August 29, 2008
Four For Friday
Q1 - School Bus: In order to meet the demands associated with its $17 million budget deficit, the Humble, Texas, Independent School District is now selling advertising space on their school buses. According to local news reports, auto dealers, hospitals, homebuilders, parking lots, and other businesses are among the first to advertise on the buses. Do you think it's okay for school districts to use their busses as rolling billboards? What if the advertisements appeared inside the bus as well?
Q2 - Sponsorship: Michael Jordan has Nike. Tony Stewart of NASCAR fame has The Home Depot. If any company or brand could sponsor you, whom would you want as your sponsor?
Q3 - Engrish: Professional golfers on the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) tour have been told that by the end of 2009, all players who have been on the tour for two years must pass an oral evaluation of their English skills or face suspension. Do you think it's right for the LPGA to demand that their players speak English?
Q4 - Vice President: Earlier today, John McCain announced Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his vice presidential candidate/running mate, while last week Barack Obama announced Delaware Sen. Joe Biden as the Democratic nominee. Did you follow the vice presidential candidate selection process? How important is the VP candidate when you cast your vote?
Posted by Mikal at August 29, 2008 10:48 AM
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q1: seems lame to me. but if it's the best way to overcome their budget deficits then i guess you have to be lame sometimes.
q2: trek and they'd have to name a bike after me.
q3: if it's a private association, which i believe it is, i think a decision like that is entirely theirs to make.
q4: i have followed it. it has potential to influence my decision, but likely won't change much.
1) You know it's not like our kids are inundated enough already with advertisements, so of course MORE please!
Seriously, schools are underfunded, and yet all we hear from our politicians is about tax cuts. Sheesh!
2) Having owned 13 apple computers in my lifetime, of course it makes sense it should be Apple. I love Apple. LOVE THEM. My second choice would also be unequivocally be Trojan Magnums. I should not have to explain that one.
3) The question is... Why? And who cares? This is American arrogance at it's finest.
4) It's extremely important who is chosen as VP, because obviously they are next in line. And the VP has become president several times in our history.
Q1: I don't really care. I think that kids are pounded by advertisements all day long anyway.
Q2: My sponsor would be www.beatanorexia.com. I'm living proof that you can. :)
Q3: Yes. I think they should have to at least learn the basics. No, they don't have to be fluent but at least the common golf terms.
Q4: I haven't followed it much.
1. Here's the deal, we are bombarded with over 10,000 ads a day, so what's the problem with 1 more ad on a school bus? If companies are willing to fund schools because the government won't, go for it! It's kind of like that bumper sticker that says one day the military will have to hold a bake sale to pay for a new bomber while education will have a multi-billion dollar annual budget.
2. I have always wanted to wear a shirt that says "Powered by Yerba Mate," but I guess I would have to align with a company like Guayaki to get sponsored since I will most likely not be able to have a plant sponsor me.
3. I think this is completely absurd. Language discrimination, or linguacism, is ridiculous in this day and age for public or private institutions.
4. I think the VP selection is extremely important and, as we have discussed before, I think Presidential candidates should have to disclose their cabinet selections before the election so we know who is the think tank behind the machine. It will be interesting to see how McCain's strategic move to put a woman on the ticket will impact Hillary supporters. However, if you watched the DNC, especially Michelle, Hillary, and Barack's speech, if you weren't moved by their speeches you may have to check to see if you have a pulse.
Q1: It's atrocious. School is supposed to be the one place where kids are free from corporate influence (not that this is the reality). While I understand the need to get the money for the school, it's a slippery slope. It's the system that needs to be fixed. Continual compromises will only lead to a continued worsening degradation of the educational system.
Q2: I can't think of any major company that I would want to align myself with. Google is the closest thing to a positive company that I would associate myself with, and only for the present time.
Q3: I don't really understand the history or reasoning behind that decision well enough to form an opinion. I would wonder what the situation is like in other major sports.
