china bans ad words

Advertising in China? Beware a new mandate that bans headlines which include "supreme", "royal", "luxury", "high class" and other copy "promoting hedonistic lifestyle." An official interviewed by China Daily said the legislation was enacted because many advertisers use words to make their products sound better than they are. But even if products live up to the promise, banned words can't be used in promotions. Why? Because doing so upsets low-income residents who can't afford the products. Offenders risk fines up to $4500.

Hoping bureaucrats in Washington pick up on the trend and impose fines for "Revolutionary" and "100% Free."

cube-clinging & canine avoidance

When I got here on Monday, and was appalled by the cube, I asked them to find me an alternate space. This, they said, would be impossible. There is no space--it's interactive, remember? Even the conference room has been pre-empted; meetings take place instead around a long table set out in the open.

This morning, however, they found me a place. I could move into my AD's office; her office mate left for vacation today. Assuming I'd have no objection to this, they'd already filed the job ticket with Operations (yes, you have to file a job ticket to get anything moved, even to get a lightbulb replaced.) But now I don't want to move! The AD I'm working with brings her dog to work. I know I'll probably lose readers with this, but--I don't like dogs! And hers is the kind I don't like most of all--tiny and yippy and always marking his territory by peeing on the absorbent disposable pad the AD lays on the carpet that is already skeevy enough as it is. But I don't want to say so and come off a bigot. It seems I'm the only one not enamored of Pickles. Everyone else stops in to pet him and admire the collar he's wearing each day, which the AD designs herself and color coordinates with her own attire.

I don't want to move for another reason. Sitting within earshot of my boss has been paying off in distinct advantages. He can't chat on the phone without my overhearing, so I get the lowdown on everything first. And in a place this big, knowledge is tradable currency.

It wasn't easy to get them to cancel the job ticket, though. You know when a bureaucratic mind gets set on something, they really, really hate to reverse it.