My wife says I have to be careful so I don't turn into a crabby old man. I really try to be positive and not complain, but it is so difficult. Shopping isn't easy these days. I'm not talking about the crowds or the traffic. I'm talking about the stores themselves. Almost every store now has some kind of special card that you need to have to get discounted prices. Also, they have special programs where you can earn points. All these things make checking out take so much longer. People are at the register fumbling through their billfolds or purses. Sometimes they can't find them and then the clerk has to enter their names - all of which takes time. Why can't they just lower their prices and forget about all these special promotional gimmicks. Also, I bought an item that was supposed to cost $29.95, but the register rang it up higher. When I inquired, the clerk informed me that that price was after rebate. Now I have to fill out the form, send it in, and wait eight weeks. More hoops for the consumer to jump through.
I watch the news and usually I get upset about the stories. There was this special segment on employers raiding their pension funds. The network had their financial expert on and he explained how pensions as we know them today may not exist in the future. His suggestion was for employees to begin saving on their own. This is great if one is making lots of money. We are supposedly getting a new industry here and most employees will be making $11.50 per hour. They can't even live on that; how are they supposed to put away $200 per month for retirement. Many of the high paying jobs that were available to my generation are not there today. It seems like whenever the news has on financial experts they are always talking to the people with lots of money, but not to the thousands who are just barely, or not even barely, getting by. These people just don't live in the real world.
I read an editorial in the paper today regarding the Tookie Williams execution in California. I am not a strong advocate of capital punishment, but I certainly don't feel any sympathy for him. I always become upset when I see the people trying to generate sympathy, compassion, or mercy for criminals such as he was. Would these people feel the same compassion if it was their loved one who was murdered? I doubt it. Also, do they ever give any thought to the victims' families. I doubt it. The editorial pretty much mirrored my feelings. Great to see others agree with me.