Have you noticed, as I have, that TVs are sprouting up everywhere?  I guess you could hardly miss it, but what a horrible trend.  Just as everyone is bemoaning the death of mainstream media and how there's 600 channels and nothing on, we are slowly but surely turning into Brazil (the movie, not the country).

I've noticed this for a while now - flatscreen technology has made it easy to stick TVs everywhere, and somehow because something is possible it is considered desirable.  I hated it when airports filled up with CNN (still do).  I hated it when restaurants filled up with sports (still do).  Note: restaurants, not sports bars, we must keep the distinction clear, although what with TVs everywhere, soon there won't be a distinction.

The other day I found TVs in my supermarket.  Time to change markets, but it won't help; soon every market will have them.  The other day I found TVs next to my gas station's pumps.  Time to change gas stations, but it won't help; soon every gas station will have them.  The other day I found TVs in my favorite breakfast dive, the Denny's in San Juan Capistrano.  Time to change places to eat breakfast, but it won't help; soon every breakfast place will have them.

The worst part of this trend is when the sound is on.  There's a little boutique hotel in Carlsbad called the West Inn, I stay there often, it's a nice place.  But in the breakfast room they have not one not two but three TVs, each tuned to a different channel, with the sound on!  And not a remote control to be found.  How anyone can eat breakfast with CNN, a reality show, and kids cartoons blaring at you is beyond me.  I shall no longer eat breakfast there, even though it's good and included with the room; it is a lousy way to start the day.

There's a TV in my company's lunchroom, always on, usually surrounded by people watching.  The new opiate of the masses, to be sure.  Anyway I hate this trend, I hate it.  I hate it a lot.  It's enough to make me carry one of those remote controls that turn off every TV.  Which will probably not work, just make me unpopular.  I must tell you, I regard this as a leading indicator of Unnatural Selection...