December 6, 2006

''We got complaints. It is controversial.''

The bus shelter made to smell like cookies:
Some critics expressed concern over potential allergic reactions. Others complained the ads could be offensive to the poor and homeless who can't afford to buy sweet treats.

Scented oils were sandwiched between cardboard cards emblazoned with ''Got Milk?'' and affixed to shelter walls, in hopes that the smell of just-out-of-the-oven chocolate chip cookies would spark cravings for milk. The promotion was launched at five San Francisco bus shelters at a cost of about $30 per shelter.

Got milk? No, got whine.

19 comments:

Jake said...

With obesity being the main health problem of the poor, I don't think we need to worry about them not having "sweet treats."

Troy said...

These folks better stay away from Disneyland they might have an olfactory overload.

Unknown said...

There's the mysterious "some" again! Boy, he/she sure gets around.

MadisonMan said...

Maybe those hypothetical poor and homeless who might find the ads offensive because they can't afford to buy sweets should spend more energy searching for jobs and less time finding offense.

The Exalted said...

this sounds awesome. it should be extended to entire cities.

Tibore said...

"Others complained the ads could be offensive to the poor and homeless who can't afford to buy sweet treats."

Say what??? Oh, and those Mercedes billboards, jewelry shop fliers, and real-estate ads just sort of fly by those folks??

According to the article, "...some residents raised objections". All right... I don't see why, but okay, if local residents didn't like the ads, they can request their removal. That's fine, the MTA would just be accomodating the citizenry at that point. But for them to then turn around and put forth such an immensely stupid justification for the removal is mind boggling. It's almost as if that MTA spokesperson was looking for the most inane rationale possible.

Why the hell would she say that?

Revenant said...

The parts of San Francisco I've been to (the convention center and the downtown area around it) mostly smell like urine and feces. I'm not sure if smelling like urine, feces, and cookies would be an improvement or not.

Its an attractive city, but it needs to stop encouraging homeless people to live on its streets.

MadisonMan said...

it needs to stop encouraging homeless people to live on its streets.

Step 1 is to change the climate. Be more like Milwaukee.

Jimmy said...

"Maybe those hypothetical poor and homeless who might find the ads offensive because they can't afford to buy sweets should spend more energy searching for jobs and less time finding offense."

Are the homeless and poor complaining or is it the "activists" claiming to represent them?

Revenant said...

the curious thing about the homeless population is that it tends to cluster in those areas most frequented by tourists.

I live in San Diego, which is also a popular tourist destination (and which has an even nicer climate than San Francisco). We don't have anywhere *near* San Francisco's homeless problem.

The problem isn't that the homeless flock to tourist areas; the problem is that San Francisco was insanely accomodating to the homeless. They even, until very recently, paid them a monthly allowance, IN CASH, to the tune of $400 -- not enough to pay rent, but plenty to keep yourself in food and cheap liquor or drugs.

reader_iam said...

Oh, Rev, they were just trying to be nice, not like those big meanies out there.

You're so judgmental!

Tibore said...

"Step 1 is to change the climate. Be more like Milwaukee."

I don't think San Fran's as warm as you think it is. It's not Milwaukee, but Man! It can get chilly!

When I was there for a wedding in June - I repeat, in June - I was caught out in the city at night with only a thin windbreaker. Damn near froze my (*expletive*) off. Should've read all the warnings about San Francisco's weather not being as California sunny and warm as you'd think.

The cold actually made me surprised that there were so many homeless. Revenant's statement explains much.

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Tibore said...

Actually, Theo, I was thinking about that same quote myself. But when I looked up the exact wording, I stumbled across this:

http://www.snopes.com/quotes/twain.asp

So, I held back from using it. He probably never said it. Shame, too; it's a good quote.

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Tibore said...

Hell, I'll adopt, it post facto. That was a damn, Damn, DAMN cold night! And it was June! Bloody hell! Drove across the Golden Gate the next day, and the temp went up a degree per mile for the first 10 miles!

Freakin' insane.

I'll never go there again without sweaters and a good coat, don't care what time of year it is.

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