Occupation of Independence

Recall the question I once posed to a couple RVers at a laundromat: which is the worst form of hell, 1) spending eternity using or working at an RV dump, or 2) using a public laundromat. It was unanimous that #2 would be the ultimate hell. In recent years a third option has crept in: receiving a package from Amazon. The difficulty arises from Amazon not letting you choose to have your package shipped to a General Delivery address at a post office. Most of the time they use UPS, but you can't count on it.  Once they were on a "hot streak" with the UPS, so I addressed the package to the poorly manned service counter at the local UPS warehouse. Amazon saw their opportunity, so they sent the package via the US Postal Service. Hence it was rejected at the UPS warehouse. I bring you good news! I just got back from GNC, the vitamin/nutrition/health fad store at a local mall. Just last week they began the service of being an official "Amazon Hub Counter." D...

Microsoft sent me another fan letter, informing me of the imminent end of security updates for my Windows 7 laptop, purchased in 2011. Rather than get angry at being forced into buying a Windows 10 computer -- which I really don't want -- let me try to be a good sport: 8 years is a good long life for a $250 computer. 'It doesn't owe me any money,' as the saying goes. I was shocked at how bad the laptop choices were at places you'd think would be good: Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy, New Egg, and Target.  Maybe it was the websites that were poor. They can't seem to categorize sensibly. For instance, if you ask for "Windows laptops", it gives you Chromebooks. If you ask for 11.6" displays, it gives you 14" and 15" displays. If you ask for the Windows 10 operating system, it makes you dig through the entire write-up before you learn that the computer uses Windows 10 "in S mode." S mode is Microsoft's devious plan to forc...

I'll bet you know someone who has wanted to reach across the counter at a store and choke the employee, when they answered your "Have you got a..." question with a sweet smile and a response of, "I could order it for you..." You could order it for me? Well hell, man, I could order it myself off Amazon! What do I need you for? I came in here to look at the physical object itself, and then walk out with it today. Sigh. Shopping just isn't my favorite activity, be it brick-and-mortar or online. I'm not complaining so much as wondering how business works. Why shouldn't the photographers for online shopping be as professional as the graphic artist who drew this for the NY Times? For instance, the world tells us that online shopping is taking over everything. There is so much noise about it, and so much praise for internet 'technology.' Forgive me for not being impressed. The photographs are so bad when you shop online. I can't ...