This is the Statt Mann Baby. It's time to Scatt a little bit.

Excuse me while I vent a bit. It wasn’t a good week for normal, everyday irritations that can drive people to violence and the headlines. We used to say in the news business that news was often the story of stupid people doing stupid things.

Like when a national sandwich chain advertises big, luscious sandwiches then serves you a sandwich of meat sinew served in gelatinous goo that’s supposed to taste like barbecue.

Or when an internet service provider advertises three dollar services for new customers but then regular customers who’ve been loyal for years are charged literally ten times that amount and they wonder why there’s a complaint.

Or when Speed Channel and Time Warner conspire to charge eight dollars a month for services that ESPN gives away for free.

Certainly Speed Channel and Time Warner can charge whatever they want for Speed 2 programming. But it seems counterproductive to launch a new service with new fees at a time when the competition is giving away the same thing.
Must be new math. Or new media. Or old scams. Or just stupid people doing stupid things…

Peace.