There's an article in yesterdays Post, Front Page, about the proliferation of TV's in public places. It seems today's Marketing Geniuses figure that if you're standing still you must want to watch TV! There's one hovering over the line in my neighborhood 7-11. They're putting them in bank lines for God's sake! Is there no place to go where you won't be assaulted by a fuckin' Toyota ad? They got a TV they put in airports that if people are talking too loud, it turns itself up! Why don't they just bolt one on each of our faces? I can't wait to see the giant wide screens they set up over traffic jams. How about along the Appalachian Trail? "Tired? Feet hurt? Spend a relaxing evening at the Com-Fee Motel, just down the hill by the Interstate...We have TV's!!" I tell ya, I found myself daydreaming, several times, about putting on a ski mask and taking a bat to a few of those annoying devices (in the name of freedom and liberty of course).

According to the article, more homes in the U.S. have TV's than running hot water! How can this be? Yes, I know, the freedom to be brain dead, an inalienable right, but these TV's don't even have any cartoons or shows on them, it's all commercials! Egads, they're putting them on driving ranges(?),in waiting rooms, checkout lines, auto parts stores ("Gee, I think I'll watch a little TV while I'm buyin' this here motor oil..") on College Campuses! ("Hold on Fred, I think the answers to my Math test are coming on soon"). Even on the inside of airplanes! If you throw THAT TV out the window you'll get sucked right out with it! Man, they get you coming and going...

The quote which got me the worst was: "(The programming's) got to be informative, timely and credible or people won't watch." Excuse me? This has never kept anyone from watching it before! "We don't think of it as targeting captive audiences.." Right.

Pardon me while I go sharpen my bat...

rants