Thursday 19 June 2008

Ur errols, let me show u them

Some things picked up on TV the last few weeks.

First, our "Obesity Gold Medal." Fine that we are raising awareness and giving this health concern some air time and coverage. But for chrissakes get facts straight, right, and nailed down. The claim is that four million people are obese, and then we're told that 26% of our population is. Our population is through the 20,000,000 mark. That makes 25% = 5,000,000 people. So how can 4,000,000 = 26%? And of course that kind of "research" throws into doubt the whole shebang, the researchers for apparently not being able to do good maths like what I can, the reporter for not spotting a factual error and clarifying it, and the TV stations for running it without any sanity checks.

And then an ad I would like to pick apart. The one that "teaches sustainable" stuff. Oooh yeah, "sustainable" is a new magic buzzword because of the ecological problems we're facing, make sure you put that in the ad a few times. But "sustainable values?" Come on, what does this crock of shit actually mean? It means precisely Jack Shit, people! Our values system is in constant flux, it's what makes society work. Making a particular value "sustainable" means - in this context - changing all of society so that the value will continue to be applicable in the future.

So they're not actually teaching kids anything special, they're hoping that by repeating the buzzwords often enough they'll make whatever they're teaching the kids acceptable in the future.

And what are these magic "sustainable values?" Oh yeah - to link the concept of "family" with the concept of "kicking a football into Dad's gonads..."

Is it any wonder? With utter shit like this on TV? No go away and do something "sustainable..."

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