Idiot of the Day/Week/Month.
Hm. I seem to recall there was a reason I stopped reading movie reviews from Box Office Mojo.
Oh yeah.
Yes, Narnia is nothing more than "Christian propaganda" that demonstrates the "arbitratiness of religion" in a "poorly disguised Christian fairy tale".
Note that this is the second time reviewer Scott Holleran has received an Idiot Award.
Monday, December 12, 2005
More from the "Department for Studying the Obvious".
Abortion induces long term mental distress
Ya think?
Abortion induces long term mental distress
Ya think?
Sunday, December 11, 2005
Wednesday, December 7, 2005
Baby Freezes to Death in Snow;
Nearby King Charged with Criminal Negligence
A Bay Area woman inspired authorities to look into a cold case involving a baby purportedly freezing to death 2,005 years ago. At the time the death was reported, no suspects were charged with the crime. However,
A well-known Christmas carol commemorating the devious deed is what tipped Mrs. Burud off to the king’s involvement. Accordingly, an investigation was conducted, resulting in new evidence that was sufficient to get an indictment against the king (who incidentally looks amazingly well for being 2,035 years old).
The most damning piece of evidence was a 2,005 year old parchment penned by the king’s bard in which details of the crime were recorded. When originally questioned by authorities, the king denied any knowledge of the crime or of the situation surrounding the events. However, the parchment states otherwise.
An excerpt of the document suggests that a peasant shepherd, angered at the king’s lack of approval of tax breaks for the poor and disappointed at the economy’s unfortunate state in general, sought to inform the king of his grievances. His plea, which was included in the parchment in its entirety, utilized real-life examples illustrating how the poor in his region suffered from the king’s negligence. Said the shepherd boy to the mighty king:
“Do you know what I know, in your palace warm, mighty king, do you know
what I know? A Child, a Child shivers in the cold!”
The shepherd sarcastically suggested that the king send the Baby silver and gold, as the monarch had a reputation for being ungenerous. The implication was clear: the king valued silver and gold over the life of a poor child shivering in the cold. The investigation revealed that the king had indeed done everything to make the lives of the poor in that region unbearable.
However, in response to the shepherd’s letter of complaint, which caused quite a stir in the royal court, the king merely attempted to quell the anger of his subjects by making warm and fuzzy, politically correct remarks such as, “Listen to what I say! Pray for peace, people everywhere!” According to several court members, the king was heard to say secretly to his advisors, “Listen to what I say: the Child, the Child, sleeping in the night--he will bring us goodness and light.” It is speculated that this remark suggested a sinister plot to kill the shepherd, thereby silencing the only voice of opposition to the king’s reign.
The child who was shivering in the cold without a blanket froze to death. The new evidence led to charges of criminal negligence being filed against the king; he is due to stand trial at the
New Study Indicates Link Between Marketing and Consumption.
Shocking new findings could dramatically affect how companies seek to sell products
According to a new study released by the Institute of Medicine (IOM), there is a clear link between the advertising of a product and consumers' desire to use that product. The study specifically tested how marketing of food products affected children's desire to eat that product, but may have more profound implications.
According to the IOM, "The committee found strong evidence that television advertising influences the food and beverage preferences and purchase requests of children ages 2 through 11 years old and affects their consumption habits." The report goes on to state that, "While the study focused on children aged 2-16, there is evidence to suggest that this 'marketing' may influence adults as well." If so, this could dramatically affect how companies seek to sell their products. Some theorize that companies may seek to spend thousands, if not millions of dollars on so-called "Tele-vision commercials," if it could potentially increase their sales.
"This really could usher in a new era for product usage," said Alan Cato, a business commentator. "The idea that a company can affect the comsumer's preference simply by advertising and marketing is an entirely new concept. No one has put forth such a radical proposal before."
The IOM also couples the results of the study with other recent studies that indicate eating junk food may not be good for you. "For years it was believed that what you ate had no influence on your health. We now know that is not true. Coupling that knowledge with this new study leads one to conclude that if companies advertise unhealthful food, consumer's intake of such foods may increase, leading to an increase in obesity." The IOM report goes on to say that, "If voluntary efforts by industry fail to successfully shift the emphasis of television advertising during children's programming away from high-calorie, low-nutrient products to healthier fare, Congress should enact legislation to mandate this change on both broadcast and cable television. We all know that personal responsibility is too much to ask of the individual American. Parents cannot be counted on to say 'no' to their children, so the government must step in and cut off the problem at the source."
Other IOM studies expected to be released soon call for parenting licenses, mandatory public schooling, and that all children be taken from their parents and placed in "Wellness Warehouses" to be cared for by the state.