Q4: I followed the DNC very closely and was eager to hear who McCain would nominate for VP. I think a VP is a very important consideration. They have to balance out the presidential nominee and show promise of being a strong support for the president, a devil's advocate, an expert in the things that a president may lack. It's one of the most important collaborative relationships in our government. The presidential nominee is certainly most important, but a vice presidential choice is the first decision that person makes as a president. Who they chose is a reflection on their own character and forward-thinking. Did they choose that person because they strengthen the relationship, or only as a political gambit?
1- If we aren't going to fund schools correctly from tax dollars, then I think it makes sense to get the money this way. Can't say I really like the idea of ads on the inside, though what better way to teach kids the principles of capitalism?
2- Playboy
3- I think English should become the official language of the US, meaning that you have to be able to communicate with it. To effectively communicate in golf, you need to understand basic instructions from tour officials, but the only thing you need to be able to say clearly is maybe your score. I think as long as the English test stays focused on golf, not general usage, its OK.
4- We have the charismatic candidate with the most boring possible running mate, and the boring candidate with one of the wilder choices I've ever heard of... I think they're both just trying to cover all the bases.
1) As a parent, I've seen how persuasive advertising can be, so I would certainly want to regulate the amount that kids are exposed to. Of course, one could argue that children don't spend TONS of time looking at the outside of a bus. If the ads are inside the bus, though, it's obvious who the ads are targeting, and I'm a lot more wary about that.
2) Basing this decision on where I spend most of my time and money, I'd say Target. Basing this decision on where I'd LIKE to spend all my time and money, I'd say Apple, Adobe, or Warner Brothers (esp. the Looney Tunes sub-brand).
3) Sheesh luweesh. The NBA seems to get along pretty well without players understanding tons of English. Why can't the golf players just learn the few basic English words they need to understand instructions from the course officials instead of shunning them and making them feel stupid for not understanding English? This 'un smells like discrimination to me.
4) Eh. Their choices for running mate might, to a small degree, reflect on their decision-making prowess. Other than that, it doesn't carry a whole lotta sway in my ultimate decision for the President.
1) I think it is a great idea. If they can sell the space and make the schools better for the kids, I am all for it.
2) Chipotle. I am already a spokesman for them, I would just get paid for it. Plus free burritos.
3) I think the LPGA should let the player's clubs do all the talking.
4) I don't put much stock in the VPs because they most likely won't do a thing (unless they invent the internet), but I think it would be awesome if Sarah Palin were running the country in a year.
1 - School Bus: Inside the bus would target kids, so that's a different issue. If it's on the outside of the bus and this is a school district turning a roadblock into a hurdle, I'm all for it.
Q2 - Sponsorship: Probably The North Face. Apple, Harley Davidson, and REI are in the running too.
Q3 - Engrish: They can do what they want, they're a private institution. And I'd think forcing them to speak the language of the other competitors might be something very valid.
Q4 - Vice President: Followed it very closely. VP Candidate is very important, but not as important as the Pres. Also agree with Ford that they should disclose their entire cabinet up front.
Q1 - I'm fine with it. (I wish the buses were electric or ran on something cleaner then diesel though) It's not like the bus is some sacred place. I HATED riding the bus.
Q2 - Budweiser.
Q3 - No. I think they should have gone about this differently. They should have encouraged them to learn English, but provided classes for them as well. I think them speaking English is obviously important in them giving interviews when they win. The LPGA is hurting for fans and needs some help.
Q4 - I followed the VP selections, it didn't have any affect on who I'm voting for.
Q1 - I'm fine with it. (I wish the buses were electric or ran on something cleaner then diesel though) It's not like the bus is some sacred place. I HATED riding the bus.
Q2 - Budweiser.
Q3 - No. I think they should have gone about this differently. They should have encouraged them to learn English, but provided classes for them as well. I think them speaking English is obviously important in them giving interviews when they win. The LPGA is hurting for fans and needs some help.
