The French lingerie company Etam has been using “flash flash” ad campaigns to get the message out and judging from the coverage of their recent unofficial “show” at the Musee d’Orsay in Paris it’s grabbing attention, both positive and negative. Museum visitors had their contemplation of impressionist masters interrupted when
Continue readingAuthor: Jay Cables
Drive-by Planet: Sarah Ferguson orphanage film: Turkish court files charges
The Duchess of York aka Fergie has been charged by a Turkish court in connection with an ITV documentary she participated in that investigated conditions in Turkish orphanages. She has been charged with breaching Turkey’s laws by acquiring secret undercover footage and violating the privacy of five children involved. In
Continue readingDrive-by Planet: Bashar al-Assad: denial and defiance
Things have changed in Syria since the British-born wife of Bashar al-Assad was the subject of a flattering Vogue article titled Asma al-Assad: A Rose in the Desert. It began: “Asma al-Assad is glamorous, young, and very chic–the freshest and most magnetic of first ladies…” Quite the opener. Even then,
Continue readingDrive-by Planet: Ed Young: ‘bed-in’ to promote sex between Christian spouses
The Beatles have been inspiring people in unusual ways lately. During his New Year’s Eve Times Square performance Cee Lo Green changed the lyrics of the John Lennon tune Imagine. Instead of “nothing to kill or die for and no religion too” Green delivered “nothing to kill or die for
Continue readingDrive-by Planet: Trenitalia ad blasted as ‘racist’
Italy’s state-owned railway Trenitalia has decided to replace first and second class on its high speed trains with four categories – executive, business, premium and standard. The move by Trenitalia raised a few eyebrows because the passengers in fourth-class are so obviously at the bottom-end of the passenger pecking order…
Continue readingDrive-by Planet: Trenitalia: new ad criticized as ‘racist’
Italy’s state-owned railway Trenitalia has decided to replace first and second class on its high speed trains with four categories – executive, business, premium and standard. The move by Trenitalia raised a few eyebrows because the passengers in fourth-class are so obviously at the bottom-end of the passenger pecking order…
Continue readingDrive-by Planet: Mitt Romney: Lies and lies-about-lies
Mitt Romney has been accused by his detractors, Democrat and Republican alike, of being a flip flopper. I’m not sure if the term “flip flopper” adequately describes the chameleon-like transformations-of-convenience that mark Romney’s political history. Issue shifting and volte face switcheroos that would embarrass many a candidate seem natural for
Continue readingDrive-by Planet: NC family group uses crosshairs graphic to attack same-sex marriage
Rev Mark Harris is one of the leading voices calling for a ban on same-sex marriage in N. Carolina. He heads up the state’s Baptist Convention this year and will be in the vanguard of a push for a state constitutional amendment. In reference to the upcoming referendum on marriage
Continue readingDrive-by Planet: Women’s rights under threat in Israel
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton recently criticized the growing exclusion of women from public life in Israel. Her timing couldn’t be better given news reports of segregated public transportation, ‘Mea She’arim’ streets, the defacing of ads that show female models and even bizarre concerns raised in some Orthodox quarters
Continue readingDrive-by Planet: Mary with pregnancy kit ad draws heat
Churches have a hard time getting bodies into the pews these days. Part of the reason for the decline in church attendance is because we live in a more skeptical age. Biblical tales about parting seas, angelic visitations, God-sent plagues and virgins who magically become pregnant tend to be subject
Continue readingDrive-by Planet: Rick Perry: gaffes and awkward moments
It’s been engaging following the American presidential contenders as they gear up. One thing you can rely on is the spectacle. The departure of Herman Cain hasn’t taken anything away from the entertainment value… after all Rick Perry is still hanging in there. Perry’s greatest challenge since he joined the
Continue readingDrive-by Planet: Canada’s Kyoto cop out
To a chorus on international condemnation, Canada has announced that it is pulling out of the Kyoto climate treaty. It’s clear that this is where Harper was steering the ship so to those of us watching from the lower decks it comes as no big surprise. A cutting and very
Continue readingDrive-by Times: Post status
New posts will resume after the summer break.
Continue readingDrive-by Times: Smurfs ‘anti-Semitic and racist’?
At first glance at least, there are few things as cute and inoffensive as a Smurf. The little blue guys were created back in the 50’s by Belgian cartoonist, Pierre Culliford aka “Peyo.”Rather like the Seven Dwarves, individual Smurfs personify human tr…
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