what someone's abilities or qualifications are, they gossip and complain about everything that person does.  They obviously don't have a life so they have to try and run everyone else's.  I see this a lot in, of all places, the church.  Wonderful people give freely of their time and talents to help others and to keep the church running smoothly and these pea-brained idiots sit on their butts and complain about what others do.  Would you believe that replacing a damaged chair  on the side of the altar that an acolyte fell off, resulted in 2 months of finger pointing and name calling. I find it REALLY hard to treat such people in a Christian manner some times. 

And lets not forget those lazy folks who take someone else's idea and try to take credit for it, and then get upset when they don't get all the laurels or when the real originator is acknowledged.

Loud music.  How about those folks who walk about or drive with their "music boxes" and radios turned up so loud that they rattle the widows and your intestines.  (Maybe that's where the research labs came up with those new "sound weapons.")  HEY YOU! Turn it down.  Not everyone has your taste in music(?).  Oh never mind. You're probably deaf.

Priority Shipping.  Don't you just love this one?  You order a product online or over the phone and request priority shipping at extra cost so you'll receive it quickly.  However, it takes the vendor 10 days just to process your order and prepare for shipping, so what good is priority handling.  Considering that most vendors, both online and brick & mortar, have computer based inventory handling, why can't your order be processed and shipped within 24 hours.  Also, seeing as how many medium and large sized items such as consumer electronics are shipped in the manufacturer's packing, with just a label slapped on what's the delay?  I know it can be done because there are vendors I deal with who ship within 24 hours of getting my order.  I've actually placed an order by phone or over the Internet in the morning, received confirmation that it was shipped the same afternoon, and had it on my doorstep in 2 days.  It can be done!

And while we're on the subject, how about those shipping and handling fees?  You order a small item for say $15 and then find that the S&H is $10.95 on an 8 oz item.  I even found one company that offered "free" shipping but charged a value based "processing fee" that started at $6.  Hey folks!  Considering that many small items will fit in Priority Mail packaging available free from the USPS and the fact that if you use their "Click n Ship" online labeling program (also free) you can generate an instant shipping label, and the flat rate for items under 1 pound is $4.75, where is all the rest of the $$ going?  (Don't answer that!) Heck, many small items will fit in one of those padded envelopes which you can buy for under a dollar and First Class postage can be $1 or less.

Out of state sales taxes.  Ever order something online from a company in another state, and find that you have to pay your state's sales tax?  (Supposedly, if they have a "presence" in your state they can/have to do that.  But even then I wonder just how much, if any of it, actually goes to the "tax.")  I once asked a company for a copy of their authorization to collect taxes for my state because I could not find their "presence" in my state, and was refused.  In turn I refused to complete my order with them (and it was a substantial order).  Another company, that didn't charge sales tax,  got my business.

Happy Holidays?  Season's Greetings?  No buddy, this is the C H R I S T M A S Season.  It is a Christian holiday celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ.  If you can say Happy New Year or Happy Thanksgiving, or Happy Hanukah, you can say Merry Christmas.  I have Jewish, Hindu, and Buddhist friends and they not only wish me a Merry Christmas, they are not offended when I wish them the same, or when I acknowledge their special days.

MERRY CHRISTMAS to all you good people of whatever faith.

And what about Independence Day?  The proper name is INDEPENDENCE DAY, not the "4th of July," and it celebrates our declaration of independence from England and the subsequent foundation of the United States.  Of course it wouldn't be politically correct to remember that we fought for our independence from another country's oppression, or that we should have pride in what we accomplished.

"It [Independence Day] ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty.  It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more." -- John Adams

Television sound tracks.  Have you ever listened to a television program and were unable to make out the dialog because the background music overpowered the voices?  And, if you turn up the volume to the point that you can almost make out the voices, your neighbors complain about the loud music coming from your house.  Why do the producers do that?  Is the dialog so stupid the writers don't want you to hear it?

Bright exterior house lights.  Where I live we have a "dark skies" policy.  By general consensus folks don't have bright or ill directed lighting outside of their homes so all can enjoy the great night skies.  We recently had a someone move into the area who installed a very bright light by their driveway that isn't even on a motion detector.  It's on all night.  Really kills the night views.  When asked by neighbors to dim it or put it on a motion switch he claimed that his wife wants it on bright all the time to deter criminals.  Hey buddy.  First, B&E is almost unheard of around here, and second, the last time it happened in the neighborhood the perpetrator got lead poisoning.  Go back to California please and take your light with you.