Q4 - I followed the VP selections, it didn't have any affect on who I'm voting for. (that said, I think McCain's choice was weird and might bite him in the end)
Dang! Double Posted!
McCain's choice for VP was important because he's 142 years old.
Q1 - School Bus: Just Do It! Ain't nothing wrong with sticking an advertisement on a bus.
Q2 - Sponsorship: Whoever pays me the most. Money doesn't discriminate. If it ends up being the KKK, I'll just feel good that I'm taking money away from them that they might otherwise use to build a whitenator ray.
Q3 - Engrish: Last time I checked, this was a free country. The NBA makes you stand and face the flag during the playing of the national anthem, the LPGA makes you take an English test, and I make you strip naked and slather yourself in Jell-o before you can join my secret fraternal organization whose name I am not allowed to mention.
Q4 - Vice President: In a race where my decision on who to vote for is close it might have some influence. But for this election, I flipped a coin 100 times and it landed on tails 73x, heads 26x, and right on the edge 1x. So VP choices bear no influence on my decision this time around.
1. Sure... why not? City busses do it to raise funds for the city, why shouldn't school busses do it as well.
2. Either NASA or BMW
3. This is a tough one. I understand that people simply don't want to learn English, but as a private organization, I think it absolutely the right of the LPGA to require that their golfers speak a the english. Also, if they ever intend on making their sport "more mainstream" it would infinitely helpful for their golfers to be able to hold press conferences and interviews with the media... the English-speaking media.
4. The VP could help my decision in some cases... but given the candidates in this election, only one or two VPs would have made me change my mind - and even then, I wouldn't vote for the other person, I would just not vote.
1. Sure, why not. I am paying taxes for schools & buses, but I receive the benefit of neither. My kids go to private schools. The LA school system is lousy!
2. Duh...Diet Coke.
3. I guess your talking the American LPGA, do the men also have to take take this evaluation? Will football and other sports be next? This could be interesting. My answer is yes.
4. Not thrilled about either candidate or their VP's. Colin Powell for President.(even though I am a democrat)
1. I think it's a creative solution to the problem. I think the school board should be able to veto advertisers or advertisements that they deem to be inappropriate for their students, but otherwise, I like it.
2. Apple. I resisted for a while, but once I got one I was hooked. No, hooked is not a strong enough word; I was converted. I would maybe consider Nissan, but only if they gave me a GTR.
3. Not sure I understand the question entirely. If by "is it right" you mean "should they have the right?", then yes I think so. But if you mean do I agree with the decision and think it's morally right, then no, I think it's discriminatory. I think it's every bit as bad as when black players weren't allowed in other professional leagues. What does speaking English have to do with golf? Stupid. Of course maybe you meant is it the right thing from a business standpoint to help the sport. For that, I have no idea. Golf will be just as boring to watch whether or not the players can speak English.
4. Yes, I kind of followed it. It's more important to me now after seeing how much influence Cheney has had as our current VP. Also, McCain isn't exactly a spring chicken. I think there's a chance that if he's elected, the VP could become the President before the end of the term.
Q1 - I have no problem with ads on the outside. On the inside, I would have an issue with. I like my kids to watch the Disney channel b/c they don't have so much advertising. When they watch Nickelodeon, everything they see on every commercial becomes fodder for "Mommy, I want..."
Q2 - Not sure about this one. Maybe Target, as someone wrote, or AC Moore (a craft store) or Borders (I'm a bibliophile).
Q3 - There must be something going on that we don't know about. Otherwise it makes no sense.
Q4 - I think in this election more than most, the choice of VP matters a great deal. We are facing one candidate who (sadly) faces a higher than usual threat of assasination, and one candidate who's advanced age means that there is a chance he won't make it through his full term. Realistically speaking, of course. I (hanging my head in shame) really haven't been paying all that much attention to the process thus far. I just keep hoping that somehow one of them will pull something out of a hat to make me like them better. :) (I know, Mikal, not what you expected from me, who used to be soooo politically involved.)
