Jen has decided to become a Skepchick Missionary and is trying to convert all of the world’s poorly designed woo-sites into beautiful science-based works of skeptical art. She should be back next week. In the meantime, you get me.
Skepchick Jacqueline asked me to as you to sign this Petition asking President Obama to ensure that all women have access to birth control
This Christmas War on Christmas season, you can give someone the gift of being a hero. The JAYFK blog is running a measles vaccine drive for the Red Cross. Save a village; save the world. – Thanks, Emily!
Ads for TLC’s American Muslim sold out and then some. I guess “not being a racist asshole” is more popular than Lowes expected.
An Indiana woman is still awaiting word on her bail hearing after being arrested for murder last March… for attempting suicide while pregnant.
New Jersey (ET) — Ad time for next Wednesday’s “Jersey Shore Italy” episode is apparently sold out, despite Dell’s decision to pull its commercials from the MTV reality series, a MTV network spokeswoman said.
Hip hop mogul Russell Simmons announced his intentions Wednesday to buy up any unsold commercial time on the controversial show in response to the withdrawal of the home computer giant. He would use the ads to promote his prepaid Visa “Rush Card,” he said.
“He has tried to buy,” MTV’s Leena Grassman told Entertainment Tonight in an e-mail Tuesday. “We are checking inventory. Still don’t know on that one. I do think it was already sold out, but still checking.”
If any ad time is left, Simmons said he was standing by to take it.
Simmons’ website posted a statement Tuesday saying “MTV has announced that Rush Card will not be able to purchase the remaining ad space as they have all been sold out.”
Dell pulls ads from Guido TV show
“Jersey Shore Italy” is a series that follows eight American douchbags in their attempts to class up Italy.
“Each episode offers an intimate look at the customs and celebrations, misconceptions and conflicts these idiots face outside and within their own community,” MTV said in the show’s description.
The controversy, and Dell’s decision to pull their spots, followed a complaint by the Florida Association for Good Taste. The group warned Dell in a letter that the show “is attempting to manipulate Americans into ignoring the threat of guidos and to influence them to believe that being concerned about the guido threat would somehow victimize the douchbags in this show.”
Dell, a national home computer manufacturer, defended its decision in a statement to Entertainment Tonight last Saturday.
“Dell has received a significant amount of communication on this program, from every perspective possible,” the company said. “Individuals and groups have strong political and societal views on this topic, and this program became a lightning rod for many of those views. As a result we did pull our advertising on this program.”
Simmons, who is an outspoken social activist, sent a series of Twitter messages over the last several days urging Dell to reverse its decision:
“Dear @Dell, we got over 21k signatures standing up against ur poor decision. Do right thing: apologize & put $ back in #JerseyShoreItaly”
Simmons called the controversy “a press nightmare” for Dell in an interview with Entertainment Weekly.
“This country is built on behavioral freedom,” he said. “This is the kind of hate that tears this country apart.”
Make about as much sense.