I'm in my mid-thirties! And yes, BooBoo, people do live that long, and know how to use computers!

Most of you people are in your 40ies? WOW

I grew up Southern and was in the military, so the "ma'am/sir" thing is ingrained. I think if you're going to address someone you don't know, you should use a respectful term of address -- unless of course they're acting like a dick, in which case you just smack them.

The ma'am thing bothers me, too, but at least it's meant to be respectful. Calling an old woman "young lady" is, in my opinion, condescending. If the genders in that situation were reversed, how many women would feel the need to call the old man "young man"?

Thanks, Aaron, for my first full-on guffaw of the day.

Earlier this morning I was actually thinking about "lady" (and, yes, believe it or not, in my head I heard it said a la Jerry Lewis) and how much I really do love when I'm addressed as such.

Amazing! Just last night, I got a phone call from a telephone survey. I love to take these, so I was disappointed when the qualifying question was "Are you a registered Republican?" and I answered "Do I SOUND like an asshole?!"

They hung up.

(The last time I took one of these, it was about reproductive rights, and when they asked "Do you think abortion should be legal or illegal?" I answered "I think it should be mandatory." I have been waiting for a second try at this survey so that I can steal Don's response, and add "...and retroactive.")

And regarding the Miss/Ma'am/Madam thing, I think it would be easier if all members of the female gender were referred to as "Hey LADY" (a-la Jerry Lewis) seeing as how each and every single one of them seems to have a different preference as to how they wish to be addressed, which may or may not change day-to-day.

This has nothing to do with marital status, ethnicity, race, gender, age, or domicile.

Be lucky that they only say "Ma'am" or "Sir"; In Japan, not only do you have to recognize everyone's position in society and the workplace related to your own position, but you have to use an entirely different vocabulary depending on said relationship; whether it be a superior, an equal or a subbordinate.

And there's nothing wrong with being a Republican or Democrat; I simply believe that;

1) I earned my money justly and deserve to keep as much of it as I can.

2) My government should defend the shores, keep the criminals out of society and maintain the roads I drive on. I'll raise my children, decide what I want to eat/drink, and choose my own recreation.

But then again, I'm a married ethnicity-void-white guy in his 30's from the midwest.

Even though I'm on the cusp of 40, I still cringe when I'm called "sir." That's my father, not me.

I'm stunned that you're a Democrat in New York! *Gasp!*

Oh, wait, the state voted something like 4:1 Democrat last go'round.

Nevermind.

Mandatory name tags would solve everything.

I'm a southerner. I must be, I grew up in Bath, which is in the south of England!

This business of saying "yes Sir", to people who aren't customers of yours is something uniquely American. It's kinda cute.

I have a friend who's about 12 years older than me, from MN (not exactly a southerner!) who says, "Yes sir" to me from time to time.

As for this business of New Yorker women getting all uppity about being called Ma'am, get the fuck over it ladies. At least it's (intended as being) respectful. There are far ruder ways of being addressed.

I've not worked in shops since I was a student (no later than 1990). The normal way to address a female customer in Britain would be to call them Madam, unless they were obviously under 18, in which case they're addressed as Miss.

British customers are far too busy being overcharged and over-taxed (17.5% sales tax nationwide), to get upset about the exact form of addess, unless it's blatantly rude. We leave that sort of thing to our waiters!

Having grown up with a father every bit as southern as one can get, I can back Shawn up on this one. Making it worse, still, was my dad's military background which, of course, instills in one the "yes ma'am, no ma'am" form of respect.

I think it's a charming manner that I'm sad to see all but gone today.

It's true. Every word of it. He is a recovering hick-a-holic.

This brings back memories. I was raised in the South, specifically Georgia. Yes, I'm a recovering Hick-a-holic. Anyway, we (at least my generation) were raised to "yes, m'am--no m'am; yes, sir--no, sir" as readily as taking a breath of air. One interesting aspect is that in retail this manner of addressing people was an expected courtesy, regardless of age. My first job at the tender age of 16 was working in sales at Dillard's (kind of like Marshalls, etc.). At some point in my little career in retail sales a middle-aged, female, New Yorker came in to buy some shirts for her husband. As was natural, I proceeded to "m'am" her and she fffffreaked. Understand that by local standards by not saying "m'am" I may as well have said "Yo, beyatch. Whatcha need?" So, I was torn between that and "If you call me 'm'am' one more time, I'll have your job!"

Funny how you yankies work. ;)