Blockbuster lost what was left of its carcass once a Redbox sprouted at my local 7-11. Sure, the giant red DVD rental kiosk had been tempting me for over a year at the end of the self checkout lane at Stop and Shop, but it seemed kind of hokey. Besides, it was from the same people who make Coinstar, the great rip off change redemption machine.

Coinstar. Lets see, I feed a dollar worth of KFC encrusted coins and the machine keeps seven cents for processing? A Bunk Of America executive says what? Hell, TD bank lets customers dump the same pile of nasty change into the Penny Arcade for no fee, plus offers a prize when customers guess the total coin value. Step back, Cracker Jack.

So let’s just say I was apprehensive about the parent company providing a fair exchange of money for services. But after renting nearly every previously viewed DVD at the local Blockbuster ( which is not so local anymore since they shuttered more than half of them in New Jersey ), I was willing to give Redbox a try.

And there within the big red box of DVD goodness, a simple interface, a decent supply of recently released titles and a fair price beckoned. One dollar and nearly nine cents. The software just works. Select movies, checkout, swipe credit card, the titles get “vended”. Huzzah.

Unlike Blockbuster, titles can be returned at any Redbox. That flexibility is a real win, because kiosks offer slightly different titles.

Yes, Netflix is an amazing service. They are far more responsible for gutting Blockbuster than Redbox was. But to me, there’s two caveats with Netflix: recurring service charge and a huge delay between requesting a title, and it actually appearing in the mail. True there is video streaming/download option now which solves the instant gratification problem, but the recurring charge remains. Netflix wouldn’t be swimming in so much money without it.

In the end of they day, I want my movies now, immediately after paying for them. I pick; I swipe; I get. Done.

So long, Blockbuster, you killer of mom and pop video stores the nation over. Promise I will shut the lights off in the store on the way out.

Bunny courtesy Mom, ear removal courtesy the Poet, Photo courtesy Baybeh 9700

At the supermarket: A late model Pontiac with 2,000 dollar rims and an . . . interesting self-appraisal of the cars value.

Even the 87 year old driver of a Buick mouthed an expletive.

Photo Courtesy Baybeh 9700

The business of elimination is a serious matter. Like Glenn Close, it will not be ignored. And like a performance vehicle, what matters most when you’re cracking the throttle into a tight curve, is that the tires maintain contact with the road.

Or in this case of toilets, your bottom to the seat.

Many seats are just not up to the task. Not even close. Blame on it on the economy or unscrupulous landlords or Xanax-ed out home builders, but good seats seem to be an afterthought that very few interior designers consider. Don’t worry, I have spared them the effort.

Right size it. Please. In recent years seats have tended towards being much smaller than the bowl. A very unfortunate circumstance. The seat should cover the edges of the bowl, on both lateral sides and the front. Why does this matter?

Maybe the bowl itself can accommodate Marmaduke, but if the seat is fitted for Garfield, what have we really done here? I’m not caring much about the lovely Yankee candle near the window or the satin nickle fixtures at that point. I’m trying to find reasons not to use the toilet plunger on the vanity mirror.

Batten it down, Scotty. At no time, should the seat ever, ever wobble during the approach, landing, launch or exit sequences. If the seat moves d, the screws are loose, it’s a bad design or it’s the wrong fit for the bowl. Fix it, Mr. Wizard.

Replace the seat periodically, just because. Toilets wear and stain, and are cumbersome to replace, especially if you actually want to touch your partner ( or yourself ) that week. And sometimes an old and busted toilet comes with the apartment. Why float the landlord a free improvement? Fine logic. But for God’s sake, quality toilet seats can be had for less than two tickets to the cinema. Netflix it one night instead.

You’ll thank me. And there will be one less toilet plunger stuck to the vanity mirror.