Laugh tracks.  Don't you really hate the canned laughter on some TV shows.  Do they think people are too dumb to recognize humor or are they afraid their scripts are so bad that they have to tell you when they are funny? Ha, ha, ha, ha! (You can laugh now!)

Thanks to Mr. Dakota for reminding me of this one.

How about people who add you to their "jokes" E-mailing list.  Don't you hate those folks who send you all manner of forwarded (and forwarded and forwarded) jokes, chain letters, and silly pictures without you asking for them?  Not to mention those "virus warnings" that everyone knows are hoaxes.  It's bad enough if you are on a broadband connections but absolutely unconscionable for folks with slow dial-up connections.  Sometime I wish I could hit 'em with a 10 meg file full of junk just so they can see how annoying such things can be.

On a similar vein how about spammers?  Do they actually think people believe their adds and claims?  I guess there must be enough jerks out there to make a profit from as spam keeps increasing.  Personally, I think spammers should be horse whipped, tarred and feathered, disemboweled, and the consigned to the seventh circle of hell.

And let's not forget telephone solicitors.  I'm on the "Do Not Call" registry yet I still get annoying calls at all hours from "unknown caller" and several 800 numbers.  One number called every 10 minutes over a 2 hour period.  When the call goes to an answering machine every time you think they'd get the message.  I even got a call from some idiot doing a "survey" who I told that I wasn't interested, and to remove me from his calling list.  I hung up.  Thirty seconds later he called again and told me I had no right to hang up on him.  I hung up on him again and reported the number to my phone company who blocked that number.

The news media.  With particular attention to today's headlines.  Isn't it amazing how much fuss everyone is making over some cartoons which some terrorists claim insults all of Islam?  Yet when Christians, Jews, and other religion have their beliefs, leaders, and icons "insulted," defamed, or desecrated by a Muslim or anyone else, or the followers of these faiths are persecuted, jailed, or murdered by Muslims the media takes no notice.  Then of course, all we ever hear on the nightly new is how bad things are going "over there" in the war on terrorism.  Meanwhile the tremendous successes and progress we have had and are having are ignored.  Same thing with violence in the news.  We hear about how some nut killed a bunch of people, but never hear about when a honest citizen stops a crime with their firearm. (And I have it on good authority from friends in the media and in the police business that this does happen with great regularity.)

Just whose side is the media on?  (Never mind. Don't answer that.)

"Press 99 for..."  Ah yes!  Those automated endless loop phone "response" systems.,   Ever spend 15 minutes wading through 50 layers of phone prompts that don't apply to you--and then get hung up on or wind up back at the main menu?.  Of course none of the prompts let you speak to a live human being who could (hopefully) answer your question in 30 seconds.  Perhaps they are used simply to prevent another human from responding to a question and earning a living by returning intelligent answers.  After all we wouldn't want a customer to actually learn something.

Thanks to Keith Hazelwood for reminding me of this one.

And in a similar vein.  Ring, ring.... "You have reached the desk of George Dumbass at International Galactic Associates.  I'm either on the other line or I've stepped out of my office.  Leave a message at the beep and I'll call you right back."  Actual translation, "You've reached George Dumbass who's the only person in this place.  I'm either sleeping, eating lunch, or I just don't wanna answer the phone.  If you're stupid enough to believe this message you can leave a message which I'll probably just delete without listening to it."

Graduated taxes?  Just because you work harder and make more money why do you have to pay a greater proportion of your income for taxes?  (And then have to find all kinds of sneaky loop holes in the tax code to reduce your taxes.)  If we had an across the board flat rate tax on every person, business, or corporation, with few, if any, exemptions, life would be so much simpler AND we'd have more than enough money to run the government.  Let's say a flat 10 percent of your gross income--no deductions with the possible exception of up to 10 percent total of your gross to certified charitable or religious organizations, and  no tax for an inheritance to a family member.  Think of the money the government would save by downsizing the IRS to just a large enough staff to process the payments.  Add up all your income from all sources, take 10%, and that's what your tax bill would be.

