People these days

I don't know about you all - but a frequent topic of conversation at the faculty lunch table is the eroding lack or etiquette - particularly among students - particularly in their e-mails.  I love the ones that come in something like this:

jamie,
i m not going to be in class. r we doing anything important?
(rarely a name included here)


But today I was also the recipient of an e-mail intended for Jacob's soccer coach.  It was as follows:

"Can we get some work on when and how to get the pictures from Saturday?  I felt it was very unorganized for the parents and even the kids.

Thank you."

The Thank You seems a little insincere if you ask me.  No "Dear Coach" and no name signed (and no rereading of the e-mail).  I went ahead and responded (noting that they probably didn't mean to send it to me) but gave them the (previously distributed) info on the photographer's website and noticed that the pictures were not posted yet.  No big shock since the pictures were only on Saturday.

Sometimes I think we forget that there are actual people on the receiving ends of these e-mails.