Essay 3097

Dude, you’re getting a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• Dell Inc. announced plans to lay off 8,000 employees. “While reductions in head count are always difficult for a company, we know these actions are critical to our ability to deliver unprecedented value to our customers now and in the future,” said Michael Dell. Dude, you’re getting a pink slip.

• Circuit City plans to cut about 850 jobs, adding to the 3,400 fired in March. The City population is now down to about 43,000 citizens.

• Forget peanut butter and jelly. Folks are concerned over peanut butter and salmonella. Since August, over 200 people got sick by peanut butter tainted with salmonella, leading to the Peter Pan brand being pulled from shelves. Peter Pan likes to sing, “I won’t grow up.” But he may make you throw up.

• The controversial Camel No. 9 (see Essay 2087) has inspired protests against publications like Vogue magazine. “If you draw income from the advertisement of tobacco,” stated one letter writer, “you are as guilty as big tobacco companies in selling the health and future of so many of our youth in order to pad your bank accounts.” Ellen Vargyas of the American Legacy Foundation added, “Research out there shows that young people are susceptible to advertising. I wish the publications themselves would look hard at what they’re doing. Readers look to them to see what’s cool and what’s trendy—and they see cigarettes.” Or photo spreads of supermodels smoking cigarettes.