Hey! How did we ever survive growing up without the government mandated warning and nutritional labels on our food.  Do they think that the majority of people actually read those warning and nutritional labels.  Even bottles of WATER carry nutritional labels--0 carbs, 0 calories, 0 fiber.  0 intelligence???.  Good grief!  

Growing up, we drank WHOLE milk (not skim, 1% or 2%), ate bacon, hamburgers, red meat, real ice cream, and drank soda, and drank beer, and still managed to stay healthy and happy.  (It wouldn't be politically correct to talk about the fact that that the "family meal" is almost unheard of these days;  the fact that people have become gluttons, stuffing their faces far beyond the need for food; that kids use to play outside instead of sitting in front of the TV, video games, or the computer for hours; and the fact that people have no common sense when it comes to eating right--preferring to just "grab something."   Much easier to simply pass labeling laws.) 

And of course, it's the fault of fast food vendors when people stuff themselves or eat it all the time and get fat.  I like an occasional thick juicy bacon cheeseburger with onion rings but I don't eat them all the time.  What ever happened to good old fashion self-control?

"Safety sealed for your protection."  Food stuffs, medicines, and various other products now come in "non-removable" packaging.  Medicines and food not only have a foil seal under the lid but the lid is then shrink wrapped to the bottle  and the bottle is then sealed in a "tamper evident" box.  I was recently given a DVD that came in a hard injection molded clear overwrap that required heavy shears to cut through only to find the case shrink wrapped and sealed with 3(!!) tape seals under the shrink wrap.  It really says something about our society when products have to be double or triple sealed to prevent some jerk from tampering with them.   I was so tired and hungry after trying to open that package that I went and stuffed myself with fast food! (I couldn't help it.  The French fries made me do it.)

Animal Rights Activists.  Yup, animals have rights.  Right next to the mashed potatoes. The west wasn't won with salad.  These folks whine and complain about pets living a "subservient life" and want to stop the production of all meat and animal related products.  (Now don't get me wrong, I don't endorse cruelty or needless suffering-but these folks go far beyond that.)  A couple of years ago one activist got riled up when a bear that was attacking a child was shot and claimed the bear's rights were being violated!  In the mean time they want to be able to kill unborn children any time they want to.  I think their priorities are a bit out of whack here.

Have you noticed "product shrinkage?"  Thirteen ounce "pound" cans of coffee, 1.75 quart and now 1.5 quart "half-gallons" of ice cream, fewer tissues in the box, smaller candy bars, and on and on.  Of course the price has remained the same or in many cases has risen.

How about the the current rush to use politically correct gender neutral terminology in place of  traditional male terms and titles.  This is a joke in my humble opinion.  If someone gets their undies in a wad because of the use of a historical male pronoun, they obviously have, a) too much free time on their hands; and b) a lot of unresolved self esteem issues.  Some of them want any word with "man" or "men" in it to be removed from the language.  Are you a "huperson??"

Quality?  "When my wife and I got married 27 years ago, we bought all new appliances RCA TV, GE washer and dryer, etc. The RCA TV lasted 24 years. Last year we stupidly replaced rather than repair the GE dryer. The new one is already giving us problems. The GE washer finally needs a new clutch and the water pump is leaking, but we'll now gladly spend $150 to get it fixed rather than buy the junk they're selling nowadays. Our appliance guy said, starting last November, most new appliances are guaranteed for only 6 months.

"The problem with fixing the washer is that the replacement parts are going to be cheap overseas or Mexican made junk.. Maybe it's a wash after all. Pun, get it?  Too many people want features over quality.

"What intelligent people would choose to pay more for a greater quantity of an inferior product (32 oz modern Coke in a plastic bottle) over a superior product (6 oz original Coke in a glass bottle)? The answer should be, "None." "This is nasty. Give me more!'"

"Another sign this country is doomed. The vanes in the new dryer snag socks and underwear, holding them to the drum and preventing them from drying. Now, we've been making clothes dryers for some time now, and the 1970's era dryer never snagged stuff. So, how did we suddenly lose the ability to design and manufacture little blades that tumble rather than catch clothes?  Because we've become stupid, that's why. 

