Wisdoma

This week various representatives of the United Nations have stated:

1. Free condoms are needed for population control to reduce global warming, and now today -

2. Global warming is forcing women into prostitution.

On actual ‘global warming’ news, scientists (even the biggest proponents of global warming) are apparently now agreed that there has been no global warming the last 10 years – and they can’t figure out why.

Is global warming a concern or not? I don’t know.

But I do know that hysterical pronouncements that have no factual support and which are simply absurd on the face, hurt the credibility of those who say we should be concerned.

Does the UN do anything useful?

By the way, if you don’t like this post – blame global warming and not me

Yahoo, a San Francisco area company, likes to run every pro-Gay article and story it can find on its headlines. But this week with Maine citizens voting against gay marriage – not a peep about it on the front of Yahoo.

Hey Yahoo – it’s 31-0. Meaning: there have been 31 states where gay marriage has been put up for a decision by the people, and 31 states have said no.

The only places where this is even an issue is where a some judge has decided he knows better than everyone else, or a legislature has decided it does not need to represent the will of the people it purports to represent.

31 – 0. That means something.

If you’re looking for a Laser Tag place in Sacramento, as I have been, there are surprisingly few options – and no directory of area locations. So here ya go!

Laser Tag of Carmichael – website – This appears to be the largest laser tag facility, and really the only one devoted just to laser tag in the Sacramento area. Phone: (916) 972 – 7395. Location: 6031 Fair Oaks Blvd, Carmichael, CA 95608.

Pricing: $5.25 per game.

Country Club Lanes – website – This is a bowling center known for its glow bowling, which also has a laser tag facility. Phone: (916)483-5105. Location: 2600 Watt Avenue, Sacramento, CA 95821.

Prices: $8 per game. Worth noting – the prices for bowling are ridiculous. Ever heard of bowling alley charging $55 per hour??

Lazer Knights – website – Golfland, which is really known as SunSplash, has a laser tag room. Pretty much an afterthought. Haven’t played there as never could find someone who was running the desk, games, etc. Phone: (916) 784-1273. Location: 1893 Taylor Rd, Roseville, CA 95661.

Price: $6.50 per game.

Lazer City – website – A little out of the area in El Dorado Hills (and make sure you get a good map for this place, on the backside of some commercial buildings), this is a very nice facility. Phone: (916) 939-8799. Location: 5037 Robert J. Mathews Parkway, El Dorado Hills Parkway, El Dorado Hills. Recommended.

Prices: $7 per game.

Ralph Lauren is in the news for using what appears to be a photoshopped ad of a model whose head is larger than her pelvis. Is that humanly possible?

It appears to be a vain effort to change the looks of its models to fool the public into buying its clothes – as in – photoshopping models to appear thinner to supposedly enhance the look of the clothing on a person.

But that was only the minor news. No one would have heard about it.

Until, Ralph Lauren’s stupid attorney (or maybe its Ralph Lauren’s ad agency’s stupid attorney), Roxanne Elings from GreenbergTraurig, started sending copyright infringement notices to websites displaying the questionable ad and talking about the propriety of photoshopping models in ads.

Then, like an attempt to ban a book, the story and ad went viral – appearing on Yahoo and all over the net. How many “banned” books, commercials, ads, etc., can you find on websites, YouTube, etc? Yep, it’s the dumbest tactic that almost always backfires.

Now, Ralph Lauren has a much bigger publicity problem.

First step, if I were Ralph Lauren, would be to fire Roxanne Elings.

Second step, models are already disproportionate in size to the average person buying the clothes. There is no need to photoshop ads.

Oh yeah, you can see the ad below and make up your own mind about it. Obviously, I’m not afraid of Roxanne Elings either. It is one thing of something is engaged in copyright infringement by copying material trying to profit from it.

It is quite another when a bad ad is displayed as an example of a bad ad, especially in the context of the ongoing debate about whether models are too thin (think European actions against rail thin models) or whether photoshopped fake pictures (think of the OJ magazine picture) should be permitted without a disclaimer and notice, and threats are made as a result.

Ralph Lauren's Newsworthy Ad

Update:

Ralph Lauren has issued this apology:

“For over 42 years we have built a brand based on quality and integrity. After further investigation, we have learned that we are responsible for the poor imaging and retouching that resulted in a very distorted image of a woman’s body. We have addressed the problem and going forward will take every precaution to ensure that the caliber of our artwork represents our brand appropriately.”

Burger King announced it is making over its restaurants to make them look ‘edgier’ – at a whopper of a cost at $500,000 per restaurant.

It had been about 7 years since I’ve eaten at a Burger King or McDonalds, but recently while on the road travelling I was really hungry. So I stopped in at a San Jose Burger King and ordered an original chicken sandwich.

My mistake.

Yuck. Tasted more like cardboard than food. It wasn’t food. Didn’t even taste like chicken. Just something to put in your stomach.

Please, if I ever feel like trying Burger King again stop me. They need a food makeover, not a seating makeover.