Hmmmm....... Some very interesting posts since I left last night.

And speaking of the term "ma'am" - that brings to mind another issue of using that term. Early on in my business career, I attended a seminar, in which phone etiquette was addressed. It is considered NOT polite to use this term when speaking to a woman on the phone, especially since you probably don't know her age, and even tho you may think you're being polite, "ma'am" denotes a woman of age, and she could be offended by the implication. On the other hand, referring to a man as "sir" is more acceptable. Talk about double standards!

And then there is my big pet peeve - being called "dear", or "hon", or "sweetie" by a total stranger - such as a store clerk. They may think they're being friendly, but to me, they are being extremely rude. I see red when this happens! And unfortunately, it is usually the middle to older age group of folks who take this liberty. Shame on them - they should know better!