I am ready to rejoin the commentaries on this site.
Q1. No, it is not OK to sell advertising on school buses. If you open it up to one type of advertiser, you must open it up for all. Ask yourself this: "Would you allow your 1st grader to ride to school on a bus that advertises Marlboro cigarettes or Viagra?"
Q2. Hands down, my sponsor would be Southwest Airlines.
Q3. I don't care. Learn a language - whatever it is and learn to speak it properly.
Q4. Let me start by providing a few definitions that can be easily "Googled":
- Senator: a MEMBER of the Senate.
- Governor: a HEAD of a state Government.
To sum it up, we have 2 SENATORS on the Democratic ticket with a collective total of 44 years' SENATOR experience.
On the Republican ticket, we have a SENATOR with approximately 22 years' experience in this role after retiring as a Navy commander and after being imprisoned as a POW AND a GOVERNOR with 2 years experience in this role and a total of 6 years experience in Executive office. Not to mention, the newly appointed VP candidate on the Republican side has a family of 5 children and a son prepared to defend our country, off to Iraq in Sept of this year. She is as old as the number of years' experience on the Democratic ticket.
I have done some research on Obama's website and found it (again) very interesting to see that Obama was listed as 'Not Voting' on most legislation during 2008 (he was very busy).
Of one crucial note to our upcoming election (this is from his website):
"Moving the United States toward greater energy independence and security, developing innovative new technologies, reducing carbon emissions, creating green jobs, protecting consumers, increasing clean renewable energy production, and modernizing our energy infrastructure, and to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide tax incentives for the production of renewable energy and energy conservation."
Kind of important to vote on, don't you think???
Total Presidential ticket is huge. I learned several years ago myself that the presidency in the huge country of the US is NOT a sole job. It would take an ego as huge as Obama's to think that one person on their own can handle it (oops, did I just tip my cards???).
Obama chose Biden because he recognized the experience and foreign policy failures within himself. I call it the 'Oh Shit, I might have to run a country' factor because Obama was sure as hell not trying to seek votes in a Biden pick.
McCain, on the other hand,has the experience and knows the severity/complexity of foreign relations - especially now (ie: post 9/11 world). He lacks in the young, hot-aired filled rock star qualities that Obama has carried to date. In response to this, he hunkered down, did his due diligence and selected Sarah Palin, Governor of Alaska. No, the democrats do not own females or youth on the presidential ticket.
I would ask all of you looking at this website every week: Do you feel that grooming future leadership is important in a VP pick? Do you think Obama is grooming Biden to step in and take his place as president??
After you ponder that, look at the displayed leadership on your party's presidential ticket. Ask yourself this question: what have my candidates done as leaders??
For myself, Palin was a GREAT pick. I am energized by her spirit, her sense of family, her focus on energy policy and most importantly her self-reliance and leadership. This woman has allowed her child with Downs Syndrome to be born into this world while encouraging her oldest to go to war and fight for her country.
We need a woman like her in office and leading our country.
McCain/Palin has my vote!!!
1. People can rent out their cars for advertisements. If they can grab some money, let 'em. Nobody will pay attention to the ads anyway.
2. People for the Afternoon Nap
3. It's a private organization. They can decide on whatever standards they wish.
4. Given McCain's age, his VP selection is important--and he's turned it into a publicity stunt. What a dream ticket... a man with a legendary temper paired with a political lightweight who has no idea what a Vice President does. I fear for my country if this duo is elected.
Good morning and back again!
I completely agree with Jerry that VP picks are extremely important.
Ford Church, you make the same point and I partially agree with you. Yes, the VP picks are very important. However, I watched Michelle, Hillary and only parts of Barack's speech (I was afraid of getting physically ill if I did).
