Adil Najam
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I am as excited about Pakistan’s Test cricket victory against Australia as the next guy. Maybe even more.
But this huge (quarter page) advertisement on the front page of today’s (Sunday’s) The News is just plain bad taste.
That it is an ad for Pepsi – a major global brand, but also the official sponsor of Pakistan cricket (over-sized Pepsi logos are the most prominent thing on the official clothing of Pakistani cricketers), makes it only more so.
It was obviously made in a hurry. But I, for one, wish it had never been made. Whether Pepsi does so or not, let me apologize to Ricky Ponting. This, as they say, is just not cricket!
I do not know what was the thought behind this Ad?
If they thought this was funny; it is not. Only early today I had a chat with my 7-year old explaining to him that making fun of other people’s names is not funny, because we would not like it if others make fun of ours.
If they thought it was a commentary on Pakistan cricket and a show of support for Pakistani cricket; it is not. Despite the exciting victory we pulled off, no serious cricket fan will claim that Pakistan is the better team of the two. There is much that we should try to learn from Australia, even in this Test: their fight back till the very end, for example! The argument I often give to my 7-year old is also valid here: imagine what might be our reaction if Indian or Australian or British newspapers started carrying Ads like this about Pakistan each time we lost a game or something bad happened in Pakistan (and those, unfortunately, happen all too often!)?
But that is not the point. The point is that this Ad has no point. At least no redeeming point.
All it does is insult. And not just Ricky Ponting. It insults the brand integrity of Pepsi, and even more the brand identity of Pakistan cricket (since Pepsi is its official sponsor) and of Pakistan and Pakistanis in general (the green background is not accidental, nor is the bouncing kangaroo). It presents and projects us as a mean, insensitive, gloating, and petty people. Some of us may, indeed, be that. But I am not prepared to be ‘branded’ in that light; and certainly not by Pepsi.
Maybe I am over-reacting. And clearly this is not the of the problems we face. But sometimes it is the small things that pinch hardest, because they become metaphor for all the big things that are wrong. I just wish that whoever made and approved this Ad had read Mian Mohammad Bakhsh’s Saif-uk-Muluk:
Dushman marey tey khushi na kariye sajjna vi mar jaana
(Do not gloat when an enemy dies, your friends too will die)
Editor’s note: Here are some examples of bad advertising; of good advertising; and of advertising nostalgia.
Calcium and Osteoporosis.(Brief Article)
Contraceptive Technology Update September 1, 2001 GENERAL INFORMATION:
What is it? Osteoporosis (ah-stee-o-per-o-sis) is when your body breaks down bone faster than new bone is made and stored. Some loss of bone mass is natural as people age, especially for women after menopause. But, bone loss also can happen due to medicines or genetic factors (passed from parent to child). The bones become weak, brittle, and more porous than usual. Osteoporosis makes it easier for bones in your hip, pelvis, wrist, arm, and spine to break. You also are at risk for other health problems because of being inactive while bones are healing.
How can what I do, eat, and drink cause osteoporosis? The following things can cause your body to give up (get rid of) too much calcium from your bones.
* Not exercising regularly.
* Diet: Getting enough calcium in your diet is very important in preventing and treating osteoporosis. Avoid the following things that can prevent you from getting enough calcium in your diet. These things can also cause early loss of calcium from your bones.
– Drinking too much caffeine.
– Drinking too much alcohol.
– Eating too much fiber can cause you to absorb less calcium.
– Eating too much animal protein (more than 80-100 grams a day) can cause you to lose too much calcium. Plant or vegetarian protein does not seem to cause this problem.
Care: One important way to prevent or control osteoporosis is to get enough calcium in your diet every day. This CareNote explains how you can get enough calcium in your diet. It also tells how much calcium people of different ages and with different health problems need.
* Calcium Sources — Look up your age group in the table below to find out how much calcium you should be getting each day. Then use the food lists to figure out how much calcium you are getting now from your diet. Check with your caregiver or dietitian for calcium supplements to take if you can not get enough calcium from your diet. Never take more than 2,000 mg of calcium per day from supplements.
– Antacids with calcium and calcium chews are also available. Check labels on these items to find the total calcium or elemental calcium content of each dose. Check with your caregiver before trying chewable calcium supplements if you take blood-thinning medication, such as coumadin. The calcium chews may contain vitamin K, which can block the action of your medicine. site too much fiber
* Other Nutrients and Medicines — Check with your caregiver to see if you should take extra phosphorus or vitamin D to help your body store calcium. Some people need 400-800 IU of vitamin D each day to help their bones store enough calcium. Avoid taking more than 5,000 IU of vitamin A or more than 1,000 IU of vitamin D. Too much of these can interfere with how calcium is absorbed.
– Get regular exercise to make sure your bones will absorb and store calcium as well as possible. Walking, jogging, running, aerobics, and other weight-bearing exercises are the best.
– Talk to your caregiver if you are a woman past menopause and osteoporosis runs in your family. Your caregiver may suggest that you take hormone replacements.
GUIDELINES FOR CALCIUM INTAKE: Amounts needed each day for bone health are listed in milligrams (mg). Check with your caregiver for the right calcium dose if you are taking steroid medicines or are a female after menopause.
