Bravely...Captain Tirade...SWINGS into Action!!!

With a hearty bellow from his ample diaphragm, Captain Tirade selflessly hurls himself into the fray!  Battling rampant politeness!
Stamping out common conformity!
Look...Over there on that sidewalk...
Is it a bus?
NO!
Is it an aggravated Bison?
NO!
It's...IT'S
Captain Tirade!!!
Yes, kiddo's it's that time again.  When the hair across my ass has become to cumbersome to withstand and I must vent my frustrations on an unsuspecting public!
I have one simple question.  At what point did we, as a society, as a whole...settle.
At what point did we lay down on our bellies stick our butts in the air and not even ask for the courtesy of KY?
Lets set the way back machine.  This may be somewhat alien to anyone under the age 25 but just hold onto the railing and keep your arms and legs inside the ride at all times.
I can clearly recall as a boy growing up in NH that in my parents house(s) amongst all the trappings of suburban (rural) living we had 1 refrigerator (that always worked) 1 TV (an old Philco Black and white set, I think my dad had in college, which was STILL running fine when my mom decided to go color somewhere in the late 80's) 1 stove, a coffee pot (that didn't short out if it got wet) , the same pots and pans (that didn't leave little black flakes of pseudo-Teflon in your scrambled eggs)  silver ware (that didn't bend when you tried to lift the weight of your morning cereal) you get my gist!
Things worked!  You took it for granted that when you bought one of these items it was a lifelong purchase!  Those memories seem SO unrealistic nowadays.  So at what point did we decide it made more sense to save a few buck's on the INITIAL purchase price of anything, when we have learned over time that we are going to pay for it down the line?  I know that in the "Bike World" that shift came in the mid 90's when the BRILLIANT US Government decreed that Chinese imports posed "No Threat" to American Bicycle Manufacturers.  Very astute observation on their part.  Curious though that a few years later pretty much ALL major US makers were either out of business or manufacturing in China.  And anyone who has bought a bike from Wal-Mart, K-mart or Target know what a good move THAT was!
FEH!
That's why when I get a Huffy, or Schwinn or Murray from the early 90's or earlier I'm a happy camper.  I know even though their not the lightest bikes out there, they're amongst the strongest and most durable!
You may now be asking yourself, "where did this all come from?"
Well I'll tell you. Upon arriving this morning at the shop I was greeted to an all familiar romp through Lake Re-Cycle.  Our finely crafted AC system and it's equally fine pump (stamped "Made In China") had left it's mark (there was even a small frog in the water...And no I am NOT kidding)  Knowing that the management would probably frown on me installing an indoor pool, I trudges down to "Dollar General (Chow)" to get a mop and bucket.  With the normal over confidence of any good American consumer, I assumed a rope mop would do the trick.
Silly me.  Apparently "Absorption" is not the goal of this particular mop.  APPARENTLY the manufacture thought that moving water back and forth would suffice.  I guess the design was to continually slosh said water to and fro in an attemptt to speed up the process of evaporation.  Well not being well known for my patience, i felt that perhaps this was NOT the best use of eight dollars, and in a bold unprecedented move I sought to RETURN said offensive piece of equipment for something that was truly capable of removing water.  Imagine the slight bewilderment in the eyes of the store clerk when i plopped a dirty mop on the counter expecting a return.  My argument "when I purchase a mop, I EXPECT it to be able to pick up WATER"  Surprisingly he appeared bewildered for a moment.. then acquiesced that yes, in fact that would be preferable.
In the end i opted for a couple of towels, which worked just fine.
The moral of our story is this.  We have all become to complacent.  i am sure that I am not the only one that such a tale has happened to, so if you aren't doing it now, anytime something fails to work the way it REALLY is meant to, bring it back in a huff and DEMAND a refund.  Perhaps if enough folks do that the powers that be may come to realize that we are not truly, rubes!