Speaking of Irony...

PhilO · Post by **PhilO** » Tue Jan 18, 2005 9:47 am

Has anyone else felt their head about to explode at watching the latest barage of hypocritical TV ads from cigarette manufacturers extolling their stop smoking and limiting sales to youngsters campaigns?

Amazing that no one seems to have noticed or cares to call it for what it is. Will someone ask the question that my wife asked - I wonder what they're planning to invest in next (tongue in cheek as if they really are phasing out cigarettes) - maybe the long term hospital care for all those addicted.

Oh, not really amazing; we're all busy with the more important issue of Janet's bare breast. Colin Powell's son and a host of other "leaders" were outraged at that. Mostly because it tarnished the pro football image.

I love this country, but really am beginning to think we are morons. We need to get past the sexual hangups and symbolism and start to deal with reality. We react vehemently to use of swear words (yes, they are crass and unnecessary) yet swallow whole the vilest policies and destructive ACTIONS.

And every time I feel like strangling a conservative (about once a week), the liberals up and create issues out of beautiful wonderful Christmas traditions (yes, I'm Jewish and I've loved the season since I can remember) instead of dealing with really virulent forms of ongoing attacks on freedom (too numerous and widespread to mention).

I guess the cold brings out the cynicism and frustration. And, I guess we all tend to deal with what is easiest and in reality less threatening...

Philo

missy · Post by **missy** » Tue Jan 18, 2005 9:51 am

actually - and I could be mistaken

- I think those adds are part of the "settlement" the tobacco manufacturers made with the lawsuits they had a few years ago.

But, I agree, they are useless. Of course, since I watch very little TV I find most of what's on it useless.

Missy

Jerry Freeman · Post by **Jerry Freeman** » Tue Jan 18, 2005 9:57 am

The settlements between government and Big Tobacco ensured that the governments have a financial interest in the ongoing welfare of Big Tobacco. If the tobacco companies were to go out of business, the states would lose the large cashflow from the settlement, so it is not in the governments' interest to be very tough on Big Tobacco.

*sigh*

Best wishes,
Jerry

GaryKelly · Post by **GaryKelly** » Tue Jan 18, 2005 9:57 am

Philo. Breathe. Slowly. In.... out.... in..... in again because you missed a bit.... out....

Calm. Feel the serenity waft like an autumn breeze through you and around you. And, uhm, be like the palm-tree.

It's only TV. Light and shadows. Switch it off and throw it away. I did, and my head no longer explodes.

Flyingcursor · Post by **Flyingcursor** » Tue Jan 18, 2005 9:58 am

Philo I feel your pain. It's a wonder a person knows which side of the bed to get up on these days.

susnfx · Post by **susnfx** » Tue Jan 18, 2005 10:05 am

GaryKelly wrote:And, uhm, be like the palm-tree.

Okay, that made me laugh out loud.

I do some work for a medical research clinic that is currently conducting a smoking cessation study. The calls we get are sad and pathetic--people who are desperate to quit smoking, who will do absolutely anything to quit. I wish I could play some of the messages on our answering machine to high school kids.

Susan

jbarter · Post by **jbarter** » Tue Jan 18, 2005 10:20 am

You still have direct tobacco advertising???

Martin Milner · Post by **Martin Milner** » Tue Jan 18, 2005 10:24 am

susnfx wrote:
GaryKelly wrote:And, uhm, be like the palm-tree.
Okay, that made me laugh out loud.

I do some work for a medical research clinic that is currently conducting a smoking cessation study. The calls we get are sad and pathetic--people who are desperate to quit smoking, who will do absolutely anything to quit. I wish I could play some of the messages on our answering machine to high school kids.

Susan

Every advert we see on TV for "quitting products" have the caveat "requires willpower".

Jerry Freeman · Post by **Jerry Freeman** » Tue Jan 18, 2005 10:36 am

Another interesting factoid ...

When the American colonies began, there was no way they could survive without finding some basis for commerce. What they did find, came from contacts with the Native Americans: tobacco. It's my understanding that the Indians used tobacco for ceremonial purposes, and not for everyday consumption. But tobacco caught on in Europe, the American colonies had their cash crop, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Best wishes,
Jerry

jbarter · Post by **jbarter** » Tue Jan 18, 2005 10:44 am

How come nobody's suing the Native Americans?

Flyingcursor · Post by **Flyingcursor** » Tue Jan 18, 2005 11:02 am

So cotton must have come later. Maybe I'll do some research on the impact of tobacco and cotton on the development of the US.

Martin Milner · Post by **Martin Milner** » Tue Jan 18, 2005 11:08 am

"Irony. like Goldy and Bronzey, only made of Iron"

- Baldrick, in Blackadder II (I think)

emmline · Post by **emmline** » Tue Jan 18, 2005 12:22 pm

I'm with PhilO. Tobacco companies are a hoot. Talk about talking out of both sides of your mouth. Not unlike McD's including "healthy" equipment like pedometers in their adult happy meals.

TomB · Post by **TomB** » Tue Jan 18, 2005 12:56 pm

emmline wrote:I'm with PhilO. Tobacco companies are a hoot. Talk about talking out of both sides of your mouth. Not unlike McD's including "healthy" equipment like pedometers in their adult happy meals.

Yeah, and getting rid of "supersizing" because it's unhealthy, and then introducing the "double quarter pounder with cheese."

Tom

Post by **Nanohedron** » Tue Jan 18, 2005 6:38 pm

jbarter wrote:You still have direct tobacco advertising???

No. The tobacco companies involved only advertise against smoking, but then it's mentioned as "a service of the Philip Morris Company" or something like that. Indirect advertising: yes, obviously.

jbarter wrote:How come nobody's suing the Native Americans?

One evening in a bar I was seated next to this really tall Plains Indian. I started in on a coughing fit. He said to me in a deep voice, "Y'know, you really oughta quit those things." "Yeah, it was a good trade for the whiskey, don't you think?", I rejoindered. Got a really big laugh out of him for that.