April 1 was touted as "Energy Wasting Day" by Together.com, a Web site constructed by The Climate Group, which aims to "catalyze business and government leadership on climate change in order to put the world on track for a low carbon economy."
In the weeks leading up to today, the character of "Dan Power," a bullish Brit who loves to waste energy -- he also works at a power plant -- was chronicled through LOL videos on YouTube.
But today, Power's character came out an apologized for his promotion of wasting energy. Quite sheepishly.
It's all an attempt to motivate us to use less energy, but it's safe to assume that the folks behind these videos have conceded defeat to energy-sucking computers.
To "waste" a few minutes of your day, check out these videos:
Yeah, we've been, uh, up to other stuff during this holiday time. Here's a press release to tide you over till 2008:
From: HollyB@peta.org Subject: PETA's Edgy New 'Sex Talk' Ad Hits the Airwaves in St. Louis Date: December 31, 2007 3:27:20 PM CST
After being rejected by all TV network affiliates in St. Louis, PETA's new 'Sex Talk' ad will debut in St. Louis tomorrow on cable. We wanted to air this in Missouri because it's a top puppy mill state in the country. Full details are below, including a link to the commercial. Please let me know if have any interest in this. Best, Holly
For Immediate Release:
December 31, 2007
Contact:
Bruce Friedrich 757-622-7382, ext. 8342; BruceF@peta.org
Holly Beal 757-622-7382, ext. 8340; HollyB@peta.org
PETA'S EDGY NEW 'SEX TALK' AD HITS THE AIRWAVES IN ST. LOUIS Group Takes Aim at Missouri's Cruel Puppy Mill Industry
St. Louis — Because an estimated 8 million dogs and cats end up at animal shelters each year—and up to 4 million of them must be put to death for a lack of good homes—PETA has launched a brand-new TV ad that will air in St. Louis and is sure to shake up any viewers who haven't spayed or neutered their cats or dogs. The 30-second ad features human parents who encourage their teenage daughter to become sexually active. When the horrified girl asks, "What if I get pregnant?" the parents urge her to "pop out all the kids you can" and say, "If it has a pulse, you should be wrapped around it!" The ad concludes, "Parents shouldn't act this way. Neither should people with dogs and cats. Always spay or neuter."
The ad—which was rejected by all St. Louis network affiliates—will air at night on Comedy Central January 1 to 3.
Why is PETA targeting St. Louis? Because Missouri has the dubious distinction of being one of the top puppy mill states in the country. Puppy mills compound the companion animal overpopulation crisis by breeding hundreds of thousands of dogs in deplorable conditions each year in order to supply pet stores with puppies. PETA's investigation of a Midwestern puppy mill found dogs with oozing eyes, raging ear infections, severe mange, and deformed and abscessed feet from standing on wire cage floors.
"PETA's new 'Sex Talk' commercial shows how ludicrous and dangerous it is when people don't take breeding seriously," says PETA President Ingrid E. Newkirk. "The ad is shocking, and so is people's refusal to spay or neuter their companion animals when millions of deserving, wonderful cats and dogs are dying for a good home."
For more information and to view the ad, please visit PETA.org or click here.
[Update: December 13, 2007 1:10 p.m.]: The "leaked" Mitchell list is plenty bogus as far as Cardinals players are concerned. No Pujols. No Kile. No Tavarez. No Tatis. No Nunez.
Former Cardinals assistant coach Dave McKay is quoted in the report as estimating that 30 percent of Major League Baseball players use steroids. [end update]
The Mitchell Report, an investigation on steroids in Major League Baseball commissioned by the league and conducted by Senator George Mitchell, will be officially released today 1 p.m. Central time. The report is expected to name 60 to 80 players who were found to have used performance-enhancing drugs in the past decade. Several news outlets have been referencing a leaked version of the report, which includes a list of players named.
One of the names that appears in the leaked version is that of Cardinals superstar Albert Pujols. Major League Baseball officials have disputed the accuracy of the list.
Our favorite is the one on the left, which depicts the Cardinals rookie performing the time-honored ritual known as Dry-Humping the World Series Trophy (a.k.a. Boy Behind the Barn With a Sheep).
Props to Alex F., who reports that he got the pix "via the small town e-mail chain which basically is the STL." Alex's bloggal output can be accessed here.
