Wednesday, October 09, 2002

I've tried to re-subscribe to Adbusters twice now to no avail. My mailbox is empty and I keep forgottening to see if they cashed my cheques. Once is a mistake. Twice is what? a sign? A hint? And yet being the fool that I am, I pick up the "Big Fat Double Issue" (Nov/Dec 2002>>No.44) dedicated to the topic of "apetito / appetit / appetite" on the newstand.

It would have been more honest for adbusters to call the issue the "supersized triple issue" because each of the "articles" within are reprinted in French and Spanish (or Portugese... I can't tell). This step towards a multilanguage broadcast I think is a good idea and is worthy enough to be done well - but not in the sloppy manner as demonstrated in this issue. It's difficult to quickly see which columns correspond with which language and no other content in the magazine is translated. COLORS Magazine makes it a point to translate every word in their issues and because of this, publishes a series of bilingual issues (English / French) (English / Spanish) (English / Italian) which can't be cheap. It would be laudable if Adbusters could aspire to this same level of Internationalization against Globalization.

The big "take-home" message of this issue is that now that the tobacco companies are on their heels fighting lawsuits from state to state, the next official target of Adbusters' ire will be "Big Food". But I'm embarassed at how badly the message is being delivered. This issue is very lean on content and has a very unhealthy level of reprinted "emails to the editor" decrying the spirtual emptiness of the obese.

I am going to refine my media diet. I need something more substantial than this fast-thought food.

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