No shit, Sherlock.

Three people on my block have had their houses tented for termites in the last month, myself included. All of us have horror stories, minor damage to the houses, no-shows, scheduling foul-ups, unreturned phone calls (after they get your money, of course). Its the eternal run-around, the scheduler and the fumigator and the billers are three different offices, in different locations (sometimes different states for the big firms!) and none will take responsibility or answer questions or send someone over. They don't even know each other's names or numbers. Of course, when they want your business they kiss your ass and communications is flawless. When they get your money they never answer their phone (voice mail, remember?) and fall off the edge of the earth.

This pattern is becoming the rule, not the exception, for all companies. I'm going through the same battle now with my internet/telephone/cable provider. TB, do you really think we are making this up just because we want to slander the free enterprise system and install a socialistic bureacracy? Do you really believe that we are so leftist that we spend nights trying to come up with ways to trash capitalism? No, maybe we are just fed up with being treated as revenue sources by companies who seem to operate as if they had no competition.

So you're fascinated by the level of dissatisfaction with the private sector, eh? And then you automatically assume we are completely uncritcal of the public bureaucracies. Maybe its because we don't have someone lecturing us every day on how wonderful socialism is and how evil capitalism is. We've got you instead telling us just the opposite. So the natural human tendency to react in outrage is directed at your shameless apologetics. It's only to be expected. You have become the self-appointed representative and defender of what is victimizing us. After all, something is motivating you to come to these boards with the primary mission of countering all leftist apostasy and reminding us constantly of the virtues of unrestrained markets. It isn't because we're all Reds. What is your motivation, why this crusade? What have we done to deserve your personal instruction?

Your tactic of equating any criticism of corporate greed as an automatic, without reservation, endorsement of all things socialistic is another reason we get so steamed at you. One does not automatically lead to the other, even if you have convinced yourself of it in order to justify your endless excuse-making for every toxic MBA scheme and corporate shyster. Perhaps if once, just once, you didn't feel the need to knee-jerk discredit any criticism or impatience with your precious Randian universe, you might find us all a bit more willing to meet you halfway. Believe me, if we had anyone here as far left as you are right we'd give him hell too, because, believe it or not, WE are the moderates, the middle of the roaders, the political center. Not you.

And by the way, from your description, it appears we have the same bank. Maybe I just don't feel compelled to cover for it.