Rebecca Blood points to this news that warms my heart (in a minor league way). I’ve resented the supermarket and drug store “loyalty program” discount cards ever since they made their entry onto the scene, for two reasons. Most insidiously, they create a database of my buying history to hit me with more targeted marketing efforts. (What, did you think the store was doing it just as a favor to you??) And they drive up prices by reserving sale prices previously offered to everyone for a subset of their clientele. Personally, I’m glad to forego the discounts for my privacy, but not everyone’s resources allow that. I speak up, loudly, in the cashier’s line about my reservations every time the store personnel react with incredulity or negativity about my disdain when they ask me if I have the magic card. Now it seems doubts are being raised by some consumers, and some supermarket chains are dropping the programs. Christian Science Monitor