• by John Gaffney , May 30, 2003

And The Rest Is History or The Ad Business Was Never The Same: Roche this week commemorated the 40th anniversary of Valium Tablets, the nation's most prescribed drug between 1969 and 1982. Discovered by Roche scientist Leo Sternbach, who recently turned 95 years old, and approved by the FDA in 1963, Valium was one of the first blockbuster medications in the pharmaceutical industry. In 1978, nearly 2.3 billion doses of the tablets stamped with the trademark "V" were taken.

Promotional Tactic Of The Week: Kimberly-Clark Professional has donated a year's supply of bath tissue to two of the "World's Best Bathrooms," Pasha Restaurant and Club in Chicago, and Sloan's Ice Cream Parlor in West Palm Beach, Fla. The donation reflects Kimberly-Clark Professional's commitment to helping businesses enhance personal health and hygiene.

Didn't The Goo-Goos Sing 'Our Lips Are Sealed?': In its editorial coming out in favor of the FCC rule changes which will be voted on Monday, the formerly Rupert Murdoch owned tabloid opined: "So for saving this paper and the New York Post Murdoch has become the focus of a handful of liberal goo-goos who don't know beans about newspapers, they just know they don't like Murdoch and ''his fellow moguls.'' (Walt Disney Co. is also fighting hard for the FCC changes, but what fun would it be for Common Cause to take on ol' Uncle Walt and Mickey?)"

Blaze Of Common Sense: In an article covering recent ethical lapses including the Jayson Blair case, The Christian Science Monitor reported the following quote: "Cheating in business or in politics or in education is not new. What is new is a kind of lack of outrage on the part of the larger public, and of shame on the part of individuals," says James Fowler, director of the Center for Ethics at Emory University. "What seems to have emerged is a kind of culture of shamelessness."