My OperaHalloween Morning
Wednesday, October 31, 2007 9:39:20 AM
This is how I processed this week's US News and World Report after I picked it up from the mailbox:
1 Rip out all of the pages which are both front/back ads, throw away all 'blow-out' cards and subscription cards.
Most annoying: Pharmaceutical ads. First up:
Effexor XR, "Once-daily Venlafaxine HCI," for depression
Flomax,"for urinary symptoms due to BPH," (Tamsulosin HCI)
Lunesta, "Lunesta helps you fall asleep quickly, so take it right before bed." (Eszopiclone C)
2. Most disturbing: Miami City Ballet, an elegant ad....turn the page and you see a hideously disfigured child (huge full-color closeup), an for a non-profit group, "The Smile Train," which sponsors surgeries for children disfigured at birth due to cleft lip and palate. The children are from third-world nations. "$250.00 surgery for one child; $125.00 Half the cost of one surgery; $50 Medications for one surgery; $__ We'll gratefully accept any amount"
3. (Comment) If I was on the board of directors for Miami City Ballet, I would not be pleased with this placing (probably I wouldn't be placing the ad in "US News and World Report," either......not a 'ballet-lovers demographic). I would also want to fire the person who thought this was good copy for an ad for Miami City Ballet: "55 World Class performers gracefully moving as one."
I would like to meet the person who came up with that tagline: because I am sure that person has never seen Giselle,and probably would look at me with a blank stare if if I even mentioned the name Giselle.
More things that irked me as I ripped out pages of this week's (November 5, 2007 edition) US News and World Report[/I]:
The GEICO ad made of card stock
The DISCOVERCARD ad made of card-stock
The Ad for the U.S. Army showing an upper-middle class Caucasian Mom and Dad, proudly gazing at their very tall, very handsome young son in his U.S. Army Uniform with the stylish Green-Beret cap. (Tagline: The most important decisions start with most important people.) Web address: goarmy.com/for_parents
Note: the ad says "Private Matthew Bryan." Question: Are those his real parents? Ad touts the fact that the army will give your offspring "discipline, leadership training and college benefits."
4) The AMA ("American Medical Association") has the nerve to place a one-page public service ad, featuring a multi-cultural duo: "Jose," and his doctor (well-groomed, bespectacled Afro-American.)Curiously, both are holding stethoscopes over their mouths, which obscures their faces...and WTF kind of pose is that anyway? The good doctor, wearing a white coat, has his hand draped caringly over "Jose's" right shoulder. The AMA is promoting its public-service website, VoiceForTheUninsured.org "Because 1 out of 7 is 47 million too many."
Note: there were also at least a half-dozen ads I wanted to rip out, but there was editorial content on the obverse side, so I couldn't.
1 Rip out all of the pages which are both front/back ads, throw away all 'blow-out' cards and subscription cards.
Most annoying: Pharmaceutical ads. First up:
Effexor XR, "Once-daily Venlafaxine HCI," for depression
Flomax,"for urinary symptoms due to BPH," (Tamsulosin HCI)
Lunesta, "Lunesta helps you fall asleep quickly, so take it right before bed." (Eszopiclone C)
2. Most disturbing: Miami City Ballet, an elegant ad....turn the page and you see a hideously disfigured child (huge full-color closeup), an for a non-profit group, "The Smile Train," which sponsors surgeries for children disfigured at birth due to cleft lip and palate. The children are from third-world nations. "$250.00 surgery for one child; $125.00 Half the cost of one surgery; $50 Medications for one surgery; $__ We'll gratefully accept any amount"
3. (Comment) If I was on the board of directors for Miami City Ballet, I would not be pleased with this placing (probably I wouldn't be placing the ad in "US News and World Report," either......not a 'ballet-lovers demographic). I would also want to fire the person who thought this was good copy for an ad for Miami City Ballet: "55 World Class performers gracefully moving as one."
I would like to meet the person who came up with that tagline: because I am sure that person has never seen Giselle,and probably would look at me with a blank stare if if I even mentioned the name Giselle.
More things that irked me as I ripped out pages of this week's (November 5, 2007 edition) US News and World Report[/I]:
The GEICO ad made of card stock
The DISCOVERCARD ad made of card-stock
The Ad for the U.S. Army showing an upper-middle class Caucasian Mom and Dad, proudly gazing at their very tall, very handsome young son in his U.S. Army Uniform with the stylish Green-Beret cap. (Tagline: The most important decisions start with most important people.) Web address: goarmy.com/for_parents
Note: the ad says "Private Matthew Bryan." Question: Are those his real parents? Ad touts the fact that the army will give your offspring "discipline, leadership training and college benefits."
4) The AMA ("American Medical Association") has the nerve to place a one-page public service ad, featuring a multi-cultural duo: "Jose," and his doctor (well-groomed, bespectacled Afro-American.)Curiously, both are holding stethoscopes over their mouths, which obscures their faces...and WTF kind of pose is that anyway? The good doctor, wearing a white coat, has his hand draped caringly over "Jose's" right shoulder. The AMA is promoting its public-service website, VoiceForTheUninsured.org "Because 1 out of 7 is 47 million too many."
Note: there were also at least a half-dozen ads I wanted to rip out, but there was editorial content on the obverse side, so I couldn't.
