Having hearing problems is bad enough. If there is too much noise from the "background music" in a restaurant we will ask them to turn it down. We haven't been refused yet. We also ask for a "quiet corner." Perhaps if more people did that it might have an effect.

Do we REALLY need nine or ten televisions showing sports? Especially re-runs? Even with the volume turned off? And why is Fox News on the TV when it's turned to a news station?

While I'm ranting: If you go to a restaurant which is something more than McDonald's why don't you leave your very young children, the ones who can't keep quiet and stay in one place, home? They engender thoughts of infanticide in other diners.