Hypothesizin': Blockbuster?

I went to Blockbuster for the first time in two years. Having little kids makes the convenience Netflix very appealing. But I had to get a movie for my job and so I stopped on my way to work. I found the movie I was after. When I went to check out, I told the cashier (a smart, young girl) that I didn't have my card anymore. She went to pull my account info up, but alas, I had never been to that store. "Aren't all the stores linked together?" I asked with a hint of technical flabergastedness. "Well, some are and some aren't." I followed up, "Are the stores franchises or are they corporate owned?" "We've got both," she said. She did some confusing stuff on her computer, wrote a bunch of stuff on a piece of paper, and a few minutes later I was checked out. I walked out scratching my head. A few observations:

1. Blockbuster is sad. They bet the farm on bricks and mortar. They were king, but they're not anymore...and it's just going to get worse. It's a doomed business.
2. Who's working at Blockbuster?
3. How could their story have been different? They jumped into the "by mail" game too late. Plus, their mailing option membership was too confusing (I actually tried it for a month or two and it hurt my head).
4. What will we do with all these empty Blockbuster locations in 3 years?
5. What businesses/religious institutions/empires feel like Blockbuster circa 1997? How long before they arrive at their proverbial 2008?

Hypothesizin': Political Discussionz

I'm full of questions, so I'm starting a series of posts with the hip title Hypothesizin' (g's are for the tragically unhip).

The Question: Why is it nearly impossible to have a political discussion with someone you disagree with?

Answers?
1. Most people lack an identity deeper than their political identity/ideology.
2. People are scared that other people will find out that they don't know anything about politics.
3. Yelling is easy. Talking is hard.
4. All of our "pop-political voices" do nothing but yell (Hannity, Mahar, etc.) so we think that's what we're supposed to do.

My friend Charles was the inspiration for post. He's like the wind beneath my wings.

a miracle on ice, the creme de la creme, magical

Real conversation from the voting line:

Oldish Guy: So, what do you do for a living?
Young, Slick Guy: Funny you should ask...I buy life insurance policies from people at the end of their lives. I purchase enough of them, like 100, and then sell them to a hedge fund. We call them "lots of lives" in the biz.
OG: Uh....
YSG: The price we pay people for their policies is dependent on their current health and/or their prospective health.
OG: Uh....
YSG: You know, so if someone's really close to dying, they may be able to get more money than if they think they're gonna live longer.
OG: Uh....
YSG: [pause, pause...wait for it] So how's your health?

It was at this point that I tuned out and began thinking. This guy is my hero. Anyone who can be that out of touch with the human condition is a miracle on ice, the creme de la creme, magical. The only thing I made up was "in the biz." I just think that's a funny thing to say.