A Stroke of Genius?

I love commercials. It's one of those quirky things about me that completely irritates most people I know. My favorite part about watching TV is coming across an outrageously clever advertisement idea. Over the past decade there have been two particular companies to hit on a marketing campaign which I find totally fantastic because of their witty nature and catchy jingle. These are Mastercard (priceless) and Budweiser (Real Men of Genius).



Doesn't this just make you giggle? Not only is the tune catchy, it actually forces us to think about all the "little guys" out there, caught up in their daily grind but without whom our lives would be a tad bit inconvenienced. I like that Budweiser salutes the men and women who provide services we take for granted (Chinese food delivery guy is another great one). Granted, now they've gone a bit overboard with versions such as "silent killer gas passer" and "Mr. cell phone holster wearer." These are funny, but not as effective as the original intent.

That brings me to the interesting thought of how a company should decide when an ad has run it's course? Do they pull the ad while still popular so it is fondly remembered (like Seinfeld ending at the height of success so fans would only remember it as a great show)? Or do they, like Budweiser's Real Men of Genius, run it into the ground until it's dead?

P.S. -
I was always a big fan of Geico commercials. However, they are a company that started off producing creative ads and then fell apart with the introduction of the Gecko, in my opinion. Here's an oldie but goodie from them:

Playing God?

An issue that I've only just learned about in the past five years is what some call "planning a baby." What does this mean?

Well, it means that a couple decides they are ready to bring a child into their family, but instead of the good ol' fashioned method of getting pregnant, they try to manipulate the situation in order to affect the sex of the baby. This is most prevalent in couples who want to conceive a female child.

The basic assumption is that Y or male sperm swim faster then X or female sperm. This means that families who either want a girl right off the bat or perhaps have a few boys and are desperate for a girl, can use this method of "planning a baby" as they try to conceive.

According to Dr. Shettles, leading proponent of "planning a baby," these are a few things you can do to ensure the baby turns out a girl:

1. Have sex every day from day 1 to day 5, then stop three days before ovulation.

2. The man should take a hot shower immediately before intercourse.

My opinion?
Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. If a couple decides that they are ready for a baby and are fortunate enough to get pregnant, they should be absolutely, ecstatically happy. End of story. Trying to decide the sex of the baby means, in my opinion, that if they don't end up with the girl (or boy) they are trying for, they will be less excited about the tiny life they've created. So many people can't ever even have a baby so if a couple is lucky enough to conceive, they should be thrilled.

My question to you
Should couples interfere with the natural process of conception in order to get the girl (or boy) they desire?