[Taxacom] animals in Superbowl commercials

[Kenneth Kinman]

Dear All,
      Superbowl Sunday is almost upon us, and this year those actually
there (in person) will have to brave much colder temperatures than they
are used to.  But I suppose many of them will actually believe that
their alcohol consumption will somehow protect them from the cold.  And
many of them probably actually buy the arguments that such aberrantly
cold weather is evidence AGAINST global warming (as though such weather
actually reflects global temperature worldwide and year-long).   But at
least the colder temperature will hopefully help them temporarily to
burn off some of those calories from the junk food that they will be
consuming (although it will no doubt do nothing to prevent long-term
health problems from excessive salt intact and questionable nutritional
value).        
      But the really interesting thing about the Superbowl is the
astronomical amount of money spent by advertisers producing commericals
(often counting on humor that has sadly become, for the most part, just
the same old stuff year after year after year).  Note that most of the
products advertized are beer, soda drinks, and snack foods of
questionable nutritional value.  And it is truly amazing how many
animals appear in such commercials.  As if the advertizers (and their
consumers)  somehow actually care about wildlife, as opposed to their
obvious goal of selling questionable nutrition to humans (most of whom
have little, if any exposure, to wildlife).  Their consumers probably
run the gamut from those who like cheap art ("dogs" playing poker) to
high priced "abstract" art that can fetch millions of dollars (even art
produced by elephants splashing paint at random with their trunks or
even dogs doing the same with their tails or paws).  A lot of "abstract"
art (by either animals or humans) may actually end up being as valuable
as diseased tulip bulbs became in the Netherlands a few centuries ago.   
        Anyway, the present big winners will be  advertizers and
corporations selling products of questionable nutrition.  Apparently
such advertizing actually works on millions of susceptible consumers
(who actually think the results of sports games are more important than
the long term health of themselves, much less the health or survival of
Planet Earth).  They prefer to party every weekend (or even fiddle while
Rome burns, if you will).  Their interests are often even more
short-term than the advertizers who tend to shape their "wants" (as
opposed to actual needs).  No wonder western society (and the U.S. in
particular) has increasing numbers of overweight (even morbidly obese)
adults and children,  They increasingly tend to only watch sports and
commericals from their couches (whether by television or computer). And
even those who are active (and participate in sports) too often negate
that advantage with poor choices in what they consume (as if exercise
will negate the effects of consuming food with lots of cheap fat, salt,
and calories, but with far less nutrition),        
       -------Ken              
P.S.  For those watching Superbowl commericals, notice that the emphasis
is on either superficial humor or superficial taste of the products
being advertized.  Not likely to see the words nutrition or health used,
because they could probably be sued for false advertizing.