Stop your engine when pumping gas... Please!

We live in a litigious society. Instead of supporting the use common sense or taking responsibility for people's own actions, our society condones, and maybe even subtly encourages, suing people. So, it doesn't surprise me that companies will put up signs that seem like they should be common sense, but are there to protect the companies from lawsuits. We've all seen the warning labels on Styrofoam cups of coffee that you get at McDonald's that say, "Warning: Contents are hot." Well, duh... it's coffee. It's supposed to be hot. You're supposed to be careful when drinking hot coffee.

This morning, while I was at my local gas station pumping gas, a guy pulled up behind me, got out of his car and started to pump gas while his engine was running. Now, 99.9999% of the time, nothing happens. My issue is this: Is it such a big deal to turn off your engine while you're pumping gas? Is it a question of fuel economy? Is it laziness? Is it ignorance? Is it his way of rebelling against the establishment? Maybe he should visit the ESD Journal web site and read the various stories about static electricity causing fires at gas stations. If static electricity can cause a fire, what do you think an idling engine can do? Maybe he was waiting to be nominated for a Darwin Award instead.

Why Target is better than Wal-Mart

In Burke, VA, a Northern Virginia suburb, there's a Wal-Mart within 1/4 mile of Target. I dread going to Wal-Mart. While Wal-Mart's prices are slightly better than Target's, there are so many reasons NOT to go to Wal-Mart. In no particular order, here are a few:

• Wal-Mart NEVER opens enough checkout lanes.
• Wal-Mart ALWAYS looks as if a hurricane has blown through its aisles.
• When was the last time Wal-Mart waxed its floors?
• Can you ever find anything that you need at Wal-Mart quickly and easily?
• Can you ever find a Wal-Mart employee when you need one?
  

Why does it take 10 days to UNSUBSCRIBE?

After I unsubscribed to the Entertainment.com web site, here's what the web site returned:

Your e-mail preferences for "blahblahblah@blahblahblah.com" have been successfully submitted. Please note, it will take up to 10 (emphasis is mine) days for your request to become active.

Now, don't get me started on how I wound up on their mailing list to being with -- perhaps it was all the online sweepstakes/contents that I entered :-) -- but can someone please tell me why it takes up to 10 days to unsubscribe to an e-mail list? We can put a man on the moon, but you can't take me off your unsubscribe list for 10 days?

BTW, isn't the phrase "We can put a man on the moon, but we can't ..." a little outdated? What else would you use in place of that?

I Was Here First!

How many times have you gone to a restaurant or retail establishment, waited in the correct line, gotten to the front of the line, only to hear the phone ring and see the employee rush to pick up the phone? What's the deal with that? Is this some kind of ingrained, Pavlovian response that's embedded within our DNA? At the very minimum, they could acknowledge my place in line and excuse themselves to go answer the phone. But, no... as soon as the phone rings, they're off to pick it up. Wait a sec... is that my cell phone ringing? See you later...

Casino for Kids?

Recently, my daughter received a Webkinz stuffed animal as a present. It's not much different than any other stuffed animal you can buy, except for one thing. Webkinz has developed a web site that provides a virtual world in which you and your stuffed animal can interact. OK, so far, it sounds innocent enough. My problem with Webkinz is the concept of KinzCash and how kids can "earn" KinzCash.

KinzCash is simply currency that kids can use on the Webkinz web site to purchase items for their virtual stuffed animal to use in the Webkinz online world. Kids can buy rooms for their stuffed animal to live in. They can buy food to feed their stuffed animal. What virtual stuffed animal is complete without a cool outfit to wear? You get the point. So far, so good. I still don't have a problem with this part of Webkinz.

My problem with Webkinz is with some of the ways that kids can "earn" KinzCash. There are a few activities that, to me, are harmless enough. I don't have a problem with trivia contests or games of skill. Webkinz also offers games of chance that are too similar to what real (and online) casinos offer. For instance, there's a game that is essentially a video slot machine. There's another game called "Wheel of Wow" that is a "wheel of fortune" type of game, where you spin the wheel win a prize. Now, Webkinz does limit the number of times a kid can play each game per day; however, most people, myself included, would be in favor of rules to protect kids from visiting online casions. Why is Webkinz any different?

Television coverage of the Uper-say Owl-bay

We can put a man on the moon. We can split the atom. We can even clone sheep. However, CBS can't figure out how to keep their camera lenses clean and free of raindrops during the Super Bowl -- uh, I mean the "Big Game" (sorry, NFL)? Come on...