Michelle's speech was orchestrated down to an attempt to look and sound like the Kennedys, including the detail of their children shouting 'Hi Daddy' at the jumbo-tron. Hillary got up to the podium and tried to pull off a credible show of support of Obama after slamming him for the past year or so. And Obama... What was up with that comment about McCain not following Osama to his cave??? WHAT??? I am sorry, was Obama cave exploring in the middle east during his tenure in DC??? I must have missed that. That was just a loony comment.
These were SPEECHES and actions speak louder than words. Hopefully the American public is smarter than the theatrical display that took place in Denver, because that place was no where representative of the mud-slinging and Clinton letting go issues that have been happening in the party recently.
Theresa, of course the VP picks are political. Palin was a total youth and women pick for the Republicans. Biden has been touted as the white male voter pick for Barack (not to mention the 'Oh Shit' factor I stated above).
Several responding to this blog said the same thing I agree with: that the VP should be a successor to the President.
I am sorry, but I have a hard time envisioning Biden succeeding Obama. What, is he going to assemble his good buddies George Washington and John Adams, don his powered wig and ride on up to the white house in his horse drawn carriage to accept the successor role of President?? I don't think so. I think his wooden teeth might give out before that happens.
1. If it could lower or keep my taxes low, I think it would be a great idea. I also agree with Clark but I say the parents on the PTA of every school should be able to vote each year or how ever often they switch the advertisers. I loved riding the bus, in Elem, Middle and part of High School! It was a favorite time of the day, but by the time I was 16 I of course wanted to drive myself.
2. Dove (Mars) or Cadbury Chocolate. I just love their chocolate and I am hoping the sponsorship comes with free chocolates for life! I can't enjoy chocolate right now because of the pregnancy (make it taste funny) but I am saving it all up for later.
3. I don't know much about the sport, except that it's boring. If they live in the US then for sure they need to learn English. Duh!! Maybe the association is trying to cut down on the amount of translators they need to pay to tour with them. LOL I think they should get a bonus (cash, games, clothing, sponsorship...) if they don't have a translator and if they do then they are out the bonus. :)
4. I don't follow politics at all. But I sure wish Obama would have picked Oprah because I'm pretty sure they would have won, hands down, no questions asked. LOL Okay, well I am sure there would have been a ton of questions asked but you know what I mean. Maybe he wouldn't have won but it would have been pretty crazy to witness that. Not that I would have voted for them.
1. Really, who wants more ads shoved in our faces, especially on a school bus. I guess it wouldn't hurt the children in any way, but I wouldn't want to see them.
2. Porche. Get a new car every year.
3. Is the LPGA an American organization? Perhaps, so, but that's a sticky subject. What if a person spoke English and was told they couldn't play a sport in another country unless they spoke that country's language. Tricky...but then, I guess there needs to be a universal language so everyone can communicate.
4. I have not followed the VP candidate selection process. From the little I have heard of Palin, it doesn't seem like she's very strong politically. I know McCain just wants to get women voters. I support women being elected to higher political office, but do not think I would vote for McCain in the off chance that he bit the dust before the end of his term and she became president. In the case of Mondale/Ferraro, there was a lot of momentum and excitement when she was nominated, but it didn't last and Reagan won a second term.
Q1: I grew up in Chicago riding CTA (Chicago Transit Authority) busses to and from school every day, and they were loaded with ads. If it's good enough for the city of Chicago, then it's good enough for public school busses. I do think, however, that they should screen the ads. If I remember correctly, those busses I rode had a lot of cigarette ads, but that was back in the old days when the Marlboro man was blowing smoke rings out of a billboard on State Street.
Q2: Microsoft. I've written a lot of computer books.
Q3: I think the NBA should do the same thing. Ouch, is that racist?
Q4: I procrastinated long enough to see Palin speak before posting my comment here. I did not follow the VP nomination process carefully, but I do think that the VP is going to be much more important in this election than any other U.S. presidential election. Palin and Biden are both very strong, well-spoken candidates who bring a great deal to their respective campaigns. Should be exciting for a change.
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