* Infants — 0-6 months: 210 mg — 6-12 months: 270 mg * Children — 1-3 years: 500 mg — 4-8 years: 800 mg — 9-13 years: 1,300 mg * Women (before menopause and those not pregnant or nursing) and men — 14-18 years: 1,300 mg — 19-50 years: 1,000 mg — 51-70 years: 1,200 mg — 70 and older: 1,200 mg * Women (who are pregnant or who have gone through menopause) — Pregnant or nursing up to 18 years: 1,200-1,300 mg — Pregnant or nursing 19 years and older: 1,000-1,200 mg — After menopause: 1,000-1,200 mg if taking estrogen — After menopause: 1,200-1,500 mg if not taking estrogen * All people taking steroid medicines: at least 1,500 mg SOURCES OF CALCIUM IN FOOD: The estimated milligrams of calcium for each food are listed in parentheses. The actual amount of calcium may be slightly different depending on the brand of a type of food you eat. Oxalates and dietary fiber in plant foods can block part of the calcium absorbed by your body. The calcium from dairy foods and seafood are the best absorbed by most people. in our site too much fiber
* Serving Sizes: Use this list to measure foods and serving sizes.
– 1 1/2 cup (12 ounces) of liquid is the size of a soda-pop can.
– 1 cup (8 ounces) of food is the size of a large handful.
– 1/2 cup (4 ounces) of food is about half of a large handful.
– A serving size means the size of food after it is cooked. Three ounces of cooked meat, fish, or poultry is about the size of a deck of cards.
* DAIRY — 1 cup skim milk (302) — 1 cup 2% milk (297) — 1 cup whole milk (291) — 1 cup chocolate milk, 2% fat (284) — 1 cup buttermilk (285) — 1 cup low-fat fruit yogurt (330) — 1 cup low-fat plain yogurt (415) — 1 ounce cheddar cheese (204) — 1 ounce mozzarella cheese (147) — 1 ounce Swiss cheese (272) — 1/2 cup ricotta cheese (337) — 1/2 cup 2% fat cottage cheese (78) — 1/2 cup evaporated low-fat milk (318) — 1/4 cup powdered nonfat milk (377) * FRUITS AND VEGETABLES — 1 cup calcium-fortified orange juice (400) — 1 cup cooked rhubarb (270) — 1 cup steamed broccoli (94) — 1 cup cooked collard greens (358) — 1 cup cooked kale (180) — 1 cup cooked turnip greens (249) * SEAFOOD — 3 ounces canned salmon, with bones (187) — 3 ounces canned sardines, with bones (342) * PROTEIN FOODS — 1 cup refried beans (140) — 1/2 cup tofu (130) — 1/2 cup tempeh (77) * DESSERTS — 1/2 cup custard (158) — 1/2 cup ice milk (92) — 1/2 cup vanilla pudding (148) — 1 slice (1/6 of a pie) pumpkin pie (166) CALL YOUR CAREGIVER IF:
* You have questions about the serving sizes on this diet.
* You have questions about how to prepare or cook foods on this diet.
* You have questions about how or where to buy foods on this diet.
* You have questions or concerns about your illness, medicine, or this diet.
Source: Kiasco R & Auracher P (Eds): CareNotes[TM] System. MICROMEDEX Inc., Englewood, Co (Edition expires 9/2001).
Grow up….when Malcolm Speed can call us buffoon and their team is known for their language inside and outside the field….why the hell are you loosing sleep over some funny ads….yawnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn’
and Yes….Murali do approve of these ads
Now just a minute, I think Ponting and Co, deserve this. I mean why should we always show patience and tolerence and let others always make a mockery of our team. I have seen the Aussies and the Indians make fun of our team and people a number of time, and at the same seen the officials only laughing at it. Infact we need our players to be as vocal and vigilant in giving a befitting reply to such comments at the very right moment. Now if they call it fun, they should take this too for fun. It’s time we stop playing Mr. cool and forget that nothing has happend.
Haha, awesome.
You see this kind of crap in England and Australia all the time. Whats your point about this being shameful? Its entertaining…
ha ha ha ha, good one, I never see it before.
What if they make fun of Pakistni players on next defeat
One victory in 15 years and we loose control!
Oh plz stop the moral policing I have seen worst in ausie and english newspapers. I find the add quite cheeky. Was an ausie kfc add ok with u that they made when shahid afridi decided to use the ball as his apple of the day, just don’t criticise for the sake of it. We need humour and banter to again learn to smile, at least when people saw this add they would have smiled. We don’t get many these days when we pick up a news paper. I totally respect ur view but as Pakistani we shouldn’t get apologetic over each and every thing
Cheers
Adil Raza Shaikh
wait wait wait…you haven’t seen the ANOTHER ONE they made! There were 2 of these. This ones even yuckier!
Link: http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/xeNX7e7rw5HjEfjY733tEw?feat=directlink
Why can’t we just be happy for having won, without gloating. Specially, since we lose so often ourselves, I would think we would have better grace than this. And who the hell is Pepsi and what gives them the right to present this ugly picture of Pakistani attitudes.