Because god forbid we should ever have to suffer a silent moment of reflection during a mundane task.

There is a gas station by Alderwood Mall that has LCD screens on all the pumps. The couple times I've gone there, I haven't been pumping gas long enough to see more that a few ads and part of a clip from CNN. It did not enhance my gas pumping experience, but this idea has been around for a few years at least.

I bet the business model for the system in the article is advertising. I imagine it will work like this: gas stations will get paid to install it, and probably make a monthly fee. It will show mostly ads with a few short news clips. Advertisers will be sold on the "captive audience" concept. The Michigan start-up will be bought out and the founders will make a million dollars. After a short period where the consumer sees the TV's as a novelty and actually pays attention to them, the interest will wear off and the ads will become more white noise in the background of our lives.

This provides one good reason to bring back mandatory pump attendants, ala OR.

I remember watching "The Simple Life" on Fox and Paris Hilton had the interesting observation that in Arkansas, "everything happens at the gas station."

I'm not sure "interesting" is the word you were looking for there.

No, I completely agree with her. They really are the centers of retail commerce and social interaction in the rural south, although their influence has waned considerably with the proliferation of Walmarts in the region.

incest father and daughter with mother and son!