Some kvelling for Amadeus

Just back from a river cruise on Amadeus Waterways' "Amalegro" - from Nuremberg to Budapest and want to kvell about the little things that made the trip delightful. Having sailed on almost all the European river cruise company ships in the past ten years, Amadeus, the new kid on the block, surpassed all my expectations in "caring" for its clients.
The little things:
A cabinet full of complimentary water bottles - restocked when needed to use onshore, in the cabin or wherever.
Complimentary access to the internet in EVERY cabin on a large screen - also used for TV, movies, music and more.
Excursions for "gentle walkers" so that travelers needing extra time in walking on cobblestones, up and down hills, etc. need not feel rushed or prevented from enjoying the included walking tours.
Complimentary post card mailing from the ship (smart move) so you can let your friends and relatives know about your great holiday.
Complimentary regional wines (white and red) served with all dinners - wines that you ordinarily would not sample stateside.
And lastly, a staff that seemed to enjoy their jobs with Amadeus - resulting in superb service - always with a smile!
My kind of cruise ship.
(www.amadeuswaterways.com)

Buying Luggage

I can't understand how any decent luggage store or luggage section in a department store can function without a small scale for weighing each travel bag. Going one step further - why aren't manufacturers making the bags lighter - they're to be "carried on" - right?
A carry-on roll-aboard - approximately 21 X 14 X 8 inches - can weigh from 6 to 12 pounds WITHOUT ANYTHING IN IT!
I recently visited the Macys Herald Square store - and the luggage saleswoman said: "What difference does the weight make - they all weigh the same after they're packed with stuff."
Really? Has she traveled recently? Paid extra charges in Europe for an extra pound or two?
One should be able to lift a roll-aboard bag into the overhead compartment without helping hands.
BTW: doesn't matter if the luggage is expensive or cheap - all the carry-ons weigh too much!

Graphic design in publishing

Why are designers in publishing pushing "Please look at me" techniques: weird or dark colors, minimalism (where's the message?) far-out fonts, etc. at the expense of reading ease and comprehension?
Tried a recipe from a new cookbook recently? Was that one-quarter or one-eighth cup? Got the new season's listing of events from a local cultural entity - black tiny print on dark colored background; bye-bye. I don't have time to decipher that.
And websites - have you tried to read small print on dark blue or black backgrounds?
Since I don't carry a high power beam and a magnifying glass in my pocket - I just give up.
Surely there's a way to grab attention (and keep it) looking fresh, attract ive and be readable in almost any light.