* * * * *
                                        
                    “… and now, a word from our sponsor … ”
                                        
I read The Space Merchants by Frederick Pohl and C. M. Kornbluth years ago
and found it a bit over the top. It's the future and advertising dominates
the average person's life. Everything is advertising. Even using Calgon [1]
in your bath wouldn't take you away from the advertising. So shut up and
drink your Pepsi. [2] 

A bit later (but still a few years ago) I sat down and watched Network, [3] a
film about an over the top news program. In 1976 it must have seemed the top,
but in the mid-90s? It's hard to top Jeraldo Rivera (although Rick Sanchez,
[4] a former local talking head could give Jeraldo a run for his money) these
days, and Network seems rather tame. 

So this comes as no surprise: 

> Acclaim Entertainment said yesterday that it would pay relatives of the
> recently bereaved in return for placing small billboards on headstones, and
> that the offer might “particularly interest poorer families.” 
> 

Via Flutterby, [5] Game publicity pan raises grave concerns [6] 

I'm just waiting for the day when advertising becomes mandated by law. 

Oh, by the way, this post brought to you by the letter “X” and by the number
“13.” 

[1] http://www.calgon.com/
[2] http://www.pepsi.com/
[3] http://us.imdb.com/Title?0074958
[4] http://www.msnbc.com/news/592590.asp
[5] http://www.flutterby.com/
[6] http://www.guardian.co.uk/computergames/story/0,11500,667942,00.html

Email author at sean@conman.org

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