"You notice these new houses that have all the different pitches on the roof, the ones that funnel the rainwater off the roof directly over the front door? Good grief. Now, how long has man been making houses? Is that not sort of a basic thing to overlook?"

Thanks to Steve Cooper for the above rant.

A follow up to the above.  In my humble opinion one reason for the above rant and for many of the rants on this page is that we have lost our sense of "aught" as a society.  With our county's founding Judeo/Christian moral principles having been pretty much discarded by both the government and the populous, our sense of doing things the best that we can has gone out the window.  Mediocrity is the buzz word of the day.  Just "good enough" is ok.  After all, if something or some one is demonstrateably better than something or someone else there will be a loss of "self esteem" or worse--someone might be ashamed, and we can't have that.  BARF!

---

Lifetime "public assistance."  While there are some folks who because of medical problems or temporary hardship truly need some form of assistance (a.k.a. welfare) I believe the vast majority are freeloading.  When there is no requirement to actively seek a job, nor to attempt to make one's self marketable, nor to show self-control in the area of procreation, there is a big problem.  I see many people using public assistance, food stamps, or what have you in the store while talking on the latest variety of cell phone, dressed to the hilt in the latest fashions, and who then climb into fancy cars and drive off.  What's wrong with that picture?  Welfare should be a short term solution, not a lifetime source of free income!  (And by the way the government has no Constitution authority to give YOUR money to someone else under the guise of "helping" them.

On the other hand there are some serious flaws in the system for people who truly try to get off of the welfare merry-go-round.  My wife once taught at a post-secondary secretarial school and there were many young single moms enrolled in this public assistance program to give them marketable skills, and it was quite successful.  While enrolled and doing well the students were given assistance for living expenses, housing, and child care, and were pre-placed in jobs with local businesses.  However, on the day the student graduated all assistance stopped since they now "had a job."  Yet it would be a week or two before they received their first paycheck so they were left with little to live on until they got their first check.  Many outstanding students couldn't make it.  If the "termination of assistance" was based upon the date of their first pay check there would have been a lot more success stories and more people off of welfare.

Handicapped Parking Abuse. Ever watch as someone with a handicapped license plate or window tag, pulls into a handicapped parking spot and hustles into the store with about as much a handicap as an Olympic sprinter and comes out easily carrying heavy packages.  If the handicapped person is not in the vehicle why are they taking a spot that a truly handicapped or disabled person might need? Laziness?  Greed?  Stupidity?  Family members with no problems, seem to be the worse abuser of the privilege. Mental handicaps like laziness and stupidity are not approved for handicapped parking.  When I had my knee replaced my doctor gave me one of the temporary window tags, so I wouldn't have to walk too far right after surgery.  Though good for 6 months I used it one (1) time, after a rough therapy session when I couldn't find a close "regular" slot.    

The cost of healthcare.  Our healthcare insurance recently sent us a statement of benefits for some tests my wife had.  The "billed amount" was $370.  This was "discounted" to $70 and that amount was accepted as payment in full for the visit by the doctor.  Same with my knee replacement with billed amounts running to 4 and 5 digits discounted 85 to 90 percent by the insurance and accepted by the doctor and hospital.  Hmmm!  If we didn't have insurance we would have had to foot the entire bill?  What's wrong with this picture?  Not to mention how it is effectively illegal to buy medicines at a lower price from Canada, even though the medicine was made by a US firm and shipped to Canada.  We're being protected from what?

Speaking of healthcare insurance... I think that we all need to be responsible for our own care to some amount, say $1,000 yearly per person or some reasonable percentage of gross income.  The whole idea of any insurance policy is to cover unexpected major or catastrophic expenses.  Of course reigning in the out of sight costs and runaway malpractice insurance costs would go a long way to helping things.  As to "government provided healthcare," I get nauseous when I think about the mess that would cause.  A little known major down side to "government health care" is that they then have the final word on just what treatment you get and who is eligible for such care.  I have a friend in Europe whose mother was denied an operation because she was too old (78) and died a year later.  I also have a friend here in the US who's mother had the same condition and received the needed surgery through her private insurance at age 77 and who is still living and is now 84 and in good health.  Horror stories of people waiting years for needed treatment under socialized medicine abound.  No thank you!

