Hurricane Bawbag

SCOTLAND BRACED ITSELF FOR HIGH WINDS IN A MET OFFICE RED ALERT.

People stayed at home.  Initially there were fears and concerns, but as the winds did not develop as thought, soon derision set in. Through social media, such as Twitter and Facebook, the event was sarcastically named “Hurricane Bawbag”, this trended with various hashtag spellings, however, it was generally considered an in-joke for the social media user, or at least simply owned by the real people out there and not the “establishment”.

Imagine the shock to the system to see the headline on the newspaper the following day. Yes, things are getting worse when newspapers resort to using such language on their front covers.

Purple (TM)

WE WERE SENT THIS AMAZING PICTURE OF SOME PACKAGING.

The packaging is coloured purple, and there is a small statement:

“The Color PURPLE is a trademark of 3M”

Can this be true? Do they own that film by Speilberg that had Whoopie in it? Do they own rights to Price’s Purple Rain?

Things are getting worse when a company can trademark a colour!

Is using Purple piracy? A copyright infringement? Downright theft?

Woody Grave Stone

AT EGLINTON TOLL THERE IS A MONUMENTAL SCULPTOR’S YARD THAT IS FILLED WITH EXAMPLES OF THEIR WORK.

There are many styles of tombstones or gravestones, but one which caught my eye was the one with Woody from Disney-Pixar’s “Toy Story”.

First sight of this gravestone brings a chaos of emotions and thoughts. I thought of how sad it would be for a small child to die, and how shocking such a grave stone would be to visit. Then I thought of the context — how out-of-place such a grave might be, what reactions it might cause in other people visiting other graves… unless there was a children’s area of the cemetery filled with similar scenes.

Another thought was about copyright infringement, but would Disney-Pixar sue a mother and father with a recently deceased child? Perhaps this is licensed by Disney-Pixar? Things would certainly be getting worse if promotions have moved on from McDonald’s paper cups to graves.

New Chocolate Marketing

IN A LOCAL SUPERMARKET I WAS SURPRISED BY THE NEW CHOCOLATE MARKETING APPROACH.

I couldn’t help myself from taking a snap on my cameraphone. Click on image to enlarge.

The top shelf, from the left has:

• Emergency Chocolate
• Bochox
• Girth Control
• 50% hers (Marital Bliss Bar)

They have got the packaging spot on, making the Bochox look like Botox, and I have to say, it made me laugh.

But then, things are getting worse when we need to find a way to sell us chocolate! Is it really necessary?

Bouncy Castle Inspector On The Run

I WAS SENT THIS PICTURE OF A LOCAL NEWSPAPER FRONT PAGE AND HEADLINE.

It is clearly a slow news day. The headline reads:

“BOUNCY CASTLE INSPECTOR ON THE RUN

He’s fled to South Africa after breaking inflatables ban”

Things are getting worse when a story like this makes the front page.

Seductive Wine

IN A LOCAL SUPERMARKET I CAME ACROSS THIS BOTTLE OF WINE AND THOUGHT I WOULD SHARE IT WITH YOU HERE.

It is called Dr Loosen. Simple as that.

I would imagine that some Lothario would buy this to seduce his Calista merely on the strength of the unusual name.  Perhaps it would loosen things up, or loosen her clothing!

InSecurity

I WAS AMAZED TO SPOT THIS NOTICE PINNED UP AT THE FRONT DOOR OF A FANCY OFFICE BLOCK.

It simply states that Security will be back in 5 minutes. Yes, security – the people securing the building are unavailable for a few moments — and, importantly, were thoughtful enough to let us all know about this fact.

Things getting worse? What do you think?

Vended Viagra

I WAS SENT A PHOTOGRAPH TAKEN IN A LOCAL SUPERMARKET’S GENTS’ TOILET.

It shows the fascia panel of a vending machine that sells a variety of condoms.  Double click on the picture to enlarge.  This shows “vended Viagra”, or an “herbal” equivalent, “Menhancer”. Two capsules of 500mg for four pounds.

Things are definitely getting worse when chaps feel the need to enhance their sexual performance using drugs obtained from a “Johnny Box” in a local supermarket!

Scary Fairy

ADVERTISING, MARKETING AND PACKAGING ARE KNOWN TO BE SUBTLE AND SOPHISTICATED MANIPULATORS OF THE MIND.

I wonder what team of ad men came up with the latest Fairy tag-line:

“BEHIND YOU ALL THE WAY”.

Let’s pause a moment to think on this… Fairy…. soap… behind you all the way… pomegranite… honeysuckle…

Perhaps the target market for washing up dishes would not be affected subliminally by all this.  One wonders if “real men” did do dishes what would happen.  This could be a plot, a cunning subversive plan to undermine the fabric of our society.  Things are getting worse when we can allow such an attack on our way of life.

Supasnug

AN ITEM CAUGHT MY EYE WHILE SHOPPING RECENTLY.

I have to ask myself, who would buy this item? It is called “Supasnug”, and the legend states:

“Keeps You warm and Your Hands Free”. There is a picture to prove what it can do for you.

Click on the image to enlarge.

This seems fine if you are a Benedictine Monk in a chilly old monastery, but the box shows how attractive the Dominican Friar look can be to the opposite sex; it shows a young girl, also clad like a Cistercian, snuggling in.  This is a particularly uncomfortable image. He looks like her father. She hold a TV remote control suggestively.  Is there a bulge? She’s smiling far too much.  He only has one hand visible — yet we know BOTH hands are free.

He holds a cup of cappuccino (ironically enough), which puts them both at risk — there is a suggestion that the supasnug could be cappuccino-proof.  The next image to cross one’s mind is this man walking about making coffee dressed like a capuchin monk. This is not a good look, surely.

I do think this garb is dangerous and ugly.  How on earth does it fasten? At the back? “Blanket With Sleeve” suggests a single sleeve, but the picture shows two rather massive and frankly hazardous wizard sleeves. Risky with hot liquids in my opinion. I do not think it would attract women nor should it. Things are getting worse if you have a coffee and a smiling blonde snuggling into you, and you need more snugness to the extent of needing this garment.  Heaven preserve us! Buy second hand central heating or use a blanket!