The AOL opening screen has a list of 25 things in American Life that are disappearing.

The Yellow Pages is one- I haven’t used one in years- usually I just google it. Seems like a waste of print. But there are still a lot of the elderly who aren’t online and they would surely miss it. Along with the Yellow Pages will also go the classified ad section.

Cameras that use film are getting to be a dinosaur, how long can they keep making them?

Personal checks– I still prefer them, especially for tax purposes. I do not have an ATM and I only use the debit card for my HSA (Health Savings Account).

I do not understand why someone would use a debit card rather than a credit card. With the credit card I pay later, and since I pay the bill in full I pay no fees or interest. Plus I get tons of frequent flyer miles and points. I just bought a Canon G9 Camera ($499) with Best Buy gift cards redeemed from my Quicken credit card. I bought memory cards and a $100 Altec speaker system for my iPod from Amazon with credits from my Amazon credit card. I flew to Vegas First Class for free with frequent flyer points from my American Express.

The handwritten note is disappearing. This is most unfortunate. Blackberries, text messaging and the instant cell phone call is replacing the handwritten note. I contend that for the small business a clear well written personal letter is the most effective marketing tool available.

Other things that are disappearing:

honey bees– Colony Collapse Disorder or CCD is sharply reducing their numbers and I do not think the scientists know what is causing it. ( I bet Al Gore knows.)

pit toilets– Thank God! But we still have the construction site toilets. I was stuck in Atlanta traffic for 90 minutes this afternoon, and I saw a passenger jump out of the car and run into a construction toilet left in the median near 14 Street, come out of the toilet and run 40 feet and jump back into the passenger seat, getting a high 5 from the passengers in the back seat.

Network News– not a bad thing, but viewers for the top three are 1/2 what they were in 1984. CNN, Fox and the internet has stolen their audience, and in my opinion liberated control of the news. I think it was pivotal when Internet hacks brought the crappy journalism of Dan Rather to light. The same goes for Matt Drudge and some of the critical stories he broke. The same demise is imminent for news magazines and news papers.

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