• by John Gaffney , January 10, 2003

OPRs For The Week:

Speaking Truth About Clonaid: Washington Post columnist Howard Kurtz on the Raelian version of cloning: “Why, you might wonder, did the cable networks give live coverage to a wacky bunch who believe the human race was cloned by space aliens? Why did the nation's newspapers give substantial space to the followers of Rael, a former race car driver who says he was taken aboard a spaceship and entertained by voluptuous female robots?”

For That ‘Gotta Go’ Lifestyle: Building on the advantages of restroom advertising, Flush Media inc., announced it has expanded its restroom advertising concept to include sports and fitness club venues with an exclusive indoor advertising space contract with Town Sports International (TSI), owner and operator of the largest network of fitness clubs in the Northeastern United States. The new contract makes it possible for advertisers to reach an upscale, gender-specific, health- and fitness-conscious market that is athletic and earns above-average income.

Is That Charity Tax Deductible: Brogan & Partners, a Detroit-based advertising agency, reacted to the creation of the "Detroit Project," which is conservative Arianna Huffington’s effort to link the use of gas guzzling Sport Utility Vehicles to supporting nations that support terrorism. "You can huffington and you can puffington, but you can't blow my Hummers down," says Marcie Brogan, managing partner of Brogan & Partners (who does not have an auto account). Her agency owns two Hummers -- one for its Detroit office, one for the North Carolina office. Brogan claims that, in response to Arianna Huffington's Detroit Project, she will soon start the Hollywood Project "to help reduce air in people's heads." The Hollywood Project is funded by $147 in seed money from Brogan's own pocket, but she's optimistic the organization will grow quickly.

Reader Riff Of The Week: After I opined that Miller Beer ads might invite right wing reaction among groups who want to control beer and alcohol ads, reader Shawn Herman. “If your biggest concern over beer ads that are "heavy on boobs and cheerleaders" and lite on the beer is "waking the sleeping giants,” then you're as stupid as the "lowest common denominator" that most alcohol ads - and in fact, most ads for men - target. While I love attractive women and football just as much as the next guy, I'm insulted by most media's assumption that men are stupid and we like it that way. And I don't just mean advertising either. Just check out most movies and TV sitcoms. There's millions of intelligent, caring, discerning men in the U.S who should demand more.