Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Lowering the Bar: Advertising Edition
McDonald's Corp gets really cranky when people talk about "McJobs" and "McMansions" and everything else "Mc" that isn't a highly processed foodstuff from which it makes a huge profit. In an apparent effort to improve its PR, and also to recruit more young employees, McD'oh has been airing a commercial on TV.
I don't know if this is only getting aired in Georgia (or just the South), but it struck me as completely tragilarious. The ad starts with a professional-looking woman, who talks about how You've Probably Heard about some kid who got his first job at McDonald's, and stuck with it, and years later was "making thousands."
Yes. She says "making thousands." Not millions. Not hundreds of thousands. Not even tens of thousands. THOUSANDS. At least she's not over-inflating anyone's expectations.
I don't know if this is only getting aired in Georgia (or just the South), but it struck me as completely tragilarious. The ad starts with a professional-looking woman, who talks about how You've Probably Heard about some kid who got his first job at McDonald's, and stuck with it, and years later was "making thousands."
Yes. She says "making thousands." Not millions. Not hundreds of thousands. Not even tens of thousands. THOUSANDS. At least she's not over-inflating anyone's expectations.
Labels: advertising, America, culture, employment, horror, irony, jobs, lowering the bar, McDonald's, money, television
Thursday, March 08, 2007
Fat and Robots
Weight loss is big business. Every time we turn on the TV, or peek into our SPAM folders, we're assailed by a million-and-one advertisements, calling us fat and cajoling us to buy [insert likely placebo here] to change all that. Those TV ads are expensive, and at least a few morons seem to still click on SPAM messages (buying things seen via SPAM should be a capital crime, IMHO), so the money is clearly there.
But what works?!?!? That's the big question. Well, a Stanford study (which may or may not be published, el WaPo doesn't say or cite) of about 300 women followed for a year suggests that Atkins may not have been all wrong. From the article it's really hard to glean what the data actually say, but it seems at least that Atkins didn't have the cataclysmic effects on blood lipids expected, and that it may have been associated with more weight gain than other diets tested. But then again, big money's involved here, so who knows who was futzing with the data.
Speaking of diet and fat, Michigan researchers are trying to validate one of my biggest research pet peeves: that BMI is a terrible measure of obesity. Good work y'all! Also, Pittsburgh researchers have found that increased omega-3 fatty acids in the diet may be linked to increased grey matter, especially in areas related to mood and memory. Interesting!
We've heard all the hoopla about circumcision as a method of slowing HIV spread in Africa (see here for a good, if rather shrill, discussion on how bad the discourse has been on this so far), right? Well, it turns out that the news might not be all good (duh!): men who go back to engaging in sex before their newly-cut-penises are fully healed may be spreading HIV to their female partners at a higher rate. The data are sparse and look pretty shakey, but this is potentially a MAJOR concern, so it's worth investigating ASAP.
Speaking of ethics, South Korea is working on a Code of Ethics for robots, beginning of course with the Three Laws. Their code will expand on Asimov's model, and include rules on how humans should treat robots as well. Hopefully members of the commission have done more than watch I, Robot and Blade Runner before considering all this.
But what works?!?!? That's the big question. Well, a Stanford study (which may or may not be published, el WaPo doesn't say or cite) of about 300 women followed for a year suggests that Atkins may not have been all wrong. From the article it's really hard to glean what the data actually say, but it seems at least that Atkins didn't have the cataclysmic effects on blood lipids expected, and that it may have been associated with more weight gain than other diets tested. But then again, big money's involved here, so who knows who was futzing with the data.
Speaking of diet and fat, Michigan researchers are trying to validate one of my biggest research pet peeves: that BMI is a terrible measure of obesity. Good work y'all! Also, Pittsburgh researchers have found that increased omega-3 fatty acids in the diet may be linked to increased grey matter, especially in areas related to mood and memory. Interesting!
We've heard all the hoopla about circumcision as a method of slowing HIV spread in Africa (see here for a good, if rather shrill, discussion on how bad the discourse has been on this so far), right? Well, it turns out that the news might not be all good (duh!): men who go back to engaging in sex before their newly-cut-penises are fully healed may be spreading HIV to their female partners at a higher rate. The data are sparse and look pretty shakey, but this is potentially a MAJOR concern, so it's worth investigating ASAP.
Speaking of ethics, South Korea is working on a Code of Ethics for robots, beginning of course with the Three Laws. Their code will expand on Asimov's model, and include rules on how humans should treat robots as well. Hopefully members of the commission have done more than watch I, Robot and Blade Runner before considering all this.
Labels: Atkins, brains, circumcision, ethics, fat, HIV, money, movies, obesity, omega-3, penis, robots, sci-fi, SPAM, weight-loss
Sunday, February 25, 2007
Accounting
At the beginning of last year, I signed up for a frequent-flyer-gathering credit card from my bank, because I figure I might someday have time to travel, and miles could come in handy! So I got this fancy new bit of budgetary overindulgence, and have been using it (mostly) responsibly ever since.
Today I learned of a feature that this card, unlike my others, provides: a year-end account summary. Which is good, I guess, if only because it means I can put all the monthlies in cold storage and have this as an easier reference, should the need arise. The downside? The summary includes tabulations by type of purchase.
Health care: 6% (this is mostly paid by cheques to my insurance company)
Services (i.e., haircuts and Comcast...an odd pairing): 8%
Merchandise (includes groceries, clothes, books, and shoes): 31%
Restaurants (and bars): 41% !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am well aware that I would be less broke if I cooked more, and drank less. I just really don't like being reminded. I also am reminded how annoyed I am that my school does not accept credit cards for tuition payment - that would allow me to go on a really fantastic post-graduation holiday extravaganza!
Today I learned of a feature that this card, unlike my others, provides: a year-end account summary. Which is good, I guess, if only because it means I can put all the monthlies in cold storage and have this as an easier reference, should the need arise. The downside? The summary includes tabulations by type of purchase.
Health care: 6% (this is mostly paid by cheques to my insurance company)
Services (i.e., haircuts and Comcast...an odd pairing): 8%
Merchandise (includes groceries, clothes, books, and shoes): 31%
Restaurants (and bars): 41% !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am well aware that I would be less broke if I cooked more, and drank less. I just really don't like being reminded. I also am reminded how annoyed I am that my school does not accept credit cards for tuition payment - that would allow me to go on a really fantastic post-graduation holiday extravaganza!
Labels: annoyance, budgeting, credit cards, gluttony, introspection, money, poverty., tragic
