Question

What does the phrase "All-American" mean to you? As in, how do you define it? What images does it invoke?

Day 14 - Hate

My current mental state, in photo form.

When it's rainy and windy our phone services go out. Coincidentally, during that type of weather I'm usually inside. That means I'm stuck in the home avoiding the elements with spotty internet service. Not cool, Life.

I was productive today. A bit. I looked up grad programs for public health. I'm looking at four or five schools in the area that offer part-time MPH degrees, but of those choices only two have reasonable prices. NYU and Columbia might have great reputations but I'm NOT looking to spend $700+ a credit if I can get into Hunter and pay $900 for a three credit course. I need to retake the GREs for every school but Columbia, so I figure to apply for the spring semester 2011. I like the idea of public health, and I'd love being able to work with the government in regards to helping shape policy or health regulations for the populace (btw, NY's proposed soft drink tax? Paterson needs to stop acting like it has anything at all to do with protecting the citizens from their own bad judgment and flat out say it's a tea/stamp tax), but I'm not sure if my interest in public health or public health nursing will lead me down this path. But I'll see. I have to start by studying for and taking the GREs.

Okay, onto the ABJECT HATE portion of my post - anyone else seen those new NuvaRing commercials? It has three women sitting around talking about the contraceptive choices and one of them brings up NuvaRing and they're all perky and young and healthy (and beautiful, with that "obviously getting some on a regular basis" glow). Which, whatever, that's the template for all ads involving products related to reproduction. But the ad that precedes the overt NuvaRing spot seems to be made by the same folks. It features ominous music and a pretty young woman looking concerned and distressed, standing outside on her porch as she confides to a friend that her equally young and pretty companion was diagnosed with cervical cancer. Shocking, that she's so perky and young and health but has cancer. If only there was something out there that she could use that might not increase her risk for cancer.

But, wait!, what does NuvaRing's website say about the matter:

Some studies have found an increase in the incidence of cancer of the cervix in women who use oral contraceptives. However, this finding may be related to factors other than the use of oral contraceptives. There is insufficient evidence to rule out the possibility that Pills may cause such cancers.

(emphasis mine)

Insufficient evidence, but let's follow the scary cancer "public service announcement" with a blatant plug for our product that hasn't been linked either way. Those. FUCKERS. Using fear to try to get people to buy your products? Yes, I know it happens all the time (aspirin commercials about folks surviving heart attacks by taking a measly 81mg of the stuff, home alarm/security product ads), but something about NuvaRing's attempt pissed me off so badly I wanted to punch the television.

I'm calm now, but...Jebus, you know?

Tomorrow is another longer, more annoying day.