Advertising trends May 1, 2007
I've noticed two recent trends in advertising.  One is on the radio.  The other is in my email spam.  Both are stupid. 

The one on the radio is about debt.  And not just anything about debt.  Debt elimination.  The commercials claim to "not just reduce debt, but eliminate it".  I ain't no genius, but I was under the impression that debt exists because money does not.  In order to get rid of debt, money must be present.  So unless I'm missing some fundamental concept in all this, these commercials are ridiculously stupid and will bring grave consequences to anyone who responds positively to them. 

The one in my spam folder is about replica watches.  If you could even fathom how many replica watch offers I get via email, you would understand my unreasonably intense anger:  Who the heck buys replica watches?  And who the heck buys them online?  And who the heck buys replica watches online from spammers?  I've mentioned this before, but I'll say it again:  The only reason spam exists is because it's incredibly effective and profitable.  Otherwise people wouldn't waste time, money, and legality on it.  The reason it's profitable is because people click the links.  But the last time I checked, no one I know responds to spam or clicks their links.  I'm envisioning this underground world full of computers where idiots are employed to click spammy links all day.  That's the only conceivable way this advertising could be effective. #entertainment
Phonetic alphabets (1) May 1, 2007
My last name is Hosier.  As my mom would always say on the phone, "That's H, O, S as in Sam, I, E, R."  People with an F in their name say, "F as in Frank."  I've always wondered if there's some sort of international code that determines what simple English word should be used to clarify letters that aren't transmitted clearly over the phone or radio. 

It turns out there is.  Actually, there are a bunch of different international, national, and local codes, all of which serve the same purpose of clarifying unclear letters and numbers while using the phone or radio.  The police in New York City use the one I'm familiar with: 
Adam Boy Charlie David Edward Frank George Henry Ida John
King Lincoln Mary Nora Ocean Peter Queen Robert Sam Tom
Union Victor William X-ray Young Zebra
NATO uses another familiar one: 
Alpha Bravo Charlie Delta Echo Foxtrot Golf Hotel India
Juliet Kilo Lima Mike November Oscar Papa Quebec Romeo
Sierra Tango Uniform Victor Whiskey Xray Yankee Zulu
There's also a phonetic alphabet for numbers, used in aviation and radio: 
zero one two tree fower fife six seven eight niner
I've never heard anyone say "fower" in reference to the number 4, but I guess I just don't pay attention. 

That's Hotel, Oscar, Sierra, India, Echo, Romeo. #language