Radioaffliction Vol.8: I Went to the Doctor and Had my Blagojevich Removed!

Host Peter A. Clay is joined by Chris Korhonen(C.K.) and Robert King.

Click here for volume 8 of The Radioaffliction.


Topics include:
The Impeachment conviction of Rod Blagojevich(we just love the name, and the hair!).
DTV Delay(again!).
How bad is the economy(really).
No Love for the $2 bill.
Getting questionable advertising through committee(aw, nuts!).

Enjoy!

Spam A-LOT!

Once again I'm writing an article that explains the whole point of what The Radioaffliction is all about. A simple topic that I throw out to the universe in hopes of gaining a greater understanding of the subject involved, by not only sharing my opinion but hopefully getting views from other people as well, and while we may not find the answer, we have a least talked about it and hopefully gained some knowledge, understanding and heaven forbid - wisdom.
Today's topic is one that I'm not sure has many good answers, but is getting harder and harder for me to understand, and that is the subject of Spam!
To me spam is much more than just unsolicited email, but also these "commercial" web pages that took over traffic exchange sites a long time ago.
I actually have less outrage over email spam because most of it gets put into a specific folder, and if one happened to sneek through -click- it's gone. In fact I often thought that people who complained about spam should have been put in a burlap bag and thrown off a cliff, and as they are plunging down yell at them to lighten up. Kind of like the guy I met one time who thought it was inappropriate for someone to be talking on their cell phone at the urinal, not realizing it was inappropriate to yell at someone at the urinal that they are doing something inappropriate.
But as hilarious as I find email spam from time to time, like the new trick people are doing to insure that they are on the top of your email folder by putting the date a year in advance, is that it all just seems pointless to me. To send out millions of emails in the hopes that at best a 1% conversion rate. I know it's easy, and I do believe in free enterprise, but the best things created, done and enjoyed in life weren't the easiest. The don't have to monumentally hard either, but as Star Trek and for crying out loud The Wizard of Oz have taught us (over and over again) is that the things we really want, we probably all ready have. It just takes a little thought, some creativity (that is not a dirty word by the way) and heaven forbid -TIME-!
Here's an example and maybe you have come across these web sites before, that go on for what seems like six pages that try to pump you up with things like, "Wouldn't you like to spend more time with your family", or "Have the freedom to do what you want, and work at home", going on and on about how great their lives are, and don't forget the testimonials, and still going all the way to the end when they actually have the #$%&@ to ask for your credit card and usually $49.99(sometimes more, but risk free for thirty days of course) without EVER telling you what it is, does or will do for me.
It kind of reminds me of the executive in the Monty Python sketch explaining to the police officer that if he actually said what he did his sales would plummet.
So here is my advice, tell your ideas, your thoughts and maybe your basic plans, and I'll tell you if those fit with my ideas, thoughts and greater plans, and worthy of my $49.99. Because heck, if I know something ahead of time, I may try anything(almost) for 30 days.
Just a thought,
Have a Wonderful Day
PAC

The Truth Continued!

One little thing I didn't to mention in my post entitled "The Truth From a Certain Point of View" the other day, Truth in advertising! Yes, something that might actually make truth an oxymoron. In fairness some companies are not making such bold claims, they are just generating attention to their product so that we the little people -- I mean buying public will consider their product. Using such techniques as sex as an example.
Being cool is another one, you see them in competitive ads like Coke vs. Pepsi, and Miller Lite vs. Bud Light(feel free to add any foreign ads that I am not familiar with). They kind of force you to defend the one you like better. I think Coke is a superior product, but check my previous post on what making such a claim really means.
Then there is Sex. Sex, Sex, SEX!!!
Yes when the truth can't get the audience or sales of the product you want, you can always rely on sex.
But get this, the Government is getting involved. Well not the U.S. Government(give them time), but in the United Kingdom they have a little gang called the Committee of Advertising Practice. If the sound of their name isn't scary, you can probably imgine from such a name that they probably don't have a sense of humor. The committee has rejected an ad by the Lambrini drink company because it depicted women flirting with a man who was deemed too attractive! I find this hard to believe for a couple reasons, first since I wasn't there where did they find such a guy, and two how can anybody be too attractive, because who is to say.
The committee didn't stop there they declared!
We would advise that the man in the picture should be unattractive overweight, middle-aged, balding etc.
I can see the reaction of the Lambrini executives right now! "You're right, what were we thinking, you guys are so smart, you should have our jobs instead!" I think not!
Can you imagine if that committee made that declaration here in the states! Beer commercials would practically go away, Overstock.com would actually have to say what they sell on their site, and the guy in the Tag body spray commercials would have to be attacked by unattractive - overweight, middle-aged, balding women(which seems to be happening to me when I use the product).
You might be thinking to yourself right now(maybe), "So what your saying is, you would trade "Truth" for "freedom"?
I might respond, "Maybe?", Truth as I have already stated is subject to so many points of view, but then again so does freedom, so much so I fear that truth may have better odds of existing than freedom, especially since everybody believes they are telling the truth, and most people seem to be willing to trade "Freedom" for "Security". But that's a subject for another discussion, and since no one is telling me what I should do tomorrow, freedom lives!
I would probably reply with what I yacked about the other day, and that would be gain knowledge about the products and while I may not find the truth, I will probably figure out what is false. I will probably not be attacked by women(or men) trying Tag body spray(one should not need spray for that).
Experience plays a factor too. Growing up there was a product call Zip shoes, which suggested that if you wore those shoes you would Zip along, and jump all over the place. Imagine my surprise when I landed in the middle of a bush in our front yard with my first few steps. It was also the last time I had Blue shoes!
I do believe however those advertisers should try to be more truthful, or as Dr. Gene Scott "taught" they should act more truthful-ly (devout followers should get that!). I would like to see just one (ONE) home pregnancy company instead of showing some couple all gleeful when they find out they are expecting, have one freaked out chick just go nuts when she finds out she's been knocked up! I may buy one for the hell of it if a company did that, I may just knock a lady up for such a product(That's a joke!).
In conclusion: My advice to the Committee of Advertising Practice, this isn't Crunchy Frog they are putting out. Have a Lambrini drink with some attractive people, and enjoy life for a change. It may not be the truth, it may not be what we wish were true, but no can really say it's false!
Until next time,
PAC