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Sitting in Starbucks is an interesting way to pass an afternoon.  I mean, I have good company with my wife and her good friend, and therefor, a fair share of laughs.  But listening to the conversations around us is just too much fun sometimes — especially in a college town like Ithaca, NY.

However, in overhearing things, it’s fair to say that I’ve found a fair number of things that simply annoy the heck out of me.  This list isn’t by any means complete or all that fair to those around me.  So, in no particular order, here we go.

1. The word ’super’ when used in response to the question, “How are you?”  I have no idea why this bugs me so much, but it just does.  I can’t help but think of the word ’super’ as it relates to size, or quantity — think “supersize”.
2. People who wear headphones and still sing along to the music.  Seriously?
3. People who listen to music and don’t wear headphones.  I don’t like your music and I wouldn’t expect you to like mine.
4. People who feel the need to re-arrange all of the furniture.  While I don’t mind this in principal, when you insist on blocking the walkway so no one can pass just to fit that eighth person at you tiny little table, you’ve gone too far.
5. Noisy children.  Don’t get me wrong.  I don’t mind kids all the time. But to allow them to run and scream in a public place simply pisses me off.
6. People who start a conversation while waiting in line for the bathroom.  Don’t talk to strangers — especially while waiting to go to the bathroom.  Just don’t do it.  Ever.  For any reason.
7. People who bring printers / scanners and set them up on a table.  Don’t you have a home?  This isn’t just annoying, it’s quite frankly weird!

So… what pisses you off in a coffee shop?

Edited to add:

8. Loud ringtones.  If your phone goes off over and over and over, you aren’t popular, you’re annoying.  Phones do have vibrate functionality.
9. Fake / excited “valley girl” type accents.  Very annoying in all settings.  Piercing and shrill in a coffee shop.  Should be outlawed everywhere except for perhaps some areas of California.

In the process of closing over 200 Waldenbooks locations the parent company Borders will be forced to dispose of a decent chunk of their inventory.  So what will they do with all of the books they can’t sell before the closing of the stores?  Tear the covers off of them (to prohibit them from being resold) and throw them away.  Seriously!  Check it out!

In a time when schools are facing huge budget cuts and many are going without, why are we filling the landfills up with perfectly good books?  Better yet, why not donate them to a charity that could pass them out to those who could really benefit?  What a waste…

Microsoft has gotten itself in hot water again with regards to security.  After a recent bout of security problems whereby hackers broke into the email accounts of human rights activists in China, Microsoft finally admits that Internet Explorer is to blame.  According to this article in the the Telegraph, both Germany and France have issues warnings recommending that their citizens download either Firefox or Google Chrome.  Wow.  Entire countries are telling their citizens to avoid Internet Explorer.  Now, perhaps they can convince their citizens to avoid Windows too?

While driving to work this morning, I passed a large construction sign on the side of the road. You know the type – the ones that are actually a trailer and have large blinking lights spelling out words. They are usually orange in color, at least in places I’ve lived. The sign itself isn’t really interesting as they are everywhere. However, this particular sign stood out in my memory for its content. “STAY ALERT” All capital letters, nothing else. No flashing warning about men working, no “merge left” instructions. Simply the command to stay alert while driving a car.

Now please don’t get me wrong. I find this advice to be spot on. However, the sign does beg the question as to why? Why exactly do motorists need to be reminded to keep their eyes open and look where they are going? What’s more, presumably the drivers who need the warning the most, the ones who are not alert, are the ones who will miss out on the message as they drive merrily along in their non-alert stupor.

As many American’s struggle to make ends meet, one of the hot topics for added expenditures is higher gas prices.  However, apparently GM, or at least its vice chairman Bob Lutz, feel that higher gas prices are a good thing.

According to this CNN Article, Lutz met with the press at the Detroit North American International Auto Show and stated that if gas was taxed at a steadily increasing rate, then both consumers and automobile manufacturers would benefit.

GM’s Corporate Greed

GM’s big offering in this years Auto Show was their new electric vehicle the Volt.  I get the impression that they are putting a ton of effort into hyping this vehicle as it’s their answer to the hybrid vehicles other manufacturers are producing.  However, this isn’t an easy sell.  While many American’s are interested in the concept, it will be hard to convince them that the Volt offers anything not already available.  In typical greedy corporate American style, it seems that Lutz wants the government to implement an increasing fuel tax to make such alternative fuel vehicles more appealing.

Essentially, the message Lutz is giving to the consumers is that their vehicle isn’t able to compete in the current marketplace, and therefore, he wants the marketplace to change — not his company’s product.  I’d like to call bull shit.  Make a product that can compete, or go home.  As a hard working, middle class American, I don’t want to foot the bill for your marketing campaign.  Lutz then goes on to say:

Every time gas prices go back down, everybody starts buying big stuff again. Gas prices go up a buck, the big stuff is unsellable and everyone wants small cars. Go figure.  It’s like the collective memory is about three weeks long. We can’t run a business that way.

Sadly, I have to agree with his last point. They can’t run a business that way, or apparently any other way.

Rising fuel prices could devastate many Americans

In typical big business fashion, Lutz appears blissfully unaware what his proposed tax could do to many Americans.  If gas prices increase by a dollar over the next four years, I know that my budget would have to change.  That’s not insignificant!  And the worst part of this whole thing?  The people who can’t afford the higher gas prices are the same people who can’t afford a new vehicle.  So frankly, I think the logic is a bit off.

Oh well.  At least Ford had a good showing at the Auto Show!