Let's simply clean up the existing system and manage costs and in turn get the best medical care in the world.

Useless software on PCs.  You buy a fancy new personal computer and when it arrives you find that it is loaded with crippled sample software you can't use and don't want, a gazzilion Internet service provider's software, and all manner of other useless stuff.  Why can't you buy a bare-bones PC with just the operating system and any software needed to support the hardware supplied?  Considering that PC vendors won't sell you a bare-bones box and the fact that they don't include an operating system install CD what's a person to do?  (The hidden "recovery software" simply restores the PC to the state it was when you bought it with all included garbage.)  The last PC I got, I built myself just to avoid all the garbage even though it cost me a bit more.  For some strange reason(!!) it is much more reliable and stable than most of the commercial "loaded" PCs.

In a similar vein, what about cable/satellite TV?  To paraphrase Carl Sagan, "Billions, and billions of channels"  most of which you don't want.  Why can't they simply offer a la carte channel selection.  That way you'd get want you really watch without all the useless fluff.  It's not difficult to do.

Product rebates--Oh yeah!  First of all why don't they simply discount the price by the rebate amount, rather than having you fill out forms, cut out labels, and copy invoices and then send them in?  It also seems to me that in this age of computers there is something wrong with having to wait 8 to 10 weeks for your rebate check to arrive.  Then, there are those shady companies that never even process your rebates and then claim they never got it.  I have a friend who sent in a rebate form for a $125 rebate.  Being a cautious type he sent it with a "return receipt"  and 2 months before the rebate program ended.  After 3 months with no rebate he inquired and was told it was never received--even though he was holding a signed receipt for the delivery.  When the company was informed of this they hemmed and hawed until he mentioned that he was turning this matter over to his state's attorney and notifying the company's home state attorney general and the postal inspector about mail fraud.  Amazingly, he had his rebate check in 5 days.  [As an aside, a friend in the marketing business told me that "rebates" are a marketing scam.  They boost sales revenues because less than 35 percent of rebates are ever claimed, (or the rebate is denied due to technicalities like not sending in all required paperwork), so the company makes more money than it would without the rebate program.  Mess 'em up! Claim your rebate.  Send in everything required, send it "return receipt requested" in time to get to the processor within the deadline, and keep copies of all papers.]

How about all those medical & health studies?  "A new report just out says that eating / drinking / doing XYZ is good / bad / will extend your life / will shorten your life."  Don't like the report?  Wait 6 months for a new study that will have a different recommendation.  If one gets some regular real exercise, and eats a balanced diet one can most likely survive all things in moderation.  However, sitting on a lard butt, getting no exercise, smoking packs of cigarettes, and stuffing ones self with junk can do you no good.  

There is a story that came out of the WWII era that I like.  After the war a medical team  studied a little village in Italy were the people were uniformly of quite old age but in excellent health, in spite of eating what the west would consider "bad" foods, but they otherwise did fairly strenuous physical labor, ate moderately, and lived in a low stress environment..  The medicos initiated a long term study of the townspeople.  During the study, that lasted many years, modern life came to that town and people left their fields and physical labor for modern employment in the town.  To the medicos' surprise people started dying of heart and circulatory problems at a young age.  There's a moral in there some place.

Lazy, self-absorbed "parents."  My wife, who teaches third grade at a Christian school complains about this.  Parent's without any religious convictions will send their kids to a Christian school so they will receive a "good" education out of the "government school" sphere of influence. Then the kids come to school unprepared, homework not done, and are disruptive in class.  When the kids get a poor report card or the parents are called about a problem or potential problem, the parents blame the teacher or get hot because the teacher "doesn't appreciate" their little monster.  If teachers refuse to give in to the child the parents go nuts.  My wife had one little girl who had been a continual problem and had been coddled by her parents and public school teachers.  My wife refused to give in to the kid and after the first marking period the child actually buckled down and started doing well.  However, the child's mother didn't like all the homework the child was doing and pulled her out of the school, and within a month the child reverted to her previous bad habits and the mother now complains to all who will listen what a hard time she is having with her daughter.

If you are not going to invest the time and effort to properly raise and care for them don't have children (or pets for that matter).