Shocking new findings could dramatically affect how companies seek to sell products
According to a new study released by the Institute of Medicine (IOM), there is a clear link between the advertising of a product and consumers' desire to use that product. The study specifically tested how marketing of food products affected children's desire to eat that product, but may have more profound implications.
According to the IOM, "The committee found strong evidence that television advertising influences the food and beverage preferences and purchase requests of children ages 2 through 11 years old and affects their consumption habits." The report goes on to state that, "While the study focused on children aged 2-16, there is evidence to suggest that this 'marketing' may influence adults as well." If so, this could dramatically affect how companies seek to sell their products. Some theorize that companies may seek to spend thousands, if not millions of dollars on so-called "Tele-vision commercials," if it could potentially increase their sales.
"This really could usher in a new era for product usage," said Alan Cato, a business commentator. "The idea that a company can affect the comsumer's preference simply by advertising and marketing is an entirely new concept. No one has put forth such a radical proposal before."
The IOM also couples the results of the study with other recent studies that indicate eating junk food may not be good for you. "For years it was believed that what you ate had no influence on your health. We now know that is not true. Coupling that knowledge with this new study leads one to conclude that if companies advertise unhealthful food, consumer's intake of such foods may increase, leading to an increase in obesity." The IOM report goes on to say that, "If voluntary efforts by industry fail to successfully shift the emphasis of television advertising during children's programming away from high-calorie, low-nutrient products to healthier fare, Congress should enact legislation to mandate this change on both broadcast and cable television. We all know that personal responsibility is too much to ask of the individual American. Parents cannot be counted on to say 'no' to their children, so the government must step in and cut off the problem at the source."
Other IOM studies expected to be released soon call for parenting licenses, mandatory public schooling, and that all children be taken from their parents and placed in "Wellness Warehouses" to be cared for by the state.
Tuesday, December 6, 2005
Sunday, December 4, 2005
New Additions to the Family
There be kittens!
So we've adopted a pair of stray kittens. We figured we'd start simple. If we can keep them alive, we'll think about graduating to something harder, like babies.
This one is Isis. She's a Bombay kitten. Initially when we decided to get a kitten a month or two ago, Rie said she wanted a black cat and wanted to name it Isis, after Catwoman's black cat. She researched cat breeds until she found the Bombay and decided she wanted one of those. Shortly thereafter, she found a Bombay kitten up for adoption from Second Chance Pet Adoption and we made arrangements to adopt her.
The story behind Isis is that she walked into an office building and started meowing, wanting attention. The people there called Petsmart, who works with the shelter, to see if they could take the kitten.
The shelter had named her Polly, as she is a polydactyl, meaning she has an extra toe on each foot. You can see her sixth toe sticking out from her paw in this picture.
When we first went to meet Isis, she was in a cage with her friend Bastet (the shelter had named her Gracie). We couldn't take Isis home at that point because she was too young and still being bottle-fed. After we got home I asked Rie "is she going to be all right at home by herself when we're at work?" One thing led to another and we asked the shelter if we could adopt Bastet as well. Deanna, the lady who was caring for both of them said that would be wonderful, and later expressed gladness that we adopted them both, as they had become best friends.
Bastet is a Pastel Calico. We figure she's about a week younger than Isis.
There be kittens!
So we've adopted a pair of stray kittens. We figured we'd start simple. If we can keep them alive, we'll think about graduating to something harder, like babies.
This one is Isis. She's a Bombay kitten. Initially when we decided to get a kitten a month or two ago, Rie said she wanted a black cat and wanted to name it Isis, after Catwoman's black cat. She researched cat breeds until she found the Bombay and decided she wanted one of those. Shortly thereafter, she found a Bombay kitten up for adoption from Second Chance Pet Adoption and we made arrangements to adopt her.
The story behind Isis is that she walked into an office building and started meowing, wanting attention. The people there called Petsmart, who works with the shelter, to see if they could take the kitten.
The shelter had named her Polly, as she is a polydactyl, meaning she has an extra toe on each foot. You can see her sixth toe sticking out from her paw in this picture.
When we first went to meet Isis, she was in a cage with her friend Bastet (the shelter had named her Gracie). We couldn't take Isis home at that point because she was too young and still being bottle-fed. After we got home I asked Rie "is she going to be all right at home by herself when we're at work?" One thing led to another and we asked the shelter if we could adopt Bastet as well. Deanna, the lady who was caring for both of them said that would be wonderful, and later expressed gladness that we adopted them both, as they had become best friends.
Bastet is a Pastel Calico. We figure she's about a week younger than Isis.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)