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Show Trends have changed oyer past six years By DENNIS HLNKAMP ' Six years and about 33) columns ago I was 24, Reagan was president, gas was $ 1 .30 per gallon, only rich people had home computers and VCRs and nobody did aerobics or ate tofu. The only thing that hasn't changed is that we still have the same Continued on next pag Trends have changed over past six years Continued from previous page pnsident. A few trends I have seen develop during these six years: 1) Experts without portfolios;. Think about it. Who are the people who are selling most advice books and what do they know about the subject? Actress Jane Fonda( anti-Vietnam activist turned anti-nuclear activist turned health activist, is the most renowned person in exercise instruction through her video tapes and books. Most of the best selling diet books are written by people without accredited nutrition degrees. 2) Questionable Parentalism: The "Baby on Board" caution signs you can hang in the rear window of your car are offensive to almost everyone. Do they really make you a better parent? Do they really make anyone drive more safely? Michelin tire ads are equally offensive. They make it sound like the only way you can show care for your kids is buying a particular brand of tire. It shoud raise the question, "What kind of tires do the school buses have?" This type of parentalism seems to be saying that you can buy concern for your children. 3) Liability insurance increases: Nobody is quite sure who's to blame, but liability insurance has become an all consuming monster. Athletic events and community activities are being canceled because liability insurance is too expensive. Who's to blame? lawyers looking for business, citizens trying to make a quick buck on Lability suits or the insurance industry for mismanaging its money? 4) Convenience stores: My little town of Logan has more than 15 convenience stores and others are still under construction. It seems that about five years ago we were reading about the death of the corner grocery store. Soon, we were told, we would be buying everything at huge department stores that sold food, clothing, furniture and anything else you might want at one stop. One thing the experts probably didn't figure on is that many of us like to pick things up when we buy gas and we don't like fighting the crowds and long checkout lines of these mega-supermarkets. mega-supermarkets. 5) Five years ago the predictions were that everyone would soon have a computer at home. Most of us, however, are more interested in entertainment than punching a computer keyboard. Hence, it is more likely that everyone will have a VCR rather than a home computer. |