If I ever needed more proof of the arrogance of corporate America, I got it yesterday. Stopped into K-Mart to pick up two items. Got out my debit card to pay and was confronted with a multiple-question on the swipe device on whether I would or would not recommend K-Mart to friends.
HOW DARE THEY? What in the HELL gives them the right to demand I do this? They pay big bucks to some fancy marketing firm in Manhattan (or Upper Japip, for all I know) to do their marketing for them, but I don't get any. When I protested to the kid at the cash register, he was bewildered--why would anybody have a problem with paying homage to the company? He helpfully noted that the company jerks no longer make you put in your zip code--I protested that, too, and always used "55555"--as if some benevolence were at play here. I paid with cash, instead. But oh well, I know sooner or later I'll acquiesce. And I know it's maybe no big deal and it takes only a few seconds, and what harm does it do, and so on and on. It just bugs me, that's all. and it bugs me worse that I'm the only one who seems to notice. People just take for granted they have to do what's directed by their corporate masters. Sigh...
Other than that, a nice, quiet, interim day, aside from spending an hour or two sending out info on Our Town to various news outlets. Had nothing scheduled and got some household chores done. Also, many thanks and much appreciation to son Mike, my computer seems to be finally fixed. It had been fearfully slow, mouse action was erratic, and it sometimes wouldn't even go where I wanted. Now, long distance from Singapore, he has fixed it, via "TeamViewer," in which he actually was able to "take over" my computer and do all kinds of mysterious things to remedy the situation. Happy day! Now it's a pleasure to caress the keys.
Enjoyed a telephone visit with darling daughter, Ellen, while Mike was disciplining my computer. She was about to finish up report cards, which are now done on the computer, too. Boy, what did we do without them? You don't miss what you never had, but now--I'm rejoicing in my little honey's new life.
WIDER: Very much to the point of my rant against K-Mart is this from Chris Hedges in Truthdig.com:
http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/the_collapse_of_globalization_20110328/?ln
WIDER STILL: Sad news: Joe Bageant has died. He was one of the good guys. He cut through the crap with essays like the one that at the link that follows, his last, to my knowledge. Big loss for our side.
http://www.joebageant.com/joe/2010/12/america-y-ur-peeps-b-so-dum.html