Choices, choices.  Is it necessary to have a thirty foot by eight foot section of shelves devoted to shampoo? There are dozens of brands of all manner of color and scent. Some of them moisten dry hair. Some of them dry oily hair. Many of them smell like a compost pile. But not one of them states as its goal the one thing that I want a shampoo to do, clean my hair.  Same thing with toothpaste, pickles, soap, mouthwash, etc.  Do we really need 40 different tooth pastes?  Pain relievers are another one.  We have Tylenol for: headache, backache, tension, stupidity, menstrual problems and extra strength.  Take a close look at the ingredients label.  They are all the same.

Thanks to Greg Camp for reminding me of this.

Shoddy workmanship on expensive stuff.  Every day I hear from folks who have spent $1200 to $1700 or more on a "custom" pistol that arrived with a poor trigger, jammed out of the box, or had other major defects that should have never made it out the door.  The same thing holds true for appliances, cars, computers, software, and lots of other stuff that should work correctly out of the box.  Then when you try to get things fixed right you get a runaround.

The "Gadget Complex."  I love this one.  Folks are led to believe that if they have or use the new "Framitz" that they will automatically become better / sexier  / smarter / more desirable / etc.  You see a lot of this these days, especially in the shooting sports, photography, and "glamour" fields.  "Out there where the ranges are long and the game is tough you need the new Remingchesterby 8.431 Ultra Long Magnum and the Burkahlpold 22 x 95 super zoom scope," or "For pictures like a pro, you need to new Leicanikon SC30000 50 MP camera and the 18 - 500 mm UltraZoom lens."  No mention is made about acquiring marksmanship skills or an appreciation for creating pictures.  Of course if you are a man and use the new Adonis body spray you'll have the chicks falling or over you, or for the women if you wear the new Barreass brand makeup with "Glamourglitz 5000"  you'll have the man of your dreams. Doesn't matter if you are a stupid schmuck with the personality of a cow flop.  This attitude has got to be due to the "someone else will take care of me" mentality so prevalent with the politically correct crowd.

Those "free" checks the credit card companies send you.  First of all if you read the fine print there is always a "catch" or a transfer fee.  Second, if some bozo intercepts your mail or you stupidly don't destroy the checks before you trash them anyone can write a check against your account.  This happened to an elderly parishioner at my church to the tune of almost $3000 and it took her months to straighten the mess out and get her credit rating fixed.  Apparently someone at the assisted living unit where she lived was going through people's mail and taking the credit card checks.  While you can supposedly "opt out" of these offers, in practice getting them stopped is frequently not easy.

The "bait and ignore" scam.  We finally ditched cable TV for Direct TV satellite hook up.  The usual stuff with HBO/Cinemax/etc. free for 3 months with payment via credit card.  Upon startup I told them that at the end of the 3 month period to cancel the HBO stuff and I was assured it was in my file.  On our first statement was a $9.95 charge for an optional maintenance plan which I did not request.  Called them up, had it removed, and a credit issued.  OK so far.  Thirty days before the free HBO period was up I called again and reminded them to cancel the package and was assured the instructions were in the file.  Get the statement and guess what--a $35 charge for the HBO package.  Called them up and was told there was no instructions received, nor in my file, about canceling so I was liable for the charge.  Asked for a stupidvisor and after 10 minutes of arguing with him I was finally issued a full credit for the $35 and was told the package was cancelled.  (I checked the next day and to my amazement, it had been cancelled.)  Other than the above idiocy the service and picture quality is great.  However, see the rant above about "billions, and billions of channels."

Aaaaaarrrrrgggghhh!
(Pant, pant!)

There!  I feel so much better.

RANT MODE OFF!

If you agree with me and have your own favorite "annoyance" send it to me and if you say "please," maybe I'll post it here.

Have a nice day!  J

Fr. Frog

Please email comments to Fr. Frog by clicking here

| Back to Fr. Frog's Homepage |

Disclaimer

"Any similarities between these comments and persons, animals, or any combination there-of, living, dead,  vegetative, unborn,
 or from the galaxy G487, is purely accidental.  If anything resembles you don't bother writing me hate mail or calling your lawyer. 
 My lawyer is bigger than yours, his kid can beat up your kid, he shoots (very well), and I have some great places to hide bodies.

Updated 2008-09-18